Schacher takes unusual journey to deployment
Sunday, March 4, 2007 12:08 AM PST
Pat Caldwell Argus Observer
La Grande
Even the most casual observer could review Master Sgt. Jerry Schacher’s career in the military and conclude he has already fulfilled his obligation to the nation.Schacher, though, would disagree.
“There is something about being a soldier, that, unless you’re a soldier, you don’t understand. There is a camaraderie I don’t want to give up,” Schacher, La Grande, said.
Schacher, 54, has already been up the career ladder of the U.S. Army and is now one of more than 350 Oregon Army National Guardsmen from Eastern Oregon’s 3rd Battalion, 116th Cavalry (Armor) preparing to depart for an 18-month long deployment to Iraq.
“I want to go. There are soldiers in this battalion who have to see us old guys are there for them. Maybe some of my knowledge and experience can help,” he said.
And Schacher has plenty of experience. His journey to the 3rd Battalion follows a very unique path.
Schacher said he first entered the U.S. military in 1971 after he was drafted. He stayed in the U.S. Army until 1973, took a year off and then reentered military service in 1974. Not long after, he said, he decided to try Officer Candidate School and gain a commission. He made it through OCS — not an easy accomplishment back then — and emerged as a 2nd Lieutenant of Infantry in the U.S. Army in early 1975.
From there, Schacher said he made his way up the army career stairway on active duty and served at various duty stations in places like Germany, Kansas and Texas. He said he stayed on active duty until 1986 then went into the Reserves.
Schacher said he was in charge of a number of different units while on active duty and with the Reserves, including seven years of command time as an infantry officer.
Schacher also worked on his civilian education, eventually gaining bachelor’s, master’s and doctorate degrees.
By the early 1990’s Schacher was a lieutenant colonel of infantry and on his way back to Oregon. He said when he reached Oregon he discovered his plan to transition into the Guard had run into a snag.
“There were just no slots for infantry officers. None,” he said.
And Schacher said he was not sure he wanted to move into a different military job specialty — dubbed a “branch” in Army jargon — so he decided to do something drastic and unusual.
“I resigned my commission. Then I reentered the Guard as an E-5 (sergeant),” he said.
He said he never did regret the decision.
A wealth of experience
At 54, Schacher will be one of the oldest Guardsmen from Eastern Oregon to deploy. He is someone with a firm foundation in the fabric of Eastern Oregon.
Born and raised in La Grande, Schacher has worked the past eight years as an alcohol and drug counselor at New Direction Northwest in Baker City.
Schacher said he is a father of two daughters and also a grandfather and a husband. He said he has no qualms about leaving all that behind because he believes in the U.S. mission in Iraq.
“I want to go. It is what I signed up for. I absolutely think this is the right thing to do,” he said.
Still, he said he will miss his family and is concerned about a number of issues.
“I’m not afraid for myself. I’ll be OK. I’m OK with my God or higher power or whatever you want to call it. But my No. 1 concern is that a young soldier does not return home,” he said. “I’m also concerned about the heat. I thrive in 70-degree weather. The heat there will hurt me.”
Schacher said his time in Iraq, or wherever the 3rd Battalion deploys, is part of the debt he must pay back.
“My bachelor’s, my master’s was paid for because of the military. How do I pay that back except by doing what I’m doing?” he said.
He said, though, his wife is not as enthusiastic about his upcoming deployment as he is.
“She’s not happy,” he said.
Schacher said his mother, aged 93 and living in La Grande, is not too thrilled about his upcoming deployment either.
“She does not like the idea of me going overseas,” he said.
Passing on the knowledge he has gained over more than 20 years of service in the military will be crucial, Schacher said.
“I would like them (soldiers) to have the opportunities I’ve had,” he said.
Schacher said he would miss some things about civilian life.
“I’m going to miss elk season and steelhead season. I’m thinking about throwing one of my fly poles in a conex so I can practice over there,” he said.
For Schacher spending time debating abstract issues regarding the invasion and the occupation of Iraq is a waste of time.
“Are we policing the world? Who knows? But someone has to accept responsibility. We, as citizens, have a responsibility to right illegal acts in the world community. If you watch someone break into a car and let that happen, who is right and who is wrong? This (the deployment) is the right thing to do. I can’t think of a better way to spend 18 months,” he said.
