Capt. Bobby Cabaniss has a lot to be thankful for this year. His family, his love for his country, opportunities overseas that most never get to experience — and of course, the Big Blue.
Cabaniss is a Medical Operation Officer with the Kentucky National Guard, the 138 Fires Brigade out of Lexington. He’s looking forward to heading home for the Thanksgiving holiday — though home is a long away right now, as the Somerset man is all the way on the other side of the world.
Cabaniss is in Afghanistan, working with the Kentucky Agribusiness Development Team. It’s a unique experience, as the 60-person operation made of up Kentucky National Guardsman is tasked with improving quality of life for Afghan farmers by teaching them advanced farming and livestock techniques. Cabaniss describes his role as a marketing specialist and “jack-of-all-trades.”
“I have seen and been places very few Americans have ever been,” said Cabaniss. “Being 52 years of age, I consider myself very lucky to be part of this. I spent 7 years on active duty in the United States Marine Corps and never got off the East Coast.”
Cabaniss served in the United States Marine Corps from 1981-93, reaching the rank of Captain. He was out of the service for 18 years, and moved to Somerset in 1992, where he and wife Nancy raised children Christine and Bobby Jr., both of whom graduated from Somerset High School.
In 2006, however, the tug of the serviceman’s life was felt on Cabaniss’ shoulder once again, and he joined the Kentucky National Guard. The experience — though certainly not always easy — has been rewarding in a number of different ways for Cabaniss, especially the good he gets to perform in the lives of the Afghan people.
“Kids are kids — these poor kids in Afghanistan have nothing. They live from day to day, they have very little education, and very few of them can even read,” said Cabaniss, who added that many of them suffer from malnutrition — something he can help alleviate in his role with the ADT.
“I feel that the ADT mission can play a major role in helping the Afghan farmer to get back on their feet and start living a better life,” he said. “As a team we plan on focusing on what we call the Circle of Life: greenhouses for raising vegetables, wells and proper irrigation, cool storage to help them get through the winter, fruit trees, honey bees, grains (and) wheat. The most important (way) we can support the local farmers is through self-sustainment after we leave.”
Cabaniss plans on being fed well this coming week — back stateside. Cabaniss is serving a one-year tour and expects to be home for good next summer, but he will get to return home and enjoy Thanksgiving with his family. His plans include driving to Mobile, Ala., to see his father, an 84-year-old veteran of World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars, being with his wife and kids, and even watching the annual Kentucky-Tennessee football grudge match and maybe taking in a Kentucky basketball game.
Still, he wouldn’t trade tickets for the Wildcats for the sense of pride he feels serving his country in the National Guard.
“I have always believed in the concept of ‘citizen solider’,” he said. “It still amazes me that our young men and women volunteer to serve their country and state.”
He pointed to a specific example of courage and duty: the ice storm which crippled much of Kentucky last winter, knocking out power and makes for dangerous conditions.
“The entire National Guard was called out, and these young men and women helped our state avoid a catastrophe,” he said. “You take a 22-year-old soldier or marine on active service, they may know their military job very well, but take a National Guard soldier, they know their military job extremely well, but they also bring their civilian skills with them.
“Bottom line, if they are willing to volunteer to serve, then I should volunteer to lead.”
Local News
Related Photos
November 20, 2009
Home for the Holiday
Local National Guardsman looking forward to Thanksgiving
- Local News
-
-
Pulaski carries Girdler to win
In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.” - Local Democrats diss Obama
- Floyd edges incumbent in city council run-off
-
Pine Knot man leads law enforcement on chase
-
Tragic accident claims toddler
- Woman with child in car cited for DUI
- Weigel: Law enforcement, doctors must communicate about drugs
-
Man charged with utility trailer thefts
- Credit card policies for utility bills are eyed by councilors
- March for Hope to spotlight drug problem
- More Local News Headlines
-
Secret Service Boss: 'I Apologize'
Giant Bull Head Draws Drivers to South Dakota
Astrodome Fades As Houston Decides Fate
Egyptians Vote in Historic Presidential Election
Franciscan Files Tell Stories of Priest Abuse
Wildfire Destroys 2 Homes
Flight Diverted After Suspicious Note
Joplin Remembers Deadly Tornado, 1 Year Later
Panel Recommends Against Routine Prostate Test
Fired Lingerie Employee Claims Discrimination
Joplin Marches to 'Remember' Tornado Victims
Facebook Shares Continue Negative Slide
Cuba Waiting for Cyber Age to Come
8 Hurt in Oklahoma Shooting After NBA Playoff
Sheriff: DNA Links Suspect to Missing CA Teen
US Airways: Diverted Flight Has 'Landed Safely'
Revived Focus on Regulation After JPMorgan Loss
