If you didn't know, Brian is nearing the end of his command of A Troop, the Roughnecks, of 1/17 CAV. A command is a very special thing in an officer's career, but even more special when you get to lead those men in combat. It's the dream of every decent officer, and Brian got to do it. This time in his life was not only special for this reason, but also because his unit was close knit and had high morale, thanks in part to their awesome commander. :)
At the end of the deployment, Brian was named the top troop commander by the battalion commander. In his OER (Officer Evaluation Report), his superiors are saying things like:
"CPT Harris is the absolute best combined arms commander and trainer in the Squadron."
"CPT Harris is ranked in the top 4 of my 34 commanders."
And this is coming from men Brian has gone out of his way to piss off when he didn't agree with their orders. He is no pushover and gets himself into trouble more often than not, and yet the two battalion commanders he works for FOUGHT over who was going to give Brian's going away speech - everyone wanted the "honor" of doing it.
He is well known amongst his peers as a commander who protects and fights for his men, and expects their hard work in return. His command of A Troop was exemplary, and so many wives have come up to me telling me how their husbands are in awe of him and hate to see him go. How awesome is that?!
So last Saturday the troop threw him a going away party at a paintball field. They presented Brian with a guide-on of his troop, which is typical. But they also added a piece of the aircraft, painted and signed by all the guys, which was unexpected and very nice!
Brian actually choked up when it came time to give his speech and had a really difficult time until he got warmed up. He always says he's not a good speech giver, but he knows how to make people laugh and get his point across. When he was done, the ovation he got was something to hear.
I am SO proud of my husband, who is truly a hero of mine. Not because he got shot in combat, but because he went to the fight when most of his peers are sitting home safe. His career adds tremendous stress to our family, but he does what it takes to keep his family together when most don't even appreciate what they have. And he is TRULY good at what he does and God continues to bless him with opportunities to shine.
I love you, baby!
Receiving the guide-on
The aircraft part
Rounds of applause
Choked up
Trying to talk through the tears with help from Sam
6 comments:
That is so beautiful, Kathie. I so proud of Brian -- and you!
What a nice blog. You have every right to be proud of your husband. I'm proud of him, too and sure he deserves all the nice things said about him. Congratulate him for me for a job well done. Not always popular or easy, but well done. That's leadership. Love to all of you. Mrs. A.
Every generation has Leaders that rise to answer the call of Duty, Honor, Country. Now is Brian's time. Leadership is not easy and is usually unrewarded or misunderstood. You have a right to be proud of him. However he could not do his best without your unwavering support and tending the home place during his deployments.
Kathie, what a beautiful testimony! We also are very proud of Brian, and your father is jealous that he got to command in combat! Congrats to you both for a job well done!! God IS good!
Well said beautiful and right on the mark.
Dad
Your my hero dude!
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