since 7/31/98
I was born on April Fool's Day, 1949 in Paducah, Kentucky which is just
across the Ohio River from my parent's hometown of Metropolis, Illinois. My
father was in the U.S. Army so we traveled around the country quite a bit.
Our first duty station after my birth was Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. We
were transferred from there when I was about 4 years old so I don't
remember any of our time there.
Our next duty station was Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas where my father was a
guard at the Army Disciplinary Barracks. We stayed there until I was in the
third grade and we transferred to Ft. Rucker, Alabama. I went to school
there through the seventh grade when my father retired from the Army in
1962 and we moved back to Metropolis.
I very well remember during my younger years, it never mattered where we
were, my mother always ensured that I was in Sunday School and/or church
every Sunday. In fact, the first 18 years of my life I never missed a
Sunday. My mother was raised in the Lutheran church, however, because we
moved to some pretty remote locations, there was not always a Lutheran
church in the area. Because of this I was exposed to various denominations
as I was growing up. Even though I went to church regularly, I did not
develop a personal relationship with Jesus.
When we moved back to Metropolis we joined St. Paul's Lutheran Church and
I became very active in the church. I took Catechism classes as was
required of all Lutherans, I was active in the youth group and even sang in
the choir. But, I still had not developed a personal relationship with
Jesus.
In addition to church I was extensively involved in activities at school
throughout eighth grade and high school. I did well academically, making
the National Honor Society. Although I was not that great of an athlete I
played football four years, basketball two years and baseball (my favorite)
four years. I also joined the Christian Fellowship group which met each
morning in the cafeteria before school for devotions, in fact, I was
elected president of that group as well as president of my senior class.
I received a lot of honors while in school, but still had not developed a
personal relationship with Jesus. I did, however, all the things to appear
to others that I was a good Christian boy. Looking back, I can now see that
I was simply living for me. If things were going well for me I didn't look
on that as blessings from God, but rather, as prizes that I had earned
somehow. I felt that I deserved all the honors I received based on the
'good things' I had done.
Upon graduating from high school in 1967 I accepted a nomination to the
U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland. I went there in June of that
year, scheduled to graduate in 1971. During my time at Navy I did well with
the military/physical training and discipline. However, I was so used to
everything being pretty well handed to me that I did not apply myself as I
should have academically. Subsequently, I flunked out of Navy and left
there in April of 1969.
Because I had not developed a personal relationship with Jesus, going to
church was no more than a social event, so I drifted farther and farther
away. It was at this time that what had begun as 'social drinking' had
begun to intensify.
Because the draft was in effect I had to report to the Draft Board that I
was no longer in school. The lady I talked to was very nice, explaining
that since the Navy had given me a DD214 I would get a special deferment.
Since I did not have to worry about being drafted I enrolled in the
University of Illinois at Champaign. Before I could get there though, I
received my notice to report for a physical for induction into the Armed
Forces of the U.S. I immediately went back to the Draft Board and it was
explained to me that the deferment the nice lady spoke of applied to
everyone except those who attended the service academies.
Well, rather than be drafted, I enlisted in the Army in June of 1969. I
had my basic training at Ft. Knox, Kentucky followed by Advanced Individual
Training in Avionics at Ft. Gordon, Georgia. I then went to Infantry
Officer's Candidate School at Ft. Benning, Georgia and was commissioned a
Second Lieutenant in August of 1970. After receiving my commission I was
assigned to the Fourth Infantry Division at Ft. Carson, Colorado.
After ten months at Ft. Carson, I received orders for Viet Nam, arriving
in country in August of 1971. I was assigned to the First Air Cavalry
Division's Third Brigade as an Infantry Rifle Platoon Leader. I well
remember Christmas of 1971. We had come out of the field to a secure rear
area and many of us had the opportunity to go to the Bob Hope Christmas
Show. The show was great. There was singing, comedy sketches and beautiful
women. At the end of the show the entire cast came out and about 10,000 of
us sang 'Silent Night'. I will never forget that moment. In fact, ever
since then I have had a hard time singing that song. During the singing I
seemed to be experiencing every emotion you could imagine. I was homesick,
I was sad, I was angry and bitter. I happened to turn and look at a friend
of mine who was standing near me and , although we didn't speak to each
other, we seemed to communicate. It was as if he was saying to me and I to
him, "Everything's going to be okay." It was really a beautiful moment. His
name was Bedford Drinnon and he was from Hammon, Oklahoma. About ten days
later, on 3 January 1972, he was killed as his squad walked into an ambush.
I never realized, at the time, how much that situation would affect me in
the years to come.
After seven and one-half months the Third Brigade was going to return to
the States and they allowed those troops with more than six months
in-country to go home also. Needless to say, I did not have to be asked
twice.
Upon returning to the States I enrolled at Southern Illinois University at
Carbondale. I did well that first quarter, however, I had begun drinking
more and more heavily and got to the point where I was spending more time
in the taverns than I was in class so I dropped out half way through summer
quarter of 1972. I then became pretty much a bum, simply living at home
with my parents.
At that time my father worked for the Department of Corrections and in
September of 1972 he transferred to a Juvenile camp outside of Peoria. I
moved north with the folks and still had no prospect of a job. An opening
became available at the Juvenile camp my father worked at, so I hired on
with Corrections in November of 1972. I had decided to take a job with them
until I decided what I wanted to do with the rest of my life. Now, here it
is 26 years later and I guess I still haven't decided.
I worked in the Juvenile Division until February of 1980 when I
transferred to the Corrections Training Academy in Springfield. I had met
Lynnda while working outside of Peoria and we were married in April of
1980. I was still drinking as heavily as ever, a 'functioning alcoholic'.
Our first child, Meaghan, was born on 12 December 1981 in Springfield.
