I was born and raised in Alaska and have lived in a number of Alaskan cities and towns. In 1994 I left Alaska for Hawaii, then moved to Colorado and now live in Ohio with my wife and kids. We go “home” to Alaska to visit my parents, family and friends every other year or so. My parents live in Wasilla; yes the same Wasilla where Sarah Palin grew up and became mayor. They moved to Wasilla in 1987. Around the same time my brother, his wife and I ventured into area to sell fireworks. Our fireworks stands were in Houston, Alaska which is a much smaller town about ten miles away from Wasilla. My brother and I were members of the Houston Volunteer Fire department (my brother still is a member). Until I left Alaska I listed my parent’s home in Wasilla as my legal residence since I moved from three different places in the Matanuska Valley to five different places in Anchorage (I moved twice every year). My brother and his family also have live in Wasilla for over a decade.
Being the Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin also lives in the state capital in Juneau, Alaska. In 1969 my father became the Commissioner of Health & Welfare for the State of Alaska; we lived in Juneau for two years. My sister and her family live in Juneau where she teaches.
The real connection to Sarah Palin, however, is through my father, Bert Hall. He's known her since she was on the Wasilla City Council. Dad is very active in the Alaska Republican Party, Wasilla Rotary and the First Presbyterian Church of Wasilla. He also serves as Chair of the Alaska Veterans Advisory Council and the Wasilla Chamber’s Military Affairs Committee. He was recently named as Wasilla Citizen of the Year.
One thing that dad has done through his involvement in the Alaska Veterans Advisory Council has been to revive the display of Service Flags and Service Lapel Pins. These are a throwback to the World Wars; displaying the service flag in a home's window or wearing the lapel pin shows pride in having a family member serving in the Armed Forces during time of "war or hostilities". The lapel pins are a white bar with a gold star, one star for each child in the service. If you look at recent pictures of Sarah Palin you will often see her wearing one of these pins; her oldest son, Track, enlisted in the US Army last year. The pin that Sarah wears (and a few spares) were given to her by my father. Below is a picture of Governor Palin; note the pin. In the second picture below, dad is standing to Governor Palin's left (black suit & white beard)
