LTC (R) Frank Nieto

LTC (R) Frank Nieto sat down with me for Heroes I Know.

His dad was Navy. Vietnam. A Texan. The advice from that house was go military. Just do not go Army. Frank went Army. It was not chic. Old Vietnam NCOs still there. They put boot to ass. He suffered. They taught him how serious it was.

Young Frank was California until he was twelve. Just north of Los Angeles. Beach. He wanted to surf. Then Texas. Cowboy hat. Barbecue with his dad. Mom was a hippie from California. They divorced. He considers himself a Texan. A Southerner. He lives in Kansas City now. He wants to retire south. He was not known for grades. Heading down the wrong road. Work got his attention. His dad was a workaholic. They remodeled the house top to bottom. Put a roof on it. Worked on every car. No Mr. Rooter. Grab the plumbing box.

ADA officer basic. Orders to Germany. Bradley Linebacker. Everybody signing out on leave. Captain Bradberry rolled in. Who wants to go to Italy. Hands up. Then he said it is airborne. Hands down. Frank's stayed up. Orders changed.

First company was a trip. Captain Finsel. Later a one-star. XO was Marty Schweitzer. Retired three-star. Battalion commander Colonel Bray. Later a one-star. On the 173rd side Rich Clark. Kurilla as brigade XO. Camper had D Battery. Frank walked in with no Ranger tab. Out of Bliss. A tank of piranhas. He got moving. Stinger guy. They stacked the missiles. Grabbed rifles. Raids. Recons. Ambushes. Then they lined up in the desert.

You do not survive in the airborne unless you are at your A-game. Lives on the line from day one. He took it serious. He works national defense now. He is always going to be a soldier.

He is planning the 1-44 OIF reunion. 2003. Todd Morrow had his. Frank thinks about his guys and gals. Different colors. Different religions. He was proud to be an inclusive commander.

Last night he was on the softball field. Field of Dreams. His little girl is a catcher. Taekwondo. National Junior Honor Society. In it to win it. Those smiles. That is why we hit record. Get the story on tape before we are too old or too sick to tell it.