Wizard 6: A Combat Psychiatrist in Vietnam (Texas a & M University Military History Series)

Book Description

In 1969 six psychiatrists were assigned to combat divisions in Vietnam, charged with treating soldiers showing psychiatric symptoms in order to get them back into battle. Doug Bey, whose radio call name in the 1st Infantry Division was Wizard 6, was one of those psychiatrists.

Drawing on graphic detail gleaned from a journal Bey transcribed when he got back stateside, this psychiatric specialist describes the daily life of a military support unit, the boredom and mind-numbing routine, but also the social issues and psychiatric crises he confronted. In Vietnam he treated people with a range of coping mechanisms, including counter phobic reactions, self-medication with drugs and alcohol, and "gross stress reaction," as well as the gamut of psychiatric illnesses.

Each month Bey and his staff saw some four hundred men, including characters like the Vietnam equivalent of Klinger from M*A*S*H, a killer dentist, soldiers addicted to killing, and others who did not want to go home. He witnessed firsthand black pride, Vietnamese prejudice, racial conflict, and the Viet Cong's fear of mental illness.

Customer Reviews:

Wizard 6--Compelling Read.......2006-07-18

This book provides a unique account of the Viet Nam war seen through the eyes of psychiatrist. Doug Bey's account of treatment in the battlefields and the sidelines was compelling; I read it cover to cover and ignored all other demands until done.

I was captured by this journey of war that unfolds in stories both large and small with the insightful commentary that comes from the original experiences, tempered by long years in the field of psychiatry.

While this memoir is rooted in the Viet Nam experience it has implications for the current men and women in the armed forces and should be required reading for those involved in the treatment of mental illness and the trauma of war.

However, the heart of the story remains one man's voice telling us the stories of war with all it's characters, events, and personal change. It's a gem of a book.

'Nam from a psychiatrist's perspective.......2006-07-04

War memoirs rarely show up on my reading list. Therefore, my enthusiasm about this book is not based on widely comparative reading in this area, but rather on the merits of this book itself. I really enjoyed reading this book, viewing familiar material from a completely different perspective than I would ever have had from my own experience, and it is a darn good read as well. Bey was a young psychiatrist in his early 30s when his induction notice arrived. His time of military service included a tour of duty in Vietnam at the height of the war, 1969-1970, reflections on which form the heart of this book. Bey was one of a small group of psychiatrists assigned to combat divisions (Wizard 6 was his radio handle). Each of these divisions had one psychiatrist, one social work officer, and several social work and psychology techs. These teams of mental health specialists found themselves in the strange position of helping others adjust to an environment that was itself plainly bizarre. Bey relates these initial impressions in a masterful chapter, "Stepping Through the Looking Glass," drawing the comparison to the Lewis Carroll classic. As just one example among many of the young doctor learning the rules by which this strange world was governed, Bey relates a time early in his tour in which he was requested by a military court to evaluate a prisoner charged with criminal offenses. Bey dutifully wrote a lengthy evaluation, stating in as many ways as he knew how that this prisoner suffered from a personality disorder, not a mental illness, and was therefore likely to repeatedly criminally offend. Surprised that the court let the man off, Bey found out that the court had not read his evaluation at all, but surmised from the heft of it that this man had genuine psychiatric problems. However, they were so miffed at having to let this criminal offender off the hook that they really threw the book at the poor guy following in the docket!
There are many very interesting features of this memoir. Bey deals very forthrightly with issues of racial, class and cultural differences in relation both to military justice and to psychiatric and mental health issues. He approaches these issues with a clear, personal point of view, but is refreshingly aware of the strengths and limitations of his own perspectives. He also recognized the peculiar position he and his fellow medics were in as relatively high-ranking officers who had no long-range military career goals. Their indifference to military protocol was sometimes comical, sometimes rebellious, sometimes useful in getting things accomplished outside of channels, but it was also always a position of privilege.
One of the things that surprised me in this memoir was the almost complete absence of any discussion of politics. Although Bey does suggest that he was politically very conservative (just to the right of Genghis Khan, he says...) and generally supported the war effort (albeit, with grave doubts about the way the war was being conducted) candid discussion of war politics simply does not come up, either in the direct talk among the officers or in Bey's own interpretive narrative. The nearest to it is one episode in which, at the behest of a black fellow officer with whom he was very close, Bey attended a meeting of black enlisted men and relates the speeches presented there, which focused on their anger and resentment at fighting for the freedom of Vietnamese while having freedoms denied to them in the USA. This episode is related, however, not in the context of discussion of the war itself, but of racial tensions within the military. The main sense one gets here is that, aside from brief episodes of extreme action, the war was experienced by the soldiers themselves as grindingly boring. I suppose this strikes me so strongly exactly because, as I remember those years, heated discussions about the war seemingly consumed us stateside, and this brings home again the chasm of difference in perspective between those who actively participated in the war and those, like me, who did not.

