vietnam era Archives • DAVIDPDX

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OLD SONG RINGS TRUE TODAY

March 4, 2026 by David Gillaspie

These are the opening lyrics of an old song, for what it’s worth: There’s something happening hereWhat it is ain’t exactly clearThere’s a man with a gun over thereA-telling me I got to beware That’s the name of the song, For What It’s Worth. Click the link for the live video.

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Baby Boomer blogger, boomer blogger, boomerpdx, change, college, education, fuck ups, gangster, golden ticket, history, kids, learning, morons, old song, Oregon, Patty Hearst, PORTLAND BABY BOOMERS, revolution, Southern Oregon, story, travel, Vietnam, vietnam era, wife, writer, writers, writing

COMMUNITY STORYTELLING: U.S. ARMY 1974-1976

September 30, 2025 by David Gillaspie

The definition of community for Community Storytelling from Oregon Humanities: When we say “community,” we mean any group of people who share a common experience thanks to where they live, the language they speak, their race, their religion, their age, or some other attribute. When we say “storytelling,” we mean nonfiction stories conveyed through […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: admirals, Army, Authority, baby boomer, blogger, boomerpdx, chain of command, community, community storytelling, cultural, culture, education, family, generals, history, leadership, millennials, Oregon, Portland, Portland Oregon, revival, soldiers, story, storytelling, travel, veteran, vietnam era, Vietnam War, Vietnam-Era Veteran, writer

BRAGGING RIGHTS ON THE WALL OF FAME

June 10, 2025 by David Gillaspie

You’ve got bragging rights when you’re got a good dog like this. We went to class together, graduated together, and one of us peed on the floor during class. We’re still going strong but the teacher and the store she worked for moved on. Education is funny like that. What we learn stays with us […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: advanced degree, Army veteran, bragging, bragging rights, college diplomas, doubters, fame, following orders, free spirits, generations, high school, high school diplomas, home team, homer, honorable discharge, Korean War, rights, service, skeptics, the Beatles, veteran, Vietnam, vietnam era, wall of fame, WWII, young guys

STORY DEVELOPMENT, THURSDAY NIGHT

March 15, 2024 by David Gillaspie

Story development sounds like show business? But it’s more. It’s a revelation in a small group where people learn the ropes from a professional. The pro is Nancy McDonald. Nancy who?

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: Army, blog, blogger, boomerpdx, enlistment, fire bombing, japan, Saipan, story, story development, story teller, story telling, tinian, vietnam era, vietnam vet, vietnam veteran boomer, writer, writers, writing, WWII

MILLION VETERANS PROGRAM, MVP

November 17, 2023 by David Gillaspie

The VA sent out a mailer for joining the Million Veterans Program. The MVP is asking veterans to join 940,000 others to help improve health care for veterans. As a veteran of the Gerald Ford Army, the VA sent the request to my address. That alone shows efficient dexterity in such a huge agency. To […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: AGENT ORANGE, all volunteer army, America, Army, blogger, David Gillaspie, draft board, education, efficient dexterity, GI Bill, health care, millennials, million veterans program, muhammad Ali, MVP, student loan, the army, travel, veterans, vietnam draft, vietnam era, vietnam veterans, writer

OLD AGE SCREAMS, “GIVE ME MY REVERENCE”

April 28, 2021 by David Gillaspie

Old age in many cultures bring celebrations and reverence. Why? If you rack up enough years and you’re the last one standing, you are an automatic authority on the era you lived through. Pretty easy stuff so far. Too easy? Unless you get old in America. Then it’s a different story. There’s a deflection point […]

Filed Under: What's Up Tagged With: aging, american culture, american servicemen, Baby Boomers, boomers, cold warriors, counter culture, domino theory, old age, respect, reverence, selective service, Southeast Asia, the draft, vietnam era, vietnam veterans, vietnam war draft