Holli Bennett

S1 - Captain Holli Bennett

"This assignment means a lot to us ... and to the new museum," said company commander Capt. Holli Bennett.
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"Loggers were brought in to cut down the trees," said Bennett, a married mother of a 4-year-old who is prepping for her second deployment.

Holli and John Bennett bought a house in Columbus, and their son, Chase, attends kindergarten at Blanchard Elementary.
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Holli deployed twice since we've been stationed here," 1st Sgt.
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In 2003 Capt. Holli Bennett served in Iraq for five months and two years later returned to serve another four months.
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"I think it's easier on the deployed person than the one staying home," Holli said.
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Holli Bennett missed half of Chase's second year during her first tour in Iraq.
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Holli was a part of the initial push to take control of Iraq."We called maybe once a month.There was a big delay and it was hard to understand," she remembered.
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Holli Bennett mentioned the importance of working together and refraining from judgmental comments.

Capt. Holli Bennett, the company commander, said a third of her unit arrived the second week in April and will be staying until about mid-May.

On Tuesday, the company soldiers were constructing three concrete pads, a total of 281 feet long using 192 cubic yards of concrete.

The 63rd's mission is constructing combat roads and trails.Part of their operation also is "digging tank ditches and tank fighting positions," Bennett said.

Although she wasn't with the unit in 2003 when it deployed to Iraq, she will be taking the company back to Iraq this fall.

The captain, like Frommeyer, sees the border construction project as good training for soldiers.

"It helps prepare everyone," Bennett said.

Pvt. Jesse Sellers, who has been in the Army since last August, said he looks at the construction mission along the border as good preparation for when he deploys to Iraq.

A truck driver, Sellers is learning other jobs.He, like Rivard, had mud and concrete splattered on his uniform on Tuesday.