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| Photo by Mollie |
| The Mertens Family, Kimberly, 12, Theresa, Shawn, 9, Shawn and Christian, 3, relax together during a quiet Saturday afternoon in their Enterprise home. |
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‘Special’ Family proud to serve Army community
By Mollie Miller, Army Flier News Editor
CW3 Shawn Mertens wears many hats. On any given day, Mertens is a Soldier, an instructor-pilot, a fisherman, a devoted dad and a husband.
Whatever hat Mertens is wearing, however, the one constant in his life remains the fact that he is proud to have been able to serve his country for the past 19 years despite challenges that might have derailed the careers of some of the most devout Soldiers.
Sitting in his Family’s home in Enterprise Saturday, Mertens reflected on his nearly two decades of service, his two deployments, the strength of his wife, Theresa, the resilience of his Family and the special path he has followed since his son, Shawn, was born nine years ago.
Young Shawn Mertens is a special boy. He loves the phone, he loves his mother’s breath in his face and his smile is quick when he knows his Family is near. Shawn, the Mertens’ middle child, can’t walk or talk, has cerebral palsy and seizures, and relies on a feeding tube for sustenance.
“Shawn had a stroke in utero,” Mertens said.
When Shawn was born while the Family was stationed at Fort Carson, Colo., doctors told Theresa not to expect her son to live for very long. Nine years later, however, Theresa said little Shawn is still proving those doctors wrong.
Although raising Shawn in an Army Family has had its perks like quality TRICARE coverage and a top-notch Exceptional Family Member Program at Fort Campbell, Ky., Army life has also offered its share of challenges for the Mertens Family like back-to-back 12- and 13-month deployments.
Theresa said her Family survived the deployments because everyone came together to help. Daughter, Kimberly, 12, pitched in to not only help take care of Shawn but also 3-year-old Christian and her mom too.
“I make friends easily so I like being a military kid,” Kimberly said.
Today Mertens is a platoon leader with 1st Battalion, 212th Aviation Regiment and is on a permanent night schedule. This schedule is the right schedule for his Family because it allows Mertens time to spend with his kids, time to fish and catch up on things he missed while doing the back-to-back deployments with a unit out of Fort Campbell, Ky.
“Shawn is only going to be with us another eight or nine years so I want to make the most of the time that we all still have together,” he said.
Mertens said he feels that parenting a special needs child has made him a better, more effective leader and Soldier.
“I feel like I can better understand where my Soldiers are coming from,” he said.
Though he and his Family had hoped their move to Fort Rucker would be their last, Mertens said they will likely change stations at least one more time in his career as they search for the right place to settle in for retirement.
“I am still young, still having fun and we are still looking for the right place for Shawn,” Mertens said. “Plus, I think there is more left for me to do in the Army.”
Theresa agrees with her husband’s decision to continue his Army career and, as she lifted little Shawn into her arms Saturday and cuddled him close, her sights were already set on the future.
“I am ready for our next adventure,” she said, smiling.
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