How is one to understand the erratic behavior, the sudden overwhelming anxiety and unprovoked angry outbursts, and the general difficulty of living with someone suffering from PTSD? Amy L. Snow, an ordained minister with degrees in nursing, psychology, and religious leadership, ought to know, for she married Dwight, who is 100% totally disabled with PTSD. Amy is a kind and compassionate person who can be gentle when appropriate and firm when necessary. Her secret weapon is love, but not love alone, for her love is combined with understanding and an ability to protect her own integrity. She is also an astute observer of human behavior. She tells her story of what it is to live with Dwight and how she tries to understand and help him. In the process she has acquired a great deal of knowledge about the nature of PTSD, and she has gained wisdom about how to live with someone suffering from it without being overwhelmed herself. Dwight has had five wives before Amy. He and Amy have now lived together for 20 years and they are raising a family together, so it is apparent that she is doing something right, and what she is doing right is well communicated in the book. I enthusiastically recommend this book not only to those who wish to be helpful to loved ones with PTSD, but also to professionals, who will find they have much to learn about the nature of PTSD from someone who has been living day in and day out for many years with someone suffering from it...

Al Santoli has collected the recollections (including his own) of thirty-three American soldiers who fought in Vietnam. The soldiers include an Army enlistee who finds a "nine-to-five war" when he arrives in Vietnam in 1962; an Army drill sergeant who worries that the Army prevents him from teaching his men the killer instinct; and a Navy SEAL whose job is terrorism. ["It was a business, and the business was terrorism." (pg. 219)] The soldiers also include a naval aviator who as senior POW officer worries as much about his men's mental health as his own; and a medical corpsman present during the 1975 fall of Saigon.

Most of these recollections do not emphasize bloodshed. Instead they emphasize the Vietnam War's effect upon men and women soldiers; white and minority soldiers; and enlisted personnel, officers, and their families. The recollections discuss the relationship between the Americans and the Vietnamese people. The recollections also discuss the Viet Cong war philosophy: terrorism and erosion of will.

On April 30, 2000 a copyrighted Reuters news article "Vietnam Celebrates War Anniversary" reported that Vietnamese "Officials paid glowing tribute to the three million Vietnamese soldiers and civilians who died during the war. More than 58,000 American troops were also killed in the conflict." The same article reported that many Vietnamese "also express growing unease over Vietnam's woes: graft, smuggling, heroin addiction, prostitution, excessive party control over the economy and a feeling that the world is getting wired to the future and leaving them behind."

The Vietnam War was long, confusing, and controversial. Al Santoli's collection of oral histories dispels some of the confusion, but the controversy remains. Did anyone win the Vietnam War?

As a long time F-105 historian I have read virtually everything ever published on the mighty Thud. I was stunned at how much background information I was previously unaware of that Mr. Jenkins has unearthed. Although I have always been especially fond of the classic Anderton book on the 105, I think for depth of information this book is the one to beat. The chapters relating to unique configurations and missions (Ryan's Raiders, etc.) were particularly interesting. I also found the history of the Weasel program and the chronology of how the F transformed into the G to be especially revealing. This is a book that any serious student of the F-105 simply must have.

We bought this book for our daughter, age 18 months and adopted in Vietnam, thinking she would appreciate it when she was older. I'm sure she will, but we're all enjoying it now also. Having visited and loved Vietnam, we've been disappointed in some other children's books about the country. Some focus on negative differences -- the relative standard of living and the results of the war -- so we found this book's very family-oriented description really refreshing. It's full of great detailed photos, which make it interesting for all ages.

As in all battles there are many acts that are not recorder.. but for one who fought in the three day battle of Trung Luong, It will give the reader a taste of war..If any vet of the 101st who was there reads this please contact me.

I am married to a Vietnam Veteran who fought in the three battles contained in this book. This book is one of the books that is very precious to both of us. Since my husband suffers from some memory loss, this book has helped him remember some of what he has lost. Most importantly he remembers then Capt George Shea Jr. who was his commanding officer. It was shear luck I found the book and you can bet we went out and bought all the other copies we could find. I just wish there was someway to get in touch with the others who fought these battles and were with "A"Company First of the Fifth Cavalry (A 1/5) If you are out there please contact tootdai@AOL.com

This book is on the "Recommended Reading List" of Vietnam Veterans of America, Chapter 295, Indianapolis, Indiana

While all the Americans were riding around Laos in airplanes, Colonel Cross, the British Military Attaché to Laos from 1972 to 1976, walked every where from border to border, village to village, through government and communist areas, and knew most every one on all sides. He understood Laos and its politics like few other foreigners or Laotians. Knowing John Cross personally, in Laos, was an honor. His book, First In, Last Out is interesting, true, and worth it's price. Colonel Cross offers a different perspective than that found in books written on behalf of the United States CIA and State Department.

This book thaught me alot of stories and waht happen in the pass. I should aloud every one to read this book. Even though I'm hmong and really young I want to encourage people to read.

I was the Surgeon of Det. C-4 during the time this supposedly occured. DIDN"T HAPPEN. Just in case my memory was bad I talked to the former C Det. Asst. S-2 and Deputy CO of the Mike Force. He says none of this is true and that the Mike Force never went to that camp. I'm sure that LTC Marvin will say it was all TOP Secret and we just didn't know. I know that as the only medical officer at Can Tho and as one that attended all of the Commanders Conferences, there was no crash of two helicopters bringing A Team COs to the meeting.

This is an excellent book and I highly recommend it.