Silver Lions participate in 'Read for the Record'

By Sgt. Zach Mott

3rd BCT PAO, 4th Inf. Div., MND-B

FORWARD OPERATING BASE WAR EAGLE, Iraq - As more than 120 children gathered in Colorado Springs and several thousand more across the United States, two Multi-National Division - Baghdad Soldiers wondered if their children would recognize them.

The 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, has been deployed since December 2007 and, except for an 18-day leave period, many fathers and mothers have gone nearly 10 months without seeing their children.

Staff Sgt. Matthew Meyer, a Herndon, Va., native, and Cpl. Justin Wells, a Fresno, Calif., native, read the book "Corduroy" via a video teleconference link from Forward Operating Base War Eagle to the children gathered in front of a television screen in Colorado as part of the annual "Read for the Record" program.

Staff Sgt. Matthew Meyer (right), a Herndon, Va., native, and Cpl. Justin Wells, a Fresno, Calif., native, read the book "Corduroy" to Abrams Elementary School students from Fort Carson, Colo., which include Meyer's sons, Ben and Andrew, and Wells' daughters, Kylie and Paris. Meyer and Wells serve with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad. The Soldiers read to more than 120 children as part of the Read for the Record event.

Meyer's sons, Benjamin and Andrew, and Wells' daughters, Kylie and Paris, were part of the group listening as the Soldiers read through the pages of the children's classic.

"It feels good; it's a little nerve racking, but I'm just glad they got to see me," said Meyer, who serves as the fire support NCO for 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

Staff Sgt. Matthew Meyer (right), a Herndon, Va., native, and Cpl. Justin Wells, a Fresno, Calif., native, read the book "Corduroy" to Abrams Elementary School students from Fort Carson, Colo., which include Meyer's sons, Ben and Andrew, and Wells' daughters, Kylie and Paris. Meyer and Wells serve with Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1st Combined Arms Battalion, 68th Armor Regiment, 3rd Brigade Combat Team, 4th Infantry Division, Multi-National Division - Baghdad. The Soldiers read to more than 120 children as part of the Read for the Record event.

As the Soldiers flipped through the pages, the children sat quietly, following along with their copies of "Corduroy."

"I've been over here for about nine or 10 months now, so I'm sure they were happy to see me. It felt good to read to them," said Wells, who serves as the armorer for Headquarters and Headquarters Company, 1-68 AR, 3rd BCT, 4th Inf. Div.

Both Soldiers said they read to their children at night and were happy to have the chance to read to them while deployed 5,000 miles from home.

"I try to read to them as much as possible. We're gone so much, so you just try to spend as much time with your kids as possible," Meyer said.

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