By Owen & Lois Wiese
Thank you to those of you who are in the service or have been in the service of our country. Thank you for putting on the uniform to preserve our freedoms. This writing is to honor one of our own ‘Garretsonites’ who spent a 30-year career in distinguished service to help preserve our freedoms.
Colonel Nancy (Frerk) Grandy grew up in Garretson (on Third St.), the 7th of Don (Sr.) and Joan Frerk’s 8 children. Nancy is a member of the class of 1982, graduated from Underwood, MN High School, where her family moved when she was a junior at Garretson high school. Nancy enrolled at Gustavus Adolphus College, St. Peter, MN. She studied and majored in Psychology and Criminal Justice, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree. She also enrolled in ROTC (Reserve Officers Training Corps), where she learned the fine art of army life and chose to make the army her career. She chose well and served with perfection as an extraordinary soldier. After graduation in 1986 she was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Transportation Corps.
Following the Transportation Officer Basic Course, Col. Grandy was assigned to Fort Drum, NY, where she initially served as Platoon Leader; then as Airfield Control Officer; and later Deputy Division Transportation Officer. After attending the Transportation Officer Advance Course, she was assigned to the 28th Transportation Battalion, Mannheim Germany as the Battalion Logistics Officer and Company Commander. Following command, she served as Convoy Operations Officer for the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees at Metkovic, Croatia. Col. Grandy joined the staff of the Joint Readiness Training Center, Fort Polk, LA in 1995 where she served as an Observer Controller and Logistics Officer. She had attained the rank of Major at this point in her career. Next, she was assigned as Division Transportation Officer, 2nd Infantry Division at Camp Red Cloud, Korea and Battalion Executive Officer at Camp Casey, Korea. Nancy next served as an action officer for the Chief of Staff, Army, Washington, DC. After serving as Deputy Commander for Support, Task Force Olympia, Mosul, Iraq; Col. Grandy served as Commander, 296th Brigade Support Battalion, 3-2 Stryker Brigade Combat Team, Fort Lewis, WA and Iraq, from November 2004 to November 2007. Following command, she was assigned as Deputy Chief of Staff, I Corps and Fort Lewis, WA. From 2009 - 2012. COL Grandy next served as Director for Logistics, Rapid Fielding Directorate, Office of the Secretary of Defense. She then was assigned as Deputy Commandant/Chief of Staff for the U.S. Army Transportation Corps Regiment and School, at Fort Lee, VA. Colonel Grandy completed her career as Director, Force Management and Faculty Instructor, Department of Command, Leadership and Management, U. S. Army War College.
Col Grandy served in the Army for 30 years, moved 14 times and served at 11 duty stations in 8 states and also served in four (4) foreign countries. She had the opportunity to work for the High commissioner for Refugees in Metkovic, Croatia. She served as a special actions’ coordinator for the Chief of Staff of the Army. Nancy led Joint Service Rapid Fielding projects for the Secretary of Defense Office and served as an instructor at the Army War College amongst other prominent responsibilities.
Col. Grandy holds a Master of Science Degree in Strategic Studies from the U.S. Army War College and a Master of Science in Administration Degree in Human Resource Management from Central Michigan University. Her Military education includes the Transportation Officer Basic and Advanced Courses, The Command and General Staff College and the U.S. Army War College.
Col. Grandy’s awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit with Oak Leaf Cluster, Bronze Star Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Meritorious Service Medal with one Silver and one Oak Leaf Cluster, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Army Commendation Medal with V Device and three Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Achievement Medal with four Oak Leaf Clusters, Joint Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Citation, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, Iraqi Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Medals, and the Korean Defense Service Medal. She has also been awarded the Office, Secretary of Defense Identification Badge, Army Staff Identification Badge, Combat Action Badge, and the Parachutist Badge. She is the recipient of the Ancient Order of Saint Christopher. (The Transportation Corps was formed in 1942 and in 1998 the Army instituted the order of St. Christopher to recognize outstanding transporters. (St. Christopher is the patron saint of travelers and Motorists).
At the present time, Col. Grandy works as the Chief Supply Chain Officer for the Sioux Falls Veterans Administration Healthcare System where she oversees purchasing and management of supplies and equipment.
Nancy recently completed her tour as the Garretson Legion Commander and has incorporated a few innovations into the meetings. She also writes and distributes a bimonthly newsletter to members about the activities of the Legion Family. All of Nancy’s brothers, her father, and her husband served our nation and are (or were) members of the American Legion. Tony Grandy, Nancy’s husband of 36 years is a past Commander of the Legion, is currently a very active Legion member and served in the army for 20 years. Tony and Nancy met in ROTC as college students and were both commissioned in 1986. Tony and Nancy were stationed at many of the same posts through the years of their shared active-duty life.
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