Some wonder why I write a lot about Kemper. Or why I talk about Kemper. Simply put; don't you talk about your family? A son or daughter; sister or brother. Cousin? Mother, father. All of those and more are the men and women who i went to Kemper with. Especially a certain group-and I am not talking about my comrades from Band.
Before I was Band, I was 2nd squad, 2nd platoon, Delta Company. First we were "Mean Green." Platoon leader was Lt. Green. Platoon Sgt. was Suarez. My squad leader was Sgt. John L. Williams from Springfield, MO. My assistant squad leader was Jeff Holmes, from Nebraska. The people in my squad/platoon that mean the most to me and are literally my oldest friends from Kemper boil down to Miner, Deem, Tandy, Parrish and Thomas. I still am in contact with 4 of them, and of those 3 of them very often. I was in color guard with them and also we joined the MPs. Tandy, Deem and Miner are the closet and oldest and nearest to my heart and soul; we grew up together. Shared also many classes. Many experiences. Time and miles mean nothing; I know them like I know how my hand and arm looks and work. I have other very close friends, but those guys; there is a saying the military that you don't pick your friends that you go through basic with or even assigned to a unit. We were all very different but we were hammered into the same mold. The Kemper mold. Kemper. That's all we need to say. I just wish we could find Thomas.
Clarence Berkley Thomas from Maryland. "C.B." I talked to him like 20 years+ ago. I found a number and called and asked for C.B. the voice on the other end was deeper and laughed and said he hadn't been CB in a long time.
People are amazed that I can recall things; names, places. Why? Very simply; they are etched onto my heart and soul. I couldn't forget them ever. They are a part of me. Those that have gone before and have stood their last formation are forever remembered by me. I am proud of that fact. I like being a walking Kemper memory. As we are all there is left. And soon we too will fade away.
numquam non paratus
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