When it comes to supporting American troops, Special Alternative Incarceration Program’s (SAI) Sgt. Peggy Heator, affectionately known by those troops as Aunt Peg, is at the top of the list.

As a token of appreciation for her support, SAI Cpl. Laura Palmer, and her entire Flight Squadron, honored Sgt. Heator by presenting her with an American flag flown over their base on the last day of their deployment in Tallil, Iraq.

Cpl. Palmer is an Air Force Tech/Sgt. Her unit is based in Battle Creek and joins forces with the entire 407th Security Forces nationwide when deployed. The squadron recently returned to the United States after serving six months in an Iraqi hot zone detecting land mines and providing protection for a base of about 10,000 coalition forces. The days were long and hot, the work was stressful, and the food wasn’t that good. Each day consisted mostly of dust, hunger and danger.

One bright spot Cpl. Palmer looked forward to was mail call. She knew she could count on Sgt. Heator to come through with some goodies. Inevitably, the whole platoon would surround Palmer to see what was in her packages because they knew she would share the contents with them. The platoon began referring to them as packages from Aunt Peg.

One popular item was Blow-Pops suckers. They were sweet, lasted awhile and didn’t melt. Sgt. Heator admits that one time she wasn’t thinking about the hot temperatures of the region and sent the troops chocolate bars.

“It didn’t matter, we ate them anyway,” said Cpl. Palmer. “Sometimes you don’t appreciate the little things until you have to do without them.”

SAI’s 2006 Officer of the Year, Cpl. Ricardo Santana, agrees that Sgt. Heator is extraordinary.

When I was deployed to Iraq, Sgt. Heator constantly kept up my morale with her e-mails and care packages,” said Cpl. Santana. “She even checked in on my wife and kids for me.”

Although Sgt. Heator is presently doing the same for several other department staff deployed in that region, she
maintains a modest attitude about the support she lends to those deployed.

“I’m flattered by their gesture, but it was the very least I could do for them,” said Sgt. Heator. “It is important for our troops to know that we are behind them, and appreciate what they are doing.”   

Michigan Department of Corrections FYI 042706