Vietnam voices: Walter Schmidt

Walter Schmidt 62, of Massapequa Park, volunteered for the Navy after a childhood friend, Stanley Tomasovic, was killed a year after Schmidt's 1965 graduation from Hicksville High School. He served between October 1967 and December 1969 and spent time on the crew of a patrol boat in the Mekong Delta. He now advises veterans on services available from the Department of Veterans Affairs.

When Stan died, I wasn't as if I were filling his shoes, but within that week it was as if somebody said, ''Walter, this is your chance to fish or cut bait.''

Stanley gave his life, he served his country, and I said to myself, that's what I am going to do.

Today, if I went back to being 19, even knowing what I know now about Vietnam, I would serve again. I can't explain it any better than to say just because our country asked me to serve. If I want to enjoy the freedoms of America and liberties, there is a cost to that. From my point of view, there is a price attached to all the freedoms we enjoy. We enjoy those freedoms because, regardless of specific decisions that have been made along the way, in the long run most of America's decisions about going to war have been good ones.

I have no problem not agreeing with some of those decisions, and still serving my government when I am asked to serve. There is something about serving in the military that makes our country what it is. I wish everyone would have to do some government service.