For more than five decades, Vietnam veteran Sgt. Juan Gonzalez Castillo carried the scars of war. The wounds healed as much as they could. The memories never completely faded. But one piece of his military service remained unfin ished.The medals he earned never arrived.That changed this summer when the Tynan resident was presented with a custom shadow box displaying the military decorations he earned during the Vietnam War, including the Purple Heart, during a ceremony celebrating his 77th birthday. Castillo served with the 196th Infantry Brigade in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970 before leaving the Army in 1971. During his deployment, he was wounded twice. He recalled the second attack as the one that nearly took his lifeCastillo said his unit was moving through rice fields when they came under an airstrike. He said the attack left him severely wounded."When I got hurt the second time, that's when I really got hurt real, real bad that I didn't think I was going to make it," Castillo said.He said he was evacuated through military hospitals before eventually returning home.Even after surviving the war, Castillo said the experience stayed with him. Bee County Community Honors Vietnam Veteran with Long-Overdue Military Medals"I just dream and have my nightmares," he said.Still, Castillo built a life with his wife, in Tynan, where they raised three daughters together.Today, he enjoys spending time with his grandchildren and great-grandchildren and credits his wife for helping him through years of recovery."She helped me a lot," Castillo said. "She took care of me and my girls. What more can I ask now? Everything's perfect."But one question lingered for decades.Several of the medals Castillo earned during his service, including the Purple Heart, were never presented to him after he returned from Vietnam."I couldn't understand why it took so long," he said.His story eventually reached Bee County Constable Ronnie Olivares, who knew Castillo through the small community of Tynan. Olivares contacted Bee County Commissioner Kristofer Linney, and together they asked Bee County Veterans Service Officer Sandra Musquez to review Castillo's military records.After verifying Castillo had earned several military decorations, they learned receiving them through the traditional military process could take years."With his birthday coming up, we thought, 'What a great thing,'" Linney said. "Let's just go in three ways and split the cost of all the medals, the shadow box, the whole deal, and do a celebration for him on his birthday."Rather than wait, Linney, Olivares and Commissioner-elect David Cave personally paid for the medals and commissioned a custom shadow box honoring Castillo's service.What they expected to be a small birthday presentation quickly grew into a community-wide tribute, with veterans, neighbors, friends and family gathering to celebrate a man whose sacrifices had gone unrecognized for decades."He was literally in tears," Linney said. "He was so happy."Linney said honoring veterans goes beyond simply thanking them for their service."They gave everything. Some gave it all, their lives," he said. "To do something like this to show respect, it was an absolute honor to do it."For Castillo, the ceremony wasn't just about receiving medals. It was about closing a chapter of his life that had remained unfinished for 56 years."What more can I ask now that everything is finally complete with my medals that it took 56 years," Castillo said. "I've got to keep on going. Thank you all very much, and may God bless all of you."More Veterans In Focus stories are available here, along with resources for local veterans. Contact Veterans In Focus reporter Michelle Hofmann at [email protected] ...read more read less