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The Good Life – September-October 2019

On the cover, Fix It Forward - The Mechanics of Faith, Local Hero, Vietnam Veteran - Mike Gruchalla, Having a Beer with the "Voice of the Bison" and Program Director - Jeff Culhane and more in Fargo Moorhead's only men's magazine.

On the cover, Fix It Forward - The Mechanics of Faith, Local Hero, Vietnam Veteran - Mike Gruchalla, Having a Beer with the "Voice of the Bison" and Program Director - Jeff Culhane and more in Fargo Moorhead's only men's magazine.

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“<br />

It hurt at first, but it<br />

doesn’t matter now. My<br />

dad saw my medals and<br />

that’s all that counts.”<br />

<strong>–</strong> Mike Gruchalla<br />

Coming Home<br />

Despite diligently doing his job to help fellow soldiers,<br />

Specialist Spc. 4 Gruchalla’s homecoming was<br />

characterized by a negative public perception of<br />

Vietnam veterans.<br />

“... On the flight from Minneapolis to Fargo, the only<br />

seat that was available was first class. <strong>The</strong>re was a guy<br />

sitting in the window seat next to me. As soon as the<br />

plane took off, he went and sat with the stewardesses;<br />

he didn’t want to sit by a Vietnam vet. When we landed<br />

in Fargo, nobody got off the plane until I did. <strong>The</strong>y all<br />

waited at the back of the baggage claim area until I got<br />

my bag and walked out the door,” said Gruchalla.<br />

In the following weeks, Gruchalla determinedly<br />

attempted to register for college.<br />

“I dressed the part <strong>–</strong> bell-bottoms, shirt with puffy<br />

sleeves, the beads, the whole thing. But, I went up to<br />

the registrar's office and pretty much got chased off of<br />

urbantoadmedia.com / THE GOOD LIFE / 33

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