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Ohio Guard Soldiers, Family Members Thank Students

Photo By Melissa Garcia | Students from the Norwich Elementary School fourth and fifth-grade mixed class display...... read more read more

HILLIARD, OHIO, UNITED STATES

07.17.2006

Courtesy Story

16th Engineer Brigade Public Affairs

HILLIARD, Ohio -- Norwich Elementary School students recently received a special thank-you from some Ohio National Guard Soldiers and family members in this Columbus suburb.

Debra Wayt, wife of Maj. Gen. Gregory L. Wayt, Ohio's Adjutant General, and Anita Timmons, wife of Brig. Gen. Robin Timmons, commander of the deployed 16th Engineer Brigade, visited the school to treat the children and their teacher, Cathie Maple, to a special surprise.

Maple, wife of Staff Sgt. Robert Maple, who is currently deployed to Iraq with the brigade's headquarters company, teaches a group of about 125 fourth- and fifth-graders at Norwich. After learning their teacher's husband was called to service last November, the children decided to adopt the Columbus-based unit. They began sending holiday cards, home-made presents and care packages to the deployed Soldiers.

Cyndi Gerris, one of the school's parent volunteers, came up with craft ideas, which the students made and mailed to the troops. The Gerris" made it a family affair, working on the projects together.

After receiving the cards and gifts, Brig. Gen. Timmons responded by sending his wife a U.S. flag which had flown over the unit's headquarters in Baghdad to present to the school. He also sent Gerris a personal thank-you note.

"My husband was really impressed," Gerris said. "He said, "Oh my! You got a note from a general!" Me and my daughter are writing him back."

When Debra Wayt heard about what the children were doing for the deployed Soldiers, she decided she wanted to do something for them. So she called Anita Timmons, who suggested the United Through Reading program as a way to give back to the kids.

United Through Reading, the military extension of the Family Literacy Foundation, enables deployed parents to connect with their children while at the same time promoting literacy. Through the program, deployed parents read stories in front of a video camera, then record the session to videocassette or DVD and send it back home to their children. The spouse or guardian at home records the child's reaction and completes the circle by sending the recording back overseas.

Wayt and Timmons decided a book with a patriotic theme was best suited for their surprise, so they went to the bookstore and selected "The Flag We Love," by Pam Munoz Ryan. They then approached the school principal with their plan, who helped facilitate their surprise.

"This was our chance to thank the kids for everything," said Wayt. "We wanted to tell the little children how much we appreciate them, and we thought it would be awesome if one of our Soldiers could read the children a book from way over there in Iraq."

After sending the book to the brigade chaplain and unit United Through Reading Coordinator, Col. Richard Genzman, and coordinating the surprise reading with the school principal, they anxiously awaited the DVD, which finally arrived just days before they were to show it.

The day of the reading, the two women, eager with anticipation, met at the Wayt home and headed over to the school. After meeting briefly with the school principal, they all headed to the school library to await their guests of honor, who soon began filtering into the room.

When all were present, Wayt thanked the children for their efforts and presented the flag to Maple, who accepted on behalf of the school. Wayt then told them she had a special surprise and asked the puzzled Maple to remain standing with her. She began explaining the United Through Reading program and told the students that a very special Soldier would read to them.

As the DVD began to play, Maple heard a familiar voice and looked up at the television screen. She brought her hand to her mouth in astonishment, her eyes glued to the screen, as she watched her husband begin reading to her students.

"I'm amazed that my husband did this," she said. "The fact that he did this for the children is just wonderful. It was overwhelming."

Maple, already familiar with the program, said the program promotes both love and literacy and also fosters a sense of community in the children.

"I think the children need to learn to give back," she said. "In giving, I think we learn."

Staff Sgt. Maples wound up his reading with a personal message to the children.

"From all of us here in Iraq to all of you there who sent us cards and gifts all year, we really, really appreciate it," he said. "Thank you very much."

Following the reading, Lt. Col. Scott Evans, who had accompanied Wayt and Timmons, spoke to the children about his new digital print Army Combat Uniform (ACU), explaining what the different patches and badges meant, and also about some of the special challenges facing deployed servicemembers. As the brigade's administrative officer, Evans is currently assigned to the unit's rear detachment after already having served a yearlong tour in Iraq.

He then opened up the floor to questions as he passed around the Kevlar helmet and body armor worn by Soldiers in combat zones, and began fielding questions from the curious students.

"Does anybody ever carry around bazookas?" asked one student.

"We had some," Evans replied. "The bad guys carried a lot of them. They're called rocket-propelled grenades or RPG's."

"Did you ever ride in a tank? Did you get to shoot it? Did you ever get in a fight? With a RPG?" shot off the other students one after another.

As the questions flooded in, he answered them truthfully and tactfully. Yes, he"d been in firefights, but no, fortunately he"d never been hurt. He got some laughs from the enrapt students when he shared his call sign.

"My nickname was Builder Six, but they also called me Skippy, Fat Man and Bad Boy," he said with a smile.

Finally, it was time for the students to return to their classes. But first, Evans had just one more thing to add.

"Before you go back," he said. "I just want to thank you from the bottom of our hearts. On behalf of all of our Soldiers, thank you very, very much."