Vietnam Lessons

Your April 10 article, “Vietnam Still an ‘Invisible Scar’ for Army,” omits many lessons that will haunt the Army, Marines and the country in any future “Vietnam.”

Although many lessons are important, the primary one is that the lower-echelon troops saw their military and civilian leaders as their primary enemy, both in Vietnam and when they arrived home. This one lesson alone will defeat any Army or Marine Corps anywhere.

However, the article is right about one thing. The leaders did not view the Viet Cong as true adversaries. Not so for the average GI on the ground. Maybe the privates and corporals and specialists/fourth class should be our leaders in order to avoid future Vietnams.

LLOYD AUSTIN

La Habra