By Bob Murtha
I remember Jerry Glesmann as a shy, lanky kid, quick with a smile, who laughed easily.
He didn’t stand out, but was friends with everyone, easy going, fun loving and generally seemed happy.
He ran cross-country and track, which probably helped him get through some of the challenges his path in life would present. I don’t ever recall him saying what he wanted to do after graduating from Silverton High School in 1984, but I don’t know that any of us really knew at the time.
After graduation, most of us went our separate ways and spent the next couple of decades sharing chance run-ins with several classmates here and there.
Nobody really knew what happened to Glesmann, where he went, what he was doing.
After several class reunions, most of us knew what each other were doing and on occasion, stayed in touch with a couple of close friends.
But still, no one knew where Glesmann was.
Wondering where he ended up 15 years or so after high school, I started doing some research, thinking he might be a techie in Silicon Valley, the favorite history teacher of kids at a high school or a family man living the American dream in Chicago, New York or Miami.
How wrong I was.
In November of 2008, I was invited to join Facebook. My past opened up to me with discovery-after-discovery of friends who were coming out of the woodwork and my excitement was boundless. Karen, Amy, Rachel, Beth, Susie, Mark, Tom, Mike and countless others. Still, there were others that I was looking for, wondering about. Where was Steve? Penny? Carl? Brian? Jeff? Cleve? One-by-one, they were joining Facebook.
Then I saw it.
Glesmann’s picture.
I had to go back to it time and again.
I couldn’t wrap my mind around what I was seeing. Was that really him? He was taller; definitely more mature looking, not so shy. Confident for sure. Afghanistan? Dang! What’s that on his ear? What unit? What’s he doing? Is he still there or is he back home? How is he? Friend request accepted. Chat! Can’t wait to chat!
We caught up a bit online, but still, there was so much more to catch up on than what you can write about online.
We had to get together and catch up in person and decided on dinner and a beer. It doesn’t get any better than that. A handshake. A hug. Couple slaps on the back and another handshake. Dang… he really grew – a lot.
The stories. The heartache. The good memories. The places he’d been to, places most of us never heard of or could find on a map or even knew how to pronounce. What do you do? Where have you been? What rank?
How many tours? Back home for how long?
Good stories. Amazing stories. “Man, it’s great to be sitting here, talking with you again. We gotta get the old gang together.” For sure. That was almost two years ago.
Today, Glesmann is a imposing giant of a man, who does not shy away from anything, but is still quick with a smile, loves to laugh, and is fiercely loyal to his friends, the U.S. Army and his country.
For a man who has seen more than his fair share of turmoil around the world, Glesmann is incredibly gentle and open about his experiences.
We get together and go shooting; have a few beers, hang out with friends, and, as “The Boss” sings about, talk about the “Glory Days.” Glesmann has accomplished quite a bit in his 20-plus year career in the U.S. Army. Not bad for a kid from small town Oregon who got bored with college and wanted some excitement in life.
To have an understanding of what Glesmann does, take a look at the video Shepherds of Helmand, that will be released soon. To learn more about the film, go to www.shepherdsofhelmand.com. The documentary follows Glesmann’s unit’s time in Afghanistan, the purpose of their tour, the friends they made and the friends they lost. The stark beauty of the land and the harsh reality of life outside the perimeter.
Afghanistan. Taliban. Life. Death. Glesmann is back home working with the Oregon National Guard unit in Salem. As master sergeant, his responsibilities are comparable to a senior vice president of large corporation. He takes his job seriously and enjoys what he does. His position puts him in direct contact with field grade officers on a daily basis. He is on call 24 hours a day. He is a professional soldier. A humble man. It is an honor to call him a friend.
On Dec. 2, Glesmann will accomplish what fewer than 5 percent of anyone who enlists in the U.S. Army achieves when he will officially be promoted to Sergeant Major. The pinnacle of the enlisted ranks. A lifetime achievement. Just a shy kid, from a small town, who has lived and lost in lands far away; a seemingly unknown kid… who became a hero.
