AURORA, IL - Keson Industries, a leading manufacturer and supplier of innovative, high-quality, measuring and marking tools, announced that it is supporting the 501c3 non-profit organization, TroopsDirect.org, by donating chalk to be used by U.S. service members in Afghanistan for marking improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
It has been reported that IED-related casualties and injuries in Afghanistan have increased dramatically since 2009.
TroopsDirect was started by Aaron Negherbon with a simple care package to a long-time friend who was a Marine Corps Captain deployed to Afghanistan. Now, the organization serves American service members with up to two tons of needed gear each month, including hygiene products, K9, nutritional and medical support. TroopsDirect is located in San Ramon, Ca. and has been operating since 2010.
Keson donated two pallets-worth - that is 1,300 pounds of chalk - mostly blue (99 percent) with some other colors included. This donation consists of a variety of 5-oz., 2-, 3-, and 5-lb. bottles of Keson's Pro-Chalk Ultimate. Troops will use the donation for marking and identifying IED lanes by temporarily discoloring IED locations with marking chalk, then allowing troops and local residents to pass IEDs safely. This donation is serving a respective battalion of 1,000 service members on the front lines of Afghanistan.
"The donation of colored chalk is significant and will help minimize some of the life-threatening risks taken on a daily basis by the dedicated men and women of our armed services, the civilian contractors working with them, and the non-combatant residents of Afghanistan," said Negherbon, president and founder, TroopsDirect. "Keson should be commended, as the simple act of marking an IED location has huge potential to prevent serious injury and save lives of not only our service members, but residents throughout Afghanistan."
