Minutes to Memories

When you finish reading this entry, you have to read an article about former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, General (retired) John Shalikashvili. which I'll link below.

A few years ago now, I set out to write my first real book. Jim McVeay is a member of our church family, and he has some amazing stories. He is reportedly the most decorated soldier in Mississippi (following two adventurous tours in Vietnam), and nearly two decades after his exit from Vietnam, he began having the nightmares. Jim asked me to write his story in an effort to face his post-traumatic stress disorder, and it was my honor spending Thursday afternoons with him for nearly a year listening to stories, some of which he had never told another soul.

Along the way, Jim told a story about the time he met Shalikashvili. Jim was his TAC officer at Officer Candidate School, and when Jim demanded the candidate's name, he was sure he could never remember it. So he called him, "Candidate Alphabet," for the rest of his time.

When it came time to try to put the book together, I tracked down an email address for the famous military officer, and I asked him if he remembered Jim McVeay. I was shocked when he sent me a reply! He told me that he was so freaked out by Zero Week back in 1959 that he tried to quit the first night! He left the barracks in search of Jim McVeay - or any TAC officer - to inform whoever that military life was not for him. But he couldn't find anyone. So he went back to bed, then the next morning, was awakened and screamed at and kept busy that he didn't have time to think of quitting again. He told me that he was so thankful Jim kept himself hidden that night; if not, he might have ended up selling shoes in Peoria instead of serving his country in uniform.

After retiring from a legendary military career (and after writing me), "Shali" (as he's affectionately known) had a stroke. While he was in the hospital, he wrote the speech he delivered a few days later on John Kerry's behalf at the Democratic National Convention. Later, he had a severe stroke. And now, he struggles to recover basic bodily functions.

I didn't know about the stroke(s) when I tried to email him yesterday. I ran across an old copy of my book, "The Fighting Never Stops," which both Jim McVeay and I had autographed to send to General Shalikashvili. I did a little search and found an email address for him through Stanford University, so I sent him a note requesting his mailing address. Last evening, I received a reply from his son, Brant, with a nice note and the address.

Today, I went to Wal-Mart to buy an envelope and dropped by the post office to mail him the book. Then, I read the article from Seattle I'm about to link you to, and I was humbled to read of the strokes - and his fight to recover - and his son, Brant, at his father's side for it all...

It humbles me to think that I'm (a) sending a copy of a book intended to inspire people to fight, (b) to the nation's (former) highest military officer, and (c) who is fighting to simply be able to read on his own right now.

Today, I'm thinking of General John Shalikashvili: an American hero, a class act, and a warrior.

(Read the article here.)

(If interested, order my book here.)