archived stories - Supporting, encouraging and caring for our troops and their families

Story of the week: Friends

Travis Menish was born on February 3, 1981 to Scott and Marcia Menish.

Travis attended grade school and high school in O'Neill. He graduated in the class of 1999.

Travis joined the National Guards in 1998. He went to Boot Camp at Fort Benning in Atlanta, Georgia after graduating from high school. He was in Boot Camp for five months.

He came back to attend college in Norfolk at Northeast Community College. He graduated from Northeast in 2002 as an Utility Lineman.

After college he moved to Onawa, Iowa where he works for IA Public Power.

He stills works for IA Public Power. He lives in Blencoe, IA where he has an awesome second family and great friends.

Travis was deployed to the Lincoln airport in December and January of 2001. He did Security at the airport in Lincoln.

He was then deployed to Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha for one year in 2003 with security. Then he went back to work for the IA Public Powers where he has been until he was deployed to Operation Freedom Iraq. He plans on returning to Blencoe, IA and his job in Owana when his service is finished in Iraq.

While attending grade school in O'Neill Travis was in Mrs. Hanson's second grade class. They have been friends since then. When Mrs. Hanson found out about Travis going to Operation Freedom Iraq she asked him if it was okay if her students could write him. He said it would be great. He visited her classroom before leaving O'Neill. Her classroom made a poster for him and the rest of the troop showing their support for them.

They will be writing and sending e-mails to him and his troop. The students will also be sending the troops a care package around Christmas time. The students are very excited about doing this for Travis and the Troop.

Mrs. Hanson and her class have done this for other service men and women over seas.

She also wrote to her brother and other servicemen during the Vietnam War.

kids supporting a friend

The above is a way Mrs. Hanson and her class are showing support to our Service People. We would welcome stories and pictures of what you have done to show your support.