Citizen Soldier: An Army Officer in the Vietnam Era Paperback – March 29, 2026

[Previously published as "Citizen Soldier" with no edition number.]In 1970, as part of the "Vietnamization" of the Vietnam War, a young US Army lieutenant is assigned to lead a Mobile Advisory Team. An under-reported and under-appreciated facet of the war, these small teams lived and worked with local Vietnamese units in their struggle to save their homeland from communist aggression. They helped their Vietnamese allies to "take the fight to the enemy", slogging through thick jungles, leech-filled swamps, soaking rains and oppressive heat - while facing a skilled and dangerous enemy. Author Walrath takes us on his journey from joining the army, through Basic training and the rigors of Officer Candidate School, and finally to the fear, frustration, loneliness, confusion and doubt of Vietnam. Often humorous, sometimes deadly serious, his skillfully written personal account will engage readers ranging from veterans to youths with no military background. Read more