Offutt liaison praises district’s Purple Star designation, offers event and exercise support

Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Anderson, a military advisor from Offutt Air Force Base, briefed the Papillion La Vista Community Schools board on Feb. 24, congratulated the district on its designation as a Purple Star School district and introduced a second school liaison officer, Jenny Miller.

Anderson said the Purple Star designation highlights the district’s military‑family friendliness and helps families evaluate schools during permanent change-of-station moves. He noted April is the Month of the Military Child and said base school-liaison officers Tina and Jenny Miller are available to support district events, including assemblies and a kindergarten-readiness workshop at the Offutt Event Center on Thursday at 16:30 for families connected to the base.

Anderson also warned the board that a large-scale exercise around March 31–early April could create occasional gate closures and other “friction points” on base. He said the base is planning to minimize disruption to students and extracurriculars — “we are not going to disrupt the kids, to the maximum possible” — but cautioned community members could experience travel interruptions during daytime hours.

Anderson said the base’s liaison work covers about 22 different school districts, private and parochial schools, and encouraged the district to contact the school-liaison officers for events or assistance.

Board members thanked Anderson and noted his engagement as a district parent and PTO volunteer.