A Young Lady’s Chance

Encounter with Ripley’s Raiders at the Wall

Guestbook Entry on Gruntfixer.net Stephen Toups Monday, 3/11/07, 7:00 AM From: Baton Rouge, LA Email: stoups@turner-industries.com “I had the chance to meet the finest bunch of men in DC this past weekend. "Ripley's Raiders" were there and share a part of their lives with my 9-year-old daughter. It tied the Vietnam Memorial to real people for her, and she listened to stories all morning... what an honor. Thanks to the Men who served, we owe you everything.” - Stevie & Shelby Toups
A follow up e mail from me got the following responses:
”When my kids turn 10, on the spring of their 4th grade year, we take a trip to Washington DC to see the Nation's capitol and how it works.  We met congress-people and senators; we toured the Capitol, White House, and the Pentagon.  And of course, we go see the monuments.  Especially the Vietnam Memorial because it is so ominous in my mind.  I want her to understand what war is... and about the special people that give their life and time away from their loved ones to keep her free.  Then I try to explain all that in one short trip.”
Photos provided by Stephen Toups		”Just luck of the draw... we just walked up on a group of red jackets and hats... and knew that there had to be something special about them.”
	”What a surprise... to meet the men there who could tell her stories.  It made the whole time seem to make more sense to her as I tried to explain the wall.”
”Since then, we went back and researched the Raider's on the website, and she asked my dad about them.  He had read John Ripley's book and explained much more of the Raiders to her.”  ”There is no doubt that the life of this little 10 year old girl was changed by meeting the Raiders on that day... and hopefully she will tell her whole class.  The teacher gave her a class period to tell the class about the wall and the Raiders... maybe you guys started a patriotic movement among a bunch of 4th graders in Baton Rouge, LA.”		”She was amazed.  To see people tracing the names of loved ones, then sit with guys and have them explain exactly what happened to them in Vietnam 40 years ago on that day.  It was great.  It sort of "brought the wall to life" for her... it all made more sense because of the stories.”