By Barry Smith Boot Campaign
U.S. Army Veteran Continues Family’s Military Path En Route To Kentucky Colonel Honors With two grandfathers serving in
World War II in the U.S Marines, and his father retiring from a career in the U.S. Army after three tours in Vietnam, it is not all that surprising that 18-yearold Billy Ray Yates of Flatwoods, Ky., would have an interest in a military career. As a recent high school graduate in 1982, the option to enlist and attend college at the same time seemed like a tremendous opportunity. His decision was reinforced with the full support of his father Raymond, who was last stationed at Fort Knox, Ky., retiring as an Army Sergeant First Class after a 20-plus-year career in the military.
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HOMELAND / February 2018
“I originally went into the Army for college, but once I got in there I realized I liked it,” says Yates, an awardwinning Army Sergeant First Class himself, who served 23 years before retiring in 2005. “I really enjoyed it, so that’s what helped me to stay in for so long. My father was a big influence and I kind of wanted to follow in his footsteps.” So Yates continued his family’s military legacy and also attended college, taking courses from his beloved University of Kentucky. But taking higher education courses did not happen right away.