Iraqi divisions. “From the U.S. Army stand-
point, it was a terrifi c victory,” Funk says. “The difference be- tween the Iraqi Army and ours wasn’t the equipment; it was the quality of the soldiers, their training and their junior lead- ers.” Funk’s son Paul was one of
those junior leaders who served in the 3rd division lead by Funk during Desert Storm. Paul was a company commander of 120 troops. While Funk’s division was
Funk chose to name his ranch Spearhead Ranch based on the division he commanded during Desert Storm. He is pictured here with a replica of the Spearhead division colors.
Army career “It was the people — the soldiers — and the dedicated
and important missions and being part of something much bigger than oneself that made me want to come back and to stay,” Funk says. “And then, there was the leadership challenge,
particularly the challenge of command, which really appealed to me. Frankly, there is nothing like being in command of U.S. soldiers in war. I was privileged to do that twice.” During his 32 years in the Army, Funk served in a
variety of leadership positions from platoon leader of 20 warfi ghters, to corps commander of 162,000 soldiers. “It was a superb honor and very humbling to com-
mand in war, as it was in peacetime,” Funk adds. He served in combat in Vietnam as an air cavalry
troop commander. At the age of 30, he was responsible for 27 helicopters and 248 soldiers. His troop lost 32 soldiers and more than 100 were wounded. “Our troopers were terrifi c fi ghters and the bravest
soldiers I know,” Funk says. “I still miss those we lost.” After Vietnam, the Army sent Funk to graduate
school, where he earned a doctorate in education. He was then stationed in Korea for a year. During Desert Storm, Funk was the 3rd Armored Division Commander. His division fought through 3
92 The Cattleman August 2015
getting ready to move, Paul’s unit had been told to stay back to provide security in Germany. Danny told her husband, “You are going to take your son with you. You are taking everyone
else’s sons and husbands; you are going to take our son.”
Spearhead Ranch When Funk decided it was time to retire from the
Army, he called his friend, Donlie McMullin, whom he had met in 1962 while both were stationed at Fort Hood, to help him look for property. Funk says Danny was willing to live in the country,
but cats topped her list of animals on the ranch, while owning cattle was Funk’s plan. McMullin found the Funks a place not far from his
own, near Copperas Cove, and Funk got the opportu- nity to return to his childhood passions of owning a ranch and raising cattle. “My desire to care for animals and land are rooted
deep,” Funk explains. “I was excited to get back to my roots and be actively involved in good husbandry and stewardship practices.” When choosing a ranch name, he decided to tie
his Army career to his next adventure. “Spearhead” was the nickname given to the 3rd Armored Division during World War II. This is also the division he com- manded during Desert Storm. Following Desert Storm, the division was decommissioned.
After Army retirement After retiring from the Army, Funk accepted a po-
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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