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Mission: To highlight some of the veterans who live here in Wallowa County and to educate the general public on the service, sacrifice, and fun moments of military service.

Kim and Holly HutchisonLadies first: Holly served in the U.S. Army from 1980-81, completing basic training then Advanced Infantry Training at Fort Leonard, Missouri. She was medically honorably discharged.

Holly met Kim at the enlisted dining facility (“chow hall”) at Goodfellow AFB, Texas, on Thanksgiving Day 1980. It was a funny, yet memorable, event because Kim started it by saying to Holly as she passed by his table, “You look absolutely miserable.” And she was, with two swollen knees and being away from home on a holiday. She joined his table and they have been together ever sense. They have been married for 40 years and have two daughters.

Kim served in the U.S. Air Force and retired after a 20-plus year career. After his technical school at Goodfellow AFB, he served in many locations, including: Fort Meade, Maryland; Misawa Japan; and South Korea. His Air Force specialty code (AFSC) was radio communications intelligence analyst. Some of the highlights of his career included participation in and support to Desert Shield/Desert Storm (1991), the shoot-down of Korean Airline KAL 007, the shoot-down of Iranian Airline IR-655 (which was shot down by the USS Vincennes in 1988 in support of Operation Earnest Will during the Iran-Iraq War).

Kim’s and Holly’s favorite memories circle around family and friends in the military. They were stationed at Goodfellow AFB four times during Kim’s career and remember the sense of community being very strong. Holly specifically remembers sending Kim boxes for Thanksgiving and Christmas while he was deployed to South Korea, and filling them with fun toys and gag gifts as well as cookies, candy and popcorn balls. These “care packages” created great memories for the family making them and were a highlight to Kim and about 10 barracks or “hootch” buddies, who enjoyed every silly and tasty item.

Retiring here to Wallowa County for Kim and Holly was a “no-brainer.” Not only for the natural beauty but also because Kim grew up in the Hermiston area and Holly’s roots are deep in the Wallowa Valley. Her great-grandmother arrived to the valley in a covered wagon and her grandmother settled here, also. This couple’s history runs deep, as well as a heritage of service and sacrifice to this great nation. Thank you Kim and Holly!