About

Captain Terry M. Hestilow, United States Army, Retired

US Army – Retired.

Infantry:
1st Cavalry Division, Texas
4th Infantry Division, Colorado
95th Division (IT), OK & LA

Military Police:
560th MP Co., Vietnam
258th MP Co., Louisiana

Civil Affairs:
82d Airborne Division, Afghanistan

Captain Hestilow was born in Fort Worth, Texas. He studied American Karate under Mr. Chuck Loven, and, as a Black Belt, taught karate while serving in the United States Army and also at schools in Fort Worth, Texas, and Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He fought in tournaments throughout the southwest. His tournament victories include: 4th place, United States Karate Championships, Dallas, Texas, 1970, light weight Brown Belt division; 4th place, Louisiana Karate Championships, Bossier City, Louisiana, 1973, light weight Black Belt division, 4th place, Black Belt Kata (Forms); 4th place, Texas Karate Championships, Fort Worth, Texas, 1973, light weight Black Belt division, 1st place, Black Belt Kata (Forms).

Became a Christian while attending Wichita Street Baptist Church, later attended seminary (Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary) and served churches in Colorado and Louisiana as pastor, and various other ministry organizations as chaplain (Tarrant County Pro-Life Action Network; Corps of Cadets, University of Texas at Arlington); conference leader (Sunday School Board of the Southern Baptist Convention at Glorieta, New Mexico); and president (National Military Science Christian Student Ministry). Captain Hestilow, while not serving as a military chaplain, did serve as the religious activities director for the military chapel at Forward Operating Base/Provincial Reconstruction Team-Farah, Farah, Afghanistan.

Married to Rebecca Ann Ryan of Bedford, Texas, for more than three decades. Father of three living adult children and one child already in heaven.

The rest…
US Army, Infantry, Military Police, and Civil Affairs. Retired from an Army Career with service divided in both Active and Reserve components.
Combat Service: Republic of Vietnam and Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
Unit Assignments:
560th MP Company, 18th MP Brigade (Vietnam).
258th MP Company, 5th Army, Fort Polk, Louisiana.
315th MP Platoon, Fort Worth, Texas.
Headquarters, 95th Division, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
1st Bn 5th Cav, 1st Cavalry Division, Ft. Hood, Texas.
2nd Bn 7th Cav, 1st Cavalry Division, Ft. Hood, Texas.
3rd Bn 377th Infantry, 95th Div., Durant, Oklahoma.
1st Bn 8th Infantry, 4th Inf. Div., Ft. Carson, Colorado.
Headquarters, 95th Div., Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
M-ATC, 5th Inf. Div., Fort Polk, Louisiana.
Break in service 12 March 1993-22 May 2002.
812th Air Ambulance Company, New Orleans, LA.
1st Bn 244 Aviation, LANG, New Orleans, LA.
1192nd USA Trans Terminal Brigade, New Orleans, LA.
1st Bn 378th Inf., 95th Div, Lafayette, Louisiana.
82nd Airborne Division, Provincial Reconstruction Team, Farah, Afghanistan, CJTF-82, CENTCOM.
Retired: November 17, 2008.

Former deputy sheriff:
St. Tammany Parish Sheriff’s Office, Louisiana.

Education includes: Bachelor of General Studies, University of Texas at Arlington, 1983; Bachelor of Arts in History, University of Texas at Arlington, 2011; US Army Basic Military Police School, Fort Gordon, Georgia, 1971; US Army Basic Infantryman’s School, Fort Polk, Louisiana, 1975; US Army Basic Parachutist Course, Fort Benning, Georgia, 1983; US Army Infantry Officer’s Basic Course, Fort Benning, Georgia, 1983; POST III (Corrections) St. Tammany Sheriff’s Office, St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana, 2004; US Army Civil Affairs Officer’s Qualification Course, Fort Bragg, North Carolina, 2006.

Interests and hobbies:
Wife/family and the three “Rs” … Reading, Running, Rodeo.

Mr “OldSchool45B” (or pvtpyle45b),

Thank you for your interest and critique of me and my service. I have not visited my WordPress blog since December of 2012 because of the tremendous interest and demand on my writing on Facebook. I was doing some work in my office today and decided to check on WordPress to see if I wanted to use it in addition to Facebook–then I saw your comments. I don’t really believe that your comments were true questions, but have decided to respond just in case you are genuinely confused. I see by your yahoo account your handle is “PVT Pyle”. That might indicate the origin of your confusion.

