Boy Scout shows appreciation for deployed troops Published April 18, 2003 By Airman 1st Class Alice K. Moore 40th Air Expeditionary Wing Public Affairs OPERATION IRAQI FREEDOM -- Patriotism and support for service members can even come from some of the country's youngest citizens.Corey Shoop, a member of the Boy Scouts of America Troop 43 in Carpentersville, Ill., recently made some members of the 40th Air Expeditionary Wing here, people whom he has never met before, part of his Eagle Scout project.For his Eagle project, Shoop collected more than 100 tattered and torn American flags and had them retired in a ceremonial fire in accordance with the U.S. flag code, said Staff Sgt. Mike Schmutz, a member of the personnel support for contingency operations team in the 40th Expeditionary Mission Support Squadron."Before the flags were retired, the grommets were removed," Schmutz said. "Corey's letter explained that it is a tradition to pass the grommets out to citizens (who) go above and beyond the call of duty," he said. Shoop decided to send the grommets to a deployed military unit, Schmutz said.Schmutz said Shoop is the nephew of his wife's co-worker at the Whiteman AFB, Mo., child development center. Through Schmutz's wife, Shoop was able to contact the 40th AEW, which is deployed in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. Shoop's request was for Schmutz to find about 19 other individuals to receive the grommets."I think anyone who wears the uniform is deserving of this honor," said Schmutz. "I chose the people that I work with here on a daily basis. I wanted to be able to thank them personally for their dedication," he said.Those who received the grommets were very appreciative of someone back home taking the time to say "thank you.""I think its great that people back home are supporting what we're doing here," said Airman 1st Class Marla Bell, a 40th EMSS PERSCO team member. "It's a good feeling to know we're not forgotten."In the letter that Shoop sent with the grommets, the Scout explained that individuals can only possess one grommet in a lifetime, Schmutz said."I know everyone here today who received a grommet will carry it with pride," he said.To show his appreciation for the grommets, Schmutz said he plans on sending Shoop a letter of appreciation and a wing coin."Anytime someone takes the time to show support for someone else like Corey did for us you only want to try to do something in return," Schmutz said.