Man respects 26 years of service

A longtime Creston man “beat” the military.

“I didn’t want to go enlist and get drafted to go to Vietnam,” Tom Braymen said. “I probably would have.” Braymen and and a handful of others he knew from his hometown of Shenandoah joined the Army National Guard in 1955. That was also his senior year at Shenandoah High.

Military life was not new to him. His father was in the Guard before World War II. “He didn’t go to war as he was just in the reserves at Camp Dodge,” Tom said about his father’s military time in Iowa. “I don’t remember much about it. Dad farmed when I grew up so he didn’t have to go to the war.”

It wasn’t just his dad. Tom’s older brother, his only sibling, had signed up for the Naval Reserves.

Braymen, 87, was in the beginning of a 26-year career having a “part-time job” he smiled. He and a handful of others he knew from the area joined at the same time. That provided a good start for him.

“I was in with others I knew. That was good. Those people helped me like it and I did like the people or I wouldn’t have stayed,” he said.

Braymen started at an interesting time in American history as the country was recovering from the Korean War which ended two years prior.

“A lot who had been in Korea came back and joined the Guard. Everybody respected it,” he said. “Some told their stories of being in Korea. Some had been in World War II.”

Braymen said his Guard unit had been activated during World War II. The unit went across northern Africa and was captured by Rommel, a German army officer. The allies used northern Africa as a way to get into Italy.

Braymen went to officer’s training school in 1958 at Camp Dodge. The schedule for attending was consistent. The courses were to train officers physically and mentally to execute missions. Braymen also learned his mission at this time to stay in the Guard for as long as possible.

“Officer’s training is what made me want to do this long term. In my mind then, I was not thinking I would spend 26 years in Guard.”

The course had its challenges. “If you couldn’t take it, you were shown the door. I didn’t want them to wash me out.”

Courses included tactical training, mental toughness and various military subjects. He was commissioned in 1959 as 2nd Lieutenant.

Braymen married in 1962. The conflict in Vietnam was gaining momentum, but Braymen continued to serve in the states.

“Some of our units did get called up in the 1960s. We had a unit near Sioux City that got called up. some from my unit volunteered. Their names are on the wall,” he said about ones who didn’t return home but have been memorialized by displays of their names.

By now, Braymen had his Guard life on schedule. He was learning drills, classes in weapons and tactics. During the summers there would be two weeks at Camp Ripley in Minnesota.

“We were training guys to go to Vietnam,” he said.

More promotions would come for Braymen. He was still assisting training soldiers, some who would go to Vietnam and not come home.

By now, Braymen had realized the potential of a long service in the Guard. After Vietnam in the 1970s he realized 20 years of service was required to retire and receive various benefits.

“I’d been in 13 years now, why stop,” he said. “I wanted to sta

y.”

By now he was seeing younger generations join the Army. He said of them reminded him of his younger days. It just wasn’t the age of the new troops that he saw, he observed the changes in the Army.

“The equipment had changed. We had a few Jeeps and trucks. I still had the M1 rifle that was issued to me. But in the 1970s, we had more equipment. It was bigger and faster and I can’t believe what they have today,” he said.

What existed in Shenandoah when Braymen started has also changed. Earlier this year, the Iowa National Guard announced plans to close the Shenandoah armory. The 132 members of Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 168th Infantry and units from Sheldon and Sioux City will be based in a new West Des Moines center in 2025. Shenandoah has had a Guard facility since the 1870s.

Braymen retired in 1981 and transitioned to inactive reserve status.

“I have no regrets,” he said about his service. “It was a real good part-time job, if you want to look at it that way.” He had a career in the NRCS.

“It was good for the extra money for the family but I know I spent time away from them doing that,” he said about his service.