Fort Hood, Texas; Part One

     When I left Vietnam, Bravo Troop 3rd of the 17th Air Cavalry was based at Quan-Loi An-Loc region. That was in 1971, in 1972 that whole area was  invaded by the North Vietnamese Army who came from across the border of Cambodia. Our Unit had moved out by that time, but I was gone home. Cambodia is not far from this area. But I got the news through the C. B. S. World News on that day when I was back home. I still remember my 30 day leave upon getting back home. I remember that we had to go through that Oakland Replacement or Depot one more time for a couple of days or so. And while we waited to be reprocessed back to the States there we could go out to the City. And how we were received back at the States, was not a great welcome at all. Really the American bad reception started at Hawaii after our first pit stop back from Vietnam. When we switched flight there we boarded a plane with civilians. And the first people to start mocking us were White young business men in three piece suits. I remember that even before we left Hawaii a few high ranking parade type Soldiers yelled at the guys with me and me, and told us to tuck our shirts in our pants. We still thought that we were in  Vietnam. But these Colonels brought us back to the Army of this Country. Then we had the encounter with the civilians on the plane. But I was still the professional that Fort Lewis groomed despite that now I was transformed inwardly and was more aggressive towards the great lies of American Historians. And we ignored them as they made fun of our baby looking faces and couldn't believe that we had served in Vietnam. Even though we were decorated like Christmas Trees. Then one of our guys told these business men that all of us were Infantrymen and that we could prove it. Then one White guy started calling us Baby Killers and that's when a Flight Stewardess told the White men to leave us alone or she was going to report them to the Captain of the Flight. So they left us alone. And when at this Oakland base, we would travel in small groups and look for bars or clubs to drink and enjoy home again. But we would go out at night. And sometimes White young civilian guys would wait on those fire escape metal steps on sides of buildings for G.I. 's dressed in their Dress Khakis and would piss on top of us as we passed underneath on the side walks. Then at some of the bars or clubs the civilians would mock us or the bartenders just wouldn't serve us. So one day a top Officer there at this Depot told us not to wear our uniforms when we went out to town or the city. At the Airport on my way home to San Antonio I didn't wear my uniform either. From San Antonio to San Marcos I did put my uniform on as I got on a Greyhound Bus and my family received me there. I got to spend time with my Dad and brothers first then with my maternal grandparents and that large family. And the last person to spend time with was my beautiful Chinese Jewish looking Beautiful pure Chicana girlfriend Irma Reyes. Oh! how we hugged and kissed and told each other how sorely we missed each other and how faithful we both had been to each other; and we hoped that we would each truly believe that to have been the case, "But", I knew that she hadn't faithfully been waiting for me and I sure damn well knew that I hadn't been faithful to her either. I reasoned as she probably did also, that well... should well be left alone. And so we just kept happily rubbing on each other until we found time to be somewhere all by ourselves a couple days later because the family just wanted to be with me then. But I did get to spend a lot of time with Irma Reyes and than my leave was over and I had to head out a short distance away north to Fort Hood, Texas near Killeen. I had Orders to report to Charlie Company First of the Twelve Cavalry, First Cavalry Infantry Division. When I arrived there our Barracks were at the most farthest west end of the Base. Fort Hood at that time was the second largest U. S. Military Base in the the World. I had been assigned to a Mechanized  Infantry Unit there. And when I am assigned to the First Platoon I am also assigned to the First Squad. And right away I observed The Vietnam Veterans and saw the difference between them and those soldiers who had never been to war. The Vietnam Soldier was more laid back and rag tagged, and wore his hair longer than the spit shine and heavy starch parade soldier. The time for my arrival here was November 1971. My Company Commander was Captain Stacy and my First Sergeant was Sergeant Parker, both White men. I remember that Captain Stacy was a Parade Soldier also but Sergeant Parker was a War Veteran. The Captain wanted so desperately to bring back Order and Discipline to the Army but, The returning Vietnam soldier just made it extremely difficult for him and all the other Officers who felt like he did. Even The Defense Department and Pentagon came up with ideas to give the Draftees six months early outs just to get rid of them. Therefore, when Captain Stacy saw me he hated me without any other reason other than because I was a Vietnam combat soldier. But he didn't just hate me, he hated all Vietnam rag tag soldiers. Keep in mind there were exceptions to the rag tag Vietnam soldier because there were Parade type looking and acting Vietnam returnees still in the ranks who were Volunteers in this Bunch. I remember a young Black Sergeant Barrett and a Ruben, I forget Ruben's last name now, who dressed just like the Captain. Sergeant Barrett was really on a fast track for higher promotions though. But one day the M.P.'s brought him in handcuffs to collect his personal belongings from his room. I was shocked as I saw him passing me by on our second floor. He looked embarrassed and ashamed but he was not allowed to talk with us. All I remember about him was that he was highly motivated and dedicated soldier to the Army. And I remember when he was so happy because he was going home on a leave to be with his wife. Apparently it was a leave that he planned as a surprise for her? But when he got home he caught her having sex with another man and so he shot her dead. Ah!, the shit life deals us is bad at times. Sergeant Barrett didn't deserve this end, not him. He was taken to Leavenworth Federal Prison and that was the end of his Military career. Anyway, I saw lots and lots of this cheating among the spouses there in the Army that would make any body wonder, what is going on here? Why are we so F..... Up as a people? And our Captain was a tall