Butterfield Elementary School honors veteran family members

Tatum Roeske’s grandpa was 1^st Lt. Lewis Wilmot, who trained South Vietnamese paratroopers during the Vietnam War.

Brady McMullen’s great-grandfather, William Davis, was in the Marines and stationed at Pearl Harbor when it was bombed.

And both of Ava Sorenson’s grandparents are veterans.

Her grandmother is Brig. Gen. Linda Medler whose 28-year service includes a stint in Afghanistan from Aug. 2004 to Jan. 2005.

Ava’s grandfather is Col. Andrew Medler, who flew over 200 combat missions over North and South Vietnam, Laos and Camodia during his service.

All three Butterfield Elementary students had the opportunity to learn about their respective family members’ service when they worked on filling out a fact sheet to hang on the school’s wall honoring veterans.

Tatum, 10, said he wanted to take part in the assignment because, “I felt proud.”

“(Vets) did good for our country and the country couldn’t do anything without them,” he said.

Their teacher, Kristin McMillan, said although the teacher who used to do the wall left, she wanted to keep doing it when she realized that the 10-year-olds in her class had never seen their country not at war.

"It helps them learn about family," she said.