JOHN COFFELTEditor

The 1st Tennessee Regiment Chaplain Corp. of the Tennessee State Guard recognized Manchester Coffee County Conference Center event planner Sheila Carter on Friday, Sept. 13 for help making their event come together.

Lt. Col. Glen Jones said the Divisional Banquet was a success in part because of Carter’s assistance.

“At the last minute we needed to do a Missing Man Table,” Jones said. “Sheila rounded it all up. Without (her) help accumulating all the items (she) did, it wouldn’t have been possible.”

Carter was presented with a certificate of appreciation during Friday’s Manchester Public Building Authority meeting and the staff was invited for cake.

“The Tennessee State Guard would like to express our since gratitude for making it possible for the Chaplin Corp. to present the Missing Man Table at our January 2024 divisional banquet in Manchester Tennessee.”

The Missing Man Table is a ceremony set up during dining occasions that memorializes the fallen, missing or imprisoned military service members. The highly symbolic display is a small table for one with a white table, a single rose, a red ribbon, a slice of lemon on a plate, salt sprinkled on the plate, a lit candle, an inverted glass and an empty chair, accompanied by a complete place setting with the place card addressed to either all the fallen comrades of the unit or a specific person, designated unit headgear, saber, gloves and unit coin and combat boots placed at the foot of the table.

John has been with the Manchester Times since May 2011. John has won Tennessee Press Association awards for Best News Photo and placed in numerous other categories. John is a 1994 graduate of Tullahoma High School, a graduate of Motlow State Community College and earned a Bachelor of Arts in English from Middle Tennessee State University. He lives in Tullahoma, enjoys painting, dancing and exploring the outdoors.