After waiting for a couple months, students from the Trout Creek School had a painting returned to them that they had the privilege of naming last year. The painting of a horse, done by Joint Operation Mariposa artist Dave Williams, is one of a set of five military branch-themed pieces to be featured in several schools in the county. Each one will link a military unit from a corresponding branch to a school in Sanders County. Previously, Plains was linked with a unit of the U.S. Coast Guard, and Trout Creek was paired with a U.S. Army unit out of Missoula.

When Williams created each horse, they were part of a larger piece that included a set of the five military horses and four colored horses, which were collectively called The Guardians of the Heard. Since then, Williams has been working to build a history into each piece and a community vested interest and relationship with the armed forces. After Williams finds a willing unit and school, they set up an introduction at the school where the unit and the students can meet, and where the students can come up with a name for the piece. The Trout Creek School and Army Horse was originally named Traveling Dixie but was altered to Sergeant Dixie.

At this horse homecoming on October 19, students from the classes that participated last year, including third and fourth graders, were called out to see the presentation. There was a short question and answer portion, and the Army unit members told the students about military life. It was really cool to get the schools involved with this neat project with the veterans," said Taylor Etienne, who teaches at the school.

The Army horse is actually a mule and was modeled after an old photograph of an army mule about to pull a cannon into the Argonne Forest during World War I. Williams explained that the Mule is the mascot of the Army, and so the connection was perfect. He reached out to an Army unit in Missoula who agreed to participate. According to Sergeant First Class Bill Nicholson, with the Army unit that was paired with the Trout Creek School, they have received letters from the school and plan to send letters replying to the students. As a recruiter, Nicholson firmly believes in building a relationship with the community, though he usually has only had the opportunity to work with high school and college aged youth. "It was a really good opportunity to be the face of the Army for the youth of this community. We don't ever turn our nose up to any opportunity."

After each horse is named, it sits for a time at the school and is then "called into service" as Williams explained. At that time, it is sent off for a couple months to be decorated by the military unit. Once that is complete, it "returns home" to the school. Williams intended this movement to show young students and the community the nature of the job for servicemen and women. As each painting is gone two to three months, it is like the horse "returns to duty," and "comes back changed," said Williams.

Once the Trout Creek School is done with Sergeant Dixie, it will be brought to the VFW in Plains, where the Plains School horse now resides. The horses will remain there until all five are done touring and pairing with schools and units. After receiving significant statewide pressure to keep the collection of military horses together, Williams worked with the Veterans Administration to take all the horses to the Veterans Administration in Helena, where they will finally rest and be on display. They will be brought there by a procession of people that will include students and the military unit members, as each horse painting has been signed on the back by the corresponding students and unit members. Williams believes Sanders County is the perfect place to build these youth and soldier relationships because, according to him, about half of the county consists of veterans or veteran relatives.