A Salute to Our Veterans In honor of Veterans Day later this month, we’re
Parker said, “At a young age our grandparents
sharing a few stories of Watco team members
taught us to respect our country and do what
who have served our nation. From all of us at
we can to protect freedom.”
Watco, thank you for your service and sacrifice.
Lankford first enlisted in the U.S. Army in 1995 as a young private first class. After four years, she
Sharron Lankford, Director of Customer Support, John Lankford, Assistant Vice President of Operations, and Shannon Parker, Senior Pricing Analyst
left the Army to finish her degree in Kansas at Pittsburg State University, where she simultaneously joined the Reserve Officer Training Corps program and the Kansas Army National Guard. After graduating, she returned to active duty in the Army as a second lieutenant and later served two combat tours in Baghdad, Iraq. It was during her second tour that she married fellow Army soldier, John Lankford. Both deployed overseas at the time, they were legally wed by a double proxy marriage — when two representatives legally tie the knot on another couple’s behalf. After both retired as lieutenant colonels, Sharron in 2019 and John in 2020, they joined the Watco team. Sharron now serves as director of customer support for Watco facilities in Southeast Texas and John as an assistant vice president of operations.
Spouses and fellow Watco team members Sharron and John Lankford at her promotion ceremony to lieutenant colonel. A legacy of family members’ service encouraged twins and Watco team members Sharron Lankford and Shannon Parker to join the armed services. 8 The Dispatch | November 2021
Watco Senior Pricing Analyst Shannon Parker in uniform at basic training.
