In July of 1970, three months after I arrived in SEA, somebody figured out I spoke French. As we were busy ignoring the border between RVN and Cambodia, they needed interpreters to communicate with the Cambodian AF pilots to direct ground strikes. My  orders were cut after I “volunteered” to proceed to Bien Hoa Airpatch,  Right before I deployed, they called me in and I was asked a different question. How would I like to volunteer for something that basically entailed the same job (AFSC 203X0) but slightly different. My first question was “Where?”

The Captain at 7th AF Hq Tactical Air Combat Control (TACC) said “Can’t tell you”.

Me: “What does it involve?”

Capt. “Can’t tell you.”

Me: “Is it dangerous?”

Capt. : “Yep”.

Me: “Does it involve flying?”

Capt.:”Yep.”

Me: “How bad is it?”

Capt.: “The casualty rate is running 30+% but you get Flight and Hostile fire pay.”

In my testosterone-crazed, 19 year old mind, I  readily interpreted this as a guaranteed 70% chance I’d be coming out the other end in one piece. What could be more fun? I’d be meeting good looking women who spoke French in my off hours. Right? Besides, what could possibly go wrong? It was like extra sharp smoked cheese in the mousetrap. It was worse than a moth being attracted to a 30,000 watt light bulb. “Where do I sign up?”, I  asked.

30 years later when I filed my claims for hep. and PCT, I was told a) there were no medical records of my GSW and transfusion and b) I’d never been to RVN, let alone Laos. In addition, there was nothing that said I’d even had hep. in the military.

This is where the conversation turns to you who are coming home from our latest Olympics in Southwest Asia. Gentlemen (and ladies), it behooves you to keep every scrap of paper the military gives you. Most important are things like TDY orders which will never be included in your milrecs. When your health starts to decline and you’re not feeling well about 20 years from now, you will entertain the idea that maybe the VA should make good on President Lincoln’s compact with the defenders of America. That would the one that starts out “For he who shall have borne the battle…”. Having records to back up your contentions is paramount to your claim. If you keep them safe, VA cannot sadly inform you that they had a little warehouse fire  down in St. Louis and everything was lost in 2016. They cannot say there’s nothing to prove your contentions. Military records are powerful evidence to prove your case. I can’t tell you how many Navy Veterans were disenfranchised by virtue of no records of their having touched red clay in Vietnam. VA is intractable on this subject. No tickee, no laundry as they say at the dry cleaners.

Buy a cheap fireproof safe and put all your mil/medrecs in it. Save them until you’re dead and don’t need them. If you die of something you came down with over there, at least your wife can drag them out and use them to get DIC. I know that’s small consolation to both of you, but its good advice.  I kept everything and below is how I proved I was “There”.  One small scrap of paper. A snapshot of a bygone era. A niggling worry in my mind that just maybe they wouldn’t be stand up guys if the shit hit the fan.

One last bit of advice. Do not, under any circumstances, volunteer for anything when they ask you. Some will say it won’t look good in your Personnel jacket. Would you rather face the approbation of 3 at your promotion hearing board or carried by six at your funeral? Yeah, I know. Where do I sign Up?