Kids at Simmons Elementary in Aberdeen ar doing their part to support troops serving in Iraq

The second and fourth grade classes have been sending letters to the 785th medical unit out of Minnesota.

These soldier's 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." states Richard Bacon who's son is serving in Iraq.

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

Master Sgt. Len Hovel,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."

Soldiers sent back letters and pictures to share their experiences with the students.

"We are in a really small city in South Dakota," says forth grader Omar Elkhader,"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."

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