Shiver retires from the Army with 26 years service. sacrifice

Casey Shiver spent over half of his time in the military. He retired recently from the U.S. Army after 26 years of active duty.

A Straughn High School alumnus his first military service was on February 27, 1997.

“I wanted to be part of something more than me. My goal was to be a positive influence in the lives of others and to become an improved person. I consider it a privilege to be a member of our nation’s armed forces. A lot of people are trained to serve, however very few actually choose to join,” Shiver said.

He enlisted as a private (E-1) and then retired as Sergeant Major (E-9). His job at the time of his retiring was Battalion Operations Sergeant Major.

“Throughout my time in the military you will hear from your fellow soldiers that you will be able to tell when it’s time to move on. After having a prayer and conversation along with my partner, I was able to tell that it was time to leave. I am fortunate and blessed to have an incredibly supportive and loving family. Without the constant support from my family I could not be able to make it through the last 26 years. It is a blessing to know that there are people prayerfully praying with you caring for you, assisting you and willing to put in the effort for you, regardless of the circumstance.”

Shiver declared that it’s important to serve his country and safeguard the freedoms of our nation.

“So many people love the American Way of Life and the freedoms that go with it. However, few will put in the effort for a free nation. The loss of these freedoms is just an era away. When the young people and women are too comfortable in their present lifestyles and their sense of entitlement is greater than an urge to help and serve, it is likely that the United States will no longer be the most powerful nation on the planet. It is the land of possibility and not the place of promise,” he said.

Recently, Shiver was deployed to Syria to support Operation Inherent Resolve. In the wake of his 25 years on the field, he prayed in honor of God and his family members.

“First of all, am grateful to my Savior and Lord Jesus Christ. Without Him, nothing could have been achieved. I also want to express my gratitude to my friends and family for all their assistance throughout my time of service. Many have been there through the whole 26 years of my service, while others had an impact only for one or two months.”

Shiver claimed he’d gained a lot of knowledge about himself since the time that he joined the military until his retirement.

“It isn’t long before the real you to show itself when you’re undergoing basic training. It’s a rapid process to mature when you’re in the military and it’s almost funny to look back on my 20-year-old trainee self. There’s a significant difference between who I am now,” he said.

He gave advice for anyone who might have an desire to join the Army.

“Enlist and serve in the right way for the right reasons. Make sure you’re focused and focused on the purpose for which you signed up. If you’re faced with difficulties be sure to remember why. The reason for this is different for each person. But, don’t join only because you know someone who wants to serve or join in,” Shiver said.

His wife has been married for 23 years Julie Shiver. They have only one child, Vanessa, who is an incoming sophomore attending Troy University.

“I’m grateful and blessed to have a great husband who not only has worked for his country for the past 26 years, but is as well in love with his daughter and wife. He put in much time and effort into his work, which took the family away for weeks, days or even an entire year. He’s got many adjustments to make to civilians and I’m sure that by praying and him being the man he is the person he is, he can accomplish amazing tasks,” Julie said.

The article Shiver retires from the Army with 26 years service and sacrifice was first published at The Andalusia Star-News.