MODERN DAY MARINE

Never underestimate the importance of a highway sign. 

While stationed at Camp Lejeune in 1991, Dan Clark read from a sign that Greensboro was an All-America City. “I came here often, Greensboro may not be world renowned as a liberty town, but compared to Jacksonville...”  Upon his discharge in 1992, Clark settled in his favorite liberty town.

PARRIS ISLAND GRADUATE

Clark joined the Marine Corps at 17, after his parents signed the approval papers, “I had to wait several months for an opening at Parris Island, but left my hometown on Christmas Day, 1988.”  After Boot Camp and Radio School, Clark completed deployments as a field radio operator on Okinawa and in Korea before receiving orders to Camp Lejeune, NC.

Almost immediately after arriving, Clark deployed to the Persian Gulf area as a radio operator with the 10^th Marines in preparation for Desert Storm.  “We spent eight months practicing amphibious assaults and field exercises in various Gulf countries.  Compared to the build-up, the war was over in the blink of an eye, but friendships built during those times will last a lifetime.”

Clark wasted no time acclimating to Greensboro.  On his way to a Guilford College degree in political science, he first graduated from GTCC.  All the while, he worked as a part-time tire salesman for Sears and later as full-time Auto Center supervisor until he became store manager of the Sears-owned National Tire & Battery Store in Winston-Salem.

“Even though I thoroughly enjoyed college and working at Sears, I truly missed the Marine Corps.”  Clark found the perfect compromise – the Marine Corps Reserve.  After joining the Reserves in 1993 he was assigned to the Greensboro-based Marine Corps Reserve Unit.

Over the next several years Clark deployed to locations around the world, including Germany, Norway and the Arctic Circle before deploying in 2003 with the Greensboro Reserve unit for Operation Iraqi Freedom as Data Communications Chief.

DAN CLARK PROGRESSED THROUGH LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
IN RADIO, COMPUTERS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

After returning from Iraq, Clark served in several locations around the country, fulfilling the duties of Data Communications Chief and later Company First Sergeant, which brought him full circle back to Greensboro.   

After successful tours as First Sergeant in Greensboro and later Tampa, Florida, he was promoted to Battalion Sergeant Major and completed tours of duty in Newport News, Virginia as well as Aurora, Colorado and Fort Worth, Texas.

In May, 2016 Clark reported to the Marine Corps Reserve Unit in Charlotte for his final tour.  He will face mandatory retirement in May, 2018 after completing 30 years of military service -- at the age of 47.

Clark is the first to admit that the Marine Corps isn’t for everyone, “I joined straight out of high school from the small town of Kissimmee, Florida.  Since I did not have grades, money, or focus for college, the Marine Corps looked to be a way I could grow up, prove my mettle, gain work experience, and travel beyond Florida and Mickey Mouse.”  

It seems to have done all of that for him.

One other tidbit about Reserve service – mandatory attendance, “Admittedly, my commutes were longer and more complicated than most, but I wouldn’t have had it any other way.  Long weekends of Reserve duty made Monday mornings especially tough, and duty in the summer sometimes came at the worst possible times.”

When asked about social media’s impact on warfighting, Clark responded “Instant communication is here to stay, but I’ve seen it get too many Marines in trouble, albeit unintentional.  Elements of combat can be taken out of context – the horrors of war don’t need videoing back home or posted on social media.”

Suspecting Clark had no time for hobbies, he surprisingly admitted to saltwater fishing and running as two of his favorite pastimes, completing two Marine Corps Marathons and numerous other events.  In addition, he and his wife Kathy have organized multiple 5K and 10K fundraising events for Hope for the Warriors and other charitable causes.

DAN CLARK -- 2016 -- TWO YEARS FROM RETIREMENT

Sergeant Major Clark has served in every enlisted rank and two wars during his career. He has seen several generations of Marine recruits come and go.  He has a chest-full of personal decorations, and the ethos of a Marine recruiter, “Where else could a young kid lead Marines into battle, handle multi-billion dollar equipment, or fly fighter jets -- all for the good of our country?  

Nowhere!”

GLENWOOD ARMY RANGER GAVE -- AND KEEPS GIVING

Thousands of U.S. Army soldiers have trained at Fort Lewis, Washington over the years, but Greensboro’s Al Stewart must have been the most atypical when he reported aboard the sprawling base during the summer of 2012.

