Courtesy Photo | Then Petty Officer 2nd Class Drexel Heard, 21, poses aboard the USS Coral Sea in the...... read more read more
ALBANY, Ga. - Col. Drexel Heard, director, Distribution Management Center, Marine Corps Logistics Command, has held multiple titles, honors and accolades in his 33 years of combined military service, such as sailor, father, husband, instructor, professor, actor and Marine.
He retired with 33 years of active military service during a ceremony held at Schmid Field, Marine Corps Logistics Base Albany, Ga., Friday.
Heard, a native of Birmingham, Ala., graduated from Shades Valley High School in 1978 and initially enlisted in the Navy where he served honorably from April 1979 to October 1986.
“One month after I left the Navy, I was accepted into the Marine Corps’ Officer Candidate School and completed my training as a Motor Transport Officer in 1987,” he said. “I joined the Navy to get away from the day-to-day life growing up in rural Alabama not having much to do, but my family foundation was rooted in military service and I wanted to get a college education.”
Heard came from a family who served in the military and in those days it was rare that an African-American was commissioned as an officer. His father was a military policeman in the army who served in World War II and the Korean War.
His uncle was in the army and his mother had 12 brothers who were mixed military, some who served and died in both World Wars and Korea.
During his 25-year career as a Marine, Heard has served in a myriad of roles and responsibilities to include a motor transport officer, executive officer, platoon commander, company commander, Inspector Instructor, Marine Officer Instructor at Savannah State University in Savannah, Ga., branch chief training and exercises, chief deployment and distribution operation center, acting chief of staff and most recently at MCLC.
Heard arrived to MCLC as the director, DMC, in June 2009 and also served for eight months as the MCLC chief of staff.
“I believe my biggest accomplishments as director of DMC were increased organization-wide and open collaboration among personnel, improved trust and confidence among personnel which resulted in a higher level of interdependence and unity of effort/action,” he said.
Heard noted the best part of being in Albany, Ga., is living in the south and working with the people here on a daily basis.
“I will miss the camaraderie and the security of knowing everyone is here to accomplish something that will make a difference and protect America,” he said. “My original intent was to join the military, earn a college degree and move on, but I ended up staying because I wanted to make a difference and do my part to keep Americans safe. There is a purpose for what we do and that is what has made my career so special.”
Heard said in his 33 years of military service, he has lost his father, mother and wife, but has learned that life goes on and to learn from every experience, then share those experiences.
“My humble advice to younger Marines is to always know who you are and what you believe in,” he said. “Once you choose that belief, build a structure of faith to follow."
“In order to be a good leader, you must have compassion and be able to sympathize and empathize with those you lead,” Heard added. “You will yield the satisfaction of knowing what your life was meant to be and it is not what and how you give, but it is the people who benefit that will make your life endearing.”
Just as he did for 25 years as a Marine officer, he touched the lives of a lot of his martial arts students, several of whom were in attendance during his retirement ceremony.
Heard, currently an eighth degree Kajukenbo black belt professor and martial arts stuntman, has appeared on several episodes of the 1998 run of the animated television series, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” and the CBS sitcom, “Major Dad,” which ran from 1989 to 1983.
“I was 12 years old and an older Korean guy came to my neighborhood in rural Alabama to set up a martial arts studio,” he said. “I wondered what he was doing since very few people had any money, but I saw him struggling to put the sign up and helped him, then became his first student. I stayed and trained with him until I graduated from high school and joined the military.”
George Hampton, one of his former students from 1982 - 1987, said Heard is one of the best martial artists on the East Coast.
“When he left California, he was the number two rated martial artist and held that title for three years even after he stopped fighting,” Hampton said. “He poured everything in to us and the biggest take away from him is learning the importance of your work ethic, discipline and our faith, which is what will help us win in martial arts and in life.”
Of all the accolades and accomplishments, Heard is the most proud of his three sons, one of whom will follow in his footsteps as a Marine officer.
Brandon Heard, 23, is preparing to graduate from Southern Illinois Carbondale in Carbondale, Ill., and will join the Marine Corps this year.
“Today was very emotional because my father has been in the Marine Corps my entire life and he has preached the same values the Marine Corps instilled in him, to us,” he said.
“It’s kind of sad to see it end here today and know that he is moving on, but the fact that I will follow in his footsteps and carry the baton, makes it a little easier. My journey begins soon and I know I have some really big shoes to fill, but I’m looking forward to it,” Brandon added.
| Date Taken: | 04.12.2012 |
| Date Posted: | 04.12.2012 17:14 |
| Story ID: | 86673 |
| Location: | ALBANY, GA, US |
| Web Views: | 1,001 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
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