1st Cavalry Division (Rear Detachment)

Story by Sgt. 1st Class Kap Kim

COPPERAS COVE, Texas – Before Lt. Col. Charles Dalcourt and the rest of 1st Air Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, deployed to Iraq, he wanted to revive the relationship between their Adopt-A-School and his unit.

With 1st Battalion, 227th Aviation Regiment's operational tempo, their involvement fell off, admitted Capt. Michael Hutson, its rear detachment commander during this deployment to Iraq.

So, Hutson, of Lufkin, Texas, and his Soldiers visited with Copperas Cove Junior High School's Stacy Bradley, who is the Community in Schools site director, and basically asked her what she and her students wanted.

Bradley, who works with students whose families may have socioeconomic disadvantages, asked Hutson for clothes, shoes and positive role models.

"There are so many guys here who just don't have a real, strong role-model," she said.

Last summer, Hutson's unit members started a clothes and shoes drive throughout the entire 1st ACB. During their brigade's "Back to School Bash," last summer, they gathered more than six, big boxes of clothes and shoes for Bradley's class.

"With the gently, used clothes they've brought me already that look great, I can help with the kids' self esteem," Bradley said. "It helps as they go through the day – some of them get picked on because their clothes aren't clean or new – it's one less problem they have to worry about going through the day."

Although Bradley was elated with the donation of clothes and shoes, 1st Sgt. Palermo Deschamps, said he feels that it hasn't been enough.

"There's a lot of needs that they have, and unfortunately given the circumstances, we've been so busy with rear detachment work, we haven't been able to give them everything that they need," said Deschamps of the Bronx, N.Y. "They could use a lot more than what we've given them."

There are a few future projects the rear detachment sergeant major has in the works. Along with mentorship and tutoring, Deschamps, who is somewhat of a handyman, plans on painting and building shelves for Bradley's classroom.

The relationship between Copperas Cove Jr. High School and 1st Bn., 227th Avn. Regt., is one that Bradley is extremely happy about.

"I love these guys," she said of the Soldiers.

Hutson said his unit feels the same way about CCJHS.

"Ms. Bradley is an amazing teacher ... she really believes in the kids and their education and she's been our point of contact the entire time we started the program," Hutson said.

"We are committed to helping her out any way we can. She's just an amazing person, and she gives a lot of herself to these students."

Associated Images

Control Panel