‘It’s finally happening’: Code Talker John Kinsel Sr’s home is being renovated

LÓK’A’CH’ÉGAI – It has been a long time coming for U.S. Marine Cpl. John Kinsel Sr., one of three Navajo Code Talkers left, for his home to be renovated in Lók’a’ch’égai, Arizona.

“I’m really happy for my dad,” said Ronald Kinsel, 72, the son of John Kinsel.

After three years of advocating on behalf of his father, Ronald said this initiative is finally happening.

According to Ronald, several tribal administrations visited and talked about providing support for his father’s home, but it never happened.

This time around, President Buu Nygren came out to Lók’a’ch’égai on May 20 and was joined by Bobbie Ann Baldwin, the executive director of the Navajo Nation Veterans Administration, to officially announce the start of the renovation on John’s log cabin home that he built for him and his family after World War II.

Rather than having a new home built, John preferred to renovate it because he built it with his own hands. According to Ronald, his father used the nearby forest to harvest the logs to make their family home.

The Sparrow Group has been contracted through the veterans’ office to conduct the renovation, and according to Nygren, it will take roughly eight weeks to complete.

The contractors delivered a container for the family to store their items as the renovation began to improve the existing home.

According to Ronald, proper flooring, a restroom, a kitchen, roofing, and heating would be added, and all improvements would meet the needs of John, who is 107 years old.

Synchronizing movement

“It’s finally happening,” said Zonnie Gorman, the Navajo Code Talker historian and daughter of Dr. Carl N. Gorman, one of the original Navajo Code Talkers.

She said the Kinsel family has attempted to complete this for many years.

“There’s a lot of veterans that desperately need good housing, so I would hope that this administration would take this several steps further by helping all Navajo veterans,” Gorman said.

Kenji Kawano and his wife visited the president’s office on behalf of John and voiced their support for a bathroom addition and a new kitchen to his current home.

“I’m very happy that the president visited Mr. Kinsel a couple weeks ago,” said Kawano, who has been one of many to photograph the Navajo Code Talkers since the 1980s. “I’d like to see Mr. Kinsel’s smiley face after the (renovation).”

A beautiful day

In addition to these efforts, Ronald Kinsel said since the article about his father was published in the Navajo Times April 25 edition, it sparked projects like the Innovative Readiness Training Project in partnership with the Southwest Indian Foundation, who has been in collaboration with many military, tribal, and government agencies for decent housing.

According to Lt. Cmdr. Steven Vargas, with the Navy Construction Battalion 22, this collaboration includes the U.S. Navy and Air Force, along with other military branches.

“In recent years, the military has been limited to building in the warehouse on Day Street due to COVID,” Vargas continued, “which is not the environment Seabees are used to.”

The Seabees are members of the U.S. Navy construction battalion for building naval shore facilities in combat zones.

In this case, Vargas said the Navy Seabees, led by Navy Construction Battalion 25, have the lead on this year’s project, which is built on-site.

“The Navy has 18 Seabees working this week. We are supported by 5 Air Force members from the 567th Civil Engineer Squadron (Red Horse) from North Carolina,” Vargas added.

This allowed Steven Vargas, Air Force Chief Master Sgt. Shawn Moore with 182 Civil Engineer Squadron, and Staff Sgt. Jan Michael Atijera with 142 CES to visit John’s home after Memorial Day weekend to repair anything needed for Tuesday’s visit.

The three were hammering, repairing the roof on a shed, reinforcing the roof inside the shed, replacing shingles, repairing the steps, replacing any split wood, and fixing a doghouse for John’s dogs.

Vargas described the day as beautiful.

“He’s 107,” Vargas said of John. “He’s been everywhere and had to fight in the toughest war…to be fixing a doghouse (or) the roof, it’s a great honor,” Vargas said with tears of joy.

Prior to the beginning of the renovation, John told his son that he was waiting for the day his home was completed before he would believe it.

According to Ronald, his father usually sleeps but is aware of what is taking place. After eight weeks, the renovation should be nearly completed this coming July.

Ronald wept with joy for his father, who would finally have a proper bathroom, kitchen, and heating, plus other improvements to meet his needs.

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