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Read this post from a high school friend in my inbox right after greg's from presscore. Thanks Greg for that URL Peggy Powell Dobbins Sociology as an Art Form www.peggydobbins.net Begin forwarded message: > From: H D HESSE <henrydhe...@q.com> > Date: January 9, 2011 9:42:45 AM CST > > Subject: Drug and War > > Much has been said and written about drug usage during the Vietnam War..it > was indeed horrific..just thought I'd share my experience. > > My drug of choice was Jim Beam bourban..my roommate's choice was Budweiser. > I used all his bourban chits and he used all my beer chits, so we were even. > In our air conditioned hootch we had two recliners and a TV to go along with > the mini kitchen and bunks. Our afternoon ritual was to meet at a certain > intersection of the sidewalks and then proceed to the hootch where we would > "Talk to Jim and Bud"..sometimes we ate, sometimes not. We'd always set the > alarm clock before we started in case we'd fall asleep in the recliners and > just sleep there all night. I had to work hard when I got back home to break > THAT habit, believe me. I guess it started when we were in different > quarters close to the hospital, and we heard the choppers coming into the > landing area..you just knew some poor folks were hurting really bad or had > already given all in the defense of America....that went on all night every > night. > > I was assigned to a Security Police Squadron..we provided infantry support > for Cam Ranh Air Base..a squadron of nearly 800 men. We had a K-9 > unit..really worked well over there. The K-9 handlers were known as the > pot-heads..they all smoked pot (hopefully only off duty)..we didn't care that > they smoked pot, because it wasn't addictive like some other drugs of choice > over there. On Saturday mornings the First Sgt and I would walk thru the > hootches, kinda like an inspection..the K-9 handlers were just coming off > their graveyard shift and were winding down..the hootches reeked with pot > smoke..they were usually pretty relaxed and happy..and generally we were > offered a "hit or two". Trouble was, some of the pot sellers started lacing > the smokes with heroin. That became a big mess. > > Heroin was indeed a major problem..we had special wards in a hospital annex > just for de-toxing heroin users before they were shipped back to the States > for final detox and removal from the Air Force. Perhaps some of my most > painful memories were walking thru the wards, loaded with young, handsome, > strong...you name it...men..crying like babies from the pain and agony of > withdrawal..not a sight I wanted to remember, but I do. > > Within our squadron we had some of the worst pushers..one guy had false walls > built into his hootch where he stored stuff..the legs of his bunk were > stuffed full of the terrible white powder..it was estimated he had street > value of a million bucks stored in his room..that was 1971 and 1972. We > caught wind of his operation and went after him...when he saw me he asked for > amnesty since he was "addicted to drugs"..that was the poliicy then...all we > could do, instead of prosecuting him, was take him to the detox center, detox > him and send him home. > > I guess that's why I'm not crazy about foreign wars anymore..if we are > fighting a war where it is kill or be killed, we are too busy to get involved > with such stuff...oh, well...I'll never be in a position to make a difference > again... > > Why did this horrible memory from so many years ago come to mind?? Well, > some of you know that my wife Pat has quit smoking..cold turkey...a full week > with no smokes after smoking heavily for 60 years..and she is going thru > withdrawals, of course...seeing her moan and groan and almost scream was a > grim reminder of the guys in the detox ward..so, I don't mean to preach, but > if you or yours are still smoking...PLEASE take a good look at yourself and > shake the terrible addiction..you WILL feel better......henry/dave/flipper ________________________________________________ Send list submissions to: Marxism@lists.econ.utah.edu Set your options at: http://lists.econ.utah.edu/mailman/options/marxism/archive%40mail-archive.com
