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354th Bulldogs elect "Best Squadron Mom"

  • Published
  • By Capt. Nora Eyle
  • 455th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs
BAGRAM AIRFIELD, Afghanistan --  Senior Airman Jennifer "C-10" Cianfrocca, 354th Expeditionary Fighter Squadron intelligence, may get the most mail at Camp Cunningham's post office, but her care packages are not just for her alone ... they are also for everyone she works with.

Airman Cianfrocca's mother, Mary Pierce, from Las Cruces, N.M., has made it her mission to care for her daughter's entire squadron, sending up to four boxes a week to ensure that the A-10 pilots and their team have enough Cajun Trail Mix to hold them over until the next shipment.

"I always knew I'd send care packages but didn't know what to send. I'd wander through Wal-Mart thinking 'how about this?' and just throw things in the basket," said Mary Pierce. "Did you know that the post office has two sizes for flat rate boxes that you can stuff up to 70 lbs into? And the boxes are free! It's an incredible savings and benefit that I utilize to send more boxes of goodies."

"They know my mom by name at the post office back in Las Cruces," Airman Cianfrocca said with a smile. "Some days I've even received three packages a day from her."

Mary Pierce, an American with Disabilities Act coordinator for Dona Ana County, spends all her own money on the packages she sends to Afghanistan and asks her daughter constantly about what the squadron needs to make their deployment a little easier.

For the fourth of July, she sent holiday decorations, sans fireworks, so the squadron's Airmen had a reminder of home during the holiday. "The decorations were great, we convinced a lot of people to try on the party hats," Airman Cianfrocca said.

Food wise, Starbursts are a big hit with the crowd and most people enjoy the Cajun Trail Mix because they can't make their famous jalapeño popcorn mixture here due to the simple fact that they don't have a popcorn maker.

"Two or three times a week, I pack up a couple of the flat rate boxes, go to the post office and mail them off. I know that Jennifer shares with her squadron, the maintenance units, and the Special Forces units, so I need to send a lot of stuff," Mary Pierce said. "Actually, the post office clerk tells me that there are several other local mothers who also send lots of care packages to entire units stationed in Iraq and Afghanistan."

Mary Pierce was voted as "Best Squadron Mom" by majority a couple of weeks ago and as a thank you for all she has done for them, the Bulldogs sent her a beautiful arrangement of flowers.

"We recently awarded Mary Pierce the 'Best Squadron Mom' award because her incredible efforts have been great for our morale, especially for our first-time deployers," said Lt. Col. Kevin Anderson, 354th EFS commander. "These reminders of home make the deployment easier and the fact people are thinking of you while you're away is a good feeling."

According to Mary Pierce, she is the lucky one to be able to support deployed Airmen. "I consider it a privilege to support the Bulldogs," said Mary Pierce. "They are the best of the best. They are brave, courageous and so very dedicated to their mission. Jennifer made an excellent choice when she joined the Air Force. I am so very proud of her."

"Everyone in the squadron is really appreciative of all my mom does," said Airman Cianfrocca. "They can't wait to see what C-10's mom is going to send next."

"Our family is scattered across the country, but yes, everyone sends packages," said Mary Pierce. "I even have co-workers who give me money to buy goodies or who bring me stuff to send over. Everyone supports our [servicemembers]. Jennifer is a personal connection to them."