My name is Mike Smalley. I am 55 years old. I went into the military when I was 17. School was just not my thing, so my parents signed for me to enlist. Mind you it took me a lot of convincing especially with my dad because he was Vietnam Veteran. I went to basic training in Fort Dix, New Jersey. I really don’t have much to say about that except that when I went over to Desert Storm, I noticed that both places smelled the same… lol. I was originally an 88mike truck driver. I was in the process of switching to be a MP when I got the call one night… I volunteered to join a unit that was going over in a week. I was 19 years old. I drove armored trucks with bombs on the back up to wherever they needed them and would do security on other convoys in a hum-v with an M60 on top. I spent 9 months over there and luckily; I only had a few hairy situations. When I came home, the parades and everything was so nice, but it was funny… all I thought about was my Dad and all the other Vietnam Veterans who came back home to neglect, resentment, and abuse. I worked 35 years total in various types of construction… there's a long list of trades I worked in. I am now 100% disabled. I get along OK. Hunting and fishing is my passion. I have a wonderful wife who has stayed by my side for almost 30 years… through thick and thin. That pretty much sums up my life. I am just a simple man but I wouldn't change anything about my life.