Local Reservist Comes Home for Holiday R&R

By: Courtney Hayes

Updated: Mon 5:36 PM, Jul 05, 2004

One local soldier, who's been helping the Iraqi people regain their independence, gets to celebrate his own country's independence here at home.

Master Sergeant Woody Newmans got back into town just in time to spend the Fourth of July with his family. The army reservist is home for two weeks of R&R. Newmans says nothing's better than spending the holidays with family.

"There's no replacing your family. You wake up and they're you first thought. You fall asleep dreaming about getting right back here," says Newmans.

For the past year and a half, Newmanns has been helping to rebuild the country of Iraq, and he'll spend many more months there before his work is done.

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