From a Laurens Academy classroom on 9/11 to Arlington: Jimmy Poole’s Veterans Day story

As Laurens County honors its veterans this week, hometown soldier Jimmy Poole is looking back on years of Army service that took him from the Hickory Tavern community to the nation’s capital. There, he provided security for presidents, foreign dignitaries and some of the most sacred ground in the country.

Rooted in Laurens County

Poole grew up in the Hickory Tavern and Green Pond community, a place he describes as one where a person’s word meant something and neighbors looked out for each other.

“Hard work wasn’t optional,” Poole said. “I learned early that respect was earned, accountability mattered, and you were expected to contribute something to the community that raised you.”

He graduated from Laurens Academy, where he said Coach Mike Pitts had a major influence on his life.

“I was a young man with plenty of energy and ambition, but I needed perspective,” Poole said. “Coach Pitts helped me understand that strength without discipline and perspective can be as much a liability as an asset.”

“Laurens County gave me my foundation,” he added. “The Army helped me build on it.”

A classroom on Sept. 11

Poole was sitting in Mrs. Robertson’s science class at Laurens Academy on Sept. 11, 2001, when he watched the second plane hit the World Trade Center.

At the time, baseball was his focus. He had committed to play at Limestone College and had a clear picture of what his future would look like. But the disbelief and anger he felt that morning stayed with him as the country went to war.

“The more I watched, the more I felt a responsibility to do something,” Poole said. “Ultimately, I decided that I wanted to serve my country and be part of something bigger than myself.”

He said he was also drawn to the challenge of serving alongside people who expected excellence and put the mission and the people beside them ahead of themselves.

“The Army gave me exactly that,” he said.

Serving with The Old Guard

After his initial Army and military police training, Poole was selected for assignment to The Old Guard, the 3rd U.S. Infantry Regiment, in Washington, D.C. The regiment honors the nation’s fallen through ceremonial duties, conducts security missions and serves as the official ceremonial escort to the president.

Poole was assigned to the 289th Military Police Company and completed the regiment’s three-week orientation program, a demanding course in uniform and ceremonial standards that also tests physical ability and attention to detail.

“The standards were extremely high,” Poole said. “Discipline, military bearing, attention to detail and professionalism were expected every single day.”

After orientation, he was selected for the Military District of Washington’s Special Reaction Team, a specialized military police unit that responds to high-risk situations and supports security operations requiring additional tactical capability. The team’s area of responsibility stretched from Fort Hamilton, New York, to Fort A.P. Hill, Virginia.

“You quickly discover successful operations aren’t about individual recognition,” Poole said. “They’re about every person doing their job correctly, often without anyone ever knowing they were there.”

Behind the scenes of history

Poole took part in many joint security operations with the FBI and Secret Service during the Bush and Obama administrations, as well as during visits by foreign dignitaries. The mission that stands out most was President Barack Obama’s first inauguration in January 2009.

The threat level was exceptionally high, he said, and securing the U.S. Capitol and the surrounding area took a huge amount of planning and manpower.

“People watching the inauguration on television saw the ceremony, the crowds and the historic transfer of power,” Poole said. “What they didn’t see were the countless hours of preparation and the thousands of military personnel, law enforcement officers and federal agents working together behind the scenes.”

“Regardless of your personal politics, our mission was to protect the office, uphold our oath and ensure the peaceful transfer of power that is fundamental to our republic,” he said.

Sacred ground at Arlington

Many of Poole’s security missions took place at Arlington National Cemetery, especially at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and Memorial Amphitheater. He is careful to say he was not a Tomb Guard Sentinel, a distinct and highly specialized duty he said he would never take credit for.

Even so, providing security at the Tomb left a lasting impression.

“There is a certain silence and reverence at Arlington that stays with you,” Poole said. “Regardless of who was visiting, you were always reminded that the most important people there weren’t the presidents, dignitaries or officials. They were the men and women resting beneath those white headstones.”

Service that continued

Poole’s career continued well beyond Washington. He later served as noncommissioned officer in charge of the Special Reaction Team at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, and served with Combined Joint Interagency Task Force 435 and NATO Special Operations Task Force 47. He also trained for and competed in the Southeastern SWAT Competition.

Today, Poole and his wife are raising their children in Laurens County, and he was recently elected to represent District 4 on Laurens County Council.

“I believe God places us in certain situations throughout our lives to prepare us for what comes next,” he said.

What Veterans Day means

Poole said his time at Arlington deepened his understanding of service and sacrifice. He noted the difference between the two holidays: Memorial Day honors those who died in service, while Veterans Day recognizes everyone who has worn the uniform.

“When you’ve stood among those headstones and seen the families who carry the burden of losing someone in service to our country, you begin to understand that freedom has a very real human cost,” Poole said.

“To me, Veterans Day is about gratitude, but it’s also about responsibility,” he said. “We owe our veterans more than a handshake and a thank-you once a year. We owe them a community and a country that honor their service through our actions.”