A Soldier’s Surprise Family Reunion

What started as a school assembly ended up being a surprise family reunion.

Sgt. 1st Class Ed Rosado deployed to Kuwait in March. His sons thought he’d be returning home the day before Thanksgiving, but the homecoming came a week in advance.

The U.S. Army soldier has one son at Imogene Gideon Elementary School and another at Timberview High School. School administrators helped the family come up with a way to surprise the boys at one location.

“We had an assembly, and I invited Timberview High School’s JROTC cadets over to present the colors,” said Shanee Charles, principal of Gideon Elementary. “We invite Timberview students over here all the time for different events, so it wasn’t out of the ordinary.”

The assembly featured people in or wanting to be in the military, and the students had the opportunity to ask questions.

The Rosado family is grateful to be together for the holidays.

Toward the end of the event, a video played of Rosado sending greetings from overseas. To the crowd’s surprise, he was standing right there in the back of the cafeteria.

“As soon as I saw his face, I knew it was unbelievable. I was excited,” said Janmanuel Rosado, fourth-grader at Gideon Elementary. “It was like the best day of my life.”

“I tried to hold back the tears, but I couldn’t help it,” said Timberview senior Jose Rosado, who was recently accepted into the U.S. Air Force. “Without my dad, I wouldn’t be here.”

Many in the crowd were in tears to see the family’s reunion. The father said he is grateful to the Mansfield ISD teachers who look out for his sons while he’s away and for everyone coming together to make the assembly happen.

“Being able to surprise my kids is amazing,” the 19-year serviceman explained. “It’s indescribable.”

Rosado said it’s always a wonderful feeling to be able to return to his wife and children so that he can be a part of the daily routines once again.

Military Dad Surprises Daughter with Homecoming

A late-night email from a kindergartner's mother caused staff from two Mansfield ISD elementary schools to pull together and give the five-year-old a surprise ending to her day.

The email stated that Brielle Garcia would not be in class on Friday because her dad came back from deployment. He had been gone for months and was going to spend some time with his daughter.

Wal-Mart donated small flags for the students to wave
during the impromptu assembly.

But employees at Charlotte Anderson Elementary School and Judy K. Miller Elementary School, who share the same campus, wanted to make the occasion a real hero's welcome.

"I came to school early this morning, sent out a couple emails, and everyone just got the urge and dedication to make something wonderful happen for Brielle and her dad," said Sheira Petty, principal at Charlotte Anderson Elementary School.

In an impromptu kindergarten assembly about heroes, students learned about the different branches of the military. Brielle was then called up to the front of the room because her dad is in the U.S. Air Force.

Brielle was shy but happy to finally see
her father after his deployment.

As the Air Force song played in the background, the curtains to the stage slowly opened to reveal Brielle's dad standing behind her.

She looked back in shock and gave her father a big hug and a kiss. The students who watched it all unfold waved their little American flags and cheered them on.

"I'm actually leaving again to Korea in either January or March; so any time I get to come home, I try to come back and see her," said Staff Sgt. George Garcia.

Brielle didn't have much to say, but her smile said it all. Her daddy was back, and she was going to cherish every moment of it for as long as she could.

A Soldier’s Surprise Return to His Mom

For a pre-kindergarten teacher at Alice Ponder Elementary School, her day of usual lessons and activities turned into the best surprise she could have asked for. Lynne Sluder had no idea that her son, who had been deployed overseas for months, would come home and surprise her in her classroom.

“I was gone for about seven months,” said Owen Thompson, a U.S. Marine and Mansfield High School graduate. “I was part of what’s called a Marine Expeditionary Unit. I went to Hong Kong and a few of the Middle Eastern countries. I know it’s not the easiest thing for a mom.”

Sluder (left) said she hasn't seen her son in almost two years,
and they only talked on the phone a few times.

Thompson, his wife and his two children walked into Sluder’s classroom for the big reveal. When Sluder turned around to see who was at the door, all she could do was scream with excitement.

