STORIES
Peacemakers
DONATE

Todd Humphries

by Veronica from United States

122998Todd Humphries Todd HumphriesA hero by definition is a person admired for their achievements, noble qualities, bravery, and courage. In addition, a hero is referred to as a warrior. Todd Humphries is such a warrior and is an unsung hero who exudes all of these characteristics, which is evident through his time in the armed forces and as a Cherokee County Veteran Affairs officer.

As a young man, Humphries made the admirable decision to join the service. He ended up serving from 1993 to 1997 in the United States Army, and then in the U.S. Army National Guard from 1997 until 2006. Admiration for Humphries’ decision to serve the country can be seen when talking with any of his family and brothers and sisters in arms. However, the most admirable aspect of Humphries’ life is his decision and ability to use his experiences to make him a person who continues to help others by serving as director over the Cherokee County Veteran Affairs Office. He has had numerous achievements throughout his past and previous service, which are testaments to his status as a hero. Humphries spent 11 months in Bosnia aiding in a multinational peace keeping mission, in areas where civil war and genocide had been prevalent. During his time there, he drove a wrecker to remove damaged equipment and aided the U.S. in achieving the mission of uncovering war crimes, building infrastructures, and establishing peace while a formal government was being established.

From February 2014 to February 2015, Humphries served in the second Gulf War also known as Iraqi Freedom, which was a U.S. led multinational coalition. He arrived in Iraq right after the capture of Saddam Hussein, and he again helped the US establish peace while a formal government was being formed. This time Humphries started by radioing supplies. He then became Sergeant of the guards, and later assisted by becoming a lesion officer. This means he would help his fellow soldiers get out of the country during recreational, medical, and bereavement leave.

Now that he is no longer an active service member, he continues to have a life full of achievements. For example, he is an elected official and the community has placed him as director of the Cherokee County Veteran Affairs office since 2009, meaning he has won multiple terms. In addition, under his guidance, the V.A. office has been voted for twice as the best government run office in Cherokee County, and most recently due to his success in running the Cherokee County branch, he is now the president of the South Carolina Association of Veterans Affairs offices. This means Humphries’ service for the community has now extended and is now helping others throughout South Carolina. Humphries claimed, “I felt that joining the service was something that I needed to do, and I knew it was right.” This is a significant noble quality for a hero because it shows how he follows his own internal compass, and in doing so, he has made a continual effort to put others first through his service.

In response to how Humphries handles past obstacles, setbacks, or regrets, he stated, “You learn to overcome them. Learn from those mistakes, and learn to not to make them again.” Not only do these responses show the noble quality of honesty, but his statements also illustrate the courage and bravery it takes to admit to such past turmoil. Humphries experiences have made him the a better, stronger person today.

In conclusion, a hero is a person admired for achievements, noble qualities, courage, and bravery, and Humphries is such a hero. This is evident through the following: admiration from others for both his 13 years of active service and service to veterans and their families, achievements while working in peace keeping missions overseas and in making improvement in veteran offices throughout South Carolina, noble qualities of following his own internal compass to put others first and honesty to admit setbacks, and courage and bravery in being able to admit to these setbacks and obstacles. However, the most prevalent indication of Humphries’ heroism is his ability to use setbacks and obstacles to avoid future mistakes, and to use these experiences to become a stronger person, making life better for people in Cherokee County, South Carolina, and the world.

 

Page created on 4/17/2018 3:30:08 PM

Last edited 4/17/2018 3:40:04 PM

The beliefs, viewpoints and opinions expressed in this hero submission on the website are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs, viewpoints and opinions of The MY HERO Project and its staff.