When Steve Keisling was a fifth-grader at West Park Elementary School in west Napa, he served as a sergeant of the school's traffic patrol. Since growing up, Keisling has traded his days of watching over his fellow students for watching over a platoon of Marines stationed in Iraq, as 1st lieutenant of India Company, 3rd Platoon.

In Iraq, Keisling, now 26, and his 34 men were stationed in Ramadi -- the capital of Iraq's Al Anbar province, a hotbed of insurgent activity. Students at West Park Elementary School would regularly send them socks and care packages filled with candy, beef jerky, joke books and letters. Keisling returned to his former school recently, taking time during his 22-day leave to thank the students for their kindness.

"I'm a former West Parker and you guys have supported my platoon," he told the group of about 200 students gathered inside the school's multi-purpose room. "Socks are something that we definitely don't get over there. In 120 degree temperatures ... we really needed them. Your patriotism shows."

Children at West Park -- where Keisling's mother Gail teaches fourth grade -- have been sending care packages to Keisling and his men during both of their stints in Iraq, from March through November of 2005 and January through October in 2006.

"He's really nice," said Rylee Schmiet, 10, a fifth-grader at West Park.

Schmiet said she saw Keisling after his first tour of duty, and has been praying for his safe return from his second. Her fellow student, Maggie Douma, 10, dressed in camouflage for Keisling's visit to the school. While Keisling was in Iraq, Douma made him a camouflage afghan and a Marine blanket.

"I'm happy he's back," she said.

The children's care packages provided warmth in a hostile environment for Keisling and his men.

"It's amazingly good for the morale," Keisling said. "A lot of guys don't get care packages (from loved ones). It really excites them. Daily life over there is pretty crazy."

For Keisling and his Marines, the focus was on staying alive while doing a tough job. In one situation Keisling and four of his Marines rode in a Humvee as it was torn apart by an improvised explosive device. To Keisling's relief, neither he nor his men were injured during the attack. In Ramadi, insurgents routinely attack Marines with rockets, mortars, sniper fire, car bombs and machine guns, Keisling said.

"In my battalion, we lost 17 (Marines)," he told group. "In my platoon, we lost one. It was a pretty tough thing to take."

Keisling spoke to the students about bravery. He honored one student -- Isaiah Ahlstrom, who was seriously hurt in an Idaho traffic accident and is recovering from his wounds -- with a coin from his unit inscribed with the phrase "Fear is not an option."

"Every unit has a coin," he told Ahlstrom. "It's a tremendous honor. No matter what circumstance comes to you in life, fear is not an option. Isaiah, you are an inspiration to everybody."

Keisling then spoke to the students about character traits -- self-discipline, diligence, initiative, responsibility and integrity -- that he learned at West Park that have helped him as a Marine. After Keisling spoke to the students, it was their turn to ask him questions. Some were light-hearted.

"Have you rode in a tank?" one student asked.

"Yes, I have," Keisling responded.

"What do you eat?" another student asked.

"MREs, Meals ready to eat," Keisling said. "They last 10 to 12 years. Some of them were from the Gulf War in 1991."

"What would you do if you got scared?" a student asked.

"It's a very scary place, people are shooting at you all the time, but you cannot give in to your fear," he said.

Some of the questions were not so playful.

A student asked Keisling how many people the Marines have killed in Iraq. Keisling remained composed when he offered an answer.

"As far as the amount of insurgents -- we are not out there killing Iraqis, we are out there killing insurgents -- I couldn't tell you the exact number," he said.

West Park Principal Julie Herdell said Keisling is a model citizen and that his visit to the school was a great way to instill patriotism and a sense of pride into the students. Proud parents Gail and Mike Keisling accompanied their son at the event.

When asked how they overcome the worry of having their son in Iraq, both parents said that their faith in God helps them through it.

"We are Christians and so we have a real definite feeling that it's God's will where Steve's at," Mike Keisling said.

"You just depend on God," Gail Keisling said.

What's next for Keisling? He said he planned to watch his sister Jennifer, a spirit leader at Napa High School, cheer on the Napa Indians at a football game. Then he would spend some time with family and visit Las Vegas for some fun. He then will head back to Camp Lejeune, N.C., to train for his upcoming tour in Africa.