After leaving GE in 1967, I matriculated to St. Peter's College in Jersey City, NJ. During my time there I earned an AB in Classic Studies and a Secondary School Teaching certification for the state of New Jersey. After graduation I was able to obtain a teaching position as the only male teacher in the English Department of a local High School. As such, I thought it would be a safe position for a draft deferment. Unfortunately the school superintendent was a retired Army Major, James E. Major. Not making it up, he was known as Major Major, and he was not going to sign-off for any draft deferments.
So I was classified 1A half way through my first year of teaching, then shortly was told to report for a physical. Looking for options about not being in the Army and carrying a M16, I signed up for a delayed enlistment program with the Air Force. The intent was to complete my year of teaching as well as avoiding a trip to Viet Nam.
However, after completing basic training in Texas, I was assigned to the Defense Language Institute. Their mission was to teach English to Vietnamese airmen who would be air-traffic-controllers. My first posting was to Saigon teaching in the ChoLon district, then two months later sent up country to the Na Trang AirBase. If you have seen the movie "Good Morning Viet Nam" (with Robin Williams teaching the locals English); then you have a reasonable image of what life was like for me in Na Trang. Our big problem during this tour, besides the in-coming mortar and rocket attacks, was keeping our M16 clean of chalk dust. Our group saw very limited action but were aware of the aftermath of those who did see combat. The compound where we were housed was located next to a forward hospital station, where those from the field were brought for immediate care, as well as seeing body bags being transported for their return to the States.
Did wonder what became of the students (both officers and enlisted) we taught after the departure of the Americans from Viet Nam. My hope was that they were able to find a safe place but I'm sure they did not have an easy time dealing with the fall of Saigon.
As to my return to the states it was less eventful, finishing the enlistment in Virginia and then using the GI bill in becoming a professional student. First earning BS/MS degrees in the sciences, then finally end up with a PhD in analytical chemistry.
My military career worked out better than initially thought, dealing with the Major Major encounter. However, for a number of my classmates from High School, the Seminary, and College, it did not work well for them. Their names are on the Vietnam Memorial wall in DC as well as in my memory .
Jim Castner
Air Force (1969 - 1972)