As a two-year veteran of the Vietnam War David Boudreaux, vice president for institutional advancement, is invited to speak at different schools and tries to attend the Veteran’s Day ceremony held on campus.
Boudreaux said each Veteran’s Day he thinks of his fellow veterans who have proceeded him and says a prayer for all veterans and their families.
“It is important for people to recognize and appreciate those service men and women who have taken risks, and made sacrifices on behalf on this country,” Boudreaux said.
Boudreaux served two years active duty and 26 years in the army reserve, traveled many places, learned new things, met people and had unique experiences in the army.
According to Boudreaux there are many good reasons for young people to join the Army.
“First and foremost it is an opportunity to serve your country, you learn self discipline, learn to take care of yourself, learn teamwork and learn responsibility,” Boudreaux said.
Boudreaux was an army brat as a child, traveling to many places with his father who served 21 years of active duty with the Army. Boudreaux said his grandfather was a veteran of World War I and on his wife’s side her father was a veteran of World War II.
Boudreaux lived in France for three years, in Panama for three years and eventually lived in Vietnam.
“We have a proud tradition of military service on both sides of our family,” said Boudreaux. “Growing up I understood that any able bodied American male must either enlist or be drafted into the army.”
According to Boudreaux he went through ROTC and was commissioned Second Lieutenant, and then received a deferment to attend graduate school at Louisiana State University. After attending graduate school he came to Nicholls where he taught English for one semester.
He then was sent to Fort Knox in Kentucky for armory officers basic that taught him how to be a tank platoon leader.
Boudreaux was sent to Fort Rucker in Alabama to serve as an administive officer support school unit and from there was sent to Fort Ben Harrison in Indianapolis, Indiana, to attend the defense information school prior to his duty in Vietnam.
While in the reserves school unit in Baton Rouge Boudreaux met Colonel John “Wildman” Starring. Boudreaux said he was afraid of Starring due to his reputation but soon found a lot of respect for him.
Boudreaux said he was an important leader during the Vietnam War and has an autographed picture of Starring in his office.
“He would lead by example,” Boudreaux said. “He would get involved with teaching the new recruits and making them feel part of a unit.”
Boudreaux said he was fortunate in terms of his assignments in Vietnam. He was an information officer stationed at MACV, a major military head quarters. He worked seven days a week 12-14 hours daily to be on patrol. Although he faced no immediate danger, he was still a target for enemy forces.
“The most frightening moment I had in Vietnam was whenever a rocket landed across the street in a cemetery at 2 a.m,” Boudreaux said. “Also there were tense moments when we had to go into the field and gather information. In terms of personal fortune I was blessed to come out unscratched.”
While in Vietnam he was the editor of the Military Assistant Command Vietnam Observer. As editor for the MACV Observer he read and edited all the articles that would be published in the weekly newspaper.
Boudreaux received the equivalent of a master’s degree in journalism from the army because he attended the defense information school and for his background in English.
“I would try to educate the service men and women on the culture, traditions and history of Vietnam,” Boudreaux said.
Boudreaux was stationed at Fort Rucker in Alabama when his oldest son Danny was born. He left when his son was eight months old and did not see him again till he was 18 months old.
“Once I returned my son and I had to be reacquainted again and that did not take long,” Boudreaux said. “I regret I was not there to see his first step or say his first words but those were small sacrifices compared to my fellow soldiers who died before they were able to see their children.”