Gender

Male

Birth date

1943-10-18

Place of birth

Rohwer AR, U.S.A.

Inducted

1966-6-27, Los Angeles CA

Enlistment type

Volunteer

Service branch

Army

Service type

War

Unit type

Support

Units served

Mental Hygiene Clinic & In-patient Psychiatric Service US Army Hospital/Special Treatment Center, Ft. Gordon, GA

Military specialty

91GZO Psych/social Work Specialist; 11FZO Infantry OPNS/QPNS Spec; 11B10 Infantryman

Stationed

Ft. Jackson, SC; Ft McClellan, AL; Ft. Benning, GA; Ft. Gordon, GA

Separated

Ft. Gordon GA

Unit responsibility

Providing psychological & psychiatric medical services to military & dependents, at outpatient clinic & in-patient 'Acute' units.

Personal responsibility

I worked at mental hygiene clinic & on inpatient psychiatric service acute wards conducting social work intakes and doing group therapy to psychotics & schizophrenics, mostly. I had trained, though, as an infantryman through basic, with part of OCS.

Living conditions

Lived mainly in barracks at hospital. As infantrymen, I lived in barracks, although I trained out in woods in Georgia, So. Carolina and Alabama.

Most vivid memory of military experience

Trying to counsel schizophrenic & psychotic patients; also observing and talking to amputees from the orthopedic units of our hospital and not knowing what to say to without expressing shock or sounding patronizing.

Missed most whilst in the military

Family, freedom of expression.

Most important thing, personally, to come from military experience?

The camaraderie and intimacy I shared with others, was something I never want to forget. Feeling empathy and being of help and support to injured and ill persons has made me more compassionate towards others. I did not fulfill all my goals and expectations. I know I have to stretch myself further than I had ever realized I could,... to strive for more to reach my goals.

Additional information

I am the widowed father of a 14 year old daughter. I have tried to use my training and experiences in the army to assist others in my life and career since I left the army.