Former Murray County Undersheriff, Jay McClure, was honored at an event of a lifetime last Saturday evening.
McClure was personally invited to attend the prestigious 434th FieldArtillery Brigade Saint Barbara’s Celebration and Military Ball at Fort Sill in Lawton.
To make the event more special, he was invited by the guest speaker for the event, Retired Sgt. Maj. of the Army Michael A. Grinston.
Grinston was only the sixteenth sergeant major of theArmy at the time of his retirement. His rank is the highest an enlisted person can attain in the army.
The two men first met when Grinston was a sergeant and was a section chief for McClure’s unit at Fort Bragg, N.C.
McClure always had high regards for Grinston and said he always knew he would make it to the top. On many occasions, McClure spoke of him to his co-workers and the impact he had on his life.
After many years, the pair was recently reunited by the effort of current Undersherifff, Ben Flowers. Flowers was searching one evening trying to find a way to contact the Grinston. His search paid off when he found a phone number which he called and left a message. Within minutes, Grinston returned the call. When asked if Flowers was referring to J. J. McClure in his message, Flowers replied “yes.” Flowers went on to explain how McClure had looked up to him during their service time together, and then told Grinston about McClure’s battle with ALS.
After asking for his phone number, Grinston immediately hung up the phone and called McClure and the two have been in contact ever since.
After Grinston, a native Jasper, Ala., was asked to speak at the prestigious event at Ft. Sill, he invited McClure to attend.
During his speech, Grinston told the audience of his relationship with McClure and a few stories about him. In concluding his speech, Grinston presented McClure with the Army Challenge Coin.
Traditionally, Challenge Coins are used as military tokens of recognition that prove membership in an elite unit.
Following the coin presentation, McClure then removed his Sheriff’s badge from his uniform and presented it to Grinston along with a letter he wrote.
McClure told the Times-Democrat he would like to give a heartfelt thanks to his wife, Kayla, Murray County Sheriff Darrin Rogers and Undersheriff Ben Flowers for accompanying him to the ball and making it possible for him to attend.
He said he would also like to thank Paul Walsh for writing a letter in calligraphy to take to the ball and to Lena Muse for her help in altering his uniform.
McClure worked with the Sheriff’s Department for more than 20 years before his illness forced him into early retirement.
