interview by Guitar Doug
Photos by RJB

The women are all from various backgrounds and political leanings living throughout WA State. The charity is based within a modest apartment in Seattle’s Capitol Hill neighborhood. The cost of the items and shipping has been raised entirely by the women through events such as bake sales, car washes and other fundraisers.

Rockabilly bands The Hot Roddin Romeos and The Whiskey Wailers are also to thank for the unexpected visit from Santa in Iraq this year. They have promoted NW Pinups 4 Troops with rockabilly events throughout 2007 and will continue in 2008.

Professional photographers have also offered services to the ladies. Many photographs of NW Pinups 4 Troops are now hanging in barracks in the war zones. The photography is in a 2008 calendar on sale to raise more money for the project. The photographers involved with NW Pinups 4 Troops are Mark of Seattle Next Door, Dave Ward, Maggie Avila, and most recently RJB photo, whose November 2007 photo shoot of the women is part of this story and this issues pull-out poster.

When the shipped packages arrive in the war zone, they are carefully screened by military personnel before being brought on base. One sergeant is specifically assigned to handle and distribute the packages to soldiers. He determines who is given a care package based on who he feels does not receive enough mail from home, does not have any family at Christmas, or may benefit from a morale boost due to some trauma suffered in battle.

Obviously, there are not enough packages to go to every troop based in Iraq. This is why the women of NW Pinups 4 Troops work night and day. There is no gimmick here and they are not promoting themselves or anything else. They simply do what they do out of the goodness of their hearts.

Ruby Hardt, a 21 year old Seattle woman began NW Pinups 4 Troops in June 2007 with just a few pin-up style photographs of herself and a few letters of encouragement sent to random soldiers in Iraq. Ruby is a huge fan of the artist Gil Elvgren who became famous painting WWII era pin-ups during the second half of the 20th century. Elvgren passed away in 1980, but his work is still a major influence on models and photographers specializing in the pin-up genre. For Ruby Hardt, recreating the style of Elvgren’s paintings as actual photographs began as a hobby. Sending the photographs along with the letters to troops was an afterthought. It has now taken on a life of its own.

In the beginning, each photograph simply came with a hand written letter to a soldier offering encouragement. The letters were received by the grateful troops, who then returned letters to Ruby. Some letters were somewhat flirtatious in nature, but most were just grateful that someone back home still cared about them and supported them unconditionally.

Ruby then began talking about her experience with other woman in person and on the internet. Many of the women who have friends or family serving in Iraq also began writing to troops and posing for pin-up photographs in the style of Gil Elvgren’s paintings.

The core members of NW Pinups 4 Troops are Becky Beware, Veronica Sweeney, Killer Kate, Patty Valentino, Lillian Fontaine, Rosey Baker, Sofia Pearl and Mary May.

The woman decided to raise money through bake sales, car washes, poker nights, and anything else they could come up with. The goal was to send packages for Halloween. The shipping costs were astronomical but the effort was a success. NW Pinups 4 troops has just sent out its second shipment for Christmas.

Again the costs are large and difficult to cover through their fundraising efforts. Donations to cover shipping are always welcome by NW Pinups 4 troops. The website of the group is www.cafepress.com/nwpinups4troops.

I asked Ruby Hardt why she goes through the amount of work she does for people she has never met. She replied, “People need to remember that our troops are still over there fighting. Even though things seem to have settled down a bit, people should never forget there is a war going on.”

Ruby Hardt comes from a family steeped in military service. She has never sought out media coverage or publicity and this is the first ever story on NW Pinups 4 Troops ever published. I approached her about this story and not the other way around. The members of NW Pinups 4 Troops never publicly disclose their political leanings. They keep the focus only on support of the troops and not the politics of war. “We have no opinion on the war. We are Pro troop only.” Ruby told me.

In 2008, Ruby Hardt will continue to work tirelessly with the ladies raising funds selling baked goods, holding charity events, or whatever else the group thinks will help cover shipping costs to Iraq. She is also talking about getting school children involved with making gifts and cards for the troops.

I wanted to interview someone who is directly connected with the group in an important way. Staff Sergeant Robert Rood is a member of the United States military who has spent holidays under fire while on duty in Iraq.

I am honored to share my interview with Sgt. Rood, conducted the final week of November 2007. Robert has just returned from another tour in Iraq and gives this first hand account of the war and the work of NW Pinups 4 Troops.

Thanks for your service and taking the time for this story. What do you think of NW Pinups 4 Troops?
NW Pinups 4 Troops is a fantastic idea and shows that in this age of serving one’s self, some amazing and caring people can donate their time, talents and ideas for the purpose of bringing much appreciated joy and normalcy to people they do not know and may never meet. It is a truly a wonderful organization and those involved should be recognized by their communities as conscientious current and future leaders. They are truly wonderful people doing amazing things for nothing in return.

What is Christmas like for troops in Iraq?
I’ve spent seven of the last 10 holiday seasons over seas. The military goes above and beyond to provide the most enjoyable holiday experience possible. Individual units take it upon themselves to do more at Christmas. For example, we’ve had fresh cut Christmas trees flown in from Germany and do Secret Santa gift exchanges. It’s actually much like what you would find at any office party in the US, only there are more guns and camouflage. (Laughs)

How are things going in Iraq?
My first tour was from October of 2003 through March of 2005. At that point it was very unstable, dangerous and chaotic. When I returned to Iraq in March of 2007, I was absolutely amazed at the progress and stabilization. The number of attacks is down forty to eighty percent in most areas and the population is much more receptive toward us. There are far fewer incidences now than in 2003. Having said that, the events that do occur are better planned and cause much more casualties. The attacks are also being marketed for the media, if you will.

Explain what you mean about marketing the attacks for the media.
They tend to launch attacks around 6pm, which is about 8am in New York so they will make the morning news or at holidays like Thanksgiving. There were no attacks on the Green Zone for sixty seven days. Then, thirty rounds hit around 5pm Thanksgiving night, which is Thanksgiving morning back home. The attacks are also becoming far more accurate now. Over the past year the accuracy increased from several rounds landing over a square mile to several rounds landing in a football field sized area.

So things are improving on the ground?
The increase of commerce and personal movement prove it. The issue is that the various tribes, religions and political factions are now in an internal power struggle for control of the country, the regions, cities and even neighborhoods.

Is a truce between the various factions foreseeable in the near future?
The culture, religions and general customs do not lend well to concessions or sharing power. That’s the way it’s been for centuries and will be longer than I will be alive. Is it impossible? No, but it will take time; time that the US population is not understanding of in our fast paced culture.

When and how should the United States withdraw from Iraq in your opinion?
Whatever personal opinions are on how or why the war began, we are there now. It is irresponsible to leave Iraq before the area can survive without us, regardless of public opinion. The Iraqi government is drafting legislation now to ask the US to provide a long term presence such as Germany or Korea – two places we have fought wars and held a presence for over 50yrs.

Thanks for your time and Merry Christmas to you and your family. Do you have anything to say to my readers?
I hope you all are doing well, and if you need more addresses of soldiers, I ran into some Special Forces and Recon friends at four different bases whose addresses I can give you. Stay in touch.