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– Inside –Alfredo Contreras.........................................................3

Daniel Contreras............................................................5

Chris Christopher..........................................................7

Mike Loomis..................................................................10

Tori Barnett ...................................................................12

Scott McGinnis ............................................................15

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STORY BY LARRY MEYER

Alfredo Contreras is theproud patriarch of amilitary family.

Contreras and his wife,Rosie, had 10 children. Eightof their sons or sons-in-lawhave been in the military, to-taling more than 100 years ofservice.The 91-year-old Ontarioman himself served in twowars and was almost sent to athird, but was pulled back atthe last minute. He enlisted in the Army in1943 during World War II.Contreras was stationed in

England and assigned to amedical detachment in north-ern Europe, around Belgium,The Netherlands, France andeventually Germany. Contreras said his platoonof medics’ assignment was topick up the wounded anddead along the road. “It was quite an experience,”he said. It became really intense asContreras and his platoonhad to hole up in a cave inGermany surrounded by ene-my troops. It was eight to 10days before they could get out. “We had enemy patrols allover the place,” he said.

Despite that, Contrerasfound humor during the war.He recalled how when theGermans began sending V-1flying bombs over Allied posi-tions, unlike the troops fromother countries, who wouldtake cover, Americans wouldtry and predict where thebombs were going to land af-ter the motors quit. He also had good memoriesof the good food providedwhen he was invited aboard aNavy ship. Contreras was able to gohome before the war was over.He had only been out of theArmy a short time, however,when the Korean War started.“Just as soon as the NorthKoreans went over the 38thparallel, I re-enlisted,”Contreras said. “My wife said

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Proud patriarchOntario man heads military family

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALFREDO CONTRERAS

Alfredo Contreras is shown with hiswife, Rosie.

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I didn’t know any better.” Contreras said he did notfeel welcomed by civilians backhome. However, military per-sonnel and veterans were al-ways well-treated byHollywood; he had met starssuch as Lucille Ball and has apicture of himself shakinghands with Walt Disney.Besides that, Contreras felthe had to go to Korea.“There was a war on, and Iwas a soldier,” he said.He was a sergeant in chargeof an infantry platoon in

Korea. Contreras was there fornine months, with no break. “It was hand-to-hand com-bat,” he said. “We lived incaves or fox holes all the time.… The [North] Koreans weresneaky.”After the Vietnam War start-ed, Contreras headed back in-to action. He was on a boattaking troops to Vietnam froman island off the coast whenofficials discovered he alreadyhad family in the country andpulled him back.“I was set to go to Vietnam,and they turned me around,”Contreras said.Back home, Contreras wasin put in military intelligenceand eventually was put incharge of a platoon at a nu-clear weapons testing groundin Nevada. In that position,Contreras was in charge of vis-itors to the site.Born and raised in California,Contreras was a professionalboxer in his younger days andcontinued to work with youthsfor most of his life.“I coached boxing in theArmy,” he said, adding that healso coached track and field.“In later years, the Army mademe director of youth programs

in Kansas and California.” Contreras started youth pro-grams wherever he went. In1966, he retired as a sergeantfirst class.He retired with severalmedals, including the BronzeStar, a Good Conduct Medal,the American Defense ServiceMedal, a World War II VictoryMedal, an Army OccupationMedal with Japan Clasp and a

National Defense ServiceMedal.After retirement, Contrerasand Rosie decided to move in-to Ontario after visiting twosons-in-law, Ted Moulder andBud Reifsnyder, who was thenFruitland’s police chief.He now lives with his sonMichael and next door to hisson Daniel. George Contreras,of Albertsons, is another son.

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U.S. Army veteran AlfredoContreras served in World War IIand the Korean War, but wasstopped short of landing inVietnam.

PHOTO COURTESY OF ALFREDO CONTRERAS

Contreras, left, shakes hands with Walt Disney.

STORY BY LARRY MEYER

When Daniel Contrerascame to Ontarioabout two years ago,

it was to be with family.His brother Henry and fa-ther, Alfredo, live next door.His brother George also livesin town.Upon moving to Ontario,however, Contreras said hefound acceptance in being aVietnam veteran that he hadnot found elsewhere.After graduating high schoolin Panoma, California,Contreras went into the Armyas a volunteer.

