Surviving Family AMT2 James D. Reid
Donation protected
With a heavy heart my family would like to tell you a story. The story of my beloved brother – AMT2 James D. Reid, USCG, Retired - a devoted husband, father, and military veteran with a deep and abiding love for this Country. A courageous man who embraced the United States Coast Guard motto Semper Paratus (Always Ready). A man whose military career spanned over two decades and two military branches.
James’ military career began shortly after his 18th birthday when he enlisted in the United States Army, spending most of his tour stationed along the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as a fighting vehicle infantryman or tank driver (11M10). After a short break, the military way of life called to my brother and he reenlisted in the United States Coast Guard where he devoted the remainder of his career to Search and Rescue (SAR) missions as an Aviation Maintenance Technician and Flight Mechanic. A Flight Mech is an integral part of the helicopter’s flight crew. My brother was charged with recovering rescue swimmers and victims from the water, vessels and land utilizing a mechanical hoist, while simultaneously giving direction to the pilot who is unable to see directly below the aircraft. He also assisted with the administration of first aide to the victims.
My brother has participated in countless SAR missions throughout his career. He has rescued fisherman from the unforgiving Bering Sea and surrounding areas of Kodiak, Alaska and along the Gulf Coast of Florida. He aided with the rescue efforts in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Hurricane Rita in Houston. He has patrolled our waterways and participated in one of Air Station Clearwater’s largest drug busts in the Caribbean. He has received numerous commendations, medals, ribbons and awards for his service, including, but certainly not limited to, the Coast Guard Presidential Unit Citation, Department of Transportation 9-11 Ribbon, Coast Guard Unit Meritorious Team Commendation Ribbon with Three Gold Stars, Coast Guard Commandant’s Letter of Commendation Ribbon with Two Gold Stars, and a Humanitarian Service Medal. My brother followed the path walked by his family before him. Both our grandfathers were World War II Purple Heart recipients. Our father served in the United States Air Force and our uncle fought in the Vietnam War.
A year before his retirement, James met the love of his life, Tara. Hoping to one day own and operate their own organic hydroponic farm, my brother and his wife escaped the big city, moving their family to rural Georgia, into a home they lovingly named Cedar Acre Farms. To support themselves during this transitional phase, my brother and his wife started a long haul trucking business. With their own semi, my brother handled the long haul trucking part of the business, while his wife Tara began growing the dispatching arm. From all appearances they were living the American dream, a modern day Brady Bunch with four children between them. He was the happiest we have ever seen him. He loved his family and they adored him in return.
Unfortunately, that love was not enough to exorcize the demons trapped behind his smile. In an unguarded moment while vacationing in Key West, Florida his demons won. The visions of search and rescue missions running on repeat, missions where the search was called off, or where they successfully located the victim, but not in time . . . especially the young children lost too soon. Horrific sights our first responders and military serviceman protect us from witnessing ourselves. There was no warning sign. Nothing that would alert us that his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was still lurking in the shadows. Without my brother, the fledgling trucking business they founded floundered. Adding to an already horrific situation, shortly after my brother’s death we learned his military benefits (including his pension from over 20 years of service) died with him.
Our family’s hope is that my brother’s story will spread awareness that not all service members who make the ultimate sacrifice for our Country die on the battlefield. PTSD is not just an acronym, it is a silent killer that continues to rob us of the brave men and women who have fought to give us the freedoms we all enjoy. It is not something that can be suppressed or ignored. In the poignant words of Clive Sanders:
Unless You’ve Been a Soldier:
Unless you’ve been a soldier,
You just won’t understand.
The things that we have seen and done,
In the service of our land.
We have trained to live in combat,
To cope with awful sights,
That shouldn’t be seen by anyone
And keep you awake at nights.
We don’t discuss the wounds we have,
To the body or the mind.
We just put our hurts behind us,
And turn our memories to blind,
We are proud we served our country,
And remember those we lost.
For the freedom that you have today,
They paid the awful cost.
A living is made by what we get - a life is made by what we give and my brother spent his entire life giving to others. Please help us honor my brother by supporting his family while they come to grips with the tragic loss of a man who has spent over two decades protecting others. Please help us ensure that his children have the funds needed to secure their future.
