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Armory undergoes complete renovation By SUE WATSON
Staff Writer  | Photo by Sue Watson
Happy to be home
From
left, Ssgt. Keary Jetton and Sgt. James Hamblin are glad to be back
home at the Holly Springs National Guard Armory after a second tour of
Iraq. |
The Holly Springs National Guard Armory is under complete renovation. Ssgt.
Keary Jetton said the work includes electricity, plumbing, replacing
doors and windows, repainting, installing new lighting, upgrading the
drill hall, and installing a new heat and air system. The
$750,000 project is expected to be completed by the end of the year, he
said. Some fencing will be replaced to correct an erosion problem
behind the property. Jetton said guardsmen are
happy to be home and are taking leave to rest and be with their
families after returning from Iraq in mid-March this year. The unit has been deployed twice to Iraq - once for 18 months during January 2005 and again in June 2009. “We
are glad to be home,” he said, “and appreciate all the support the
community has been giving us since we have been deployed.” Sgt. James Hamblin echoed Jetton’s remarks regarding community support, especially to Guard families while they were deployed. “I
remember during Christmas the community put on a real nice Christmas
and word made it back (to guardsmen in Iraq) the same day,” Hamblin
said. “The unit appreciates the town and county and the support they
gave our families. They really enjoyed it. It was like a Clydesdale
Christmas. It made me feel good what people back home were doing for
our families. It meant more for me, for them to do for our families
than for us.” Although no figures for exactly how
many guardsmen from the Holly Springs Unit were deployed, all have
returned home from Iraq safely, Jetton said. |
