'Thrilling pilgrimage' comes to an end

Perhaps it's just me, but as fantastic an adventure as our trip back to Vietnam was, it 's always great to be back in the States!

It was a thrilling pilgrimage where we finally were able to leave some old memories and create some new ones. I think we learned more about ourselves this time because we are more mature.

It's at this point in life that you become accepting of what it's really about. It was a rare chance to examine one's past to determine how far you have came. We all gained a new respect for our former enemies and we have forgiven each other, it seems.

How very grateful I am that I got the opportunity to share this with my friends, my co-workers, my fellow vets. We were in Vietnam at different times, in different branches, with different duties, but a common appreciation of the horrors of war.