Senator George Aiken criticizes Nixon’s handling of the Vietnam War

Too bad the war lasted until Nixon's administration

SP5 Mark Kuzinski There are so many presidents that could of ended this long before Nixon

Interesting point in my life. About 1.5 years before this, I enlisted, thinking the Navy would not have me deeply involved in ground war. I did not get the Aeorography school the Recruiter said I could have - tested color-blind, and he had me sign waiver of school without informing me what I was signing (lots of papers to sign on enlistment). So I was not eligible for anything interesting to me except Hospital Corpsman. Then I was stressed about going to the jungle with Marines, so finally volunteered for deployment to RVN to get over the wait. Instead was sent to Guam, around Kent State time, and heavy carpet bombing of Hanoi, and after a year and a half sent to RVN - but luckily on Hospital Ship. By 1971 perhaps majority of ground troops did not trust official announcements, and did not trust new officers that might be too gung-ho, and ignore the Gunny's. So fragging of young officers was going on, and lots of drugs... Not a pretty scene for respect for top brass or new people, platoon loyalty was everything, help each other survive. Follow the officers if they have experience and also communications make some sense. Once in Vietnam I was caring for Marines flown in from battle leading expedition up Ho Chi Minh trail when Stars and Stripes said they were just along in an advisory capacity. I was almost treated like divine because I knew a lot about keeping people alive. I felt sometimes like a soldier and a mother - knew how scared they were of death around every corner, sometimes leading them into strange superstitious beliefs. Nixon could not tolerate dissent... so sad the consequences.