Tonight at 8 on CBS, millions in this world will watch "Survivor." A reality show that is a big hit. Probably not in the mountains or villages, deserts or rocky slopes of Afghanistan. Not much time for TV when a war against the Taliban and other bad guys rages on. Reality in Afghanistan isn't Brazilian jungle. Reality is roadside bombs and informers and bullets that pierce skulls.
Still, so many countless people in Afghanistan have one guy on that show tonight to thank for many of the Afghan Army soldiers trained to keep them safe. That guy is 49-year-old Jerry Sims. "Survivor" contestant now in his life. But before Sims taped Survivor late last year, from early 2007 until May 2008, Jerry Sims was "Top." Top sergeant. The guy in charge. "Smiley," from that incessant smile. Or just "First Sergeant!"
Rock Hill's 1st Sgt. Sims took a military company of men from right here in York County from the Army National Guard to Afghanistan, then brought every single one of them back home to mothers and wives, girlfriends and sons and daughters. He took more than 20 years of training across the earth, and nobody in York County had a funeral.
Sims' main job was training the Afghan Army and training the other first sergeants who would do the work that can win wars. Ask any military man, and that person will tell you the first sergeant is the guy between the officers who decide things and the soldiers who do them. The first sergeant is the one with enough guts, experience and respect to tell an officer a better way and tell a private the only way.
"He was respected right from the get-go by everyone, above and below," said Garret Mathews, a now-retired sergeant who not only lived right next to Sims in Afghanistan, not only trained with him for years before going, but works with Sims in civilian life at the Catawba Nuclear Station. In Afghanistan, Sims had responsibility for many men, up to a company of close to 100 at any given time, with a good many of them young guys never away from home before deployment. "He has that smile, but he is one of those guys who can make a tough decision. But he would make you feel like you want to do it. He wouldn't make anybody do anything he wouldn't do himself. Always has been one to get his hands dirty right there with you."
A full-time sergeant with the National Guard from Rock Hill, Soufiane Afkinich, worked with Sims in Afghanistan almost every day. And every day he was thankful for the guy nicknamed "Smiley," because few can handle stress with a smile like Sims. In training soldiers, Sims was one first sergeant who bridged ethnic and cultural barriers that existed between Afghan people.
"'First Sergeant' was always right there, coaching and mentoring," Afkinich said. "He trained others to do what he does. That's the hard part."
Bo Beam, another full-time guardsman who served with Sims in Afghanistan, described Sims as "a soldier's advocate. A super guy. A father figure. Jerry Sims knows training soldiers."
Tony Ellis, a Rock Hill Police officer retired from the guard, was deployed to Afghanistan with Sims after working for years for Sims at the Rock Hill and Fort Mill armories.
"Jerry Sims is the kind of guy who takes care of his troops," Ellis said. "The first sergeants are the backbone of the Army. He was the best. If one of his guys had a hardship, had to be outside in the freezing cold, 'Top' was there with him. There is not a person who would not tell you Jerry Sims is a top-of-the-line soldier."
Sims, married 25 years with two grown kids, is such a leader that when the area soldiers came back from a military post to Rock Hill after returning stateside, it was Sims who stood on that bus and checked off the list. It was Sims who made sure the guys packed their gear. It was Sims who took orders from officers to dismiss the men to their families in that armory so hugs could be celebrated forever. It was Sims who told all those families he would bring those men home a year earlier and that is exactly what he did.
Beam, Afkinich and Mathews all watched Sims on "Survivor" last Thursday, the premier of the new season. They watched his methodical ways, trying to stay in the back a bit, and laughed because Jerry Sims sure knows how to use a map and compass. Jerry Sims already survived Afghanistan. Brazil? These guys see gravy.
"I was cheering," Mathews said. "Last week shows the two sides of him. Serious, but he's playing the game. You can tell he knows."
Beam loves reality shows because they are not reality like a cold Afghanistan mountain where the guy looking at you might slit your throat. Beam said he watched his buddy Sims maneuver on the show and knew Sims was doing what first sergeants do: "Analyzing."
Afkinich said he laughed when he watched the show. The two guys were together for a year in Afghanistan, where every sunset they saw could've be their last.
But Ellis didn't watch. He might tonight. Cops on the street, like soldiers in wars, have enough reality every day.
Ellis wants Sims to win because, "It couldn't happen to a nicer guy."
Any York County family with a guardsman back from Afghanistan on the couch tonight, curled up with kids and the lady of the house, watching the show, will agree. One reason that guy is home, snuggling, is Sims.
"Survivor" airs at 8 tonight on CBS. Most area viewers can see the show on WBTV, Comporium Cable Channel 5.
