I [think] can see where it would interest someone like you
to have a level of intrigue about a veteran of war.
No slam intended...no negativity meant.....please understand that.
You are still young....and I hope you never see a time that you must
participate in a war.....to any degree.
I was barely older than you are now.....when I joined the USMC
I did not want to be 'drafted' into the Army....
I started in OCS-Quantico, led a demolition team of eight in
Laos....er, uh, Vietnam...yeah....
served two tours, and was discharged before JFK was murdered.
No GPS, cell phone, electronics of any kind......
but a wrist watch to time the missions.....set your charge,
re-unite, and detonate.[coordination of eight men]
TOPO maps....no MRE's [C-rations],no firearms,.....
eating bugs, clothes rotting as you wore them, skin
shriveled like prunes[toenails still nasty today], and no
friggin clue where you were at......good times, little brother.....
I would not wish it on you.....not even for one day.
I would not change it......not even for a moment.
Four of us are left.....
we are closer to each other......
than any of us are to our wives.....
or our children.
And I don't even know how the hell you brought this out of me.....
I don't usually speak much of it.
Kudos to you.