JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — He served in the United States Marines for 23 years. Now, as a retired Lieutenant Colonel, Bob Adelhelm is working to get the city to reevaluate the criteria used to select veterans to be honored on the Jacksonville Veterans Memorial Wall.
He's unhappy with the "lack of common sense," he says.
Lt. Col. Adelhelm says the rules have gotten so loose that the honor of the wall is being degraded.
"Someone from Alaska could be here and go to the mess hall and get indigestion and die of indigestion and, because he has an address in Jacksonville, he is eligible to be on the wall," Adelhelm said. It may sound "crazy," he says, but it's why the rules for eligibility need to be revised.
He says the wall, built 29 years ago, was designed to honor hometown military who served during a war, veterans who have Jacksonville listed as their "home of record" or who went to a local high school. Adelhelm says a perfect example is PFC Robert Jenkins from Putnam County. He served in Vietnam, the colonel says, and "jumped on a hand grenade and saved four of his comrades and got the Medal of Honor."
He questions why Jenkins' name is on the wall with a veteran who is not a hometown veteran, in his words. Out of respect for all veterans, Adelhelm doesn't want to give his name, but says, "He went to high school in New Hampshire." Then he served overseas and was in Jacksonville serving with the Marine Reserves. However, the colonel says, he "was shot in a domestic violence dispute in New Hampshire and is buried in New Hampshire."
Carole Hansen has another concern about the wall. Her son, Randall Hansen, went to Fletcher High School in Jacksonville Beach. He followed in his mother's footsteps and joined the United States Marines. She says she feels such pride in her son's service and she tries to look at everything through a positive lens. Still, though, she was disappointed when her son was not accepted to be on the wall.
But why?
You might think he would qualify. Adelhelm says he fought in Fallujah and came back and went to UNF. Then he was called back "to that Hellhole." When he returned from Fallujah, he suffered from PTSD and took his own life.
His mother says the recognition "does matter." His fellow Marines signed petitions to have his name on the wall.
But his suicide came after active duty. Still, though, the colonel argues, "For those who suffer with PTSD ... they understand you never really leave active duty. The demons come with you."
Harrison Conyers, who is the head of the city's Military and Veterans Affairs Department, wants people like Hansen and Adelhelm to know the city is not insensitive to their concerns.
As for the criteria to be on the wall, Conyers says the city has adhered to the original intent and has always verified a veteran has proof of being a resident. He says, "We had some example of people leading PTA's and leading Little League" and being an active part of Jacksonville life. He says "the drivers licenses" or other documents say "Jacksonville."
Conyers says the wall was built some 29 years ago and contains the names of more than 1,700 veterans, beginning with those from local high schools, who served in WWI. He says it's the second largest wall of its type honoring veterans from all branches, second only to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.
Conyers says for the many families who've lost someone because of suicide, PTSD, Agent Orange or other wounds of war, the city has significant plans.
The city is seeking designs from artists around the nation for a "Wounds of War" monument, which Conyers says will be a substantial monument outside the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena across from the police memorial in front.
The beginning budget from the city is $150,000, but Conyers is expecting more to be spent.
Conyers says he got some ideas for the monument when he was on trips to historic sites with his family and observed what other areas do. The concept now is to create a "virtual wall" with kiosks where people can scan a QR code and call up the name of any beloved veteran.
Conyers says he's excited about the possibilities to use modern technology. A family can leave photos and video of their loved one to last for generations.
How does Hansen feel about the idea? She's appreciative but she says it's "second best" to be placed acrosss the street, rather than on the wall with fellow veterans.
The colonel does not support "separating" them either. He says for ten years now he's tried to persuade the city to update its criteria for the original wall.
These are his words in an open letter to the city and those concerned:
"(Adding) names to the memorial should follow a transparent and logical process. It should include, 1. Eligibility: Criteria that is specific and clearly understood; identify time served, native or long time resident, local HS attended, nature of death (on active duty or succumbed to wounds as a result of active duty), Military honors received, i.e. Medal of Honor. 2. Documentation: Submission of service records like a DD214. These documents help ensure only eligible individuals are added to the memorial, maintaining its “integrity and accuracy”. 3. Application: Filling out an application and providing documentation; have it reviewed/approved by a Veterans committee. 4. Review/Approval: The memorial is overseen by the city, but there should be a committee of Veterans established to review applications to ensure there is an honorable and understandable connection associated with the time in service and all criteria are met.
There are, however, those who have been added to the memorial who had a questionable connection to Jacksonville; those who are not even buried in Jacksonville, but back in their hometowns. This includes some who were simply serving here on active duty and died or were killed from other than combat or hostile actions. We are told all these additions are in compliance with the original intent, despite the lack of any commonsense. This has developed to where we have individuals added to the memorial who were killed in domestic disputes, vehicle accidents, shot outside a night club, killed in a civilian parachute accident, hit by a car while training for a marathon, died of natural causes, committed suicide while under investigation or committed suicide after receiving a dear John letter. These deaths are regrettable, but do they merit being added alongside those who were actually killed in combat/hostile operations like PFC Robert Jenkins USMC.
The adding of names to the Veterans Memorial Wall is more than just an administrative task—it is a profound act of remembrance and honor. Each new name serves as a lasting tribute to individual service and a collective memory that ties current and future generations to their history. It is crucial to approach the task with the honesty, respect and dignity that those who not only served, but also sacrificed rightly deserve. This ensures that the legacy of “bravery and sacrifice” continues to be honored in the most fitting way possible and will in no way mislead the community as to the nature of the sacrifice made by those being added."