Navy man hails Lehi for help on utilities

LEHI — When U.S. Navy Senior Chief Petty Officer Daniel Howard answered his active-duty call to serve in Kuwait as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom, he didn't realize how much his utility bills — or lack thereof — could mean to him.

But more than a year later, in September, Howard shed tears as he presented an American flag to Lehi's City Council as a gesture of gratitude for the city's help to his family while he had been away.

As one of 16 Utah County cities that assist active-duty military personnel with their home utility bills during their tour of duty, Lehi waived up to $100 off each of Howard's family's utility bills while he was away.

"I had enough worries over there, and the last thing I needed was to call home and find out that my wife needed help," Howard said.

To Howard, the credit to his bill was more than just money, it was a symbol of the city's support to his family. It showed him somebody cared..

"There's a lot of businesses and organizations that we appreciate," Howard said. "(Military service) is our job. We're going to do it. But when they take care of our families, that means a lot."

Utah National Guard spokesman Maj. Hank McIntire said 100 National Guard-deployed soldiers are from Utah County. As part of an information packet given to departing soldiers before they leave, the Guard provides statistics on which cities offer the free- or reduced-cost utilities benefit.

Because some soldiers make less money when they are active duty than when they are at home in their civilian jobs, a monetary credit toward their utility bill can be a much-needed benefit, McIntire said.

Although individual utility bills vary greatly across the county, some families can save between $500 and $1,200 a year with the credit. This year, all of the participating cities combined could be waiving about $100,000 or more in utility bills for qualifying families.

"I think it's a nice gesture that we can do to these families that risk everything to help them out a little bit," said Lehi Mayor Howard Johnson.

National Guard Staff Sgt. Don Kitchen, who returned from Iraq in February, also appreciated that gesture. A Lehi resident, Kitchen said the help with his utility bill was more of a relief to him than anyone else in his family.

While the credit to his utility bill helped to ease the burden on his family, it also boosted his morale.

"I think the more support to the troops, the better," Kitchen said. "I felt relieved that they were at least thinking about us, and it was nice to know it wasn't just something you hear about on the news. It's something that they're actually involved with."

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E-mail: achoate@desnews.com

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