Father and Son Serve County and Country

The sun is setting in the west, turning the wide open skies a dozen shades of orange and purple. Another ending to a typical spring day in the Texas Panhandle. No rain again today, but maybe tomorrow there’ll be some moisture moving in and less wind so the caliche and dirt roads west of town can be re-worked after a winter of pounding by oil field trucks. And maybe a phone call or e-mail will come tomorrow.
Halfway around the world the sun is rising in the east, turning the wide open skies from dark night blue to brilliant orange and light blue. Another beginning to a typical spring day in Iraq. No rain expected as usual, but maybe the wind won’t be too bad and won’t whip the dust up around the humvees on patrol today. And maybe time to make a phone call or send an e-mail today.
Two men, one a dad and the other a son, a half a world away from each other sharing a love of each other and family, and a love of country, both serving people. Carson County Commissioner Kevin Howell has served the residents of Precinct 4 for the past 13 years. He and his wife, Karla, raised three sons and one daughter, living five miles from the small community of White Deer. The oldest son Jason, a high school Spanish teacher, lives in Bacliff with his wife, Lindy, and their three children. Daughter Kerri lives in Katy and works as a proposal coordinator for PBS&J, an international architectural engineering firm. Youngest son Blake lives in Pampa and works for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice as a guard.
Brandon, the third child in the Howell family, grew up in the typical idyllic West Texas way, a way that slowly seems to be disappearing from most of America today. He attended Central Baptist Church and is currently a member of Harvest Fellowship Baptist Church in Pampa. Brandon attended the small rural school in White Deer and lived on a small farm east of town.
Although the Howells are not an avid hunting family, Brandon nevertheless grew up owning a gun and knowing how to shoot and hunt. Brandon entered the military in the fall of 2005. When at boot camp, Brandon was amazed that only one other soldier (from Arkansas) had even held a gun. Most of the other recruits were from New York, Illinois and Michigan. While stationed briefly at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, in 2007, he was one of the top three marksmen in his company (approximately 100 soldiers.)
In high school, Brandon played lineman and kicker for the football team. Early in his military career, training as a kind of SWAT team, Brandon’s job was to kick down the door when the team entered the building.
Brandon’s first overseas duty was in Korea during the 2006 North Korean nuclear testing. Soldiers were all allowed to call home in the days leading up to the North Korean test, not knowing what the outcome might be for the U.S. military. The day after, Brandon called his dad and reported, “White Deer’s Fourth of July fireworks displays are bigger than that was.”
Family ties grew the most during the times of raising and showing livestock. Through the years, the family shared many hours of work on the farm raising pigs and lambs, and shared many trips to shows from the Carson County Livestock Show to shows in Amarillo, San Antonio and Houston. The most memorable winnings were when Brandon won Champion Fine Wool Lamb at the Tri-State Fair in Amarillo and Carson County Grand Champion Lamb his senior year. Although all three of his siblings showed all their eligible years, Brandon was the only one to win the coveted county grand champion. Nicknames are often used among soldiers, and Brandon has the distinction of being called Pig Farmer.
Now almost 23, Specialist Howell is stationed near Balad, Iraq, approximately 50 miles northwest of Baghdad. He is a forward observer with the artillery unit assigned to the 101st airborne division. Spc. Howell is in the 1st platoon of B Troop 1-32 Cavalry. When Brandon learned about this column, he wanted to mention all the guys in his platoon including 1st Lt. Berra, Sgt. Campbell, Sgt. Busby, Sgt. Gore, Sgt. Potter, Spc. Dodge, Cpl. Richards, Pfc. Burrell and Spc. Montgomery.
“I work with these guys on a day-to-day basis. The guys are not only soldiers and friends, but my family while I am here,” Brandon said. “We go through a lot together; we sweat, bleed, and cry together. We miss our families, but we do it all for the United States so people can live free.”
As one day turns into another on the back roads of the county, Commissioner Kevin Howell is happy to serve the residents of Carson County. He is also extremely proud of his son, Spc. Brandon Howell, serving the people of the United States on the dusty roads of Iraq.
By Karla Howell, Wife of Carson County Commissioner Kevin Howell