Comic books, videotaped cartoons, peanut butter and jelly and letters can mean a lot to a Marine stationed in faraway Afghanistan.

        Lance Cpl. Marcus Miller, a combat photographer, received those items from Girl Scout Brownie Troop 5898 while aboard the USS Bataan.

        The second-grade Brownie troop is at Woodland Elementary School in the Lakota School District. The troop got in touch with Cpl. Miller through a program called “Adopt a Single Marine,” started by wives of married Marines.

        “I was shocked when they told me I had a care package from someone in Ohio,” said Cpl. Miller, now stationed at Camp Lejeune, Jacksonville, N.C. “I really appreciated it when I saw the letters and cards from people I didn't even know. Only person who wrote to me was my mother. This lets you know how much people appreciate you.”

        Cpl. Miller, 23, of Memphis, Tenn., became a pen pal with the Brownie troop.

        “We sent him letters and asked him what kind of cartoons he liked, what kind of comic books he liked,” said Chloe Brotherton, 8, daughter of troop leader Teresa Brotherton of Liberty Township.

        “I considered myself truly blessed to have people like the Girl Scout troop caring for me. It makes you proud to be an American to meet people like that,” Cpl. Miller said.

        Well, he hadn't met them then, but he did last week. After serving seven months overseas, he was transferred back to the States.

        He took an 18-hour bus ride to meet the Brownie troop that adopted him.

        Cpl. Miller spent three days at Mrs. Brotherton's home, visited the Brownie troop and went to Woodland Elementary School.

        “I had a ball playing with the kids at the school,” he said. “I taught them a game called Helicopter. They all ganged up on me and beat me up. We had so much fun, the teachers had to get me off the playground because the kids would not go back to class.”

        He has been sending the troop badges and Marine insignias, and he continues to write letters.

        “I am coming back to visit them soon,” Cpl. Miller said.

       Contact Allen Howard at 768-8362, at ahoward@enquirer.com or by fax at 768-8340.

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