A Hero's Character: Memories of Jeremie Border

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Editor’s Note: The VYPE DFW high school sports community was hit hard by the death of Green Beret and former Mesquite High School football player Jeremie Border on Sept. 1 in Afghanistan. Kris Cumnock, vice president of creative services at PPI Marketing, is the Tom Landry Classic’s visionary, launching the concept in 2000. Cumnock shared his memories of Border, his participation in the Tom Landry Classic and the creation of a new scholarship honoring our fallen war hero with VYPEDFW

By Kris Cumnock

Each year I walk away from the Tom Landry Classic Scholarship Banquet feeling a tremendous amount of pride over the scholars we have chosen to carry-on the legacy of Tom Landry. These young men and women are selected for their commitment to academic excellence, their commitment to community service, their integrity, and their leadership ability.

Through the initial 12 years of the Tom Landry Classic, we have seen these young men and women graduate college and become doctors, social workers, investment bankers, physicists, teachers, software developers, and many other professions. We also saw one of our 2001 recipients become a Green Beret, determined to serve and protect his country. Jeremie Border played for Mesquite High School in the 2000 and 2001 Tom Landry Classics. He was also a member of Mesquite High School’s state championship team in 2001. He had an impressive application that included sterling letters of reference, a 3.5 GPA, and notation that he earned his Eagle Scout. He was even more impressive in person.

I remember Jeremie approaching me prior to the beginning of the banquet, shaking my hand, and thanking me for giving him this opportunity. Only days after the banquet, I received a hand-written thank you letter for me and for Dr. William Boothe (Tom Landry Classic corporate partner) who presented him with his scholarship. We expect a lot from our scholarship recipients – but you knew this young man was destined to become something great.

Jeremie went to McMurray University and graduated in 2006 with a double major in sociology and communications. Following graduation, he joined the Army and became a staff sergeant and a Green Beret. He also exceeded our lofty expectations of becoming something great, because he became a hero.

Jeremie was killed in battle on Saturday in Afghanistan, ironically as the 13^th annual Tom Landry Classic was taking place. His fellow soldiers say they will remember him as the “ultimate team player.”

The Tom Landry Classic will remember him with the Jeremie Border Award that will now be awarded to the scholarship recipient who most excels in the area of community service. Jeremie made the ultimate sacrifice to serve his country, and I will never be more proud of one of our scholarship recipients.

Rest in peace young hero, Tom Landry would be proud.

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VYPE DFW STAFF REPORTING added the following:

Army Staff Sgt. Jeremie S. Border (Green Beret), assigned to 1st battalion, 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), Torii, Japan was killed by enemy small arms fire in Batur Village, Afghanistan Septemebr 1st, where he was deployed in support of Operation Enduring Freedom. He began his military career as an Army infratryman in 2006.

Border is a 2002 graduate of Mesquite High School where played on the 2001 State Football Championship Team (15-0), and 2006 graduate of Abilene's McMurry University with double-major B. A. degrees in Socialology and Communication. He was a member of the War Hawks football team and the team will adorn Jeremie's uniform number 28 on helmets throughout McMurry's season.

Other McMurry activities inluded membership in the Servant Leadership Program and Fellowship of Christain Atheletes. A Resident Assistant, he was also named to Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges.

Selected for as a Special Forces (SF) weapons sergent in 2008, he studied Indonesian at the Kenedy Warfare Center.

The following is a selected list of Border's awards and decorations:

- Army Commendation Medla

- National Defense Service Service Medal

- Global War on terror Expeditionary and Medals

- Special Forces Tab

- Bronze Star Medal (postumous)

- Purple Heart (postumous)

- Meritorious Service Medal (postumous)

- Afghan Campaign Medal (postumous)

Source: McMurry University, DOD, MISD, Facebook (images)