Oklahoma Soldier Spends Leave at School

An Oklahoma soldier gets a hero's welcome as he goes back to school.<br/><br/>Broken Arrow grad and Army infantryman Jeff LaRue spent part of his leave with the kids at Indian Springs Elementary.<br/><br/>Mrs.

Wednesday, October 19th 2005, 9:28 am

By: News On 6

An Oklahoma soldier gets a hero's welcome as he goes back to school.

Broken Arrow grad and Army infantryman Jeff LaRue spent part of his leave with the kids at Indian Springs Elementary.

Mrs. Wood's 5th Grade class wrote to him in Iraq, and flooded their soldier-pen pal with questions.

The kids in Broken Arrow wanted to know about the kids of Iraq.

"The [kids] are really poor in Iraq, but they're always smiling and running around," Specialist LaRue said. "We try to help them out as much as possible. We give candy out and stuff. They really enjoy that."

Brittany Wagner, a 5th grader, says, "He works really hard to keep us safe, and it is kinda sad that he has to go back when he just got home not too long ago."

Jeff will celebrate his 23rd birthday with his family next Wednesday, before he heads back to Iraq later that week.