For These Kids, War Hits Close To Home

Half Of The Students At Chloe Clark School Come From Military Families

(CBS)  Half of the 300 students at the Chloe Clark elementary school come from Army families. This means, young as they are, these kids have a stake in the war, CBS News correspondent Jerry Bowen reports.

"My mom might be going to Iraq in April," says Giovanni. "My dad went the second of this month," adds Emily Hughes.

Counselor Coley Fannin's job is to help them learn how to cope. He holds weekly group sessions.

"It's nice knowing that some other people's dads are over there, so you're not like the only one," says Emily.

Richie Alire's dad is over there, too. Richie says he can tell when another student is upset.

"They're kinda shaky or something shows that they're sad," he says.

The counseling program started at the school nearly four years ago, just after the invasion of Iraq. As parents went off to war — sometimes both parents — serious behavior problems started in school, including falling grades and acting out.

"We really were in crisis mode," explains principal Gary Yoho. "Thoughts of mom and dad being gone were always on their minds."

For 7-year-old Tye Murphy, they still are. He says he worries about "just him being gone pretty much." He says it "makes me sad."

Warrant officer Andrew Murphy is on his second tour in Iraq. Tye clings to the special dog tags his dad left behind.

Chloe Clark School is next door to Fort Lewis, home to the fourth Stryker Brigade, which is heading to Iraq in April. The third is already there.

That includes Maj. Jim Gaylord, who's about to head back after a brief home visit.

"I know he's going to be back. And I know he's going be here for my next birthday," his daughter Katy says

Perhaps because of the counseling, the bad grades and the behavior that started with the war are largely gone. Perhaps it's the new reality. For about half of their young lives, America has been at war.

"Maybe it says something about humans in general. I don't know that we can stay on high alert forever," Fannin says.

"My dad is out southeast of Baghdad," Trey Nesbit says.

So they learn to cope, but that doesn't mean 10-year old Trey likes it.

"All the pictures you're going to be taking while your dad is gone, your loved one's gone, there's going to be something missing. And that's going to be that person," Trey says.

On closer look, Chloe Clark is not typical at all. And there's one more thing that makes it special: So far, every single parent who's gone to war from there has come home. Alive.

[armyspouse97]

To middleman8 who wrote
"These kids have it pretty *** nice compared to the Iraqi children, wouldn't you think. No one bombing them or breaking down their doors in the middle of the night."

Yes, these children do have it nicer than the Iraqi children. But this is only because of all the men and women in the military, the dads and moms of these children, who are making the sacrafices to ensure that their children and the American citizens, like you, would never have to endure what the people of Iraq is going through. My son attends Chloe Clark Elementary, and his father is currently in Iraq for the second time, and it has been a very difficult period for all of us. So I urge to be to more understanding and considerate when expressing your thoughts regarding the children who are affected by this war.

[scarlete-2009]

"These kids have it pretty *** nice compared to the Iraqi children, wouldn't you think. No one bombing them or breaking down their doors in the middle of the night."

As a parent of child who attended Chloe Clark and who had a parent overseas.. no the kids do not have any one bombing them. But both sets of kids are victims of the war. And BOTH sets deserve our respect for going thru life with choices the Adults have made. Remember that please when you make your negative comments regarding children. ESPECIALLY when you are not in their shoes.

[feelfree1]

middleman8,

Re: "These kids have it pretty *** nice compared to the Iraqi children, wouldn't you think. No one bombing them or breaking down their doors in the middle of the night."

Very good point!

[abbykozyra18]

My mom is the Vice Principal of Chloe Clark Elementary and its about 600 students-not 300. Also, she thought the news program was great! Hopefully people in our area caught it and watched it.