Gann inducted into Arkansas OCS Hall of Fame

By Kyle Troutman [email protected]

A career that began with an enlistment in the Army National Guard in 1979 and continued through deployments overseas and domestic emergency response has earned Larry Gann a place in the Arkansas Officer Candidate School Hall of Fame.

Gann, a 1979 Cassville High School graduate who grew up in Golden, was one of six people inducted this year. The Arkansas National Guard recognizes a select number of Officer Candidate School graduates annually based on their military careers, leadership experience and service.

“I thought when I retired, the last time I would ever have a military function would be that,” Gann said. “Then, to get the call when I was on vacation in Florida that I’ve been nominated for it, it kind of just sat me down.”

Gann began his military career Nov. 26, 1979, enlisting with the 110th Engineer Battalion in Lexington. After moving to the University of Arkansas about a year and a half later, he transferred to the field artillery and continued his service in the Arkansas National Guard.

He attended the Arkansas Officer Candidate School and graduated in 1984 as the honor graduate, receiving his commission as a second lieutenant in field artillery. Over the next several years, he served in a variety of positions, including forward observer, fire direction officer, ammunition officer, nuclear courier officer and battery executive officer.

Gann was promoted to captain in 1990 and assigned as the intelligence officer for the 1st Battalion, 142nd Field Artillery. He served in that role during the brigade’s deployment to Iraq in support of Operation Desert Storm.

The unit mobilized on Thanksgiving Day 1990 and went to Fort Sill, Okla., before deploying. Gann returned home July 1, 1991.

Following Desert Storm, Gann held several command and staff positions, including commander of Service Battery and Battery A, 1st Battalion, 142nd Field Artillery, and battalion operations officer. He later served at Arkansas National Guard Joint Force Headquarters as the state environmental officer and state safety officer.

In 2003, he was assigned as commander of the 1st Battalion, 142nd Field Artillery. In 2006, he returned to command the battalion and serve as rear detachment commander while the 142nd Field Artillery had multiple deployments.

Gann also served in two major domestic missions. He spent nine months in New Orleans as the Arkansas National Guard’s officer in charge following Hurricane Katrina. He later spent 18 months in New Mexico as officer in charge of Task Force Razorback during Operation Jump Start, a National Guard mission supporting border security efforts.

While overseas deployments were an important part of his career, Gann said he particularly valued the National Guard’s role in responding to needs at home.

“The National Guard, which is where I was most of my career, they do have an active mission in wars, which we’ve seen over the last 25 years,” he said. “But, their primary duty, secondarily to that, is serving stateside.”

Gann said the dual mission distinguishes the National Guard from active-duty military service.

“We train for war, and we train for stateside missions to assist the state governors in protecting the state citizens,” he said.

Gann retired May 1, 2014, with the rank of colonel. His military awards and decorations include the Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medals, Southwest Asia Service Medals, Global War on Terrorism Medal, Kuwait Liberation Medal and Airborne Parachutist Badge.

For Gann, the Hall of Fame induction was meaningful not only because of the recognition, but also because it brought him back together with people who shared his military experience.

“To be in the same class as two of my very dear friends, and the spouse of another good acquaintance in the Guard, was an honor to be with those guys,” he said.

Gann said his path from a small-town high school graduate to a colonel was made possible in part by educational opportunities through the military. He was the first person in his family to graduate from college, and tuition assistance was one of the reasons he initially enlisted.

He encouraged young people considering military service not to limit what they believe they can accomplish.

“Don’t set your limits low,” he said. “The opportunities are there for anybody that wants to work hard, educate themselves and do the right thing.”

Gann said the National Guard can provide an opportunity for people who want to serve their country while also pursuing education and other goals.

“You don’t have to go active duty,” he said. “The National Guard is a very good opportunity to serve your country and help better yourself and help better the citizens around you.”

Gann also emphasized the role his wife, Paula, played throughout his military career. He said military service affects the entire family, particularly when a service member is away and a spouse must manage responsibilities at home.

“We do our job and we’re out there doing it, but then when we’re gone, the one who has to take care of everything while we’re gone is the spouse,” he said. “They’re still dealing with everything they deal with, plus everything we dealt with. They’re doing it by themselves.

“My wife, Paula, is the rock.”

Gann and Paula live in Verona and also have property in Cassville, where they spend time with their children and grandchildren, golf and enjoy time on the lake.