FORT HOOD, Texas - Students from Trimmier Elementary School put on a ceremony to welcome home their adopted unit from the 1st Cavalry Division.
When 4th "Guns" Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cav. Div., left for Iraq, they were sent away with style by the Trimmier "Tigers," said Mrs. Penny Batts, the principal.
Now that they have returned after 15 months, the Tigers knew only one way to welcome them home: with a grand-variety show put on by the students and faculty followed by refreshments, she said.
"We just want to support them as much as they have supported us," Batts said.
The Soldiers of 4th Battalion donated their time to mentoring the Tigers and were involved in numerous other programs before they left - making deep connections with many of the students, said Batts.
"(The adopt-a-school program) has been such a connection for our students - especially the non-military students," she said.
While the Soldiers were deployed, the students sent cards and care packages to show their support for their Soldiers, said Orlando, Fla., native Lt. Col. Timothy DeVito, commander of the Guns.
Students from pre-kindergarten to the 5th grade put on a variety of shows to entertain the troops.
There was a step team, a choir, a hip-hop dance team, a pre-kindergarten dance show and multiple singing groups.
The Soldiers smiled, laughed, clapped and cheered during the students' show.
"(This ceremony) makes me feel valued. When little kids recognize us it means so much more," said Lynnwood, Wash., native Spc. Alex Teesdale, the chaplain's assistant for the Guns.
The guest speaker for the ceremony was Dripping Springs, Texas, native Col. Jay Whitaker, III Corps rear detachment operations officer.
Whitaker discussed the importance of the relationship between the school and the unit.
Also speaking at the ceremony was Mayor Tim Hancock of Killeen who is a veteran with more than 25 years in service.
Hancock sympathized with the troopers saying, "I never had to go back and forth (from war) like you all had to go back and forth."
"There's no way I can give you the thanks you deserve," he said.
The Tigers also took time to dedicate a song to 4th Battalion's fallen Soldiers Capt. Mark Resh and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Cornell Chao, both AH-64D Apache helicopter pilots, who were shot down in Iraq, Feb. 2, 2007.
The Students ended their show by reciting the Soldiers' Creed resulting in a standing ovation.
DeVito expressed his deepest thanks to the Tigers for all their support while they were deployed. He was very moved by the ceremony as well, he said.
Afterwards the Soldiers were treated to refreshments and some more quality time with the children.
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