Real Hero Jerry Wolford's Year He'll Never Forget!
A year in the life of a Soldier can mean many things. For some it's being deployed; for others it's returning home to family and friends. For America's Army Real Hero 2LT Gerald Wolford, it was a year of new experiences that he will never forget. When 2LT Wolford reflected on 2007, he said
"One of the most rewarding things has been seeing the young men and women I have been privileged to serve with, turn from recruits into Soldiers and Leaders. It is wonderful to see people begin to realize their full potential and it is an honor to be a part of that."
For Wolford, 2007 involved a great deal of personal development as well: graduating from the selective Officer Candidate School, relocating his family across the country, being a featured speaker at numerous VAE events, and, last, but certainly not least, the birth of his precious daughter, Abigail. It's all in a year's work for 2LT Wolford.
In his twelfth year in the U.S. Army, 2LT Wolford reached a milestone in his career by completing Officer Candidate School (OCS). 2LT Wolford attended the 14 week OCS program at Fort Benning, GA. The program is extremely selective and designed to train civilians and enlisted personnel to become Officers in the U.S. Army. 2LT Wolford wanted to go to OCS in order to become a Platoon Leader. In that role, he said,
"I will be able to continue leading Soldiers in a hands-on, dirty boots, face-to-face kind of way because I truly feel that my place is with the men in a Platoon and not in an office."
Looking back on the experience, 2LT Wolford says,
"OCS was a good opportunity to meet civilians and Army peers that have chosen to accept the increased responsibility of becoming an Officer in the Army. Throughout the training and our time together it was great to see these men and women grow more confident in themselves and in their abilities. These young people were truly awesome in the amount of heart, tenacity, and focused intensity that they brought to the school and will bring to the Army as junior Officers."
While 2LT Wolford continues his progression within the Army he is also looking forward to furthering his education to one day possibly serve as a teacher or counselor.
Over the past year, 2LT Wolford also traveled with the Virtual Army Experience (VAE). He found the VAE to be a great venue for sharing Soldier stories and meeting people from all walks of life. The opportunity empowered him to share his stories and thank the public for their prayers and support. Wolford said of his VAE experience,
"It has enabled me to meet young people interested in serving their country, new friends already serving, and, most especially, the Veterans who helped to lay the foundation and establish our lineage as Soldiers that we are so proud to uphold."
While on the road, 2LT Wolford also met other Real Heroes in the program. Of his peers he said,
"You can shake the hands of a million high-ranking people and it doesn't mean nearly as much as sharing a hand-shake with someone whose courage has inspired the young people of our Nation. Men like SSG Tim Nein and MAJ Jason Amerine are truly some of the best our country has to offer and the Real Heroes Program has enabled me to become friends, seek guidance from, and share experiences with them. I can only hope that someone may someday find me as inspirational, trustworthy, and necessary to our Nation as I find them."
Once commissioned as an Officer, 2LT Wolford moved his family cross-country to Fort Hood, Texas. Once in Texas, 2LT Wolford, his wife, daughters and son (who most likely will be getting a Real Heroes action figure for Christmas this year) happily welcomed a new daughter to the family. They are looking forward to seeing family and friends over the upcoming holiday season and making new friends in the Fort Hood community in 2008.
The America's Army team is proud to know the heroic Soldiers of the Real Heroes program and will continue to provide the AA community the opportunity to learn about their experiences.
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