First Sgt John David Blair
Born: October 9, 1970
Died: June 20, 2009 in Afghanistan
First Sgt John D Blair of Calhoun, Georgia graduated from Cumberland High School in Harlan County, Kentucky in 1990. Many years later, after moving to Georgia, the National Guardsman was a stepfather of two and a devoted grandfather. After his tour in Iraq, “Gooch” planned to dig out a lake for catfish on his property back in Georgia so he could take his grandson fishing. The former deputy sheriff in Gordon County, Georgia was attached to the local Drug Task Force as part of the Georgia Army National Guard’s counter-drug operations for several years. John served as a full-time deputy sheriff from June, 1994 until August, 1998 when he left the Sheriff’s Office to assume full time duties in the National Guard. During his local service with the National Guard’s counter-drug operations, John served as a reserve deputy sheriff from October, 2006 until December, 2008, when his National Guard unit was mobilized for duty in Afghanistan. He was an extraordinarily skilled operative, specializing in covert drug-enforcement surveillance. His awards and badges include the Bronze Star Medal, Purple Heart Medal, Army Commendation Medal, (2nd Award), Good Conduct Medal, Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal (4th Award), National Defense Medal (3rd Award), Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Service Medal, Armed Forces Reserve Medal W/M Device (2nd Award), Non Commissioned Officers Professional and Development Ribbon, Army Service Ribbon, Overseas Service and Nato Medal, Georgia Commendation Medal, Georgia Drug Task Force Medal, Georgia Special Operations Ribbon, the Combat Infantryman Badge, Parachutist Badge and Air Assault Badge. His training included the United States Army Infantryman Course, Primary Leadership Development Course, Basic Noncommissioned Officer Course, Woodland Operations Instructor Course, Analytical Investigation Techniques Course, Counter Drug Task Force Course, National Guard Bureau SA Mission Primary Manager Course, Total Army Instructor Training Course, Small Group Leader Training Course, Basic Narcotic Investigation Course, Bradley Gunner’s Course Phase One and Two, and the Long Range Ground Surveillance Specialist Certification Course Phase One and Two. During his time in the Sheriff’s Office, John served as a jail officer, deputy sheriff, & sheriff’s detective. He also served on the Office’s honor guard, & SWAT team. His former superiors described him as an exemplary officer. He was officially commended on a number of occasions during his law enforcement service here. John remained very close friends with members of the Sheriff’s Office, and officers communicated with him by telephone & e mail in the days & weeks preceding his death. He died at age 38 in Mado Zayi, Afghanistan, of wounds suffered when a rocket-propelled grenade struck his vehicle. He was tough, unrelenting. He cursed and reprimanded and gained not just their respect, but their fondness during the months of training for their deployment in Afghanistan. He could be harsh, but was fair and imparted to his men a sense of their potential. If he said something, you listened. If you didn’t, you were going to pay for it. He once said to another soldier, “I can’t make you do anything. But I can make you wish you had.”
Army
National Guardsman
1st Battalion
121st Infantry Regiment
Lawrenceville, Georgia
Burial is at Georgia National Cemetery in Canton, Georgia – Sec 1 Site 444
The First Sgt John David Blair by Freedom Remembered, unless otherwise expressly stated, is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 United States License.
