Letters To A Soldier

March 15, 2009

Recently I had the opportunity to mail thirteen letters written by students in a second grade class to a soldier. As I read the letters, I felt the kids had asked questions I would also like answered. I believe you will be touched by the depth and sincerity of their interest and appreciation for serving our country.

1st letter
Thank you for saving our country. I wonder what it is like there. Who is your boss? Why do you have to wear the uniform? I hope you write back soon.
Sincerely,
Marie
Dear Marie, Thank you so much for your letter. It is very hot and dry over here. My boss is another military person with higher rank. I work for that person, but we all work for the army. The President is the boss over all the military. We wear the same uniform because that way we know who is on our side. Kind of like a sports team wearing their uniforms. Thank you for writing. Scott

2nd letter
Why do you wear the armor? What do your vehicles look like? Thank you for protecting us!
Sincerely,
Mason
Dear Mason, Thank you for writing a letter to us. We wear armor to help protect us against bullets and flying metal. It helps us stay safe, so we can come back home. Our vehicles are strong and have armor on them. We use them to help us get where we need to go safely. Thank you Mason, Scott

3rd letter
Thank you for saving our country. What do your clothes feel like? What does your boss look like? Is he nice? I hope you write back.
Your friend,
Amer
Dear Amer, Thanks for writing me and my unit. The clothes we wear feel just fine. It is a uniform and it made to keep us safe from fires and from getting scratches on us. I have a boss who is a good boss. She is an officer that is in charge of our unit. Thank you for writing, Scott

4th letter
Thank you for protecting us from danger. I hope you have friends in the army. I do in school. Is your job hard? Is your suit hot? Are you the boss in the army? Let me know when you get a chance. Please write me back.
Your friend,
Kaiya
Dear Kaiya, Thank you very much for writing. Yes, I have many friends in the army and we all help each other. The job is hard sometimes, but not all the time. We like what we do and that makes the job a lot easier. I am a boss of some people, but not all of them in the unit. Thank you Kaiya, Scott

5th letter
Thank you for saving us. I am proud of you. Who is your boss? Good job! Do you play? You are nice.
Your friend,
Arturo
Dear Arturo, Thanks for the letter and thank you for being proud of us. Our boss is a Captain and she is in charge of the whole unit. Yes, I like to play sports. We like watching it on TV too. I think that you are very nice for writing us a letter. Thanks, Scott

6th letter
Thank you for risking your life for us. What kind of suits do you wear? Do you have friends? Do you have to sleep in a tent?
Your friend,
Ronnie
Dear Ronnie, Thank you for writing a letter to us. We wear a uniform that protects us from getting scratched up. Yes, I have lots of friends here in the Army. We do sleep in tents, but they are really big and have beds in them. Thank You, Scott

7th letter
Do you have friends in the army? What is it like there? Does it rain a lot? Who is your boss? What kind of clothes do you wear in the Army? Do you even get sick? What kind of training do you have to do?
Your friend,
Yancy
Dear Yancy, Thanks for writing. Yes, I have lots friends in the army. It is dry and hot here, but we drink a lot of water. That helps us make it through the day. It doesn’t rain a lot where we are, but in other places in Iraq it may. We wear a uniform that helps protect us from scratches and fires. Some people get sick, but not all the time. We really have to wash our hands a lot to keep us from getting sick. We train for a lot of things to help us stay safe, and to help the Iraqi Police protect the people in their city. Thank you, Scott

8th letter
Thank you for protecting us. What is it like there? What kind of uniform do you wear? You are a very nice man. Do you have friends there? Do you have a boss?
Thank you,
Patience
Dear Patience, Thank you for writing to us. It is hot and dry and not much grass or trees around. We wear a uniform that helps protect us from scratches and fires. Yes, I have a lot of friends. It is good to have friends; so that we can help each other do things. Yes, I have a boss and she is a Captain. Thanks, Scott

9th letter
Thank you for fighting for our country. What is it like fighting for our country? So do you eat food as a soldier? I hope you are okay from the war.
Your friend,
Makenzie
Dear Makenzie, Thank you for writing us. I really like fighting for my country. It makes me proud to do it. I like protecting people like you and your friends and family from those who don’t like us. Yes, we eat food over here. Sometimes we like to eat the good food like chicken and steak. We will be just fine over here and thank you for caring. Thanks, Scott

10th letter
Thank you for saving people’s lives. You are a hero! What is it like over there? Is it cold, sunny, or rainy? I love your job!
Your friend,
Kamilya
Dear Kamilya, Thank you for writing. I love my job too. I have been doing it for a long time. The weather is hot and it is dry over here like the desert. It doesn’t get that cold over here. It is mostly sunny and very hot during the summer time. Thanks Scott

11th letter
Is the job you’re doing hard? Thank you for saving our country. Are there bad people over there? Do you feel safe? I hope so!
Your friend,
Hussein

Dear Hussein, Thank you for writing. The job over here is hard sometimes, but we are really good at it. There are bad people over here, but we are trying to help the Iraqi Policemen to get them. I feel very safe, because we are really good at our job and we have lots of friends that care. Thank you, Scott

12th letter
What kind of training do you do there? Do you have friends in the army? Is it dangerous there? What is it like there in Iraq? Thank you for protecting our country.
Your friend,
Ghufran
Dear Ghufran, Thank you for writing. We do a lot of training to help the Iraqi Policemen keep their city safe. I have lots of friends in the Army. It is important to have friends, so we can protect and help each other. Iraq is really hot and dry, and there are not many trees. Thank you, Scott

13th letter
When you wear your suit, is it hot? What kind of clothes do you wear? I hope you have fun in Iraq!
Love,
Kaylie

Dear Kaylie, We wear a uniform and it gets hot sometimes. I want to thank you for writing us a letter and supporting us over here. Thanks, Scott

My hope is that as you reflect on these letters, you will be encouraged to think about another whether they are far away or perhaps your next door neighbor. The kindness you share may be the turning point for another that they can only hear in your voice and truly understand.

Angela Scott
© March 15, 2009