Photo By Michael Armstrong | Kenia Sermano, a nurse at Rio Bravo Middle School, prepares sandwiches for the...... read more read more
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FORT BLISS, Texas — A group of Army medics from Fort Bliss participated in an event hosted by Ysleta Independent School District’s Rio Bravo Middle School in a continuing effort to promote a joint program between soldiers and schools in the El Paso, Texas, area, April 17.
As part of the Partners in Education program, a project to support school and private sector programs, the soldiers assigned to 125th Brigade Support Battalion, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division, continue to be active with the students of the middle school.
Tuesday’s event consisted of free, health-related screenings and information for the students and their families.
“We have different health professionals and agencies helping out,” said Kenia Sermano, Rio Bravo’s school nurse. “They are here to conduct blood donations, mammograms, vision tests and give health information to the families of our students.”
“Rio Bravo holds this event the same time every year,” said Antonio Acuña, the principal of Rio Bravo. “Close to 50 percent of the students’ families are low income families without insurance and we help out by providing this service to them.
“Having the soldiers here is an added benefit,” Acuña added.
Acuña explained how most of the students at the school don’t travel out of the immediate area and the ones that do don’t go beyond Juárez, Mexico. Even though they know Fort Bliss is nearby, their interactions with soldiers are very limited.
The Partners in Education program helps to bridge that gap and gives the students a chance to interact with the soldiers throughout the year.
“We asked 125th BSB if they could help out with our event,” said Sermano. “As always, they were eager to help and sent us Army medics.”
Although the medics didn’t have a direct part in the tests, they were on hand to answer any questions from the students and families.
“The students see us as soldiers,” said Sgt. 1st Class Sharif Hall, a medical supervisor assigned to C Company, 125th BSB. “We also want them to know the business side of our field. We are out there on the frontlines to provide medical support to our soldiers in battle. We are also wanting them to know we do the same job as lab techs, medics and nurses who work in hospitals and clinics.”
The PIE program has been active at Fort Bliss for the past 22 years. Military leaders redesigned the program so that soldiers can become an asset for the community by providing mentorship, by taking time to tutor students and by assisting in planning and sponsoring events.
“I think this is an outstanding opportunity for the community to know that the military is here to support them,” said Capt. Wayne Gendron, the rear detachment commander for 125th BSB. “We have a number of events in the coming weeks so we can interact and help the community, as well as the kids in the school, and have them experience some of the things the soldiers do in El Paso.”
Not only do the students enjoy their time with the soldiers, Gendron also said his soldiers enjoy the time they spend with the students and the faculty at Rio Bravo.
“First, the soldiers enjoy getting out of work for a half-day,” Gendron joked. “They enjoy interacting with the children and people of the community as well. A lot of the soldiers identify with some of the children and some of the situations they are going through. They feel it is their chance to give back.”
| Date Taken: | 04.17.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 06.06.2012 11:52 |
| Story ID: | 89495 |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TEXAS, US |
| Web Views: | 22 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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