Veterans History Project

The Veterans History Project of the Library of Congress collects, preserves, and makes accessible the personal accounts of American war veterans so that future generations may hear directly from veterans and better understand the realities of war.

In the late sixties, young men facing the draft had decisions to make. Many figured that about every third person drafted into military service was going to become a US Marine. That worked for some. Others wanted to guide their own futures. Richard L. Kaysen (Rick) had graduated from high school and by 1968, had a college degree as well. Once the education was completed, the Selective Service was still out there.

Rick surveyed the field and found his best choice was the US Army. Once he had passed the physical and battery of tests, he was soon bound for Fort Ord, California for basic training. Some firsts for him: this was his first airplane trip, the first time in a helicopter, and the first time he had seen anyone mow a yard in January.

In the early hours of his career, Rick met "Sugar Bear" his Drill Sergeant, a Sergeant First Class who was sweet as could be but there was a man hard-as-nails under that brown round hat. He was the Company Senior Drill Sergeant.

The Drill Sergeant who actually trained the men was a SGT Eubanks. He was just back from Viet Nam and Drill Sergeant School. The new SGT was a little rough, and for good reason. Rick, age 23 now, was senior to most of his peers by a few years. Assignments were given, the "here's the deal" speech was made, and you better have your "s**t together"!

Home was a barracks built for WWII trainees. He found out what a formation was, how to stand in the formation and how to march in the same. The young "trainees" were then marched to a Clothing Issue Point and were individually issued a full duffle bag of clothes, gear, and boots/shoes. (Mostly it fit) They were told then what to wear, when to wear it, how to wear it, and sometimes why to wear it... A meningitis case had been diagnosed so the trainees had white name tapes, meaning they were to be confined to their immediate area. Don't go from here or you'll get sick. They called themselves the "Maggot Pack".

Rick pulled his first Guard Duty by being a perimeter guard around an empty building. Rick requested permission to walk the reverse direction but still around the building? Nope. Second Guard Duty was walking guard on a highway that had a bridge as part of it. The NCO Club was nearby. As more senior soldiers walked back to their barracks, Rick's job was to keep them upright and moving forward.

Training went well. It was real in that on the horizon was a trip to Southeast Asia. The work was designed to get them ready to be soldiers.

On graduating Basic, Rick's orders kept him at the same installation for Infantry Advanced Individual Training (AIT), which began the next day. Part of the training involved getting familiar with several different weapons – machine guns, light anti-tank weapons, grenade launchers, etc. One piece of training was the Gas Chamber. It was a cinder block building that had been painted a hundred times. Rick's walk through here was not good. The gas mask they issued (M-17) was not working properly. He bolted from the room – to save himself. On checking, they found out he had a legitimate complaint! He got a different M-17 and went back through.

Contact with home was offered every Sunday night now. There was a bank of pay phones nearby so the guys could make collect calls.

AIT was not so difficult for Rick. The Army had already physically trained him and honed his skills. On graduation, he was an infantryman, or in one of the terms, an "eleven bravo".

Rick sought to make the most of his two year commitment. He applied for and was accepted to Officer Candidate School (OCS). This training was conducted at Fort Benning, Georgia. In addition to being the home of Infantry and Airborne training, OCS was there too. OCS treatment of new soldiers wanting to become officers was similar to basic training, but on steroids. Drill Sergeants were replaced by tactical officers whose mission seemed to be administering various levels of harassment/hazing rather than teaching young men how to be leaders and officers. Punishment was meted out for the silliest of infractions.

At about the half way mark, the Candidates were given the option of staying or leaving. If one left the OCS program, he/she would be eligible for any job available, but not as an officer. After another seven weeks, Rick was released. He was not the only man mistreated by these officers. After an investigation, all but one of the "tac officers" were removed from the school. These tactical officers cost the Army lots of good officers because of their approach to training.

Rick had a chance to look around for other Military Operations Specialties and one that he was looking for men was the Scout Dog Handler position. This was a six week course. The dogs went to two six week courses and the handlers... one six weeks piece. Rick was assigned one dog (German Shepherd) but he didn't work out. Next up was a female of the same breed, named "Toni". This dog had fantastic instincts and sensory capacity. Rick and Toni bonded, so to speak. They worked well as a team and it was great having such a partner!

After training, the dogs were shipped on to Viet Nam where they would be meeting their new handler. The handlers would do the same...words interchanged.

In January of 1970, Rick and many others flew on the contract airline to Viet Nam. On arrival, the soldiers were oriented to the situation. The personnel soldier told Rick to "head over to the kennel area and see if you can find a dog that you would like to work with..."

Rick did as directed and after checking, there was Toni! Rick immediately went to the Company area. "Whatever it takes, I want that dog!" Of course, the SGT in charge had to do his share of jacking Rick around but finally, Rick and Toni were a team again! They did some familiarization training and soon were sent on to a forward operating base. On the way, in an uncovered deuce and a half truck, he observed more than one person eyeballing his dog. Rick didn't know that the locals killed and ate dogs...

More acclimating had to take place when they got there. On the second night there, the calls for "incoming!" came out. The men survived it and soon Rick and Toni were on their first mission. The Scout Dog Handler and his dog are positioned at the front of the rest of the unit (walking point). Lots of patrols went on after that.

Rick was appointed as the training NCO and worked with new dog handlers and training others how to negotiate the environment. There was limited contact with home and what contact there was, was censored. Out on patrols, the movement was slow and cautious and through the de-foliant, Agent Orange.

Rick and Toni were called for a mission in nearby Cambodia. While in progress, Toni sensed something on the trail. She knew it was so real and strong. She stood up on her back legs. Behind them, the rest of the unit was dropping for cover... In this case, the shotguns came out to cover the threat, just in case. As it turned out, Rick and Toni had discovered the largest cache of rice and ammunition that had been uncovered in the history of the war!

Toni, her instincts, and Rick, her handler, saved many lives. Having them in the front of patrols sent the message to the soldiers that things would be alright. During firefights, there was so much going on with the fight. There were injured soldiers and those killed in action. Toni could find the punji pits and trip wires as well. What a fabulous resource and friend for this soldier and his peers!

Rick took lots of pictures of soldiers and carrying on like all do. He was to work in "the bush" for a year – living on the edge. At a point, it was time to head for the "real world". Rick got his orders for going home. He was offered a sizeable amount to re-enlist. He opted to return to the US, but had to leave Toni in the process... At that time, the US command put out information that the Scout Dogs had contracted a "blood disease". They would have to stay behind.

Well damn! Here's a dog that has saved Rick's life many times, as well as the lives of many others and we have to abandon her? The dogs were eventually handed over to the Viet Namese Army. Rats!

Rick left Viet Nam very discouraged and fearful for what would become of valiant Toni. On re-deployment, Rick was awarded the Bronze Star, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, the Army Expeditionary Medal, the Viet Nam Service Medal and the Viet Nam Combat Medal. He earned the Combat Infantry Badge and the Expert Marksmanship badge.

SSG Rick Kaysen, you served your Country honorably! Thank you for your service!