From your latest comment, you indicated questions about my uniform in the “About” section photo not bearing a “name tag” (on the right front pocket of my jacket). I understand that as a private, you have probably had limited experience wearing the Army “Blue” uniform. The name tag is not required in all cases. Indeed, it is often omitted. In the case of the photo you find so “interesting”, the miniature Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross unit citation (while not “your thing”) is a part of my uniform and does indeed have a “medallion” suspended vertically from 1/8″ above the right breast pocket with laurel leaves of the frame pointing upward. Because the “medallion” would hang across the “name tag” and conflict with proper appearance, I omitted wearing the name tag.

And about your observation that it was “Interesting that [my] highest award is an ARCOM”–it is a fact that in all of my military service I have ONLY received 3 awards of the ARCOM, 4 awards of the Army Achievement Medal, 2 awards of the Good Conduct Medal (because of my many years of service as an enlisted soldier and infantry noncommissioned officer prior to being commissioned an infantry officer), and my single award of the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal. Of course, the rest of my “decorations” are akin to luggage stickers showing where I have been (i.e. 2 awards of the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 3 campaign stars, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with mobilization device, Army Service Medal, Army Overseas Service Medal, NATO Medal, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal). It is true that I was never awarded (or even recommended) for a Meritorious Service Medal or higher–you got me there. By the way. Can you tell me about all of your medals–above an ARCOM? Any for Valor? Now if you had any of those awards it would, if it was true, be really impressive!

Are you an investigator, Private Pyle? I noticed that you were able to use deductive reasoning to determine that the photo is “newer than 2008” (of course, in this case it could have been 2008 since that is when I returned from Afghanistan). To a newby, like you, I guess that my uniform could be confusing. If you could read better all your confusion would probably all be cleared up for you if you just took the time to read my “About” section just below the photo you so carelessly attacked. Yes, in accordance with Army Regulations, my uniform reflects that I served in Operation Enduring Freedom as a member of Combined Joint Task Force-82 while serving in a hostile fire zone (Afghanistan). More specifically, though, I served on the staff of Provincial Reconstruction Team-Farah. I was the senior civil affairs officer and, as such, the CAT-B team leader for our PRT. You might also be “interested” to know that we were the only U.S. Civil Affairs unit in Regional Command-West; and our PRT (and SF Detachment) were not only the only Special Operations units in RC(W), we were THE ONLY U.S. operation in RC(W) in OEF 2007-2008). That is not indicated on my uniform because that kind of specificity is not usually indicated on one’s uniform.

You have also indicated confusion about me still wearing my infantry branch insignia on my lapels. Simply put, while I graduated in the top 10% of my class in my Civil Affairs Officer Qualification Course on December 21, 2006, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, I never submitted a request to branch transfer from infantry branch to civil affairs. Most of my career, as an NCO and as a company grade officer, has been spent in active component infantry units. While I have great praise and appreciation for Civil Affairs branch, and was personally blessed–at 55 years of age–to lead a civil affairs team in Afghanistan, I have never desired to leave my beloved Infantry branch.

With regard to my ‘missing’ Combat Infantryman’s Badge (CIB), I can only say that we can’t make up the wars we want to fight in–or necessarily–the branch in which we fight when we are deployed to combat. The truth is that I was never deployed to combat with an infantry unit; nor did I see action as an infantryman in an infantry unit. I did see action in 1971 thru 1972 as a convoy gunner/RTO on an armored military police vehicle (V-100) in Vietnam. Long before you were even a gleam in your daddy’s eye (most probably) I served in ‘combat’ along QL (Hwy) 19 running convoys daily between the South China seacoast village of Cha Rang Valley through Binh Dinh and Gia Lai Provinces, through the Central Highland village of An Khe to Pleiku and back again. You don’t get awarded a CIB for combat as an MP. I understand, private, you are too young (and arrogantly ignorant) to know that the Combat Action Badge (CAB) did not come into existence until after 2001 (and it wasn’t authorized to be awarded for prior combat service).

I was not authorized the CAB in Afghanistan. If you think that makes me any less a “combatsoldier” then so be it (others don’t see me as anything less). My mission, as defined by USASOC, USACAPOC(A), and CENTCOM was not “kinetic” in nature. My mission was to assist the provincial government to develop new and more effective ways to support the Afghan people. As such, Afghanistan was not supposed to involve me in typical combat operations. My task was developing projects to build schools for Afghan boys and girls, projects to build new medical clinics, support for agriculture projects not involving opium, animal husbandry and veterinary care, women’s ministries support (industries), roads and bridges for commerce, possibilities for solar energy grid development, water-well projects, and a dam for hydro-electric energy production and agricultural development. That made me a target of the Taliban each and every day that I was there–but being a target of the Taliban does not qualify a soldier for a CAB (however, some of my troops did get awarded CABs for action on contact while on assessment missions).