A Review of Wizard 6.......2006-06-29

"Velcome Captain. You are the new Vizard-Ya?" "Ya. I mean, yes sir." "Vell, I must tell you dat I don't know if I believe in psychiatry." "That's okay, sir; I'm not sure I belive in colonels." This interchange took place in 1969 when Doug Bey M.D. aarrived at the base camp of the 1st Infantry Division (The Big Red One) in Di An, Vietnam, to begin a one year tour of duty. His reponses to the U.S. Army Lieutenant Colonel with the German accent are vintage Doug Bey. They show his quick wit and his way with words, his irreverence and his college-wrestler toughness.
I write with familiarity because Doug and I took psychiatric residences togther at the Menninger School of Psychiatry in Topeka, Kansas. We were goth in the Berry Plan, in which the Army allowed us to complete our training but then expected us to go on active duty for two years. Doug and I both ended up in Vietnam. I was hospital based at the 67th Evaucation Hospital in Qui Nhon.
Being assigned to a division meant that Doug had a Jeep and the freedom of movement to get a good pulse of the whole unit. His radio call sign was Wizard 6. He and his talented techs took care of all kinds of emotional problems but found the so-called combat fatigue of previous wars less prevalent in Vietnam. Instead were acting up personality disorders, racial issues, communications problems between officers and the often quite young soldiers, alcohol and drug problems, and anti-establishment attitudes reflective of the anti-warm movement in the U.S.
In Topeka Doug had studied the psychology of organizations under Dr. Harry Levinson. Doug applied the techniques of organizational case study to the 1st Infantry Division. His goal was to find stress points, such as abusive officers or nonsensical regulartions, and to try to deal with such problems before they became major. This emphasis prevades the book and provids exceptional insights of a unit at war.
Doug also writes of his own coping devices in an unpopular war far from home. He tried to forget about home, immersed himself in his work, developed relationships with his colleagues, observed and kept notes, isolated negative feelings and stayed away from war politics.He also admits that he overused alcohol to self-medicate. He reports one frightening experience when he was to intoxicated at the time of a Red Alert that he mistook a friend for the enemy and pointed and pulled the trigger on his .45. What saved a tragedy was that he forgot to remove the safety. Throughout the book he is unsparing in presenting his own failings, which makes his story ring true.
He writes of how his Vietnam experiences affect him even to this day. He has a lifetime of things to ponder, such as the obviously battle-hardened infantryman who barged into Doug's office and announced that he wanted the doctor to know that he was gay and who then ran off; or the grieving crowd around a Vietnamese boy who lay next to his mangled bicycle, the victim of a US military truck that didn't stop.
Doug also compares and contrasts Vietnam with Iraq. His disquieting conclusion is that the two conflicts are becoming more and more similar.
This book has value not only for the people with military interests but also for mental health workers. The descriptions of the smells and noises of the country and of the people and their sad plight rang so true to me. I found myself nodding my head in agreement as I read. Doug really got it the way it was. My biggest disappointment is that I didn't write this book. But I'm glad somebody did.

Ed Colbach M.D.

A Must-Read for Boomers.......2006-06-26

We all know, or knew, someone in Nam. An easily readable, enlightening chronicle of the time with touches of humor. I highly recommend this book.

Wizard 6 - Loved it!!.......2006-06-19

Great narration of life in a support unit in Vietnam, the problems faced when returning home and the lasting effect on the lives of those who served. Very much enjoyed and appreciated.