With deepest gratitude,
The Reid Family
James’ military career began shortly after his 18th birthday when he enlisted in the United States Army, spending most of his tour stationed along the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) as a fighting vehicle infantryman or tank driver (11M10). After a short break, the military way of life called to my brother and he reenlisted in the United States Coast Guard where he devoted the remainder of his career to Search and Rescue (SAR) missions as an Aviation Maintenance Technician and Flight Mechanic. A Flight Mech is an integral part of the helicopter’s flight crew. My brother was charged with recovering rescue swimmers and victims from the water, vessels and land utilizing a mechanical hoist, while simultaneously giving direction to the pilot who is unable to see directly below the aircraft. He also assisted with the administration of first aide to the victims.
My brother has participated in countless SAR missions throughout his career. He has rescued fisherman from the unforgiving Bering Sea and surrounding areas of Kodiak, Alaska and along the Gulf Coast of Florida. He aided with the rescue efforts in the immediate aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and Hurricane Rita in Houston. He has patrolled our waterways and participated in one of Air Station Clearwater’s largest drug busts in the Caribbean. He has received numerous commendations, medals, ribbons and awards for his service, including, but certainly not limited to, the Coast Guard Presidential Unit Citation, Department of Transportation 9-11 Ribbon, Coast Guard Unit Meritorious Team Commendation Ribbon with Three Gold Stars, Coast Guard Commandant’s Letter of Commendation Ribbon with Two Gold Stars, and a Humanitarian Service Medal. My brother followed the path walked by his family before him. Both our grandfathers were World War II Purple Heart recipients. Our father served in the United States Air Force and our uncle fought in the Vietnam War.
A year before his retirement, James met the love of his life, Tara. Hoping to one day own and operate their own organic hydroponic farm, my brother and his wife escaped the big city, moving their family to rural Georgia, into a home they lovingly named Cedar Acre Farms. To support themselves during this transitional phase, my brother and his wife started a long haul trucking business. With their own semi, my brother handled the long haul trucking part of the business, while his wife Tara began growing the dispatching arm. From all appearances they were living the American dream, a modern day Brady Bunch with four children between them. He was the happiest we have ever seen him. He loved his family and they adored him in return.
Unfortunately, that love was not enough to exorcize the demons trapped behind his smile. In an unguarded moment while vacationing in Key West, Florida his demons won. The visions of search and rescue missions running on repeat, missions where the search was called off, or where they successfully located the victim, but not in time . . . especially the young children lost too soon. Horrific sights our first responders and military serviceman protect us from witnessing ourselves. There was no warning sign. Nothing that would alert us that his post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) was still lurking in the shadows. Without my brother, the fledgling trucking business they founded floundered. Adding to an already horrific situation, shortly after my brother’s death we learned his military benefits (including his pension from over 20 years of service) died with him.
Our family’s hope is that my brother’s story will spread awareness that not all service members who make the ultimate sacrifice for our Country die on the battlefield. PTSD is not just an acronym, it is a silent killer that continues to rob us of the brave men and women who have fought to give us the freedoms we all enjoy. It is not something that can be suppressed or ignored. In the poignant words of Clive Sanders:
Unless You’ve Been a Soldier:
Unless you’ve been a soldier,
You just won’t understand.
The things that we have seen and done,
In the service of our land.
We have trained to live in combat,
To cope with awful sights,
That shouldn’t be seen by anyone
And keep you awake at nights.
We don’t discuss the wounds we have,
To the body or the mind.
We just put our hurts behind us,
And turn our memories to blind,
We are proud we served our country,
And remember those we lost.
For the freedom that you have today,
They paid the awful cost.
A living is made by what we get - a life is made by what we give and my brother spent his entire life giving to others. Please help us honor my brother by supporting his family while they come to grips with the tragic loss of a man who has spent over two decades protecting others. Please help us ensure that his children have the funds needed to secure their future.
With deepest gratitude,
The Reid Family
Co-organizers (5)
Nicole Reid Avallone
Organizer
Pompano Beach, FL
Tara Reid
Beneficiary
Tara Reid
Co-organizer
Pat Reid Bachert
Co-organizer
Chris Avallone
Co-organizer
Jessica Reid
Co-organizer