Major and Mrs. Leach are their way to Rhode Island for his newest station.  Their baby is due in August.  Below is a picture of the camouflage baby set we sent them, along with a stuffed Parish Panther and a card signed by all the 3rd and 4th graders.  We wish the Family Leach the best of luck in their new posting!

 

MAJOR LEACH'S VISIT TO PES, DECEMBER 15, 2006

 

With his chapel poster                                                                             Telling us about his mission                                                                            Showing us his gear

 

 

                                                                                                With 4F                                                                                                                                 OUR HERO!

 

HE'S HOME!!!!!  November 16, 2006

 

 

Here are more pictures from Major Leach's homecoming at Ft. Hood!

Rachel was ready at home!        Rachel waiting with her friend, Angie (l)

and the General's wife (c)                                    

 

Here is an email we received from Major Leach's mom:

Good Morning Mrs. Fuchs,

    I want to thank-you and your class for the daily prayers for Maj. Leach.  We are so thankful that he has arrived back home safe and in good spirits.  His wife is truly a blessing, and a wonderful military wife.   Thank-you again for all you have done. 

God Bless, Troy's mother, Henderson, NV

 

 

Major Leach is an Army Ranger deployed with the 4th Infantry Division based in Ft. Hood, Texas.  He is currently in Baghdad serving as the aide to Major General James D. Thurman (on the left in the left picture above). 

Major General Thurman is the Commanding General of the 4th Infantry Division and is currently the Commanding General of the Multinational Division - Baghdad.  He commands 29,000 troops from all the nations supporting us in Iraq, and Major Leach is his chief aide.  (In the picture on the right above, Major General Thurman is showing something to Texas Governor Rick Perry while Major Leach looks on.)

 

Major Leach is from Glendale, California, and was with the Army in Germany and during Operation Desert Storm.  He left the Army and joined the ROTC at the University of Tampa.  He graduated and was commissioned back in the Army as a 2nd Lieutenant.  He then attended Officer Training School, Ranger School, and Airborne School.  He met his wife, Rachel, at the University of Tampa, and they were married in Hawaii while he was stationed there.  After a stop in Oklahoma for more training, the Leaches were stationed at Ft. Hood in our good ol' state of Texas!  Rachel is an attorney and practices law there while the Major is deployed.  Major Leach was previously in Iraq for a year in 2003-2004. 

 

BE SURE AND KEEP READING DOWN TO MAJOR LEACH'S LETTER FROM APRIL, 2006, FOR MORE INFORMATION ON HIM!

                                               

 

 

News from Major Leach:

 

 

 

 

June 1, 2006

 

I want to take a moment and thank you and the 3rd and 4th grade Class for the Candy & Letters.  It really was a good ending to a tough day to have the letters to read.  

 

I, as well as my driver and security team are doing well.  We have spent the last month traveling a whole bunch.  We also go to all the memorial services for our fallen Soldiers.  These are in the evening so we fly into the camp, attend the service then fly back to our camp.  I hope that you had a great Memorial Day weekend.  I am sure that each of you took a moment to think of all those great Americans that have lost their lives in the line of duty.  Things are looking positive over here. 

 

The Iraqis are moving forward with their government.  With that the security situation continues to improve.  We spend a lot of our time helping the Iraqis with their jobs and systems.  We also train the Police and Iraqi Army.  The biggest threat to us are the Al Qaeda and Zarqawi terrorist.  The continue to try to de stabilize the situation by conducting attacks on both the Iraqi Civilians and US Forces.  

 

I got to go now.  I appreciate everything that you are doing and am very proud that you have all completed the year successfully.

 

Take Care.

 

Troy Leach

Major, US Army.

 

Here are some pictures from our Major Leach:

Photos from Major Leach, who greeted Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on his visit to Baghdad, April 26, 2006!

 

 

 

MAJOR TROY LEACH

Aide de Camp

4th Infantry Division

Camp Liberty, Iraq

 

                                                   

Country Singer Toby Keith in concert for our troops                 Here's Major Leach with country singer Charlie Daniels,

                                                              who sang for the troops.