Average customer rating:

A "must read" book
If Morning Never Comes
If Morning Never Comes

If Morning Never Comes
Bill Vandenbush
Manufacturer: The Old Hundred and One Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0972161341

Book Description

The powerful story of a young man's near death experience in Vietnam.

Customer Reviews:

A "must read" book.......2004-04-16

Being a senior citizen and an avid reader all of my life, I can unequivocally say that "If Morning Never Comes" is one of the greatest books I have ever read.

At a time when many young men were busy growing pony tails, fleeing to Canada, and staging protests, young 18-year-old Bill volunteered to serve in the unpopular Vietnam war. This decision altered his life forever. The way he portrays his experiences is both heart wrenching and heart warming.

The fact that Bill survived his massive injuries is unbelievable. His tale of what drove him to both survive and rehabilitate himself against all odds is amazing. This is a poignant, wonderfully written and awe-inspiring piece of work. I hope his book is a huge success----he deserves it!

If Morning Never Comes.......2003-10-31

This story of Bill's near death experience in Vietnam is an interesting melding of spirituality and the ravages of WAR. What a goose bump raising story! I have known Bill for many years and was no less enraptured with his words than I was tthe first time he shared the story with me. It should be required reading for anyone going to war, the families of those going to War, but most importantly for those politicians who have never been to War, but are very willing to send someone elses daughter or son. Write on Bill!

If Morning Never Comes.......2003-10-30

If you lived through the era of the Vietnam War you can relate to this book. I enjoyed the way VandenBush just told it the way it was. To many Vietnam stories are loaded with hyped up garbage. This book is straight forward and a joy to read. I hope he follows up with another one.

The Ways We Choose: Lessons for Life from a Pow's Experience

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Top Notch
Dave was my roommate aboard USS ORISKANY.
WOW... and i thought i had a few tough years!
"THE WAYS WE CHOOSE" LESSONS FROM A POW
Very Inspiring!

The Ways We Choose: Lessons for Life from a Pow's Experience
Dave Carey
Manufacturer: Arnica Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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Applied Psychology | Psychology & Counseling | Health, Mind & Body | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 0974568643

Book Description

Retired Navy pilot Dave Carey tells the story of how he and his fellow POWs survived more than five years in the prisons of North Vietnam. He analyzes the strengths and strategies that made their survival possible and shows how these forms of faith--in self, others, country, and God--can carry everyone through personal and business crises. A moving epilogue tells of his wife's battle with breast cancer and her death, and how the same strengths helped her and those around her.

Customer Reviews:

Top Notch.......2007-10-10

Great insights from a guy that's been there. Dave has an uncanny knack of applying his challenging POW experiences to our everyday lives. A solid read.

Dave was my roommate aboard USS ORISKANY........2005-04-30

Dave was my roommate aboard USS ORISKANY prior to his capture in 1967. As a Naval Academy graduate and Naval Aviator he was assigned to an attack squadron flying the A-4 Skyhawk. I met Dave the day we departed NAS Alameda for deployment to Southeast Asia, and Vietnam. He had his fiance Karen aboard for a short time in the officer's wardroom for coffee and last minute good byes. The next time he saw Karen was 5.5 years later after his release from a North Vietnam prisoner of war camp. I saw him again at his wedding!

This is terrific read along with Zalin Grants "Over the Beach" about the war, it's history, and the toll it took on countless lives.

WOW... and i thought i had a few tough years!.......2001-09-04

i thought i had lived through some tough times before reading Dave's story... if life has got you down, choose this book, you'll begin to feel you too can survive and excel even in the most demanding situations. Dave ties in his Vietnam experience to create powerful insights for daily living in part 2.
My advice... READ THIS BOOK!

"THE WAYS WE CHOOSE" LESSONS FROM A POW.......2001-07-26

"The Ways We Choose" is truly a lesson in life. While reading it I asked myself how I handle adversity. What do I do when life gets tough? As a prisoner of war for 5 1/2 years, Dave Carey feels that his experience can be used as an analogy for facing problems and changes in our own lives. Hopefully, none of us will have to endure the trauma of being a POW, however, Dave lists simple factors for his success in the harsh environment he was existing in. He believes that these guidelines can be directly translated into every life. He discusses the importance of communicating in every aspect of our daily life. The book has helped me to live "one day at a time." It also encouraged me to ask myself not only how I cope with the problems of life but more importantly, how do I CHOOSE to cope. Dave Carey's witness to his faith completes the message in this outstanding read. The author has a great gift of sharing himself with his readers. You won't want to miss this adventure in life.

