Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 158, No. 50, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 6, 2008 Page: 6 of 16
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Page 6A - Cljerokeeaij Herald of Rusk, Texas - Wednesday, February 6, 2008
O'Rourke prepares 4th Infantry choppers for battle
By Leland Acker
Staff Writer
In the War on Terror, U.S.
soldiers have to be able to
move quickly in and out of
combat zones.
That places great impor-
tance on the positions of
Blackhawk hehcopter pilots
like Chief Warrant Officer Jo-
seph O'Rourke, who transport
troops in and out of hostile
areas.
For Chief Warrant Officer
O'Rourke, that also includes
the responsibility to train
other pilots in the company.
"I am the senior trainer in
the company," he said after
Wednesday's air assault train-
ing mission at the Cherokee
County Airport. "I train pilots
and crew chiefs, collectively
like this, or individually. I
also deploy. We're scheduled
to deploy to Iraq sometime
this year.''
Chief Warrant Officer
O'Rourke's military career
began in the U.S. Navy ap-
proximately 14 years ago.
"I worked on Seahawks,
which is the Navy parallel to
the Blackhawks," he said. "It
was tough working on those
Seahawks then watching
them fly away without me."
Chief Warrant Officer
O'Rourke has had a passion
for flying most of his life.
"I was that kid who was
always trying to fly paper
airplanes,'' he said. "When I
was eight years old, myfather
andlflewbackfrom Germany,
where he was stationed.
"When we got up above the
clouds, I asked him, 'Is this
Heaven?' He said, 'No, but it's
close.' I thought we'd flown to
Heaven.''
It was his passion for fly-
ing and Blackhawk choppers
that attracted Chief Warrant
Officer O'Rourke to the U.S.
Army.
After four years in the Navy,
he began the process of enlist-
ing in the U.S. Army to become
a Blackhawk pilot.
"You have to go to flight
school and get picked up.' he
said. "The Army has a strict
criteria. You have to pass the
Army, flight andphysical tests
with high marks.
"To be selected, you also have
to have six recommendations
from officers in the Army."
Among the Army officers
who recommended Chief
Warrant Officer O'Rourke
were the congressman and
the mayor of his hometown
of Corpus Christi.
By Leland Acker
Staff Writer
As the back-up quarterback
for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers,
Jacksonville's Luke McCown
has a great responsibility. In
Addition to leading the Bues
to victory in the absence of
Jeff Garcia, McCown sees his
responsibility as being a posi-
tive role model for those who
watch him from the stands.
"We have a tremendous
group of guys in the NFL who
profess Christ and walk it,"
he said. "Kurt Warner is a guy
who comes to mind. They care
about the image they portray
because they care about young
people. My thing has always
been to be an example.''
McCown told the Rusk
Rotary Club Wednesday that
he feels God called him to the
ministry.
"I feel called... not so much to
pastoral ministry, but to serve
God with what He has given
me," he said. "Football is my
ministry."
When asked what his plans
are for life after football, Mc-
Cown said he is still consider-
ing his options.
"I'm still working on that,"
he said. "I have an Agriculture
Business major that I need
12 hours to finish. I've never
ruled out full-time ministry or
coaching. Ifl coach, I only want
to coach high school football.
That's where you have the
greatest impact."
McCown told the Cherokeean
Herald in an exclusive inter-
view after the meeting thathis
ministr y will continue after his
football career is over.
"It may be something along
the lines of inspirational
speaking," he said. "It all de-
pends on how long I play and
what kind of success I have.
Otherwise, itwillbe some form
of youth ministry, maybe even
FCA (Fellowship of Christian
Athletes). I worked for FCAin
college as an intern for their
Alliance Data Closing
college ministry.''
While inspirational speeches
and devotionals may not
replace rock 'n' roll halftime
shows, players like McCown
might be what NFL Com-
missioner Roger Goodell is
looking for.
Goodell's priority since tak-
ing office as league commis-
sioner has been improving
the league's image. His efforts
include the NFL's personal
conduct pohcy, which stiffened
penalties and suspensions for
off-the-field behavior that is
inappropriate.
Players suspended must
reapply for reinstatement,
showing that they have cor-
rected their behavior. Under
the pohcy, four players have
drawn harsh suspension sen-
tences.
"From day one, we knew
what Roger Goodell's footprint
would be," McCown said. "We
knew what his tenure would
be about. Every player in our
locker room took notice quickly.
continued from pg. 1A
trying to make the closure
as easy as possible on the
employees by offering em-
ployees positions elsewhere in
the company and by helping
JEDCO hold a job fair.
The closure impacts Jack-
sonville's unemployment rate
offive percent in acommunity
that has been hit hard by the
Dannelley resigns
global economy. Mr. Prcin said
the corporate ownership of the
local manufacturing plants
takes control away from local
management, increasing the
risk of plants closing, being
combined with plants in other
locations, or being moved
overseas.
