Recent discussions involving age and tiresome work duties reminded me of an experience decades ago.
I once found myself unemployed when my company was purchased by new owners.
Eventually I visited a V.A. store-front and learned of the Vietnam Veteran's Preference Program at Wright Patterson A.F. Base. As the name says - the Air Force was giving special consideration to applicants who were 'Nam veterans.
It was heavy physical labor, paid well and I took it.
Early one July morning I was sitting on the crew truck next to my new friend ....we'd just filled our water jugs and were looking forward to another miserable day of labor in this heat wave.
We shared a smoke, then he looked at me and asked, "what's a white boy like you doing working here?"
I laughed and pointed out that even though both of us were in pretty good shape - we were "too dam old to be doing this sh_t!"
(We were, too. Our non veteran co-workers were half our age!)
He laughed - "Yeah, ain't that the truth! We were teenagers when we were rucking heavy packs and filling sandbags over there. 'You in the Crotch!"
I said, "naw, I wasn't a Marine...I was Army."
Fortunately the job was a 180 day temp position....but my right fore-arm ached for nearly 2 yrs after that.
Stig
