Lieutenant Colonel Edward Sedlock Jr., a 1993 graduate of North Royalton High School, has been appointed as the commander of the 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, 1st Brigade Combat Team, 101st Airborne Division based in Fort Campbell, Kentucky. The command change ceremony took place on the first of September.

Lieutenant Colonel Sedlock takes over command of the 2nd Battalion, 327th Regiment which enjoys a tremendous reputation of combat service from the Battle of the Bulge and Vietnam to recent conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.

When I asked Lieutenant Colonel Sedlock about taking over command of ‘No Slack,’ he said, “It’s a humbling experience, knowing that you’re responsible for nearly 800 soldiers.”
The roots of being in the military were sown while Lieutenant Colonel Sedlock was growing up in North Royalton.

But, those military seeds were different 30 or so years ago when compared to today. “I used to play Army with my friends in the woods behind my house and in the St. Thomas Woods development off Wallings Road before there were houses there. We used Super Soakers to shoot at each other. I’m not sure you could do that today. Times are different,” said Sedlock.

Another factor in Lieutenant Colonel Sedlock’s decision to join the military was 9-11. That’s not surprising.

Sedlock played football at St. Albert the Great and at North Royalton High School. He said, “I was a wide receiver and a defensive back at North Royalton, although I don’t remember catching many passes.”
After graduating from North Royalton High School, Lieutenant Colonel Sedlock attended Marion Military Institute in Marion, Alabama. “It was a military junior college if you will,” said Sedlock.

After graduating from Marion Military Institute in 1995, Sedlock completed his undergraduate studies at The Ohio State University where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Natural Resources in 1998. While at Ohio State, Sedlock was a member of the Ohio National Guard.

After graduating from OSU, Lieutenant Colonel Sedlock began his military career, which has taken him across the United States.

In remarks that he made when he took over command of ‘No Slack’, Sedlock said, “I am honored and proud to command this battalion and lead you. I pledge to give you my heart, my strength of will and my loyalty to take us over the top and combat the challenges that lie ahead, whatever they may be. I will uphold the high standards of character and excellence within this great unit and we will continue to live up to our legacy and confidently answer our nation’s call.”

Lieutenant Colonel Sedlock’s parents, Ed and Ann, still reside in North Royalton. “We are so proud. It’s a big job and a big responsibility,” said his father Ed. In these uncertain times around the world, military families are on edge, not knowing when the status of their loved one may change. “We not only pray for Eddie Junior and his family, but for all military families,” said Ann Sedlock.

We thank Lieutenant Colonel Edward Sedlock Junior for his service and give him a salute from all North Royalton residents.

By JOE JASTRZEMSKI
Contributing Writer