Mr. Prcin said the challenge
to JEDCO is the difficulty in
attracting corporate-owned
manufacturing facilities. He
said the locally owned plastics
companies tended to be the
more stable employers.
Jacksonville is home to
21,000 jobs and generates 83
percent of Cherokee County's
sales tax revenue.
continued from pg. 1A
quire grants to improve the
city's utilities infrastructure
and purchase a new pohce
vehicle, though her achieve-
ments were often overshad-
owedby ongoing controversies
with former utilities director,
Charlie Luse.
Still, Mrs. Dannelley said
the job had some great mo-
ments.
UIL Realignment
"We got our grants, and
passed a proclamation des-
ignating a day as Camp
Alto Day," she said. "And,
we're getting our wastewa-
ter treatment plant back on
schedule,
"I have nothing bad to say.
We had our rough moments,
but that was not the fault of
the council."
continued from pg. 1A
much. The district is already
tough, but Jasper is better
than Crockett."
Oakwood dropped out of
District 20-Aas the Panthers
have elected to play six-man
football.
Joining Alto's district will be
the Overton Mustangs and the
Price-Carlisle Indians. Other
teams in District 20-A are:
Cayuga, Gushing. Grapeland
and Cross Roads.
Jacksonville'sbrutal seven-
week district season has been
shortened to five weeks as
former class -5 A powerhouse
Marshall and Hallsville move
north into District 13-4A.
The Indians have been
placed in District 14-4Awith
Henderson, Kilgore. Lindale,
Nacogdoches and White-
house.
The new districts take effect
at the beginning of the 2008-
09 school year.
"You can interview with
them to get the recommenda-
tion," he said.
Since being in the U.S.
Army Chief Warrant Officer
O'Rourke has carried out 25
air assault missions.
He said discipline got him
into the military, flying kept
him in it.
"When I was young, I needed
the military,"' he said. "I was
skipping classes and chasing
girls. Disciphne got me into
the military, flying kept me
in it."
Chief Warrant Officer
O'Rourke has served in the
military for approximately
14 years.
He, along with the 4th In-
fantry Division of the U.S.
Army will deploy to Iraq later
this year.
Chief Warrant Officer Joseph O'Rourke shows off one of
the Army's Blackhawk helicopters which was involved in
the practice air assault in Cherokee County Wednesday,
Jan. 30. Chief Warrant Officer O'Rourke is in charge of
training Blackhawk pilots in the 4th Infantry Division of
the U.S. Army, which is scheduled to deploy to Iraq later
this year.
PHOTO: LELAND ACKER
McCown uses football
to make a difference
-< Tampa
Bay quarter-
back Luke
McCown
drops back to
pass during a
recent Bucca-
neers game.
McCown, a
Jacksonville
native, said
he wants to
use football
to be a posi-
tive influence.
PHOTO: GETTY
IMAGES
:
tóí 'f.
We have accountability in our
locker room, our team leaders
have the ability to say some-
thing."
Prior to the personal conduct
policy. McCown said player
conduct was handled differ-
ently from organization to
organization.
"Because you are getting
older, you should be growing
out of your younger years,'' he
said. "They expect (good con-
duct). They talk to you about
it. 'We pay you this, we expect
you to act like a grown man."
Aside from using his football
career to build his ministry,
McCown said he is enjoying
life in the NFL.
McCown signed a five-year
agreement when he was draft-
ed by the Cleveland Browns
in 2004.
He was traded to Tampa
Bay the following season. He
is quick to discuss his faith
in God, citing that as a factor
in his quick recovery from an
injury to his ACL in 2006.
Soldiers from the 4th Infantry Division, stationed at Ft. Hood, load up on Blackhawk
helicopters during a recent training mission near the Cherokee County Airport. The
soldiers were practicing an air assault, a tactic commonly used in Iraq that allows
troops to move quickly into hostile areas. The 4th Infantry is scheduled to return to
Iraq later this year.
PHOTO: LELANDACKER
Air Assault
continued from pg. 1A
chosen as a location partly
because the Cherokee County
Airport is a fuel stop for mili-
tary aircraft.
"They come here and need
fuel and services, and they get
it," said Joe Casey, captain in
the U.S. Army Reserves and
owner of Skyways Aero, which
supplies fuel and services at
the airport, "They performed
this exercise, assaulting 'ter-
rorists,' and we thought it
would be a good idea to grill
some burgers and have some
fun with them. It's their biggest
exercise here so far, and hope-
fully just the beginning."
Cap I. Casey said he believed
the Army was attracted to
Cherokee County because
Cherokee County citizens were
willing to let them use their
land for the training mission.
Capt. Casey spent 10 years
on active duty in the U. S. Army.
including one deployment to
the Persian Gulf.
