Tim King in Mississippi Enroute to Afghanistan (VIDEO)

Tim witnessed much military fanfare as the order of the day in Hattiesburg, celebrating Veteran's Day

Veteran's Day celebration in Hattiesburg, Mississippi Photo by: Tim King

(HATTIESBURG, Miss) - Tim King bid farewell to friends and family at the Oregon Military Headquarters in Salem, November 7th, to be embedded as a journalist with the 41st Combat Brigade of the Oregon National Guard.

He headed first for New Orleans, where he was picked up by the Camp Shelby shuttle and taken to Hattiesburg, Mississippi, near the back gate of the base and found a motel for the night. Camp Shelby is the Army base where the troops leaving for Afghanistan were located that he was to rendezvous with. He learned an old lesson about best-laid plans, they often go awry.

The departure date was delayed for at least a week. For a moment, things looked as bleak as some of the landscape, recently devastated by Hurricane Katrina. Thousands of miles from home, and carrying nearly 200 pounds of gear, he didn't know a soul in the area. But then he met a man named Fred, and Tim knew being in the South would be a memorable, and positive experience.

A great example of Southern hospitality was found in Frederick Holley, whose philosophy is that he never meets a stranger. Fred is a Vietnam Veteran, and invited Tim to join him first into Hattiesburg, to a grand Veteran's Day celebration.

Military fanfare was the order of the day in Hattiesburg. Not only did the attendees at the event give their appreciation to those who have and presently do serve in the nation's wars, but also to pay homage to a long time friend of Fred's, retired Air Force Lt. Col. Raylawni Branch, who was named Hattiesburg's Veteran of the Year 2006.

According to Fred Holley, the old south has progressed far more than most people on the west coast realize, and the award given on this day to a female, African-American Officer, is valid proof of that.

Fred and Tim also toured Biloxi, and Gulf Port. The RV they traveled in was a replacement for the one Fred lost in Katrina, and it was a perfect vantage point to enjoy the Mississippi countryside. Physical reminders of the hurricane abounded. The spirit of survival was also in the air, and of better days ahead.

Tim found the people to be kind-hearted and very patriotic. These were incredible days to remember, and Mississippi a likely place to return to.

But first, Afghanistan. After 9 days in Mississippi, he shipped out with some local troops headed for the same destination: Camp Phoenix, Kabul, Afghanistan.

Watch the Video News Report by Tim King:

Tim King is a former U.S. Marine with twenty years of experience on the west coast as a television news producer, photojournalist, reporter and assignment editor. In addition to his role as a war correspondent, this Los Angeles native serves as Salem-News.com's Executive News Editor. Tim spent the winter of 2006/07 covering the war in Afghanistan, and he was in Iraq over the summer of 2008, reporting from the war while embedded with both the U.S. Army and the Marines.

Tim holds awards for reporting, photography, writing and editing, including the Silver Spoke Award by the National Coalition of Motorcyclists (2011), Excellence in Journalism Award by the Oregon Confederation of Motorcycle Clubs (2010), Oregon AP Award for Spot News Photographer of the Year (2004), First-place Electronic Media Award in Spot News, Las Vegas, (1998), Oregon AP Cooperation Award (1991); and several others including the 2005 Red Cross Good Neighborhood Award for reporting. Tim has several years of experience in network affiliate news TV stations, having worked as a reporter and photographer at NBC, ABC and FOX stations in Arizona, Nevada and Oregon. Tim was a member of the National Press Photographer's Association for several years and is a current member of the Orange County Press Club.

Serving the community in very real terms, Salem-News.com is the nation's only truly independent high traffic news Website. As News Editor, Tim among other things, is responsible for publishing the original content of 82 Salem-News.com writers. He reminds viewers that emails are easily missed and urges those trying to reach him, to please send a second email if the first goes unanswered. You can write to Tim at this address: newsroom@salem-news.com

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