Posted on 12/05/2005 4:37:24 PM PST by SandRat
When a rock hits the calm surface of a pond, ripples form at the point of impact and travel outward in expanding circles. The story begins with a young man and his dream - a dream of overcoming his health problems and flying for the Air Force.
The boy, Ryan Penne, 14, of Chico, Calif., stepped into dreamland last year at Beale Air Force Base, Calif., when he and his family were guests of Col. Darryl W. Burke - then the 9th Reconnaissance Wing's vice commander - for a comprehensive base tour as part of the Make-A-Wish program. Ryan suffers from a Primary Immune Deficiency that means he does not produce antibodies on his own and must receive antibody replacement via intravenous tube every three weeks.
The tour of Beale was the equivalent of the proverbial rock thrown in the lake.
"I was touched at first by his health struggles and wanted to do something to brighten his life a little," said Col. Burke, now the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing commander here. "After meeting Ryan and talking with him then and subsequently, I've become inspired by his drive and determination to serve his country!"
According to his mother, Danielle Penne, Ryan has wanted to be in the military since he was very small. He really wanted to be in the Air Force, but with no local youth program nearby, the Pennes got involved with the United States Sea Cadet Corps. The USSCC is an organization which encourages and helps train American youth age 11-17 in seagoing skills while "teaching them patriotism, courage, self-reliance, and kindred virtues," according to the organization's web site.
Col. Burke kept in touch with Ryan and his family (Danielle, Ryan's father, Dale Penne, and brother, Aaron, 17) even after moving from Beale to take command of this desert air base half a world away from them. "They've been good enough to e-mail me, and I make a point to keep up with how they are," the colonel explained. "Ryan asks me for my recommendations on professional reading material and for professional advice. Of course, I'm not in a position to decide whether he'll ever be able to join the military or not, but I've told him of many options available to someone with his motivation and desire to serve."
And so it went for a while, an e-mail here and there - just a regular American family exchanging pleasantries, seeking advice, and offering encouragement to the leader of a deployed air base directly supporting major combat operations every day!
Then in October, another ripple was added to the story when Danielle Penne asked Col. Burke about sending care packages to the men and women under his command.
Mrs. Penne is a lieutenant junior grade in the Sea Cadet Officer Corps, which is an organization of adult volunteers committed to directing and guiding the Sea Cadets. Along with publicity help from supportive local media organizations, the 21-member Golden Bear Division cadets organized and publicized a collection drive in their community to send goods to the 380th.
On Sunday, they packaged up the collected items and then put them in the mail Wednesday. They are now headed to the AOR via Priority Mail. The local community of Chico, Calif., donated more than $300 to help with postage for the nearly 70 boxes to be sent. With the bill totaling more than $500, though, the cadets tapped into money raised in fundraisers for other planned events to make sure the shipment went out.
Col. Burke said he's come to appreciate the ripple effect analogy based on his interaction with the Penne family and the Sea Cadets. "It really is amazing to think of all the possibilities and effects of one action," the colonel remarked. "At one point, it was a base tour - and that one tour resulted in me getting the pleasure of knowing this nice family. Now, they have gone out of their way with their local unit and their community to do something nice for our troops here!"
It started with a boy, his dream, and a colonel's tour. The ripples are now traveling across the ocean... carrying 70 boxes about to reach these sandy shores!
From Nov 25 but still a great read!!!!
BTTT
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