September 24, 2014. Eureka Springs, AR. Where did you serve?

The Ministry of Miles hasn't logged many miles since we came to The Great Passion Play at the end of April, but we still talk with a lot of veterans when we are on the PP grounds or in Berryville or Eureka Springs. My Vietnam Veteran hat attracts attention and initiates dialogue about my service and our ministry. Whenever I see anything which makes me think an individual is a veteran, or the discussion trends toward why we are here, I tell about the Ministry of Miles and let the discussion go where it will.
Yesterday, while putting some literature in the Chapel in the Grove, I met Wayne and Connie and we got to the topic of military service, Vietnam and "where did you serve". I have gotten so used to hearing Vietnam locations (some of which I know and have been to, and others which I'm not familiar with) that when Wayne said he served at Phu Loi, it sounded so familiar that for a few seconds it didn't register ,,,,,,,,until it dawned on me: that was where I spent most of my 13 1/2 months "in country" from May, 1969 to June, 1970. Wayne had served there and returned home in early 1969. He knew the base, some of the history which complimented what I knew, and also gave me some information about the extensive use of Agent Orange on the base while he was there and extended into my time of service there as well. Wayne has a number of health issues on the agent Orange "presumptive" list including a son born with spina bifida and he does receive VA assistance although he has not taken full advantage of all the avenues open to him, We talked a little more about Phu Loi, the 79,000 Gallons of AO sprayed in that area by the Air Force and the AO sprayed there by his own helicopter unit to clear the perimeter of foliage prior to the Tet Offensive and the subsequent program to make sight lines wider to allow any attacking ground forces more visible and easier to detect for his unit and thereafter, mine. But the effects of AO persist and have impacted a lot of Vietnam Veterans over a long period of time.
It was not my career objective to serve in Vietnam. It was not my plan to have a heart attack 6 years ago this week. And it certainly was not in my thoughts that Vietnam, ischemic heart disease and a AO disability would all tie together to allow us to have the Ministry of Miles and be where we are, doing what we are doing and using the comfort and compassion shown to me to give comfort and compassion to others as 2 Corinthians 1 calls us to do.
Brothers in Arms......where did you serve?......thank you for your service......and may God bless you as He blesses us. Bad things may happen, but we serve a God who works them out for the good of those who love and serve Him. Thank You Lord.

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