CRESTVIEW — A bill to rename Laurel Hill’s post office in honor of a local Army soldier is making its way through the Senate.
Read Bill H.R. 4987 and check its progress
U.S. Rep. Jeff Miller introduced H.R. 4987 into the U.S. House of Representatives April 18. The House passed the bill May 23, and supporters hope the post office will bear the name, "Sergeant First Class William 'Kelly' Lacey Post Office," by the year’s end.
Lacey died Jan. 4, 2014 protecting fellow soldiers from a rocket-propelled grenade in Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province. Lacey — born on Eglin Air Force Base and raised in Niceville, then Laurel Hill — earned numerous Army Commendation and achievement medals, three Bronze stars, and many other wartime awards.
His family — mother, Pam Joiner of Live Oak; father and stepmother, John and Karla Lacey of Laurel Hill; wife Ashley and daughter Lily of Radcliff, Ky. — requested to have his name added to the Okaloosa County Veterans Memorial Wall in Crestview. The request was approved in August 2015, but Miller's efforts to get the post office renamed pleasantly surprised the family.
"It has passed through Congress and it's in the Senate, but after that the president would have to sign it," Karla Lacey said Wednesday evening.
"We're just very, very honored and feel blessed that Jeff Miller did this. It's just another way for Kelly to always be remembered. I do hope it's close to being passed."
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Senate considering bill to rename Laurel Hill post office for local soldier