Serves her country in Tikrit for 14 months
Milan welcomes Brooke Bernhardt home from Iraq
Mary Margaret Moorhead - Staff Writer

Members of the Milan American Legion Post #235 and the Legion Auxiliary hosted a reception for Brooke Bernhardt to honor her service for her country for the past 14 months in Tikrit, Iraq.

With a large crowd of Legion members and guests present at 4:00 p.m. on Saturday, May 1, at the American Legion Home in Milan, Brooke received several bouquets of roses, a large poster with her picture signed by all in attendance, and the congratulations of friends and family gathered to greet her.

Auxiliary Member Millie Nocks gave the welcoming speech, emphasizing the appreciation of the community and the American Legion and Auxiliary for what Brooke has been able to do to serve her country. "We are very proud of you and all you have done for our country," said Nocks.

Bernhardt said she has been home for a week and a half, having served with the Army Reserve in Tikrit, Iraq, for 14 months. "I was deployed with the 300th Quartermaster Company in Peru, Illinois. My Indiana unit is the 417th Quartermaster Company out of Scottsburg."

Explaining that she had joined the Army Reserve when she was only 17 years old and a student at South Dearborn High School, Bernhardt said she was gone for a year and a half and still has two years left as a member of the reserves. She will probably transfer to Florida, where her mother and other family members live.

Concerning her experiences in Iraq, Bernhardt said there were many things she would prefer not to discuss, but she believed the Americans have made a difference in the lives of the Iraqi people, especially the children.

"When I was there and with the children, we made a difference.
When you feel Americans are behind you, it helps so much. We are all individuals and need to allow for individual differences. I was part of a group who went out every Friday to visit the children. We helped with providing clothing for them and remodeling their schools - five schools in all."

Brooke also expressed her appreciation to members of the Legion and others in the community who had kept in touch with her during the last year and a half. "This Legion has done so much for me. My thanks from my heart goes out to all of them - they're the best. They sent me letters and boxes all during the time I was gone."

Brooke is the daughter of Kurt Bernhardt of Dillsboro. She has an older brother, a younger brother, and a younger sister, who was also present for the homecoming celebration.

Before leaving to serve her country with the 300th Quartermaster Company, Brooke had graduated from South Dearborn High School in 2001 and enrolled in a school for law
enforcement. She will be moving to New Port Richey, Florida, where her mother and brothers and sister live, and will complete her law enforcement training there.

MARY MARGARET MOORHEAD PHOTO

Legion Auxiliary Member Mille Nocks welcomes Brooke Bernhardt home from a 14-month tour of duty in Tikrit, Iraq as a member of the 300th Army Quartermaster Company. Brooke was the honored guest at the Milan American Legion Post #235 on Saturday, May 1, at a celebration for military personnel. Her father Kurt Bernhardt is a resident of Dillsboro.