1st INFANTRY DIVISION
To my fellow vets, "WELCOME HOME!" and to all, best wishes for the holidays.
I was lucky. I spent most of my tour working as a Public Information Officer (PIO) for the First Infantry Division. My detachment did home town interviews, put together a weekly 30 minute radio show for AFVN, and, together with the 121st Signal Company, ran a small pirate radio station, KLIK, from the division's base camp in Lai Khe.
I went out to the field frequently for interviews and stories, but I didn't have to stay. I also enjoyed a weekly trip to Saigon. The combination gave me a rare view of the war along with a warm cot and three hots a day. Along the way I developed a keen respect for the grunts I talked to and an awareness of the grace my job afforded me.The hardest part of my tour involved coming home. Like many Vietnam Vets, I felt I had to sneak back home. For years I hid my involvement in the war from everyone I knew or met. For that reason I can say that my work has been in process for quite some time. I want to share it with other readers and writers and my fellow vets including those who are now returning from Afghanistan and Iraq.
I began this project thinking I would write a book.That is still my ultimate goal, but along the way I decided to put together this site. As I continued to add to my work I found that the web site was helping other vets come home along with me. As a result this project has taken on an importance that I did not anticipate. I hope the site will serve to open up dialogue with writers, students and veterans. Any comments or suggestions on how to improve/change/expand my pages and/or my writing are welcome.
WARNING!
The site contains strong language, used when it accurately depicts the language of the people I am writing about or me. This site is not recommended for children under the age of 14.
You can mail me at: fbrandt@cinci.rr.com
My stories are grouped around phases, before, during and after 'Nam. Check the chapter and then choose a story from within that chapter.
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