MYRA VAUGHN COURTESY PHOTO Jacob Pueschel, a fourth grader at Ridge Elementary school, reads his essay about heroes to his dad, Master Sergeant Mark Pueschel, who has served 23 years in the U.S. Air Force.

When Master Sergeant Mark Pueschel walked into his son’s fourth grade class at Ridge Elementary School Friday, he thought he was volunteering for a holiday class project.

He was shocked to find that the whole class put together a presentation to thank and honor him as a hero for his service in the U.S. Air Force.

After MSgt. Pueschel presented the class with an American flag that was flown over his air base in the Republic of Djibouti, Africa, teachers Barbara Heuer and Diane Cichy wanted to repay him with something special.

“It just touched our hearts so deeply that we wanted to give something back,” Ms. Heuer said.

She had her students write short essays about why they’re thankful to the U.S. military, which the students read aloud to MSgt. Pueschel, who listened from a chair tied with red, white and blue balloons.

“This helps them understand how much our military does for our country to keep us safe,” Ms. Heuer said of the writing project. “I think they really understand.”

One student’s essay read, “We are all proud and thankful for all our brave soldiers who watch our backs and protect our country.”

Students also sang patriotic songs of thanks to MSgt. Pueschel, and a representative of Brookhaven National Laboratory’s Veteran’s Club gave MSgt. Pueschel a symbolic coin.

MSgt. Pueschel said he had the flag flown over Djibouti, where he served three deployments, in honor of his son Jacob and his class. The plane was part of the 81st Expeditionary Rescue Squadron, Operation Enduring Freedom.

“When I deploy, it’s hard on Jacob,” he said. “When I do things like that overseas, it bring me closer to Jacob.”

Msgt. Pueschel recently returned from his latest deployment in Djibouti — which is across a gulf from Yemen, a terrorist stronghold — where he was on a humanitarian mission, building schools and drilling solar-operated wells.

He said he was impressed with the students’ presentation, and with Jacob keeping the plan a secret.

“It was wonderful,” he said. “Overwhelming.”

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