Ernest Schmidt - American Legion 'CSM Gary M. Crisp' Post 289

2nd Vice Commander

Ernest A. Schmidt U.S. Army 1973 – 1997 (Ret)

MILITARY

Highest Rank: First Sergeant (E8)
Highest Award: Meritorious Service Award (x3)

AMERICAN LEGION

Legionnaire (2004 – Present)
American Legion Post 591 Seaside California
- Post Scouting Chairman
- Scout Master for Legion Troop 135 on Ord Military Community
- Staff American Legion State of California annual Camporee
American Legion 'CSM Gary W. Crisp' Post 289
- Department of Tennessee State
  - Scouting Chairman
  - Member of the Legislative Committee
  - American Legion Media Alliance Reporter
  - Americanism Committee
- Post 289
  - 2^nd Vice Commander
  - Post Events Media Coordinator
  - Graves and Memorial Committee Chairman
  - Awards Committee Member
  - Road Race Ruck Run Committee Chairman
  - Building Committee Chairman
  - 4-Chaplains Ceremony Committee Chairman
  - Member of the Honor Guard

MILITARY HISTORY

Enlisted in the US Army in 1973
Attended Basic Infantry Combat training at Fort Ord California
Attended Basic Advanced Military Police Training at Fort Gordon Georgia
January of 1974 was reassigned to A Battery 5^th Battalion, 6^th ADA 32^nd AADCOM, Germany as a Special Weapons Guard (R-3)
1975 rotated to B Company 94^th MP Battalion, US Forces Police, in Kaiserslautern West Germany as a Military Police Patrol /Traffic Officer
1976 I was reassigned to Fort Ord, 54^th MP Co, Patrol Officer
1978 i was reassigned to 3^rd Platoon, 527 MP Company 709^th MP BN in Darmstadt FRG Patrol Officer / Traffic Accident Investigator and Squad leader.
1979 I was reassigned to Camp Irwin, California, which became Fort Irwin National Training Center, Patrol Officer Desk Sergeant and then Chief Investigator Military Police Investigations Section.
Drill Sergeant School 1985 and PCS'd to 202 MP Company Giessen FRG, NATO Site 4, as a Special Weapons Security (Nuclear) Supervisor. Rotated to be the Deputy Community Commanders Installation Security/ Antiterrorism NCO,, HQs 42^nd FA Brigade.
Reassigned to 571^st MP Company, Fort Ord, 2^nd Platoon Sergeant then Frocked to First Sergeant as a E-7.
Deployment to Honduras, Team Spirit USAK, Moved to Law Enforcement Command when a real E-8 First Sergeant replaced me.
PCS'd again to become the Detachment First Sergeant and Provost Sergeant, 54^th MP Detachment, Fort Hunter Liggett Military Reservation.
1992 PCS'd to 571^st MP Company as First Sargent. Deployment to Operation Restore Hope (Combat Operations) Somalia, Provost Sergeant Mogadishu, US Forces USMC
Aug 1994 moved entire 571^st MP Company and families From Fort Ord to Fort Lewis Washington and the 504^th MP Bn.
1996 I was PCS'd to Fort Campbell, KY 194^th MP Co. First Sargent, LEC then 716^th MP BN S-2, Security NCO and installation Antiterrorism Officer
Was reassigned to USAK, 557^th MP Company Provost SGM of Area III about 1200 miles of Patrol area.
PCS'd back to Fort Campbell, KY US Army Garrison in 1997, Retired in Oct 1997.

PERSONAL HISTORY

Ernest A. Schmidt was born in San Luis Obispo, California, graduated high school there in 1972 and entered into California State Polytechnic University, in San Luis Obispo as a Ornamental Horticulture Major with a Sports medicine Minor. His draft Number was #8 so he enlisted into the Army and stayed for 24 years.
In 1976 he married Jerri A. Weaver of Arden West Virginia and they had two children, Ernest C Schmidt and Tiffany D Schmidt who are both now in Tennessee. They were divorced in 1999 and Jerri passed away in 2001. In 2000 He married Dawn L Pirtile of Jackson Mississippi and adopted her two Boys Ethan W. and Cody W Schmidt both residents of Clarksville, Tn now. After retiring from the Army he worked as a US Marshal Transport Officer and then as a Deputy Sheriff for Montgomery County Jail. He returned to Government service in 2003 to become a Presidio Of Monterey Police Officer in California where he remain and then got promoted into the Installation Antiterrorism Officer for the US Army Presidio of Monterey Garrison Command. He attended the rank of GS-9 Step 6 before returning to Clarksville due to an injury. He then worked for the Vanderbilt University Medical Center as Traffic - Parking officer until his timely Traffic Accident and his then forced retirement.
Ernest Schmidt’s main hobby is working with the Scouts as he has done for the last 30 years. He is a Stamp collector as well historian, into Civil War Stuff. He is also a life Member of the DAV, and the US Army Non - Commissioned Officers Association, Knights of Columbus, Boy Scouts Order of the Arrow Brotherhood Member. Life member of the Non Commissioned officers Museum, Fort Sam Houston, TX. And a member of the Scouting Alumni association as well as the Peacekeeper chapter 716^th MP Bn Fort Campbell, Ky of the Military Police Alumni Association. A Member of the Fraternal Order of Police Clarksville, Chapter. And the Nation Deputy Sheriffs Association. He enjoys working with other veterans as well with all adult leaders in the Scouting Program.