Eric True Blood: Oglala Warrior

Part Two of a series

SHERIDAN, Wyo. – During Eric True Blood’s second enlistment, while going through basic Army training at Fort Carson, CO, he trained for infantry, though he most likely could have taught that course. Then, he completed Airborne School, gaining his jump wings. After that, he was selected as a small number of soldiers from “Charlie Company” for sniper school, also successfully completing that course and then assigned related duty, too much for many soldiers.
Then, he was quickly deployed to Afghanistan, part of an effort to build a positive repore with locals in the war against terrorism, “just” as he emphasizes, a ‘team leader’ conducting daily foot patrols into the villages. It was, he explained, hard to tell where their sympathies laid: Taliban or American, but during that time he became especially sympathetic to the children and villagers who also were victims to IEDs, those anonymous weapons having no sympathy. He did that until the day of his own deadly IED encounter.
After a year of successful rehab, True Blood requested to stay on active duty. A marksman, he was selected for the Army’s Para Olympic Shooting Team, an instructor and competitive shooter, representing the Army, but competing against international top shooters, including civilians. The following three years were “awesome”, he said, involving world travel to compete in shooting competitions, he in the air pistol and free pistol events.
Fate, however, intervened again – divorce. Thus, after 12 successful years in the military, by then only in his early 30’s, he was once again honorably discharged in order to seek and obtain full custody of his two young daughters, Averie (then four years old) and Favel (then a year and a half). Returning to Sheridan, he since has been a full-time single stay-at-home father. “As a result,” he remarked, “I have enormous respect for single parents” he commented. “It is very hard.”
In additional to maintaining an immaculate home; the girls are every well-dressed, raised on a low-sugar diet (primarily lean meat and vegetables), successful in school and especially polite. “Eric runs his home like a miniature loving boot camp,” his mother Cheryl jokes. “|He’s even managed to teach me fold clothes right – military style, that is.”
Though not legally required to do so, True Blood ferries his two daughters to Casper, WY twice each month, a (200 hundred-mile round trip) so that they can spend a weekend with their birth mother, now remarried and also doing well. “They need to have a relationship with her,” he simply notes.
In his spare time, he works at the YMCA, gym supervisor which also provides opportunity to lift weights and upon occasion teach elders and youth about that type of exercise – a fitness instructor. “Buff” isn’t the adequate word to describe his physique, but ‘body builder’ works. And he still jogs, wearing shorts and hot-colored tennis shoes, not embarrassed to show his prosthesis or tattoos.
Since Favel, the youngest, is now in kindergarten, True Blood has more time, now enrolled at Sheridan College., his goal to become a trauma nurse, emulating his sister who is an RN. “I think I might be good at it,” he smiles. “Share some empathy and hope”.
Josh Dillaway, True Blood’s life-long friend since childhood said, “We are brothers, a bond much stronger than blood. He is the most resilient person I’ve ever known. This comes from accepting the things he can’t change and by taking control to change what he can change. He ‘rocks’ at being a father. I admire his parenthood; he inspires me to do the same.”
True Blood, a very humble and quiet guy, does not care to draw attention to himself. Indeed, only his mother was able to pry and share some information from him about medals and decorations, of which he has plenty: of course a Purple Heart, but his most cherished is the Presidential TAB AWARD earned by the top 100 shooters each year, normally about 20 new ones each year as all who earn that honor are eligible for future competitions. Eric has not yet had time to do that, but who knows what the future will hold.
So often, the media focuses on tragic stories about Veterans who have difficulty making the transition from active combat duty to civilian life, many turning to alcohol or drugs, even becoming homeless or giving up to ultimate despair. That is why Eric True Blood, an “Oglala wounded warrior” gives hope. He does not know the meaning of “sorry for myself.” Instead he has his eyes on the future.
‘I’d like to hang around a little bit longer,” he joked. “Heck, I’m just getting started.”
Hmm…wonder what could happen next? True Blood can be reached at mark_of_soul@yahoo.com

(Contact Clara Caufield at acheyennevoice@gmail.com)

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