Darling, We're lost at sea.

soldierporn: SOLDIER STORIES: Soldier Leads Drive for School...

Sat, 06 Oct 2012 23:02:06 -0400

SOLDIER STORIES: Soldier Leads Drive for School Supplies

(Article and photo by Sergeant Richard Wrigley, 1st Cavalry Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, 29 August 2012. Caption: Army Sgt. Johnny Merical puts together a display of donated school supplies at Mae Stevens Elementary School in Copperas Cove, Texas. )

FORT HOOD - A 1st Cavalry Division soldier here headed a fundraiser to provide school supplies for the Mae Stevens Elementary school in Copperas Cove, Texas.

“It’s about giving back to a community that has given so much to you,” said Army Sgt. Johnny Merical, a CH-47 Chinook helicopter repairer for Company B, 615th Aviation Support Battalion, 1st Air Cavalry Brigade.

After more than a month of collecting donations, and with help from other soldiers in his platoon, Merical bought school supplies and presented them to the school Aug. 22.

Merical and his fellow soldiers set up a display of the new school supplies in the school’s gymnasium, and members of the community — along with children, parents and faculty members — came by to hear him explain why he led the drive.

“I’ve been here almost six years, and have lived here the whole time,” he said. “I’m leaving now, but the community has supported me whenever I needed it, and the school district really looked out for my family when they allowed my children to stay in Mae Stevens, even though the rezoning could have forced them to go to a different school.”

While this is the biggest volunteer effort Merical has undertaken, he is no stranger to volunteer work, said Army Capt. Nicholaus Cortez, a platoon leader in Company B, 615th ASB.

“He’s done a lot of volunteering for the unit and the surrounding community,” Cortez said. “When I think of Sergeant Merical, I think of selfless service.”

The captain added that Merical’s professionalism and work ethic are unparalleled at his level in the platoon.

The school’s students and their families were in dire need of the supplies, Merical said. Joe Burns, the superintendent for the Copperas Cove Independent School District, agreed.

“About 63 percent of this campus’ student population consists of kids who receive free or reduced lunches,” he explained. “This means that a lot of the families that have kids who attend here simply don’t have the resources to provide [the children] with all the things they need for school. This donation Sergeant Merical put together … will go a long, long way to meeting the needs of those families.”

Another school district official talked about how donations will benefit the students as they begin this school year.

“Many of these students are used to getting hand-me-down materials,” said Rick Kirkpatrick, the deputy superintendent. “Just imagine how happy these students will be to have a brand-new notebook or binder this year.”

Merical said he hopes that his and his fellow soldiers’ efforts to help will have a lasting impact.

“My family and I are about to leave, but the good that this has done for the community will last much longer than that,” he said.

“It’s all in your head, don’t you understand that?”

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 17:36:20 -0400

“It’s all in your head, don’t you understand that?”

sirens-city: Tumblr on We Heart It....

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 12:42:20 -0400

sirens-city:

Tumblr on We Heart It. http://weheartit.com/entry/35250810

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Sun, 19 Aug 2012 12:36:33 -0400

Would you rather marry Irving or be a slug for the rest of your life? >:)

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 12:35:47 -0400

Marry Irving. Annulments aren’t that uncommon.

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Sun, 19 Aug 2012 12:33:57 -0400

Hello hello:)

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:45:20 -0400

Oh, hello theeeeere. How are you? (:

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Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:33:16 -0400

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Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:32:02 -0400

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Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:29:18 -0400

dare—to—-be—different: For a beautiful...

Wed, 08 Aug 2012 18:28:56 -0400

dare—to—-be—different:

For a beautiful photography blog, click here

vulpic: ∞ ♒ ✧

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 19:30:33 -0400

vulpic:

∞ ♒ ✧

nhd-around-the-nation: fufucuddlypoopz: smileforatime: The worst thing in the world is waking up...

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 18:38:18 -0400

nhd-around-the-nation:

fufucuddlypoopz:

smileforatime:

The worst thing in the world is waking up after you’ve cried for a long period of time and having puffy eyes. It’s incredibly uncomfortable. Eyedrops are good.

weenie

that was mean i am sorry <3

lol, ok. Shhh, it’s supposed to be a secret. You can’t just tell everyone that I’m a weenie. |:

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Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:49:31 -0400

ijan092: Deadpool Kills The Marvel Universe # 1

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:49:17 -0400

ijan092:

Deadpool Kills The Marvel Universe # 1

spottskiss: Spideyman by ~DuncanFraser

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:47:01 -0400

spottskiss:

Spideyman by ~DuncanFraser

nsrrenard: DO YOU EVER WANT TO REPLY TO SOMEONES POST JOKINGLY AND SHARE A GOOD LAUGH WITH THEM BUT...

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:45:01 -0400

nsrrenard:

DO YOU EVER WANT TO REPLY TO SOMEONES POST JOKINGLY AND SHARE A GOOD LAUGH WITH THEM BUT YOU’RE REALLY NOT SURE IF THEY’D TAKE IT AS A JOKE OR NOT CAUSE YOU DON’T REALLY TALK BUT YOU’VE GOT THIS NICE LITTLE MUTUAL FOLLOW THING GOING FOR YOU SO YOU STARE AT THE REPLY AND QUICKLY DELETE IT AND THROW YOURSELF TO THE FLAMING PITS OF HELL

Saying Farewell.

Thu, 02 Aug 2012 17:16:29 -0400

This will be my last year as an NHD competitor. It’s been a great experience, but it is also time that I moved on. I can’t help but think that it’s been the one constant in my life the last few years. Goodbye to my past; Hello to my future.

***
I wrote this almost exactly a year ago & I am still shocked that it’s over for me. So many great memories!

After all, that’s how I met Irving. Man, we did not get along. He is kinda a butt. However, he’s a little brother-like butt. If he were Irish & Korean like me, then we could absolutely be related. He’s uh, not Irish and Korean.

I met Caroline too! I met so many amazing people and learned more than I ever imagined. You were the best second family that I could ever have.

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Thu, 02 Aug 2012 16:02:50 -0400

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Thu, 02 Aug 2012 16:02:03 -0400