Convenience Store Chain To Supply Gas For Soldiers' Trip

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An Oklahoma-based convenience store chain will provide the fuel needed to bring members of Oklahoma's 45th Infantry Brigade home for the holidays. Love's Travel Stops and

Thursday, November 22nd 2007, 7:10 am

By: News On 6

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) -- An Oklahoma-based convenience store chain will provide the fuel needed to bring members of Oklahoma's 45th Infantry Brigade home for the holidays. Love's Travel Stops and Country Stores chairman Tom Love said Wednesday his company will donate the gasoline needed to ferry more than 2,600 soldiers training at Fort Bliss, Texas, to Oklahoma.

The soldiers are set to deploy from the post in January, but have 10 days of leave from December 23rd to January 2nd.

Governor Brad Henry earlier this month announced Operation Holiday Homecoming and asked Oklahomans to donate the $600,000 needed to pay for 60 buses and meals for a round trip of less than 2,000 miles.

Department of Defense regulations don't allow the Army to pay for the soldiers' trip home while on leave.

About $100,000 has been raised, and several buses have been supplied for the trip, but supporters say more money is needed.