Solving Problems as an Engineer in Vietnam and an Expert on the Cold War

John Sloan graduated from West Point in 1955, and was commissioned in the Corps of Engineers. He served in Korea and Vietnam, and taught European and Russian history in the Department of Social Sciences at USMA. While deployed to Vietnam, Mr. Sloan served in the U.S. Army II Field Force Headquarters in Long Binh as an engineer intelligence officer (1967-8), tracking the progress of construction projects across the country. Upon returning from Vietnam, Mr. Sloan spent much of the remainder of his career studying the Russian language and history, becoming a recognized expert on the Soviet Army. In 1976, he retired as a Lieutenant Colonel. In this interview, Mr. Sloan discusses his Cadet experiences, teaching in the Department of Social Sciences, serving in Vietnam, and his post-military career in the intelligence and history fields.