Jay Sevier, a former ACE/Health teacher and freshman baseball coach at CPHS four years ago, unexpectedly passed away at Fort Bragg, North Carolina on Saturday, September 19 at the age of 28.  

     Sevier joined the Army in August of 2007 and attended Infantry One Station Unit Training and Airborne School at Fort Benning, Georgia, before attending the Special Forces Qualification Course. He was in the fourth phase of the six-phase course to be a Special Forces Communications Sergeant. Sevier’s awards and decorations include the Army Commendation Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal, Army Service Ribbon and the Parachutist Badge.

     After the memorial service in North Carolina, one of the Colonels in charge of Special Forces training at Fort Bragg, in a very rare move, presented Sevier’s parents with a certificate declaring Corporal Jay Sevier a Green Beret. When this tremendous honor was first proposed, the commanding General denied the request as Corporal Sevier was several weeks away from the completion of his training to become a Green Beret. The Colonel persisted with the proposal and convinced the General to look into the matter further. After learning about Sevier’s life and talking with people who knew him most, the General received permission from the Secretary of the Army to posthumously award Sevier the Green Beret.

     Coach Sevier is survived by his parents, Brenda and Ron and his brother, Blake.

     The funeral was held on September 26, with the Patriot Guard Riders there to help tribute his sacrifice to our country. Wristbands were also distributed to the guests that read Some Gave All 9/19/09 – JS to honor his memory.  He will be missed by all of his students, players and fellow teachers at Cedar Park High School.