5-7 ADA Soldiers pledge partnership with VES

Nineteen service members from the 5-7 Air Defense Artillery reached out to support Vogelweh Elementary School with special events, activities and educational learning. The community outreach program was initiated Nov. 11, 2011.

“The School Sponsorship Program helps strengthen the community relationship and shows how Soldiers want to give back to the community,” said Chief Warrant Officer 3 Arnulfo Rios, an air and missile defense technician with the 5-7 ADA.
Rios serves as the school sponsorship liaison, responsible for managing all volunteers in the program.

“I feel that having five daughters of my own helps me with patience and understanding,” he said. “Once the teacher is focused on one group, I reinforce what the teacher already taught to the other group.”

Rios usually volunteers one hour a day, three times a week.

Volunteering is a great way to devote your time and skills to your community while helping others. In this case, Soldiers of the 5-7 ADA volunteer because they want to make a difference and, most importantly, be a role model to children in the community.

The Vogelweh school principal Jane Page requested tutoring help for students in the subject areas of math and reading. In addition, service members structure practical exercise games, supervise during recess and lunch, and monitor traffic control during the prescribed hours.

“I am hoping this will be a start of a wonderful partnership with a very supportive unit,” Page said. “Lt. Col. Philip G. Labasi Jr., commander of the 5-7 ADA, met with me on numerous occasions to see how the program was going. To me, it shows great command support.”

Even though the unit faces a complex mission, it still manages to send Soldiers on a regular basis.

“The battalion can give back to the community while providing our Soldiers the opportunity to become better rounded professionals,” Labasi said.

Most children were perceptive and astute while interacting with Sgt. 1st Class Leslie Elsner, assistant to the battalion electronic missile maintenance officer.

“It is interesting to hear the point of views of the kids on the stories they read,” Elsner said.

Sgt. Aaron Gillette, a squad leader with Delta Battery, 5-7 ADA, said he likes volunteering in the community and giving back.

“I know I am helping the children to better their proficiency in reading and taking tests,” Gillette said.

“As a leader and a dad, it has helped me to better understand children and to learn more creative ways to teach them,” said Sgt. Dennis Brock, who serves as a tactical director assistant for the Patriot Information Coordination Central. “Giving kids the motivation and the tools to succeed and watching them learn and grow is what drives me everyday.”

Labasi said children perform better academically when someone cares.
“Whenever someone expresses interest in what kids are doing, it increases their performance,” he said.