My last job was working with VA, and a VA contractor. Helping disabled Veterans with school, counselling, purchasing quality of life materials, helping with resumes, obtaining employment, and a whole range of connected issues. I LOVED IT.
It broke my heart since I had FINALLY found my post service calling, only to lose it when they had to give up the contract and my job went with it. But it was 3 great years.
Since then, I have lived on first my 50% service disability, PTSD and then at 62 Social Security jumped in to help out. I retired.
Also, since '97. I have run a website, (early social networking) for the Vietnam Veterans of my Combat Alma Maters, 6th and 2nd Battalions, 77th Field Artillery, 4th and 25th Infantry Divisions. ALWAYS BEHIND, But we have had some very gratifying successes. We've had some re-connects with combat buddies, and hooked some of the relatives of some of our KIAs up with troopers who knew their loved ones, and could help them achieve at LEAST a Modicum of closure. Plus, together, we are still keeping alive the Vietnam part of the history of a fine Field Artillery Battalion alive.
In '09 I wrote a book about my and some of my "Non Essential Personnel" cohorts, fellow troopers, whose jobs can not be done during actual close combat, so while under attack, we reverted to what the Army trained us to be FIRST ----- what we were fresh out of basic ---- and were told we would always be -----"Rifleman First"
It did really well, sold about 50 whole copies, LOL~!!!! The the biggest part of it doing well was.....it was a perfect way to talk out my Vietnam Story, and "Get it off my chest" as they say in the movies.
Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase IV Campaign (1968)
From Month/Year
April / 1968
To Month/Year
June / 1968
Description This campaign was from 2 April to 30 June 1968. During this period friendly forces conducted a number of battalion-size attritional operations against the enemy.
Operations PEGASUS-Lam Son 207 relieved the Khe Sanh Combat Base on 5 April and thereby opened Route 9 for the first time since August 1967. This operation not only severely restricted the North Vietnamese Army's use of western Quang Tri Province but also inflicted casualties on the remnants of two North Vietnamese divisions withdrawing from the area. This success was followed by a singular allied spoiling operation in the A Shau Valley, Operation DELAWARE-Lam Son. These two operations prevented the enemy from further attacking I Corps Tactical Zone population centers and forced him to shift his pressure to the III Corps Tactical Zone.
During the period 5-12 May 1968 the Viet Cong launched an offensive with Saigon as the primary objective. Friendly forces defended the city with great determination. Consequently Saigon was never in danger of being overrun. Small Viet Cong units that did manage to get into the outskirts were fragmented and driven out with great loss of enemy life. By the end of June 1968 friendly forces had decisively blunted the enemy's attacks, inflicted very heavy casualties, and hindered his ability to attack urban areas throughout the Republic of Vietnam. The enemy was forced to withdraw to his sanctuaries.
The strength of the U.S. Army in Vietnam reach a peak of nearly 360,000 men during this period.
