Military invasion for Veterans storytime

At 0900 hours on 5 November 2015, Hilltop Elementary School in Glen Burnie was part of a military exercise.
The mission of the Army, Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps participants: To read books to the fifth-grade class.
And show them some war wounds.
Splitting up to attend four different classrooms were retired Navy Capts. Paul Mullenhoff and Bill Malicki and retired Air Force Lt. Col. Gayle Bremer with active duty personnel Marine Corps Staff Sgt. Nicole Richards, Army Maj. Matt Schoenfeldt, and Air Force Master Sgt. Raina Cavalera. After introductions and a bit of background on the role they play or played in the military, they read books about Veterans, shared medals, ribbons and mementos, and then answered a barrage of questions from the students.
The visit is part of a collaborative effort of the Hospice of the Chesapeake’s We Honor Veterans program in partnership with Fort George G. Meade, the U.S. Naval Academy and Anne Arundel County Public Schools to prepare for the students for “Veterans Day 2015,” an event that will be held from 10 a.m. to noon Nov. 11 at the Maryland National Guard Armory in Annapolis.
The guests were both impressed and surprised by the questions of the youth, who listened intently to each answer. The questions ran the gamut from “do you have to get your haircut?” and “is your uniform heavy?” to “how many countries have you been to?” and “have you even been shot?”
Most ready to talk about his war wounds was Schoenfeldt, who rolled up his camouflage sleeve to reveal a significant scar. He was shot and also injured by shrapnel while serving in Fallujah, Iraq. “I don’t dodge things very well,” he said, while showing his Purple Heart medal. “But, I’m getting better at that because I don’t want to get hurt again.”
Veterans Malicki and Mullenhoff talked about their time serving in Vietnam, with Mullenhoff sharing his emotions while talking about friends he lost in the war.
A poignant moment came in one classroom when a girl leaned toward Cavalera to show her commemorative dog tags with her brother’s picture and information on them. She told Cavalera her brother enlisted in the Navy last summer, and is now stationed in Seattle.
“Tell him thank you for me,” Cavalera said.
The intent of the visit was to help the fifth-graders understand how important it is to thank Veterans for their service, which is precisely what the students will be doing at the Veterans Day event. Led by their music teacher, David Shepherd, a select group of the fifth graders will share expressions of gratitude before performing “America the Beautiful” at the event.
The event’s program also includes reflections by keynote speaker retired Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Steven A. Hummer, a talk about the We Honor Veterans Honor Salute partnership with Fort George G. Meade by Garrison Commander Col. Brian P. Foley, a moment of remembrance by the Rev. Thomas Patrick O’Flanagan, U. S. Naval Academy Chaplain and Honor Salutes led by Fort Meade Garrison Command Sgt. Major Rodwell Forbes. Inspiring gospel music also will be performed by The Perpetual Glory Choir from Our Lady of Perpetual Help Roman Catholic Church in Washington, D.C., and Mission BBQ has donated lunch for all.
Media wishing to attend the Veterans Day event should contact Elyzabeth Marcussen, Communications Specialist for Hospice of the Chesapeake, at emarcussen@hospicechesapeake.org or 443-837-1559.