I've been reading all of these responses and have enjoyed them. I
   wasn't going to respond, because of my admiration for the guys on the list
   and in SF. I felt as if I bailed too early when I left after 1 enlistment and
   1 tour in Nam, but after reading Ben the Plunderer's remarks I have to add my
   pearls. Ben was right on. I remember that I was heading out on R&R to Hawaii
   in Sept of 68. I had just spent 4-5 months at Katum. We had just fought off
   an attempt to annihilate us in August. I asked my B team, B-32 at Tay Ninh,
   to draw up reenlistment papers and extension papers and then I headed out
   with all intentions of signing that stuff when I got back from Hawaii.
   Iwas already pissed off because I wanted Sydney or Hawaii and was told
   that if I wanted Sydney, forget it and Hawaii would take forever. I was in
   country from 3 Nov 67 to late Sept 68 before I got R&R to Hawaii. I also
   noticed that the guys (attached to SF) in S1 in Bien Hoa were getting 2 and 3
   R&R's to anywhere they wanted so I was not a happy camper. It just wasn't
   fair, that the guys in the field did not really get their first choices.
   I went on R&R and returned. While in Bien Hoa, I was down trying to hop a
   chopper back to Tay Ninh and I hitched a ride with a Dustoff pilot that I
   knew. He was going to Tay Ninh and other areas so I asked him if he could
   take me to Katum. He did and I bypassed the B Team. When I got to Katum I
   called B-32 and told them where I was. They weren't happy that I had
   circumvented them, but I told them that they would get over it and that I
   would be down in several weeks to sign my papers.
   That night Katum was hit again by those nasty little yellow guys.
   The next morning I called Tay Ninh and told them to take my reelistment
   papers and extension papers and tear them up.
   Several weeks later when I went down to process out, I went in to the
   Major's office, Bald C.O. of the B Team (Forget his name) for my reenlistment
   talk. He looked at me and said, "Sergeant Rhode, I think that you are making
   a wise choice.)
   I've regretted that decision lots of times, but then again, I would not
   have ever met my LYB of 29 years either, and she is worth it.