A Soldier's Journey

Some of you no doubt remember the Vietnam War. But we’ve reached a point where two-thirds of the U.S. population does not. For those of you in the majority, it’s important that you know how some things have changed.

Our major outdoor sports events back then didn’t include choreographed military flyovers during rousing renditions of the national anthem. Fans packing stadiums and arenas didn’t stand in unison, cheering to honor the service of our military veterans and first responders. When soldiers returned from their tour of duty in Nam, nobody thanked them for their sacrifice and service. In fact, many were maligned and ridiculed, as too many protesters projected their anger at the nation's policy and politicians onto the young men drafted to fight an unpopular war.

My friend Bill Bontemps is a Vietnam combat veteran. More than 50 years have passed since Bill returned from his 365-day deployment, but the experience remains a part of him. A skilled photographer, Bill took many pictures during his tour of duty. Of course, he kept them. But what to do with them?

Despite so many common experiences, every soldier’s journey is unique. A while back, Bill had an idea to share his, using the photos he had taken to help illustrate. His perspective of the war – both at the time and in the subsequent decades of processing what he had lived – was shaped significantly by his deep and abiding Christian faith. His sister Sandra Bontemps took Bill’s stories and thoughts and shaped them into a poem. Bill wanted to incorporate the poem into his project.

Almost two years ago, Bill asked if I might put his sister’s words to music. I obliged. He introduced me to his neighbor, Marquis Henderson, a musician who recorded the song and narration of the script Bill wrote to accompany his photos. Another friend of Bill’s, Trent Siebenthal, edited the video. And this week, Bill posted his labor of love on YouTube.

I encourage you to take 22 minutes and 30 seconds to watch “A Soldier’s Journey.”