Part-time Soldier. Full-time Patriot.
When he was in college, John Bandy had authority issues. He was rebellious and considered himself “anti-military.” But, as he put it, time can change your perspective. And, so it was that seven years ago, Bandy became a soldier. A peacekeeper. A member of the U.S. Naval Reserve. When that commitment took him into a war zone, he became a patriot.
There was no one thing that made this Primerica Operations Support Manager join the Reserves, but his decision was tempered by familial influences and tragedy. His father worked for global security company Lockheed Martin. He had family in both the Army and the Air Force. His brother-in-law was on active duty in the Army. And then there was 9/11. The terror that befell New York on September 11, 2001, made Bandy – like so many other Americans – take a second look at what he could do to help his country.
Married and the father of three children, Bandy knew when he enlisted that there was a possibility that he’d be deployed. They all knew. But when political tensions escalated in Afghanistan, the possibility became a matter of when – not if. “When you’re in intelligence, like I am,” Bandy said, “you’re going to get deployed.” So, in 2006, when he received his orders, the first thing he did was call his wife.
Over There
Bandy began training in November 2006, and by March 2007 he was assigned to Kandahar, the second largest city in Afghanistan. He was only there for a week before he experienced his first rocket attack. Other than a short leave after seven months, he lived in Kandahar until he came home in March of 2008.
As oppressive as the weather, the language barriers and what Bandy calls “typical combat stuff” were, being away from his family during the holidays was just as bad. He spent Thanksgivings in Afghanistan and missed the birthdays of each of his children. “We went to another base for Christmas lunch,” he remembers, “but the rest of the day was like any other. You just worked through the holidays, because the war doesn’t stop.”
Coming Home
Bandy’s bags were packed a full month ahead of time to go home. “I remember looking out that airplane window and thinking, I’ll never miss this place.” He muses, “Getting back home was the best thing! I landed in Baltimore and took a flight to Jacksonville, FL, and back to Atlanta. You can’t imagine what it feels like knowing your family is at the end of that escalator.”
What’s Changed?
His deployment gave him an intense appreciation of his co-workers back home, too. “One of my highlights was receiving a care package from my Primerica family. It included a calendar, a DVD greeting from my co-workers and snack food, including beef jerky – which was always a big hit over there! It meant a lot to me to see those familiar faces and know that they cared enough to create it for me and that they were rooting for me all along.”
His time there also gave him a very low tolerance for complaining. “When people complain about the weather, I think put on 60 pounds of gear, go out in 100 degree weather and stand for eight hours on a medical mission. If they complain of being hungry, I think, go out and survive on MREs (meals ready to eat). I know the complainers didn’t share my experience, but having lived it changed my tolerance for people who complain about the simple things.”
He says his war zone experience taught him a lesson he uses every day now: “When your life depends on someone else, and theirs on you, you learn a lot about yourself. People put artificial limits on themselves. When you push yourself to your limits, you realize you can go further than you ever thought.”
Bandy’s enlistment is up in March of 2011, and this intelligence specialist will become U.S. Naval Reserve Petty Officer, First Class (ret.) John Bandy. Until then, he will continue to drill one weekend a month and two weeks a year with his joint intelligence command. They continue to prepare for the next mission that may or may not come. Either way, they’ll be ready to keep the peace and protect the freedoms that make this country the United States of America.
Tags: "September 11, 2001", Afghanistan, employee, family, Field Instruction, freedom, intelligence specialist, John Bandy, Kandahar, Navy, patriot, peace, Primerica, Primerica family, Primerica home office, Primerica Operations Support Manager, protect, soldier, U.S. Naval Reserve, U.S. Navy
This entry was posted on Thursday, August 5th, 2010 at 4:00 pm and is filed under Primerica. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
August 6th, 2010 at 6:47 am Larry Scruggs Says:
John Bandy, thank you for what you do and did for our country.
August 9th, 2010 at 11:05 am Gary Robertson Says:
John,
Thank you for your SERVICE! What you do is greatly appreciated. Our prayers are with you and your Family at home, and all Service members of our US Forces.
As a Veteran having served with Military Intelligence (US Army), and currently a proud Representative of Primerica, I wish you a safe return and future “retirement” from your years of dedicated Service.
Best Regards and God Bless,
Gary Robertson
August 9th, 2010 at 11:12 am Ginger Whitley Says:
John, you are a living testimony and hero to our family, especially in Chancey’s eyes. We are so thankful for your service. You taught true American pride when you came home and spoke to their class. We will never forget the impact it had on Chancey. He came home from school and repeated many things you told them about your service. It made an impact on all of us!
We are thankful to call you friend and American hero!
August 9th, 2010 at 4:55 pm Wanda Wallae Says:
John Bandy:
Our team thanks you for your service, we also appreciate the sacrifice your family has to endure when you are away.
We appreciate you guys putting your life on the line in order for us to have Freedom!
Praying for you guys,
WallaceTeam
August 16th, 2010 at 10:59 am Ken & Donna Ashley Says:
John;
Thank you for your service….for those of us who lost loved ones in this war we appreciate your service even more. As long as men and women like you keep serving then their lives lost were not in vain.
Ken & Donna Ashley
Power Dream Team
August 18th, 2010 at 4:53 pm terral mcdonald Says:
would like to say thanks for all you have done for us and our country. Also for being a primerican.
August 23rd, 2010 at 1:25 pm Denise Hanley Says:
I’ve noticed a lot of Primerica is made up of us military veterans. This is a way to continue in our patriotic duty, to keep the American Dream alive; and to ensure America maintains her freedom. We are all part of this Crusade, whether in uniform or out. I thank John Bandy for his commitment to PRI-aMERICA!
August 24th, 2010 at 5:52 pm janet lawson Says:
Thank you very much for all you have done for me and my family and the U.S.. Keeping us safe from all the thing that could happen. I’m also very happy that you are coming home, are at home for your family. I hope you can enjoy the kids birthdays that ‘s coming. please be happy and stay love for the rested of your life. LOVE AND HAPPINESS.
August 27th, 2010 at 7:23 pm Leatha Petersen Says:
Nice and thank you for everything you have done to fight for our freedom
September 3rd, 2010 at 10:41 am Holly and K.C. Chhipwadia Says:
Thanks so much for your bravery and service shipmate. Thank you for protecting our families and allowing us to enjoy our freedoms.
HOOYAH!
September 22nd, 2010 at 9:56 am LaJanna Miller Says:
Thank you for your sacrific for our country and our families!!! May God Bless You in everything you do!!!!