ROCK CREEK — Third-grade teacher Brenda Headley of Rock Creek Elementary School fought back the tears as U.S. Army 1st Lt. Jennifer Dyrcz entered the building Wednesday afternoon.
“We have been writing to her all year. She is one of my former students, and I think of her as a daughter,” Headley said.
Dyrcz, who is an Army officer home on leave until June 7 from Mosul, Iraq, visited Headley’s classroom to educate the students about her battalion and to present an American flag to the school. The flag flew over Dyrcz’s base in Iraq for 24 hours.
“I went to Rock Creek Elementary just like you, and Mrs. Headley was my fourth-grade teacher,” Dyrcz told the students.
“I am an officer in the Army. It is a challenging job, but it is something that anyone can do.”
The third-graders have been corresponding during the school year with Dyrcz and other members of her battalion.
“We sent her unit a box at Christmas, and she sent our students a prayer rug from Iraq,” Headley said. “It hangs outside our door.”
“My job is in the Signal Corps. We make sure everyone on the battlefield can talk to each other. We use radio and computers,” Dyrcz said.
During a slide presentation on Dyrcz’s unit and life in Iraq, the students had many interesting questions.
“Is the Marines harder than the Army?” one student asked.
“Well, I love the Army, and the Marines don’t want TV and other things you are used to. So if you really want to go camping, join the Marines,” Dyrcz answered with a smile.
Another student asked about safety, and Dyrcz said: “Our soldiers are able to do things that keep us safe. And in my battalion, we have not had one casualty.”
The students also wanted to know about weapons, food and the weather in Iraq.
“It is very hot in Iraq. Sometimes it is 120 degrees,” she said.
“I enjoy my job, and I enjoy helping to take care of my soldiers. We are a little family.”
Nine-year-old Sara Bowen was taking notes during Dyrcz’s presentation.
“Meeting her (Dyrcz) was pretty cool. I liked all the questions everyone asked,” she said.
Tate Evens, 9, agreed, but added his own opinion.
“The Army sounds like a lot of hard work.”
After the presentation, the third-graders followed Dyrcz out to the flagpole to help raise the new flag.
“My battalion is giving you this flag because you were all so kind for writing to us,” she said.
The students clapped and cheered as the new flag floated in the wind.
“It feels like I’ve come full circle. I remember being this small, and it is so exciting to see all of these students so interested in learning about my life in the Army,” Dyrcz said.
Anyone is welcome to e-mail Jennifer Dyrcz (jennifer.dyrcz@us.army.mil).
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