I celebrated my 18th birthday by joining the United States Army. I wanted to go to Viet Nam to fight the communists. I got my wish; from October of 1969 to October of 1970 I was in the central highlands of the Republic of South Viet Nam. Unlike JF Kerry I found the Vietnamese to be an honorable, industrious people worthy of the fight to protect them from communism. I did not see a lot of action there, but my life was in danger to varying degrees, every day for my one year tour. Now I mention this not to...