The following letter is from Lauren:

June 2008

To the 506th Association Scholarship Committee:

I am very excited and honored to have been chosen as a recipient of the 506th Association Scholarship. I was in Philadelphia doing a geography field project when my mother called to tell me that I had received the scholarship. It was an extremely pleasant surprise and I almost did not believe her until I read the letter myself when I got home. With both my father and brother leaving for Iraq in the near future, we were truly grateful to have received this good news at such a stressful time.

I sincerely appreciate everything that the members of your association have done and continue to do for our nation.

Thank you for your generosity.

Sincerely,

Lauren Herwehe

Kurt Koptish

The 506th Association Scholarship Committee selected Kurt Koptish whose home of record is Cincinnati, OH as the winner of one of our two 2008 $500 Scholarships. Kurt graduated from Indiana University with a BS in Public Health and was commissioned as a 2LT through ROTC in 2000. Kurt branched Medical Service Corps and served as a Platoon Leader, Executive Officer, Medical Operations Officer, and Company Commander in Germany, Fort Campbell and Iraq. CPT Koptish's last posting was as Commander of C Company, 801st Brigade Support Battalion, 506th Regimental Combat Team. Kurt's total service with the 506th was from November 2004 to July 2007 and included one tour of duty in Iraq. Currently attending Harvard Business School, Kurt looks forward to applying his military training and his degree from Harvard in his new life as a civilian.