| Event: | Hutto Veterans Day |
| Date: | 9-10 November 2009 |
| Location: | Austin, Texas |
Hutto ISD puts on Veterans Day programs in all their schools each year, and it was requested that we again put on a display for the kids. The schools like to provide the display prior to Veterans Day itself so the kids have a better understanding when the day arrives. This year’s display was set for the Monday the 9th. The venue this year was moved to Hutto Elementary to allow a new group of kids to see the display and because our usual place, which is a flood retention pond, was doing its primary duty!
On Sunday the 8th, a crew consisting of Danny K, Fred H, Sam R, Scott P, Patrick C, David C, Panda, and Rory C got together to set up. Their plans were thwarted, however, by Mother Nature who had decided that it should rain heavily starting that afternoon. As the rain continued, the area where we were setting up turned into a quagmire of mud. With that in mind, and the prospect of traipsing hundreds of kids through the mud on Monday, we got permission to take over a small school parking lot instead. We gingerly removed the big trucks from the muddy area, but still managed to tear it up some. This move to a paved surface also precluded the setting up of the camo nets. Sam, Rory and Panda stayed in the encampment overnight.
Early Monday morning a crew consisting of Sam, Scott, Patrick, David, Rory, and Panda, now joined by Fred W, Leona, Madison H, John S, and Mitch C, were ready for the kids. Thankfully, the rain had left a couple of hours earlier, so while the ground was still wet we were not rained on the rest of the day. Jane C with the school very kindly provided breakfast for the entire crew, and the school provided lunch in the chow hall with the kids, which was entertaining in and of itself.
During the course of the day, around 640 kids came through the display. Topics covered included field medicine, vehicles, camouflage, weaponry, and other military gear.
The Confederate Air Force provided an aerial display that included multiple formation and single aircraft passes that included ‘rose bombing’ by a B25 Mitchell which dropped roses on the area schools.
Once the school day ended we had more visitors to the display, but that cleared fairly early. Once all visitors had left, the encampment was struck in short order, loaded into the trucks and everyone departed for a well earned rest.
Feedback from the school after the event has been extremely positive. An entire batch of hand written thank you notes from the kids has been received.
Vehicles displayed were-
M35A2, M109A3, M1009 - Sam R
M35A2 with M105A2 - Scott P
M813A1, M185A3, M1009 with M416 - Rory C
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Photo by Sam R. |
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 Our original spot |
 Why we moved |
 Sam and Scott in the M813 |
 Paddy and Scott, dining fancy |
 Davey |
 Rory, just happy to be there |
 Panda, damp but undaunted |
 Scott P's M35A2 |
 Sam's M35A2 |
 Rory's M813A1 a bit muddy |
 Sam's M109A3 |
 Rory's M185A3 |
 Sam's M1009 |
 Rory's M1009 and M416 |
 Scott's M105 |
 Fred, Leona, and Madison |
 Leona and Mad dawg give the weapons lecture |
 Sam and Mitch |
 Scott sends a group to Sam |
 John S talks about medics |