VETERAN SPOTLIGHT: Staff Sergeant Wilfried "Wes" Wessely, US Army
November 11, 2025
By: Josh Dobson
On Veterans Day, we want to recognize our favorite Veteran, Staff Sergeant Wilfried Wessely, US Army, whom we affectionally know as “Coach Wes”. Pictured above in Vietnam during Christmas in 1969, Coach Wes served in the First Infantry Division of US Army (known as The Big Red One from their involvement of pushing the Germans back during the Battle of the Bulge in WW2) from 1968-1970 where he was initially stationed at Fort Gordon in Augusta, GA before undergoing training before being sent overseas to Vietnam after being drafted at age 19.
At the time of his deployment, Wes was initially given the rank of Staff Sergeant (E-6). Coach Wes, known as "Bandit 25", had to assume the role of a Platoon Sergeant due to a shortage of men as a result of the losses suffered during the Tet Offensive campaign in 1968. Wes was flown out to the Fishhook Region near An Loc, Vietnam to enter combat near the terminus of the Ho Chi Mihn Trail where it enters into Cambodia. Arriving by himself as the youngest Staff Sergeant in the entire Army at the time, he was put in charge of a platoon of about 30 men, replacing a 15-year Vet. He set out that his main mission was to get his men and lieutenants home in one piece. During his tour, his platoon lost 6 men in active combat, 2 of which were lieutenants. When the war was over, he returned to Fort Gordon where he earned his fourth Army stripe as an honor graduate from NCO School.
Wes left the Army and continued a career with Delta Airlines where he worked for 37 years. During his time with Delta, he started his running career and organized a competitive running club with Delta, which grew to about 500 members. They would train on their own and then meet in destinations worldwide to compete. Coach Wes has completed over 60 marathons all over the world and notably has won the Atlanta Marathon not just once, but twice.
After retiring from Delta, Coach Wes revived the Lanier Running Club and also became a community coach at Chestatee where he trained athletes that eventually led to the first state championship in Chestatee High School history…in any sport. In 2020, Wes’s Boys upset Marist in GHSA 4A to win the State Cross Country championship and then repeated again in 2021.
In 2024, Coach Wes offered to help the Middle School coaches out and fully embrace a 6-12 program that would generate more interest into the high school program. As a result of his coaching, he helped Emma Dobson win her State Titles in Cross Country, 3200m Track, and 1600m Track, which was his first Chestatee athlete to achieve an individual state title. He has also had 3 high school athletes achieve State Runner-up finishes in XC: Luke Gaddis, Garrett Grater, and now Emma Dobson. Coach Wes has long been an athlete favorite for those that truly get to know him.
While on the competition field, he is all about business. But what most don't see is that Wes is a very compassionate and caring person to his athletes...as long as you don't jump over his fence. Behind the stoic face lies a man that just wants to bring out the best in everyone. He is a wealth of knowledge and is willing to share it with anyone that will listen. Wes is a great person, coach, husband, father, mentor, and friend. Don't believe it? Join him for breakfast sometime on a Sunday morning at Stan's after he makes sure his "faithful few" get in their Long-Slow-Distance run. Sit back with a cup of coffee and enjoy anecdote after anecdote about his days in the Army...his days of competing as a World-Class runner...stories about past athletes he coached...and stories about life. Then, you will see why past athletes over 20+ years of coaching keep coming back to see the man who has sacrificed so much without asking for anything in return other than giving him your very best.
So on this Veteran’s Day, we want to extend our gratitude to Sergeant Wilfried “Coach Wes” Wessely for all that he has done to protect our freedom and for the love and support he continues to pour into the Chestatee athletes. Chestatee is blessed to have Coach Wes as part of our War Eagle family.