“There were no jobsaround,” he said.Back then, a young man didnot simply live with his par-ents, Contreras said. As such,most of the men going into theArmy, whether as volunteersor draftees, were young. Mostof the men he served with didnot have high school diplomas. “We came from differentwalks of life,” he said.Contreras was in the in-fantry.“You learned how to shoot agun and that’s it,” he said. When he was sent toVietnam, Contreras was sta-

tioned on the Cambodian bor-der, along one of the enemyforces’ major supply lines. Hespent 365 days in country.“Two hundred eighty-fivedays we were shot at andmortared,” he said. “We hada lot of combat. A lot of peo-

ple died.” Camaraderie was key, hesaid.“We fought for each other.We cared about each other,”he said. “We didn’t have blackpower. We didn’t have whitepower. We had fire power. We

PHOTO COURTESY OF DANIEL CONTRERAS

Daniel Contreras, right, holds a Viet Cong flag with a fellow soldier.

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‘We were a family’Soldier found camaraderie

had each other.” Contreras was in the hospi-tal for three weeks after get-ting hit by shrapnel. A brokenshoulder and an anothershrapnel incident were treatedin the field and he went on.“I was a squad leader,” hesaid. “I knew how to read amap and call in artillery.”His unit went through twoplatoon leaders and three cap-tains in six years. Age becomerelative; at 19, Contreras wasone of the “old” guys.“We had a person who wasonly 15,” he said. “The oldguys taught the young guys.”Of those who died, mostwere killed in the first sixmonths, Contreras said, “be-cause they hadn’t listened andlearned.”“Experience counts more

than knowledge,” he added.“Most of us were young.”Family was important to thetroops in Vietnam. Contrerassaid most of them sent theirmoney home to loved ones.But the unit was also a close-knit group.“We were a family,” he said.Contreras has an overall neg-ative view of the UnitedStates’ involvement inVietnam. “Vietnam War took a lot outof America,” he said. “Vietnamwas too much politics. We justcared about serving.” When his tour of duty andenlistment were coming to anend, Contreras was offered a$10,000 bonus to stay in. Heturned it down.“It was not worth the risk,nor worth my life,” he said.

But coming back to the U.S.was not easy either. “When I came back, kids spiton me when I got off the

plane,” he said.This despite the manymedals Contreras had beenawarded, including threeBronze Stars with Valor, aNational Defense ServiceMedal, a Purple Heart, anArmy Commendation Medalwith Valor, a Vietnam CombatMedal, a Vietnam ServiceMedal and three Air Medals. After Vietnam, Contrerasworked for a steel company, forthe state of California as aweights and measures inspec-tor and finally for the U.S.Postal Service. Contreras said he moved toOntario to be close his father.In addition to family, however,he has found acceptance. “I like the people aroundhere,” Contreras said. “They areso nice. When they say ‘thank

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Daniel Contreras, shown in hisOntario home, said he has felt wel-come since moving here. He wasawarded several medals for hisservice in the U.S. Army.

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STORY LESLIE THOMPSON

If Chris Christopher hadstayed in the convent sheentered straight out of

high school, she might nothave the U.S. Marine CorpsHymn as her current cell-phone ring or so many uniqueaccoutrements featuring theCorps’ insignia throughouther home. But after living undermonastic vows for a year,Christopher realized shedidn’t want to be a nun. So, in1966, during the VietnamWar, she enlisted for servicewith the government. “I didn’t choose theMarines,” she said. “They justput me in there. I wanted theAir Force.”Christopher enlisted duringa time when the U.S. govern-ment was still drafting meninto duty in all branches ofthe service. Women volun-teered to go in the service.

By the height of the war,there were about 2,700 femaleMarines both stateside andoverseas, according to theWomen Marines Association. Times have changed sincethen, not just in the growingnumber and roles of enlistedwomen in every branch ofservice, but in their physical

training, too. “If I were to go to bootcamp like they do now, I’dflunk out the first day. I sawmy granddaughter’s movie,”she said, adding that hergranddaughter’s training inthe National Guard was muchmore physically grueling thanChristopher’s was.