Very Inspiring!.......2001-06-15

This is simply a wonderful book that shows the strength of the human spirit and shows us the stuff a true American hero is made of.

Book Description

For the first time, nine women who made journalism history talk candidly about their professional and deeply personal experiences as young reporters who lived, worked, and loved surrounded by war. Their stories span a decade of America’s involvement in Vietnam, from the earliest days of the conflict until the last U.S. helicopters left Saigon in 1975.

They were gutsy risk-takers who saw firsthand what most Americans knew only from their morning newspapers or the evening news. Many had very particular reasons for going to Vietnam—some had to fight and plead to go—but others ended up there by accident. What happened to them was remarkable and important by any standard. Their lives became exciting beyond anything they had ever imagined, and the experience never left them. It was dangerous—one was wounded, and one was captured by the North Vietnamese—but the challenges they faced were uniquely rewarding.

They lived at full tilt, making an impact on all the people around them, from the orphan children in the streets to their fellow journalists and photographers to the soldiers they met and lived with in the field. They experienced anguish and heartbreak—and an abundance
of friendship and love. These stories not only introduce a remarkable group of individuals but give an entirely new perspective on the most controversial conflict in our history. Vietnam changed their lives forever. Here they tell about it with all the candor, commitment, and energy that characterized their courageous reporting during the war.

From the Hardcover edition.

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A War Remembered (Vietnam Experience)
Clark Dougan , David Fulghum , and Denis Kennedy
Manufacturer: Time Life Education
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

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Southeast Asia | Asia | History | Subjects | Books
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ASIN: 0939526204

My Experience in Vietnam: An African-American Perspective

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My Experience in Vietnam: An African-American Perspective
Isaac Witter
Manufacturer: PublishAmerica
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

African-American & Black | Ethnic & National | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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Memoirs | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 1413784275

Book Description

THE TUMULTUOUS YEARS OF THE VIETNAM WAR AND THE EFFECT IT HAD ON AMERICAN FAMILIES. The author gives a heart-wrenching account about the ravages of war and the stress it placed on the American soldier's life. The author shares with his readers some of the chilling events he witnessed and participated in as an American soldier, and he also gives precise and detailed analysis about soldiers' behavior during a firefight with their combatant in Vietnam. The events of war that are described leave one to ask: Is war every worth the human sacrifices that must be endured to obtain a democratic and a free society? The experiences the author acquired in Vietnam and his military service in general have left an indelible mark on his life. The author entered the military as a sniffling teenager and left as a mature adult.

Blessings: Transforming My Vietnam Experience

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An Emotional Journey Through a Difficult War
beyond words
Touching reality, with a human twist!
Deeply Moving and Inspiring: The Antithesis of a "war story"

Blessings: Transforming My Vietnam Experience
Don Yost
Manufacturer: Sheed & Ward
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

Religious | Leaders & Notable People | Biographies & Memoirs | Subjects | Books

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ASIN: 1556128045

Customer Reviews:

An Emotional Journey Through a Difficult War.......2002-02-27

This is an excellent book for two reasons: its lively writing and its emotional impact. Don Yost gives life to many of the underlying frustrations of serving in Vietnam that most other books and essays about Vietnam haven't even identified. It also provides a superbly realistic look at the war through the eyes of someone who understands and appreciates the depth of the potential sacrifice that each man must face when he's called to serve, especially in a war that's misunderstood my most people, and bitterly opposed by his own generation.
When it comes to first-person accounts of the Vietnam war, this book is like no other. It's an excellent work that should be on everyone's bookshelf.

beyond words.......2002-01-31

I am not a reader, you'll never find a romance novel in my presence, but I do like war stories. This is anything but, it is a story of a man's love for his family written in a way that would move the most manly of men. It is more of an appology to all of those who he hurt during his healing than a war story but it's written in an entertaining, "laugh while you cry", "I can relate to that", matter of fact manner. It's a must read for anyone and everyone. I have passed it around to friends who have passed it to friends, my copy has been in more homes than me because everyone loves it and relates to it in one way or another.

