Welcome home soldiers of the 1538th Transportation Co. We’re glad you’re back safely.
The 1538th is the National Guard unit stationed in Elkhart. Members of the unit left Elkhart July 16, 2008, first for training and equipping at Camp Atterbury, then on to Iraq. It’s been a long year for those soldiers and their loved ones who remained here.
The 1538th is indicative of the thousands of National Guard soldiers and airmen who have served overseas since Sept. 11, 2001. The Guard, once thought of as a last-resort pool of soldiers in time of war, has become the major force in the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. This change came about as the nation went to war on two fronts with a small standing military made up of volunteers. Drafting more full-time soldiers was not a political option, so the Pentagon turned to its Reserves and the Guard for manpower.
This transition for the Guard has come at a cost, as casualties have mounted in Iraq and Afghanistan. Yet, the Indiana National Guard still has a strong recruitment effort and many soldiers have served multiple deployments. So, the Guard is strong in Indiana.
Now it is time for the soldiers of the 1538th to ease back into their civilian roles as spouses and employees. And it is also time for Hoosier employers, who these soldiers once worked for, to welcome them back into their jobs. While returning soldiers to their civilian jobs is required by law, it is also the right thing to do.
And one last thing. If you meet one of these soldiers from the 1538th, shake their hand or give them a hug and tell them you are glad they are back.
Opinion
Welcome home
- Opinion
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13 turnarounds we can admire
Before trustees of Goshen Community Schools met this past Monday night, a reception was held to honor 13 deserving students. They weren’t valedictorians or salutatorians. They weren’t class presidents or all-state student-athletes.
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Recognition as bicycle-friendly city appreciated
Goshen is in the second year of its four-year designation by the League of American Bicyclists as a bike-friendly community. We congratulate city planners and bicycle advocates for this continuing recognition.
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A message that all children need to hear
Gayla Konanz is giving girls the message they need to hear — fitness begins early in life and is the foundation that self-esteem and confidence are built on.
Konanz is a fitness advocate for children and works through the Girls on the Run program. The Goshen News told readers in the May 2 edition how Konanz is working with girls at Bristol Elementary School and is encouraging them to get fit and stay fit. -
We’re No. 12, and No. 1,268! Way to go GHS
This has become a popular space for singing the praises of our local school corporations in recent years. That’s because we believe in the quality work and effort our educators and students are putting forth on a daily basis in and out of the classroom.
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Bill Bloss was a superb servant
Bill Bloss, a man who was always willing to step up and help his hometown of Goshen, died Wednesday. We know that everyone who had met Mr. Bloss and got to know him, will miss him plenty.
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Voters and candidates deserve a 'thank you'
In light of Tuesday’s primary election, we’d like to take a moment and thank two groups of people.
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A portrait of success this past Friday
Goshen’s First Fridays has garnered its fair share of headlines since March when the City Council began considering ordinance amendments geared toward youth attending the monthly festival.
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Time not always on public’s side
One candidate was asked whether or not he was a socialist. Others discussed funding priorities, and even braved the tricky topic of where Goshen’s “south link road” should or shouldn’t go.
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Good news in local education
Public schools — especially diverse urban districts — often get a bad rap by those who choose to look through the narrow telescope of standardized test scores. We’ve said it before and we’ll say it again: Standardized tests are a wonderful tool for educators, but not the end-all, be-all of gauging achievement and effectiveness.
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Gang 'talk' is what we need
Business owners see the evidence on their store fronts. Teachers see it sitting in their classrooms. Police officers see it in their daily reports. Graffiti. Clothing. Violence. While the term “gang” can conjure images of crusty inner-city slums, it is not a term that is lost any longer here in Elkhart County.
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13 turnarounds we can admire
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