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They say ‘sometimes you can’t get enough of a good thing,’ and that’s definitely the case with the troopers of Echo Troop, 3-6 Heavy Cav.
And more specifically, with the fuelers keeping our squadron of Apaches in the air.
One of those Iron Eagles is a gentleman named Sgt. Lawrence Clark that hails from the Land of Lincoln.
East St. Louis to be exact.
Clark is a teammate of someone you might remember us featuring last week - Spc. Bruce Thigpen. (we’re still convinced he was and is the real Bruce Almighty)
When we made it out to the range and got a chance to talk to the East St. Louis native, he was all business, sporting a smile that seemed to never fade.
“I’m one of the NCO’s out here that supplies petroleum to everything,” he said as an Apache banked right in the distance, heading towards a nearby landing pad. “If it moves, my team has a part in it. Our fuel is mixed, leveled, and ready 24/7 for not just Apaches, but for the generators and trucks, too.”
As we spent some time with Sgt. Clark between missions, the topic of music came up and we asked him what he had on his iPod.
Well, “iPod” isn’t the correct word for Sgt. Clark. He’s an Android guy.
When we asked about his affinity for the droid life, he disclosed more about some of the things he likes to do in his off time.
“I am tech guy at heart,” he said. “The android platform is more compatible with everything I like to do. When I am not with my kids, I enjoy working on computers. Taking them apart and building new ones, it’s one of my favorite things to do inside.”
But if you thought Clark’s hobbies were enjoyed solely indoors, you’d be mistaken.
“I also love being outdoors. That’s one of the best parts of being a fueler,” he added. “If I’m not building a computer, I am in the garage working on motorcycles or cars, or playing with my kids somewhere outside.”
To say the father of three from Illinois has his hands full is an understatement.
Juggling time with the kids, attending church, working on motorcycles, cars, and computers, with his time as a petroleum supply specialist in the heavy cav squadron is tough. But for Lawrence Clark, it’s like water off a duck’s back. It doesn’t seem to slow him down at all.
“I stay busy,” he said. “But that’s what I like about the Army. It keeps me engaged and I get to see day-to-day that I play an important part of these birds being able to train and deploy. It’s hard sometimes, but it highlights what is most important.. The time I do have with my kids means everything. So I make sure I am fully-engaged with them when I am not at work. It’s my top priority.”
Clark is spot-on with his priorities as a Dad. His priorities of putting others before himself is a value that also runs deep in the Iron Eagle Family.
We can all learn a thing or two from Sgt. Clark. How to be professional. How to build a strong team. How to juggle our personal lives with our professional obligations. How to be an inspiration to others. The list goes on.
But perhaps most importantly, the lesson that Sgt. Clark reminded us of goes back to the basics of it all - caring for others and putting them before ourselves. Our obligations to our teammates and families enable us to succeed when we come to work. When we care for them, we’re actually taking care of ourselves.
In the profession of arms, we’ve got to be ready. Day and night. Our battle buddies and families depend upon us.
And the humble, tech-savvy petroleum supply specialist from the Land of Lincoln is the perfect person to remind us of the altruism behind everything we commit ourselves to doing, day and night... Caring for others first, so we can be ready to fight!
Iron Eagles are Iron Soldiers!
Photo by: Sgt. Isaiah Laster
Story by: Maj. Clark Tucker
| Date Taken: | 02.26.2021 |
| Date Posted: | 03.20.2021 14:33 |
| Photo ID: | 6564851 |
| VIRIN: | 210226-A-XJ882-882 |
| Resolution: | 6720x4480 |
| Size: | 16.44 MB |
| Location: | FORT BLISS, TX, US |
| Hometown: | ST. LOUIS, MO, US |
| Web Views: | 96 |
| Downloads: | 12 |
This work, East St. Louis native keeps Apaches flying high, by SGT Isaiah Laster, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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