Veteran Salute: Working across the military justice system
TOPEKA (KSNT) - Serving in the late 60's, Army Specialist Gary Post navigated through the justice system at home and abroad as a Battalion Legal Clerk.
Knowing his draft notice was around the corner, Post decided to take matters into his own hands.
“I thought alright, I’m going to take care of this," Post said, "I’m just gonna go join the army, that way I can pick and choose maybe and have some choice about the thing. It worked out quite well, because I got my draft notice when I was in basic training at Ft. Leonard Wood.”
Set up for the helicopter mechanic role, Post was sent to Vietnam, though he wouldn't stay in that position for long.
“When I was processing through headquarters in Vietnam, they saw that I’d had some college and stuff, and so they needed a Battalion Legal Clerk," he said. "That was where I ended up. I put together things that had to do with article 15’s and court-martials and assigning officers and stuff to duty as defense and prosecuting attorneys.”
Across the Military Justice system, Post worked with court marshals, attorneys, court recorders and everyone in between.
“When I got reassigned to the states, I was the Chief Clerk in the department of surgery at Fitzsimons Army hospital," Post said. "That was absolutely a fantastic job. Got to see guys coming in that had been wounded, and how they took care of them.”
After his service came to an end, Post went on to become a teacher and county appraiser in Ford, Seward and Lyon County. Nowadays, he stays plenty busy through his local veteran organization in Emporia. Post promotes the local Patriot's Pen contest, an essay competition for junior high kids on the topic of patriotism.