Emco Hires Heroes!
As we approach Independence Day, Emco is proud to recognize and honor Erick Guidry, our Carlsbad, New Mexico Terminal Manager, for nearly 11 years of service in the United States Navy!
Erick enlisted right out of high school in 1996 and received basic training at Recruit Training Command (RTC) Great Lakes, Illinois, home of the U.S. Navy's only boot camp. After Basic, Erick spent the next 14 months training in electrical theory and application for weapons systems in the Advanced Electronic Computer Field (AECF) Program for satellite communications, radars, fire control systems, guidance systems for missiles and automated gun systems.
After this training, Erick was deployed to the Mediterranean onboard the USS Saipan (LHA-2), the Navy's fastest amphibious assault ship for her seventh deployment to the Mediterranean in July 1998. Saipan spent substantial operating time in the Adriatic Sea due to turmoil in Albania. An early mission was to rescue the motor yacht, "My Huntress" (The yacht from the 1987 movie "Overboard"), which was burning near Nisos Island, Greece. The crew and guests were saved, but Huntress burned and sank despite damage control efforts of Saipan.
While Erick was deployed on Saipan, the ship's crew, along with an Amphibious Ready Group (ARG) and the 22nd Marine Expeditionary Unit (22nd MEU), the ship supported several missions including Operation Balkan Calm in support of the Kosovo Diplomatic Observer Mission, Operation Autumn Shelter, the Non-combatant evacuation operation (NEO) of the U.S. embassy in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo and Operation Resolve Resolute in support of the Albania Security Mission at the U.S. embassy in Tirane, Albania.
In 1999, Saipan became the developmental and operational test platform for the V-22 Osprey aircraft.
In 2001, Erick transferred to the USS McCampbell (DDG-85), a guided-missile destroyer. Serving as Over-The-Horizon Supervisor, Erick planned and executed Tomahawk Cruise Missile missions.
Erick spent the next three and a half years on McCampbell during three deployments for counter-drug operations in South and Central America. On its first deployment, in the pre-dawn hours of May 12, 2003, McCampbell along with HSL 43, an anti-submarine squadron helicopter and a Coast Guard law enforcement detachment boarded the "Sin Rumbo" a Canadian flagged sailing vessel and seized 1.36 metric tons of cocaine valued at more than $20 million. McCampbell then destroyed and sank the ship with the ship's MK-45 5-inch/62 caliber gun weapon system.
In 2004, Erick transferred to the Naval Air Station in Fallon, Nevada, where, for 38 months, he served as Joint Terminal Attack Controller Instructor for the (now named) Naval Aviation Warfighting Development Center (NAWDC). As an instructor, Erick assisted in the training, assessment, aviation requirements, recommendations, research and development priorities for integrated strike warfare, maritime and overland air superiority, strike fighter employment, airborne battle management, Combat Search and Rescue (CSAR), Close Air Support (CAS), and associated planning support systems. During this time Erick trained for and became a Field Medic.
In 2007, Erick obtained an honorable discharge as Fire Controlman 2nd Class Petty Officer. Erick retired from the Navy after ten years, ten months and 27 days to raise his then seven-year-old daughter, Libby.
Hiring on with BNSF Railroad for three years led to Erick's move into the oil and gas industry in 2010.
Years later, when the Terminal Manager position at Emco became available, Michael was excited to offer the job to Erick as a qualified and experienced oilfield service manager, childhood friend and a U.S. military veteran with such a long and impressive military background.
Emco is proud to recognize and honor Erick Guidry as an American hero, who dedicated over a decade of his life to helping protect our freedom from those who would do us harm and help protect our citizens from the scourge of illegal drugs pouring into our country.
Thank you, Erick, for your service to America!
Oh, and thank you for keeping our Carlsbad trucking headquarters clean, inside and out, organizing and managing the many staff and owner op drivers and helping to keep the shop, safety and compliance departments running smoothly!
Lastly, congratulations on Libby's high school graduation and acceptance in the Texas A&M Marine Biology program. Not only are you an American hero, but a great dad to an awesome young lady!
