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Concord city councilman heading to Iraq

By Robin L. Gardner | Independent Tribune

Published: June 26, 2009

Concord City Council member Col. Hector Henry will be deployed to Iraq one last time on Saturday, after retiring in 2006 from the Army Reserve.

"It's called a retiree recall," said Henry, 70. "I retired because of my age at the time, but because of the conflicts and the need for medical officers, I promised I would respond if asked."

They did ask, and the colonel will be leaving his job as an urologist to treat the troops in Iraq, as a battalion surgeon.

"We are the primary doctors for the unit. It's like being the primary care doctor for a big family," Henry said.

Henry will be one of six or seven medical specialists to serve with his assigned unit.

"I think it is wonderful he is serving our county," fellow Council Member Ella Mae Small said.

While he is serving overseas, communication shouldn't be a huge problem. Henry will be able to attend council meetings through Skype, which allows telephone and video communication through the Internet.

He can also be contacted through his army e-mail, but his access to a computer will be limited.
Henry will still be a council member, although he won't be voting.

"He has gone away a couple times before, and we will have contact with him during this time," Small said.

"The mayor can vote in case of a tie," Henry said. "They discussed retiring from the council, but since it's a short time, there was no need."

Henry has already been to Iraq once and Afghanistan twice. He says he will miss his family, terribly.

The colonel has a wife, three sons, two grandsons and one granddaughter.

Marjorie Benbow, his wife, is an attorney and director of the Greater Charlotte Office of the North Carolina Biotechnology Center.

"I'm a little upset about leaving my family, but I feel the need to support our troops and I feel obligated to help the country," Henry said. "This country has been very good to me. I feel you have to give back."

Henry will return in November.