The poet is a Vietnam War veteran (as are his four brothers) who served in the USAF Security Service. Him, along with a dozen or so intelligence school grads,prepped for about 14 months at Kelly AFB in San Antonio, Texas, before anticipating being sent to Vietnamor elsewhere in southeat Asia in 1970. About half ended up in Da Nang (an Agent Orange hotspot) in the 6924th Security Squadron. The rest of them were assigned to Shemya Island, Alaska, with the 6984th Security Squadron, and what eventually was a MORE contaminated environment than Da Nang!
His health problems started approximately 15 years ago with unexplained headaches and limb pains. Four years ago his central nervous system radically deteriorated with Parkinsonian type tremors, severe headaches, progressive limb pains, etc. No physician has ever diagnosed the specific illness. NO VA physician has ever rendered ANY medical assistance! His number one educated guess is the heavily contaminated drinking water at Shemya during my year there as an intelligence analyst. Organo-phosphate toxins may not run their toxic course until 20 to 30 years after initial exposure.
Since his brain still functions moderately well (and he has mobility issues), he has turned to writing just like his late Father and the late singer (and writer) Johnny Cash.
This is what the poet felt during the time of writing the poem.
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