Local vet returns home to a family that found strength through faith

  • By Kyle Valentini
  • August 6, 2012
  • 431
                        
Summary: The strength of family including a new church family that has found a permanent place in one local family’s lives enabled Heather Hill to carry on while her husband Jerry was deployed to Afghanistan. The past ten months have included some changes for the Hill Family of Dover. Last September they joined the Grace Bible Fellowship not knowing how vital it would be to them and shortly thereafter Jerry Hill, the patriarch of the blended family was deployed to Deh Dadi II in Northern Afghanistan where he would serve for an undetermined amount of time. A 28 year veteran of the U.S. Army, Chief Warrant Officer 2 Jerry Hill of the 37th Infantry Brigade had the experience and specialized skills as an ammunition officer that was needed when his country called on him. “My being deployed was easier on me than it was my family,” said Hill. “While I was away I had one thing to worry about and that was ammunition.” With seven children, three of which still live at home full time, Heather Hill had her work cut out for her. “The first week Jerry was gone was easy, actually. We ate out a lot and I didn’t worry so much about cooking and then reality kind of sunk in,” said Heather Hill. “The whole time Jerry was away we never really had a normal schedule and that made it difficult.” Heather turned to Jerry’s oldest daughter, Nicole McGhee of North Carolina for guidance. “Nicole had experience being away from her husband Adam who also serves in the military and has been deployed before,” said Heather Hill. She sent me books and gave me advice on how to handle things without Jerry here. I really counted on her for support because she understood.” Another source of support for Heather was her church family at Grace Bible Fellowship. Pastor Mark Leggett and his wife Joelie were there for Heather in a variety of ways. “To keep busy I tried to do a lot of volunteer work at church and at the boys’ school,” said Heather Hill. “I don’t know if the church would call it volunteering so much as putting up with me but it helped so much to have that outlet.” While Heather became more and more active at church her church family also assisted her around the house while Jerry was overseas. “There is not a room in this house that didn’t have some improvement done to it while I was gone,” said Jerry Hill. Along with more simple projects like adding a roof to the outdoor pergola so Jerry could enjoy a brand new charcoal grill no matter what the weather, Pastor Mark also showed Heather how to install tile and she successfully put a new floor in the family’s bathroom. Pastor Mark and others from the church hung dry wall in a room that was down to the studs when Jerry left. “All of this made life a little easier for me while Jerry was gone,” said Heather Hill. “I was so used to Jerry taking care of things.” With her own father and grandfather having served in the Army as well as a brother-in-law, Heather knew what she was getting in to when she married Jerry 5 years ago. “Nothing is ever definite. I never knew how long he would be deployed, where he was going or when he would be able to come home,” said Heather Hill. “I was able to surprise her at Christmas,” said Jerry Hill. “I kept dancing around the issue when she would ask if I could come home for Christmas. Finally I had to lie to her and tell her no even though I thought I was going to get my leave. I called my neighbor the night before and arranged to have him pick me up at the airport. It was great to surprise her and the boys. I got to stay for two weeks before I headed back.” While the future may hold other deployments for the time being Jerry Hill is home for at least a year and will resume his duties as a letter carrier in New Philadelphia after a family vacation to Disney World in a few weeks while continuing to fulfill his obligations to the Army National Guard. “I will continue to serve as long as I can,” said Jerry Hill. “I like what I do and still enjoy putting on my uniform.” Welcome home, Chief Hill. Welcome home.


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