John R. McClarren - Writer/Military Consultant

IF ALL ELSE FAILS, THERE'S ALWAYS CIVILIAN LIFE

                                                                                                           Introduction

In the pitch-black darkness of an open rice paddy thunder suddenly crashes, awakening us from a mesmerized state and the silence of the night. Lightning flashes, and the rain comes down in torrents, not unusual during the summer monsoons of Southeast Asia. We have set up our night position, complete with concertina wire surrounding our company perimeter, unusual for us, unless trouble is anticipated.

We have been in heavy contact with North Vietnamese Army (NVA) regulars most of the day, and there is no doubt in anyone’s mind that our enemy is still nearby. The night rolls on, and the rain is not letting up. We are laying in rice paddies with water up to our shoulders, plagued with physical stress, and at the same time the mental stress of an anticipated, impending attack.  Just as suddenly as the first clap of thunder broke the silence of the night, automatic weapons fire breaks the monotony of the falling rain. With those bursts of gun fire are resounding grenade explosions, lighting up the sky and the surrounding area just enough to spot, momentarily, a phenomenal number of NVA regulars charging our perimeter.

Our bodies tingle, our muscles flex and our reflex reactions are sharpened to a hair trigger. There are NVA everywhere! Never have we seen so many of them all at one time. We open up with everything we’ve got, whether or not we can see our targets. Every shot counts, as this is no time to run short on ammunition. The enemy charging toward us, as well as those dead on the ground, and those hanging lifelessly in the wire, give an eerie feeling.

As this insane fire fight persists, now with our own artillery rounds landing extremely close, an RPG round whizzes by my head and sticks in the mud dyke against which I am lying, hardly three feet away from my head! The man closest to me is my platoon sergeant, Sergeant Joe Terrell, and that round is right between us! This is the most terrifying experience probably in either of our lives, not just because this has been a close call, but because it is looking death right in the face, as the two of us are watching that round, waiting for a delayed detonation to end our lives right here and now.

After about forty-five minutes of this horribly intense fire fight, it is all over. We evacuate our dead and wounded, and through the early morning light we can see a good deal of what we had encountered a short time before: bloody enemy bodies littering the scene of the battle, some still hanging in the wire. We also have our own dead and wounded to care for. That is the only time I have ever seen a man (enemy soldier) hit directly in the head with an M-79 grenade. His brain matter is spread over a wide area, a sight that no one ever needs to see, leaving a sickness in our stomachs and numbness in our minds, but it is over, and most of us have survived the night.

That is war, and that is what we infantry types do. The Marines are always asking for “a few good men” (or women), and the rest of the armed forces need even more than that. Are you up for the challenge? Read on. This book will show you the realities of military life.

“Hey, if all else fails, you can always fall back on the military.” For decades we heard such comments in the midst of serious job searches while seeking that “meaningful” career. That type of attitude has dissipated somewhat over the years, yet still persists.  If all else fails? What could those who utter such comments be thinking? They do not seem to understand that, without a doubt, the military can provide some of the greatest adrenaline rushes, the most phenomenal adventures, and some of the best avenues for personal growth and maturity. Nothing can compare with the variety of opportunities for developing as an individual with as little as a three-year enlistment or developing a fantastic career in twenty years. The military has some of the best benefits and one of the best retirements of any American industry. If one were to fail in the military, he or she would have no recourse but to “fall back” on civilian life!   

Have you personally ever contemplated the idea of the military as an option for a rewarding career choice? Perhaps you have already had the military experience, and enjoy going back on occasion to reminisce those old experiences and significant events that had an impact upon your life. Maybe you have had strong opinions about war in general, the Vietnam War, or other more recent wars. You might well have wondered about the total military experience, and would like to hear about it from an insider’s perspective.

Many people who are interested in the military as a possibility may not have considered the difficulties of making transitions from civilian to military life and then back again. All of these ideas and more will show up in the pages to follow, and my intention is to cover the appealing aspects of military life, as well as those not so appealing, concentrating more on the  former, both in peacetime and wartime situations.

                                                                                                        Justas As in any other walk of life, the military is different for every individual. You may be one who absolutely loves that type of life, or you may well hate every moment of it. You are the only one who can make that determination, and, if you are trying to make a career decision, you are the only one who can determine if this is the type of life you would enjoy, and at which you would probably succeed. Let’s face it; some people are just not cut out for a regimented life of a soldier, marine, airman or sailor. Others are born for it and should not miss out on such an opportunity.

 My personal experiences are with the United States Army and, therefore, it may seem that the emphasis is so oriented. If you are not interested in the Army, but rather another branch of the service, stay with me, because most of the ideas apply to any branch of military service. In fact, my own original inclination was not at all toward the Army, but rather the US Air Force. It was only circumstances that dictated where I was to end up, and I have never had regrets about that choice.

As, I’m sure, millions would agree, the military can be an extremely rewarding career. Depending upon circumstances in the world, the military life can vary tremendously. As you can well imagine, the military establishment is an entirely different organization when there is a war going on than when peace reigns. The objectives which our country establishes are much different during wartime than during peacetime. The emphasis of training, the attitudes and the general life styles are all very much different as times and the environment change. One has to be quite flexible in order to accept those changes.

Do you sometimes wish that you could have an occupation in which you could serve your country in some way, and yet one that could be exciting, adventurous, even intellectually challenging, not allowing you to become bored with the monotony of the same old routines day after day? The military service could certainly be one option that could fulfill that wish.

 I will show you the ups and the downs, the humor, the terror, the suspense, the adventure and the personal growth that all can experience with such a life. I relate all this through my own point of view, and the views of a few others with whom I’ve had contact, but I’m sure there are plenty of you who will identify with many of these experiences. Some may laugh with me, some may thrill with me, and some may even weep with me now and then, but all should be able to enjoy this book and, hopefully even to learn from it.

If you are in the process of planning out your life, there just may be some ideas worth pondering within these pages. If you are well along in your current working career, or near or beyond the point of retirement, perhaps you can identify with many of the moments and ideas that I will share, and be moved or even amused by many of the situations and incidents that will follow. It should be a fun read for all. To use the Army Infantry School motto: “Follow me!”