“I saw him once in the last almost two years,” said Sluder as she fought to hold back tears. “[Surprising me] was such an incredible and thoughtful thing for him to do.”

Sluder added that she is proud of her son for the decision he made to serve our country, and she is actually welcoming back two heroes.

“[Owen’s wife Rashell] has blessed Owen’s life, and that’s all a mother-in-law could ever ask for. I’m proud of both of them because military life is hard for families."

The teacher said she can’t wait to catch up with her son and daughter-in-law and spend time with her grandchildren.

A Celebration for Seniors Committed to Serving Our Country

Various branches of the military were represented at the event.

It is reported that one percent of the U.S. population actively serves in the military. Sixteen Lake Ridge High School seniors were recently added to that percentage, and they received a hero’s celebration for making that commitment.

Lake Ridge High School held its first Military Signing Day on May 24. The day was a celebration of the students who have signed to enlist in the military or received a scholarship for a college Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) program.

The Army, Navy, Marines, and National Guard were all represented. Two of the recruits were even accepted into the prestigious U.S. Military Academy (West Point) and the U.S. Naval Academy.

“It was a very long process that started at the beginning of my junior year,” said senior Isis Coty, who was nominated to the U.S. Naval Academy by U.S. Congressman Joe Barton. “It was a blessing all around, and it felt really great to honored at the signing day ceremony.”

Isis Coty (middle) said she later plans to go
into The Marine Corp.

The auditorium was filled with students, parents, staff, community leaders who were ready to cheer on the recruits for their decision. An officer with the U.S. Marine Corps conducted the official swearing-in ceremony to conclude the day.

“I get so emotional thinking about how proud I am of these kids,” said Kayla Middleton, librarian at Lake Ridge High who helped orchestrate the event. “It’s so courageous that they’re willing to selflessly say, ‘I’ll do it. Pick me. I’ll stand there and defend our country so that you can sleep night.’”

Middleton said although it was her idea, none of it would have been made possible without the help of counselor Lea Lester and JROTC instructors Sedric Wade and Bertha Middlebrooks.

The organizers said the event went as planned, and they are excited to make it an annual tradition. Altogether, MISD has 80 seniors who plan to enlist into the military after graduation.

View the full photo gallery here.

Gifts of Love to Our Four-Legged Soldiers

Fort Hood soldiers and their canine partners introduce
themselves to Daulton Elementary students, parents, and staff.

They may be cute and cuddly, but don’t let the fur fool you. Military dogs are an integral part to the protection of our country.

Students and staff at Anna May Daulton Elementary School are helping those four-legged soldiers get the support they need by raising money and collecting supplies to ship overseas. Through Operation Military Care K9, the campus is sending the military dogs and their handlers items to keep them healthy and protect them from harsh weather conditions.

“I want the kids to know how important these dogs are to our military,” said Lynn Kostel, librarian at Daulton who organized the fundraiser. “These dogs are nobody’s pet, and they’re vital to the survival of our guys.”

A military canine retrieves an object for his handler.

All branches of the armed forces utilize military service dogs specializing in drug and bomb detection. The canines sniff out narcotics, search for explosives, and support in other roles.

To kick off the fundraiser, Fort Hood soldiers visited the school with their canine partners to demonstrate how the dogs are used in different missions. The kids and adults were excited to see the dogs as they exhibited their talents.

“We try to teach kids about what the dogs really do,” said Sgt. 1st Class William Morton. “They always see dogs out and about, but this is a little different from the dogs they have at home.”

After the demonstration, the soldiers were surprised with baskets of supplies that were donated by local businesses. Kostel said the entire community did not hesitate to support when they heard about an opportunity to support the troops.

Local businesses donated gifts for the military dogs.

“I cried when I saw everything that they brought,” said Kostel. “Chick-fil-A sponsored the soldier’s lunch. We also had Petco, Petsmart, and Pet Supplies Plus supply items for the dogs.”

Daulton Elementary hopes the gifts of love keep coming. Money can be donated through the PTA, and the campus will be accepting items through Friday, Feb. 12. A list of needed canine supplies is available here.