Godin, Robert, MSG

PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE ARMY.
DUTY, HONOR & COUNTRY: My dad was in WWll, with the 82nd Airborne, 508th Parachute Infantry Regiment. I was very proud of him. My grandfather was in the 79th Infantry during WWI and I was raised to defend our way of life. I originally joined because my future father-in-law said I needed to get my military obligation over before I could marry his daughter. That did not last because we got married between basic training and AIT. I loved the service and my wife did not mind it at all.I didn't think I had the guts to jump out of an aircraft. Then I saw a friend and he was a paratrooper, and I thought to myself if that skinny so and so can do it so can I.

WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK. WHERE DID YOU GO TO BASIC TRAINING AND WHAT UNITS, BASES OR SQUADRONS WERE YOU ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS YOUR REASON FOR LEAVING?
At first, I enlisted as a combat engineer, but I needed more, so I joined Special Forces. My goal was to be SGM of the Army, but in 1970, my wife became very ill, and I needed a job to keep me close to home, so I volunteered for Recruiting Duty. I finally left the service in 1982 as our 4 boys were getting into their teens, and my wife needed help with them. The Army was trying to send me to cross country and then to Korea. I would have stayed if not for my wife's and my youngest son's health issues.

IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON YOU AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY?
I was in combat in Vietnam for almost two years with the 5th Special Forces Group. I lost a few friends, though I was never wounded; losing friends and some of our CIDG troops it affected me mentally. When I returned stateside, I remember walking through the army hospital and seeing young soldiers without legs or arms; it just made me cry. I had this guilty feeling about coming home alive, and NO wounds and these much younger soldiers did. I did not know it at the time, but I had PTSD, and then I realized my dad and grandfather did, too.

DID YOU ENCOUNTER ANY SITUATION DURING YOUR MILITARY SERVICE WHEN YOU BELIEVED THERE WAS A POSSIBILITY YOU MIGHT NOT SURVIVE? IF SO, PLEASE DESCRIBE WHAT HAPPENED AND WHAT WAS THE OUTCOME.
Yes a few times when I was out on patrol and when our camp was under siege for two weeks.

OF ALL YOUR DUTY STATIONS OR ASSIGNMENTS, WHICH ONE DO YOU HAVE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY? WHICH WAS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE?
BEST: My best memories were with the 5th Special Forces Group [ABN], and with my unit SOA B-57. I was stationed with many different "A" Teams throughout 2nd, 3rd, and 4th Corp. I was stationed with so many great people and learned so much from the best. LEAST None.

FROM YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY MEMORIES YOU STILL REFLECT BACK ON TO THIS DAY.
My personal memories: After my first tour to Vietnam, I was stationed at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. One day, I had to go to the hospital for a doctor's appointment and had to go through the ward where a lot of Vietnam wounded were. It was then I felt guilty for coming home with no wounds or coming home at all. These wounded were 18, 19, and 20-year-olds. I was 26 at the time, and I went to Vietnam, not expecting to come home alive.

WHAT PROFESSIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF FROM YOUR MILITARY CAREER?
I am most proud of graduating from Special Forces School and the fact that no matter how sick my wife was, she supported me throughout my Military Career.

OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES YOU RECEIVED, OR OTHER MEMORABILIA, WHICH ONE IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
Top of the list is my ARCOM for Valor because now I know how everyone feels when getting an award for Valor. I was just doing my job and didn't know I was doing anything out of the ordinary, and I did not ask for an award. Next, I think, would be the Combat Infantry Badge.

WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
First was SSG Drummond, my basic training Platoon SSG; he was in the Korean War, and he taught us recruits a lot about Army life and how to soldier. Second was SFC Berry, my Platoon SGT with the 58th Engineer Company in Fulda, Germany. He instilled the means of Education, learning at all times whether by book or hands-on. Third was MSG Earnie Tobata, my team leader with the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. He taught me how to balance my Army life and my personal life. Last but not least was MSG Bell, my supervisor on Recruiting duty. He was a great philosopher and realistic about Army life.

CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR SERVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?
I think it would have to be the time I decided to take on the 3rd Armored Division heavy-weight boxing champion. This was not funny at the time; we were in a bar drinking when a fight broke out, and I got involved. I had my right fist almost on the floor, and I came up and hit him with everything I had, and he just smiled. He then hit me [one punch] and broke 3 ribs on my left side. The next morning, I went to see a doctor, and he asked me what happened. I said I fell off the back of a truck, and his reply was it must have been a really big truck. We were TDY at the time, and when we got back to Company Headquarters, the Commander wanted to give me punishment under Article 15 for violating curfew. As an E-4, you could not be out on the town after 2200 hours, so I let the Commander know he had promoted me the day of the incident. He told me to leave his office, and nothing was ever said about it again.

WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY?
After being an Army Recruiter for ten years, upon leaving the service, I went into sales and sales management. I sold Commodities for First Commodity in Boston, Massachusetts, and I only did this for 3 months. Next, I sold cars for 15 years, was a salesman, then Sales manager and General Manager. Then, someone I had hired to be my Finance Manager went into the Banking /Mortgage business; well, he called me one day and talked me into the same field. This I did for 11 years.

WHAT MILITARY ASSOCIATIONS ARE YOU A MEMBER OF, IF ANY? WHAT SPECIFIC BENEFITS DO YOU DERIVE FROM YOUR MEMBERSHIPS?
VFW Life Member. I joined the Post that my dad helped build in the early 50's. The VFW gave me a lot of help with VA claims. DAV, Life Member. I joined in 2012. got help with PTSD counseling. Special Forces Association. They really helped me remember my service time and finding lost Army Buddies. 508th Parachute Regiment: This was the Unit my dad was in during WWII. He jumped into Normandy and Belgium. Life Member of The American Legion, Life Member of the Vietnam Veterans Association, and a Life Member of Together We Served.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND YOUR CAREER? WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR TIME IN THE SERVICE?
I have always tried to do my very best at everything and never give up. Also learned about integrity honesty, and trustworthiness.

BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE ARMY?
Remember the oath that you took when you entered the service. Listen to your Officers and NCOs. Always do your best. You can do whatever you have a mind to do.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.

TWS and The US Army

Having PTSD, TWS helped me remember that not all of my career was not in combat. It also has helped me get on the ball and start looking for more of my army buddies. In the last week, I have found 4, and we have talked.

KC 11.13.23