Sandra Romero has been a Girl Scout troop leader since her daughter, Isabella, began attending kindergarten. She has stuck with it for the last seven years because she likes what scouting stands for, likes seeing the girls mature and grow into responsible young women.

Although the sixth-graders in her troop were all very young when the United States sent troops to Iraq, Romero continually strove to make them aware of the importance of supporting U.S. military personnel.

"We're a very service-oriented troop," she said. "Since the war began, we've collected money for the soldiers. We'd collect donations while selling cookies, buy them back ... and then mailed the cookies straight to them."

Romero was excited about the opportunity her scouts had to meet the soldiers personally at Baltimore Washington International Airport April 13 through a USO sponsored event.

"I wanted the girls to be face-to-face with them. To see them and know the difference that you're making," she said.

Girl scouts from the Pointer's Run Cluster, in Clarksville, first gathered at the USO headquarters at the airport, where they were briefed on what to expect by a volunteer coordinator. They were asked to help distribute care packages and Girl Scout cookies to the departing soldiers. The packages, which contained such items as toiletries, an international calling card, gum and a deck of playing cards, were put together by USO volunteers.

USO airport services manager Shauna VanBuren said Girl Scouts are invited to meet and interact with the soldiers about once a month.

"It's allowing them to have a hands-on experience with the troops," she said, adding she considers this a win-win situation. "I think that the girls enjoy it because they get to show them that they care, and for the troops, they're there showing their support," she said.

On their drive up to the airport, many of the girls expressed their anxiety about meeting the soldiers.

"They're 11 and 12-year-olds, and they really understand what's going on," Romero said. "They said 'It's so sad, I feel like crying.' But, I told them, 'You have to be strong for them. You need to put a smile on your face.' "

Anxieties were put on the back shelf, however, after they met some of the military men and women in person.

"There was this one soldier, I don't know his name, but he was so extremely nice and happy ... He was very appreciative," said Romero's daughter, Isabella.

Members of one unit in particular, the 452nd Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron, made the girls feel glad they were volunteering their time that day at the military departure terminal.

"That group really engaged in conversation with the girls," Romero said. "They took the time and really described what they were going to be doing. They were nurses and medics from California...They wanted to get their picture taken with them. They even gave the girls stickers of their squadron."

---

user comments (0)