When he arrived at basic training after being drafted into the Army, one of the first things William Maxwell Barner heard from his drill sergeants was, “you’re going to Vietnam and you’re going to die.” As he says, he “wasn’t interested in either one of those.” Though he survived a year in Vietnam serving in a Howitzer Battery, he did not return home unharmed. Following his service, Barner was unable to control his anger and had difficulty keeping a job. Almost 40 years after his discharge, he was finally diagnosed with PTSD. Though he resisted at first, he eventually accepted the diagnosis and went on to help fellow veterans seek help from the VA.
We honor you, William Barner III.