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Army specialist gets to know Iraqi people

The Clanton Advertiser has a great article this morning about Army Specialist Justin Corn, of Thorsby, who recently returned from Iraq.

Corn believes the U.S. is making a difference in Iraq. In the time he was deployed to Iraq, he saw a big difference in the people from when he arrived to when he left.

A great story, and a poignant reminder of why it’s so important that we support our men and women in uniform!

Because he was in a remote location of Iraq, Corn and his unit didn’t have much contact with family and friends. “Whenever we got to a base, everyone would run to the phone to get their five minutes to call our families,” Corn said.

During his tour, his family and his wife both sent him numerous care packages, which included personal items and snack foods.

“You don’t know just how much you miss that until you don’t have it anymore,” he said. “Some weren’t as fortunate as I was, so I shared with those who didn’t get any packages.”

You can read the whole article here.

Clanton Soldier Top in His Post

Another feature in this weekend’s Clanton Advertiser, a Clanton soldier who’s been named top soldier in his post:

Local soldier tops in his Army post

You could say the Army is in his genes, but you’ve got to give credit where credit is due. Sgt. Ocie Williams Jr. of Clanton was named NCO of the Quarter at Fort Lewis in Washington state.

Williams, 23, a medic at Madigan Army Medical Center, received the award based on his performance in many areas including land navigation, Army Warrior Tasks, an oral exam, physical fitness and weapons qualification. He also penned an essay about the Army’s values.

The designation stands for Non-Commissioned Officer of the Quarter and basically means Williams is the top soldier in his post. He received a well-earned plaque and a ribbon for his accomplishment.

Read the whole article here.

Congratulations, Sgt. Williams!

SA member featured in the news this weekend

I was combing my news feeds and this article in The Clanton Advertiser caught my eye. It features a Bama Angel who also happens to be Alabama’s newest CTL:

Local mother joins group to help take care of soldiers

A mother’s love for her child is a bond that cannot be easily broken. No matter how many miles apart she is from her son or daughter she still cares for them and loves them. That is all fine and well for soldiers who still have loved ones at home to support them.

The truth is many soldiers feel alone. When a mail truck or plane comes in and they don’t have anything to show how much they are loved back home, some start to lose interest in what they are actually fighting for.

One local mother has taken steps to help soldiers who don’t have anyone back home to write or send him or her care packages.

Lisa Simpson recently joined a group called Soldiers’ Angels, and she hopes to encourage more people in Chilton County to become a member. The Soldiers’ Angels is a group of people who started taking care of soldiers by sending them letters and small tokens of appreciation such as blankets.

Read the full article here.

Way to go, Lisa!