Duty calls

NORTH PLATTE -- McCook Senior High teacher and head wrestling coach Dean Reicks joined the leadership of the 1074th Transportation Co. in North Platte today, preparing for the unit's mobilization over the weekend.

1st Sgt. Reicks said the soldiers report Friday and a send-off ceremony is scheduled Sunday (details will be released later).

Reicks said the company will move equipment to Kearney over the weekend and leave for an undisclosed duty station Wednesday or Thursday.

Reicks said Jamie Forch will come out of retirement to teach his MHS business classes, and assistant coaches Jeff Gross and Steve Bales will take over coaching duties.

"Jamie will cover my classes well," Reicks said. "And coaches Gross and Bales will do a fine job keeping the kids focused."

Reicks said they are selfish reasons, but he wished his call-up could have waited three weeks. His son, Nate, a senior at MHS, is undefeated at 28-0 this season and surely on his way to state championship competition Feb. 20-22 in Lincoln.

"All those wrestlers ... " Reicks said, "I wish I could finish out the season, and the school year."

Reicks has been in the National Guard for 21 years.