Her training was spentmostly in classrooms learningabout the history of the Corpsand job duties. Marching wasabout as physical as it got forwomen in 1966.“We had to pass swimming,”Christopher said. “We had toswim across the pool, no mat-ter how you got across. Youcould dog paddle.”During her enlistment,Christopher stayed statesideand worked in teletype com-munications. She used a tickertape machine to send mes-sages, from information aboutsupplies to death notices.At her last duty station inBarstow, California, therewere only 60 women on base.She said they were the firstwomen there. “They put us in Quonsethuts. The first week we werethere, they guarded it becausethey were afraid we were go-ing to get broken into. It wasso funny,” she said, laughing

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Payette woman advocates for other veterans

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRIS CHRISTOPHER

Lance Cpl. Chris Christopher proudly wears her Marine Corps uniform forthis photo taken in 1967.

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at the memory.In 1968, the Marines inter-viewed Lance Cpl.Christopher for promotion tocorporal.“I told them to hang it intheir wall locker because Iwas getting out because I waspregnant,” she said.At the time, she explained,the Marine Corps wouldn’t al-low pregnant women to stayenlisted. Everyone had to getdischarged in a uniform, andthe Marines didn’t make ma-ternity uniforms.It’s different now, sheadded.“When my granddaughterraised her hand, she had tosign a piece of paper sayingshe couldn’t get out. If you goto war, you have to get some-body to take responsibility ofthat child,” Christopher said.Christopher ended up mov-ing to Payette in her 30s andgetting a job at Ore-Ida Foods.Work and home life keptChristopher busy enough thatshe didn’t have much freetime, until 2009 when, after24 years, she retired fromOre-Ida.That’s when Christopher

started getting more involvedin veteran advocacy. In thelast six years, she has im-mersed herself in volunteer-ing for all sorts of events andactivities. Christopher has helped putup flags on Flag Day, visitedthe Boise Veterans Home forthe holidays, read names ofveterans at the memorial wallin Boise, appeared in paradesin Boise and Caldwell, volun-

teered at a coffee wagon onMemorial Day and Labor Day,played the bugle for servicesand even offered an ear tothose who just need someoneto listen.“I have a fishing buddy inEmmett, and when we go fish-ing he just talks and talks.He’s got [post-traumaticstress disorder] really bad,”she said.“But just sitting there and

talking to guys and lettingthem open up is helpingthem, you know? I don’tknow what they wentthrough, but I know it’s bad.”Since she retired,Christopher has been thefirst female Marine in Idahoto be a state-level officer andjunior vice commandant. Shestayed active in her detach-ment — one of eight in Idaho— joined the Woman MarinesAssociation in the hopes ofstarting another organizationin Idaho, joined the VietnamVeterans organization, and isnow the president of theIdaho Women VeteransOrganization.“I never thought I’d get thisinvolved,” she said.Christopher said she hadnever before been a leaderand is learning how to effec-tively do that. But staying ac-tive isn’t an option.“I see so many veterans thatneed help,” she said.She added a caveat, however.“I want to help veterans thathelp themselves, if they wantto get better. But if not, thenthere’s nothing I can do,”Christopher said. “You can al-

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Christopher shows a challenge coin that she received from the state-levelcommandant of the Marine Corps for doing her job. She was shockedwhen he told her that she was the first woman ever to get it.

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PHOTOS BY LESLIE THOMPSON | THE ARGUS OBSERVER

These stained glass pieces, top photo, adorn the top of a shelf in ChrisChristopher’s living room, which is chock full of Marine Corps memorabil-ia. She paid $150 for the one on the left but wouldn’t disclose how muchshe paid for the piece with the Marine Corps insignia on it. Christopher’sbookshelf is full of patriotic medals, pins, patches and other memorabilia.

