Students, deployed reservists share experiences

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PITTSBURGH (AFPN) --  Students at Hopewell Memorial Junior High School in nearby Aliquippa are learning about Iraq and the Middle East, but not from a textbook or the television.

They are getting an insightful perspective of the region from local Air Force reservists deployed overseas. The reservists are getting a bit of “home” while separated from their families and friends.

Master Sgt. Robert Steigerwald, along with others from the 911th Services Squadron, left Pittsburgh International Airport Air Reserve Station in November for Iraq. His wife, an eighth-grade health teacher at the school, wanted to make family separation easier for her husband and fellow reservists, but said she was not sure how to go about it.

“I wanted to do something, but I didn’t know what,” said Rosalie Steigerwald. “Whenever they [911th SVS] go away on any deployment, I’ve always e-mailed them to see what they needed. So, I decided to e-mail [1st Lt. Jerry] Narigon and ask him what we could do.”

Lieutenant Narigon, the morale, welfare and recreation officer for the squadron, replied to Mrs. Steigerwald in an e-mail from Baghdad.

“Rosalie, how about a class picture?” he wrote. “Not many of us get to see our kids, and seeing children from back home would be nice. Maybe they could write about their holiday and the presents they received or about a nice act their family performed during the holiday. Let me know what you think. …”

Mrs. Steigerwald said she was surprised when the request was for contact instead of items from home. She decided to ask her students what they thought.

“They were all for it,” she said. “I also spoke with members of the school administration, and they were all very supportive.”

Mrs. Steigerwald said the goal of the project is to keep the Airmen in touch with home and to keep their morale up.

“We keep our conversations light and full of information from home,” she said. “I feel the students are gaining as much from the men as they are gaining from us.”

Tech. Sgt. Robert Dean, from the 911th SVS, received the following e-mail from an eighth-grader: “Hello, it’s Joyce again. Just wondering how you were doing today? It snowed this morning. I was so mad. But, when I got to school and got your reply I was happy again. I think it’s good for you guyz over there to keep in contact with us. I love hearing from you. Keep in touch. Stay safe.”

He responded with: “Everything is going good here today. The sun is shining, and it is starting to warm up pretty good. Do you enjoy the snow? I actually miss … seeing the snow. I’ve always enjoyed how beautiful everything is after it just stops snowing. Have a wonderful day at school. Thank you for keeping in touch. God Bless.”

To show their support for the troops, the students posted their e-mails, letters and photos from the reservists on the school bulletin board.

The school staff expanded the program and set up conference calls with the deployed troops. The first call was with Lieutenant Narigon.

The students’ reaction to a call from Iraq was “Wow!” said Mrs. Steigerwald. They asked him questions about the weather, the living conditions, the kinds of food he eats and why he joined the military.

“[Lieutenant Narigon] always tries to answer each question,” Mrs. Steigerwald said.

The students thanked the lieutenant for his service to the country and invited him to come to the school and meet them when he returns.

“This adventure has become a living page of history for the students,” Mrs. Steigerwald said. “I said to the class one day, it’s like having our own CNN, and (one of the students) said, ‘It’s better.’

“Talking about current events has become as real as the Friday night football game,” she said.

She got other teachers involved in the project.

“I contacted Mr. [Mike] Samek, our seventh- and eighth-grade history teacher. I knew he would love to involve his classes in such a unique experience,” she said.

Mr. Samek teaches world and American history.

“I don’t want the students to forget the war against terrorism,” Mr. Samek said. “It’s not going to go away, and we’re going to be fighting terrorism for a long time.”

Mr. Samek asked his eighth-grade students what they have learned from corresponding with the reservists.

“It brings people together and lets them know we care,” said the first student to raise his hand.

Another student said: “We are educated enough to know what’s going on. It makes you think … what if that was your dad over there.”

Besides sharing and comparing their activities with the Airmen during daily conference calls and numerous e-mails, the students also have found other ways to support the reservists. They have written articles in their school newspaper about their activities and communications with the deployed troops. They have also donated several of their school sweatshirts and have collected personal items such as deodorant, soap, books and candy to mail to them.

The students and school staff are looking forward to meeting all their “heroes” when they return from overseas, said Mrs. Steigerwald. The students said they will continue to do whatever they can to help the reservists and other deployed troops. (Courtesy of Air Force Reserve Command News Service)