Last week, Donna Hagadone received a cell-phone picture from her husband. Two military duffle bags sat tattered and faded on the floor of her home. She rushed home to see them for herself. They were her son’s.
“Some of Jake has arrived home,” Hagadone said.
Her son, Jacob Kesler, is in the Florida National Guard. Part of the 3-116th Field Artillery Battalion, Kesler and about 300 other service members will return to the United States from Qatar just days before Christmas. They will undergo a two-week cycle of medical evaluations, seminars and reintegration at Camp Shelby, in Mississippi.
And although they will be back on home soil, they won’t be near their families. All the service members are from Central Florida, including Plant City, Avon Park, Arcadia and Lake Wales. To get home for the holidays, the battalion will have to travel more than 600 miles. The preferred method is by bus — at a cost of about $35,000.
Here’s the rub: The National Guard can’t solicit donations.
“They don’t have any benefits for financials,” Maj. Kyle Richardson said. “It’s a pretty steep amount of money to get these guys home. The whole battalion will be stuck there.”
When Rich Glorioso heard about the issue, he told Rep. Dan Raulerson.
“We want to get those guys home,” Raulerson said.
So far, his office has been contacting local military non-profits about the battalion. His legislative aide, Amber Smith, made flyers and is working with Richardson to bring them home.
“What we’re doing is letting people know about this issue,” Smith said. “We will be a voice.”
Although Raulerson’s office may be the voice, but it’s Richardson and the American Legion Post 71 in Lake Wales that are the hands. The post set up a donation account for the battalion.
“The fact that the (American Legion) has stepped up and managed this for us is great,” Richardson said.
If enough money can be raised, the battalion will enjoy three days at home. The greenery of the blooming fields in the Winter Strawberry Capital of the world would be a nice change of scenery from the arid and dusty landscape the battalion has been in since they deployed in February.
Hagadone has made a wreath with Army colors for her front door. On a tree, she has laced a yellow ribbon.
“I’m so excited about him coming home,” she said. “I don’t even know how to explain it (his absence). “It’s so scary.”
On the day of Kesler’s deployment ceremony, Hagadone said good-bye and walked away. She couldn’t turn back to look at him.
“I just had to keep on walking,” Hagadone said. “It was awful. I’ll just be glad when he’s here.”
Contact Amber Jurgensen at ajurgensen@plantcityobserver.com.
HOW TO DONATE
Contact American Legion Post 71 in Lake Wales.
President Andy Anderson
POST: (863) 589-5689
CELL PHONE: (863) 528-0655
ADDRESS: 43 W. Park Ave., Lake Wales, FL. 33853
HOURS: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Sunday
DEADLINE: Dec. 18
INFO: Checks can be made payable to American Legion Post 71. Specify “Military Fund” in the memo. Debit and credit cards also can be processed over the phone by calling the Post 71, (863) 589-5689.
HOMECOMING
Although the battalion may come home for the holidays, this isn’t an official welcome-home ceremony. The service members will be picked up from the Plant City Armory in civilian clothes by family and close friends. Maj. Kyle Richardson believes a proper ceremony will be held in January.