Andre Myrick:
CLASS OF 1976
Ketcham Elementary SchoolClass of 1976
Washington, DC
American University - Public AffairsClass of 1989
Washington, DC
Ballou High SchoolClass of 1982
Washington, DC
Kramer Junior High SchoolClass of 1978
Washington, DC
Andre's Story
Ok, time to step into the time machine, following my graduation from Ballou Sr. High School, I immediately enlisted in the U.S. Army, given my applications to VMI and West Point were not accepted. Now, according to my recruiter, I scored very high for 11-Bravo (Infantry), and was sent off to Ft. Benning, GA where I did my Basic and AIT. I then completed jump school and got assigned to the 82nd Airborne Division.
During my first tour with the 82nd I took part in Operations Urgent Fury (Grenada), and Brightstar (Sinai, Egypt). Following my tour of duty in the Sinai, I briefly served with the First Infantry Division at Fort Riley, Kansas.
From September 1985-June 1989, I was an undergraduate at The American University in WDC, were I graduated with a degree in political science and an ROTC commission as a second lieutenant in the...you guessed it...
Infantry.
Following my completion of the Infatry Officers Basic Course at Ft. Benning, I got reassigned to the 82nd Airborne Division's 4th Battalion and took part in Operation Just Cause, where I earned my second CIB.
Following my return from Panama, I was promoted to XO and with the conclusion of the Cold War before me, I jumped on the opportunity to go to Ft. Wachuka in Arizona and completed MIOAC, which caused me to miss out on Operations Desert Shield/Storm.
Following Ft. Wachuka, I was downsized to Reserve status, which allowed me to join the Federal Bureau of Prisons as a Correctional Officer, first I had to complete FLETC and then got assigned to the Federal Penetentiary at Marion, Illinois and then to the Federal Pen at Lewisburg PA., despite my transition into the civilian world, my heart still yearned for the Army and I couldn't understand how the Cold War came to an abrupt end? Maybe Gorbachev got word of me, a loose cannon graduating from college with an officer's co...Expand for more
mmission in the US Army, and decided to give everyone their freedom.
Anyway, I was informed of an intel spot in DC, got the slot, got promoted to captain and found out it was a reserve spot. Now, I was between a rock and a hard place, I had a reserve assignment, but no 9-5 due to a recession it was early 1992. My life was getting ready to take a turn for the worse, I applied with the DC Department of Corrections, got hired, trained, and assigned to the Occoquan facility in Lorton VA. That experience was an eye-opener.
Prior to completing my first year as a CO with the DC Dept. of Corrections, I ran into a friend of mine I previously served with at Bragg, he was now working at USADCSPER, I told him I was trying to get with SOUTHCOM. My friend at USADCSPER took care me, I got orders to report back to Bragg to the G2 staff of the XVIII Airborne Corps...Destination...Somalia.
Somalia was a learning experience and another eye-opener, here the US was combating a people who nothing but war, and have been killing each other for decades. And if they weren't killing themselve they were fighting their neighbor, the Ethiopians.
Following my return from Somalia, I settled back into my law enforcement career and completed 8 years with DC DOC and then in 2000, transferred to DC Police (MPDC)where I continue to work custody at the Third District.
In 2001, I finally got married to my wife Viviana, who originated from Colombia, and who I met while on a business trip in Panama in 1999. We live in Upper Marlboro, MD and are the proud parents of our daughter, Nicole.
Finally, after a 21-year relationship, seven years enlisted and fourteen as a commissioned officer (O-4), I divorced Uncle Sam retired from the U.S. Army as an intel officer.
The road is tough, but there are rewards along the way, because you never fail until you stop trying.
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