Hope and Healing for Veterans: Resources for the Spiritual Journey (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781547131570)

Alan Cutter grew up in a pastor's family in Massachusetts, spending long summers at the family home in Southern Maine. Following in his Father's footsteps, he became a pastor, but only after serving on active duty in the US Navy for five years. This included a tour of duty in Vietnam. His pastorates were in Maine, New York, West Virginia and Minnesota; his last call was to be a church executive in South Louisiana following the trauma of hurricanes Katrina and Rita. When he was diagnosed with Agent Orange-related Parkinson's Disease in 2010, having previously been diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder, he retired. Alan has earned the following degrees a Bachelor's in English, (Syracuse, 68), a Master's in Library Science (Simmons, 70), a Master of Divinity (Bangor Seminary, 77) and a Doctor of Ministry (Pittsburgh, 96). The first two years of his military service were as an enlisted man going to various schools and studying North Vietnamese at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California. In late 1971, following his commissioning as an Ensign, he was sent directly to Vietnam, where he worked in and around DaNang. While a member of the National Conference of Viet Nam Veteran Ministers, he edited the Vietnam Veterans of America Book of Prayers and Services. He has co-led numerous veterans' retreats on Trauma and Spirituality, spoken at the International Society of Traumatic Stress Studies, and been a consultant with the Canadian Armed Forces working with units deploying to Afghanistan. Currently he is president of the International Society of War Veteran Ministers. He is married to Ann, who acts as his editor.