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John Abbey
U.S. Army - 1968-1971
7th Psychological Operations Battalion,
Danang 1 Corps
4th Psycholgical Operations Group
D.O.V.E. Fund member since 2004
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I joined the Army at age 17 and arrived in
Vietnam eight months later at age 18 with no idea what life held for me
and my fellow soldiers. I spent the next 13 months as a member of the
7th Psychological Operations Battalion, working along with U.S. Army,
Marine and South Vietnamese Army Units throughout I Corps, in an effort
to win the "hearts and minds" of the Vietnamese people. I returned home
depressed, frustrated, angry and disconnected from all that was going on
around me.
In the decades to follow, life centered around family, work and
community while struggling with a hole in my soul that I couldn't fill
no matter how much I tried. In 2004 I joined the D.O.V.E. Fund and began a
journey that has been life-changing. I'm privileged to have returned
twice to Vietnam over the past couple years with the D.O.V.E. Family as we
continue our journey building "Peace Bridges" with the children and
people of Vietnam. The sharing and caring has helped me gain greater
clarity regarding the experiences that shaped me along, with millions of
Americans and Vietnamese. Understanding our shared bond and learning the
power of standing together has been a priceless gift.
The collective efforts of the D.O.V.E. Fund and our many supporters have
achieved so much since our founding in 2000, and our journey to help the
children in the poorest areas in Vietnam continues. One can fairly
question "Why help the children of Vietnam?" The truth is, I have grown
through building "Peace Bridges" of hope and promise in ways I never
dreamed about. I hope you will take the time to learn about the D.O.V.E.
Fund mission and join with us.
In closing, I offer you my deepest gratitude for your personal
sacrifices and service to our country. Peace.
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