During our last biennial gathering in Columbia, SC, I met one of our nonagerion members, CH(COL-Ret) Eugene Friesen. At 95 he may have been the oldest member present. He flew from Arizona determined to be with the Army Chaplain Corps Family. In conversation he gifted me a copy of his 2018 published book, Reflections at Eventide. I promised him faithfully to read it. About four weeks later it was devoured with delight.

Shortly after I got home to California and began reading it, I got a call from another of our older members, 95-year-old CH(LTC-Ret) Grover DeVault. Health prevented him from coming to Columbia, but he wanted to send me a copy of his book, My Life as an Army Chaplain. His book, like Friesen’s, is a biography. Again, I promised to read it, and I am well into it.

Both books detail chaplain military experience that are before my time of service yet surprisingly similar to each other and to situations our Corps deals with today. We learn from each other. Our published books are a source of knowledge that helps UMTs past and present for a better future.

This is why I am asking again for a copy of your published books with a short summary. We can post this on our website, add them to our new list of books for reference (on our website under the tab “about us”), and send a copy to the IRL (school house) library if it is not there already. We have John Brinsfield and Tom Decker’s posting serial copies of their works on the website. Their latest installments will conclude by Spring 2025. Perhaps your work could be next? CH(COL-Ret) Tom Decker is our website editor (tomdecker2010@yahoo.com).

Pease share your experiences, knowledge, and wisdom with the Corps Family.

Blessings,

Scottie Lloyd

USACCRA President