January 7, 2009 To whom it may concern:

I first met Butch Myers in about 1996 when I was coaching wrestling at North Knox High School. He was a gangly and uncoordinated kid from a very, very poor family. He had little self-confidence and was very nervous. He had less athletic ability than anyone I had ever coached. He needed the team a lot more than the team needed him. His siblings were constantly in trouble, his Mother worked two jobs, and his Dad was unemployed. I remember going to his house and attempting to knock on the front door, only to have it come open due to its tattered frame and rusted hinges. There was a TV set inside that was lower quality than the one I keep in my shop. The overall condition of the house was worse than most hunting camps I’ve visited, and the clothes on the backs of the folks were, well, let’s just say not very flattering.

Butch was always at school and worked hard at his studies, but was a “C” student at best. I had a rule that no one could wrestle for me with grades lower than a “C” without my approval. I approved. Butch never missed a practice or a meet, and he never won more than a handful of matches in his career, but he was a good boy.

After high school he wanted to go to V.U., so he came to me for help with financial aid forms and college applications, etc. His mother, bless her heart, didn’t know how to proceed, as no one in their family had ever gone to college. I think there were five people in their household at the time, and their combined annual income was less than I spend on hobbies.

Butch decided to join the Army National Guard so he could have some money and college benefits. As a USAF Officer, I was a little disappointed that he decided to go Army instead of Air Force, until he explained why; he had no car and no driver’s license, and he could walk to the Armory in Vincennes, but would need a ride to the Air Guard in Terre Haute. Wow. What an eye-opener.

We enrolled Butch at V.U., but then the War on Terrorism erupted and he was mobilized and sent to Iraq. He contacted me before he deployed and told me that he was worried. I very impatiently told him that he was a trained professional soldier and his Officers and NCOs would take care of him, and it is an honor to serve. He then explained that he was not worried about the war. He was worried about how he was going to continue giving money to his Mom from half a world away. Double wow.

When U.S. Army Specialist Myers came home from the war a year later, he was a changed man. He had muscles on top of muscles, had a military bearing, looked everyone squarely in the eye, and his handshake was crushing. He told me, “Sir, you did something to me in high school that made me hate you and almost made me quit the wrestling team. “ I asked what I did that was so bad. He said, “You had a rule that required all of us to stand at attention with our hands over our hearts when the National Anthem was played. One day, I was fiddling around while it was playing. After the last note played, you leaned over and whispered to me that I owed you 500 laps and 500 push ups by the end of the week or I was history.” He went ahead to say, “Now I understand why you punished me and why each and every note of the music is so precious.” Needless to say, I lost it then.

Butch joined the Bicknell Police Department (BPD) a while ago, and I’m so proud of him that I could bust. He wants to apply for the Indiana State Police, and I can’t wait to speak on his behalf.

Butch’s Dad passed away a few days ago. The family is extremely poor, and there is no life insurance. BPD Officer Terry Stremming, bless his heart, stepped up and paid for the burial plot, which had to be paid in advance, or there would be no funeral. Do you realize what kind of salary Terry makes?

There will be a benefit on January 31, 2009 at the French Club. It is still in the planning stages, but it looks like there will be an auction. Donations are needed in the form of cash and auction items.

Will you please join us in helping Butch and his family?

Sincerely,
DAVID L. ANDERSON, Major, USAFR

Contact:
Officer Terry Stremming
812-735-2255