Wrangellite returning home from Afghanistan

A Wrangell resident and front-line fighter in the War on Terror will soon be returning from Afghanistan for a quick visit to his hometown before serving out his remaining three years in the U.S. Army.

Patrick Howell, a 2011 graduate of Wrangell High School – and Airborne Infantryman currently holding the rank of Specialist – will make that trip sometime in November, dependent on the deployment needs of his unit.

Howell will continue to serve his country here in Alaska, and said he is excited about returning home to the United States from his overseas service.

“When I return back to the states, I will be stationed at Fort Richardson,” Howell said. “I will be returning from Afghanistan in the next month, but I still have another three years left in service. I will be returning to Wrangell to visit shortly after I return from deployment and I just want to let my family and friends to know that I love and miss them and I will be home soon.”

After joining the Alaska Army National Guard as a junior in high school, Howell attended Basic Combat Training at Fort Benning, during the summer between his junior and senior year. Shortly after graduation from WHS, he returned to Fort Benning to complete Advanced Individual Training as an Infantryman. He also attended airborne school to train as a paratrooper. His pre-deployment training was at Camp Atterbury, Ind. to prepare for a 9-month tour in Afghanistan.

Howell has been in Afghanistan since February and has seen combat action as a part of Bravo Company, 1-143 INF ABN. He is currently stationed at Forward Operating Base Smart, Zabul Province, Afghanistan.

“I’m happy he is coming home and hoping he does well in school when he gets back,” said his mother, Ida Howell. “I’m very proud of him.”