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MURRAY -- A little girl in Murray got a huge surprise at school Friday morning when her mom came to pick her up -- after six months of serving in Afghanistan.
A class of stunned fourth-graders at McMillan Elementary School looked on as classmate Karrie Norton held tight to her mother, 1st Sgt. Kristin Norton.
"You didn't know what to think when I walked through huh?" Kristin asked her daughter.
"Yeah!" Karrie replied, laughing.
Kristin is assigned to A company 2nd Battalion 414th Regiment of the U.S. Army Reserve at Fort Douglas. Her job overseas was one of a kind.
"We trained the first female Afghan National Army OCS course," she explained.
It was the first group of trained women in Afghanistan in over 30 years. Both of Kristin's daughters think it was pretty cool what she did.
"Women have more freedom than they did before," daughter Jessica Norton said.
"To be able and to teach these females they can be strong and confident, to pass that on to my girls, is the best thing I can give them," Kristin said.
But for now, the best thing Kristin can give Karrie and Jessica is her time.
"I don't want you to leave ever again," Karrie said.
This was Kristin's first mission overseas.
E-mail: abutterfield@ksl.com
