November, 2006

Niceville soccer complex named for Howard Hill

NICEVILLE, FLORIDA - The soccer fields that are home to community leagues and school teams in the Niceville-Valparaiso-Bluewater area will now carry the name of longtime PAL Soccer President and District 5 School Board Member Howard Hill.

The Niceville City Council and the Okaloosa School Board, who jointly developed the facilities at Twin Oaks Park in north Niceville in 1998, have both passed resolutions naming "The Howard Hill Community Soccer Complex."

Hill has led the PAL soccer program in the Twin Cities for 13 years and has built it into the most popular youth athletic activity in the community. Nearly 1,300 girls and boys participate on 100 teams. Hill heads a 200-person volunteer organization that organizes and operates the teams, raises money, and manages and maintains the fields.

The Twin Oaks fields were developed thanks to funding and services provided by both the School Board and the City of Niceville.

The idea for naming the complex in Hill’s honor was also a joint effort between County Commissioner James Campbell, who is Niceville’s recreation director, and former Superintendent Don Gaetz.

"Howard Hill is a beloved leader and a close and dear friend," Gaetz said. "He works tirelessly for children, putting in thousands of hours a year making it possible for so many young people to participate in athletics and supporting our schools in countless ways."

Hill has served on the Okaloosa School Board for 10 years, elected county-wide four times. He was first elected in 1996 as the District 4 member, representing parts of Niceville and the Crestview area. In 2000 and again in 2002 he was chosen as the District 5 representative, after redistricting put all of the Twin Cities, Bluewater, and Eglin AFB in one school board member district. This year he was re-elected without opposition to a four-year term ending in 2010.

The unanimous commendation passed by the School Board pays tribute to Hill as "a hero of our community and a hero of our country."

An unassuming and humble person, Hill has never worn his status as a military hero on his sleeve. His campaign materials don’t mention his sacrifice and service as a POW during the Vietnam War or his extensive list of combat decorations.

A graduate of the US Air Force Academy in 1965, Hill served with great distinction as a command pilot, flying F-4D’s, T-39’s, and C-141’s from the Vietnam War through the Grenada invasion. Shot down over North Vietnam, Hill spent five years and four months as a prisoner of war in the infamous Hanoi Hilton. Following his liberation along with fellow POW’s George "Bud" Day and John McCain, he was welcomed at the White House as a hero.

As Principal Advisor to the Secretary of Defense on POW-MIA issues, Hill was the military’s spokesperson and liaison with families of missing servicemen and worked closely with congressional committees and civilian agencies to account for those who didn’t come home after action in Southeast Asia. He made two trips back to North Vietnam seeking a full accounting of his comrades.

Hill retired in 1990 as a full colonel after an assignment with the Defense Intelligence Agency. He and his wife, Libby, moved back to Niceville where they had met during Hill’s pilot training.

For his service to his country, Colonel Hill was awarded two silver stars, the Defense Superior Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Bronze Stars, two Purple Hearts, two Meritorious Service Medals, eight Air Medals, two Air Force Commendation Medals, the Distinguished Presidential Unit Citation, the Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, the Prisoner of War Medal and a host of other decorations.

Howard and Libby have three adult children, all graduates of Niceville High School. John, a working actor, last month had his stage debut in New York City. Beth Ann is a celebrated international piano performer just completing studies in Brussels and Paris. David, recently returned from Argentina, will soon begin civilian flight school.

"It has been a privilege and a delight to work closely with Howard over the past dozen years," said Gaetz. "It is especially fitting that his name will be formally attached to the place and the program to which he has given so much of himself for so long."

Gaetz said that naming the Howard Hill Community Soccer Complex was an important personal goal he wanted to achieve before leaving office on November 7.

Related story/photo from September, 2007

Local leaders and soccer supporters paid tribute to Niceville’s Howard Hill at a dedication ceremony for the city soccer fields recently named in his honor. Hill, pictured above with his wife Libby during the Sept. 2007 ceremony, has led youth soccer in Niceville for the past 14 years. Hill also serves on the School Board and was a POW for five years during the Vietnam War. Those honoring Hill at the ceremony included State Senator Don Gaetz, Superintendent of Schools Alexis Tibbetts, School Board Member Chuck Kelley and Niceville City Councilman Bill Smith. The soccer complex is located on College Blvd.  Advertiser photo by Dennis Gilson