Georgia’s little Eden helps war-weary GIs

You are here, in the Afghanistan war, face to face with Taliban foes.Nerves are on edge. Sounds of battle are a relentless cacophony.

For a true sense of raw realities, read “War” by Sebastian Junger. He spends months with soldiers, face-to-face with the Taliban. “Nothing to do but kill and wait,” was one reviewer’s headline when “War” debuted.

Yes, war is hell. Callaway Gardens is not hell. It’s in scenic Pine Mountain, 60 minutes southwest of Atlanta. It’s abloom with azaleas and magnolias. All is silent save for chirping birds and the soothing sounds of meandering brooks. Callaway Gardens is a perfect place to help members of the military in transition, to reconnect with their families and reassimilate into their homes after war duty.

Callaway is one of three principal entities involved in the Callaway Homecoming Initiative. The initiative, a joint project of Callaway, Emory University and Fort Benning, is dedicated to offering “combat-to-peacetime” activities for soldiers and families. In the pilot project, soldiers and their families relaxed at Callaway for 10 days. There was no cost; meals and the garden’s renowned quarters were free for initiative participants.

During their stay, families joined recreation teams, took part in mental health exercises and did everything from golf to fishing and tennis.

“The energy and enthusiasm of everyone was extraordinary,” said Samuel M. Rhodes, Fort Benning’s liaison to the initiative. Rhodes’ wartime experience left him bereft and on the verge of suicide. He fought his demons, though, and ultimately wrote “Changing the Military Code of Silence.” He also did pioneer work on post-traumatic stress syndrome, well ahead of today’s public awareness about such conditions.

At Callaway, all concerned find a revival and rebirth of life, said Rhodes, who called the refuge a “perfect atmosphere of peace and calm.”