Ed Harley missed the first part of his retirement party at the Parker County Courthouse Annex Monday.
Instead of walking down the hall to greet a pack of well-wishers beginning to gather around County Treasurer Jim Thorp’s famous chili, Harley stayed in his office and walked an elderly couple through life insurance policies offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
After 12 years of duty as the Parker County veteran’s service officer, Harley, citing health problems, announced plans to retire earlier this month. Monday was his last day.
“When you write this, be sure and tell the veterans in Parker County I’ve enjoyed being able to serve them and that I will miss them,” he said.
Harley joined the U.S. Army in February 1964, and served one tour in Vietnam. He was shot twice — one bullet found its way into Harley’s foot, the other slammed into his knee. Though he recuperated from both injuries, Harley claims his knee still acts up when the weather is about to change.
After participating in U.S. troop deployments in Grenada and Mogadishu, Harley went on to oversee tactical operations during Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, a job function in which lives routinely depended on his split-second decisions.
Harley retired from the U.S. Army in June 1994, in Fort Sill, Okla. He will never forget the unpleasant way Veteran’s Affairs workers seemed to write him off.
“I would not treat a dog the way I was treated there,” he recalled. “I mean, some people just give you a package of forms to go fill out and bring back. You’ll be sitting there for two weeks, when it would take 15 minutes for that person to help you. But they won’t do it, and that’s ridiculous.”
Less than a year after retiring from military service, Harley moved to Parker County. While filing completion-of-military-service papers at the Courthouse Annex, he noticed a flyer advertising a part-time job posting for Parker County Veteran’s Service Officer.
Harley was awarded the position and immediately went to work teaching local veterans how to navigate complex healthcare and compensation programs.
“Once the word got out that the county had someone in that office who would try to help you, people just started coming out of the woodwork,” he said.
While serving Parker County, Harley endeavored to help all veterans, even those from other counties.
He once helped an Abilene man who was exposed to chemical defoliants in Vietnam, and subsequently developed cancer. Despite 11 years of attempts at a West Texas VA office, the man was still unable to obtain needed benefits and compensation.
While visiting his sister, a Weatherford resident, the man was introduced to Harley. Three months later, he started receiving benefits.
“Six months after that happened, he died, but now his wife is getting the benefits,” Harley said. “She wouldn’t have them if her husband had passed on before this was done.”
In 1999, Harley’s position was reclassified as a “full-time” position. “The salary is still part-time, but the work is full-time,” Harley said.
The Parker County Commissioners Court accepted Harley’s resignation after a closed session in early March. Upon reconvening, each county commissioner publicly thanked him for his years of service and wished him well.
Harley said he expects to spend his retirement nearby, fishing and gardening. He said some elderly veterans who can no longer read or write have come to trust his advice on a variety of non-VA topics.
“They will bring me anything in order to have me explain it to them because they know it won’t go any farther than this office,” Harley said. “Anything from, ‘Where do I go to the doctor?’ to ‘Which veterinarian do I need to go to?’ Once they build that trust, they’ll ask you about anything.”
If push comes to shove, Harley said local veterans are welcome to contact him.
“All they have to do is call. I will be glad to help them if I can,” he said.
When he finally made it to his fishing-themed retirement party organized by Dawn Norfleet, Harley was greeted by dozens of friends, veterans and colleagues.
Deputy Parker County Clerk Leslie Coufal offered Harley a sincere farewell, calling him, “a rare sort.” “I think Ed Harley is a man of integrity, true honor and a genuine confidant,” she said.
