Chief Warrant Officer Chris Barnes is retiring from the Army this Monday, Nov. 18, after 23 years of service.
Barnes is a graduate of Milano High School, Class of 2001.
“At the time of his graduation, I was a single mom and had three younger kids. Chris decided after graduation that mom didn’t need to pay for his college. He chose to take responsibility for himself,” said Barnes mother, Kim Lentz.
“So he came up to me one day and told me he was joining the army to pay for his college. Sept. 11 had also occurred and that, as well, pulled him into ma king his own de c i s ion ,” Lentz added. “After a long night of prote s t from dear ol’ mom, he informed me I couldn’t do anything because he had already enlisted, and papers had been signed.”
Barnes is retiring after 23 years as a CW4 Apache Pilot. He and his family live in Paige and he is stationed at Fort Cavazos, formerly Fort Hood. He has been deployed to numerous wars during these years. To Iraq twice, Afghanistan, Syria, Kuwait, Europe and many others He has received special permission from the Army to take his final flight into Giddings and land at the Giddings-Lee County Airport on Monday with a small ceremony to follow. He is scheduled to land at 3 p.m.
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