I've never served in the military, I've never been in a free fire zone but the vets I've known that have "been there done that" often mention believing they were involved for a somewhat justified cause and having trust in their fellow troops to watch their backs. It helps when they believe their command officers seem to care if they survive too.
It also sounds like being a Russian conscript can suck almost as bad as a Chinese person being welded into a burning building ... Check out some of the other cell phone recordings on that channel. Not sure why I couldn't paste the home page in?
having served in combat you realize quickly you're just cannon fodder and your life has no value. thats true for every army
I'm glad you made it home. One friend recommended this book to me. I've read it a few times.
Once A Warrior King: Memories of an Officer in Vietnam
David Donovan
The memoir of a young American soldier who became the most powerful man in a remote rural district of Vietnam
In the spring of 1969, First Lieutenant David Donovan arrived in the Mekong Delta of South Vietnam to work as military advisor with village chiefs and local militia to win the war. But as he was the highest-ranking person in the entire district, his life there was far more complex than anyone could have imagined.
This is Donovan's gripping account of combat missions and night ambushes in the swamps and jungles of the Delta; his heartrending tale of personal involvement with the culture and families in his charge; his humane introspection on his awesome responsibility as both warrior and king; and his stark reflections on the changes he saw in himself and his country upon his return to the United States.
"Donovan's memoir . . . provides valuable documentation on a relatively obscure part of the American military effort--it describes how the war really worked on the front line of 'Vietnamization, ' the training of local militia. His reflections on his own use of power raise serious and important questions about the American expierence in Vietnam."--The New York Times Book Review
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/40502.Once_A_Warrior_King