During this time my drinking continued until April of 1983. At that time I
was working a temporary assignment as a Lieutenant at the Pontiac
Correctional Center. I would work at the prison during the day and spend
the evenings closing down the taverns. I woke up one morning and could not
remember what had happened the two or three previous days. That scared me
and made me realize that I had a problem and needed help. I returned home
to Springfield on Friday of that week and the next weekend Lynnda and I
went to Peoria to visit her parents. Sunday morning we went to church at
Woodland Baptist (the church in which Lynnda and I were married). During
the invitation, I went forward to get help for my drinking problem. I am
pretty sure that Bro. Gene Phillips, the pastor, asked me if I was saved,
and I don't remember what I told him. I probably said that I was, not even
realizing what it meant. Basically, what I was saying is, "God, if You are
who You claim to be, heal me of this alcoholism." Well, Bro. Gene led the
church in prayer for me and God was faithful. I have been completely
healed of alcoholism. However, I still did not know Jesus as my personal
Savior.
In March of 1984 I took a position as Lieutenant at the Jacksonville
Correctional Center and our son, Billy was born in July of that year. I was
promoted to Captain in September and remained at Jacksonville until
September of 1990 when I transferred to Southern Illinois as Superintendent
of the first Boot Camp in Illinois at Dixon Springs. While there we lived
in Metropolis, where I had gone to high school.
While in Metropolis everything seemed to be going fairly well, but,
something seemed to be missing. I was once again attending church fairly
regularly, but, because I had no personal relationship with Jesus, church
was once again not much more than a social function.
One Sunday morning Lynnda announced that she wanted to go to First Baptist
church where the pastor, Bro. Louis Brinker, I had known from my high
school days. At that time he was just starting in the ministry and he spoke
regularly at the Christian Fellowship group at high school. Well, we went
to First Baptist and spoke briefly to Bro. Brinker, telling him that we
were searching.
The next Saturday morning Bro. Brinker came over for a visit and he and I
had a very interesting, life-changing conversation. Initially it was simply
a conversation between two old friends. Gradually we began to discuss more
spiritual matters and I began to feel as if he were testing me on my
knowledge. He asked me more and more questions and I was proud of the fact
that because I had spent so much time in church I was pretty well able to
answer all his questions. Then he finally asked me very simply,"If you were
to die right now, by what authority would you get into heaven?" At that
very instant the realization came crashing upon me that if I were to die I
would not go to heaven because I did not acknowledge Jesus as my Savior. I
knew that the answer to the question was Jesus, but, the conviction the
Holy Spirit placed in my heart would not allow me to answer.
Bro. Brinker shared with me the Four Spiritual Laws and he led me in a
study of Scriptures related to receiving Salvation, and there in the living
room at 209 Dorris Drive in Metropolis, Illinois on 22 August 1992, I
received Jesus Christ as my personal Lord and Savior. Since that time God
has richly blessed my family. It was just four months later that I was
transferred back to Jacksonville to open the Greene County Boot Camp.
Looking back I can see that God had me in Metropolis for a very specific
reason, and that was to meet with Bro. Brinker that morning I got saved.
More importantly I can look back and see how God directed and brought me
through all the situations in my life for His specific purpose.
When I returned from Viet Nam I had a lot of problems similar to those of
other Viet Nam veterans. One of the most prominent problems is called
Survivor's Guilt. I shared with you earlier, the story about Bedford
Drinnon. On the day he was killed our Company was operating in what was
considered a "hot" area. We had set up a perimeter in the middle of the
jungle as we broke for lunch. My Company Commander had me take a Squad on a
patrol. We went about 250-300 meters South, then turned East and got into
some really dense undergrowth. We couldn't move without cutting our way
through with machetes. Needless to say, we weren't being very quiet and
stealthy so we returned to the perimeter. Then Bedford took his Squad out
about 250-300 meters to the East then turned South. It was there they
walked into an ambush set up in a bunker complex. The rest of us moved to
where the ambush had taken place and after about three hours were able to
get back to our original perimeter. Bedford was killed and 14 others were
wounded. There were four Medevac helicopters shot down that day. For years
I have dealt with Survivor's guilt about that day, along with other
situations I was in. I kept reliving that day and wondering, "What if I
could have gone just a little farther on my patrol that morning?" For
years I allowed Satan to condemn me with the guilt of thinking I was
responsible for Bedford's death. I couldn't understand why I had lived and
other guys had not. Or, why other guys were wounded so severely and I never
got a scratch. Just a couple of years ago, while our family was on
vacation, I was able to go to Hammon, OK and meet Bedford's parents and his
wife. I also got to visit his grave. It was there that God began to reveal
to me and I finally began to realize that He has a plan for everyone's
life. I may not fully understand everything that happens in this life, but,
I know He brought me through all the things He did for His purpose.
I finally came to realize that God has a specific plan for everyone's
life, including mine. I know that God brought me through all the things He
did so I could tell others. I am grateful to God for allowing me to be
involved in Point Man International Ministries, which is a Christian
outreach designed for veterans, by veterans.
I am now Superintendent of the Boot Camp located in Central Illinois at
Greene County and I really consider that more of a ministry than a job.
Also, in January 1998, I was installed as pastor at Literberry Christian
Church. God continues to bless me through my family, friends, my job, etc.
My greatest thrill in life now is loving and serving Him.
Saved to Serve,
from Cavalry to Calvary,
John L. McCorkle
Point Man International Ministries
since 7/31/98