Guardsmen reach out to help fellow Soldier’s Family during hardship

During his unit's deployment ceremony in April 2011, Gov. Jay Nixon ceremoniously presented Pfc. Lee Hatt with an American flag for being the youngest Soldier deploying with the 548th Transportation Company to Afghanistan. At the age of 19, Hatt, along with about 170 Citizen-Soldiers in his unit, is currently serving on a year-long mission and is slated to return in the spring. (Photo by Jennifer Archdekin/Missouri National Guard)

By Jennifer Archdekin
ngmo.pao@us.army.mil

RICH HILL, Mo. - An outpouring of love and generosity has been shown to the Family of a deployed Missouri National Guard Soldier after a fire consumed the Family's house and all of the contents inside. In the early morning hours of Oct. 31, the home of Pfc. Lee Hatt, of Rich Hill, was devastated by fire when the wood stove area in the living room ignited and quickly spread.

Hatt's parents and his three siblings had recently moved into the home while he was serving in western Afghanistan with the 548th Transportation Company out of Trenton. Though no one was injured in the fire, Hatt's Family lost nearly everything, including three pets.

As news spread of the disaster that had befallen on one of their own, fellow Guardsmen and their Families quickly mustered assistance to help out. The Red Cross and those in the Rich Hill community also rallied to help them in their time of need.

Wendy Locklin, Hatt's mom, said donations have been coming in, including furniture, kitchen items and clothing. She said her son has only been a Citizen-Soldier for a little over a year, but in that short amount of time she has experienced so much love and concern from other Guardsmen.

"It has been awesome," said Locklin.

Locklin said the wife of a Soldier, who is deployed with Hatt, has personally dropped off items after making rounds to pick up donations from various cities.

"She had her car packed to the hilt," said Locklin.

When her son deployed, and especially after the fire, Locklin was forced to quickly become familiar with Facebook, which has allowed her to stay connected with Hatt. In doing so, she was also introduced to a network of Family members, friends and supporters of the transportation company who in turn reached out to her. She said many of the Soldiers who are overseas consistently check in on them, making sure they are taken care of.

"We have been so loved," said Locklin. "Between the community of Rich Hill, the church we go to, the whole community has been there for us. I have never felt so loved in my life. As a Christian it has been overwhelming."

Locklin said people continue to inquire. At Thanksgiving one Missouri Guardsman stationed in Arlington, Va. on assignment heard of the hardships Hatt and his Family had endured and wanted to reach out to them, though he didn't know the troop personally.

"My wife and her Family experienced a fire in their home when she was a little girl," said Capt. Kevin Burkman. "The house was not a total loss, but it was something that made a lasting impression in their lives."

The Burkmans coordinated with a local restaurant to have a complete Thanksgiving dinner delivered. He said they did it in some part because of what his wife, Karla, experienced, but more importantly it was a great lesson for their children to see the importance of helping out others whenever possible.

"We are fortunate to be in a position that we could do this for this Family," said Burkman. "We wanted to help take some of the worry off of Pfc. Hatt's mind knowing his Family was still going to have a great Thanksgiving. I can only imagine what Pfc. Hatt is feeling being deployed and not having the ability to help from where he is at."

Locklin was deeply moved by the Burkmans' gesture to minister to them during their struggles.

"I call it a ministry because that's what it is," said Locklin. "The meal was a true God send."

"More important to us was to know that Pfc. Hatt's Family would still be able to celebrate and have a great Thanksgiving," said Burkman. "In the end this helps take some of the stress off of the Family. Yes, it makes it even better that it was a Missouri National Guardsman, but we would have done it for anyone in need."

Locklin said her Family is slowly getting back on their feet. Within a week of the fire, the Red Cross and Ministerial Alliance helped them find a home to rent.

"That is something that doesn't happen unless a miracle steps in and intervenes," said Locklin. "We've been taking it one day at a time, sometimes one minute at a time."

Hatt is slated to return home with his unit this spring.

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