BY JOHN DUNPHY
Staff Writer
SCOTT PILLING staff Sgt. David Reyes, of the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve, talks with fourth-graders at South River Elementary School last week after returning home from Iraq. SAYREVILLE — No, he doesn’t fight in that uniform. And yes, showering was limited; at one point he went without one for 15 days.
These were some of the questions asked by the fourth-grade students in Nicole Selvaggio’s and Jen Colavito’s classes last Thursday when they finally got to meet U.S. Marine Sgt. David Reyes at South River Elementary School.
Reyes recently returned after a tour of duty in Iraq to tell his tale to the children who sent letters to his unit over the past few months.
A reservist, Reyes was deployed to Iraq Sept. 15 and served as the noncommissioned officer in charge of all communications for Weapons Company, 2nd Battalion, 24th Marine Regiment.
Reyes, 26, who has been friends with Selvaggio since high school, said the morale of some of his soldiers had begun to wane over time. So he and Selvaggio came up with the idea of having her students send letters overseas to let the troops know that the children in America were thinking of them and what they were doing in Iraq.
“The support you showed and the letters you wrote brought smiles to all our faces,” he told the class. “And it showed us that the future of America supports our efforts against terrorism.”
For Reyes, a 1996 South River High School graduate, the military journey began in February 1998 when, at 19 years old, he decided to enlist in the Marine Reserve. Not knowing how his mother would react, he decided not to tell her about it until the day he left for boot camp at Parris Island, S.C., a week after he signed up.
“I didn’t expect to leave as soon as I did,” he said. “I really didn’t know how to tell her. She wasn’t too happy.”
In 2004, Reyes volunteered to go to Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom II.
“I just felt like I was a Marine, and I wasn’t a Marine to sit in South River,” he said. “I just felt the need to be over there with fellow Marines.”
This time, everyone knew he was going; they just didn’t know how.
“My family thought I was called in, along with my friends,” he said. “I couldn’t let them know [I volunteered] before I went. It would have hit the fan.”
When Reyes returned home in March and let everyone know of this minor deception, he said family and friends were simply glad to have him home safe.
In addition to telling the kids how he got into the Marines, Reyes spoke of the day-to-day activities over in Iraq, the ceremonial uniform he wears when not in combat, as well as some interesting facts about combat in the desert.
“While in Iraq, we lived in factories, jails, vehicles and under the stars,” he said.
On occasion, it was hard to find a place to bathe. When he told the children he had to go more than two weeks without a shower, he was met with a wave of “eww…” and “gross” comments from the class.
When one student asked if the soldiers had enough water, Reyes said they would have many coolers of water prepared for going out on a mission. However, in the dry Iraqi desert, the water was usually hot by the time anyone drank it.
“But hot water’s better than no water,” he said.
One of the best aspects of his time in Iraq, Reyes said, was to be able to witness the very first Arab nation participate in a democratic vote to elect government leaders. In northern Babil, where Reyes was stationed, 71 percent of the population participated in the Jan. 30 election, he said.
“That’s more than we have [voting] here,” he said.
Emily Durando, a student in Selvaggio’s class, said it was exciting to have Reyes visit the school.
“I think it was really cool we had a Marine coming here just to see us,” she said.
“I like how we just got to ask him questions,” said student Sara Teator.
To Reyes, this was the least he could do after what the children did for him and the other troops.
“It went pretty smooth, but I was a little nervous talking in front of the kids,” he said. “It was good to talk to them, and to see how much they appreciated it.”
Though his unit is currently stationed in Chicago, Reyes said if it is called in for another tour in Iraq, he will be going right alongside them.
“If they tell my unit they’re going, I’m going,” he said.