Chief Warrant Officer Jo-
Tracy Kincade
seph O'Rourke said it was the
hospitality of Skyways Aero
and the local properly owners
that made the difference.
"They let us use the field, fed
us and let us use the hangars
for meetings,'' Chief Warrant
Officer O'Rourke said, add-
ing that training in locations
other than Ft. Hood allowed
the Army to better practice
navigation and landing in
unfamiliar places.
"We train at Ft. Hood all the
time," he said. "You have to
take (the troops) somewhere
else,"
Chief Warrant Officer
O'Rourke was the air assault
mission commander.
"About three weeks ago, I
had an idea. I wanted to do
something... an air assault,"
he said. "I flew out here,
checkedit out and coordinated
where we could use the fields.
Then, I created the scenario."
Chief Warrant Officer
O'Rourke said the training
mission was a success.
"It's rare to have six (he-
hcopter s) on a mission hke
this," he said. "It was good
training across the board. We
had good performance from
the (Blackhawks), about 165
miles per hour is what we got
coming out here. That's quick
for a hehcopter. I'd rate this
at a 10 easily. We had good
dedication and the motivation
(of the troops) was great."
The U.S. Army uses Black-
hawk helicopters to move
troops quicklyinhostile areas.
Air assaults, such as the one
practiced Wednesday at the
Cherokee County Airport, are
carried out when troops are
being flown into hostile areas.
Sgt. Hunt said air assaults are
widely used in Iraq, where the
4th Infantry will deploy later
this year.
Skyways Aero has been a fuel
suppher for the U.S, military
since it obtained the contract
in July 2007.
Mrs. Dannelley's resigna-
tion is effective Feb. 21. The
Alto City Council is accepting
apphcations for the position of
city administrator through 5
p.m. Feb. 11.
"We're looking for someone
with experience who knows
government accounting," Mrs.
Walker said. "It will be tough
to replace her."
continued from pg. 1A
it to the state tournament all
three years.
"It was an amazing thing,"
he said. "It's hke what you'd
see on Friday Night Lights,
every store was closed, every-
one was at the gym. It was a
packed gym. Troup went eight
years without losing a home
game."
Troup made it to the state
finals in 1990 and 1991.
"It was an awesome experi-
ence, being ranked number
one for most of my career (in
Troup)," he said.
Coach Kincade graduated
from Troup and played college
basketball at Iowa Wesleyan
University. After college, he
co ached for eight years in Iowa
before returning to Texas to
coach basketball at Stewart
Middle School in 2002. From
there. Coach Kincade coached
boys varsity basketball in Mt.
Pleasant and girls varsity
basketball in Kilgore. He came
to Rusk over the summer of
2006, being hired as Rusk
Athletic Director Wayne Ma-
haffey was having to replace
his entire Coaching staff, with
the exception of Wayne Larson,
who went on to retire in May
2007.
The Rusk Eagles play in
one of the toughest basketball
districts in Texas, with teams
like Crockett dominating and
traditional powerhouses like
Carthage, Hudson and Central
vying for playoff spots.
"It's tough." he said. "It lets
you know where you are asa
coach and where your play-
Rusk Head Basketball Coach Tracy Kincade checks
the scoreboard during a timeout in Friday's Crockett
game. Coach Kincade said he enjoys working with the
players.
ers are. You have to bring it
every night, you don't get any
nights off."
One of the joys of coaching
in Rusk is the athletes. Coach
Kincade said.
"There are tons of athletes
every year," he said. "You can
always be in games if you play
hard and compete.
"I stay on them. I want them
to act right andgive everything
they have on the court."
Visitors to the popular Web
site, Smoaky.com, are quick to
criticize the Rusk Eagles for
player conduct. CoachKincade
addressed Rusks reputation
for a lack of discipline.
"The discipline in Rusk is
like any other school, " he said,
explaining that one or two
may misbehave. "It seems like
when We do it. everyone wants
to put it out there. The kids are
wonderful. They'll run through
a brick wallfor you, if you show
them you care."
Player discipline is a goal
Coach Kincade is constantly
working toward, in addition
to winning t he state champi-
onship and the district title.
He said he enjoys coaching
because he gets to be a second
father-figure to the players
who wear the Eagle uniform.
"I love reaching out to the
kids," he said. "Some come
from single-parent homes. Iget
to be a father-figure to them. I
love that part."
Coach Kincade's future as-
pirations involve building a
successful program in Rusk.
He said he wants to lead the
Eagles to victory as they open
up the new gymnasium next
season.
"My future aspirations are to
stay in Rusk and be an Eagle as
long as I can," he said. "I want
to take them to state."
Coach Kincade is the head
basketball coach, seventh-
grade football coach, varsity
wide receivers coach and as-
sistant track coach at Rusk.
K
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 158, No. 50, Ed. 1 Wednesday, February 6, 2008, newspaper, February 6, 2008; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152820/m1/6/: accessed July 16, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.