Major speaks to Hillsboro Christian Academy students
Lead Summary
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By LEONE BIHL
Airman Major Frederick Lunas took time from his recent "r&r" last week to share some of his Iraqi and Afghanistan experiences with the students at Hillsboro Christian Academy.
The airman, affectionately known as Fritz to family and friends, held the students captive with tales of guarding the border trying to keep threatening people and contraband out of approximately 1000 trucks and other vehicles that cross over on a daily basis. He also worked with other officers from all branches but the Marines and coordinated with the Iraqi soldiers to help them protect the new government, so it can stand alone politically.
Students corresponded with Lunas around Thanksgiving sending him a care package along with small gifts for the Iraqi children. Lunas' stepdaughter is a student at HCA. Lunas personally answered each student's letter and questions. Upon his return to the United States, he came to the school to meet the young people and gave a presentation.
Lunas spent approximately six months in Iraq and said he really appreciated hearing from home around the holidays especially since that country is so different from the U.S.
Not only is it different culturally, it also varies weather wise. Temperatures are as high as 125 degrees in summer. Lunas says that make it pretty tough to do the required jobs. In the six months he was there, it rained twice. Only the very rich in Iraq have any luxuries. “It's pretty nice here in the U.S.,” Lunas said, “We have food, electricity, and air conditioning.”
Lunas finds it hard to watch the television ads about starving children because he has seen this need close up. He was impacted by the extreme poverty, hungry children wearing no clothes and with no clean water to drink.
Since there is gender segregation, especially in Afghanistan, young girls are not allowed to go to school. (This is one of the changes the U.S. is encouraging.) The boys who do go to school study in mud huts with holes in the roofs.
The major encouraged the students to appreciate what they take for granted and to study hard.[[In-content Ad]]
Airman Major Frederick Lunas took time from his recent "r&r" last week to share some of his Iraqi and Afghanistan experiences with the students at Hillsboro Christian Academy.
The airman, affectionately known as Fritz to family and friends, held the students captive with tales of guarding the border trying to keep threatening people and contraband out of approximately 1000 trucks and other vehicles that cross over on a daily basis. He also worked with other officers from all branches but the Marines and coordinated with the Iraqi soldiers to help them protect the new government, so it can stand alone politically.
Students corresponded with Lunas around Thanksgiving sending him a care package along with small gifts for the Iraqi children. Lunas' stepdaughter is a student at HCA. Lunas personally answered each student's letter and questions. Upon his return to the United States, he came to the school to meet the young people and gave a presentation.
Lunas spent approximately six months in Iraq and said he really appreciated hearing from home around the holidays especially since that country is so different from the U.S.
Not only is it different culturally, it also varies weather wise. Temperatures are as high as 125 degrees in summer. Lunas says that make it pretty tough to do the required jobs. In the six months he was there, it rained twice. Only the very rich in Iraq have any luxuries. “It's pretty nice here in the U.S.,” Lunas said, “We have food, electricity, and air conditioning.”
Lunas finds it hard to watch the television ads about starving children because he has seen this need close up. He was impacted by the extreme poverty, hungry children wearing no clothes and with no clean water to drink.
Since there is gender segregation, especially in Afghanistan, young girls are not allowed to go to school. (This is one of the changes the U.S. is encouraging.) The boys who do go to school study in mud huts with holes in the roofs.
The major encouraged the students to appreciate what they take for granted and to study hard.[[In-content Ad]]