PTSD: The War is Over: The Battle Begins

Vernon Bagley served in the U.S. Army from 1966-1969. He volunteered for service and entered into Basic Training. After completion, he attended Advanced Infantry Training, and then was given orders for OCS (Officer Candidate School) at Ft. Benning, GA. Upon graduation as a 2nd LT. he served a short tour of duty in the States and then received orders to report to Saigon, Vietnam in January 1968. He was assigned to the 4th Infantry Division as a combat infantry platoon leader in the Central Highlands. He reported to his assignment on January 27, 1968 and on January 28 he walked out of the “Fire Base”, into the dark, eerily quiet, hot and humid jungle he would call home for the next 9 months. His platoon size patrol followed a jungle trail for over an hour when the quiet jungle came to life with the sounds of AK 47’s, M 16’s, and Rocket Propelled Grenade Launchers. His patrol had walked into an enemy ambush. Not until he had called in his first Air Strike did the enemy melt back into the jungle and quiet returned to the jungle. The aftermath was: two of his platoon were dead, four seriously wounded, and two were missing in action. 2nd LT. Bagley was one of the wounded, he secured the area, reorganized his platoon, and then returned to the Fire Base. He was awarded his first Purple Heart and his first Bronze Star with “V” device for Valor. He left Vietnam in December 1968 with a second Purple Heart, a second Bronze Star with "V" device for Valor, and the Vietnamese Gallantry Cross with Gold Star and "Palm Leaf" for valor. He was assigned to the U.S. Army's National Speaker Program for six months. In 2007 he started a 501 (c) (3) non-profit, Military Families Foundation, Inc. whose mission was to help Veterans and their families deal with PTSD and their re-entry into civilian life.