Bracelet draws Airman, family together

  • Published
  • By Tech. Sgt. James Brabenec
  • Air Force Personnel Center Public Affairs
RANDOLPH AIR FORCE BASE, Texas (AFPN) --  When Senior Master Sgt. Cheryl Wells chose a “prisoner of war and missing in action bracelet,” she did so for many reasons, none of which included being a part of the Airman's family.

That selection happened three years ago when Sergeant Wells began her work as the program manager here at the Air Force Personnel Center's missing persons branch.

"I selected the bracelet because the Airman, Senior Master Sgt. James Calfee, was from Texas, in the same career field as my husband," Sergeant Wells said. "This bracelet is a part of who I am, and I'll continue to wear it until (he) is identified and comes home."

Two years ago at a Defense Department family member update in Houston, Sergeant Wells unexpectedly met two civilian women attending for the first time. She became aware of them during the opening roll call when family members introduced themselves and the missing servicemember from their family.

"I stood up for our family; eight of us attended that day,” said Debra Morris, Sergeant Calfee’s niece. “That's when (Sergeant Wells) came over, stuck out her arm and showed her bracelet with our uncle's name on it.”

"When (Sergeant Wells) reached out to us, we realized that people were aware of our uncle's story and that they care for us," said Julia Barta, Ms. Morris’ sister.

Unlike most missing servicemembers, secrecy shrouded Sergeant Calfee's case for many years. He was assigned to a covert, contractor-operated radar bombing and communications site supporting American warfighting efforts in Vietnam, officials said. The site was located high in the mountains of Laos, a neutral country neighboring North Vietnam. North Vietnamese soldiers overran the site March 11, 1968, resulting in the largest ground loss of Airmen during the war.

Details of the site and its demise remained classified until 1983, but even into the early 1990s, whenever the sisters found someone who was stationed at the site, most were reluctant to share any information, they said.

"We never felt any hostility for anyone involved," Ms. Morris said. "We just wanted closure to bring peace, especially to our mother and her sisters."

Since the Houston update, Ms. Morris and Ms. Barta said they have found DOD and Air Force officials much more able and willing to communicate.

"The missing persons branch is now much easier to work with," Ms. Morris said. "Everyone in our family knows who (Sergeant Wells) is and appreciates her openness, honesty and compassion."

Sergeant Wells said the love she feels for the families of missing Airmen helps her to serve more effectively.

"Working in missing persons has helped me to understand how people back in the 1960s viewed government and the frustration some people carry to this day,” she said. “I'm thankful to serve at a time when we'll tell people pretty much everything we know, and if we can't share information, we tell them why. These families faced so many obstacles that prevented them from knowing where their loved ones served and later what happened to them. I hope we'll be able to help them get the answers they need and resolve their cases."

Ms. Morris described her family's relationship with Sergeant Wells as having gone beyond mere professional interaction including getting together for social reasons. Ms. Morris and Ms. Barta even attended Sergeant Wells' promotion ceremony.

With a remote assignment to South Korea looming in Sergeant Wells' near future, the sisters remain confident they will stay in contact.

"We think of (Sergeant Wells) like she's our cousin," Ms. Morris said. "We'll keep in touch -- that's what families do."