Students Forge Bond with Iraq Unit

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Like you really want to hear about the latest cast off from American Idol. Or how, though she emphatically denies it, Ashlee Simpson may be expecting a child with her rocker boyfriend Pete Wenz of Fall Out Boy. Or how Jennifer Aniston and John Mayer may be secretly cozying up to each other.

You may not care, but there are people, what seems a world away, who relish that kind of news: our troops in Iraq. For them it’s a reminder of Mom and Dad, Brother and Sister, Wife and Husband, a welcome diversion from suicide bombs and carnage and a group of Hawken students have committed themselves to deliver those pieces of home as best they can.

Since November, nearly 40 Hawken students have adopted members of the Alpha Company of the 82nd Airborne Division by corresponding through e-mail, Facebook postings and care packages of cookies, candy, drink mix, magazines and mix CDs of heavy metal, rock, hip hop and country.

"They like to hear what's going on back home," said sophomore Greg Pasiadis, co-founder of 82nd Alpha Company, so named after the airborne division. "The point of the letters is to get their minds off of what's going on [in Iraq]."

The student group grew from both Greg and sophomore Brian Vogt's desire to support the troops.

"Greg and I cared a lot about what was going on over [in Iraq]," Brian said. "We just wanted to do something..."

When the two took the idea to longtime Hawken English teacher Peter Scott, he gave them the name of a troop to support. It was one that held a close place to his heart. The company where he served while stationed in Vietnam.

Greg and Brian, along with senior Michael Scott (son of Peter), pooled their money, bought an Xbox game console, three games and sent the package to the troops.

It was received so well that the soldiers only wished everyone in the company could have a chance to play during downtime, so Greg and Brian rallied the support of the their peers not only to send another Xbox, but to adopt the company of soldiers by sending more care packages and letters.

The students said the troops' response to them heartens their resolve in continuing to forge bonds with them.

Sophomore Julia Bramante noted that her digital pen pal has shared with her just a taste of how difficult times have been, but how it helps to know that people support them.

And during her correspondences, sophomore Halle Baltes has had ample time to reflect the differences between her life and those of people who aren’t that much older than she and says what she’s done in reaching out pales in comparison to what the soldiers have weathered.

In all, it appears the students have gained healthy perspective, said Peter Scott, which is perhaps a lot harsher and deeper than the students are accustomed to. One the one hand, the exchanges can be characterized by lighthearted banter, but on the other, things can take a dramatic turn as it did recently when the students received news that the company had lost eight men.

As the year draws to an end, Greg said that the students will remain active in communicating with the branch. Though students will soon start their summer vacations, working summer jobs and traveling, he can't imagine forgetting the men and women the students at Hawken have come to know.

"It’s the least we can do," he said.