You have me on not having an EIB or (even though you didn’t say it) Ranger Tab. I never tested for the EIB (probably the toughest badge to earn and maybe I am a wimp for that); and I didn’t get the chance to go to the Ranger course until I was 32 years old (how old were you when you went?). At 32 almost no one goes through the course–and lives to tell about it. Ask a Ranger. My bad.

I started out in the Army at 19 years old (and turned 20 at Oakland, California, waiting to go to Vietnam). When I was 55 years old I went to Afghanistan because I would not let the Army keep me from going (not because I am brave, but because I felt a profound duty to go). My career doesn’t look like most; but I didn’t want what most others wanted. And I wouldn’t accept just getting by. At the age of 54 I didn’t just pass my PT test; I scored 296 with 70 push-ups, 70 sit-ups, and a 2-mile run in 15:15. When you get to be that age see if you can still even wear an Army uniform!

You hold me in contempt saying that, “The guys that served with [me] in AFG are less than impressed.” I would suggest that you have no idea what the real people I served with think of me. But then, they matter. You don’t.

Your contempt for my combat service doesn’t really count for much. If you think my combat service in Vietnam is meaningless it speaks more about your lack of character than it does about me. And if you would slander the fine men and women who serve in Civil Affairs, it shows that you, not I have been found wanting of integrity.

What you and your fellow slugs are really mad about is my letter to Senator Cornyn published (March 2013) about excessive arms and ammunition purchases by the Department of Homeland Security. My uniform and my military service record doesn’t answer for what is going on in our government today–but you liberals just want to hide what your Lefty leaders are doing by trying anything to slander the messenger pointing out what the Left is doing. It didn’t work.

3 thoughts on “About”

Kathleen Kowalewski says:

December 3, 2012 at 5:05 am

This is a very impressive article. You certainly have wonderful credits to become a governor.

1. Captain Terry M. Hestilow, USA, Retired says:
  
  December 4, 2012 at 12:47 am
  
  I pray I serve you well.
  
Captain Terry M. Hestilow, USA, Retired says:

March 16, 2014 at 2:12 am

Mr “OldSchool45B” (or pvtpyle45b),

Thank you for your interest and critique of me and my service. I have not visited my WordPress blog since December of 2012 because of the tremendous interest and demand on my writing on Facebook. I was doing some work in my office today and decided to check on WordPress to see if I wanted to use it in addition to Facebook–then I saw your comments. I don’t really believe that your comments were true questions, but have decided to respond just in case you are genuinely confused. I see by your yahoo account your handle is “PVT Pyle”. That might indicate the origin of your confusion.

From your latest comment, you indicated questions about my uniform in the “About” section photo not bearing a “name tag” (on the right front pocket of my jacket). I understand that as a private, you have probably had limited experience wearing the Army “Blue” uniform. The name tag is not required in all cases. Indeed, it is often omitted. In the case of the photo you find so “interesting”, the miniature Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross unit citation (while not “your thing”) is a part of my uniform and does indeed have a “medallion” suspended vertically from 1/8″ above the right breast pocket with laurel leaves of the frame pointing upward. Because the “medallion” would hang across the “name tag” and conflict with proper appearance, I omitted wearing the name tag.

And about your observation that it was “Interesting that [my] highest award is an ARCOM”–it is a fact that in all of my military service I have ONLY received 3 awards of the ARCOM, 4 awards of the Army Achievement Medal, 2 awards of the Good Conduct Medal (because of my many years of service as an enlisted soldier and infantry noncommissioned officer prior to being commissioned an infantry officer), and my single award of the Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal. Of course, the rest of my “decorations” are akin to luggage stickers showing where I have been (i.e. 2 awards of the National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Service Medal with 3 campaign stars, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terror Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal with mobilization device, Army Service Medal, Army Overseas Service Medal, NATO Medal, and Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal). It is true that I was never awarded (or even recommended) for a Meritorious Service Medal or higher–you got me there. By the way. Can you tell me about all of your medals–above an ARCOM? Any for Valor? Now if you had any of those awards it would, if it was true, be really impressive!

