Duty Calls Former OU Player

The Daily Oklahoman ^ | 05-02-2004 | Berry Tramel

[Osage Orange]

Duty calls former OU player

2004-05-02

By Berry Tramel

The Oklahoman

John Nash can't forget.

Almost three years ago, Nash stood in the madness, hard by the smoldering ruins of Ground Zero after madmen flew airplanes into Manhattan's skyline.

He saw the world's grandest city turned into a ghost town. He saw terror. He smelled death.

He can't let it go.

He won't let it go.

"Every generation has its obligation," Nash said. "This war on terror is my obligation."

And so the 30-year-old New Jersey attorney, a non-scholarship player on Oklahoma's 1996-97 basketball team, has re-entered the fray. Nash, a captain in the National Guard, took a leave of absence from his law firm, entered the Army's special-forces qualification course and reported two weeks ago to Fort Bragg, N.C.

When he graduates late this autumn, Nash will command a 12-man special-forces unit.

Pat Tillman, the NFL safety turned fallen soldier, was willing to sacrifice for his country. He isn't alone.

"I don't want to wax philosophy on you," Nash said. But "when I stood down there after 9/11, I saw first-hand what had happened. I saw how scared people were. They had to explain to their children why they were scared.

"I couldn't look myself in the mirror if I wasn't part of the answer to that. I jumped back in."

When last we chronicled Nash, he had just hopped aboard a ferry boat, crossing the Hudson River a few hours after the World Trade Center towers crumbled. He worked the mayhem of that awful day.

McLoud, America, Nash's Pottawatomie County hometown nestled between Oklahoma City and Shawnee, seemed awfully far away.

Nash wanted to re-up that very day. Wanted to walk away from Seton Hall law school and return to full-time military duty, though he already had pulled a stint in Bosnia.

His mother convinced him to wait.

"It took me three days to talk him out of it," said Sherry Nash, a McLoud tag agent. "Don't be emotional when making that decision."

So Nash gave it time. He found he felt no different after our troops went first to Afghanistan and now to Iraq.

"That's my job," Nash told his mom. "I can't let these boys do this job alone."

The Nash story is no surprise to Kelvin Sampson. Nash spent only one season with the Sooners. He played just five minutes, over five games. He took only five shots and scored just two points.

But Nash made a lasting impression.

"Some kids come through your program, and when they leave, you regret it because you may never have another one like him," Sampson said.

That was Nash.

"Probably the most endearing quality a walk-on can have is how quickly he garners respect," Sampson said. "Everyone respected John."

Nash says he uses as a military officer the hardwood lessons he learned from Sampson. "Coach Sampson always stressed being part of the team," Nash said.

Nash's 'mates included Corey Brewer, Nate Erdmann and Eduardo Najera. But there was "never a time when Coach allowed individuality to be more important than the team. I use a lot of things I saw him teach to us. Teaching guys to care about one another, to love another."

Nash was an atypical walk-on. Twenty-three years old. A military background. Nearing graduation. Not even a high school star at McLoud. Just a driven, committed student who thrived on the demands of a big-time basketball coach.

"He was unique," Sampson said of Nash. "He was a different kid. When I read the articles on Pat Tillman, that's exactly who I thought of. John Nash. Courage, leadership, stands for the right things."

Sherry Nash says her boys come by it honest. Raub Nash, 24, is a second lieutenant with the Army's 25th Infantry, stationed in Tacoma, Wash., and scheduled to be shipped to Iraq in September.

"I'm proud," Sherry Nash said. "They raised their hand. They do this by choice."

Sherry Nash said her boys' military roots come from their grandfather, Benjamin Franklin Nash, whom she calls the only American coast-watcher in Samoa during World War II. His job was spotting Japanese ships and planes.

The sense of duty comes from their father, Jeff, who retired after 28 years with Parker Drilling.

"Definite role model," Sherry said. "He can outwork 10 men. Head down, rump up. Do whatever it takes, do the best you can. They watched their father. He would never say no to his company."

And John Nash doesn't wait for his country to ask.

His military commitment could be over. Instead, Nash upon graduation from Q school will report to his Massachusetts-based National Guard unit and await deployment, most likely to the Middle East.

Special forces are an umbrella term for units like the Navy Seals, the Air Force Pararescue, the Green Berets and the Army Rangers. Special forces units fight unconventional warfare, like dropping behind enemy lines and organizing guerrilla resistance.

Special forces soldiers have volunteered for harm's way.

Pat Tillman was an Army Ranger.

"My impression," Nash said, "he was a very, very special person. Absolutely the best of our society. Someone who will sacrifice fame, millions, it's a great lesson. I don't have the words to describe my respect for his service."

The same can be said of Nash.

"By his presence, he made us better," Sampson said of OU basketball before broadening the scope. "It's guys like John Nash that make America a better place."

Nash still keeps in touch with Sampson. "He writes letters," Sampson said, "thanking me."

No, Sampson says. Thank you.

[Professional Engineer]

patriot ping

[Wneighbor]

Thanks PE. I have tears. And am sending up prayers again. This is the kind of young men and women we have from all walks of life in our country seeking to do their duty for God and country. It is humbling.

[Osage Orange]

A very good article by Tramel.......

I usually don't go out of my way to read him...but this piece caught my eye.

Kudos to Tramel for writing it....And heart-felt thanks to John Nash for living it..!!

FRegards,

[NYCop]

God Bless men like John Nash, and his whole family. Mom sounds like a true Hero too.

[amom]

Here's another person we can say SALUTE to.

[jocon307]

Added "New Jersey" as a key word, I hope you don't mind. Working for a NJ law firm I can only feel a special pride in this man.

And I hope he kills a ton of terrorists.

[PhiKapMom]

Thanks for posting this! Read it in the Oklahoman this morning!

[snippy_about_it]

Thanks PE.

Pinging EGC!

[SAMWolf]

Thanks PE.

[2Jedismom]

I'm so pround of our Oklahoma soldiers!

Ping!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[WestTexasWend]

Thanks for the ping...

Great article...great men. And (memo to John Kerry >>>) their modesty makes them even greater.

[Ragtime Cowgirl]

John Nash can't forget.

Almost three years ago, Nash stood in the madness, hard by the smoldering ruins of Ground Zero after madmen flew airplanes into Manhattan's skyline.

He saw the world's grandest city turned into a ghost town. He saw terror. He smelled death.

He can't let it go.

He won't let it go.

"Every generation has its obligation," Nash said. "This war on terror is my obligation."

....His military commitment could be over. Instead, Nash upon graduation from Q school will report to his Massachusetts-based National Guard unit and await deployment, most likely to the Middle East.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~      

  Thank you, Captain John Nash, Massachusetts National Guard!

           

 

Thanks for the post, Osage Orange, and the ping, 2JedisMom!   (^:

[blackie]

Another American Hero ~ Good Story ~ Bump!

We are winning ~ the bad guys are losing ~ trolls, terrorists, democrats and the mainstream media are sad ~ very sad!

~~ Bush/Cheney 2004 ~~

[Valin]

Great Story!!!

[Osage Orange]

You wrote:

"Added "New Jersey" as a key word, I hope you don't mind. Working for a NJ law firm I can only feel a special pride in this man."

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Not a problem...Add away..!!

Best FRegards,

[Alamo-Girl]

Bump!

[Osage Orange]

This is such a good story.....I'll bump it again. (g)