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STORY BY EMILY CARPENTER

After 22 years of service in theNational Guard, Senior MasterSgt. Mike Loomis has moved to

the Treasure Valley with his family. Loomis retired as distribution superin-tendent and the manager of 19 troops inlogistics at the Air National Guard baseKingsley Field in Klamath Falls, the onlyF15 training base left in the UnitedStates. But when he joined the service in1993, Loomis was in security forces —military law enforcement.Loomis said he was attracted to the fo-cused nature of military work.“I love the mission,” he said.In 1994, Loomis was sent to Dhahran,the eastern province of Saudi Arabia andthe first of several foreign nations inwhich he served. He also worked inKuwait before being stationed at Hill AirForce Base in Utah. From there, Loomiswas stationed in Panama and Cuba,where he worked one of his most memo-rable missions. “There were 8,000 Cubans who tried

to make it to Florida on anything thatwould float,” said Loomis.The Navy and Coast Guard rescuedthem from possible drowning and sharkencounters, and brought the Cuban citi-zens to Howard Air Force Base inPanama. They remained there sixmonths while the U.S. government de-cided how to help them without over-whelming immigration offices.Eventually a decision was made tosend the refugees to the GuantanamoBay Naval Base in Cuba and processthem a few at a time in the UnitedStates.“It was the first time ever securityforces were considered part of an aircrew,” said Loomis.He and other troops in law enforce-ment received special training to preparefor the possibly that passengers upsetabout being taken back to Cuba mighttry to reroute the plane.“It worked out great. There were no is-sues. We had a two star general incharge of the whole mission, and we gotthe first ever Aerial Achievement Medal

for Security Forces,” said Loomis.Two of Loomis’ favorite places to servewere Brindisi, Italy and Bulgaria.In Italy, he was able to travel to loca-tions such as Rome, Naples, Pompeii andthe island of Corfu in Greece. In bothItaly and Bulgaria, Loomis liked the foodand the culture, and he said he loved thebeauty of the Bulgarian land — the coun-try is covered in flowers used to makeperfumes — as well as the American his-tory there.

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Medal of Honor winner Lt.David Kingsley, the namesakeof Kingsley Field, went downwith his plane in Bulgaria af-ter giving up his parachute toanother crewman. Matchingmemorials were placed inBulgaria and at Kingsley Field. A piece of the wreckage wasused in the monument inKingsley Field, where Loomisbegan serving in 1998. Heworked his way up throughthe busy logistics shop wherecrews handle inbound receiv-ing, outbound shipping andthe airline. Anything that wasshipped into Kingsley Fieldwas processed through logis-tics and sent out to othershops or used to restock thewarehouse.Loomis’ department alsoshipped hazardous material,

explosives, pieces of aircraftengines or whatever else an-other base might need. Ifsomeone was on temporaryduty and needed an airlineticket, logistics handled thecontracting and booking.When the runway atKingsley Field was redone,Loomis’ shop moved the en-tire base to Gowen Field inBoise and back. As Loomis de-scribes it, one base is part of alarger interconnected system.Logistics allows that con-nectedness, he said. The mili-tary can’t function without lo-gistics.Loomis was a working su-pervisor. While he was incharge of the details, makingsure tasks were completed, hewas also involved in a lot ofthe same work as the troops

he managed.“I’ve always believed thatyou lead by example,” he said.Some of the troops Loomisleaned on most heavily as asupervisor are now doing themanaging. It’s the people heworked with that Loomis willmiss most about the military.He is still available to answerquestions for new managersin the department, and soon

he will be going back to visitfriends.“I’ll always be there for myguys,” Loomis said.However, he already is hap-py with his new home inFruitland, where he hasmoved with his wife and threechildren.“We’re just really happywith the community,” Loomissaid.

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STORY BY JESSICA ELSE

Tori Barnett still tearsup when she hears thenational anthem.

