USMCCCA Chaplain reaches out

As a Vietnam veteran, Frank Wiley heard the news of our nation’s withdraw from the years-long war in Afghanistan with a sense of déjà vu. He saw a parallel with the situation in Vietnam as the Americans left that country in 1969. Wiley saw it firsthand as he was in Khe San covering the Marines’ exit.

After that experience, Wiley said he went through a rough time processing what he had been through. “After the pullout I stupidly blamed the Marine Corps. I went into a shell and tried to stay away from any conversation or thought about Vietnam or the Marine Corps for almost 30 years,” he said.

But Wiley said there was something missing in his life – the comradeship with his brother and sister Marines. “Thank God one of my friends I served with in Vietnam tracked me down and we reconnected,” he recalled.

As chaplain of the USMCCCA, Wiley offered an understanding ear for any current Afghanistan veteran who wishes to communicate about anything. He offered to be that Marine — that human — connection. If you want to connect with Frank, please contact him.