LMCS grad bids farewell to military life

Reprinted with permission from the Monitor-Recorder
Fehr retires after over 30 years with National Guard
For almost 35 years, the Iowa National Guard was an important part of Sergeant First Class Daniel Fehr’s life. On Jan. 30, 2017, Fehr will retire after 34 years of service with the National Guard.
The son of Pete and Deloris Fehr of McIntire, Daniel first entered the service on March 10, 1982, while he was still a junior in high school in Lake Mills, as part of a split-option training program.
“I went to basic training [Fort Leonard Wood, Mo.] between my junior and senior years,” Fehr said. “Then I went back to high school and graduated and went back to the National Guard.”
He had intended to go into Active Service, explaining, “I wanted to either build things or blow things up.”
Things changed when the school announced an Army National Guard recruiter was going to be visiting. After meeting with the recruiter on a Monday, Fehr’s parents met with him on Tuesday, and by Friday, he had enlisted. Through his career, he worked as a Heavy Vehicle Operator and as a Wheeled Vehicle Mechanic.
“I had uncles, and my grandfather and my dad who drove truck,” he said. “It stayed in the family.”
Once his time in the National Guard was done, Fehr thought he might join the Army, but as it turned out, the National Guard would become his livelihood, as he joined full-time in 1999.
Over the course of his career, Fehr has been deployed three times. In 1990-1991 he served in Operation Desert Storm, working in Saudi Arabia, hauling equipment and munitions near the border. He also spent time in Kuwait and Bahrain.
In 2003-2004, Fehr spent six months in Kuwait at a base camp, and for the second six months, he was stationed outside Baghdad, helping to haul supplies to soldiers.
Finally, in 2008-2009, Fehr was deployed to Kuwait, hauling equipment and supplies to Iraq. He helped move units out of the country as numbers started downsizing.
Other duties he performed as part of the National Guard included assisting the DOT in recovery of stranded motorists during a blizzard/ice storm in December 1987, delivering donated hay and straw from northern to southern Iowa as part of drought relief in the summer of 1988 and flood relief  along the Skunk River in Des Moines from June to August 1993. There, he worked as a truckmaster/dispatcher for four weeks and then as a squad non-commissioned officer, maintaining support-requested documents, number of gallons hauled, duty rosters and duty rotation and reported daily statuses.
Fehr attended and graduated from Austin Vocational and Technical Institute in Austin, Minn. in May 1985 with a degree in Carpentry Proficiency. In 1988, he was married to Jolene Schamhorst, and they had three daughters, Emily, Sarah and Jessica. He also has two granddaughters, Emma and Adissyn.
Before joining the National Guard full-time, Fehr worked for Lohuis Construction in 1985, Winnebago Industries from 1987-1990 and then for Fieldstone Cabinetry in Northwood from 1990-1999.
That was when he joined the National Guard full-time. During his time in the service, he has received a Meritorious Service Medal; Army Commendation Medal, 3rd Award; Army Achievement Medal, 3rd Award; Army Good Conduct Medal, 6th Award; Army Reserve Component Achievement Medal, 5th Award; National Defense Service Medal, 2nd Award; Iraq Campaign Medal, 2nd Award; Global War on Terrorism Service Medal; Armed Forces Reserve Medal, 3rd Award; Armed Forces Reserve Medal with M Device, 2nd Award; Non Commissioned Officer Professional Development Ribbon with numeral 3; Army Service Ribbon; Army Reserve Components Overseas Training Ribbon; SW Asia Service Medal with Bronze Service Star, 3rd Award; Kuwait Liberation Medal (Kuwait); Kuwait Liberation Medal (Saudi Arabia); Iowa Commendation Medal, 2nd Award; Iowa Humanitarian Service Ribbon, 2nd Award; Iowa Leadership Ribbon with Torch Device; Iowa Force Support Protection Ribbon; Iowa State Service Ribbon, 6th Award; Combat Action Badge; Drivers and Mechanics Badge, Wheeled and Mechanic; Joint Meritorious Unit Award; and a Meritorious Unit Commendation.
Now that he is retired, Fehr is enjoying time to himself. A retirement ceremony was held in his honor on Nov. 5, but he is considered to be on active duty until the end of January. In the meantime, he is addressing some health issues and applying for new jobs as he looks to start a new chapter of his life.