Richard Caballero:
CLASS OF 1984
Lamesa High SchoolClass of 1984
Lamesa, TX
Texas Tech University - BusinessClass of 1984
Lubbock, TX
Richard's Story
Life
I married my high school sweetheart, the former Ms. Debbie Hernandez. We dated for appox. 5 years before getting married, so technically we have been together for over 25 years. We own a house in Killeen, Tx better known as the home of Fort Hood. I plan on retiring there because the community is just the right size. Not too big, but not too small and within a reasonable drive to Dallas or Austin/San Antonio. We have 2 daughters,Chelsea-19, currently a student at Angelo State University and Makayla-13, who will beginning the 8th grade. We have 3 dogs, Boxer-Precious, Chihauhua-Ruby and Pitbull/Lab mix-Payne and they are all females. We have a turtle named Crush that Makayla picked up from creek near my parent's house in Copperas Cove, TX. So as you can see, there is way too much estrogen in my house that you can usually find me in my garage working on my 1966 Chevrolet PU or the 1979 Volkswagen Super Beetle Convertible that my wife has had since it was brand new. The garage is my sanctuary, it's got my country music and occasionally I'll crank some ZZTOPP or AC/DC to take me back, it's got my adult beverage container (refrigerator with some cold beer)and it's got all my tools. NO GIRLS ALLOWED by order of the HE MAN WOMAN HATERS CLUB. I enjoy working the yard and playing golf when I have the time. I'm about a 15 handicap, I play about bogey golf with a par here and there. My second shot kills me.
School
I enjoyed all Math classes and Chemistry. My favorite teacher was Mrs. Leonard. I really enjoyed her way of teaching and I enjoyed her as a person as well. I loved playing football, but I was just too damn small to take it any further. Herman Martinez and I were inseparable during high school. We made the most of our time in Lamesa, Tx and had a good time doing it.
College
I was "at" Texas Tech right after high school. I say "at" because, I didn't take college seriously and I partied way too much. Norman Estrada was my room mate and we lived Animal House. It's only by God's grace that I am here today. I wasted an opportunity that some don't get.
Workplace
I worked various jobs, but working in the automotive field made me the happiest. I sold auto parts in Lamesa, TX and Lubbock,Tx, pumped gas, worked at Fred Barrington Chevrolet in Lamesa washing cars and assisting the mechanincs whenever possible. I also sacked groceries and stocked shelves at Furr's in Lamesa and Furr's in Lubbock. My last paying job that I almost held on to before joining the military was at the TRW automotive parts warehouse in Lubbock. I started by unloading the trucks and stocking shelves. I later was promoted to inventory control and had another promotion offer on the table to become a countersperson responsible for taken orders over the phone creating and processing sales invoices.
Military
This is responsible for almost half of my life. Entered the m...Expand for more
ilitary in 1988 and shipped off to Ft. Leonardwood, Missouri. It was there that this wild horse was broken. All I could think of was, that if I can get through this, I can do anything in life. Got through basic and moved on to the famous Fort Knox, Kentucky. There I was trained as a Bradley Fighting Vehicle Mechanic. My first duty station was Ft. Irwin, CA. Enjoyed being in California. I don't think we went to the same beach twice in the 4 years I was there. Next up was Schwienfurt, Germany. Loved Germany with all the castles and good beer, but after 3 years it was time to go. No drag racing. Fort Hood was next with a tour in 4TH Infantry Division. We were responsible for restructing the Army to the way it is now. We were the first unit to restructure and our training was dubbed "The Advanced Warfigher Exercise" (AWE). Next,I went to a school at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Maryland. There I got to go to Washington,DC and check out all the memorials and visit allmy brothers and sisters that went before me at Arlington National Cemetary. Going to DC really made me proud to be a Soldier. It reminds me of our founding fathers and that freedom isn't free. The Vietnam Wall, the Korean War memroial, the Lincoln Memorial and lastly the changing of the guard at the Tomb of the Unkown Soldier. The Inner Harbor in Baltimore was a blast, party time. Korea was next for me in 1999 and it was good. Soldiers are really tight there, regardless of rank. Almost like being in combat, because your fellow Soldiers are all the family you have. Came back to Fort Hood in 2000 to the 2nd Brigade Combat Team of the 1st Cavalry Division. Out of all the units that I have been in, I'm most proud of being with "The First Team". The Cav is also known as "America's Hammer", because we bring the hurt. The Cav has been in every major conflict our nation has been involved in, so the unit is special. All Army units are proud and each has their own motto. One of ours is, "If you ain't Cav, you ain't SHIT". We were one of the first units deployed to New Orleans to assist in the Hurricane Katrina relief effort. Currently I'm on my second tour to Baghdad and I'm approaching 20 years of service in April 2008. Thoughts of retirement are crossing my mind, but with our nation at war, I don't think I could stand on the sidelines and not be "In the game". I call it "a game" because we train (which I call practice) for war constantly. I practiced for the game for approximately 15 years before I got to play the game. We all know war is not a game, but you just have to go out and run your plays as designed and the winner will be decided at the end. We just don't know when the end of the game is. I love being a Soldier, the commraderie, there is nothing like it and it is just like being on a team. One purpose, one direction all working together. If you read all of this, thank you for your support.
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