Jordan High School - Class of 1991
Where Are They Now

Jeremy Clawson

Email from Jeremy to Jeff Litster and Others

Week one is done here at Infantry Basic Officer Leader Course and I am doing well. On day two the company took the Army Physical Fitness Test -- I scored 325 of 300 points. (They score all students on the 17-21 year-old scale.) I did 85 push-ups, 83 sit-ups and ran two miles in 12:45, then did 17 chin-ups (only 6 were required.) I did the extra 11 chin-ups just for good measure. I was also named student First Sergeant... It is a student company leadership position and I don't yet know when I will be relieved, if at all. The Cadre 1SG said I may hold this position for a long while, depending on how I perform. I hold the highest PT score in my Platoon and hope to compete in the C Company IRON MAN Competition on May 16.

Below is the biographical sketch I wrote last week. Some of it I stole from an essay I wrote in OCS. The cadre asked a series of questions and said keep it to a page.

2LT Clawson - Biographical Introduction

My name is Jeremy Andrew Clawson and I am a member of the Kansas National Guard. Raised in Sandy City, 15 miles south of Salt Lake City, Utah, I enlisted in the infantry out of high school. I begin this bio with why I sought and obtained my commission after 14 years of enlisted service, followed by a summary of my service history, my family and interests, then concluding with what I expect from IBOLC.

My reasons for pursuing a commission as an Infantry Officer in the United States Army are varied and broad gauged, some reasons tangible, others intangible. The first tangible reason is my desire to lead men in combat. This type of leadership is the pinnacle of a soldier's profession. Combat is why we train. If combat is happening, I want to not only participate, but to be instrumental. The second reason is character. I am a man of character and I want this to shine through in my career. By serving as a commissioned officer I know I will become an even better man. I will be a better leader, a better father, husband, brother, son and citizen. Leaders of character must produce and drive sound policies. This creates a healthy command climate and a more successful force. Third, I seek the mantle of leadership, the professional environment, the expectation of excellence and the responsibility that comes with command. I desire these because I want to reach my potential. Entering the Infantry Officer ranks allows much greater potential for growth. These three reasons: Combat, character, and reaching my potential bring with them respect, responsibility, satisfaction, and untold opportunities. The more intangible aspect of my desire to become an Infantry Officer rests in my idealism. Fundamentally I believe in the American ideal. I truly believe that we, as a nation and people, are a force for good in the world. The sad fact is that the American role outside its borders has been damaged by our efforts in recent years. Army officers play a crucial role in correcting problems as they arise. The Abu Graib prison scandal lost the war of perceptions for the U.S. around the globe. We are still reeling from the damage those images have done. These incidents could have been reduced or avoided with the frontline efforts of a Lieutenant or Captain. I am a leader of character. I want the opportunity to lead service men and women in an upright manner, to be that warrior diplomat at the tip of the spear who will set and enforce standards beyond reproach. The American people expect and deserve officers with the abilities to lead well not only in combat, but also at the table with foreign locals and leaders. Finally, we are at war! More now then at any time in my life, the nation needs strong leaders. I intend to be one of those leaders.

I have ten active years in service and four in the Guard. I have served in Camp Greaves, Korea – 2ID 1/506 INF (Air Assault), Fort Riley, KS - 2/16 INF (Mech.), Fort Bragg, NC – 82 nd ABN 1/504 PIR, and in the KS NG – 105th Mobile Public Affairs Detachment. I have deployed to Camp McGovern, Brcko, Bosnia, to Klokot, Kosovo, and to Kandahar Airfield, Afghanistan for OEF V. I have trained at NTC four times and JRTC once. I have earned my ABN and AA wings and my EIB. As a Staff Sergeant in the KS NG, I attended Federal OCS from June to October 2006. I have studied Political Science and Criminal Justice in my undergraduate studies at both Wichita State University and the University of Phoenix.

I married in 1997 and have a nine year old daughter. My wife teaches sociology and dance at Wichita State University and also coaches the WSU Dance Team. My academic interests lay in International Security Studies and the National Guard State Partnership Program. I intend to earn a doctoral degree in International Relations. Other academic areas of interest are the contract security market, the long term effects from outsourcing international security, the changing dynamic between states and private military companies and how it effects who has a monopoly on the use of force.

I expect this course to prepare me to lead men in combat, by helping me become more adaptive operationally and develop core skills required of an Infantry Platoon Leader. Furthermore I want to be challenged on every level. I know I will make mistakes and learn from them. From IBOLC I intend to leave with a rock solid foundation of the fundamentals. Finally, I expect to lead my peers and mentor those who need it and to continuously learn from those around me.

I hope all is well with the unit and your lives. I hope to attend the Mech LDR Course, then on to Pre-Ranger and Ranger School. Those courses should keep me here until the end of September.