Friendship often forms in the most unexpected places, and sometimes the bonds of shared experience resurface years later in surprising ways. At Monark Grove Retirement Community, where neighbors quickly become friends through lively programs and events, two veterans discovered their paths had crossed long before they met in Madison, Alabama. Lieutenant Colonel Bert Amidon and Colonel Bill Tillman arrived at Monark Grove Madison from opposite sides of the country and different chapters of life, but a simple introduction through the Ambassador program revealed a powerful connection: both men had flown the same helicopters during the Vietnam War.
"You had to be a real pilot to fly the H13 helicopter...or the MASH helicopter as people call it," Amidon snickers. Bert Amidon grew up on a small farm in rural New York and attended Cornell University where he was required to take two years of ROTC. After those two years he was convinced to take two more years, in which he was awarded as a distinguished military graduate, which gave him the ability to choose which branch of the military he wanted to join. Amidon recalls, "I chose the Army because that's what I was used to, but what they didn't tell me about the Army was that even after my four year duty, my resignation was not guaranteed to be accepted." By this time, after a deployment to Laos as a support pilot for Special Forces, he was married with children. Instead of discharge papers Lt. Col. Amidon was given orders for Vietnam where he would carry out two tours, first as an assault helicopter pilot, and then as Commander of an air cavalry troop. Upon losing his wife several years ago he moved to Huntsville to be close to his daughter as he aged.
Colonel Tillman was accustomed to military life as the son of an Air Force father in Shreveport, Louisiana. The war had already begun when he enlisted in 1963, so he knew Vietnam was in the cards for him, so after attending flight school for rotary wing aircraft, he received a post card that would be his ticket to life as a Lieutenant in Vietnam. "I knew what I was getting into, so war was like any other day for me. I was mostly worried about what was for dinner," Tillman recollects. Retirement brought him to Huntsville where he continued to work in the Missile Defense industry for the remainder of his career and just a few months ago he found himself moving into Monark Grove.
"Monark Grove is great because you can do as much or as little as you like," Tillman says. "I do a lot!" Amidon chimes in with a snicker. Lt. Col. Amidon, having lived there for almost three years, is the leader of a resident group that meets monthly for veterans and spouses to listen to guest speakers and reminisce on what life was like during their time serving our country. All veterans who live at Monark Grove are recognized on a photo wall in one of the main hallways. "They really make us feel at home, and I've met so many people that have become friends," Tillman says.
Coming from different walks of life on opposite sides of the country, Lieutenant Colonel Bert Amidon and Colonel Tillman were unlikely acquaintances, but thanks to Monark Grove and a reminiscent discussion over a meal, they found that paths are sometimes meant to be crossed multiple times in one lifetime. From Vietnam to Madison, Alabama and the life they've lived in between, they now get to enjoy time together telling stories and remembering the 'good ole days.' Tillman leaves us with some great advice that we should all live by. He says "Live life on your terms, and whatever comes in front of you do your best and enjoy it. Don’t worry about stuff all the time. It will always work out the way it should."
"whatever comes in front of you do your best and enjoy it."
"Monark Grove is great because you can do as much or as little as you like,"