The Veteran's Desk

Dear beloved Christ the King Community,

This week I am grateful to Veteran Jim Shields who wrote a guest blog for us. His story and many others are reminders of why we hold morning prayer each day from November 1-11, remembering Veterans who die by suicide each day. Please consider joining us at 8:30am for morning prayer and also at 8:30am on Monday November 11th at our Rice Village Campus for a fuller Veteran's Day service that will include stories of some of our veterans. I appreciate so much their bravery, vulnerability, and courage in sharing their stories, providing healing and remembrance.

Jim Shields' Story to CTK:

I have been to the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington many times. All other memorials in DC are polished white marble and reach to the sky. The Vietnam memorial is polished black granite, embedded in the earth.. As you descend into this wound you see the names of 58,000 vets who were killed in that war. Behind these names is your reflection in the polished stone.

You are able to find the name and location on the wall of dead loved ones as you descend. Many are weeping, Many are gently caressing the name of the fallen soldier. Many leave behind remembrances. Photos, football jerseys, prom favors, yearbooks, soccer balls, baseballs, The Park Service gathers these every day and stores them somewhere.

(The following video and story may contain distressing material for some viewers/readers.)

Go to this link. Part 2 is available also.

These are stories about Mark Jury whom I met on my first day in basic training. Mark and I have been friends ever since. About ten years ago, Mark developed late onset PTSD. He died last month and has been in our prayers at CTK. Mark’s family doctor in Scranton said, “Mark, something bad happened to you over there.” Mark said,”yeah doc, I went to Vietnam to photograph the war for the Army.” His doctor said, “no Mark, I mean something really bad happened to you.”

He told me what happened. He had gone on a medivac mission in a Huey and they picked up a wounded soldier. “They threw this kid on my lap. I noticed that his legs were oriented in one direction and his body was oriented in another. When we landed, the pilots were hosing down the inside of the Huey, took one look at me and hosed me down because I was covered with blood and guts.”

For the first eleven days in November we will honor and remember the vets who commit suicide. Mark’s suicide was slow and agonizing. Mark was helping other vets with PTSD at his VA Hospital in Coatesville. He was working on a book “Last train to Coatesville” inspired by the Monkees, Last Train to Clarksville.

Jim Shields