New coach called to serve his country

Damon Bradford hates to leave his family and his football team, but he's proud to serve his country.

That in a nutshell sums up the feelings of Southeast Missouri State University's defensive coordinator, who was recently called up by the Tennessee National Guard and will report today for active duty.

Bradford's coaching career with the Indians has been put on hold -- for how long is anybody's guess -- almost before it had a chance to begin. Bradford joined Southeast's staff only a few months ago and finished his first spring practice session in Cape Girardeau in late April.

"Obviously I have mixed emotions," Bradford said. "I'm leaving my family and leaving my job, and I'll be worrying about my family while I'm gone.

"But I've been through this thing before. It's part of the job, and it's something I have very strong feelings about. The timing's bad, but something like this, the timing is never good when you deploy to a combat zone."

Bradford, 36, is a veteran of 13 years in the Army and National Guard. He will be the executive officer -- second in command -- of Troop F, Second Squadron 278 Armored Cavalry Regiment of the Tennessee National Guard.

After he reports today, Bradford will be sent for training in Fort Knox, Ky., which likely will last several months. He will then join his troop at Camp Shelby, Miss., and they will be deployed to Iraq at a date that can't be released.

"I have a strong sense of duty," Bradford said. "I feel very strongly that we're over there for the right reasons."

Bradford, who has been called to active duty two other times and has been in combat situations -- both instances fell outside of the football season and were for shorter periods of time -- very nearly became a full-time soldier instead of a football coach.

"I come from a military family. My father and grandfather were in the military. I consider myself a patriot first and foremost," said Bradford, a native of Jackson, Tenn., who was an All-American player at Lambuth University in his hometown. "After I graduated from college, I joined up right before Desert Storm. I got out of the military with mixed emotions. I love football so much, and I knew it would be tough to raise a family in the military."

Speaking of his family, Bradford said his situation is the hardest on his wife, Kathryn, and their two young children, a 4-year-old girl and a 4-month-old boy.

"Up and down," said Bradford when asked how his family is coping with things. "My wife believes in me and what we're doing. She doesn't necessarily like the fact I'm going to be gone, she doesn't want me to be going, but she's a trooper and she understands why I'm going."

The Bradfords, after selling their house in Cookeville, Tenn., in late April -- he came to Southeast from Tennessee Tech -- were recently prepared to close on a house in Cape Girardeau when Damon learned of his military obligations. So his wife and children, who had not yet moved to town, have decided to remain in Cookeville for the time being.

"She and the kids are going to stay in Cookeville, where she has more support," Bradford said.

Linebacker O.J. Turner, a Central High School graduate who will be entering his fourth season as a Southeast starter and is one of team's defensive leaders, originally was upset but said he understands Bradford's situation.

"I know he's doing it for his country," Turner said. "He's a really good guy and a really good coach. I was surprised how quick we picked everything up and the defense was really looking good. We were all surprised when he told us he was leaving. We knew about his military background -- he's been a lot of places and he told us a lot of stories -- but we had no idea he was that close to going.

"We're all going to pray for him and hope everything turns out all right."

Bradford, who previously coached linebackers at Tennessee Tech, will not be replaced on Southeast's staff. Indians head coach Tim Billings, a former defensive coordinator at Marshall, will step into the role of defensive coordinator and make some adjustments in his staff as Southeast keeps Bradford's position vacant until his tour of duty -- which could be a year or longer -- is completed.

As far as Billings is concerned, the Southeast coaching situation takes a back seat to the ongoing conflict in Iraq.

"We'll be fine here," Billings said. "Things go on, life goes on. But we'll be thinking of Damon. He's a great young man and a great young coach and the thoughts and prayers of our entire program are going to be with him."

Bradford said he is appreciative beyond words of Billings' gesture and welcomes the day he returns as the man in charge of the Indians' defense.

"The great thing about Tim, when I had to tell him, I was sorry because I knew it put him in a bind. He didn't even talk about football, he just wanted to know how my family would be," Bradford said. "He's a great guy. He's the kind of guy I want to work for and with. The whole staff is that way."

Added Bradford: "I think the players were establishing a really good base with me, and I think we had something special going. I still think we're going to have a really good defense. I wish I could be there."