13 responses to Howard Garcia

1. 

   Mary-ann Jefferson Cohen says:

   August 9, 2015

   Howard: You will be greatly missed. Your goofy sense of humor, your serious look and the fun side of you. You will be one person that I will miss seeing when I come home.

   Reply
2. 

   Witham mike says:

   August 9, 2015

   Sorry to hear of the passing of my dad’s buddy I was the baby didn’t head up to work summer work needles to say was talking about Howard with my dad tonight and he reaffirmed what a good fella he was my condolences love and prayers to all the family hope all is well

   Mike witham

   Reply
3. 

   Eric Lanning says:

   August 9, 2015

   Hello,I am one of a body of men who met the man we all know only as Staff Sargent Garcia on 2 October, 1968. SSgt. Garcia was platoon commander and we were the body of what was known as Platoon 1096, Marine boot camp platoon at MCRD San Diego.

   It has been about seven years ago since some of these guys took the initiative and started searching out everyone and getting into contact. We now meet once year over Columbus Day weekend and with business travel and all I have the privilege of visiting with some the guys during the year.

   A number of guys searched to see if you could get contact information on SSgt. Garcia as we wanted to invite him to join us in at least one of our reunions. A couple of days ago one of our number decided to search on the web again and found the notice on the death and funeral services of Howard Garcia last month and with the paragraph on who he was and the picture it was apparent we had located him.

   So, as you can imagine, at our get togethers we do talk about days past including boot camp and the subject of our feelings regarding different drill instructors has had its attentions. Now there were a few different drill instructors associated with Platoon 1096. On a couple of these Sergeants, men have related that they thought of them as good men and men who they thought well of in the job they did. There is one that men consistently relate as someone that they followed but had little respect for and I need to leave it at that on this one.

   To a man, everyone has related their feelings and attitudes regarding SSgt. Garcia as a man that they respected and willing followed in everything we did. He exuded a discipline and an expectation that he wanted only the best were able to do and that was what was expected. I remember never wanting to let him down. It wasn’t just that if you didn’t live up to the best you could do that there may be endless exercise or other penalties, which I will say he could see to it that happened. You never wanted to let him down because of what he showed you in everything he did and how he handled everything. I think he had something, something that you never wanted to let him down because what he wanted from you was worth being and you wanted to be that. I think he had that and he taught that.

   We of Platoon 1096 are all older now with a whole lot of us turning 65 this year and some older. By this time we have all had our own body of experiences, some with significant hardship and difficulties, and we have learned a lot from our lives lived and have a perspective on situations and things we didn’t have back in late 1968. I guess if I look back at this now, I believe that SSgt. Garcia knew what a lot of us were about to face in regards to the war. I think I see that he was determined that he would build inside of each of us the best framework he possibly could that each of us would be able to stand to what was coming. I’m of the opinion that many of us did a better job at what we had to do because of his example and demands and I’m pretty sure some of us have been alive a lot longer than we would have been had we not known and been taught by him.

   So as you can see I don’t speak in short phrases but tend to communicate in whole thoughts and therefore the length of this note. So to the family of Howard Garcia I pray that in this loss of someone close, all of you will know more clearly just how close God is to you in your loss and always.

   And in a final note to SSgt. Garcia…………….. O-O-HHHH RA-HHH!!!

   In Sincere Respect and Compassion At Your Loss……………. Dr. Eric Lanning

   Reply
4. 

   Raymond Swisher says:

   August 9, 2015

   S/Sgt. Howard Garcia was my Senior Drill Instructor in Platoon 1096 in 1968. At the time I couldn’t understand why boot camp was so tough. It was tough to teach us to survive, and you did the finest job in our platoon. Platoon 1096 has been getting together every year since 2008 and we’ve tried to find you, but only found out your first name last October. We searched for you but only found you too late. Sir, my hat is off to you for making me the man I am today. Because of your training, I survived and now have three children and six wonderful grandchildren. I will remember you for the rest of my life. Thank you.

   Reply
5. 

   George Philippon says:

   August 9, 2015

   S/Sgt Garcia, SIR, Thank you for making me into the man I am today. Many of us had been looking for you for a re-union but you were found too late. Semper fi

   Reply