CAMARILLO : Soldier’s Letter From the Gulf Earns a National Essay Award

A Camarillo soldier has received the top award in the military essays category of the 1991 Freedoms Foundation’s National Awards Program.

Pfc. Alexander N. Porter’s “Letter Written from the Saudi Desert” was actually a private letter intended to comfort his parents on the eve of the Gulf War last December. But after his mother impulsively read it on a radio talk show, the patriotic letter was featured in newspapers and on radio and television programs nationwide. It also became part of a music video hosted by entertainer Cher for American troops. And in January, it was read into the Congressional Record by Rep. Robert J. Lagomarsino (R-Ventura).

The Freedoms Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation established in 1949 by E. F. Hutton, Don Belding, and Gen. Dwight Eisenhower in Valley Forge, Pa., to promote and educate Americans on the importance of responsible citizenship.

Porter is among 379 National Award recipients chosen from more than 2,000 nominations in eight categories.

Katherine Wood, vice president and director of awards, said the theme for this year’s essay was “Proud to Serve.”

Porter’s letter was chosen from 739 essays written by citizens or permanent residents of the United States who are in the military, either active, reserve, ROTC or Junior ROTC.

The 23-year-old tank crewman who is stationed with the 4th Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, Colo., received a framed medal and a $100 U.S. savings bond from his commanding officer during a military awards ceremony held at the base last week.

Previous recipients of Distinguished Awards include U.S. Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O’Connor, tennis player Arthur Ashe and former U.N. Ambassador Jeane J. Kirkpatrick.

“I’d never put myself in the same category as those people,” Porter said from Colorado.

“But receiving the award is a nice end after the sacrifices that my friends and others made in Saudi Arabia.”

Porter’s term in the military ends in May. He said he plans to finish his last two years of college, majoring in political science to prepare for a career in politics or possibly journalism.

Porter will be the guest speaker and one of seven local National Awards recipients honored at a lunch Friday in Beverly Hills.