A soldier’s story at Merrick Avenue

Merrick Avenue Middle School’s eighth-grade Writing Enrichment students recently attended a special discussion led by Maj. Al Garbarino of North Merrick, a decorated soldier who served in Iraq from 2002 to 2004. A member of the 800th Military Police Brigade, Garbarino earned the Bronze Star for his service.

The discussion was the culmination of a month-long investigation into the lives of young soldiers. The students read Stephen Crane’s “The Red Badge of Courage,” Thomas Hardy’s “The Man He Killed," and reviewed classic war photography, as well as veteran interviews.

During his discussion, Garbarino addressed the fear that he felt during his first few nights in Iraq, the everyday experiences of a modern soldier and the unfortunate glorification of war in modern video games. He also shared ways that he and his soldiers provided medical supplies and other forms of relief to Iraqi civilians.