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Scholarship winner receives special surprise at ceremony

The News Tribune
By Kelly McGrath/Northwest Guardian
06.25.09

Erin Cushner was among five Fort Lewis commissary scholarship recipients attending a presentation ceremony on June 16, but she received more than a scholarship.

"Before we get started, I have a surprise for one of our recipients," said Eugene Lantz, the Fort Lewis commissary store director.

As everyone turned to the door, Cushner screamed. Her father, Col. Howard Cushner, walked in, just returning from a six-month deployment to Iraq.

"I landed around 10:30 (a.m.) and everything just worked out," he said. "I'd been planning this for about a day, but I wasn't sure whether or not we would have it all done."

It was the poignant example of what military children experience and why The Scholarships for Military Children program is so important.

The program began in 2001 in recognition of the contributions of military families to the readiness of the fighting force and to celebrate the role of the commissary in the military family community.

Among the 244 commissaries participating in the program, 6,109 applications were received and 625 recipients selected.

The program, open to sons and daughters of active-duty, reserve/guard or retired military commissary customers, required applicants to hold a 3.0 grade point average on a 4.0 scale and submit an essay on the topic "What would you place in a time capsule to help people opening the capsule in the next century understand military life today?"

Fort Lewis scholarship recipients were Joshua Byers, Erin Cushner, Travis Johnson, Rhianna Neal, Gerianne Perkins and Stephanie Urena, who each received a $1,500 scholarship.

Brigadier General Jeff W. Mathis III congratulated the winners, recognizing their sacrifices as Army children. "I'm a Soldier because I love what I do," he said. "The Army spouse, that is one of the hardest jobs in the military. But being an Army child means you don't have a choice. You do what you do because mom and dad move from post to post and carry on."

Despite the hardships, recipients seemed more than thankful for their lives in the military. All recipients used the beginnings of their speeches to thank their parents, siblings or grandparents. The women, Cushner, Perkins and Neal, read portions of their winning essays.

So what did they want to place in a time capsule to explain military life?

Cushner chose a box of sand from Iraq, as a symbol of the wars being fought in Southwest Asia, and a PT Badge of Excellence, as a representation of the military commitment to lifestyle on the home front.

Neal included a map of the world, a photograph of a plane flying into one of the World Trade Center buildings on 9/11 and a Medal of Honor to symbolize U.S. leadership and the many sacrifices Soldiers make.

And Perkins chose an American Flag, Medal of Honor and a newspaper articles about Operation Iraqi Freedom and 9/11.

"The life of a Soldier and their family is an incredible, and different, experience for anyone who wants to endure it," she said.

Scholarship winners Joshua Byers: Freshman at Central Washington University, undeclared major Erin Cushner: Senior at St. Olaf College in Minnesota, studying biology and environmental studies Travis Johnson: Freshman at Central Washington University, studying physical therapy Rhianna Neal: Sophomore at the University of San Diego, studying business administration Gerianne Perkins: Freshman at New York University, studying theater arts Stephanie Urena: (didn't attend the banquet)

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