By Nathan Mayberg
MONTICELLO — February 20, 2004 – George Grobusch, a sixth grade social studies teacher at Monticello’s Robert Kaiser Middle School and an Army Reservist, has arrived in Kuwait.
Although his exact whereabouts are not known, he may already be in northern Iraq, where he will serve for one year.
Students and faculty are intent on not forgetting the teacher, so they’ve placed a cone with a yellow ribbon and flag in the space where Grobusch used to park every day.
Grobusch’s childhood friend and fellow teacher, John Langseder, heads out every morning to place a flag on the cone. Mr. Oefelein’s technology class built the stand for the flagpole, and Mrs. Worthington’s special education class painted the flagpole and the stand. Faculty members have placed yellow ribbons on most of the doors in the school.
Teachers are also collecting money to make up for the difference in Grobusch’s military and school pay. The money raised will also go to pay for the $5 a minute it costs Grobusch to call his wife and two children.
Grobusch left the school before Christmas break to train at Fort Dix and was subsequently stationed in Bullville in Orange County.
He is now serving in Iraq with a heavy equipment construction unit, according to Langseder. The unit will be repairing roads, airports, sewage systems and bridges. Grobusch will also be participating in two months of civilian policing.
The goal of Grobusch’s team was to cross northern Iraq by truck on a four-day, 900-mile trip, said Langseder.
Grobusch and Langseder grew up together in Wurtsboro and are now neighbors in Yankee Lake. He called the faculty response “terrific. I wish every soldier had as much support as this school has committed to George.”
If you would like to make a donation, call the Robert Kaiser Middle School at 796-3058 for further information.