There are heroes among us: Isaiah Lloyd of the U-S Army

‘Life was simple during the war with only one worry; staying alive’- Corporal Isaiah Lloyd

LAFOLLETTE, TN (WLAF)- It was 2010, the United States was heavily involved in Afghanistan and Iraq, and high school senior Isaiah Lloyd’ parents signed for him to enlist upon graduation. “I was at Fort Benning, Georgia, for basic training within two weeks of graduating from high school. I come from a family of a long line of veterans, and I wanted to serve my country,” said Lloyd, now Sergeant Isaiah Lloyd of the La Follette Police Department.

At Ft. Benning, Lloyd went to OSUT (one station unit training), then infantry school, jump school (United States Army Airborne School).

From Ft. Benning, it was on to the 82nd Airborne Division at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where he attended Rifleman Infantry Camp and became a Grenadier. Lloyd was armed with a grenade launcher and was a machine gunner. He was chosen as the weapons squad team leader.

Lloyd was deployed to Iraq in 2011 for a seven month tour of duty and became the squad’s designated marksman of Alpha Company. When asked how life was there, he said, “Life is simple. There’s only one worry, staying alive.”

Hot and miserable are how Lloyd describes Iraq. “The comradery of the soldiers made the difference.” said Lloyd.

During his time in the Middle East, Lloyd and his team conducted a lot of patrols beginning at Ramadi, Iraq. From there, it was on to Fallujah, Iraq, a big hot spot. “Supplies were limited there, and we only had about 40 soldiers at that base. We ran roaming patrols through Fallujah, and after that stint, we rotated out of that base and back to Ramadi,” said Lloyd. Organized missions to different towns and cities were carried out by Lloyd’s team, according to Lloyd.

Communication back home was limited during Lloyd’s deployment to Iraq. “You could Skype when the internet worked. There was only one phone, and we shared it. Mail coming and going from home was about a four week turn-a-round,” said Lloyd.

Coming back home after Army and the war, Lloyd became a welder, then hired on as a trooper with the Tennessee Highway Patrol for almost four years. From the THP, he went to work at Y-12 as a welder, and then he joined on with the La Follette Police Department in August 2023. “Once it’s (law enforcement) in your system,” said Lloyd.

At LPD, Sgt. Lloyd is on the SWAT team and is able to continue his life’s calling of wanting to help others. The 6-2, 230 pound Lloyd works out at the gym, lifting and running, everyday before going to work.

“I’m very proud to be a veteran,” said Lloyd. (WLAF NEWS PUBLISHED – 11/11/2024-6AM)