Soldier honored in front of packed house

The Nevada County Board of Supervisors chambers was packed Tuesday afternoon with supporters for a moving tribute to injured soldier Noah Bailey.

As he announced the board's intent to honor the 21-year-old, District 1 Nevada County Supervisor Nate Beason was visibly choked up with emotion, pausing to contain himself.

"This is going to be hard," Beason said, looking down.

He called Bailey to the front of the room, where the supervisors and State Sen. Sam Aanestad, R-Grass Valley, surrounded him.

Beason, a 30-year naval officer, compared military service to the clergy in its nobility. He noted everyone who serves in the armed forces makes a sacrifice, while Bailey's sacrifice - which earned him a Purple Heart - was "significant."

District 2 Supervisor Sue Horne struck a chord with the women in the audience when she took the microphone.

"As a mother of a soldier," she said, looking up at Bailey, "I want to thank you for your service and welcome home, son."

Several women began to cry and dabbed their noses with tissue as Horne prepared to read a letter addressed to Bailey from Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, which stated:

"I am moved by your service in Afghanistan and inspired by your recovery. I offer you my thanks." He went on to wish Bailey future success.

Aanestad was also visibly moved:

"It's an honor for me to be here today," he said to the audience. "For those of us who have had people in harm's way, it's especially enlightening to have someone come back to us and have him know his community loves him."

He then turned to Bailey.

"You represent the best America has to offer," he said. "Freedom is not free and everyone deserves to be free. That takes sacrifice ... We want you to know how grateful we are to have you home and to be able to say thank you."

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To contact staff writer Robyn Moormeister, e-mail robynm@ theunion.com or call 477-4236.