Sadness as I reflect on the loss of my youth

I think back about how fast I grew up and became a man at 17. It still saddens me when I see pictures of our young men that died in a losing cause. We need to remember that all life is valuable and that war never solves all of our problems. My time in Plei Ku taught me how to be grateful for what we have here in America and I now miss my lost comrades more than I did 29 years ago. How lucky I am to be alive

F. Shelton