20 years ago yesterday, Dave signed his name on a dotted line, not having any idea of what the next 2 decades of his life would end up being. We were young and needed direction and the Army looked like the quickest way to get some! I don't think either of us really ever considered that what we thought of as a quick fix to needing some money and education would end up becoming not only our way of life, but our life as a whole.
We have loved our life in the Army. There have been hard times, difficult jobs, tough moves, and lots of stress. But there have been blessings beyond measure. We have both grown up and grown closer--something we didn't have much choice about when we moved so far away from our families. We love our country and truly understand what the cost of freedom is. We've travelled all across America and Europe with the family, and Dave has gotten to see a good bit of the rest of the world on his own! :) We've met friends who are like family-we've learned to depend on people we've only known a couple of weeks. And we've learned that we can always depend on each other. There are some other, more tangible, rewards, such as 4 babies for a total cost of $136. Mess hall food is pretty darn good--and great for feeding hungry teenage boys. We love standing for the national anthem at the movie theater. The commissary prices just can't be beat, even if I get frustrated with the layout occasionally..... ;-) Free grad school.....
Dave's had a great career. A lot of people expect, when they hear he's at 20 years, that he'll be putting in for retirement. Nope. Why leave a job you love so much just because you can. I think he'd work for LESS than half pay!
Here are some career highlights of the last 20 years:
- March 15, 1989 signs enlistment papers
- April 20, 1989 leaves for basic training
- Defense Language Institute, Monterey, CA
- MP school, Ft Rucker, AL
- Airborne School, Ft Benning
- Operation Desert Shield/Storm
- Officer Candidate School
- Air Assault School, Ft Campbell
- Advanced Airborne Team, 101st Airborne
- Battery Command, 101st Airborne
- spokesman for 1st Armored Division in Iraq
- secretary to the general staff, Wiesbaden, Germany
- graduate degree from University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Places we've lived:
- Fort Benning, GA
- Fort Sill, OK
- Fort Knox, KY
- Fort Lewis, WA
- Fort Leonard Wood, MO
- Fort Campbell, KY
- Bozeman, MT
- Wiesbaden, Germany
- Cary, NC
- Fort Meade, MD
how do they let kids this young enlist???
MP keeping us safe
Desert Storm 
they don't feed them in Officer Candidate School....
getting his gold bar
leaving for Iraq
graduation day
Thank you for a wonderful, exciting, challenging, and proud 20 years, my love. I'm looking forward to the rest!
Congrats, Gerckens! What a great milestone! LA, I think we both wore the same dress and hair to OCS Grad/pinning! Sweet pictures. Thanks for serving, Dave. Thanks for keeping us safe and enjoying the freedoms we do today. Remember the AFN commercial about the pilot who's kids were at home sleeping while he was patroling the skies? It's so true. Keep working hard to protect the grunt and NCOs on the front lines everyday. Keep working and writing and being a spokesman for a much beloved and much needed Army. So proud to know you....even if you *did* have to be F.A. for a bit!
ReplyDeleteThe Army goes Rolling Along,
K
Wow! I remember the skinny kid with the curly hair that wanted to take my daughter away. And he not only took her but took her far far away at times! However, I too have gotten to see a lot of the world by following them around! So there's always blessings! Dave, we are so proud of you and all you have accomplished. You have perservered through a lot. Ron is so proud of his "soldier son" and wears the sweatshirts of all the bases you've been on proudly and never misses a chance to tell people about you. You are truly our son (without the "in-law") and we love you very much. We also are so proud of Leigh Anne and feel she has been the perfect help mate for you. We are extremely happy that you both know and love and follow our Lord and his commands and teachings, and that you are training up your children in His ways. My, 20 years seems like a long time but it has just flown by. Congratluations to our son, Major David Gercken!
ReplyDeleteLeigh Anne, this was so exciting and encouraging to read! As a military wife, your words, pics, etc. blessed me a great deal this morning. What an adventure this life is, as we serve our Heavenly Father as military families. And, Congratulations to your sweetheart for 20 years and "Thank you" to him and your family for your faithfulness, sacrifices, and testimony!
ReplyDeleteThanks for the walk down memory lane. It was fun to see pics of you guys in your earlier days. Pretty cool. I am thankful God brought your family to our neck of the woods....for now.
ReplyDeleteCongratulations Dave! I love looking at all the pictures. We are so glad that you are staying in, thank you to all of you for all your sacrifices! The Hollenacks
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