Grandmother makes stress dolls for troops

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. Jerome Baysmore
  • 31st Fighter Wing Public Affairs
AVIANO AIR BASE, Italy --  When stress levels rise, some turn to exercise at the Dragon Fitness Center, Aviano Health and Wellness Center or mull things over with a chaplain.

Now, Aviano has another outlet to turn to – “Dang-it Dolls”– and their official name has been changed to protect the innocent.

Because none of the hand-made dolls look exactly alike, they each take on a personality of their own.

The dolls work to relieve stress because their recipients can confide in them, yell at them or just beat them up. The dolls never argue, are very forgiving, and they can never tell secrets. The dolls come with a little poem pinned on them:

When your day is stressful
And you want to scream and shout
Here’s a “Little Dang-it Doll”
That you can’t live without
Grasp it firmly by the legs
And find a place to slam it!!
As you whack its stuffing out,
Yell “Dang-it, Dang-it, Dang-it”

“‘Operation Dang-it Doll’ is a project that happened by accident,” said Carol Davis. “Many years ago, someone gave me a doll, and I came across it again a few months ago. I decided to make some for my family and friends as gag Christmas gifts.

“I sent two to my grandson, [Airman 1st Class Thomas Hagmaier, 31st Maintenance Squadron] who is stationed in Italy, and one to a family friend, Larry, who is deployed in Iraq from our National Guard Unit here,” the Columbia, S.C., native and military supporter said.

Ms. Davis said she was sure Airman Hagmaier would complain because she sent him dolls. Instead, he wanted to know if he sent her money, would she buy more.

“I told him I had made them and would be happy to make a few more, and asked how many people wanted one. He said, ‘Everyone!’ And I got the same response from Larry.
“I decided, if my silly dolls brought that much joy to our servicemen and women, I would see that all who wanted one would have one,” she said. “We will continue to make and ship dolls to our military as long as there is a need.”

Airman Hagmaier agreed on the need for more dolls because maintenance squadron Airmen always turn to him for more.

“I get asked all the time, but I don’t mind it,” he said. “I think it’s a morale booster for people overseas – it keeps a smile on my face.

“Everywhere I go, I see these dolls all over the place. People have them up on the walls or hanging from the ceilings.”

Airman Hagmaier said his grandmother has shipped more than 4,000 dolls to Iraq, Kuwait, Korea, Afghanistan, local South Carolina bases and Italy since 2005. He also stressed the cost of the dolls – they’re free.

“These dolls are not for sale, nor are they for anyone else,” Ms. Davis said. “They are free and only for our wonderful young men and women serving our country with honor.
“This is a labor of love and an on going project.”

Ms. Davis and the volunteers in S.C. were interviewed and featured on a TV station in February 2005, which spread their story. Soon, they were flooded with donated materials and help, but the group doesn’t accept any cash donations.

“If someone wants to help us with shipping – which is the biggest expense – we do allow them to take the boxes to the post office and mail them for us.

“Bear in mind, these are not just pretty faces to be set on a desk and collect dust,” she said. “They are to be ‘used and abused,’ and replacements are readily available for the asking. It is just our way of sending a little piece of home to them and let them know we are behind them and love them.”