Mark Allen Shelton served his country as an Army track vehicle mechanic from 1986 to 1995. A native of Guntersville, Alabama, he joined the service after High School and was stationed in Fort Hood, Texas.
After leaving the Army, he became a deckhand in the oilfields and eventually applied and was accepted into the Coast Guard’s Maritime Academy. He married in 2010 and became a ship captain in the Gulf of Mexico in 2013.
Mr. Shelton had a successful career until he became disabled with arthritis last year. His marriage failed, and he lost his home. He called St. Francis House and was put in touch with the Veterans’ Day Treatment Center for approval. “Two days later, I was here. I’ve already found a place and will probably be leaving in early December. It’s on a lake, and I plan on doing a lot of fishing. My Social Security Disability kicks in in February, so I’ll be OK. I might look for a part-time job since I don’t just want to sit there and blow away. I’m glad St. Francis House was able to give me a place to stay while I looked for a new home.”