Being in the military is in the family for retired Marine and Alexander City native Billy Smith.
Smith’s brother is also a retired Marine, his father is a retired Air Force veteran and he has relatives who fought in World War I and the Civil War.
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`Qm$>:E9’D H:76 %96C6D2 :D E96 52F89E6C @7 2 G6E6C2? 2?5 E96:C 52F89E6C z2E6=J? H2?E65 E@ ;@:? E96 >:=:E2CJ 367@C6 :?;FC:6D AC6G6?E65 96C 7C@> 6?E6C:?8 E96 D6CG:46]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`Qm(96? 49@@D:?8 9:D A2E9 27E6C 8C25F2E:?8 7C@> q6?;2>:? #FDD6== :? `hgb[ $>:E9 <?6H H92E 96 H2D 8@:?8 E@ 5@]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`Qm“|J 525 E@=5 >6 :E H2D 6:E96C E92E @C 8@ E@ 4@==686 2?5 x D2:5[ ‘x 5@?’E H2?E E@ 8@ E@ D49@@=] x’> 5@?6 H:E9 D49@@=] x H2?E E@ 86E @FE @7 9:89 D49@@=[’” $>:E9 D2:5]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`Qm$>:E9 6?=:DE65 :? E96 &?:E65 $E2E6D |2C:?6 r@CAD :? s646>36C `hgb 2?5 H@C<65 :? DFAA=J 2?5 =@8:DE:4D]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`Qm“pD D@@? 2D x A:4<65 FA D6C862?E[ x H2D 2 DFAA=J 49:67[” $>:E9 D2:5] “x H2D :? 492C86 @7 >F=E:>:==:@?\5@==2C 244@F?ED]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`QmsFC:?8 9:D ae\J62C >:=:E2CJ 42C66C[ $>:E9 92D G:D:E65 ah 4@F?EC:6D 2C@F?5 E96 H@C=5] $>:E9 D6CG65 @? ~<:?2H2 2?5 G2C:@FD DE2E:@?D :? }@CE9 r2C@=:?2[ $@FE9 r2C@=:?2[ |:2>: 2?5 !6CF]kDA2? 4=2DDlQpAA=6\4@?G6CE65\DA246Qm k^DA2?mk^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`Qm$>:E9 H2D A2CE @7 D@>6 @7 E96 2??F2= ~A6C2E:@? %62> $A:C:E 6I6C4:D6D 2?5 H2D 2 >6>36C @7 E96 |2C:?6 tIA65:E:@?2CJ &?:E W|t&X[ H9:49 H6?E E@ E96 |65:E6CC2?62? $62 C68:@?] $>:E9 56A=@J65 E@ u2==F;29[ xC2B[ :? a__c 2?5 a__d]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`Qm$>:E9 D2:5 96 6?;@J65 E96 |t& F?:E 2D A2CE @7 DA64:2= @A6C2E:@?D]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`Qm“~?46 H6 8@E BF2=:7:65 H:E9 E92E[ :E 2FE9@C:K65 FD E@ 56A=@J E@ E96 |65:E6CC2?62? 2?5 E96? H6 H6?E 2C@F?5[ 5:5 =:EE=6 @A6C2E:@?D 2?5 7:6=5 @AD H:E9 @E96C 4@F?EC:6D 2?5 EC2:?65 H:E9 E96>[” $>:E9 D2:5] “(96? H6 H6?E E@ zFH2:E :E H2D 3642FD6 E92E’D H96? $2552> wFDD6:? H2D :? A@H6C] w6 H2D 962565 324< E@H2C5 zFH2:E F?E:= H6 42>6 :?E@ E96 !6CD:2? vF=7 2?5 E92E AC6EEJ >F49 EFC?65 9:> 2C@F?5]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`Qmp7E6C C6EFC?:?8 7C@> xC2B :? a__d[ $>:E9 DA6?E d½ J62CD :? }@CE9 r2C@=:?2] w6 >65:42==J C6E:C65 :? |2C49 a_`_ 2D 2 >2DE6C D6C862?E]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`Qm$>:E9 D2:5 9:D H:76 %96C6D2 H2D E96 C62D@? 96 DE2J65 :? E96 |2C:?6 r@CAD 7@C ae J62CD 3642FD6 D96 H2D 2 <6J G@=F?E66C 7@C 9:D F?:E’D H:G6D 2?5 H@F=5 96=A E96> H9:=6 E96:C 9FD32?5D H6C6 56A=@J65]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`Qm“$96 H2D 2 3:8 A2CE @7 6G6CJE9:?8[” $>:E9 D2:5] “x H2D 56A=@J65 2== E96 E:>6 2?5 D96 96=5 6G6CJE9:?8 E@86E96C @? E96 9@>6 7C@?E … x >:89E 92G6 366? 86EE:?8 D9@E 2E 3FE D96 H2D 92G:?8 E@ 562= H:E9 2== @7 E96 4@>A=2:?:?8]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`Qm%96 $>:E9D >@G65 324< E@ p=6I2?56C r:EJ E@ E2<6 42C6 @7 E96:C A2C6?ED 27E6C 96 C6E:C65 2?5 96 D2:5 :E H2D 92C5 C6252AE:?8 E@ 4:G:=:2? =:76]k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`Qm“xE’D C62==J 92C5 6DA64:2==J H96? J@F’C6 FD65 E@ 36:?8 :? 492C86 2?5 J@F D2J DEF77[ :E 92AA6?D[ ?@ BF6DE:@?D 2D<65[” $>:E9 D2:5] “x? E96 4:G:=:2? H@C=5 :E 5@6D?’E H@C< E92E H2Jj J@F E6== D@>6@?6 E@ 5@ D@>6E9:?8[ E96J 8@E a_ BF6DE:@?D @7 H9J J@F H2?E E96> E@ 5@ :E]”k^DA2?mk^Am
kAmkDA2? 4=2DDlQD`Qm$>:E9 :D 2 >6>36C @7 E96 p=6I2?56C r:EJ p>6C:42? {68:@?]k^DA2?mk^Am
