A regret of my grandfather is that he did not keep a diary of his experiences as a Marine in Vietnam. I have decided to take his comment as advice, but instead of keeping a diary of my experiences, I want to record my thoughts and feelings in additon to my experiences, spanning a longer time period than a tour of duty. I also have an interest in writing, and I feel that keeping a journal would be a good way for me to expand on this. In the past I have on occasion put my thoughts and experiences on a piece of paper, however this was very sporadic and highly informal. This is my formal attempt and I hope that I am albe to write periodicly. In additon, I would hope that this journal will grace the hands and minds of my grandchildren so that they will see where they came from, and are able to experience my live as I have lived it.