Thanks, Bob, wherever you are. “Where in the hell is your hat soldier?” The colonel demanded. I did a slow burn as I pulled my hat out of my pocket and put it on. I knew better than to expect a thank you from the grey-haired, crew-cut, skinny officer standing in front of me. But […]
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I Just Dropped In “Just the man I wanted to see,” Sgt. Keith said. “You and Tony have Donut Dollie duty.” “Jesus Christ, Sarge, I had it last time they were here,” I said, in the hope that he would take pity on me. “Bullshit. Last time they were here, only two newbies showed up.
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Stuck in the Middle The Inspector General was coming and we had a stockpile of unauthorized equipment. The Colonel ordered us to get rid of it by any means necessary. Some of it was from the Korean war, some of it was Naval and Air Force equipment, and all of it was being chopped up,
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Smoke Gets in Your Eyes As we began our descent into Bien Hoa Air Base, darkness was settling over the Vietnamese countryside. We came in fast and high to discourage anti-aircraft fire. There was black smoke rising from dozens of fires as I looked out of the window. Each air-pocket bump and plume of smoke
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They’re Coming to Take Me Away Where does one start in trying to explain the definitive event of one’s life, as well as that of a nation and several generations? People, especially young people, don’t understand. They were raised on Black Hawk Down, Iraq, and Afghanistan. Not that I blame them. By all rights, Vietnam
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I was raised in a cult. . . the Catholic Church. Okay, so technically it’s not considered a cult. At least not today. But, back in Roman times, it was. And it certainly acts like a cult. Once a year they make you put a carbon cross on your forehead so you look like a
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