Are you an investigator, Private Pyle? I noticed that you were able to use deductive reasoning to determine that the photo is “newer than 2008” (of course, in this case it could have been 2008 since that is when I returned from Afghanistan). To a newby, like you, I guess that my uniform could be confusing. If you could read better all your confusion would probably all be cleared up for you if you just took the time to read my “About” section just below the photo you so carelessly attacked. Yes, in accordance with Army Regulations, my uniform reflects that I served in Operation Enduring Freedom as a member of Combined Joint Task Force-82 while serving in a hostile fire zone (Afghanistan). More specifically, though, I served on the staff of Provincial Reconstruction Team-Farah. I was the senior civil affairs officer and, as such, the CAT-B team leader for our PRT. You might also be “interested” to know that we were the only U.S. Civil Affairs unit in Regional Command-West; and our PRT (and SF Detachment) were not only the only Special Operations units in RC(W), we were THE ONLY U.S. operation in RC(W) in OEF 2007-2008). That is not indicated on my uniform because that kind of specificity is not usually indicated on one’s uniform.

You have also indicated confusion about me still wearing my infantry branch insignia on my lapels. Simply put, while I graduated in the top 10% of my class in my Civil Affairs Officer Qualification Course on December 21, 2006, at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, I never submitted a request to branch transfer from infantry branch to civil affairs. Most of my career, as an NCO and as a company grade officer, has been spent in active component infantry units. While I have great praise and appreciation for Civil Affairs branch, and was personally blessed–at 55 years of age–to lead a civil affairs team in Afghanistan, I have never desired to leave my beloved Infantry branch.

With regard to my ‘missing’ Combat Infantryman’s Badge (CIB), I can only say that we can’t make up the wars we want to fight in–or necessarily–the branch in which we fight when we are deployed to combat. The truth is that I was never deployed to combat with an infantry unit; nor did I see action as an infantryman in an infantry unit. I did see action in 1971 thru 1972 as a convoy gunner/RTO on an armored military police vehicle (V-100) in Vietnam. Long before you were even a gleam in your daddy’s eye (most probably) I served in ‘combat’ along QL (Hwy) 19 running convoys daily between the South China seacoast village of Cha Rang Valley through Binh Dinh and Gia Lai Provinces, through the Central Highland village of An Khe to Pleiku and back again. You don’t get awarded a CIB for combat as an MP. I understand, private, you are too young (and arrogantly ignorant) to know that the Combat Action Badge (CAB) did not come into existence until after 2001 (and it wasn’t authorized to be awarded for prior combat service).

I was not authorized the CAB in Afghanistan. If you think that makes me any less a “combatsoldier” then so be it (others don’t see me as anything less). My mission, as defined by USASOC, USACAPOC(A), and CENTCOM was not “kinetic” in nature. My mission was to assist the provincial government to develop new and more effective ways to support the Afghan people. As such, Afghanistan was not supposed to involve me in typical combat operations. My task was developing projects to build schools for Afghan boys and girls, projects to build new medical clinics, support for agriculture projects not involving opium, animal husbandry and veterinary care, women’s ministries support (industries), roads and bridges for commerce, possibilities for solar energy grid development, water-well projects, and a dam for hydro-electric energy production and agricultural development. That made me a target of the Taliban each and every day that I was there–but being a target of the Taliban does not qualify a soldier for a CAB (however, some of my troops did get awarded CABs for action on contact while on assessment missions).

You have me on not having an EIB or (even though you didn’t say it) Ranger Tab. I never tested for the EIB (probably the toughest badge to earn and maybe I am a wimp for that); and I didn’t get the chance to go to the Ranger course until I was 32 years old (how old were you when you went?). At 32 almost no one goes through the course–and lives to tell about it. Ask a Ranger. My bad.

I started out in the Army at 19 years old (and turned 20 at Oakland, California, waiting to go to Vietnam). When I was 55 years old I went to Afghanistan because I would not let the Army keep me from going (not because I am brave, but because I felt a profound duty to go). My career doesn’t look like most; but I didn’t want what most others wanted. And I wouldn’t accept just getting by. At the age of 54 I didn’t just pass my PT test; I scored 296 with 70 push-ups, 70 sit-ups, and a 2-mile run in 15:15. When you get to be that age see if you can still even wear an Army uniform!

You hold me in contempt saying that, “The guys that served with [me] in AFG are less than impressed.” I would suggest that you have no idea what the real people I served with think of me. But then, they matter. You don’t.

Your contempt for my combat service doesn’t really count for much. If you think my combat service in Vietnam is meaningless it speaks more about your lack of character than it does about me. And if you would slander the fine men and women who serve in Civil Affairs, it shows that you, not I have been found wanting of integrity.

What you and your fellow slugs are really mad about is my letter to Senator Cornyn published (March 2013) about excessive arms and ammunition purchases by the Department of Homeland Security. My uniform and my military service record doesn’t answer for what is going on in our government today–but you liberals just want to hide what your Lefty leaders are doing by trying anything to slander the messenger pointing out what the Left is doing. It didn’t work.

combatsoldier

A retired US soldier still fighting to preserve liberty!

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