Maj. Chris Robinson, who is just back from Iraq, took some time to thank Jane Neal’s fourth grade class at West Elementary on Friday.

The kids adopted Robinson during his year of duty in Iraq and sent him much-needed and appreciated cards and supplies.

When Robinson entered the room, Neal, who is referred to as the patriotic teacher at West Elementary, had her kids stand and greet Robinson.

“Isn’t this wonderful. We have Pappa who fought in World War II and Maj. Chris who is fighting the war on terror,” Neal said.

Joseph Hayden who fought in Germany and later in Korea is the grandfather of one of Neal’s students, James Hovater.

Robinson greeted Hayden and said “thank you for your service.”

The kids performed a flag ceremony for their guests.

“The flag is so important,” said Robinson. “It always gives you a lump in your throat. The flag means so much to us as a nation. One thing we’re trying to do in Iraq is to give them that sense of a nation. They don’t have the feeling of a nation yet like we do.”

This was the second time Robinson stopped in to see Neal’s kids, so he asked them, “Do you remember how I taught you to say hello?”

“‘Salam alakem.’ And to say hello back you just reverse that ‘alakem salam,’” said Robinson. Robinson said he couldn’t vouch for the spelling.

The children recited the Pledge of Allegiance and sang “The Ballad of the Green Beret.”

The melancholy song is about a green beret who dies “for those oppressed,” but has a last request that his mother honors.

“Put silver wings on my son’s chest. Make him one of America’s best. He will be a man they will test one day. Have him wear the Green Beret.”

Green Beret is a colloquial term for the U.S. Army Special Forces. Robinson too is in the U.S. Army.

“The man who wrote that song was Barry Sadler,” Robinson told the kids. “He got so famous that he wasn’t able to continue being a medic. I met his son, Thor Sadler who told me about his father.

“When he left the army, he went down to South America and wrote mythical books. That is where his son’s name, Thor, comes from.”

One way Iraqi’s greet each other is by hugging and kissing, Robinson told the children. Men greet each other by kissing each cheek followed by hug. The students were not happy to hear the custom only involved men.

They laughed when Robinson taught them another greeting whereby a man states his name, his father’s name, his grandfather’s name and where he is from.

“I’m Chris, Ben Floyd, Ben Simeon al Cullman,” said Robinson. “You learn a lot about somebody just when they say their name.”

Robinson, 43, is actually from Detroit. He has an easy smile and manner and loves to talk and joke.

While explaining his digitized uniform to the kids, he told them that the star on his chest signaled that he was a major. He laughingly said it will be a while before his next promotion.

Robinson and his 11-man team trained the Iraqi national police. They trained 300 to 400 Iraqi policemen.

“The majority of people over there are good people, just like us here. All they want is to have peace for their country and for their kids to be able to go to school to learn and to study,” said Robinson.

“This time now that I’m back I just want to thank you all for the letters that you wrote to me and all the things you sent. It really meant a lot,” said Robinson.

The major said he shared their letters with team members and it really lifted their spirits. He said there was an orphanage next to where they trained the Iraqi National Police, and the kids didn’t have anything, no shoes, no toys.

Robinson told the kids that he had received other donations in addition to theirs and that he and his team gave the little Iraqi children clothes and soccer balls.

“To see their faces,” said Robinson. “When I gave them the coloring books you sent, they were so ecstatic and happy to have something to do.”

“They wanted me to send a message to you. Shukran. Thank you. Shucran and I thank you from the bottom of their hearts,” said Robinson.

Robinson told the kids America’s goal was to create a democracy in Iraq.

“That is what we want, a free and independent government, partners with us in the war on terror,” said Robinson.

Speaking of World War II, Hayden told the kids “the hardest part was the long marches through the mud.” He said the war was hard. “Day and night, cold and hot, wet and tired, the war went on,” he said.

Hayden was in Nuremburg during the war and said as far as you could see, there was rubble but for a remaining castle in the distance.

During Robinson’s talk, his wife Nancy came into the room. Nancy teaches sixth grade at West Elementary.

“there’s a lady in the room who has made a lot of sacrifices. Would you stand and greet her?” Neal said.

And as if on cue, Robinson said, “I will tell you a real good story.

“I had dinner with Saddam Hussein.” The kids were shocked. “I will tell you though my Iraqi colonel, his cook’s name was Saddam Hussein so it wasn’t that Saddam Hussein. This guy, he was a little short guy, and he got a lot of ribbing from his friends”

Robinson said he will go back to New York for a few months to a year and from there will attend school in Leavenworth, Kan.