The Sacramento Bee, Calif., Marcos Breton column.(Column) From: Sacramento Bee (Sacramento, CA) | Date: July 29, 2007 | COPYRIGHT 2007 The Sacramento Bee. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan.  All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group.Copyright information

Byline: Marcos Breton

Jul. 29--The war in Iraq came via e-mail, a note from a Sacramento-born Marine with a request for help: Could we put out the word that U.S. troops could use care packages on the front lines? And could people send letters and postcards to troops hungry for a connection to home?

Then he called, sounding as if he were in his native Citrus Heights as opposed to Anbar province, near the deadly cities of Fallujah and Ramadi.

Sgt. N...