Page 45 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2025 - Online Magazine
P. 45
army | vietnam
army reserves | desert stOrm
His Reserve duties included Tommy then went to work for the
deployment in Operation Desert City of Lubbock as Deputy City
Storm, several training exercises in Secretary, supervising the office staff
Germany, and, as part of the 413th and coordinating all the boards and
Civil Affairs Battalion, helping commissions—a role he held for
to deploy soldiers to Central seven years (plus two years working
Vietnam 1967 American countries to help build part-time for his replacement). He
infrastructures, including schools and retired for good in 2010.
After a year at Fort Wolters, Tommy medical facilities. Before he knew it, Tommy and his wife, Julie, have been
was reassigned to NATO’s southern the one year had turned into 26 years. married 44 years and have two sons,
headquarters in Naples, Italy. That After ten years with the Army a daughter-in-law, and a grandson.
tour concluded his four years of Reserve, Tommy was offered
active duty, and the E-6 Staff Sergeant a civilian job as their Unit Reflecting on his 30 years in the
returned to civilian life. Army, Tommy says he wouldn’t
Administrator. That gave him dual
During the next six years, Tommy status: civilian working for the take anything for that time. The
friends, the experiences, and the
earned an associate’s degree from Army Reserve five days a week and opportunities for travel are all
South Plains College and a BA Reservist one weekend a month important parts of his life. He is still
in Secondary Education from and at least two weeks a year in friends with guys from Vietnam and
Texas Tech. He was working as an training. In June 2002, after four from other duty stations. They are
insurance adjuster when he was years of active duty and 26 years of truly a “band of brothers.” Tommy
contacted about joining the US Army Army Reserve duty, Master Sergeant Combs may have been reluctant
Reserves in Lubbock. He decided to Combs simultaneously completed his at the outset, but he went on to
enlist for one year. military career and his civilian career
as the Unit Administrator. build a productive career as a
highly respected Army officer and
community servant.
5109 82nd St, Lubbock, TX 79424
806-794-0018
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