Is there a POW (Prisoner of War) in your neighborhood?

The Defense POW/MIA Agency says that as of May 22, 2023, there are 81,000 American service personnel missing from previous conflicts. This includes World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the Cold War and the Gulf Wars. Every month at my American Legion meeting, we honor and remember them. It’s always been hard for me to understand how there can be so many!

I was recently elected Chaplain of my American Legion post. Being new to the position, I looked for a way to reach other veterans as well as the ones at the post every month. I decided on contacting veterans in assisted living and nursing homes. I visited the three facilities closest to our post, introduced myself and explained what I wanted to do.

As it stands right now, I’m visiting five facilities at least once a month and seeing 34 veterans. Unfortunately, the number of veterans changes from month to month.

One particular veteran (we’ll call him Joe) touched my heart. He’s probably in his late forties and lost his wife a couple of years ago. Shortly after losing his wife, he had a devastating stroke that confined him to a wheelchair. His speech is a little slurred and only has use of one hand. With nowhere left to go, Joe wound up in an assisted living facility.

Joe and his wheelchair roamed the halls of the facility. He would speak to everyone he passed, asking visitors if they could take him for a ride. After a few failed escape attempts, Joe was moved to a memory care unit. Combo accessed doors now made it more difficult for Joe to get outside of his living area. Even though he's in a memory care unit, there’s nothing wrong with Joe’s mind.

While talking to my wife about Joe, I realized that he is a POW! The physical limitations of his body and the security of the facility are holding Joe prisoner. I suspect that Joe was a good soldier and as any good soldier that’s being held captive, I believe he will continue to make every effort to escape.

The next time you see the missing man table or think about the POWs, think about Joe. There are countless ‘Joes’ that aren’t included in the POW/MIAs that we think and hear about. If you have a few minutes to spare, stop in the assisted living facility closest to you and ask for a list of their veterans. Make a visit. Hopefully, you will make a difference in a Joe’s life!

Gary Luther
Chaplain, A.L. Post 45
Inman, SC