I just had a story written about me in the HCSO Scene Newsletter, while celebrating Veterans on the 4th of July. Of course, I hate the word "Ballooning"! Paul Croas catches crooks on a daily basis as a member of the HCSO’s K9 Unit, but his experience fighting the bad guys began a long time ago – in the military. He was a member of the 82nd Airborne Division as a cavalry scout for the U.S. Army and served in combat operations in 1989 in Panama and 1991 in Iraq. During his time in Iraq, Croas said he was part of a spearhead force to repel Iraqi forces from invading Saudi Arabia. The deployment that lasted more than 9 months culminated with a 100-hour battle. “It was very fast-paced,” Croas said about the mission. “(American forces) literally got overwhelmed with prisoners because they surrendered.” Croas is also proud to say that during the invasion, he was temporarily assigned to the 6th Armor Battalion of the Foreign French Legion. The Legion is an elite military group that is commanded by French officers, composed of men from different countries and whose training focuses on a strong esprit de corps. “That’s a big deal,” he said. Although he has more than 11 military awards, he said his most meaningful is from his time in Panama. Croas and his division were carrying out day-to-day tasks on Dec. 19, 1989 when they received notification to be prepared for combat. Ballooning parachutes touched down on the Tocumen International Airport, formerly known as the Omar Torrijos International Airport, as U.S. troops conducted a parachute assault on Panamanian forces as a part of Operation Just Cause. An assault like this hadn’t been carried out since World War II, and his role was to jump into combat from 450 feet, he said. “I can still smell and see this place like it was yesterday,” said Croas. “I will keep these memories for life.” These actions earned him a Bronze Star with a parachutist badge. Prior to working with the HCSO’s K9Unit, Sgt. Croas worked with the Terrorism Task Force. He said his military background has definitely prepared him for a career in law enforcement and has given him “self-discipline, especially in the tough times.”- Rebeca Trejo/ Media Relations Intern
Posted on: Wed, 10 Jul 2013 16:31:09 +0000
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