RI boy who made hat banned because Army men on it had guns gets medal for patriotic efforts
By APFriday, June 18, 2010
RI boy who made banned toy soldier hat gets medal
EAST PROVIDENCE, R.I. — A Rhode Island boy whose school banned a hat he made because the toy soldiers on it carried guns has been awarded a medal for his patriotic efforts.
Lt. Gen. Reginald Centracchio (sen-TRAH’-kee-oh), the retired head of the Rhode Island National Guard, gave 8-year-old David Morales the medal on Friday.
The second-grader made the hat for a school project, gluing plastic soldiers to a camouflage baseball cap. School officials said the hat ran afoul of their no-weapons policy because the Army men held tiny guns.
Centracchio gave David a challenge coin during an appearance on WPRO-AM’s John DePetro show. He also gave him a certificate that allows David to call himself a brigadier general.
David says it feels great.
