We Need an Edge

Chapter 1

At nineteen, I didn't feel like I had much of a choice, I could wait for the draft notice to come in the mail, in which case I'd go straight from Basic Training to the front lines in Vietnam. Or I could enlist and have some opportunity to choose my role in war...

Welcome to the Cat

Chapter 4

Nothing in Vietnam was built to last, everything seemed to be built of wood. This terminal building had air-conditioning and as we passed through the building I noticed in a corner small counter where you could order hamburgers, hotdogs and ...,

A Chance to Say Goodbye

Chapter 7

The several beers I had consumed that morning did nothing to calm my high octane reaction to the past night's fighting. People had died and one of our own lay in a hospital bed with a severe arm and shoulder wound.

Duke of Earl

Chapter 2

By Thursday, we were sick of the Marine and his superior attitude and wanted injury to overtake him. He had made adversaries of the whole damn class back on the second day of Sentry Dog Training School. He wouldn't even join us for our study..

Hippie Dog

Chapter 5

One of the worst parts about pulling duty on the northside of the base was the jet mechanics working to maintain their planes. The unbearable noise of jet engine run-ups was so intense I couldn't think. I would cover Duke II's ears and wait out the roar of the jet...,

Junior

Chapter 8

The first thing on my mind upon waking was not breakfast, but facing Junior in his kennel and putting a muzzle on him. I was nervous for sure, not scared. Junior had so much of my attention that it took a minute to realize a game of cards and drinking were..,

Ashes to Ashes

Chapter 3

It took two trips to move thirty-one dog teams to Medina, just a few miles from Lackland, Medina was where we would have the Detection and Aggression phase of our training. It would be our home for the next four weeks until graduation day..., 

Under Attack

Chapter 6

Every morning before going to bed, Airman Bolden would listen to his record player playing "Little Green Apples." As the card game broke up and with the rain pouring down artists like O.C. Smith and Al Green playing their soft soul music...,

Rok and Roll

Chapter 9

We had been hit twice since my arrival, but had no new wounded and just a few enemy KIA. It was hard to stay sharp when there was so little action. We all got sleepy on post sometimes. One night in June, I happened to have the post next to..,