Chris Bennett
Hey, hi, hello.
I really don’t know what to say. When Macias got to his first unit in Fort Lewis Washington he was placed in my squad Alongside SSG Matthews (the squad leader), SGT Eskridge (A team leader), Myself SGT Bennett (B team leader). Spc Lorrance, SPC Rodriguez, SPC Archer, SPC Harris, SPC Ramos, PFC Hardrick, PFC Allaway, and PVT Macias. As the Bravo team leader Macias fell under my direct leadership and as a new soldier who was in the Army since breakfast chow he was extremely quiet and always quick to move. He also always showed everyone and anyone upmost respect. After a few weeks of inprocessing and getting used to the work flow myself, SGT Eskridge and SSG Matthews had our daily huddle and SSG Matthews had told me Macias is solid but we got to break him out of his shell, I think we had taken the whole squad to lunch (we did what we could from time to time), I got to know him more on a personal level found out he had a daughter, he wanted to be a Ranger, then he asked me.. “sarnt.. when can I get promoted” I was like friend, your the lowest man on the pole you just got here, I’ll vouch for you BUT you have to give me 100% in everything. After that Macias was like my shadow wherever I went he was there 2 steps behind me .. PT was his thing he as out working everyone every single time, he’d be in the motorpool before everyone getting the trucks ready for mission or just regular maintenance days, he constantly would voulenteer for mission or support or anything he could he soaked in knowledge from not only his peers but myself, Eskridge and Matthews. He ended up getting promoted about 2 months later. No matter what was going on before I could even get his Name out he’d already be like “movin sarnt!”. (As pictured below) anywhere I was Macias was 3 steps behind me. A few months before I departed JBLM I had been moved to another Squad during a manning realignment so Macias was no longer under my leadership but by far one of the best soldiers I’ve ever had the honor to lead in 14 years. The last night I was on JBLM before I was departing to Fort Benning GA it’s about 1am I get a phone call and I see it’s him so I answer “what’s up stud?” “Heyyyy sarnnnnnt sorry to call you but I need help I’m in downtown Tacoma and I’m lost” so I told him to sit tight and I’d come get him, I ended up calling SSG Matthews and we rode down together to get him, I ended up finding him outside in a white tee shirt and a cowboy hat. (This is also Washington in January) I’m like Whaaaat are you doing McWeirdo?where’s your jacket ? He looks at me (after having a good ole time with his friends) and dead stares at me “IM A COWBOY FROM OKLAHOMAAAAAAA” I was like friend if you don’t get your butt in this car! The whole way back to post to drop him off at his house the ride is dead silent “sarnt can you put some music on” I was like dude I dc .. he grabs my phone I was like Macias i swear to god if you play any of that country stuff you play in the truck I’m gonna drop you off right here.. followed by a heavy sighhhhh and a “cmon sarnt” I was like fine but nothing sad.. I forgot what the song was but he sang it so out of tune it was hilarious it was hard not to laugh. I finally got him home and I got his door .. he turned around and looked at me and his eyes were tearing up and he just kept apologizing to me for making me come get him. I was like don’t worry about it Tex go inside go to bed he then replied with “sarnt one day I’m gonna be an NCO like you” I told him no, you’re gonna an NCO like yourself.
Anyway that’s my story about Mr Macias. I hope you found it in good taste I hope some of you laughed. He was a good egg. (Below is a picture someone had taken of me during a training we were doing but right behind me is Macias .. I don’t think he realizes for as much as I pushed him he also pushed me)
