Veteran Salute: Assisting in Nato's Reforger mission
TOPEKA (KSNT) - Originally set to work with mortars, E4 Specialist Butch McKinley found the right fit in the mechanic field. During his service, he'd contribute to a vital NATO mission amid the Cold War, the return of forces to Germany.
McKinley had a bit of a chip on his shoulder for joining the Army.
“My brother was Army," McKinley said, "two older brothers were Navy so I grew up pretty much with all of them in the service, so I figured I’d even it out.”
That plan needed some adjusting after his role with mortars wasn't panning out like he had hoped.
“I just like a lot about how stuff runs, so I started doing that," he said.
Finding more fulfillment as a diesel mechanic, he had the chance to see what made those vehicles tick up close and personal.
“We pulled tank motors out, rebuilt them, put them back in," he said. "Anytime we went somewhere we’d be out there to fix anything that went wrong. We did a lot of rebuilding motors, diesel for tanks, MGS and jeeps. I took care of the maintenance for the medics and the cooks, cause if you took care of them cooks, they took care of you.”
That expertise led McKinley to head overseas, aiding in the NATO mission to strengthen ally military capabilities abroad.
“I did two Reforgers to Germany," he said. "Our companies took us over there to train with the Germans. We took all our tanks took all our vehicles all our tools everything and went."
Nowadays, McKinley stays heavily involved with veterans. He's in charge of the American Legion Riders, sets up honor funeral details, and serves as the Second Vice of his American Legion group.
“We adopt families for Christmas, you get to see what other people don’t have and you’d be able to help them," McKinley said. "We do a lot for veterans if we can, we do quite a bit.”
The Specialist loves hearing the stories of others that have served. He encourages any veteran interested in getting involved in their local community to visit him at Post 400 in Topeka.