|
All
in the family
Story by Spc. William E. Henry, Indiana National Guard
It was a busy day for an Indiana Army
National Guard family doing Soldier readiness processing at
Camp
Atterbury
Joint
Maneuver
Training
Center, February 8.
The family members are part of the 384th
Military Police Company in
Evansville, and no, “That’s not in
Kentucky like most people in
Indianapolis
think,” jokingly said Sgt. Kelly Yarde, father.
Sgt. Yarde is a proud father of three
daughters, Specialists Kelly and Shelly Yarde, 21 and identical
twins, and stepdaughter Ashley McGinnis, 24, all of whom serve
in the same unit.
Yarde said he has a total of 12 years in
the military, starting from an Active Army component and now the
Indiana Army National Guard. He took a seven-year break from the
military to be with his kids while they were growing up.
“After they got older, graduated high
school and started their careers in the National Guard, my
current wife was pretty supportive about me getting back in.
“Originally I was on active duty as a 13F,
a forward observer. The National Guard was going through the
transition when I got back in and I really didn’t want to drive
a long time for drill. They were already MPs,” pointing to his
daughters, “so, I reclassified as an MP.”
Sgt.Yarde said he enjoys the National
Guard’s camaraderie most of all. “It’s a more professional
National Guard. It’s more respected by active duty components
than what it was in the 1980s and 90s.
“I’ve dealt with the National Guard in the
civilian world as well. I do a lot of volunteer work with the
local Emergency Management Agency. We had a tornado in Nov.
2005; this was when I really decided I was going back in. They
came out there and really assisted the community. I think the
class of Soldiers is different today than what it was before.”
Spc. Kelly Yarde said she is looking
forward to getting promoted to sergeant soon. “They’ll never
pass me up in rank,” said Sgt. Yarde joking. Kelly looks at him
and smiles, replying, “That’s one of my goals.”
They were all very light hearted and you
could tell they were close. Kelly and Shelly have their own
apartment and Kelly has a 7-month-old son, Alexander Parker.
She met her fiancé, Elijah Parker, who also
is in the same unit, while in the 939th MP unit
before the recent reorganization of the Indiana Guard.
Sgt. Yarde spoke proudly of the new baby in
the family, saying Alexander gets lots of attention. “It didn’t
make me feel any older,” he added.
The sergeant and his daughters referred to
the unit as a close-knit group and they all pretty much know
each other in the detachment.
“We’re like a big family,” said Kelly.
Sgt. Yarde said he has no direct authority
over his daughters’ drills, and has no bearing on them if they
do wrong. “When we’re at the armory I’m Sgt. Yarde. They stand
at parade rest and I’m Sgt. Yarde.
“I heard the comment somewhere, ‘Sgt.
Daddy’. They’re just joking around and stuff; we got a great
young group of MPs. It makes me feel good to be around.
“We’re in it for the long-haul. We got the
family plan. Most people get family plans with cell phones; we
went with the National Guard.” “I wouldn’t trade this unit
for any other,” said Ashley.
All four of the Soldiers carry traditional
status. In the civilian sector, Kelly is a full time mother
taking care of her new son; Shelly is a pharmacy technician;,
Ashley works in retail; and Sgt. Yarde has worked as an animal
control officer for six years in Evansville.
Sgt. Yarde said he and his daughters get
great support from his wife, Amanda. She is a volunteer for the
Family support group and her mother, Janie Kuntz, is the
treasurer for the group.
“We’re locked in on the family support
group. And before you ask me, yeah, it worries me. Yeah, it
worries me.
“People ask me, ‘how can you let your
daughters join the military?’ I just look at them and say, ‘You
know if it wasn’t for people like that, your sons or daughters
might be drafted. It’s something they want to do and I’m proud
of them.’ ”
|
