FORT RILEY, Kan. – While home for rest and relaxation from his recent deployment to Iraq, 1st Lt. Douglas Cruise, an officer with the 1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry Regiment, 4th Infantry Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division, was approached by Bob Thompson, a family friend and manager of text books at the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore.
During their conversation, Thompson expressed his desire to show some support and appreciation to the soldiers of the “Raiders” squadron by working with his superiors to facilitate the distribution of nearly 500 Notre Dame “Rise and Strike” T-shirts.
After his return to Iraq, Cruise was informed, by his father, that the director of retail operations of the Hammes Notre Dame Bookstore, Keith Kirkpatrick, supported Thompson with his idea and would be shipping 500 t-shirts to the Cruise family to send to the soldiers of the Raiders squadron at Forward Operating Base Sykes.
“The shirts were received with open arms and provided a moral boost for the Soldiers who were able to have a touch of home – especially for the Notre Dame fans in the squadron,” said Cruise.
Shortly after redeploying to Fort Riley, Cruise began the process of developing a plan that would show the appreciation of 1-4 CAV soldiers toward the Notre Dame Bookstore for their support.
After several weeks of planning and preparation, Cruise, along with two other officers of the Raiders squadron, presented a Squadron Saber and holder to Thompson and Kirkpatrick at the Notre Dame Bookstore, Nov. 12.
To conclude the presentation, the management of the Notre Dame Bookstore continued to show their generosity by providing the three officers with a Notre Dame executive pen and pencil set.