Published: November 15, 2009 10:31 pm      

City seeking support to bring troops home for Thanksgiving

The Huntsville City Council approved the city’s participation in a program that would bring the Huntsville National Guard unit home for the Thanksgiving holidays.

The council approved the measure during its regular session Thursday at City Hall.

The 72nd Brigade Special Troops Battalion, based in Huntsville, is currently stationed at Fort Bliss in El Paso for training exercises before being deployed to Iraq in December.

The city has partnered with the National Guard Association of Texas in an effort to bring home 70 to 82 soldiers on two trips — one from Nov. 23-27 and another from Nov. 24-28.

City manager Bill Baine said the city is seeking support for the project from Huntsville residents and has reached out to several local businesses and organizations.

“First State Bank and First National Bank have partnered with the city in this endeavor, and The Huntsville Item is also providing sponsorship,” Baine said.

“We anticipate many of our churches and civic organizations will join in welcoming the troops home for their last leave before deployment to Iraq,” Baine said. “Any and all support by our residents in this endeavor will be greatly appreciated.”

The city would contribute up to $5,000 in funding, if necessary, or remitting excess funds to the National Guard Association of Texas, which will be used as a repository.

Baine said the city funds would be used as a public purpose and “we intend to use the National Guard of Texas as a respository for the money and they do the contracting for the transportation.”

Baine said additional funds could be used by family members of soldiers being deployed.

“Should they need assistance they have an organization in the Army now and it’s called the Family Readiness Group,” Baine said. “I think it’s symbolic to encourage residents to contribute to this. It’s a long time over due.

“I think it’s also important to signal to the National Guard that we support them, we love them and want them to come back.”

Mayor Pro Tem Lanny Ray supported the measure during the meeting.

“This is something we ought to do for these folks,” Ray said. “Some of them may never come back. I hate to be melodramatic, but I don’t think that is.

“It’s a very, very real possibility and these are our local folks who are training out there right now at Fort Bliss. This is to bring them back here for holidays, which I think will be their last pass for quite a while, if I am not mistaken.”

City of Huntsville Community Development Specialist Dr. Sherry McKibben is director of the project.

For more information, contact McKibben at (936) 291-5428.