Area veteran authors book about life after service

By Travis Fischer, tkfischer@charlescitypress.com

A retired area teacher and Marine Corps veteran has written a memoir about his experience before, during and after his time serving in Vietnam.

Ronald Feeks’ journey through life has taken him to many unexpected places, from a religious upbringing in rural Iowa to serving as a scout sniper overseas to pursuing higher education and a decades-long teaching career in Osage.

Now retired, Feeks has found himself in a new role as a self-published author.

“I always said when I was a teacher that I would write a book and I always found myself putting it off,” said Feeks, who finally buckled down and put his words to the page during the COVID-19 pandemic. “I thought that if I didn’t do it at this particular time, then I’d probably never do it.”

In the book, Feeks recollects his life growing up and the rift that his decision to join the Marine Corps created between him and his family. Feeks spent 19 months in the military, including a year overseas in Vietnam.

When he returned, he expected to spend a semester of college partying on the government’s dime before washing out. Instead, he found himself rising to the challenge and graduating with honors, ultimately leading to a career teaching English.

“I never intended to be a sniper or a teacher. It just sort of happened,” said Feeks. “The purpose of this book is to thank those people who made it possible for me to see a different path.”

Feeks has long imparted the lesson of not letting other people determine your limits to his students, and he now hopes that his story can continue to spread that message to others. In particular, Feeks hopes that his story can help raise awareness about the struggles that returning combat veterans can face as they try to adjust back into civilian life.

“When a veteran leaves home, time travels at a different pace,” said Feeks. “When you return, you don’t fit in. You’re left in isolation, and for some people it’s more severe than others.”

To that end, Feeks is directing the proceeds of his book into his own foundation, the Feeks Veteran Benefit Fund, which he has set up to distribute donations to organizations like Operation Homefront, American Heroes, Disabled American Veterans and the Tiny House Project.

Copies of Feeks’ book can be purchased in Osage at Create, or online. Feeks has also recently finished recording the narration for an audio version of the book, which should be available in the coming months.

In the meantime, Feeks has again found himself on an unexpected path in life, lining up speaking arrangements to discuss his book and veterans issues as another way of getting his message across.

“I have found that the book has taken a life of its own,” said Feeks. “It’s taken me down different roads that I had no intention of traveling.”