Some DET 4 History
Lynn Wardlow
After coming off 4 years of active duty I went back to school, got my mathematics degree, and started teaching in MN. I joined an MTU and later was encouraged by OIC Col Burke to apply for SMCR duty with Det 4 in Chicago as they were seeking 0800 officers. I did and Col Weinlieder (sp?), the OIC then, called me and we set up an interview.
What is amusing is I had just had a vasectomy on Friday but though still quite sore I agreed to meet the Col in Tomah, WI, on Saturday. He was shocked and a little embarrassed when he asked me why I was walking so timidly and I told him about the vasectomy. For me to drive 4 hours or so for this interview while in pain must have impressed him. I was hired and began drilling the next month. This was in the fall of 1982 or 1983, not exactly sure of the time frame.
Colonel Waters was our next OIC and then things got serious. We learned this new war game called Steelthrust and the training of Reserve Battalion command staffs began. Soon whenever a Battalion was slated for a CAX they would invite Det 4 to come do an exercise for them. I think we usually had 28 controllers surrounding a large map board, we gave them an order and the fun began. As far as the Bn staff knew it could have been a real exercise in the field because all of the com lines were active and radio traffic came across just as it does in actual combat.
I remember Col Waters had one of our drills in Washington D.C. where we were informing the Marines about Steelthrust and how it could be an aid to Bn staffs. My memory is foggy here but we may have been advertising our expertise at MCCRES as well at that same meeting as we had moved into that arena.
Speaking of MCCRES, we did one for a Bn at Camp Ripley, MN. There was a restaurant/bar just outside the base where we ate (and had a few beers). There was an Army officer and an Army medic there having a beer at the bar. We got along well with the officer but the medic, a Vietnam vet starting bad mouthing Marines and relating how he had seen some of them die in a very derisive manner.
Colonel Waters was our next OIC and then things got serious. We learned this new war game called Steelthrust and the training of Reserve Battalion command staffs began. Soon whenever a Battalion was slated for a CAX they would invite Det 4 to come do an exercise for them. I think we usually had 28 controllers surrounding a large map board, we gave them an order and the fun began. As far as the Bn staff knew it could have been a real exercise in the field because all of the com lines were active and radio traffic came across just as it does in actual combat.
I remember Col Waters had one of our drills in Washington D.C. where we were informing the Marines about Steelthrust and how it could be an aid to Bn staffs. My memory is foggy here but we may have been advertising our expertise at MCCRES as well at that same meeting as we had moved into that arena.
Speaking of MCCRES, we did one for a Bn at Camp Ripley, MN. There was a restaurant/bar just outside the base where we ate (and had a few beers). There was an Army officer and an Army medic there having a beer at the bar. We got along well with the officer but the medic, a Vietnam vet starting bad mouthing Marines and relating how he had seen some of them die in a very derisive manner.
Col Waters was sitting there and took offense to that and this idiot said, "you are a Col? You look more like a Gunny to me." I was right next to the Col and was already upset with his comments but calling our Col a gunny was the last straw. I stood up and was ready to punch him but the Army officer stepped in and escorted the drunk medic out.
This guy had pissed all of us off and we decided if we saw him again we would do something. I believe we brought a rope along the next night (MCCRES hadn't started yet) and were prepared to tie him up and just let him sit there. When he came in we gathered around him with the rope but he got scared and ran out. If anyone remembers this episode please correct me as my memory may not be accurate. Maybe we did not have a rope and just talked about it, but I do remember we chased him out of the bar.
I have several more stories but my memory is waning although I fondly remember the “Town Cars in attack”. We worked hard in the field but often came back for some “comfort time” in nice motels.
I was with the Det 13 years, longer than I was supposed to but I enjoyed it immensely. The Det even gave me a rocking chair when I retired. The friendships formed will last for ever.
Lynn Wardlow
I have several more stories but my memory is waning although I fondly remember the “Town Cars in attack”. We worked hard in the field but often came back for some “comfort time” in nice motels.
I was with the Det 13 years, longer than I was supposed to but I enjoyed it immensely. The Det even gave me a rocking chair when I retired. The friendships formed will last for ever.
Lynn Wardlow
________________
Lynn D. Wardlow (born November 11, 1943) is a former member of the Minnesota House of Representatives, where he represented District 38B from 2003-2009. The district includes over half of the city of Eagan in Dakota County, which is in the southeastern part of the Twin Cities metropolitan area.
A Republican, he was elected to the open seat vacated by Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty in 2002. As a legislator, he focused on the issues of education, transportation, tax reduction, small business promotion, and health care reform.[1]
While in office, Wardlow served on the following House committees: E-12 Education, Early Childhood Learning Finance Division, Education Finance and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division, Mental Health Division, and Veterans Affairs Division.[2]
1st Lt. Lynn Wardlow receiving Navy Commendation with "Combat V"
Before running for political office, Wardlow was a middle school and high school mathematics teacher and coach for over 30 years in the Rosemount-Eagan-Apple Valley School District. He also served in Vietnam in 1969 as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, earning two Navy Commendation Medals with one a Combat V. He retired from the Marine Corps Reserve in 1995 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He holds a B.A. from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and a M.S. in Mathematics from Mankato State University in Mankato.[3][4]
In the November 2008 general election, Wardlow was unseated by Democrat Mike Obermueller in his bid for a fourth term.[5] His son, Doug Wardlow, subsequently ran for the same seat in the 2010 general election, unseating Obermueller.[6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Wardlow
A Republican, he was elected to the open seat vacated by Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty in 2002. As a legislator, he focused on the issues of education, transportation, tax reduction, small business promotion, and health care reform.[1]
While in office, Wardlow served on the following House committees: E-12 Education, Early Childhood Learning Finance Division, Education Finance and Economic Competitiveness Finance Division, Mental Health Division, and Veterans Affairs Division.[2]
Before running for political office, Wardlow was a middle school and high school mathematics teacher and coach for over 30 years in the Rosemount-Eagan-Apple Valley School District. He also served in Vietnam in 1969 as a Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps, earning two Navy Commendation Medals with one a Combat V. He retired from the Marine Corps Reserve in 1995 at the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. He holds a B.A. from Augustana College in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and a M.S. in Mathematics from Mankato State University in Mankato.[3][4]
In the November 2008 general election, Wardlow was unseated by Democrat Mike Obermueller in his bid for a fourth term.[5] His son, Doug Wardlow, subsequently ran for the same seat in the 2010 general election, unseating Obermueller.[6
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lynn_Wardlow
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