Page 54 - Senior Link Magazine Fall 2024 - Online Magazine
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Maj. John
Edwards, Ret. A Home with the U.S.
Army
by Marita Tedder
deals with anything In 1985, the Edwards family
made of steel on was sent to Saudi Arabia where
the battlefield. He John provided technical training
became a Tank and for the Saudi forces in how to
Mobility Officer use the maintenance facilities
assigned to the built there by the U.S. Army
82nd Airborne Corps of Engineers. He was one
Division at Fort of eight officers doing training
Bragg and moved throughout Saudi Arabia. It was
on to become a there that he wrote the “Combat
Jump Master. Services Support Guide”—which
has been updated throughout its
Edward’s next stop four editions and was used by
f you think about war, have was in Germany, the Army worldwide. Many of
you ever wondered how a where he was on a classified the concepts presented are still in
Ifort, or base, is suddenly assignment with the British use today.
built in the middle of the desert Army. On this stop, he met his
to support our troops and front wife of 48 years: Josephine (or When the Desert Shield
lines? That is logistics, and that Jo), who was a British school operations began, Edwards
is what became the specialty of teacher for the children of the was there. He was assigned to
Maj. John Edwards, Ret. during British Army stationed there. Jo’s a Special Operations Logistics
Desert Shield—which became roommate’s fiancé was friends Team, during which time he
Desert Storm. He simplifies it with Edwards. John and Jo dated planned operations with the
down to “Beans, Bullets, and for a year and got married (after Saudi forces. His role was finding
Bandages”—but there is far more she was investigated) in England. appropriate locations for base
to it. Thirteen support troops Edwards was reassigned to the camps. He was often alone in
are required for each frontline 15th Maintenance Company in the desert with a compass and a
warrior. Fulda, West Germany—where map. He describes Desert Storm
their first son was born. as an “amazing 30-day light
While Edwards did intend to show.” It was his only combat
serve in the military, as his father In 1978, the Edwards family
did, he never thought it would moved back to the U.S.,
be his career. He attended NMSU stationed at Aberdeen Proving
in Las Cruces, NM, majoring Ground on Cheaspeake Bay in
in agriculture. (His father was Maryland. During that time,
a Personnel Adjutant at White Edwards received Advanced
Sands Missile Range.) While Course Training and his master’s
there, he was in ROTC, but he in business administration.
expected to spend a few years in He then taught ROTC at the
the Army and then come back University of Maine. Their twins
and raise horses. Instead, he were born there in 1980.
“found a home” with the U.S.
Army. If he could, he’d still be The Fifth Infantry Division at
there today. He says, “I didn’t Fort Polk, in Louisiana, was his
always like the Army, but I next assignment, where he was
always loved being a soldier.” tasked with organizing a new
forward support battalion and
His career began as a 2nd was promoted to Major.
Lieutenant of Ordnance—which
54 Lubbock Senior Link
