Saturday, December 14, 2024
Once a soldier facing the harsh realities of war, Granbury resident Steve McCoy now finds purpose in leading the next generation — proving that the heart of a warrior never truly fades.
McCoy’s journey began in Tennessee, but it was in the bustling halls of L.D. Bell High School in Bedford where he met his future wife and took his first steps toward his future. With a young family to support and aspirations for a better life, McCoy enlisted in the military right after graduation in 1992, at the age of 19.
"When you get married before you get out of high school and you have some children to take care of, you kind of need insurance and, you know, Jiffy Lube wasn't cutting it,” McCoy said, with a chuckle. “You got to have your priorities because the decisions you make in life kind of sets the path on where you need to go.”
McCoy noted that he chose to enlist as an 11 Bravo infantryman because he wanted to fully engage in a meaningful role.
“Joining the military, you kind of want to be all you can be,” he explained. “You kind of just want to jump in with both feet and do something that’s worthwhile.”
With this particular military occupational specialty known for its frequent deployments, McCoy was soon thrust into the rigors of basic training and subsequently deployed to Germany. After three years there, he was deployed on missions that would take him to the heart of conflict in both Bosnia and Macedonia.
“On deployments, you get put in situations of things that you question, ‘Why am I doing this?’” McCoy said, adding that one particular experience he had in Bosnia was pretty harrowing. "It's minus 55 degrees, the ground's frozen, there's snow past your knees, and you're having to sleep on the ground,” he recounted. “And then when spring comes and things start melting and thawing out, you realize that you've been laying on anti-personnel mines that have been planted all over the field.”
While luckily none of the mines detonated, McCoy explained that he was acutely aware of the malevolence surrounding him, noting how some individuals would plant anti-personnel mines in their neighbors’ yards.
"There was one time a guy was cutting his yard with a sickle because they don't have lawn mowers, and his two daughters were watching him cut the grass, and he stands on this personnel mine and blows himself up in front of his daughters,” McCoy said. “So, you have to sit there, and then you have to try to somehow console the daughters, while trying to get to the guy, but you can't just run over there, because you don't know if you're going to stand on the land mine, so you have to probe in the ground to see if there's any other land mines, just to get to this guy ... It's just crazy things.”
McCoy explained that another eye-opening experience was when his team crossed the Sava River, as they were tasked with monitoring the zone of separation that divided Serbia from its neighbors. During missions in local towns, they often found signs of life —televisions still on, food left on tables — but no people.
"It looked like there was life here just moments ago, but no one's there. The whole town is a ghost town,” McCoy explained. “At this point, you realize, ‘OK, we're actually late, and everybody's been rounded up.’ Over there, there was tons of mass grave sites, so that's where they were or they were murdered and dumped in caves.”
McCoy described the situation as a modern echo of historical atrocities, likening it to the actions of Nazi Germany dictator, Adolf Hitler, where people were targeted and rounded up due to their religion or ethnicity.
“It’s crazy,” he said. “You think, ‘How is this possible? How is this happening?’ But it happens. It still happens to this day — you just don’t know about it.”
While the military definitely had its challenges, McCoy notes that there were some good times as well — particularly the strong camaraderie among service members.
"Everybody has a job, right? Everybody knows their position, not like on the civilian side, where it's just kind of how everybody's out for themselves,” he said. “You have a reason when you're in the military to cover your battle buddies’ back to make sure that they stay alive. I'm responsible for this person, he's responsible for me, and we're responsible for a team. It's all a team effort, and that's going to be something I'm going to miss — the camaraderie and the bond that we have as a group of guys that essentially become a family.”
McCoy has served a total of 22 years in the military, beginning with the delayed entry program in 1992. After an active-duty stint that ended in 2000, he took a break from service but returned in 2009 to join the reserves. Since graduating from drill sergeant academy in 2010, he has dedicated himself to training soldiers — marking 14 years as a drill instructor.
“It is something that you sign up to do,” McCoy said, regarding the military. “We all have our own demons. I had gotten out because it was weighing on me, and so you let yourself get out to work on your issues, and you fix them. But then you find yourself sitting around thinking, ‘I didn't finish what I started.’”
McCoy said he was inspired to return to the military service because he recognized a lack of discipline among some younger service members, both active and veteran.
"Instead of just complaining about it, I decided the only way I could try to make a difference is to go and become a drill sergeant,” he said. “I have been training troops for the last 14 years to try to instill the old-school method of discipline and train them the proper way.”
McCoy explained that his job as a drill sergeant isn’t just about yelling; it's often a strategy to capture attention. He explained that while his earlier approach as a drill sergeant relied on traditional methods of discipline, he learned over time that many younger recruits respond better to different techniques.
"Me raising my voice is only getting your attention because you're messing something up, and not everybody learns that way,” he explained. "As I got older, I let the younger drill sergeants do all that yelling and screaming because I've learned that this particular age group of kids nowadays, once you start yelling at them, they get this glazed look over their face, and now, they're not hearing anything. You have to get their attention other ways, because they'll just tune you out."
While one common misconception about the military is that soldiers are always engaged in combat, McCoy emphasized that many people are also unaware of the vast array of jobs within the military. While some may think all military personnel are combat-focused, he pointed out that only certain roles, like infantry or special forces, are directly involved in fighting.
“They don't understand the supporting MOS’s like cooks, the supply sergeants, or the mechanics," he explained. “Those job titles have certain skills that the government has spent thousands and thousands of dollars on these guys teaching them how to do these skills to know how to keep the military working; it's not all fighting, and I think that's where people get misunderstood about the military.”
Now, after two decades of dedicated service and leadership, McCoy feels it’s the right time to embrace the next chapter of his life. At 51, with 22 years of service — and experience leading fellow soldiers — McCoy is ready to retire, as he is currently waiting on orders for when his last day will be.
"It’s been a long time coming,” he said. “I think under different circumstances I would love to stay in until I'm 60, but I think 22 years is plenty of time."
McCoy is currently employed full time as a project manager for James Kate Roofing & Solar in Granbury — a position he described as being “the best job” he’s ever held. He has been married to his wife, Leigh Ann, who serves as Hood County’s treasurer, for 31 years. Together, they have three children — Tiffany, Destine, and Chase — and eight grandchildren.
