And Then I Cried: Stories of a Mortuary NCO

by Justin Jordan

Overview

"And Then I Cried: Stories of a Mortuary NCO" is the first work from Justin Jordan. Jordan details life as an Air Force Mortuary Non Commissioned Officer. In his stunning debut Jordan forces the reader to walk beside him on his journey in this gruesome world. Jordan holds nothing back, and shares in graphic detail how he honored Americas heroes, both at deployed locations and stateside. This book will pry your eyes wide open as you gasp from the sheer horror he faced daily, from dealing with the families of the fallen, to witnessing the embalming and preparations of the deceased. Jordan also shares how this job taxed his mental well being, as he suffered in silence, longing not to care. Jordan is still serving on Active Duty and suffers from the crippling effects of PTSD, his story will enlighten you, it will touch you, and yes, you will cry.

Product Details

BN ID:	2940014608169
Publisher:	Tactical 16 LLC
Publication date:	07/13/2012
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Sales rank:	529,551
File size:	929 KB

About the Author

Justin Jordan is a Master Sergeant in the United States Air Force and has 19.5 years of service. During his time he served for many years as a Mortuary Non-Commissioned Officer both in deployed locations and at home. Surrounded by death and dismay for so many years has had a compromising effect on his mental well-being. Diagnosed with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) in 2009 he has struggled to consistently perform the duties assigned to him and is currently being medically retired. He continues to fight this debilitating disorder with the aide of his service animals Dallas and Sarge and in an effort to continue to heal he will offer his first written work titled: And Then I Cried, Stories of a Mortuary NCO.

Editorial Reviews

In his stunning debut, Jordan’s “no holds barred” narrative style provides readers with a shockingly, human perspective on the trials and tribulations of the mortuary services vocation. This book will resonate with anyone who believes that America’s citizens are forever indebted to the heroes who endure in silence the grievous tasks involved with honoring those who have given the last full measure of devotion in service to their country.

Sarah L. Bowen

In a plethora of war books, this unique piece focuses on how important, how critical, how necessary all fields of service are in our military from cook to mechanic, to soldier or even mortuary affairs specialist. Jordan performed an unthinkable duty of honoring our fallen with true dedication and professionalism all the while masking the toll these horrific duties had on his very spirit.

Christin Barden

This is a hard read. It’s so good, it grabs your attention and is hard to put down. Sometimes his stories are very graphic, maybe too graphic for most. Some of it is almost unbearable. At times I felt as though I was standing next to him wanting to turn away. But I believe we must not turn away. It is vital that we try to understand as much as we can about what our troops go through, so that we can share and bear witness. He’s painted a vivid picture for me. And yes I cried, too.

Marilyn Pfaff