Montana soldier lands on Time cover
By MIKE STARK of The Gazette Staff
Bill Hoefer almost didn’t answer the telephone Sunday morning. He figured it was a sales call and he didn’t want to be bothered on the weekend. But he’s glad he picked up.? On the other end, a spokesman for Time magazine told him that Ballantine native Cody Hoefer was going to be featured on the cover of the upcoming edition, which hits newsstands today. "He asked if that was my relative and I almost couldn’t speak," Hoefer said Sunday evening. "I said, ’Yes, I’m his dad.’" The photo shows Army Spc. Cody Hoefer’s 6-foot-7 frame decked out in full military gear, ready for action. The photo was taken in Tikrit, Iraq. Magazine officials said it’s the first time that a Montanan has been featured on Time’s cover.
Hoefer said it’s fitting that Cody’s image appears with a story about the conflict in Iraq. Cody has been there since April as a weapons specialist with the Army’s 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry of the 4th Infantry Division. "I think the photographer could see he’s the epitome of the American soldier," said Hoefer, a heavy equipment operator. "His mom says he was born with camouflage on."
| Shoulda named the lad "Steve," though. Whoever heard of the Army of Codies? |
A 2000 Huntley Project graduate who participated in football and track, Cody Hoefer, 21, joined the National Guard at 17 and transferred to active Army duty in 2003. Five weeks later, he was in Iraq. "He wanted to go to Iraq to make America safer for his little sister," his dad said. It’s been an eventful year for his son. Although he’s unable to provide specifics to his family about his duties in Iraq, Bill Hoefer knows a few basics. His son was there when Saddam Hussein emerged from his "spider hole" on Dec. 13 and has been serving as the personal guard and driver for Lt. Col. Steve Russell, commander of the 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry, according to Hoefer.
| Hmmm... All this while, they could have kept track of his doings by reading Rantburg... |
"He is definitely in the middle of the action. It’s the real stuff," Hoefer said. His son has been stationed primarily in Tikrit, where he and other soldiers have been sleeping in Saddam Hussein’s former palace, he said. Hoefer said his son and other soldiers were interviewed and photographed by Time several months ago. A few photos emerged from that session and Hoefer said no one thought any more of it - until Sunday. "It’s been quite a day," the proud dad said. "I can’t wait to see it." |