The World Was Screwed Up, and Maybe the Army Could Be A Solution…

Paul “Koa” Brooks joined the Army in August of 1969 during the Vietnam War to get his life on the right track, and to get money for college after the war. He enlisted as a cook, and was sent to the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam. He discovered that he wasn’t much of a cook, and found that the life of an infantryman appealed to him. While in country, he reclassified and attended “Infantry School.” After completing his tour in Vietnam, he was honorably discharged from the Army. and attended college on the G.I. Bill. After graduating and teaching American History at New Mexico State University, he discovered that he missed the Army and reenlisted, eventually completing Officers Candidate School. He taught Military History at the United States Military Academy, served in a PsyOps unit, and deployed to Bosnia before retiring as a Major. In this interview, he discusses the war in Vietnam, the Army of the 80s and 90s, and working as a Government Contractor after retiring from the military.