Without a doubt, he was the only combat veteran of Vietnam in his battalion.  Over 40 years prior, he had fought on the ground, wearing the Combat Infantry Badge, Jump Wings and tab of an Army Ranger, and in the air, wearing the wings of an Air Crewman. 

   

Secondly, he was 20 years older than his Battalion Commander.  Additionally, he was the only civilian in his battalion.  Without a doubt, he was the only retired Greensboro Police Officer in the group.

IS IT POSSIBLE FOR A VIETNAM VETERAN TO
SERVE IN AFGHANISTAN?    ASK AL STEWART

The battalion would deploy intact to Afghanistan after three months of extensive training.

Stewart understood deployments – he had recently spent a year deployed to Iraq, where he served as Regional Commander – Iraq Police Mission.

Prior to that, he had deployed to Beirut, Lebanon where he served as first Contingent Commander for establishing the initial Lebanese Police Mission.

There were two other year-long deployments to multiple areas in Iraq, where he trained and advised Iraqi police officers and served as Mosul Police Academy Director.

According to Stewart, he has a perfectly logical explanation for these unique deployments, “I was a Greensboro Police Officer from 1973-2003, and began work with the District Attorney’s Office the day after I retired.  A government contractor came along and offered me the first job in Iraq.  I had major reservations about getting shot at again, but figured this would give me some fresh material to tell my grand-kids.”

In a more cogent mode, “These were exciting and rewarding assignments.  Even though I did not mention it to my contractor(s), the work was so enjoyable, I would have probably worked for free.  Living conditions were tough but working with young soldiers and foreign nationals who really want positive change makes me happy and proud.”

Stewart’s persona of giving back continues to this day.  The Guilford College graduate chaired the 2015 Piedmont Triad Red Cross Heroes Event and is on the Servant Center Board of Directors.  He leads the Steve Millikin Black Caps Veterans Group and heads up the Guilford County Veterans Memorial Committee.  He has also worked tirelessly with the Carolina Field of Honor.

STEWART RAISED ARMY FLAG FOR
GREENSBORO'S NEW VETERANS MEMORIAL

Admitting to “barely graduating,” from Smith High School, Stewart went to Elon College to play football, “That didn’t work out, in more ways than one.  At an early age, I may have been drawn to the military from seeing a huge poster with photos of over 200 Glenwood Boys in Service in my grandparents’ Grove Street Café.”  That poster is still around – in the Glenwood Branch Library at 1901 West Florida Street in Greensboro.

Fast forward to 2015 – Stewart went back to his roots when he married a former schoolmate and Glenwood girl – Nicki DiMaria. 

Whatever the motivation, Stewart proved to be a better soldier than collegian.  After basic, Advanced Infantry Training, Parachute and Ranger schools, he became an Army Ranger.  This pretty much assured him of his first deployment – to Vietnam.

AL STEWART (L) SERVED IN VIETNAM AS RANGER
ON GROUND AND AERIAL GUNNER IN THE AIR

“We operated in six-man teams on primarily long-range reconnaissance missions.  Sometimes we walked off a fire base but mostly we were inserted by helicopters.  Since we could not be re-supplied, most of our missions were six days or less – my longest was 12 days.”

During an extended tour in Vietnam and after his Ranger Company (Golf) stood down, he earned his Air Crew-member Wings.  “I was a gunner on a Night Hawk helicopter – we were flying or on stand-by all night, every night.  After dark, we were about the only game in town!”

Stewart doesn’t dwell on his year of jungle fighting as an Army Ranger, on the sizeable number of combat mission he flew, on being shot down three times in five months, or on personal decorations earned.  “The opinions and respect of the men and women I served and worked with over the years are all I care about.” 

NICKI & AL STEWART -- GLENWOODERS AT HEART

  

While Stewart disdains public recognition, he promises full disclosure to his grandchildren – one of whom is surely destined to write a book about their grandfather, Al.  

He may need more grandchildren -- theirs will not be an easy write.  I can empathize with them.  Writing about valorous service in Vietnam, distinguished police career, multiple civilian deployments to Iraq, Lebanon and Afghanistan, veteran advocacies, and civic leadership is certainly beyond the purview of a newspaper column.