Born in rural northern California in 1945, Dave loved to be outdoors and enjoyed hunting and fishing in the nearby Sierra foothills. In his early 20's, the outdoors became the jungles and rice paddies of South Vietnam. The ideals of youth were quickly replaced by survival skills needed by every member of his combat infantry unit. Losses were heavy but the war didn't stop to allow time for grief or to pull ones self together. It wasn't fair, the price was too high but nothing could stop it. All Dave could do was walk point, taking a great deal of the danger on himself, for as long as he could. Going home seemed an unachievable fantacy at times, but slowly, each terrifying second, minute, and hour of the day passed. Eventually, Dave did make it home without a scratch. The rest of life should have been a piece of cake. After all, no one was shooting at him anymore, fear didn't hide behind every tree and bush. It was time to pick up life as it had been before the war. Dave married his fiancee, finished college, got a good job, built a new home and went to church every week. Somehow it all seemed shallow and empty. Suffering together, supporting one another, and sacrificing for others were usless tools in achieving the American Dream. All those life changing experiences in Vietnam had no worth back home. No one wanted to talk about it, the subject was politically incorrect unless you were a protestor. It was very confusing and frustrating for years. Answers came after hard years of not fitting into normal society. Dave hopes that these stories will help other vets, their families and friends. Even those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan are going through similar emotions.