Alma mater supports career soldier

Photos courtesy of JMCHS

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Lt. Col. Michael Offe stays in touch with his alma mater, Judge Memorial, and received special Christmas wishes.

SALT LAKE CITY - Bulldog pride has stretched all the way from Judge Memorial Catholic High School to Iraq.

In mid-November, U.S. Army Lt. Colonel Michael Offe, Judge Memorial Class of 1974, posted a message on Judge Memorial's social media page saying he would like a sweatshirt. Offe joined the U.S. Army in 1974, right out of high school, and is currently stationed in Iraq.

A few hours after Offe posted his message, Rachel Kelly, the school's director of Special Events and Alumni Relations, logged on and found herself immersed in a December project. First, she secured a sweatshirt for Offe from the Bulldog Spirit Shop. Then news spread. In a quick succession she received a T-shirt from the Class of 2010 and a "7th wo-Man" Spirit Club T-shirt, courtesy of Dean Mattie Mulick, director of activities. She then received a limited edition Judge Athletics T-shirt from Dan Quinn, director of athletics and alumnus from the Class of 1982. There were many other offers, but Kelly wanted to keep the package she was sending to Offe fairly light.

Kelly also wanted to include a few notes from students. When the students heard about the notes, they all wanted to be involved, as did Principal Rick Bartman and some staff.

The package reached Offe just prior to Christmas. When he received the box, he posted: "What an incredible day even here in Baghdad. I received a package from Judge Memorial, my old alma mater. I wanted a sweatshirt and received several T-shirts, but best of all was the cards from the students. I cannot express enough thanks to everyone. I have the cards posted on my board here in Iraq and they will be with me forever."

In Baghdad, Offe serves as the U.S. Army advisor to the 9th Iraqi Army Division Tactical Center-Taji. "I am basically a mentor," Offe explained. "I advise the Deputy Commanding General on security and stability operations and coordinate U.S. support for his mission."

Offe is scheduled to be transferred to the NATO Southern Command in Naples, Italy, Oct. 10, he wrote, and he expects his tour there to last two or three years, after which he plans to retire. "My decision to join the Army was a good one," he said. "The Army has given me some of the most exciting and honorable places to work. They have sent me to Hawaii twice for missions, Korea for a year, I worked the 2002 Winter Olympics and met the Swedish ski team, worked the Pentagon after 9/11, and I am now doing a very valuable job in Iraq. The Army paid for my college education, assisted in buying my first house, paid for great vacations, and I met Sheila when I was stationed in Atlanta."

"Mike and I have been married for five years," said Sheila. "When I met Mike and he was in the Army, my youngest of three daughters was making bad decisions. One day she told me she was going to join the Army and it has changed her life. She has served in Korea and Afghanistan.

"When she came home I thought I could finally relax, and then Mike got his orders and was deployed to Iraq," Sheila said. "It has been kind of stressful. The first six weeks were harder than it is now because I have kind of adjusted and have a routine. There are times when I get a lonely feeling and I feel sad. But I tell myself I have to keep moving and think of something else. You can't think about it and dwell on it. That is how I get by.

"Living in Italy will be an adventure and an experience most people would not have, but I will miss my children and my grandchildren.

"It does make me very proud to have Mike, my daughter, and son-in-law in the military. I wear Mike's dog tags everyday. I meet so many people who say they will put him on their prayer lists and they say tell him ‘thank you for serving.'"