The Good Life – May-June 2023

LOCAL HERO | CURT CANNON
“We did an outstanding job with our missions,” he
said. “We brought everybody home. A few got hurt, but
everybody came home alive.”
HOME LIFE
Cannon does a lot for his community, but he would argue
his family does even more.
“You can’t do a career like this without family,” he said.
His wife and children have been with him for the whole
ride.
“I think the biggest thing for children of a service
member is coping with them being gone so long and so
often,” Cannon said. “For the National Guard, you have
one weekend a month and then two weeks (of training)
so that’s up to many active duty days a year. Then add in
the multiple state active duty days and deployments, it
accumulates to years of time gone from your family and
having no dad around to contribute to day-to-day life.
“It definitely made Yvonne more independent,” he said.
“She bought a house, took care of the bills, took care of
the kids when they were sick, coordinated daycare and
after school events while working a full time job. She
deserves the recognition and medals. She’s a saint to put
up with me and I can’t tell her enough how much she
means to our family. The kids have been great and have
supported me throughout my military career.”
“It definitely takes a village,” he said.
And to Cannon, that, he says, is the good life.
“It’s taking care of fellow veterans and taking care of
family,” he said. “Spending time with family and friends
because life is too short. The good life also extends to the
work and what our local and state team members do to
help veterans and their families. After my 26 year career
in the army, I’m taking care of veterans, my brothers and
sisters to make sure they have direction and the proper
resources to succeed — not just in Clay County, but all
over the world.” •
And while dad is deployed, it’s mom who holds down the
most important fort.
34 / THE GOOD LIFE / urbantoadmedia.com