Greg,

No way could you be a lifer. You went through the same hell we did. The ones I mean are the ones we had to put up with. Remember Sgt. Hall from 1st flight? Had spent thirteen years in the army. Ten of it in Germany. Now he comes to Viet Nam so he can make E-7. He wants to have inspections and the rest of the army shit while every day we are flying to Dak To or the Plei-Trap or some other God damn place. He was worried about hair cuts while we were trying to stay alive,eat something other than C-Rations and get more than three hours sleep a night. The army was lucky to get guys like you who stayed in and was able to turn the thing around. Look what you started. I don't normally get on a soap box but I remember the shit I got after I got back. I had to make coffee for those bastards because I was just an E-5. They had their three medals from Nam along with maybe an Air Medal that was given to them for going on test flights. And of course the ever popular Good Conduct Medal. We spent more time in combat then they had time in the chow line. I think I better shut up before I change back into that crazy fool you guys remember me as. If you get a chance to zero that bad boy in on a target remember we are all behind ya.