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Sgt. First Class George Nolen returned to
McKenzie in August after serving a year in Iraq. Above,
he is pictured in the desert of Kuwait and in his role
as an usher at the chapel in Camp Arifjan, Kuwait.
The New Year came in Sunday with a new calm across
Carroll County as many neighborhood sons, husbands,
fathers, and grandfathers--recently home from serving in
Operation Iraqi Freedom--were able to celebrate the
holidays with loved ones. In addition to McKenzie's
Company A soldiers, a string of soldiers assigned to
other guard units also returned home in recent months.
Among them, home in late August 2005 after spending a
year in Kuwait, is Sergeant First Class George Nolen of
McKenzie. Assigned to the 230th Area Support Group in
Dyersburg and attached to the 377th Theater Support
Group (Forward) and 43rd Area Support Group at Camp
Arifjan during his deployment, Nolen got his start in
the McKenzie unit 40 years ago, the first black man to
join the local militia.
Soft spoken and gregarious, Nolen laughs gently as he
recalls how he became a national guardsman on October 5,
1965 at the age of 18. He'd finished his education at
Webb School in May and started working at the Southern
Biological Supply Company in McKenzie. That's where he
met now-Vice Mayor Gene Hale, who at the time was a
lieutenant assigned to the Milan National Guard unit.
"We worked together at Southern Biological and he asked
me about joining," says Nolen, the son of Erma Lee Nolen
of McKenzie and the late Archie Nolen. "I chose to join
the McKenzie unit because that's where I lived."
He was on the McKenzie Fire Department for 30 years,
beginning in 1968, and on April 18, 1969, married
Gleason girl Gloria Gibbs, who graduated high school in
1969 as the first black person to attend Gleason School.
She is the daughter of Mattie Bell and Howard Gibbs.
George was a member of the McKenzie Guard unit on March
2, 1981, when he was awarded the Tennessee National
Guard Commendation Ribbon for improvements made in the
food service operation, and in 1984 when the unit's food
service crew, headed by Nolen, won the distinction as
the best of 28 competing crews during two-week summer
training exercises. The crew included NCOs Dan T. Ellis,
Addie Rutherford, and Harry Cooper and cooks Richard
Nunner, Kevin Weatherford, Roosevelt Brooks, Thomas
Sullivan, Jimmy Fuzzell and Russell Pearson.
After 20 years on the job at Southern Biological, he
went to work at the Milan Arsenal where he has remained
for nearly 20 more years.
He was in the McKenzie Guard unit for 36 years before
transferring to Dyersburg several years ago.
"That's one reason that I feel so much a part of Company
A," says Nolen, whose Middle Eastern tour began a scant
three months before his original unit was also called to
action.
"I don't know if I want to go again or not," he admits,
citing excessive temperatures among other discomforts of
the region along with dangerous travel and being so far
away from home. But, he decides, "If it called for it, I
would. When my unit was called up I was willing to go
and do what I could for my country; it's just part of
it."
He kept a carefully assembled notebook of correspondence
received from family, friends and supporters as well as
innumerable photographs of the experience that he hopes
someday to share with his grandchildren.
He came home to new granddaughter, Brooklyn Leilani, who
was born July 26, and grandson Damon, age five, the
children of his son, George Nolen Jr. and wife Amy. Also
welcoming George home, in addition to Gloria, was his
daughter, Harriet. His second son, Howard, died in a
motorcycle mishap in July 2003.
A beaming Damon Carter welcomes home his
grandfather from Kuwait.
Nolen exudes thanks beginning with the welcome he was
given by his family. At his home a huge banner was
stretched across the front of the house, festooned with
red, white, and blue balloons, proclaiming: "Another
soldier home: Welcome home SFC George Nolen Sr., we love
you."
"I still can't tell it all," he says, regarding his
experiences. "I know everyone has a story; it's just
amazing. I thank my family for giving me a home welcome;
I can't express enough thanks."
Nolen says the first thing he did upon reaching Camp
Arifjan was to locate the chapel where he quickly became
active, joining the choir and attending services at
least three times a week.
Working the midnight shift at the DFAC (dining facility)
made his participation in church activities easier, he
says, though there was little lull in the work required.
An example headcount sheet produced by Nolen, whose crew
served midnight rations and breakfast, shows that, on 31
December, 8,144 people were served, including 612
midnight rations and 2,136 for breakfast, 2,404 at
lunch, and 2,962 for dinner.
Because of his hard work, Nolen received a Commendation
Medal for meritorious service in ensuring all personnel
in his dining facility "received first class food
service" during Operation Iraqi Freedom.
The citation notes that Nolen's efforts as the midnight
shift leader "reflect great credit upon himself, the
coalition forces land component and the United States
Army."
He was also presented with several achievement awards
from two levels of command citing that his "generosity,
tireless work ethic, and exceptional support contributed
immensely to the overall production of exemplary food
service, expanded the credit bestowed from his actions
as to his family, his unit, the Tennessee Army National
Guard, and the United States of America."
Nolen also received the National Defense Service Medal,
Good Conduct Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism
Service and Expeditionary Medals as well as ten "coins"
presented at random intervals by command level officers
and sergeant majors impressed with the facility.
In Kuwait, the military's role of the round the clock,
seven day a week dining facility was mostly one of
providing oversight to contracted civilian cooks and
servers who, Nolen shows through sample menus and
photographs of uniformed servers and elaborate holiday
displays, provided exceptional service to the soldiers,
sailors, airmen, marines, and civilians dining in the
facility.
