Combat Leaders Course

In April 1970, we were out patrolling the jungle when I received a pleasant surprise.  I had been chosen to attend a ten-day Combat Leadership course in Bien Hoa.  The Army needed more NCOs (non commissioned officers) in Vietnam.  There were not enough sergeants to carry the workload.  I was flattered that they picked me.  After all, I was a new guy with just a few months experience in the jungle

The course was offered at the VIP Center.  A helicopter picked me in a clearing close by and took me to FSB Buttons.  Then, I boarded an Air Force plane for Bien Hoa AFB.  From there it was a bus ride over to the VIP Center.

The course began with a rehash of the military strategy and squad level tactics training I had received in Advanced Infantry.  One of the ways they taught us how to lead was learning about personality types and the best way to work with each of them.  They wanted to make sure we knew something about how to deal with people problems.  The rest of the time they worked on building up our confidence so we would be ready when leadership was thrust upon us.

I become a fire team leader when I returned to the field.  I was promoted to Sergeant soon after.  The most important thing about the ten-day course in my mind however was I slept on a bed, ate three hot meals a day and drank cold beer every night.