“My name is Ellen Diderich Zimmer, and I am a Vietnam Veteran.

As I was working my way through college, I saw an advertisement about the Army’s Student Nurse Program and after checking into it, I decided to apply for it. I had been inspired to do something for my country, when I heard JFK’s inaugural address. I was very idealistic and patriotic and wanted to go help take care of the soldiers in Vietnam. I was accepted into the Student Nurse Program in 1968 and the Army paid for my last two years of college. I had to sign a 3 year service contract, in which I agreed to serve 3 years in the army following graduation.

When I went into the Student Nurse Program, I was technically a PFC and graduated in March 1970. A few days later, I was sworn in as a 2nd LT. Of course this was at the height of student protests over the war. There were bombings and student riots on most college campuses. The army recruiter was not allowed on the California State Campus at the Los Angeles campus where I was a nursing student. I didn’t tell any of my instructors or fellow students what my plans after graduation were for fear of retaliation or humiliation. I remember when I was sworn in. It was almost in secret for fear of the war protestors. My family thought I had made a horrible mistake.

After basic training at Ft Sam Houston, I was transferred to the Fitzsimmons General Hospital in Denver, CO. I was assigned to their ICU/RECOVERY ROOM/HEART ROOM. I loved taking care of critically ill patients and while there, I volunteered to go to Vietnam. I arrived in country in June 1971 and was assigned to the 3rd Field Hospital. I was very upset with the assignment, as I wanted to work on the front lines. I actually have nothing but bitter memories of my time there. The morale was very poor and there was a lot of problems with alcoholism and drug use by the GI’s. I soon learned to hate the Vietnamese and became a victim of violence, sexual harassment and sexual assault from the GI’s that I was there to take care of… The war was winding down and troops were being sent home, and thankfully I was sent home 3 months early in March of 1972.

The 9 months that I was in Vietnam affected the rest of my life. When I arrived back in the states before getting off the airplane in San Francisco, we were strongly advised to go to the nearest bathroom in the terminal and change out of our uniform and into civilian clothes. War protestors were stationed at the front of the terminal and had been very hostile to returning soldiers, or as they liked to call us “baby killers”. I rarely spoke to anyone about Vietnam including my family. They didn’t ask any questions as they had been advised not to ask us about Vietnam and I found out quickly that no one wanted to hear about it anyway. It was one of the most controversial issues in our country at that time.

My next duty station was at Ft Leonardwood MO, where I was the head Nurse of a six bed ICU. I was a very good nurse and was promoted to CPT. I completed my 3 year service obligation and was “Honorably Discharged.” I thought I’d left Vietnam in my past. After marrying and starting a family, I began teaching Nursing and absolutely loved it. A few times a year, I would get depressed an anxious but attributed it to over work and stress. While working full time teaching Nursing, I went back to school driving 126 miles one way to UCA one night a week for four years by myself to obtain a Master’s Degree in Nursing. I helped start the first distance Learning Nursing Program in Arkansas. I also published several Nursing articles, wrote NCLEX questions four different times for Nursing Licensure Exams and was a part time Nursing Consultant on several projects.

I thought everything was going well. I just didn’t realize I had a deep seated cancer called Vietnam that was about to cut me off at my knees. The early symptoms that I had been able to write off as stress morphed into full blown PTSD. I had frequent flashbacks, almost nightly nightmares, I became quite paranoid, anxious and severely depressed. My physical health also deteriorated and in August of 1999, I had to quit a very promising career, as somehow I could no longer function… PTSD completely took over my life. I thought I was the only person that this had happened to but later found out this same scenario of delayed PTSD was a common denominator in many of the Nurses who had served a tour of duty in Vietnam. I have been receiving treatment for my PTSD from the VA sine 1996. I continue to live my life such as it is with the support of my family and friends.

I have good days and bad days and I take it one day at a time by putting one foot in front of the other.”
~Ellen Zimmer, Vietnam Veteran

We are deeply grateful to Ellen for her courage and sharing her story with us, one that is gender neutral and affecting those returning from Iraq and Afghanistan as well.

Facebook Veteran Tributes: https://www.facebook.com/ComesASoldierswhisper
Vietnam Letters: www.VietnamAndBeyond.com
Follow us on Twitter @Jennylas @Rodney6768

#FamiliesServeToo #SupportOurTroops #ComesASoldiersWhisper