MajorRay
Recently, I saw an article where a 4th Division general was receiving his 4th star. He was being congratulated by everyone. Perhaps he deserves his honors, but this immediately caused my PTSD to flare up. It is hard for me to respect the 4th Infantry Division, which to this day has never reached out to troops like me, who were attached to them in Vietnam and not part of their home state-side unit. We served with them and died with them, but were treated more like outsiders when it came to recognition. I was never contacted since I left Nam and I had to find out years later on my own that I even had some unit medals. This disgrace is made worse every time I see clean cut military officers celebrating themselves.
Just as an example, consider how I was treated in the boonies of Vietnam in 1968. I was a teenage combat medic attached 24/7 to a light infantry platoon operating out of Dakto Base, the Central Highlands. During my tour, my best friend and platoon sergeant Alto Anderson and I were together on every mission from the time I arrived in March 1968. He was literally split in half by an enemy mortar on June 12th near Kontum Province just as I left his side to look for wounded troops. After months in the field and after several contacts with the enemy, I never got promoted from PFC or received any personal recognition for my sacrifices. Incidentally, I threw away my prescription medication (this is in my military records) that would have kept me out of the field as recommended by the army doctors in Texas or perhaps even out of Vietnam if I had pressed for it. Alto Anderson distinguished himself even before I met him during “Tet”. He saved about eight men during an enemy attack according to George, the headquarters company medic, who served in my company (A company, 3/8, 1st Brigade). He was one of those rescued. Alto and I were both assigned to the 1st platoon. Nobody seems to remember him on the 4th ID website, however. Because I was attached to the infantry, the medical battalion appeared to forget I was medical and not infantry. Eventually, I was medically evacuated to Japan due to respiratory problems, thrown in the streets back home in Virginia, and left to fend for myself. I only had two medals on my DD214 (NDM, VSM). Needless to say I struggled to adjust with incredible hardship.
After being discharged as an E-2, I eventually began getting my life back together. I went to several universities and earned several degrees in chemistry. Year after being discharged and after completing my first masters, I was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps, where I rose to major (eligible for promotion to Lt. Colonel). Two honorable discharges later, I am rewriting my memoir, Major Obsession. Although I am a disabled veteran, the stain on the 4th Infantry Division will never leave me. As the platoon medic, I seek recognition not just for me, but others like me, who never received adequate reward for our contributions. I hate to think that these things happened to my platoon sergeant and me just because we are both Black. No personal awards for me at all?
Major (DAV) Ray Turner, Ph.D.
Just as an example, consider how I was treated in the boonies of Vietnam in 1968. I was a teenage combat medic attached 24/7 to a light infantry platoon operating out of Dakto Base, the Central Highlands. During my tour, my best friend and platoon sergeant Alto Anderson and I were together on every mission from the time I arrived in March 1968. He was literally split in half by an enemy mortar on June 12th near Kontum Province just as I left his side to look for wounded troops. After months in the field and after several contacts with the enemy, I never got promoted from PFC or received any personal recognition for my sacrifices. Incidentally, I threw away my prescription medication (this is in my military records) that would have kept me out of the field as recommended by the army doctors in Texas or perhaps even out of Vietnam if I had pressed for it. Alto Anderson distinguished himself even before I met him during “Tet”. He saved about eight men during an enemy attack according to George, the headquarters company medic, who served in my company (A company, 3/8, 1st Brigade). He was one of those rescued. Alto and I were both assigned to the 1st platoon. Nobody seems to remember him on the 4th ID website, however. Because I was attached to the infantry, the medical battalion appeared to forget I was medical and not infantry. Eventually, I was medically evacuated to Japan due to respiratory problems, thrown in the streets back home in Virginia, and left to fend for myself. I only had two medals on my DD214 (NDM, VSM). Needless to say I struggled to adjust with incredible hardship.
After being discharged as an E-2, I eventually began getting my life back together. I went to several universities and earned several degrees in chemistry. Year after being discharged and after completing my first masters, I was commissioned as a Lieutenant in the Medical Service Corps, where I rose to major (eligible for promotion to Lt. Colonel). Two honorable discharges later, I am rewriting my memoir, Major Obsession. Although I am a disabled veteran, the stain on the 4th Infantry Division will never leave me. As the platoon medic, I seek recognition not just for me, but others like me, who never received adequate reward for our contributions. I hate to think that these things happened to my platoon sergeant and me just because we are both Black. No personal awards for me at all?
Major (DAV) Ray Turner, Ph.D.