Author's Note: We had a great day of sight seeing before the reunion. This is a photo of Jackie and me with two of my bro's, Cat Man and Beef Jerky. Both were in Recon and Cat Man was a track driver. He's real lucky to be here. He hit three different land mines in the time he was in Nam, last one hurt him real bad and they sent him home. The Chaplin went and talked to him just before leaving country and told him he hated too see him go as he was the best mine detector the 5th Division had. (Gotta love that military humor)

When we were fishing for salmon to have a dinner for the people at the reunion, we were on the ocean for 14 hours. During slack time we talked a lot waiting for a strike, I usually don't say much about my feelings of that time, but these guys got me to talking about them and both said I have it. I knew something was wrong not long after I was discharged from the Army, but had no idea it could be PTSD, I thought I was just angry with myself for not going, and with a wife and son I couldn't bring myself to volunteer to go. So since 1970, my family has put up with my anger, rages, crying and getting drunk a few times a week. I guess the shit comes in many forms. At least I now know what is happening and thank God none of the family seen me with a hand gun cocked and locked against at my head wanting to pull the trigger. Thoughts of them are the only reason I didn't. I still drink, but don't get shit faced anymore, still have rages but with meds I can control them better and life is good. But I still miss my lost friends, guess I will till the day I die.

Steve
October 24, 2005

Jackie and I, Beef Jerky and his wife, and Cat Man were sight seeing in Washington State. I pulled over so we could eat some fresh wild black berries and Beef Jerky went nuts over them. I didn't think we would ever get him out of the berry patch. True story

Steve
December 30, 2005