Combat Medics in Afghanistan Have More Balls

Flint Township business donates 1,500 golf balls to Flushing soldier in Afghanistan
The Flint Journal
By NICOLE WEDDINGTON
February 10, 2014

FLINT TOWNSHIP, Michigan — U.S. Army medevac helicopter pilots stationed in a mountainous area of Afghanistan soon will be working off their stress whacking golf balls donated by Flint Township's King Par Golf.

Brendan "B.J." Coleman has played golf his entire life and plays as much as he can when he comes back to the States. The 33-year-old Flushing High School graduate is a medevac helicopter pilot in the Army. Currently serving in Afghanistan, the chief warrant officer 2 and his unit enjoy hitting golf balls in their spare time.

"One of the first things that B.J. asked me to send him when he went to Afghanistan was golf balls," laughed Coleman's mother, Andi Willman.

"We like to hit golf balls because it is fun and relieves stress. We have only been able to hit a few balls because we only have a few and some get lost. Some of us play golf back home, but some have never swung a club. It's good to share new skills and show others another way to pass the time on those slow days," said Coleman in an email to The Flint Journal

This is Coleman's 10th year in the Army and second year as a medevac pilot. "He is making a career out of it," said Willman, 61, of Flushing. He is currently completing his degree in aeronautics and has an 11-year-old daughter who he visits as often as possible when he is at his base in the states.

"They built a mini course and a driving range (in Afghanistan). But they are running out of golf balls," said David Stanley, Coleman's stepfather. He said he was talking to Coleman one night when he mentioned that he needed some more golf balls. "He said they like to hit at things that don't shoot back," laughed Stanley.
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