Courtesy Photo | Maj. Shane Robbins of Hartford City, Ind., with the 3rd-19th Indiana Agribusiness...... read more read more
CAMP ATTERBURY, Ind. – Thousands of years ago, Trojan soldiers honored their veterans through stories of great accomplishments, poems of courage and songs of heroism and much is the same for the Trojans at Center Grove Middle School North.
The middle school students wrote poems, stories and sang songs to show appreciation to service members during the Center Grove Middle School North Veteran’s Day Program, Nov. 10.
More than 100 veterans arrived to the ceremony accompanied by students, all except one that is, Maj. Shane Robbins. Robbins, who is with the 3rd-19th Indiana Agribusiness Development Team, came to the event via internet from Afghanistan.
Robbins said he and his fellow soldiers were not celebrating Veteran’s Day because it was a work day, adding everyday is a work day in a combat zone.
“It is nice to be involved in programs like this or receive emails from people that recognize our service but is it missions as usual for us,” said Robbins.
Robbins said in Afghanistan the mission is to help the people not only grow better crops, but to educate and train them in a variety of agribusiness methods to stimulate economic growth.
“Wheat and alfalfa [are the main crops] but there are lots of things that go along with agriculture, working with rain water, poultry products and management issue between the communities,” he said. “You have to understand this country has been at war for nearly 40 consecutive years, and we are trying to help them rebuild a foundation.”
While Robbins is in Afghanistan completing his mission, he took a moment to talk to students using the same technology to communicate with his family. He said nothing brings him closer to home than hearing his wife’s voice and seeing her face while they talk.
Scott Johnson, the principal for Center Grove Middle School North, said this was the first year they have had a speaker that was half way around the world.
“It just puts chills up your spine to think that ‘My gosh, there is someone on that screen that is half the world away,’ and it is just amazing that we have the technology to do that,” Johnson said.
“We talk about some of our best days here at the middle school, the best opportunities for students to learn,” he said. “Today I think is one of the biggest learning experiences we have for our kids to realize those things I spoke about this morning - commitment, dedication, loyalty and bravery.”
Butch Jerrell, an Army Vietnam veteran, said he knows all too well about loyalty and bravery because he fought in the Vietnam War. Jerrell said if they had today’s technology then, things would have been better.
“I think it is great and unbelievable that a soldier in a combat environment can take a moment to tell the kids about life over there, in real-time,” he said. “If we had that ability, I think it would have been a lot better.”
As the ceremony ended, the students and veterans got up from their seats and walked hand-in-hand out the door as Robbins waved goodbye - he was gone with a flick of a switch.
| Date Taken: | 11.10.2010 |
| Date Posted: | 11.11.2010 13:50 |
| Story ID: | 59933 |
| Location: | CAMP ATTERBURY, IN, US |
| Web Views: | 67 |
| Downloads: | 2 |
This work, Soldier in a Combat Zone Talks with Students, by SGT William Hill, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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