Barnett, now Ontario’s cityrecorder and interim citymanager, served in theUnited States Army from1986 to 1991. She would havegone to Iraq during DesertStorm, except for one smallroadblock.“That’s where I needed tobe,” Barnett said. “I wanted togo to Desert Storm, but theconflict started right aboutthe same time I found out Iwas pregnant.”Barnett’s daughter, Jordan,now 23 and living inMeridian, was born at the endof January 1991. The conflictin Iraq was over in February. “The whole time I’m preg-nant, we’ve got this war goingon,” Barnett said. Barnett — who was thenTori Higinbotham — joined

the Army after moving to LaGrande. But it wasn’t her firststop after graduating fromOntario High School.“After high school I leftOntario and went to a resortat the Grand Canyon,”

Barnett said. “I worked at oneof those hotels over there andhad a blast.”A friend who was going tocollege in La Grande invitedBarnett to stay with her, soshe moved to La Grande

and got a job. “Then all of the sudden shegot married,” Barnett said.“So I thought, let’s go talk tothe recruiter.”Barnett originally plannedto join the Air Force, but theonly branch that had a re-cruitment office in La Grandewas the Army. She joined inNovember and went to FortDicks, New Jersey, for basictraining. “It was November toFebruary,” Barnett said, “andit was freezing.”Basic training helpedshape Barnett’s personalityand the rest of her time inthe military. Two days afterarriving in New Jersey,Barnett was named squadleader after demonstratingher leadership skills. “We started running, and agirl started struggling andhanging back,” Barnett said.“I just turned around and ranwith her. Two days later, I was

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Spc. Michelle Craddock and Tori Barnett, right, wait for a room inspection.

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a squad leader.”Barnett said she could only do twopush-ups when she arrived at basictraining. When she graduated, shecould do 100.She credits the drill sergeants, whosaw where the soldiers were weakestand pushed them to succeed. “I remember one time in the hall-way, one of the drill sergeants yelled,‘Private Higinbotham, I hear you smil-ing. Drop and give me 20,’” Barnettremembered. “They look for any rea-son to push you.”From basic training, Barnett went toFort Richardson, South Carolina, for

her school training.“The initial job was a 75 Delta,which was an in processing and outprocessing, clerical records-typething,” Barnett said. While in schooling, Barnett was se-lected as Soldier of the Class. “I probably accumulated eight to 10accolades and certifications just in ba-sic training and school,” Barnett said.“It was how I was brought up. Applyyourself and give it your best.”After schooling, Barnett was sent toGermany with a group of eight othersoldiers all trained for the same job,which is what she wanted. “They grabbed us off the truck andsaid, ‘We need some 75 Foxtrots,”which was working directly withDOD [Department of Defense] andthat type of thing,” Barnett said. “Isaid, why not?”The group spent two weeks inHeidelberg, Germany, going through a

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Tori (Higinbotham) Barnett entersDepartment of Defense data designating theauthorization of the number of soldiers, atwhat rank, for how many positions, at what lo-cation. Barnett served in the U.S. Army from1986 to 1991.

PHOTO COURTESY OF TORI BARNETT

crash course on their new job.“So before I got to a perma-nent station, I already hadtwo [military occupationalspecialties],” Barnett said. “Assoon as I graduated with my75 Fox, my 75 Delta becamemy secondary.” After training, Barnett wasstationed in Wurzburg,Germany, and made her wayto Huntsville, Alabama, af-

ter that. She accumulatedmore accolades while inGermany and Alabama, re-ceiving Soldier of the Monthand Soldier of the Quarter. “I worked my way up towhere I was promotable andmy next rank would havebeen a sergeant, but I opted toget out,” Barnett said.Barnett was involved in acar accident in July 1991 and

put on convalescent leave. “I went back for one of mypermeant checkups sometimein October and they said ifyou want out, we’ll let youout,” Barnett said. “It waswhen they were downsizing,looking for reasons anybodywanted out.”Barnett said her command-ing officer told her he want-ed her to stay, but under-stood her decision to leavethe military. “I thought it was the per-fect opportunity to stayhome with my daughter,”Barnett said. Throughout her militarycareer, Barnett made sureshe took advantage of everyopportunity she cameacross. She said she stillcherishes the relationshipsshe made during her time inthe Army.“When they plunked usdown in the field and saidfind your way home, we hadfun,” Barnett said. “We hadstuff all over our faces, andwe thought we had stickscoming out of our helmets,and we were laughing ourbutts off the whole time.”