slim and muscular young man, and he was a tuff guy. But, he hated me especially! And that was because I was a Buck Sergeant and I had influence with the Vietnam combat soldiers there at our Company. And many of these guys were Specialist 4 or under because they had been demoted over time for their disobedient and insubordinate behavior. Like I said before, these rebellious Vietnam soldiers were radical and they didn't care to play Army or Military at all. At all Inspections, these guys flunked purposely. They were so high on dope or drunk that they could careless what a General said or for that matter what the President said. And after working hours I would hang out with these guys and party hard and we got to be great friends. And because these guys knew that I was like them, but I had to play my part as a Leader, they behaved when I gave instructions to them and the other leaders saw that I could get these guys to move in the direction that they couldn't. So these guys really made me look great because they knew they were getting back at the Captain. And like I said before, all my First Sergeants were good people because they went out off there ways to help me. They knew that I was a Volunteer and that I had become a Hippie Soldier. They knew that I just want to serve my time and get the hell out of there. I even had Officers tell me, "Sgt. Gutierrez, we know you hate State side Duty. We know you are a Combat Soldier and that is all you like about the Army." They also knew however, that I had combat experience and that I knew the Manuel's that they provided for our training. I wasn't educated but I knew enough to get by, and more than many leaders there. And those were the reasons why the Captain hated me. And he knew he didn't have any grounds to kick me out. So when the rebels were not cooperating with the non combat leaders, they would send them to me. Vietnam soldiers coming in to Fort Hood were big trouble for this base here. And the City of Killeen seemed to have catered to the Drug and Rock-N-Roll environment because there were many Head Shops all over this town. Further, many Vietnamese people had moved here and opened Restaurants and Cleaners here too. They were really succeeding here but there were G.I. 's that didn't care for that. But that didn't bother me because that's where I took my clothes for cleaning and pressing. Killeen however, was most notable at this time for an avenue called "Avenue D" in downtown. Here young females, mostly Black that I can remember, walked around in skimpy clothing and prostituted themselves on the street. At that time the Clubs and downtown especially, was a wild crazy place to be in. I had seen this in Vietnam; and a couple years later in the Red Light District of Frankfurt, Germany. But not in the States. Killeen was not selling dope on the streets, but Pushers were. Therefore, this environment downtown was not conducive at all in helping The Army with their problems. I remember that there was a short stint period when Vietnam soldiers were committing suicide and the over dosing on dope was adding to Fort Hood's headaches. And it was in the City of Killeen at nights that I remember seeing for the first time young men dressed in civilian clothes with signs that read, "Jesus Christ" loves you and wants you to repent." They would be standing in front of the Head shops and in front of the prostitutes as they walked on by them. At the clubs, fights would break out and the losers would be running across Highway 190 or other streets for their lives. I believe that this life style in Killeen was cleaned up right after The All Volunteer Army was established in 1973? Because when I returned from Germany in 1975, the town was clean except for the night club and dancing halls and saloons. And under the radar however, many things remained the same. And back at Charlie Company, one evening when the Captain led us for P. T. as he always did at about closing of the days work when we were not out training in the field, he came over to where I was and called me a woman's private's part name in front of everybody and told me to lead the exercise and the two mile run afterwards. He thought that I couldn't take the exercise to his level because he thought that I was weak. Well, he got in back of all the guys and waited for me start. So I got started and didn't stop driving everybody hard. And I went for longer than the Captain, and he had to stop me. Then I took them on a fast run and when we finished the Captain was stooped over because he was in pain and out of wind. So I ask him, "Captain, should I keep going with the P. T.?" And he laughed and said, "No!" So I dismissed everyone and I went to eat my Chow for supper and then took a shower, and headed out with a White friend of mine on his lime green Volkswagen on a ride to Coppers Cove getting high on weed and beer. Let me close for now guys, and let us sleep on that. Thanks again. And please be reminded that I am presenting my story as I truly was as a human being at a time when we were young people, and living in a time that is part of our history now. Its nothing to be proud about, but I am extremely happy that I can say that I shared my life with many great people in The Military and with civilian females; and White young females. And I am proud of those people because they were human beings just like me. Yes we were flawed , fickle, and flaky, but our experiences were raw and unscripted. And we played our parts impromptu and the results were what they were, they were real and we got caught in that spirit of the moment and had a great time. We saw things face to face and not read about it or saw on T.V.. You should have been there when guys jumped out of two and three story windows high as a kite believing that they could fly. Some landed on concrete pavements. And my First Sergeant was rich because he bought much properties and houses in Coppers Cove, Texas, and rented them out, and was about to retire. But he had a drinking problem when he was off duty. He had a habit of driving the wrong way on the wrong lane on highway 190 when he was lit up at night. He would get ticketed by the police for that. But thank "God" he did Retire Honorably. Good for him. He did help me out a lot of times. I am grateful that all my "Tops" were great understanding human beings. Amen.                        Respectfully,                                                                                                                                        Ruben N. Gutierrez