US Marine visits with Broken Arrow School students

Wednesday in Broken Arrow a Marine Lance Corporal went to school for a little show and tell. He also wanted to say thanks for the students' support while he was in Iraq. <br/><br/>News on 6 reporter

Wednesday, May 11th 2005, 11:50 am

By: News On 6

Wednesday in Broken Arrow a Marine Lance Corporal went to school for a little show and tell. He also wanted to say thanks for the students' support while he was in Iraq.

News on 6 reporter Rick Wells checked in at Sequoyah Middle School where it was Michael Ruble Day.

"That's where I got my combat action ribbon was in Fallujah." Marine Lance Corporal Michael Ruble is sharing his experiences with students at Sequoyah Middle School in Broken Arrow. They've got a special relationship, before he went to Iraq, they sort of adopted him, they consider him "their Marine."

Michael Ruble: "This right here is old Iraqi money." The relationship was easy. He was once a student at Sequoyah Middle School and his little brother is now. There were letters back and forth while he was gone.

Some classes sent care packages, so he's back to say thanks and the thank you is mutual. He brought in some special mementoes for show and tell, like a picture of his platoon and a piece of concrete, which once was part of an Iraqi building hit by a rocket propelled grenade. Michael Ruble: "We all signed this rock right here, just to show this could have been our life right here, but we all made it through alive."

A sign at the school proclaims it Michael Ruble Day, that brings a smile 'cause he says when he was a student here he was notorious. Michael Ruble: "even teachers I didn't have knew me because I was so loud." He says the Marines have taught him some lessons he hopes will help his little brother and the other students. Michael Ruble: "There's a time to play and a time to work, you have to have a balance. That was my main problem; I didn't have a balance with it."

Students lined up to get a yearbook autograph from their Marine and there's nothing like having your big brother home for a while. Kadero Ruble: "It's fun and happy. I'm proud of him." We are too.

For a couple of years in high school Michael Ruble worked at Charlie's Chicken in Broken Arrow and Wednesday night, just for fun, he traded his Marine dress blues for his old Charlie's Chicken uniform.