Flag will fly in honor of activated soldier
by JILL SCHMELZER Ken-Ton Editor

William Barrett will deploy to Afghanistan in January.

William P. Barrett will leave his Amherst home and Tonawanda workplace in January to serve with the U.S. Army National Guard in Afghanistan.

Richard Adams, the owner of R.P. Adams, wanted to send the soldier off to war knowing he has family and friends supporting him here in the United States.

Adams, a Vietnam veteran, contacted Maj. Gen. Thomas Sabo for ideas to recognize Barrett at the company luncheon, which was held last week. Barrett's wife, Joan; 4-year-old son, Zachary; and father and mother, John and Peggy Barrett, were in attendance.

Sabo is retired from the U.S. Department of Defense and is currently chair of the State Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserves.

Adams decided to purchase an American flag, which he will fly above the building at 225 East Park Drive, Tonawanda, during Barrett's tour of duty.

The flag has also been signed by Barrett and approximately 10 military veterans and active reservists who work at R.P. Adams. It will then be given to the soldier once he returns from active duty.

"(Barrett) is an excellent welder," Adams said. "Quiet, unassuming. A great worker, and he feels pretty strongly about the military. He has a young child and a wife, and it's not easy to go to active duty."

Barrett, 27, has worked at R.P. Adams for the past two years. The company is a provider of industrial filtration equipment, automatic water strainers, shell and tube heat exchangers, aftercoolers and cyclone separators.

Sabo presented R.P. Adams with a five-star recognition as an employer who supports members of the guard or reserves.

The common theme of the luncheon ceremony was, "Thank you for supporting the troops regardless of how you feel about the war."

"It felt good to do something positive," Adams said.