Vietnam vet values freedoms the military protects
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    Cool Vietnam vet values freedoms the military protects

    Vietnam vet values freedoms the military protects

    BY BILL HESS
    Herald/Review

    FORT HUACHUCA -- They were young soldiers, not even born when the Rev. David Roever served in Vietnam.

    On Wednesday night, nearly 300 of them heard about his selfless-service when he was badly disfigured after a phosphorous grenade he was about to throw exploded next to his face.

    Roever opened his speech to soldiers of the 305th Military Intelligence Battalion -- soldiers receiving intelligence training -- by saying, "I want to thank you for serving. Thank you for putting it on the line. Thank you for being willing to die for me."

    Today's soldiers serve to protect the freedom to talk about what Roever believes in, patriotic and religious.

    An ordained Assembly of God minister, Roever, 56, said the key for soldiers is to be loyal, not only to the country but to themselves.

    Like selfless-service, loyalty is one of the Army's seven values. The others are duty, respect, honor, integrity and personal courage.

    As he spoke, Roever weaved in that day in 1969 -- July 26 -- when his life changed.

    "I was retired after two years and six months," he said. It was a medical retirement from the U.S. Navy after he served in Vietnam on small river patrol boats as part of the Brown Water Black Berets.

    He is taking part in a two-day event hosted by the chaplains of the 111th Military Intelligence Brigade to strengthen the meaning of Army values in soldiers.

    Earlier Wednesday at a breakfast, Col. Michael Flynn, the brigade's commander, said the Army's values are "the foundation by which we live."

    Carrying around the values on dog tags are not as important "as carrying them in your hearts," he told more than 200 at the morning event.

    There is something about American soldiers who one minute can be in a heavy fire fight with an enemy and the next pick up a child and take the child out of harm's way, Flynn said.

    As for Roever, what he did in Vietnam and how he has lived since the horrible wounding 34 years ago encompasses the Army's values, the colonel said.

    Roever told the breakfast audience, "I grew up to be a totally non-violent kid."

    The son of a South Texas preacher, he was attending a Bible college.

    Receiving a draft notice, he said he did not know what to expect in the military. His father never served in the armed forces.

    Deciding to serve in the Navy started him on the path that he called going from tragedy to triumph.

    The road has taken Roever from hospital beds to traveling around the world for the U.S. military, speaking to soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines. He recently came back from a trip to the Middle East and soon will go to Iraq.

    To the soldiers in training, he challenged them to learn the Army values and live them.

    Do not throw away values, Roever said. Once the values are discarded, "it is hard to bring them back," he said Wednesday night.

    All the values are part of a soldier's responsibility to protect and guard the United States.

    "What you give us is so awesome," Roever said.

    He told the young soldiers that he has returned to Vietnam many times and has helped the children of that country and built some medical facilities.

    "I don't have to live with hate. I don't love communism, but I love communists, the people," he said.

    Being a member of the American armed forces is a defining moment for each person, Roever said.

    Each person has to believe in something, he said.

    "I believe in you," Roever told the soldiers.

    While each soldier must prepare for the worse they also must live each day by doing good, he said.

    He noted that some may be called upon to give their lives in service to the nation's people.

    "I hate war, but I love freedom more than I hate war," Roever said, adding that each soldier should have the same feeling.

    He ended his morning and night speeches the same way.

    While most of the fingers on his right hand cannot be straightened out, the index finger can. Roever snapped to attention, moved his index finger to his forehead and saluted the soldiers.

    http://www.svherald.com/articles/200...news/news3.txt

    Sempers,

    Roger



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    God was sure with him. Semper Fi - Bill


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