My wounds in Vietnam War on June 17, 1967 originally caused me to be bitter. I lost both my legs below my knees in a mortar attack at Dak To Special Forces camp. I started out originally being mad at God for allowing me to be wounded. I was three days from my 25th birthday. Over time and years I realized I had put myself in harm's way with three stages of "volunteering."
1. Choosing to become a cadet at West Point and become a regular Army officer.
2. Volunteering for Vietnam even though I had the alternative of a tour in Korea as an aide to General Robert H. Safford. That assignment would have kept me out of Vietnam. After a tour there I would have had maybe eight months before an Army resignation would have been effective. Volunteered for Vietnam secretly without telling my then wife. I knew if I missed the war, I could not attend future West Point class reunions where most classmates would have served in the war.
3. Volunteered for service in Army Special Forces, the Green Berets, an elite fighting force.
Several years ago I learned a technique to analyze situations. It relates to TECAC. This is a methodology for us all to utilize before making major decisions in life.
Think TECAC. The THOUGHT for each choice made me feel the Emotion of goodness and pride. Each thought led to a CHOICE of an ACTION that had an unforeseen CONSEQUENCE. My consequence was my horrendous wounding. If I had to blame anyone, it was myself. The lesson is before major decisions in life are made, look out to the consequences that may occur. Admittedly it is not always easy to look forward to an ending, but attempting to do so may serve to keep one from very bad consequences.
That is how I came to not being bitter!
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