Soldier Shares Lesson on Veterans Day

A Fort Hood soldier shared a life lesson with the Georgetown community this Veterans Day. He wanted to show why it is so important to honor our soldiers every day, and he did it in is own unique way. Lt. Colonel Kurt Wadzinski just got back from Iraq on Monday night. It was his fourth time to leave his family to go off and fight. Instead of just walking in the door, he decided to make this homecoming a little more special and a lot more meaningful. For some Georgetown elementary and middle school students Thursday brought ordinary Veteran's Day assemblies with the pledge of allegiance, band music, and a song that honors our soldiers. However, for one student, her five other brothers and sisters, and for an entire community, the gathering was anything but. Within minutes of the opening presentations they all got to see Lt. Colonel Kurt Wadzinski for the first time in more than a year. He deployed to Iraq last October. Jamie Wadzinski says she was just really surprised that her dad is home and is really happy. Ben Wadzinski says when his dad was away he could not play tickle monster or Boy Scouts, and make toys with his dad. Kurt Wadzinski says seeing his children after being away for long periods always gives him the butterflies in the stomach and it always comes down to the family and getting the hugs and the loves. For this homecoming Wadzinski didn't want it to end there. He wanted to make a statement with his family's emotional reunion this Veterans Day; a statement students and their family members will remember always. "It hits home how important it is for people to see this type of stuff and understand the sacrifice," Wadzinski said. His wife Shannon agrees. "The sacrifice that these parents go through, these children go through, and their feelings and how these kids have to hold it together," she said. Just when Wadzinski and his family thought their job was done, and it was time for the family to go home and play that favorite game of tickle monster. The crowd at one assembly spontaneously decided to give the family a message of it's own -- a standing ovation. Wadzinski was moved, and says without that acknowledgment and that recognition it makes it tougher to be over there. Wadzinski is an information operations planning solider at Fort Hood. He says this type of big reunion also helps his family transition back into normalcy. They plan to take the next few days to get reacquainted, and of course, play a lot of tickle monster.