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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