He said the service was duplicated at other major posts
throughout the region encompassed by Operation Iraqi
Freedom, with contracted employees competing between
posts for top billing as best at their craft,
translating to impeccable dining for servicemen and
women. Of course, he adds, those out in the field and
away from main stations were subject to dine on less
savory fare like pre-packaged MREs (meals ready to eat.)
On holidays, Nolen says, "They always try to have
something special for the soldiers."
A menu, accompanied by a holiday message from commanding
Lt. General R. Steven Whitcomb noting, "Thanksgiving
reminds us of our need to express thanks to a Divine
Providence for all that brings happiness to our daily
lives... a time to join together in prayerful
gratitude..." lists the entrιe as roasted turkey with
herbs, scrumptious prime rib, Cornish game hen, moist
country ham, jumbo shrimp, mashed potatoes and gravy,
Mama's cornbread dressing, green beans, candied sweet
potatoes and cranberry sauce accompanied by five dessert
choices and nonalcoholic white and red wine plus eggnog.
The resort appeal depicted in photos of ice sculpture
turkeys, reindeer, Christmas trees and cornucopias, and
elaborate fruit displays, is ironically offset in one
photo, however, by a shrine erected to honor a fallen
comrade; a reminder of the reality of war.
Regarding the inherent dangers of operating in a region
beset by terrorism, Nolen says, "You always have to be
on guard and observe everything at all times; you always
have to be alert."
Master Sergeant William Milam Jr. of
Henry and Sgt. First Class George Nolen meet President
George W. Bush during a stop in Bangor, Maine.
Nolen's own role was the supervision of the military
food service staff, inspecting the facility and food
preparation, providing technical guidance and
supervision to subordinates, coordinating, planning and
supervising the preparation of specialty meals, and
various administrative functions over nine military
personnel under his direct authority, according to his
NCO evaluation report, which further stated he was
devoted to the accomplishment of his mission, lived up
to the warrior ethos and Army values, and cultivated
teamwork with a winning and professional attitude.
"My job was to make sure everyone was fed and that the
soldiers had plenty of water, Gatorade, and food
supplies to get to their next location," says Nolen, who
says he was impressed to see members of each branch of
the armed services working together in line with the
camp's motto, "One team, one fight."
"That worked really well," he says. "I saw Marines,
Army, and Air Force working together for one cause--a
multi-force--that was amazing. Without everybody pulling
together we wouldn't be able to do this mission; it
takes everyone pulling together in the same direction."
That includes the public sector, which Nolen comes back
to time and again in a never-ending expression of
gratitude.
Other sites, he explains, were less well-equipped than
Camp Arifjan, which was a point of entry and re-supply
for troops assigned to other units, as well as a
destination for soldiers seeking rest and relaxation.
"On up the line they sometimes didn't have a place to
get supplies," he continues. "The troops really
appreciated the care packages, toothbrushes and
toothpaste. Sometimes they couldn't get that. And
there's nothing like receiving mail from home, an email
or a card or letter, and knowing that the American
people does appreciate what the American soldiers are
doing. They are there for a purpose; they love their
country or they wouldn't be wearing that uniform."
Some returning soldiers may be less inclined to talk
about their experiences, he says, adding people
shouldn't let that stop them from saying, "Thank you."
"This is what the cities of McKenzie and Dyersburg have
done," he continues. "Showing gratitude and appreciation
for soldiers--hometown brothers and sisters, husbands
and wives, mothers and fathers, sons and daughters that
have served in all wars--that they love them and
appreciate what they have done. May God bless all who
have served in all wars for the United States of
America."
As McKenzie gears up for Company A's big welcome home
celebration, scheduled for January 7, Nolen has nothing
but great things to say about the support he's received
from his home town and the welcome provided the soldiers
in Dyersburg on "Patriot Day", when hundreds of
soldiers, family members and supportive members of the
community turned out for the event held November 19 at
Dyersburg High School.
"I just thank God for returning back home and being with
my family, friends and loved ones. It's all by the help
of God that I'm back here."
It was while in Kuwait on August 8 that Nolen
surrendered to a call to serve God. Upon returning home,
he announced his decision to his pastor James H. Stewart
of Greater Enon Missionary Baptist Church.
"They was so happy that the Lord had called me," he
says. "I felt like the Lord had been calling me for some
time but I just now accepted. I knew I had to accept the
calling because God had been too good to me. I'll preach
or witness, but whatever he wants me to do I'll do it in
his name."
He preached his first sermon at Greater Enon Missionary
Baptist Church on the 18th of September at which time he
was certified by Reverend Stewart as licensed to preach
the gospel and exercise his gifts in the work of the
ministry.
"I talked about that God is real and John 3:16; I just
tell it like it is," says Nolen, who reminds everyone
that many troops remain in Kuwait and Iraq as the
struggle for freedom and against terrorism continues.
"Just continue to pray for the troops and their families
and for the president," says George, who was able to
meet President Bush at a stop in Bangor, Maine while on
active duty.
"I think I was fortunate that I was able to be a part of
Operation Iraqi Freedom," he says, "to know I played a
big part in trying to bring peace to that nation. It's
worth every bit of every young man and every young woman
to serve their country by being in the National Guard,"
he says. "I wouldn't give nothing for it. I just thank
God I was able to be a part of it."
He "hopes and prays" he will be able to remain a member
of the National Guard for two more years, until age 60.
The Dyersburg unit is scheduled for restructuring to the
168th MP unit as the 230th moves to Chattanooga and
Millington, according to Nolen.
Regardless of its designation, however, the need for
food services continues and, for a couple more years,
will likely be headed by one proved to deliver the
best--Sgt. First Class George Nolen. |
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