What a wonderful recognition of high school teacher, Mr. Steve Tulli. This is also a testament to the lasting impact educators have on their students. Congratulations, Mr. Tulli! Well deserved.
Simon Stock is currently a Captain in the U.S. Army who has served four deployments (the second one to Afghanistan). This particular video was taken on November 11, 2019 in Kabul, Afghanistan as he was supporting the America's partner nations for Operations Freedom Sentinel and Resolute Support. The exact flag that is pictured in the frame was flown in honor of Captain Stock's high school teacher Mr. Steve Tulli who he had at, then, Ayer High School for technology/engineering, as well as an advisor to the Leadership Education Program established in fall 2004 in partnership with the Massachusetts Army National Guard. This past Veterans Day in 2019 marked the 21st annual program that Leadership Education students have participated in honoring and recognizing local veterans from Ayer and Shirley, as well as from across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Mr. Tulli is in his 23rd year in Ayer (29th year overall in teaching).
Captain Stock was a junior in high school when the Leadership Education Program when Mr. Tulli and Staff Sergeant Matthew Meadows first introduced the program at Ayer High School. He was one of the program's first student squad leaders, and was an active participant in many of their activities. Upon graduating from Ayer High School in 2006, Captain Stock enrolled in the ROTC Program at Norwich Academy, and graduated as a Second Lieutenant in the U.S. Army. The flag sent to Mr. Tulli from Captain Stock was sent from the 6th Battalion Special Forces on November 13th, shortly after it was packaged from being flown along with flags of other NATO countries on November 11th. It is signed by Command Sergeant Major Maurice Jackson (Senior Enlisted Leader) and Lieutenant General of the U.S. Army James E. Rainey (Senior Commanding Officer).
