The second and fourth grade classes at Simmons Elementary in Aberdeen have been sending letters to the 785th Medical Unit out of Minnesota.

The soldiers sent the classes an American flag that once flew over a headquarters in Iraq.

"I get excited when I see the second and fourth graders making a difference in lives of the soldiers overseas," said Richard Bacon, whose son is serving in Iraq.

Kids at Simmons Elementary gathered to hear how their cards and letters have made a difference to soldiers in Iraq.

"We have a Sergeant Major, we have never seen him smile since he's been here. Sometimes he even gets a little grouchy once in awhile," said Bacon.

"Received the card. He read it. He got the biggest smile on his face that you would ever want to see. See you have made a difference in that man's life," said Bacon.

A soldier who served in iraq was at the flag raising ceremony and says support from home is a morale boost after being in dangerous areas.

"It was mortared nightly. As soon as it got dark there were mortar attacks. We constantly had vehicles trying to enter through the entry point," said Master Sgt. Len Hovel, 119th Security Forces.

The soldiers sent back letters and pictures.

"I was almost going to cry, because for us it's just like a Valentine, but to them it's like everything because they do not get to see their wives or children anymore," said Fourth Grader Crystal Lobacz.

"We are in a really small city in South Dakota. It's the third biggest but it's small. It's cool because we have a flag that flew over the Iraqi headquarters and it was raised here in Aberdeen of all places," said Fourth Grader Omar Elkhader.

The students wrote to the soldiers once a week. Classes from Simmons Elementary have done this every year since the war in Iraq began.