Major Luis Hernandez reads a book in English to an Iraqi child, who told the story back to Hernandez in Farsi, at an elementary school in Diwaniyah, Iraq. “I really missed my own kids after that day was over,” Hernandez said. Hernandez was part of the 413th Civil Affairs Battalion and assessed and rebuilt schools, roads, medical clinics, water treatment facilities and hospitals while in central and southern Iraq. Hernandez served for 24 years in the Army Reserve and is a Veteran of Desert Storm and Iraqi Freedom. Hernandez is the assistant band director of the Soaring Pride Band.