Medical doctors estimated in September that Jay Tenison, who was identified with terminal most cancers, had 3-6 months to stay. One of many issues on his bucket listing was to fireplace a tank one final time.
Tenison, 39, is a former tanker who served from 2004 to 2008 on energetic responsibility and one other 5 years within the Army Reserve. On Tuesday, he obtained to verify that merchandise off the listing — he fired his final shot at Fort Moore, Georgia.
“It was the whole lot I had hoped for, and went past my expectation,” he instructed Navy.com. When requested how he did on the gunnery occasion, which included the M1A2 Abrams predominant battle tank participating a number of targets, he mentioned, “I killed the whole lot.”
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It was the fruits of a serious motion within the Army neighborhood to get Tenison into an Abrams tank one final time after he posted the request on Reddit late final 12 months. He reported his hair had began falling out, he was rising more and more fatigued and had misplaced at the very least 60 kilos.
“To me, this is without doubt one of the most particular issues I’ll do in command,” Col. Ryan Kranc, commander of the 316th Cavalry Brigade, which oversees coaching for cavalry and armor troops, instructed Navy.com. “It is humbling.”
Tenison was additionally awarded the Order of Saint George, a singular and prestigious medal worn across the neck, given to cavalry and tanker troopers for excellent service.
In early 2022, Tenison was identified with Stage IV abdomen most cancers after reporting ache to his medical doctors. After months of chemotherapy, he obtained the worst information of his life — there was nothing medical care might do for him and his physician beneficial he deal with high quality of life.
Earlier than the stay hearth, Tenison was put right into a simulation of the Abrams, a digital actuality instrument all troopers undergo earlier than gunnery. He says he was shortly in a position to relearn how the tank operates. His solely concern was climbing out and in of the tank. He additionally obtained to talk with fundamental trainees in tanker college, who wore COVID-19 pandemic-era masks to guard him.
The Abrams is comparatively unchanged since Tenison’s time in service, which included a deployment to Ramadi, Iraq, with 2nd Battalion, thirty seventh Armor Regiment, throughout a kinetic time within the area. He spent a few of the mission behind a desk doing administrative work, but in addition was part of convoys for resupply missions and taking the lifeless off the battlefield.
“We misplaced seven or eight guys; I obtained to hold the our bodies again,” Tenison recalled. “We’d simply go and retrieve them. They might already be in a physique bag.”
He was struggling in school and with different private issues when he joined the Army at 20 years previous. Like many enlistees, he wanted a reset button and was seduced by the $7,000 enlistment bonus to develop into a tanker.
He jokes that the Army’s pitch shouldn’t have been as straightforward because it was, however provides that he doesn’t have any regrets. He later earned his grasp’s diploma in engineering from Arizona State College and had a ardour for renewable power, significantly solar energy. He labored on designs for photo voltaic arrays for native municipalities and the Division of Veterans Affairs, together with a mission on the Los Angeles VA hospital.
Along with getting behind a tank one final time, he hung out on the seashore in Pensacola, Florida, along with his daughters. Additionally they took a visit to Disney World. One of many final issues on his bucket listing is skydiving.
“I really feel actually particular,” Tenison mentioned. “I’m going to make a video diary for my daughters for once they’re older. I’m going to inform them to maintain on going and preserve giving again. I’m hoping I can clarify to them that this was an enormous factor and what occurs when a neighborhood helps itself.”
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