When I asked LCDR Parks if he would be willing to do an interview for the FRG newsletter, amidst how busy he’s been the past few weeks, he graciously and immediately accepted. Two days later, we met the in ghost town of the MU-11 compound. After almost 33 years of dedicated service, all I could ask was, “How was it?” With that, he took me down memory lane, showing humility and gratitude towards his mentors and those he’s mentored over the years.
Larry Parks enlisted in 1977. He worked his way up the ranks learning everything he could along the way. After leading as a Chief, he knew that he could not influence the community the way he wanted to as an enlisted man. That is when he decided he would take the brave leap from Enlisted to Officer. It was a transition that was eased by great men that went before him. “Those guys didn’t let me make the same mistakes they made,” he said of his mentors. He had a great group of guys that let him run amok and they channeled his energy to make him succeed and develop at a higher level.
The best time of his Navy career was the time he spent as a Gunner. He loved the direct interaction with the guys, training and teaching them along the way. He had the leadership and training to really influence a lot of men, a quality he was dedicated to teaching his guys. Throughout the years, he’s learned the EOD operates in a very simple way. Mutual respect, looking out for one another, and having fun all along the way. He wants his men to “always remember team integrity, and never forget about the families.” The families need to be on the ground, prepared, and have a strong support system. That is where the command, Ombudsman and FRG take the reigns. LCDR Parks stated that communication is vital for families to survive in the EOD community.
LCDR Larry Parks is leaving at the pinnacle of his career. He never planned on having so much fun along the way, and can’t believe he got paid to do some of the things he did. He will take two months off to be with his wife and son. He wants to get back into woodworking, go on fishing and camping trips, and enjoy the holidays with family. He will then report promptly to his new civilian career at Premier Technology, Inc. located in Blackfoot, Idaho, in January 2010. LCDR Parks said its a hard transition to go from Navy to civilian, especially for people who have a never ending to do list. He has had plates spinning in the air for almost 33 years, and he’s not ready to slow down yet. He is still moving at full speed, and that takes time to change. He realizes he cannot continue this pace forever, and will be better at taking time off and enjoying life at a slower pace. He would like to travel to Costa Rica, Panama, Brazil, or South Africa. Or maybe if it doesn’t work out in Idaho, he’ll go back to school and get a PhD in Ancient History. Whatever he does, there is no plan, and he doesn’t want one. He doesn’t believe in plans, for however much one tries to forecast what will be, it never turns out the same. Just be a good person and “remember what you learned in kindergarten - be kind to others, mutual respect, and loyalty - the rest just sorts itself out.”
When I asked LCDR Parks what it feels like to have his men respect him so much, he said that there are over a dozen guys he can name off the top of his head that are bigger and badder than he. He said he would have never made it without those that came before him, and will never forget their support through the early stages of his career. His cool nature and humble attitude make him one of the most amazing and loved guys in the EOD community. He was instrumental in building the EOD community and shaping the way it evolved. He was there when MU-11 was built, and is sad to be around to see it be torn apart and shipped down to San Diego.
I asked LCDR Parks when we would get to see him again. He said he would be back to welcome all the teams home from deployment. “I put them on that plane, and Ill be there when that plane hits the tarmac.” At that point he won’t be their XO anymore, but he “will always be an EOD guy.”
