A gun for Christmas---when the demons come---

Back story

After Desert storm I was sent to Germany as a First Sergeant for a aviation unit that was part of VII Corps already deactivating (the entire US Army VII Corps)

One day a new Sergeant First class arrived ....Ken Prior was a hyper gung ho trooper who served in mostly Air Cavalry Troops and thought he was the most squared away Non-Commissioned Officer (NCO) in all of Army Aviation...Well actually he mostly was, except he was way too Black and White, strict "By the Book" who had not yet mastered the art of influencing soldiers to learn and preform without the threat of punishment.

He instantly rubbed me the wrong way by pointing out several of my minor uniform infractions. He Met me in the Command Sergeants Major's office rummaging through the desk drawers looking for a set of E-8 insignia. Ken had reported and been told to wait in the CSMs office until his new First Sargent came up to the head shed. Thus there I was in uniform but looking like oldest Private in the Army.

What he did not know was I had been at work since 0345 checking up on some of my soldiers detailed to an all night marathon in the motor pool preparing vehicle for todays turn in, and as my work ethic, when I arrived ---they were behind, so I pitched in at the high pressure wash rack where I got filthy and soaking wet hours before the Daily HQ briefings. I always had a fresh uniform in my Orderly room and in my haste to get to the HQ briefing/meeting I forgot to transfer my subdued insignia....Knowing the CSM had sets ready for promotions I was looking for them.

He decided to critique the oldest private noting my boots we not spit shined, my blouse (shirt) was not squared to my gig line, and I needed a fresh shave.....I found the rank, went about adding it to my Cover (hat) and Collar of my duty uniform while looking about for CSMs shoe shine kit-- and I only had 15 minuets before the meeting. I ignored this unknown to me SFC, found the boot polish and brush, sat down and got boots acceptably shiny.

In the meeting SFC Prier was introduced and assigned to me in Delta Company. I thought .."great now I have another dick head to break in and train/manage"

Back in my Orderly room with new Platoon Sergeant in tow, I decided to pretend not to be offended by his arrogant behavior when he first saw me. Mostly because I understood what his motivation was. You see a decade earlier I changed from 8 Years in Field Artillery to Aviation Maintenance. Two extremely different cultures and missions. After school I arrived at Ft Hood to take over a Armament Platoon Sergeant in a REMF support unit. NOTHING they did was anywhere near as Military Disciplined compared to my war fighter Artillery days. When I arrived and met my platoon I has every bit a critical as Ken Prier was of me.

the next few years active and after would take at least three more pages. so leap forward from 1992 to 2012. Ken sought me out through Together We Served a website for active and veteran soldiers to to list past assignments and post a page of who your were and what you are now.

I retired in 1996 so 2012 was a few years removed and I was not too terribly nostalgic about my distant past life.

From 2012 to now Ken and I became extremely close, visiting each other and almost daily phone conversations.

On one visit 2017 out here, I took Ken to a range to shoot some of my newer hand guns and while there he fell in love with my Tarus PT-1911 45 ACP. So I sold it to him at friends and family price.

This Christmas I finally replaced it with a Turkish built clone



While shopping for new grips I found a site that does custom laser engraving on wood grips. I sent an e-mail with my idea and the veteran owned (Marine Corps) owner sent me back a note about how it was a way cool idea and yeas he could work up some proposed versions for me to select. eventually we had the best wood for contrast and the engraving

I wanted two sets, one my Christmas gift to my best friend and Army cohort.

Yesterday Ken called in tears....here is why



On each is 1st Sgt (Ret) and our names.

and on the script grip hard to read in the photo

In the darkest hour
When the demons come
call on me brother
and we will fight them together
.....My oath never expires