Get Inspired Into Healing

When Soldiers Die…

Today, I went to a military funeral. I didn’t know the Soldier who died very well, but I remember him from our unit when we served together six years ago. I recall him being such a positive man, a reliable senior NCO, and a father-figure to a lot of junior Soldiers. He was part of the sergeant first class mafia (and I am using that term endearingly), many of whom had been in the battalion for many, many years, thereby becoming institutions themselves. (Remember, in the Army Reserve, it is very possible to stay in a unit for ten years or more.)

Happily Ever After

He retired in 2016 and was properly farewelled for his 28 years of service, I am told. Good job to our unit on that front. 👏 👏 👏

When Soldiers retire, I like to imagine that they achieve their “happily ever after” at the end of an Americanized fairy tale. Apparently, his story did take a lovely turn. He ended up getting married for the first time four years after he retired from the Army Reserve. On top of that, he kept in close contact with many friends from the unit as well as his family of origin. He was apparently a loyal Catholic and kept plugged into church life, too.

In fact, the Catholic priest remarked in his funeral mass today:,“Look around, this is a large funeral!” The number of people who attended his funeral served as a testament about his positive impact on the lives of others.

An Invitation to Pray

But a couple of months ago, another sergeant from our old unit reached out through Facebook and asked me to pray for his miraculous healing. Apparently, COVID had led to him being put on a ventilator, then he entered a coma, and (after many ups and downs), he died two weeks ago. I have to be honest, I was very disappointed—and somewhat surprised—to hear that he died.

I prayed for him every time I was asked and every time God brought him to my mind. I prayed for him with all of my spiritual might and felt a lot of power flow into his healing. In fact, on the morning that he died, God told me to pray for him minutes before he died! Below is a screenshot from that day. (For the record, I am almost never awake at 2 a.m. like I was on that night. Coincidence? I think not.)

A Military Funeral

Since I had labored in prayer for this man for months but lost the fight, I felt the best thing I could do now was show my support to his friends and family at his funeral. It was the first Catholic Military funeral I have ever attended so I didn’t know what to expect. But I felt it was best to go in my dress uniform. I am so glad I did because several other people from our old unit were in uniform at the funeral, as well. What’s more, his uniform and retiree guidon were right there, surrounding his urn, before the altar.

I asked God what I could do while I was there. “Shall I pray for anyone specifically, or for the whole funeral?” I asked. God said, “YOU’VE ALREADY DONE THE BEST THING YOU CAN DO FOR EVERYONE JUST BY BEING HERE.”

Why Showing Up Matters

All of a sudden, I was reminded of the last funeral I attended for another Soldier from the same Army Reserve unit. It was seven years ago. While I was away from the unit on active duty, one of our sergeants had committed suicide. Despite having received every resource and offer of help the battalion and the Army Reserve had to offer, she ultimately chose to complete her suicide plan. This was no act of impulse.

When I returned from active duty, I heard the awful news, which had happened just a week before. So I went to her funeral to show my support but I was surprised that I was the most senior leader there. Where were our other battalion leaders, or leaders from our brigade or command, who all lived in the local area? After all of the mandatory “suicide prevention” training those very leaders required all of us to take so we could “check-the-box”, their absence sent a strong message. (Of note, I am told our battalion commander made great efforts to save her life—despite the apathy of our higher leaders—so this great effort should be noted.)

God reminded me what their notable absence communicated to her family and friends: “Her death is not worth the time of her military leaders.” At the time, I was glad that, as a major in uniform at her funeral, I could at least reduce the volume of that message. Then, God brought me back to today. Now, as a lieutenant colonel, I was again the most senior military leader in uniform at this funeral. God said my presence communicated that his service was remembered by his senior leaders even six years after his retirement.

I hope it was so.

Until we meet again, SFC (Ret.) Michael Zambito.

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