Corporal Jim Poetker: A Steady Signal in a Time of Tension

From 1960 to 1966, Corporal E-4 Jim Poetker served in the U.S. Army Reserves with quiet dedication and technical precision. Trained as a radio operator, he worked in the control center, where he was responsible for receiving and transmitting critical communications—an essential role in maintaining coordination and readiness within his unit.

Assigned to an artillery unit based in Fulton, Missouri, Corporal Poetker completed his training at Fort Leonard Wood, where he honed the skills that would support his unit’s operations. His service coincided with one of the most tense moments of the Cold War: the Cuban Missile Crisis. During that time, his unit was placed on alert for active duty, prepared to respond if the situation escalated. Though activation was ultimately not required, the readiness and resolve of soldiers like Corporal Poetker were vital to the nation’s defense posture.

His story reflects the quiet strength of those who stand ready behind the scenes—trained, prepared, and committed to serving whenever called.