18th Bde.

        I Arrived in Country in August 1968. My first assignment was company clerk, which lasted for about a month. I was then reassigned to the Black Horse Detachment at Xuan Loc, and worked town patrol.

I was there for about three months at which time I returned to Long Binh and was briefly assigned as a driver for one of the Lieutenants (I lost that cherry assignment through an error in judgment);         I then was assigned to Ambush & Recon Team #77 for the remainder of my tour, nearly 8 months. I left Vietnam in August of 1969 and returned to my hometown of Sunnyvale, California.        After my leave I reported to my new duty station at Fort Riley, Kansas. There I was part of a detachment located at Camp Funston, the Correctional Training Facility (CTF). Although originally I served as security, I was promoted to SP/5 and served as Administrative Assistant to both the Top Sergeant and to the Commanding Officer of the CTF.

         The primary purpose of the CTF was to provide an alternative to hard time for individuals who, while in Vietnam, where convicted of serious crimes. Depending on the offense, individuals where given the opportunity to go through an eight week training/rehabilitation program, return to duty and complete their military commitment and leave the service with an honorable discharge; or serve hard time in a federal facility with an ultimate discharge of less than honorable. I served the remaining 18 months of my military tour with the CTF.

         When I was discharged I returned to my home in Sunnyvale, California and got a job and returned to college.

        I married in 1972, graduated from college in 1975 and received a post graduate degree in 1978. From 1972 through 1976, I started and managed a Veteran’s Assistance Program to assist returning Vietnam veterans in their acclimation to life back in the World. When I took another job, I remained active with the program, participating as a Board Member for this community based organization. I became instrumental in improving and generating services to veterans provided by local government, including financial support, jobs, health and welfare and housing.

        Currently I live in the small town of Morgan Hill, California (60 miles south of San Francisco), raised a family of three children (all grown and gone); and I am the Human Resources Manager for the Santa Clara Valley Transportation Authority in San Jose, California. After my return from duty, I became, and remain, a civil rights activist and am an active participant in my community.