I had a birthday
March 21st was my 54th birthday. I had
a pleasant evening with my wife and I skipped training at the boxing gym. I justified the truancy as making up for my
22nd birthday when Roy Jones Sr. made me train on my birthday. I had
over 300 people send me birthday wishes on Facebook. I was amazed at how many
people recognized my birthday.
When I first meet Jose Trevino is was in 1989 at a command
party at the chief’s club on Rodman Naval Station in Panama. We both were
mentored by Mike McDonald. We had a good time telling stories about Mike and
then that next week my platoon went to training at SBU-26 under Jose’s
instruction. There was a change, he was very serious and very direct and
demanding. I thought he was in a bad mood until I mentioned it to Mike. He told
me that Jose was the most jolly, congenial guy out on liberty but strictly
business while on the job. I mentioned these comments
to Jose and I referenced the cartoon with the sheep dog and coyote. We kept in
touch when I moved to Las Vegas, his wife Patty had recently passed and Jose’s
father was diagnosed with cancer.
We kept in touch and he always asked about the drone
business and the LED lighting business and gave me referrals for both. In
October when I needed someone to take me to the VA hospital for my colonoscopy
Jose had no problem taking me at 7:00 AM in the morning, waiting for me and
taking me home afterwards. While he was driving me around he told me about how
when he was new at the teams he couldn’t afford to go home for Christmas so he
filled in as camp boss at AP Hill and while he was there a course on hand to
hand combat was going to be held and the instructor had him dig a pit. He gave
Jose the exact dimensions of the pit and Jose told me about how perfect he
tried to dig the hole with the back hoe and then all of these Vietnam vets
showed up and one of them was Fred Fritch one of the guys from the Olympic
bobsled team and Jose got paired up with Fred to go into the pit to do battle
with rubber knives and they were instructed that only one of them was coming
out of the pit. Jose told how he fainted like he was running away, gave himself
some room and threw the rubber knife at Fred, hit him in the eye and he jumped
on Fred and pummeled him with his fists and knocked him out. Then he looked up
at all of the other combat seasoned Navy SEALs and yelled “Who’s next!”
Jose told me how he was one of the first military advisors
in El Salvador, Vietnam was over, SEAL Team Six as trying to figure out their
tactics for CQB and boarding ships which were under way and he was the only one
actually operating, doing the mission Navy SEALs were supposed to do.
Right after my colonoscopy I volunteered to lead BUDs PT
with the Edinburg High School JROTC and Jose I called Jose to tell him about it
and he said “You are the one Red, you’re the one who is going to let the world
know how tough these Mexicans in the Valley are. He told me about the SEAL
motivator program and I checked it out and those guys go around and administer
the screen test for BUD/s. I reported back to him but he was in Florida but
told me he was coming back to the valley in a couple of weeks.
I spoke with Jose just a few days before he died. I
reconnected with my roommate and swim buddy in BUD/s Syril Galindo and he told
me that he thought he saw something on the Navy SEAL Facebook page that Jose
had died but I didn’t find it but a couple of days later I spoke with Frank
Pedroza from the Ackerman Group whom Jose used to consult with and confirmed to
me that Jose had passed. I am really going to miss him. Jose's encouragement plays a big part in my going back to school to get a degree in mathematics and teaching so I can reach those tough kids who aren't afraid to fight but get squeamish about algebra. Yesterday during the men's bible study we were asked to pray about our purpose and I was wanting clarification on whether my desire to work with these kids down here in the valley was from the Holy Spirit or because of Jose's encouragement and my confirmation from the Spirit was "Keep doing what you are doing".
I am going to miss Jose.
That’s a nice share. My dad also turned 50 years old recently and it was also a huge celebration party hosted by our mom and dad’s best friend. It was a fabulous event hosted at one of the prettiest New York venues and the French food over there was super yummy.
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