Walked into work today early and did my little rounds saying hi to everyone and noticed a new camo vest. See here if your prior service instead of wearing a red vest for you uniform you wear a camo one. Well I never saw anyone in this department wear one Soni walk up to introduce myself and I see it's one of the older guys who's been here about five months. This particular fella is an older Cajun guy. Really soft spoken,pretty quiet but a really nice and relaxed guy. Well I walk up and he does his usual little
"Donovan,how ya doin bae ?" And I tell him how suprised I was to see he was a vet. And he just chucked and said
" O yeah ,yep I was in the Ermy 67-69 ( I think that's that dates he said) just a little your nothing too serious"
Well I mentioned I was army to which made I'm perk up a little and he said he could tell. Asked me where I trained and some other stuff which he seemed to enjoy listening to. Well I turn around and ask him if he was in Vietnam which said
" O yeah bae , spend most of my time in Laos, and North Vietnam...." And he just chucked a little bit and went back to stocking
Now if you guy don't know too much about the ins and out of Nam this where two places we weren't supposed to be. And only certain guys where . And the guy who where where some baaaaaad dudes. So I'm just sitting here staring at him like shocked So I ask
" MACVSOG ?"
He just chuckled a little
" Naw naw bae , we worked with them boys a bit though ,no we'd go out with them little yard' fellas and walk,and listen walk and listen. All quiet like, somtimes we'd not say a word for a day or more, just wait for covey to come over hit that squelch and that's it bae"
Again I'm just sitting here like shocked and funny just blurt out
" Mr. Tim , you where a LRRP ?"
And he just gave that relaxed look alot of vets have and just nodded.
Proceeded to sit there and talk with him for a out 30min. Man talked all about how they did land nav in the jungle,how they operated without NVG's ,how they would lay still for hours because they where less then 100yd from NVA battalion size groups. Was asking me if they still do this and that . Just as calm and relaxed as if you where talking about anything. Finally he just said.
"Bae...they just don't get it do they ?"
Asked what he meant and he said
" All these arm chair generals, they still talking about fighting like it's WWll ain't they ? They talking like nukes and big armor will solve everything ain't they ?"
I nodded and he just chuckeld a little
" They ain't neva gonna learn Donovan "
We talked a little more told me alot more. And I had to go off to my department. I gave him an had shake and ... Well I can tell you this from that hand shake I can tell that Lil ole Cajun could probably break me like a pencil if he wanted to.....it's always the quiet one guys..