Hot Sauce Maker Gets Special Thanks From US Troops

For the U.S. troops serving in Afghanistan, any little reminder of home is welcome. And when it comes to downing those prepackaged Meals Ready to Eat, a little extra flavor helps too.

Charlie Schandelmayer, who concocts his own hot sauces for his Sauces Crafted business in Riviera, Fla., realized he was getting a lot of orders from Afghanistan. That inspired him to create a special blend, American Patriot Hot Sauce, which he began adding at no cost to orders that were going to troops overseas.

“I never served in the military," Schandelmayer told The Palm Beach Post "But this is my way of doing my part."

One day he received a thank-you note from a Navy SEAL, who said he and his buddies really appreciated the extra hot sauce. That prompted Schandelmayer to ask how many bottles of hot sauce the base could use.

The answer was: a lot.

So Schandelmayer, with help from donations from his customers, shipped 1,800 bottles of his hot sauce to Camp Ripley in southern Afghanistan, the Post said.

And he knows the troops really liked it, because last week they sent a very special thank-you: a certificate of appreciation from SEAL Team 2, honoring "Charlie the Sauce Guy."

And with it was a weathered American flag that had flown over Camp Ripley.

“It just shocked me,” Schandelmayer told the Post. “It will definitely be something to hold on to and cherish.”