Schools

Military Doctor Dedicates American Flag Plaque to Milnes School

Dr. Leonardo Rodriguez, of the United States Navy, sent a plaque to students and staff at Milnes Elementary who had lifted his spirits earlier in the year by sending a care package of cards and candy to Afghanistan.

Dr. Leonardo Rodriguez, a Navy doctor serving in Afghanistan, was so touched by the care package of cards and candy he received last year from the students and staff at Milnes Elementary that he thanked them with a moving tribute of his own.

To show his appreciation, Rodriguez, the stepbrother of Milnes physical education teacher Jason Becker, sent the school a plaque with an American Flag that was hung over the base he was stationed at in Kandahar. The plaque's inscription reads: 

This flag was proudly displayed during the care of multiple U.S. combat casualties in the Emergency Department NATO Role III, Multinational Medical Unit, Kandahar, Afghanistan 22 August 2012 in recognition of the support provided to us by H.B. Milnes Elementary School. With many thanks, Trauma Team Rodriguez.

Find out what's happening in Fair Lawn-Saddle Brookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Becker and three of his fifth-grade students — Tommy Alexander, Rachel Persky and Jordyn Weber — presented the plaque, which Rodriguez and his medical team signed, to the Fair Lawn Board of Education at its meeting last week.

Board members took turns praising the Milnes students and staff for their thoughtful consideration of the servicemen and women overseas, and thanked Dr. Rodriguez for his service.

Find out what's happening in Fair Lawn-Saddle Brookwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

"To bring a smile to a man in service when they're out there fighting for our country is a really great thing," Cindy Jo Quackenbush said. "The fact that [the troops] were so moved to do something like that is really quite an honor."

Board member Mary Wallace said the kids may not understand the complete significance of what they had done at the moment, but that it would come to mean something to them later in life.

"This is something that you'll take with you your whole lives and we couldn't be more proud of what you have done," Wallace said.

The plaque is now proudly hung in the lobby of Milnes School.

--

Follow Fair Lawn-Saddle Brook Patch on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to receive our daily newsletter in your inbox each morning


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from Fair Lawn-Saddle Brook