Page 19 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2021- Online Magazine

Antron Patton New Face of arMY

the VA

by Jane Bromley

teenager boot camp at Ft. Bliss in El Paso,
signed up TX. One of his drill sergeants
for ROTC was a “huge, scary guy who’s
his freshman last named was Lord.” “That’s
year. The L-O-R-D. You will eat, sleep and
boy’s name pray to me!” he’d shout at the
was Antron recruits. Antron cried for two
Patton. weeks. His mother had never
gotten him up at 3 a.m. nor
Sgt. Maj. made him clean toilets with a
I am honored to represent over 40,000 Veterans in West Texas – Thomas took toothbrush.
an interest
those American heroes who gave up their today so we could have in Antron. But Antron grew up that
summer. He went home a
He saw
tomorrow. I am grateful to continue serving Veterans by working something in changed young man. His
him that no
buddies were still “on the
to pass bipartisan legislation that delivers on our promises to the other teacher block”, but Sgt. Maj. Thomas
saw, and he
recognized the fulfillment of the
men and women in uniform. mentored latent leadership he had seen in
the boy for his young charge. He assigned
four years. command of the ROTC troops
Antron was at AHS to Cadet Patton, who
There will always be more we can do for our Veterans, and I am fascinated used his new-found wisdom and
by the skills to help his team become
committed to working hard and being a strong voice on behalf of medals on an Honor Unit with Distinction.
his uniform He was promoted to the rank of
our freedom fighters while continuing to fight for the food, fuel, nce upon a time, there and the “war Cadet Major, and his uniform
was a teenage boy
and fiber capital of the world. Ogrowing up in the stories” he regaled his classes finally meant something.
with. When Antron got into
May God continue to bless our great nation and inner city of Indianapolis. His trouble, Thomas assigned “extra After graduation, the new and
improved version of Antron
single mom struggled to help duty” – shining shoes, running
those who defend her. him make wise decisions. His up and down the stadium stairs, enlisted in the Army. He had to
teachers were at a loss, and he etc. Antron was surrounded by go through boot camp all over
again. But this time, he went
was even voted “Most Likely to tough talking gangs and bad in as Private 1st Class (PFC).
Go to Prison” by his classmates influences, but when Sgt. Maj. At Ft. McClellan AL, he stood
Your friend and proud West Texan, at Arlington High School. Then Thomas asked him to consider out among the crowd of new
Sgt. Maj. Thomas entered the military service his junior year, soldiers. Because of his prior
scene. He was a retired Army the teenager surprisingly agreed. enlistment and the last name
Senior Non-Commissioned His mother signed the forms, Patton, the drill sergeants called
Jodey C. Arrington Officer (SNCO) who taught and Antron joined the Indiana him “Mr. ROTC!” and told him,
ROTC at the high school. Maybe Army National Guard. “With a name like that, you’d
it was Providence, but, for some The 17-year-old felt pretty cocky better be perfect!” He reminded
unknown reason, the wayward about his decision, until he got to his superiors that there was no

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