A Veterans Day Thank You

Today we celebrate Veterans Day. Veterans Day is the day the American people set aside for honoring those, past and present, who’ve served our nation in uniform.  Somerset Logistics is a veteran owned and operated company.  We would like to thank all those individuals who have served in our Armed Forces. 

This morning Somerset leadership attended a Veterans Day celebration.  Our friend and fellow veteran Colonel Jeffery Davidson, U. S. Army Retired was the guest speaker.  Jeff provided some very special comments and thanks to our veterans that we would like to share with the Somerset team.  The following are his comments:    

“Today is Veterans Day, the day Americans gather together to thank Veterans and those who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country.  I would like to talk to you today about a Soldier that impacted my career and also my life in a major way.  A person typical of those that we are here today to thank.

In 1997 I was a Tank Battalion Executive Officer of 2^nd Battalion 81^st Armor.  I was the second in command and I had a great Battalion Commander.  I tried to do everything I could to support him and make sure that 2^nd Battalion stood above the rest.  In my duties traveling from training site to maintenance activity, I noticed where ever my Commander went he was always thanking Soldiers, to the point that I thought he must be thinking about running for elected office.  And I finally approached him and asked why?  Why are you always thanking Soldiers?  He looked at me and said, “You never pass up an opportunity for Class III and Class V (fuel and ammo).  So you should never pass up an opportunity to thank a Soldier.”  It took me a lot longer in life to fully understand the importance of his statement.

One day late in June the Commander came to my office and told me the Commanding General wanted to re-energize the Post Memorialization Program and he wanted 2^nd Battalion 81^st Armor be the first Battalion to support this initiative and he wanted it done prior to the end of the year.  He had already selected a building and a Soldier, Staff Sergeant Warren G.H. Crecy, from the 761^st Tank Battalion, an all-black tank battalion from WWII, to memorialize.  SSG Crecy had distinguished himself in Combat earning a Silver Star and a Battlefield Commission, he would continue on to serve in the Korean conflict where he was wounded and would later die from wounds received in that war.  

With a tight timeline I jumped right into the project by drafting the memorialization recommendation, filling out the required paperwork and worked to convince the reluctant Installation Staff to speed up the normally slow process.  Finally, we got the word back that the recommendation was approved and we could move forward with the memorialization, but there was one item that had been overlooked.  All memorialization’s required an original piece of artwork for the building.  I soon realized that the artwork was going to be expensive and timely and would definitely throw off the Commander’s timeline.  I was getting concerned and my anxiety was starting to build as we got closer and closer to the date.  I was concerned that I was going to have to tell my boss and in turn the commanding general that we would not be on schedule.  Several days later the battalion Secretary told me there was a Staff Sergeant King that would like to see me.  SSG King, at the time was a thin, soft spoken Non Commissioned Officer with wire rimmed glasses.  I asked him to have a seat and how could I be of help.  He said he had heard we were memorializing Bravo Company Barracks to a member of the 761^st Tank Battalion, SSG Crecy.  I told him yes and then he said that he wanted to help.  I said don’t worry, there will be plenty to do, we will need Soldiers to set up chairs and tents, to hand out programs and serve as escorts and direct people to the site. 

SSG King looked at me and said well actually I am sort of an artist and I was wondering if my artwork could be used somehow in the memorial ceremony.  At this point he had my undivided attention!  He then showed me a rough draft of the drawing.  I immediately asked if he could provide a larger print in less than a month.  He said, yes sir and he was hired!

Well the day came and our memorial event was a phenomenal success, of course everyone thought it was great to use a Soldier artist and wanted to know how I discovered the talents of SSG King.  Soon after I was selected for a promotion and moved up the road to the brigade.  Sometime later SFC King came to my office and handed me a print and thanked me for all I had done to assist in the memorialization.  When I tried to thank him he said, “I am just glad I could help.”

Fast forward 9 years to 2006, I was in Iraq serving as a Military Advisor to the Iraqi Army.  We were on a trip in Anbar Province to observe Iraqi army training when I heard a familiar voice call my name.  I turned around and to my complete surprise there standing behind me was now First Sergeant King.   We had a very short, but genuine reunion, Sergeant King was no longer thin, but muscular and his soft voice now had the confidence and authority of a Company First Sergeant.  He told me that he only had about a month left in Iraq and we both told each other to stay safe and look forward to seeing each other back in the real world.

Two years later in 2008, I was again back at Fort Knox now a Colonel and the Chief of Staff for the Armor Center and Fort Knox KY.  I was settling into my new office and one of my former NCOs came in to congratulate me on my new assignment.  As he was surveying my collection of memorabilia on the walls he saw the print of SSG Crecy and said, “that is Sergeant King’s Drawing” and I said yes.  He then commented that was a great Battalion, followed by “you know First Sergeant King was killed in Iraq.  He only had about a month left on his tour when he was killed.”  He went on to say that First Sergeant King had taken one of his Platoon Sergeants spot on a mission because that Soldier had received a “Dear John” Letter and was not mentally or emotionally able to lead the mission.  

That night I had a hard time sleeping, the words of my former Commander kept coming to mind, “Never pass up an opportunity to thank a Soldier”, and SSG King’s response, “I am just glad I could help”, were all I could think about.  I kept thinking how many times I had passed by a Soldier or a Veteran that had a positive impact in my career and on my life and not even acknowledged their presence.  These were people who touched my life as well as many others and really didn’t get the thanks they deserve.  Individuals who went the extra mile, they didn’t seek praise, accolades or medals or even bonus checks.

So I ask you, how do you really thank a Veteran, given their debts in many ways can never be fully repaid, given that they truly don’t seek recognition and we may not even know who they are.  There are almost 19,000 veterans in Rutherford County today that after leaving service have blended into society.  These Veterans are teachers, doctors, lawyers, clergy, business owners, police officers, employees, etc. and are still contributing to this community and our Nation.  How do you thank someone that steps forward when others step back?  How do you thank someone who delayed plans for college, marriage, sacrificed time with their families and missed so many irreplaceable milestones that many here take for granted?  How do you thank someone that made the ultimate sacrifice so others could continue to enjoy the freedoms and blessings of this great Nation?

We can thank them by living like First Sergeant Charles M. King.  We can thank a veteran by giving to others without wanting something in return. We can thank veterans by being good citizens, by caring for others, by voting, by embracing and involving yourself in your community, your state, and your country.  We can thank a veteran every day for the freedoms we enjoy. As my boss said, we should “never pass up an opportunity to thank a Soldier.”

Let me close by asking if you are a Veteran, please raise your hand.  We can thank these great Americans today, but we need to thank these veterans and all our veterans every day.  Once again, to all veterans, we say, thank you. Thanks for your sense of duty, for your service and for your sacrifices.  May God continue to bless our Armed Forces, this great Nation and our community”…COL (R) Jeffery Davidson

Somerset appreciates the comments COL Davidson provided today and we again thank all veterans for everything they have done for our country.