CLASS FAVORITE MARINE MEETS KIDS WHO WROTE TO HIM.Byline: Carol Rock Staff Writer CANYON COUNTRY - Some very important information about the war in Iraq was disbursed to Sherri Greenberg's second- and third-grade class at Fair Oaks Ranch Fair Oaks Ranch may be:
Eric Lance White (born December 30 1965, in San Francisco, California) is an American former professional basketball player in the NBA. He played collegiately at Pepperdine University from 1983-1987. came to visit. ``Did you ever have to go to the bathroom when you were fighting?'' one pupil asked, a serious expression on her face. With an easy laugh, White, who is from Saugus, told them about his primitive surroundings while on duty in Kuwait and Iraq; fielding such questions as what troops ate and what kinds of guns they used. He said one of the primary activities for the troops during down times was reading letters from home. White, who is with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marine Division, returned from Iraq last week, surprising his parents by coming home for Father's Day a day earlier than expected. Greenberg, a friend of the family, invited him to come visit her classroom and meet the children who had written him to offer their support from home. ``First off, thank you for writing to us,'' he said. ``Not everybody there got mail, so we passed around your letters and everybody appreciated them. On behalf of my unit, I wanted to stop by and thank you.'' White patiently fielded questions about life in the Middle East, explaining things in simple terms for the children while maintaining the military discipline of addressing each with ``Sir'' or ``Ma'am.'' ``Did you injure To interfere with the legally protected interest of another or to inflict harm on someone, for which an action may be brought. To damage or impair. The term injure is comprehensive and can apply to an injury to a person or property. Cross-references Tort Law. anyone so they almost died?'' they asked. ``Did any bullets almost shoot you? Did you save anyone's life?'' ``People died during the war, yes,'' he said. ``Two people from my unit were shot. But none of the bullets hit me.'' The kids seemed relieved, but pressed him for more information. ``While we were out there, we saved each other,'' he continued. ``If you asked anybody that was there, they would tell you that we help each other out.'' As White told them about the troops' diet of meat loaf, spaghetti spaghetti: see pasta. and chicken, some of the kids rubbed their tummies and feigned feigned adj. 1. Not real; pretended: a feigned modesty. 2. Made-up; fictitious. Adj. 1. hunger. He explained that his unit slept in tents during its stay in Kuwait before going into Baghdad, where they slept in their vehicles. The children were curious as to whether the Marines were graded on their fighting and wanted to know whether they used 007 cars when chasing Saddam Hussein Saddam Hussein (born April 28, 1937, Tikrit, Iraq—died Dec. 30, 2006, Baghdad) President of Iraq (1979–2003). He joined the Ba'th Party in 1957. Following participation in a failed attempt to assassinate Iraqi Pres. . White was impressed with the children's knowledge of war issues, which was reflected in their curiosity. He said his job during the war involved working on vehicles as well as being a scout sniper Scout Sniper, (MOS 0317, formerly 8541) is a specialist in the United States Marine Corps whose mission is to deny the enemy freedom of movement by neutralizing enemy leaders, crew-served weapons operators, radiomen, observers, messengers, and other key personnel with , to which some of the kids responded ``cool.'' The inevitable question, ``Did you kill anybody'' was handled calmly, but directly, White being careful to deglamorize de·glam·or·ize tr.v. de·glam·or·ized, de·glam·or·iz·ing, de·glam·or·iz·es To make less glamorous: "pressing the entertainment industry to deglamorize the treatment of drugs in films" the brutality of war. ``We shot a lot. You don't know Don't know (DK, DKed) "Don't know the trade." A Street expression used whenever one party lacks knowledge of a trade or receives conflicting instructions from the other party. if it was your bullets or somebody else's, but you don't go to check,'' he said. As the questioning wound down, White smiled and gave the class some words of encouragement before Greenberg gave him a hug. ``Thanks again,'' he said. ``Be good, listen to your teachers and stay supportive of the guys and gals that are still over there.'' Stationed at Camp Pendleton, White is scheduled to process out of the Marine Corps in 25 days, his four-year enlistment ENLISTMENT. The act of making a contract to serve the government in a subordinate capacity, either in the army or navy. The contract so made, is also called an enlistment. See, as to the power of infants to enlist, 4 Binn. 487; 5 Binn. 423; Binn. 255; 1 S. & R. 87; 11 S. & R. 93. over. ``It was a good four years. I liked it.'' Carol Rock, (661) 257-5252 carol.rock(at)dailynews.com CAPTION(S): 2 photos Photo: (1 -- color) Marine Sgt. Eric White talks with Sherri Greenberg's second- and third-grade class Monday at Fair Oaks Ranch School. (2 -- color) Sgt. Eric White speaks with, from left, Jenna Scarcello, Katherine Salow, Lindsay Burke and Christina Nolasco. David R. Crane/Staff Photographer |
|
||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion