Harv VanNordstrand
By Joey May
I interviewed Harv VanNordstrand. He was born in Red Oak and raised in Emerson, Iowa. Today, he resides in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Harv served in the United States Armed Forces from March 29, 1971 through December 18, 1972. He was drafted during the Vietnam War, but he did not engage in any combat. He was a typist. His highest rank was a Spec 4. He processed people in and out of Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. Processing meant that he stationed them to the places that they were needed. His division was the USAEUR, which means he served in the US Army in Europe. Harv worked for the Deputy Chief of the Army.
In 1972, he was reassigned to Heidelberg, Germany. This was also non-conflict service. In Heidelberg, Harv determined the security clearance levels for personnel on base. While Mr. VanNordstrand said he did not receive any outstanding awards, he did have his own highlights or memories of his time in the Army. Probably the most memorable thing was that he got to travel in the military. He spent a year in Germany and got to see the 1972 Olympics for a couple days. I had asked Harv if he ever felt like he was going to be in any danger. He said that the only time he felt threatened was when he was in Germany and there were radical groups protesting the Vietnam War, blowing up American installations.
I also asked him if he liked his experience in the military. Harv answered that he had not been really excited about being drafted, but he knew that it was his duty to serve. He soon found that, because he already had his college degree, it opened a lot of doors for him. The last question I asked him was if he had a good time in the military. He told me that he did enjoy his time. The military gave him an opportunity to travel a lot more than he would have otherwise. Mr. VanNordstrand also said there were great benefits, and his GI bill covered his college after the service, so he was able to complete his Masters Degree.
This interview helped me see that being in the military gives you the experience of many different cultures. You get to travel quite a bit and see the world. The military would be something that I would be very interested in. Thank you, Harv, for sharing your experiences with the military.
I interviewed Harv VanNordstrand. He was born in Red Oak and raised in Emerson, Iowa. Today, he resides in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Harv served in the United States Armed Forces from March 29, 1971 through December 18, 1972. He was drafted during the Vietnam War, but he did not engage in any combat. He was a typist. His highest rank was a Spec 4. He processed people in and out of Ft. Leonard Wood, Missouri. Processing meant that he stationed them to the places that they were needed. His division was the USAEUR, which means he served in the US Army in Europe. Harv worked for the Deputy Chief of the Army.
In 1972, he was reassigned to Heidelberg, Germany. This was also non-conflict service. In Heidelberg, Harv determined the security clearance levels for personnel on base. While Mr. VanNordstrand said he did not receive any outstanding awards, he did have his own highlights or memories of his time in the Army. Probably the most memorable thing was that he got to travel in the military. He spent a year in Germany and got to see the 1972 Olympics for a couple days. I had asked Harv if he ever felt like he was going to be in any danger. He said that the only time he felt threatened was when he was in Germany and there were radical groups protesting the Vietnam War, blowing up American installations.
I also asked him if he liked his experience in the military. Harv answered that he had not been really excited about being drafted, but he knew that it was his duty to serve. He soon found that, because he already had his college degree, it opened a lot of doors for him. The last question I asked him was if he had a good time in the military. He told me that he did enjoy his time. The military gave him an opportunity to travel a lot more than he would have otherwise. Mr. VanNordstrand also said there were great benefits, and his GI bill covered his college after the service, so he was able to complete his Masters Degree.
This interview helped me see that being in the military gives you the experience of many different cultures. You get to travel quite a bit and see the world. The military would be something that I would be very interested in. Thank you, Harv, for sharing your experiences with the military.
