2005-07-30
by Linda Braden Albert
of The Daily Times Staff

A Blount County soldier traveled almost 7,000 miles with a special purpose in mind.

Staff Sgt. William Dickerson with Howitzer Battery 1/278th ACR had walked his older children -- Elijah, now 11, and Mercedes, age 7 -- to their first day of kindergarten at Fort Craig School of Dynamic Learning. When he had an opportunity to take leave from his duties in Iraq, he timed it to coincide with 5-year-old Nehemiah's first day on July 21.

Dickerson was the honored guest at Fort Craig's Friday morning assembly in the school gym. He was accompanied by his wife, Patty, their three children, his mother, Iris Dickerson, sister-in-law Iris Scott and nephew Ivis Bryant.

"This is a Fort Craig parent we've been waiting and waiting and waiting to come home from a far-away place called Iraq," said teacher Nancy-Caroline Connell, introducing Dickerson to the excited students. "Bill Dickerson came home from Iraq so he could walk Nehemiah to kindergarten."

Dickerson requested a moment of silence for his comrades who had lost their lives in Iraq, then told the children: "There is no way to make it through a deployment -- I'm not here to preach, but I just want to be honest -- there's no way for you to make it through a deployment without the hand of God. The Lord has truly blessed the 278th."

The uniformed soldier also told the children, parents and school staff how much their support has meant to the unit.

"Fort Craig School has been just totally awesome," he said. "The e-mails, the cards, the care packages help motivate the other soldiers and help motivate me, knowing the people back home still think about us and still love us."

Makes a difference

Dickerson said the 278th is in Iraq because ``we want y'all to enjoy the same freedoms we grew up with.'' The efforts of the 278th are also making a difference in the lives of the Iraqi people. The troops are building schools and providing the benefits of electricity and clean water.

They are helping on a more individual basis, as well, thanks to gifts such as the candy, pencils, pens and paper sent from Fort Craig for distribution to their Iraqi counterparts.

"When the Iraqi kids get a pad of paper or a pencil, their faces just light up," Dickerson said. "Education is a dominant factor over there."

Dickerson asked the students to name the language that can be used in any country, any time, regardless of skin color or creed.

"It's love," he told them. "Love is a language you can use in any country. Love covers a multitude of sins and that's what we're trying to do in Iraq."

In appreciation of the school's support, Dickerson presented two gifts from the unit, a hat signed by each member and an American flag that flew over the unit in Iraq. Mercedes Dickerson then led the Pledge of Allegiance to the American Flag.

Dickerson will return to Iraq shortly but he promised the students that when the war is over, he will bring photos to show them and talk in depth about the war. For now, he said, he won't say or do anything that might endanger the mission.

Fort Craig School of Dynamic Learning in Maryville is a year-round public school. Its multi-age classrooms use a combination of Integrated Thematic Instruction (ITI) and an alternative calendar, essentially a nine-week schedule of instruction followed by a three-week break.

Story Copyright to Maryville - The Daily Times