Operation Encore: Soldiers, Stories, and Songs
Operation Encore: Soldiers, Stories, and Songs
Episode #20 - Army Combat Medic John Evans - A Story of Recovery
Army Combat Medic John Evans has a lot of stories to tell. Born in Houston, TX and raised in upstate New York, John idolized his WW2-veteran grandfather and decided to enter the Army immediately following 911. After hearing a slightly inaccurate portrayal of the "Health-Care Specialist" field from his local recruiter, John signed up and was trained as a combat-medic, then deployed multiple times in support of operation Iraqi Freedom. During the podcast, he tells Guy and Adam about one of the worst days in his life, when a suicide bomber detonated a vest-borne improvised explosive device in a crowd of civilians. This life-changing event changed his perspective and focused his life-efforts on supporting the humanity and fragility of every human being. Following his service, John describes his struggles with his transition out of the military, how he became sober (since July 2, 2007!) and how his life-journey led him full circle to help those struggling with addiction. During the podcast, John also describes the major influences to his music and performs three songs that capture the essence of his Americana style:
"The Arrow of Time"
"The Creek Don't Rise" and
"Turn Me Back Into Stardust"
If you enjoy John's music, look for his upcoming 3-song EP release on the OE website and social media channels soon!