thedrifter
11-21-06, 07:20 PM
U.S. Reserve troops visit elementary school; Students learn, empathize
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
The Marines landed at the Willcox Elementary School last week, and that's when the fun began.
"We had a good time," said Gunnery Sgt. Manny Gonzales of Willcox, who organized the event with his unit, Bulkfield Company Alpha.
"A lot of people don't know there is a Marine unit in Tucson."
The Marines were members of three platoons out of Tucson. One of the Marines who visited the school was from "as far away as Phoenix," and his day began very early to make the trip.
They brought an "MTVR," used for moving troops and gear in Iraq.
"The majority of our drivers and operators are in Iraq, but two of those who are here came down," Gonzales told the Range News. "They knew it was for the kids."
"They all said that it was more than they expected and would do it again," he said. "One has a son, but the rest don't have any kids."
The inspiration began when Gonzales gave a leadership talk recently at First Baptist Christian School, where he told the children that the military personnel in Iraq sleep on mats with no pillows for their heads.
Nine-year-old Kodie Clifton wrote to Gonzales later. "Thank you for protecting our country. I want you to know I slept without my pillow last night," she said in her letter.
Gonzales found the young girl's thank-you note very touching, and shared the story with the members of his unit.
"Manny did such an excellent job -- he was so good with the kids," said Gwen Clifton, who is Kodie's mother and also a teacher at First Baptist Christian School.
"He was very frank about how they live and the sacrifices they make. The kids were awe-struck. Even my most 'enthusiastic' boys were quiet and listened to him," she said.
"Each of the students pulled something different from it,"
Counselor Katie Skaarer heard about Gonzales' visit and invited him to make a similar presentation to the Willcox Elementary School.
"We'd love to spend time with the kids," he replied.
And spend time they did.
The Marines spent eight hours on campus -- doing such things as "eating MREs, wearing night vision goggles, putting up tents with them," Gonzales said. "We also ate lunch with them in the cafeteria."
"The night-vision goggles are actually used in Iraq," he said. "It was neat bringing down that equipment and letting them look through them. It's great that the schools and the families let us come down and do that."
Gonzales said the children told the Marines stories about their own relatives who are in Iraq.
Elementary schoolers were not the only ones to benefit from the Marines' visit that day, as there were students who also made the trip from the middle school and high school.
"There were a few high schoolers," Gonzales told the Range News. "One was in the delayed entry program in the Marines, and others were in the Air Force and the Army, getting ready to go."
Now in the Reserve, Gonzales entered the Marines 15 years ago, out of high school himself.
All in all, about 700 students visited with the Marines that day.
"The things they say and how smart they are -- they're awesome," Gonzales said.
Ellie
By Carol Broeder/Arizona Range News
The Marines landed at the Willcox Elementary School last week, and that's when the fun began.
"We had a good time," said Gunnery Sgt. Manny Gonzales of Willcox, who organized the event with his unit, Bulkfield Company Alpha.
"A lot of people don't know there is a Marine unit in Tucson."
The Marines were members of three platoons out of Tucson. One of the Marines who visited the school was from "as far away as Phoenix," and his day began very early to make the trip.
They brought an "MTVR," used for moving troops and gear in Iraq.
"The majority of our drivers and operators are in Iraq, but two of those who are here came down," Gonzales told the Range News. "They knew it was for the kids."
"They all said that it was more than they expected and would do it again," he said. "One has a son, but the rest don't have any kids."
The inspiration began when Gonzales gave a leadership talk recently at First Baptist Christian School, where he told the children that the military personnel in Iraq sleep on mats with no pillows for their heads.
Nine-year-old Kodie Clifton wrote to Gonzales later. "Thank you for protecting our country. I want you to know I slept without my pillow last night," she said in her letter.
Gonzales found the young girl's thank-you note very touching, and shared the story with the members of his unit.
"Manny did such an excellent job -- he was so good with the kids," said Gwen Clifton, who is Kodie's mother and also a teacher at First Baptist Christian School.
"He was very frank about how they live and the sacrifices they make. The kids were awe-struck. Even my most 'enthusiastic' boys were quiet and listened to him," she said.
"Each of the students pulled something different from it,"
Counselor Katie Skaarer heard about Gonzales' visit and invited him to make a similar presentation to the Willcox Elementary School.
"We'd love to spend time with the kids," he replied.
And spend time they did.
The Marines spent eight hours on campus -- doing such things as "eating MREs, wearing night vision goggles, putting up tents with them," Gonzales said. "We also ate lunch with them in the cafeteria."
"The night-vision goggles are actually used in Iraq," he said. "It was neat bringing down that equipment and letting them look through them. It's great that the schools and the families let us come down and do that."
Gonzales said the children told the Marines stories about their own relatives who are in Iraq.
Elementary schoolers were not the only ones to benefit from the Marines' visit that day, as there were students who also made the trip from the middle school and high school.
"There were a few high schoolers," Gonzales told the Range News. "One was in the delayed entry program in the Marines, and others were in the Air Force and the Army, getting ready to go."
Now in the Reserve, Gonzales entered the Marines 15 years ago, out of high school himself.
All in all, about 700 students visited with the Marines that day.
"The things they say and how smart they are -- they're awesome," Gonzales said.
Ellie