After 17 years of hard work and the sacrifice of himself and his family, Jeremy Crawford advanced to the rank of chief petty officer in the U.S. Coast Guard in a special ceremony Friday.
The occasion was held on the field at Ratliff Stadium where Crawford was joined by family and friends.
Being a Permian High School graduate, Jeremy Crawford had enjoyed football games there with his friends and family. He also ran track there.
When the movie “Friday Night Lights” was filmed Crawford was there and met some of the real-life football players.
Jeremy Crawford recalls coming to the stadium to watch games with friends and family
Lt. Simon Sekitoleko, from the Coast Guard Recruitment Office in Washington, D.C., and Petty Officer Francisco Cortez from the recruiting office in Albuquerque did the honors.
Crawford’s wife, Kendra, and their two children, Londyn, 7, and Brandon, 11, were by the newly minted petty officer’s side. Kendra and Jeremy were high school sweethearts and both went to Permian High School.
“I’m very proud of him. He’s worked really hard,” Kendra Crawford said.
She said it has been difficult at times because her husband isn’t always around.
“… The military life is not for the faint (of) heart. It takes a lot of work and it has to be something that everybody signs up for. Coming from West Texas, I didn’t know what I was getting myself into, but we’ve done it together,” Kendra Crawford said.
Jeremy Crawford said reaching this goal is huge.
“It’s hard to put words behind it because it’s something that we strive for. … This is a huge honor …,” Jeremy Crawford said.
He takes the responsibility and trust being entrusted to him seriously.
The movie “The Perfect Storm” inspired him to join the Coast Guard. He saw a rescue swimmer jump out of a helicopter and so I researched, found out that the Coast Guard did that and his mom called the 800 number “and the rest is history,” Jeremy Crawford said.
He joined in June 2005, a month after high school. “I walked the stage here in Ratliff Stadium, and just a few weeks later, I was on a plane to Philadelphia then got on a bus into Cape May, N.J., The rest of my life changed right there the next eight weeks,” he recalled.
Jeremy Crawford has been on special assignment since mid-December to set up a Coast Guard recruiting office here. It’s meant to show West Texans that there is another option besides the other branches of the military.
“I’ve been out here and I’ll be hopefully out here a little bit longer. And then hopefully, in the next year, we’re going to have somebody out here permanently,” Jeremy Crawford said.
Since he’s been here, people have welcomed him with open arms.
“A lot of students are interested. They ask questions, because it’s not something you hear (about) coming from the desert …,” Jeremy Crawford said.
He added that school administrators throughout the area have been very helpful and accommodating to the Coast Guard allowing them to talk to students.
Sekitoleko said it takes an average of 15 years to reach the rank of petty officer. Members of the Coast Guard go through an eight-week boot camp in Cape May, N.J.
Rep. Brooks Landgraf, R-Odessa, said it was especially nice for Jeremy Crawford to return to Odessa and Ratliff Stadium for the ceremony with his family.
“I wish him all the best of luck. He has a lot of new responsibility, but I’m awfully proud of him,” Landgraf said.
Landgraf said he and Crawford were in school at the same time.
“It’s been a few years since I’ve seen him but I’m very happy to be here to support him,” he added.
Jeremy Crawford advises people interested in the Coast Guard to start the process early.
“You can’t raise your hand and we send you to boot camp the next day. So start the process early. If you’re even thinking about it, contact a military recruiter, contact a Coast Guard recruiter and just start that process of getting qualified. It can take between three and six months to get qualified. That means you’re going to go through and get your ASVAB test and you’re going to get your physical done at the military entrance processing station.
“… From there, you know, if you’re qualified to be in the military. Then you make a decision whether you want to enlist in the military, or you want to pursue other passions, like higher education … Biggest advice I can say is if you’re thinking about it, start the process early. See if you’re even qualified to be in the military and serve our country,” Jeremy Crawford said.
He expressed thanks to his wife and children for following him across the country and supporting him in his career.
“Whatever’s next, they’ll follow me and that means a lot,” he said.
