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Task Force 34 Soldiers visits Minnesota Pen Pal

Courtesy Photo | Pfc. Benjamin Sackett, Task Force 34 Headquarters Aviation Operations Specialist,...... read more read more

IRAQ

11.11.2008

Courtesy Story

34th Expeditionary Combat Aviation Brigade

By Spc Nancy Charlton
34th Combat Aviation Brigade

BURNSVILLE, Minn. - Earlier this year, the sixth-graders of Vista View Elementary School in Burnsville, Minn., participated in a class project that brought hope and encouragement to Task Force 34 Headquarters Soldiers serving their deployment in Joint Base Balad, Iraq. They each wrote letters intended for the viewing of Soldiers from Minnesota.

Twenty-one year old Pfc. Benjamin Sackett, TF 34 HQ Aviation Operations Specialist of Roseville, Minn., received one of these letters from a young girl named Katie. She asked him a lot of questions about his job duties, the sandstorms, and also talked about her life back in Burnsville with her family and friends. Sackett found her words to be extremely kind and heartfelt as this was his first deployment, and he had to deal with being away from home for so long in an unfamiliar country.

Sackett didn't get the opportunity to write Katie back right away. However, he chose to give her something better. With his rest and restoration period fast approaching, Sackett took the opportunity to visit Katie in person during a Veteran's Day celebration at her school's gymnasium.

Katie couldn't possibly have imagined that the Soldier she had written to would be marching into her school to greet her in front of a bevy of other students, teachers, and also her own family. Sackett took the opportunity to introduce himself to the bashful Katie as he handed her a military coin to show his gratitude to her for bringing his morale up during one of the most challenging experiences of his life.

"I felt like I didn't deserve all of the attention. I wish I could have shared it with all the veterans of past wars," Sackett said. "They are the ones that deserve the utmost respect."

Just after the ceremony, Sackett took the opportunity to introduce himself to Katie's parents and brother. They could've been more pleased with how the encounter turned out.

"I thought Katie and her family were very nice," Sackett said. "And I appreciate all their support that they are showing for the troops."

Since coming back to his duty station in Iraq, things seemed to be a lot less stressful on Sackett.

"It's been extremely hard on my family for to be away from home for so long. My girlfriend has been dealing with the situation a lot harder, coming to the realization that I still have another six months of deployment left," Sackett said. "My friends are still very supportive and I keep in touch with them as often as possible."

Within a couple days of being back in Iraq, Sackett sent Katie a return letter to the one Katie originally sent, telling her all about his flight back home and some of the other things he did while he was on his R&R. He is now anxiously awaiting her return letter.