Lawrence McTernan:  

Life I am now living "quietly" in Folsom, CA... about 25 east of Sacramento and about 25 miles west of Placerville. I say quietly because I am now living the life of a 100 percent service-connected disabled veteran. When I first got out, I had a zero percent disability from a rapelling injury and the VA was the enemy -- the worst in medical care, long lines, shitty service, you name it, the VA was it. Now, rated at 100 percent, the VA has improved 1000 percent. Now, in lieu of waiting till the end of the line, I am in a group that receives great care. I am currently residing in the No. Ca. foothills to the Sierra about 25 miles east of Sacramento... in gold country. I live with my wife of 23 years Teresa and our 13 year old son Willie. I am a 100 percent disabled Vietnam veteran who effectively "retired" about six years ago and I spend my time divided between family and volunteer organizations, mainly veterans groups. I'm an avid hunter of treasure, a rockhound and fossil hunter/ gatherer. I like four-by-four country, especially up here in CA's famous mountainous Gold Country, where the majority of the gold is still in "them thar hills." I used to write for myriad media, public and corporate worlds, but a heart attack at 46 made me realize that there was more to life than work... say, retirement for example. A heart attack at 46 killed (excuse the pun) my life in the work force. I was too stressed out after having fought the VA for over 30 years for disability. So, I am now effectively "retired" and raising my 13.5 year old son as his primary caregiver while my wife, a Gen'l Mgr of a small manufacturing firm, works full-time until my son goes off to school. Then she can retire and we'll move someplace where we can stretch out disability to cover all our expenses... hopefully. I worked as a psychiatric technician in California priavte and public hospitals until I got sick of it. Went back to school and got my BA in Communication Studies, then began working as a writer -- my chosen "profession". In fact, I toiled as a writer for most of my "adult" life -- ranging from a reporter for a small Northern California weekly newspaper to working as a public information officer assistant for the president of Sonoma State University. I worked as a PIO for FEMA Region IX, then moved into technical writing, working that for 15 years and finally "retiring" as a senior technical writer for computer user manuals and database administrator guides. I was a very good writer, but bad with incompetent managers -- who seemed to be everywhere in the corporate world. I recently underwent Gastric Surgery to shed the excess weight I put on and couldn't take off for the past 30 years. Have lost 85 pounds in the first three and one-half months after surgery and have another 65 to go before I hit my ideal weight of 220 pounds and a BMI of 24. I am active in my Marine ...Expand for more