In Touch With Our Troops
From: Christopher Braden
U.S. Army, Iraq
To: president@4wheelparts.com
Subject: Lighting
Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2006 03:25:48 -1000
I am currently serving as a Company Commander in Operation Iraqi Freedom, at a very remote forward operating base. We traverse a lot of varied and expansive terrain in our Hummers; however, the OEM lights are extremely insufficient for our needs. We often have to travel on back trails or roads, traverse canals, and wind through tight villages; all while trying to spot Improvised explosive devices (IEDs) and bombs. We continually loose trucks to IEDs and bombs that we cannot spot at night due to our lack of lighting (brightness and quantity) on our trucks. My men and Iwould be greatly appreciative if 4 Wheel Parts could help us in our efforts. If there is any way this business can support my men with offroad lights, I know it will save the lives of my men. I think of their safety and their combat effectiveness everyday. I must exhaust every means to assist my 140 men to return home alive. I appreciate your support and would like to thank you for your time in advance.
Captain Chris Braden
Bravo Company
2-27 Infantry Commander
Subject: Re: Lighting
Sir,
I would be glad to help in anyway
possible. Please let me know what type
of light will work the best based on
dimensions and mounting systems.
Check our website under lighting from
Explorer Pro-Comp (this is our company
and we can sponsor those lights). If you
have a need for another brand, I can try
to accommodate that as well. I look forward
to hearing back from you and
helping you and your men
Be safe and thanks
Greg Adler
President, 4 Wheel Parts
Subject: Re: Lighting
Mr. Adler,
First I would like to thank you for
responding to my email and offering
your support! It always surprises me
how much support the American people
and businesses are willing to give
to their soldiers in combat. To answer
your question, we can mount lights
almost anywhere. Typically we mount
them on the steel bumpers in the front
of our trucks (with about 6” standoff
from the hood, but easily modified) or
we mount them on the hood above the
OEM lights. We can make almost any
system work, the boys are pretty savy
on modifications. I was looking at your
website, and think the
ExplorerProComp lights, the ABS 9”
Round HIDs would best serve our
needs because of their intense brightness,
durable housing, and low amp
draw. However, I understand these
lights are quite expensive so I believe
the 130w 8” Rounds would work as
well. We would need the lights to come
in sets, to include wiring harnesses and
mounting hardware if possible. I’m not
sure how many lights you will be able to
provide but I have 22 trucks. I will be
more than happy with whatever you
and 4 Wheel Parts are able to send,
even if it is one set of lights.
Once again, thank you for your support.
It means a lot to me and my men.
CPT Braden
CPT Braden,
My team at Explorer Pro-Comp will
be donating the lights & wiring to your
men. Our plan is to send a few different
light set-ups for you to try. We will
send some new HIDs along with some
of the 8”, 130 watt set ups. Please let
me know where to ship these to you.
Also, if you can send some photos
back with the lights on the trucks and
some feedback on how they worked,
we might include it as a story in our
magazine.
Best regards, Greg
Mr. Adler,
Thank you very much for your support! I
will definitely send you and your team pictures
of the installed light sets and
feedback on their performance. As I mentioned
earlier, every little bit helps and if it
saves one life then it was worth it. Once
again, I really appreciate the support from
you and the Explorer Pro-Comp Team
CPT Braden
Chris
Greg Adler, President of 4 Wheel
Parts has forwarded your emails to me
regarding your request for lights and
his thought about the magazine doing a
story on your unit using them. Please
add my contact info to your email
address book and let’s stay in communication.
Also, I would be happy to
send a box (80-90 magazines) of Off-
Road Adventures magazines to you
each month if you think the guys in your
unit would be interested in receiving
them. Please let me know if that is
something you would want. And, if possible,
send me a shot of the people in
your unit with a brief description of it
and we’ll run it in the magazine
Regards, Denis Snow
Editor/Publisher
Denis,
We would love to receive copies of Off-
Road Adventures magazine. I’ll work up a
description of the unit and get you a company
photo. I’ll also send photos of the
lights when they arrive, get installed, and
some performance notes. I think having a
story on the unit and the support your
team is providing is a great idea and I’ll do
whatever you need. Just ask.
Thanks,
Chris Braden
Denis,
Just wanted to let you know we
received a box of magazines this week
and the men were very excited to get
them. I have several soldiers that
already read your magazine and are
grateful for the issue!
Thanks again,
Chris
Gentlemen,
Just wanted to inform you that the lights
finally arrived three days ago. I divided
them by platoon and gave them to the
men to begin installing when they had the
opportunity. Currently about seven sets
are installed and we’re working to get
more done. My men were extremely excited
and very grateful for the generosity
displayed by your team. When we finish
the installation we will send a picture CD
to you so you can pick and choose any
you wish to use. The internet speed here
is way too slow to send that many pictures.
All I need is a physical address to
send the CD to. I also have our unit history
and will send that shortly over email.
Once again, my men and I appreciate
your tremendous support!
Thanks again,
CPT Braden