All would follow him: Soldiers remember fallen leader

TAJI, IRAQ

05.16.2005

Courtesy Story

DVIDS Hub       

Spc. Matthew Wester
3/1 Armor Division PAO

TAJI, Iraq -- Silence fell over Warrior Chapel as troops filed past a display of battle streamers, a rifle, and a pair of empty boots to salute their first sergeant for the last time.

Soldiers and Officers of 70th Engineer Battalion, 3rd Brigade, 1st Armored Division, memorialized 1st Sgt. Timmy J. Millsap in a ceremony here April 30.
Millsap, 1st Sgt. for 70th Engineer Battalion's A Company, was killed in combat during Operation Quick Sweep, which involved a coordinated sweep of an area northwest of Baghdad where insurgents are operating.

He died doing his job -- leading troops.
"1st Sgt. Millsap was the kind of leader we all wish we could be," said Lt. Col. Anthony M. Wright, commander of the 70th.

"He had a great ability to identify when a Soldier needed a pat on the back or a kick in the pants, and he could administer both with respect and dignity," said Command Sergeant Major Anthony Cady of the 70th.

Millsap sought a job mentoring and teaching troops, two areas where he excelled.
"The first time I met him he was the brigade equal opportunity advisor, and he came to see me because he wanted to be a first sergeant," Cady said. "He was a noncommissioned officer who desperately wanted to do what noncommissioned officers do, lead and train Soldiers."

"Being a first sergeant was what he wanted to be and what he was clearly meant for," Wright said. "His leadership in garrison and combat ensured the safety of all his Soldiers while accomplishing the missions."

"Poised, confident and competent, he solved the tough issues, calmed troubled situations, and lightened the mood with one of his wry comments," Wright continued. "His high standards, absolute integrity, and concern for each of his Soldiers was visible to all, and all would follow him because they saw a leader."

Beyond being a superior noncommissioned officer, Millsap was a trusted friend and colleague, known for his wit and warmth.
"He was a gentle and fun-loving guy who could hold a conversation with a brand-new private or four-star general as easily as he could with an old friend," said Capt. Eric Swenson, commander of the 70th's A Company.

"He could drink coffee with the best of them, and would pour me a cup at midnight just so we could stay up and talk about nothing important at all."

His humor was a gift he shared with all those around him.

"Just three weeks ago I visited him at his office and kissed him on his head," said Chaplain (Capt.) Raul Maria, the 70th's chaplain. "He said, "Chaplain, you kissed me on my dirty head!" and everyone was laughing."

"He was quick to smile that wry smile of his," Cady said. "He had a quick wit, and a sense of humor that never failed to crack me up."

Millsap was also remembered as a devoted family man, who planned to spend more time with his wife and daughter after retiring from the Army.

He was a career Soldier, a veteran who had given his country nearly twenty years of service. This was his second combat tour in Iraq.

Maria summed up the impact of the loss of this Soldier, leader and friend.
"We all have this dull ache we call grief," Maria said. "The 70th Engineer Battalion lost a comrade.

A daughter has lost her father. A wife lost her husband. The Army lost a leader, but God has won a soul."

Millsap was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and the Purple Heart posthumously.
He earned many awards and decorations during his military career including the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, Army Achievement Medal with four oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal with bronze service star, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal with bronze service star, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, Humanitarian Service Medal, United Nations Medal, Air Assault Badge, Drill Sergeant Badge, and the Sapper Tab.

• Date Taken: 05.16.2005
• Date Posted: 05.16.2005 07:58
• Story ID: 1830
• Location: TAJI, IQ