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The winning essay

Pat Martin submitted the following essay nominating her husband, Staff Sgt. Quinton D. Martin, for Jackson Hewitt’s National Guard Heroes of the Year competition.

My husband, Staff Sgt. Quinton D. Martin, is a true American hero of the year. He is dedicated to his country, unit and fellow soldiers. He takes being a soldier very seriously. He has served in the Mississippi Army National Guard for 24 years. Most of his projects take place in Mississippi; he has served in other countries (Germany, South Korea, Panama, Honduras and Costa Rica).

He’s been on active-duty fours years, stationed at Keesler Air Force Base, Miss., on contingency Operation Noble Eagle (homeland security). At Camp Shelby, Miss., where trained soldiers are getting ready to deploy to the Middle East, he got his calling to go and serve his country. They would be going to Kuwait.]

Then Aug. 29, 2005, Hurricane Katrina came ashore. The soldiers were in their barracks and the trees started coming through the roofs. They moved to other barracks. We all lost power. Nothing worked. We couldn’t communicate to see if our families were OK. It was horrible. They wouldn’t let the soldiers leave.

Two days later, they got to go check on their families. My kids and I were trying to survive on what food we had. I looked across our yard and see a soldier in uniform coming up to my house. It was my husband — he hiked through the woods and debris to get home. He was wet, sweaty and hot, but he made it.

I started crying. I was happy to see him and to know that he was OK. He got to stay two days, and then he had to report back. He hated leaving us, but he had to go.

Most of his unit lived on the coast, where the hurricane came ashore. They had nothing left. So our government released the unit from their duty. They asked for volunteers to go, and my husband, the good American soldier he is, stood up for his fellow soldiers and volunteered to go. His unit 1108th joined the 1107th of Missouri and made one unit, 1108th took their flag, too.

That tells you how dedicated my husband is to his country. He assisted in recovery efforts during other hurricanes. He helped at the Salvation Army to hand out food boxes to the needy.

I think he’s a very good role model to other Guard members and encourages anyone to pursue their dreams — to be all they can be!

I believe my husband exemplifies loyalty and teamwork. I’ve seen it for myself. Other soldiers come up to him for advice and ask him how to do something they don’t know how to do. Then they turn and ask him how he knows so much and he tells them, “The Army.”

He has learned so much and got a lot of training and schooling through the military.

My soldier is a loving husband and father to two kids, a girl and a boy. We are very proud of him in every aspect. He is a dedicated soldier to his country. My husband is a prime candidate for your hero of the year distinction. God bless you, our country and our troops. And please say a little prayer for our troops everywhere. Thanks.