ABC 30 Blogs

Two roads meet in the desert of New Mexico

By Nancy Osborne

    

Staff Sergeant Chris Barnes has been soldiering for more than a decade. The Fresno native enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1998 right out of high school. After four years with the Army Rangers he transitioned to an army reserve drill sergeant unit. He split his time between Fresno State studying history and his reserve duty responsibilities. In the spring of 2002 he would be sent to the first of two tours in Iraq to train Iraqi police officers. The Fresno native encountered not just an active war but the people and the children living through it.

 

Mission hasn’t changed for Valley group supporting troops

 

Going Home To Family

Every member of the armed forces waits for the day when they get to go home, whether from a deployment or a 10 day leave from duty.  Like Senior Airman Matt Klundt of Fresno. He’s been back at Elmendorf Air Force Base in Alaska following a tour to Iraq since mid July.

Adjusting to being in America has been a new challenge especially with this home base recovering from a recent deadly plane crash.  Still, a leave to go home is putting things in perspective.