 

 

April, 2006

Dear Mrs. Fuchs,

I want to thank Drew Carey, and the entire fourth grade class at Parish Episcopal School of Dallas, Texas for your support of me and all the Soldiers that are currently deployed here in Iraq as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom.  As you know, our President has sent us here to fight the Global War on Terrorism because we do not want the terrorists operating in our Country, and we cannot have what happened to the Twin Towers on Sept 11, 2001 ever occur again.      

     I am assigned to the United States Army Fourth Infantry Division based out of Fort Hood, Texas.  This is my third deployment to Iraq.  I was here in 1991 in the northern part of the country. In 2003, I deployed here for the initial take down of Saddam Hussein’s Regime (OIF -1).  And now I am back here as part of the Multi National Division – Baghdad which has responsibility for all security of the Baghdad Province.

     My Job title is Aide-De Camp to the Commanding General.  On a –day-to-day basis I plan, coordinate, and execute the Division Commander’s daily operations.  As you see from the pictures, we fly in our helicopters a lot. 

 

Here is a short biography of me and my service in the Army:  I was born in Los Angeles, California on June 11, 1970.  On November 30, 1988, I enlisted in the United States Army Military Police Corps, and served in the 18th Military Police Brigade, Frankfurt Germany.  Upon completion of my enlistment, I temporarily left the army to attend college at the University of Tampa, Tampa, Florida.  After graduating from the University of Tampa in 1996 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminology, I received a commission as a Second Lieutenant.

     I then served my next assignment with the 25th Infantry Division Artillery (Light), at Schofield Barracks, Hawaii.  After my tour in Hawaii, I was sent to Fort Hood, Texas, and the Fourth Infantry Division.  From May 2003 until July 2004, I served as the Commander of Headquarters Battery 4th Battalion 42 Field Artillery. From July 2004 to July 2005, I served as the Commander of Headquarters Battery of the Division Artillery.  I commanded both units in combat here in Iraq.  

     I am a graduate of the US Army Field Artillery Officer Basic & Advanced courses, Air Assault course, Basic Military Parachuting (Airborne), & the US Army Ranger course.  On Jan 1st 2006, I was promoted to the rank of Major.

     I have several awards that include the Bronze Star medal, the Army Commendation medal, the Army Achievement medal, the Joint Service Achievement medal, the Good Conduct medal, the National Defense Service medal, the Humanitarian Service medal, the Kuwait Liberation medal, the Southwest Asia Service medal, the Overseas Ribbon, the Iraqi Campaign medal, the Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary medal, the Global War on Terrorism Service medal, the Joint Meritorious award, the

Air Assault badge, the Parachutist badge, and the Ranger tab.

     I am married to the former Rachel Creech, Esq., of Tampa Florida.  Rachel is an attorney in Killen Texas.

 


Pictured here is Staff Sergeant Charles Myers standing next to an M1A1 Abrams Tank.  These tanks are the newest and most modern in the world.  Sergeant Myers is an infantry soldier and on his second deployment to Iraq.  During his first deployment, he was wounded two times and received the Purple Heart Medal for wounds received in combat.

                                                                                                                                                                                       

 

Pictured are two of Saddam Hussein’s Presidential Palaces.  The Palaces are currently occupied by US and Multi-National forces.  Palace on the left is called the “Perfume Palace” and was built for Saddam Hussein’s wife.  The palace on the right is the “Victory Over Americas”Palace.  Saddam Hussein built this palace in honor of his Army and forces that fought during Operation Iraqi Freedom. 

 

Pictured  is the downtown district of Baghdad. On the right you can see a large Mosque. The river in the picture is the Tigris River.

 

                                                                       

                                                                                                                       

Pictured    is the Euphrates river valley located 100 miles south of Baghdad

 

Pictured here is me with 2 of my friends that are with the 6th Iraqi Army Division. The 6th Iraqi Army Division is the Iraqi Army unit that is responsible for security in and around Baghdad.

 

 

Pictured here is me with GEN Dan McNeill, Commander of US Forces

Command.

 

 

 

 

                                                                                               

 

 

                                                                                                On Patrol and Checking Iraqi Army Checkpoints in SADR CITY

Me & Captain Steve Gventar.  Pictured in the background are the Cross Sabers located in downtown Baghdad.

  Sergeant Howard & MAJ Leach. Sergeant                                                                                                 Howard is in charge of the General’s Security