Dale Lawson was a Green Beret. He enlisted in the Army shortly after graduating from high school. The reasons he went in were various - partly it was to ameliorate the shame he felt because his entire family were pacifists (cowards in his view) using the excuse of being Jehova's Witnesses. He hated that cult and felt the need to escape them entirely by rejecting everything they stood for. He was an elite athlete in school - a gymnast. His DIs soon learned his prowess and suggest Special Forces training which he passed with high marks. 

Went to Nam and as most Green Berets was deployed as the tip-of-the-spear to forward bases in hot zones. He, as many others saw his brothers-in-arms maimed, mutilate and killed horribly in front of him by gooks. He got in some payback in his time, but Charlie finally got him with mortars and sent him home with shrapnel in his abdomen/spine that crippled his legs. 

After returning and getting well enough to leave the hospital/rehab, he got married, had a son (was still able to do that) and became a PAIN IN THE ASS to the V.A. system, which at that time was still full of gross neglect from too many 'Crat presidents not GAF and public apathy. His efforts with his comrades were very successful and led to many reforms in the V.A. system. 

Dale died after a long bout of agonizing complications from the shrapnel (which could not be surgically removed due to the position in the spine). 

God, we all miss him. Dale was in every sense imaginable, exceptional in a good way. RIP sieur!! WE WHO REVERED YOU WILL NEVER FORGET YOUR EXAMPLE AND NEVER STOP FIGHTING!!! 

NOTE: Dale love the music of Neil Diamond, particularly the magnificent, underrated Brother Love's Traveling Salvation Show. He used to sing along with the record sometimes when he was in a good mood! It made him happy. Thanks Neil for one helluva song.