Photos and Story by Sgt. Paul Evans/ HHC 103RD
Harrodsburg, Ky.- On April 10, 2010, Staff Sgt. Kenneth Barnett, a member of the Kentucky Army National Guard’s Headquarters Company of the 103
rd Brigade Support Battalion, celebrated a great milestone in his service to the state of Kentucky. With his Martha there to support him, Staff Sgt. Barnett received honors from the 103
rd for reaching 20 years time in service.
Staff Sgt. Barnett began his military career in 1970 as a member of the 201
st Engineer Battalion who was stationed in Ravenna, KY. After 9 years there, Sgt. Barnett left the Kentucky National Guard till 1996, when he reenlisted as a member of the 206
th Engineer Battalion based out of Morehead after seeing a newspaper advertisement in his hometown of Winchester. During his tenure in Morehead, Sgt. Barnett spent some time working at the Bluegrass Station base outside of Lexington before the 206
th Engineer Battalion was reorganized. At that point, Sgt. Barnett was relocated to the new 206
th Headquarters Company in Harrodsburg as a cook, where he serves today under the Headquarters of the 103
rd Brigade Support Battalion.
Staff Sgt. Barnett and his wife of 34 years, Martha, have two daughters, Whitney and Denise, one of which currently serves in the Navy. In his civilian life, Sgt. Barnett continues to serve his community as a bus driver for Clark County Schools in hometown of Winchester. Regarding the time he’s spent in the National Guard, Sgt. Barnett can truly say “it’s worked out pretty well for me.”