Barnett also loved the senseof adventure that came withserving in the Army. “I got an all-expense-paidtrip to Europe,” Barnett said. While she was in Germany,Barnett and several friendsmade it a practice to taketrips to the surroundingcountries every few months.Her parents were able to joinher for a three-week, eight-country trip. “It was amazing that I got toshare that with my folks andthat I got to do it myself,”Barnett said. Her time in the militaryshaped Barnett into the per-son she is today. Though shealways has been structured,the training was another stepin her personal development.Barnett said it taught herabout herself. “It made me realize when Ithought I was at the breakingpoint, I wasn’t,” Barnett said. She said some of her bestmemories come from her daysin the Army. “There’s nothing I wouldchange, other than Iwouldn’t have gotten out,”Barnett said.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF TORI BARNETT

From left, Michelle Craddock, Tori Barnett and Darlene Linnenbaugh stand after a Class A dress uniform inspection.

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STORY BY JORDAN SCHULTZ

While getting into lawenforcement was al-ways a goal for

Nyssa Police Officer ScottMcGinnis, the road he tookto get there featured severalpit stops in and out of theUnited States thanks to theU.S. Army.McGinnis, 46, came from afamily with a military back-ground, as his father spenttime in the Air Force and hisoldest brother enlisted in theArmy. This caused a discus-sion when McGinnis and hisother brother were decidingwhich branch of the militarywas right for them.

“In my family, my dad wasAir Force, and my oldestbrother was in the Army. Myother brother and I were bick-ering back and forth aboutwhat we wanted to do. Heended up doing Air Force,and I went with the Army,”McGinnis said. His older brother was a ma-jor influence on that decision.“I heard all the cool storiesmy brother told about whenhe was in the Army, and Iwanted to get down, dirtyand do all of that stuff,”McGinnis said. “The AirForce just wasn’t going to al-low me to do those things.”McGinnis spent five yearsin the Army, but in those five

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Nyssa man puts on miles in military

PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTT MCGINNIS

Scott McGinnis and Mark Headspeth relax in the desert while serving inthe Army. In his time in the service, McGinnis was stationed Forkless,Texas; El Paso, Texas; and Schwabach, Germany.

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years he put in more milesthan many people do in theirentire lives. He spent time sta-tioned in Forkless, Texas; ElPaso, Texas; Schwabach,Germany and many otherplaces in Europe. After hisfive years, he was in the re-serves while living in Eugene.“I was stationed on thecoast of East Germany,”McGinnis said. “Germany asa whole was quite fun. I got totravel to places like Spain,Sweden, France, Switzerlandand a few other places.”McGinnis’ main job in theArmy was as an air defenseartillery. “I worked on what wascalled a Vulcan system,”McGinnis said. “It’s no longerin service, but it was basicallya 20 millimeter electric-pow-ered Gatling gun.“This was my main job, butI had a lot of other jobs in be-tween.”While in the Army,McGinnis earned the ArmyGood Conduct and ArmyAchievement medals. Therewere no combat situationswhile he was enlisted. “We went to Desert Storm a

month after I got out and wasin the reserves,” McGinnissaid. “I volunteered to go, butshortly after that I had myfirst son, so that changedthings.”While joining the militarywas a priority for McGinnis,his true passion was in lawenforcement.“Ever since I was a junior inhigh school, I wanted to be apolice officer. Life had itstwists and turns and I didn’tget to do that, and then theArmy came up, so I did that,”McGinnis said.

“It wasn’t until 12 years agothat I decided to go back tocollege and get into criminaljustice. I was originally goingto be a probation and paroleofficer, but then my ideaschanged. I got into securityright out of college in Eugene.With time, I worked my wayup to supervisor.”Eventually, he found a job inNyssa and transferred to the

area with his wife. Fast for-ward a few years later, andhe’s now situated as the ordi-nance officer at the NyssaPolice Department “I have always wanted to dothis,” McGinnis added. When he’s not working,McGinnis is like most adultsin the Treasure Valley. Heloves to hunt, fish and do any-thing else outdoors.

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PHOTO COURTESY OF SCOTT MCGINNIS

Scott McGinnis, an ordinance offi-cer with the Nyssa PoliceDepartment, is a veteran of the U.S.Army.