With recruiting targets unmet, 250 National Guard troops visit middle school, mingle with twelve year olds. Is it a recruiting ploy?
WASHINGTON — The Army is closing the books on one of the leanest recruiting years since it became an all-volunteer service three decades ago, missing its enlistment target by the largest margin since 1979 and raising questions about its plans for growth.
The Army National Guard and the Army Reserve, which are smaller than the regular Army, had even worse results.
[ excerpts ] September 30, 2005 - 8:57 a.m. MDT
What a Warm Welcome
School, community provide haven for Idaho troops heading to Louisiana
By Paula Aven
Gladych
The Daily Times-Call
FIRESTONE — They
circled their camouflaged Humvees like wagons before unloading their personal
gear and heading up the American flag-lined driveway to Coal Ridge Middle
School.
As the more than 250 soldiers
attached to the Idaho National Guard hauled their gear into the school, they
were overwhelmed by enthusiastic middle school students wanting to know
everything about them, including what was in their duffel bags and how heavy
their rifles were.
The soldiers also were greeted with a
place to lay their sleeping bags and a common room filled with teachers,
school staff, community volunteers and foods of every description.
It wasn’t the welcome they were
expecting.
The soldiers are traveling through
Colorado on their way to Louisiana, where they will help out those areas
devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. All they asked from the St. Vrain
Valley School District was an indoor place to bed down. Superintendent Randy Zila and his
staff decided Coal Ridge could handle such a large group. The staff at the school had two days’
notice that they would be hosting the soldiers. Like a National Guard unit,
they quickly mobilized, telling the community what was happening and asking
for donations of food to help feed the soldiers when they arrived Thursday
night.
Teachers had students write thank-you
letters for the soldiers, and more than 50 students stayed after school
Thursday to bake cookies, brownies and muffins and to stuff goody bags full of
candy and sweets for the troops to take on the road with them.
“Our teacher told us we were the
third school district they asked. It’s been an awesome experience for us to
thank them for serving our country,” said 13-year-old Christine McCall, a Coal
Ridge eighth-grader.
Principal Paul Talafuse manned a
large grill outside the school, making hamburgers and bratwursts beginning at
around 4 p.m., when the first of five convoys arrived at the school.
Children showed soldiers where they
would be sleeping, while others helped cut up brownies, slice cakes and
organize the potluck foods delivered by teachers and community members
throughout the day.
Numerous businesses and individuals
donated money, food or time to the cause, and the soldiers were overwhelmed.
“It’s been really hospitable here,”
said Spc. Joseph Ritchey of Boise, Idaho. “The food is excellent, and the
people are so generous.”
Master Sgt. Charles Butterfield said,
“We were happy to have a place indoors to sleep and take showers, but it is
nice to see us supporting our own nation. It’s pretty awesome.”
Ritchey, like many of the soldiers,
said he didn’t know what to expect in Louisiana.
“A lot of cleanup and, hopefully,
helping people out as much as we can,” he said.
Zila told the St. Vrain Valley Board
of Education on Wednesday night that the district was pleased “to provide that
kind of assistance and support” to the National Guard.
“They are going to an area that needs
a lot of help, but they were called to duty from their own jobs,” he said.
Paula Aven Gladych can be reached at
303-684-5211 or pavengladych@times-call.com
The Daily Times-Call
350 Terry Street
Longmont,
CO 80501
(303) 776-2244
news@times-call.com