Touching reality, with a human twist!.......2000-06-06

I couldn't put it down! The word "Vietnam" has meant little more to me than buff actors with atitude, this book changed that. It's not a blood and gore or look what America did to me, story. It's an appology and a promise to get over it. Anyone could relate this to the struggles in their own lives and learn how to turn them into something wonderful. This is so wonderfully written that I was able to empathize with this man rather than just have sympathy for him. I have given this to both male and female friends, everyone agrees, it's wonderful.

Deeply Moving and Inspiring: The Antithesis of a "war story".......1999-01-29

Don Yost, in Blessings, pulls you into his heart and holds you willingly captive on his journey of self-discovery. Through his first person narrative, he tells a profound story of innocence, disillusionment, and acceptance. His book is a reassuring tribute to all of us who have had "Vietnams" in our own lives.

Childhood Lost: A Marine's Experience In Vietnam

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Marines
Appreciation 101
An Extraordinary Story!
Brilliant piece of work!

Childhood Lost: A Marine's Experience In Vietnam
Jr., Willie Zavala
Manufacturer: iUniverse, Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

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ASIN: 0595346936

Book Description

This is a true story of an experience in Vietnam during the Tet Offensive. It describes places like Khe Sahn during the siege, demilitarized zone during bombardment, and Hue city with its ornate beauty and people's sadness.

It offers a front line view of the pain, agony, and brotherhood that existed then and exists now among Vietnam veterans who have taken their place in America's society.

Friends who gave their ultimate sacrifice for this nation inspired Childhood Lost. It is because of undonditional devotion and love for their fellow brothers that I share these thoughts.

This story is about the reality of war; pain, anger, screaming, laughter, and death, that sometimes society takes for granted.

Childhood Lost envelops loyalty, love and remembrance in a place where death saturated the atmosphere. It reveals a comparison between life as we knew it in childhood and life in time of war.

Customer Reviews:

Marines.......2007-03-17

Very good book, I would have given it 5 stars but for the money- it should have been longer.

Appreciation 101.......2006-07-08

Given the current political climate in the world, and the considerable challenges that our country will inevitably have to contend with in N.Korea, Afghanistan, and Iran, this book is a renewal of faith and appreciation for the sacrifices that few such as Mr. Zavala make for the many. This poignant account paints a realistic picture of the Love, Committment,Comradery, and Courage that is required to endure beyond seemingly unsurmountable odds. Resounding within my mind after I read this book was the thought that freedom is not free, and that we as a people must respect and support our soldiers as they have respected and supported us. I would unequivically recommend this book to anyone who is seeking to understand what has come before us in order to do what is necessary to deal with what potentially lies before us. This book caused me to unlearn what I had thought war to be, and changed my perspective permanently as to the realities, both positive and negative, of what war is. The authors conveyance of vivid imagery, juxtaposition of beauty and reality, and heartfelt accounts of his childhood made this book truly a reflective reading experience that leaves the reader with a profound sense of appreciation for country and family.

Best Regards,
Michael D. Tamaren

An Extraordinary Story!.......2005-08-24

Childhood Lost packs an amazing amount of inspiration, energy and encouragement in an easy to read story. The author was able to take me to the jungles of Vietnam and he made me feel like I was in the foxhole right next to him. When he reflected on his hometown of San Antonio; I too, wished that I was there. I look forward to a future publication from this author!

Brilliant piece of work!.......2005-04-28

This book is a magnificent piece of work. It is well written. It comes from a first person's point of view who lived to tell the tale. The experiences in this author's life are experiences that we may never live through in our lives. After reading this book you will want to go to the nearest veteran you know and thank them for all he or she did for you. This veteran fought so that we could be where we are today.

Thoughts About the Vietnam War Based On My Personal Experiences, Books I Have Read and Conversations With Other Veterans.

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Thoughts About the Vietnam War Based On My Personal Experiences, Books I Have Read and Conversations With Other Veterans.
EDDIE: WRIGHT
Manufacturer: Carlton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
ASIN: B000UCN7X0

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Thoughts about the Vietnam War: Based on my personal experiences, books I have read and conversations with other veterans
Eddie Wright
Manufacturer: Carlton Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Unknown Binding

Vietnam War | Military | History | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 0806227591

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