Purple
Heart and Korean War Veteran Stamp Dedication Ceremony August
6, 2003
Tommy Boyd receives Purple Heart
Tommy Boyd
enlisted in the United States Marine Corps on June 3rd of 1966.
He served in the Republic of Vietnam from December of 1966 to
August of 1967 and served 1st Battalion - 1st Marine division,
where he received National Defense Medal, Vietnam Service with
Star, Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device, Combat Action Ribbon,
and three Purple Hearts. He received his first Purple Heart
for shrapnel wounds in Quag Nam after his point man stepped
on a booby trap in December of 1966. He received his second
Purple Heart for shrapnel wounds of the head, received when
the tank he was riding on Quag Nam Province hit a land mine
tank. His third and final Purple Heart was received for wounds
to the left leg when he was enroute to a listening post and
stepped on a booby trap. He was honorably discharged on April
1, 1969.
Tommy
Boyd Testimony
Hi,
I am a recovering addict and my name is Tommy. I want to thank
God for everything.
I
want to go back as a child where I believed that my addiction
started before I picked up a drug. I used to fantasize and compare
because I didn't like who I was. It didn't matter what color
I was, what size, black wanting to be white, white wanting to
be black, fat or skinny, I just didn't like who I was. I got
out of myself by doing things to be accepted.
I went in the military and toured Vietnam, using drugs to escape
from where I was. My addiction skyrocketed when I came out of
the war. I used so that I could try to forget what happened
in the war. I had a lot of fear. The war trained me not to get
close to people and affected my relationship with society and
family.
Today,
since I've been in recovery my life has changed a whole lot.
In the process, I came to understand surrender, powerlessness
and my life being unmanageable. My disease is three fold; Physical,
Mental and Spiritual. I realized that I needed some help and
was able to learn some spiritual principles. That it's a spiritual
program. I realize that it wasn't about money, property and
prestige, but knowing that recovery works from the inside out.
I was self-center and needed to be god- centered. I started
to work the steps. It helped me to live life on life terms.
I learned how to deal with people and society.
Throughout
this process I started to have more trust with people. I learned
how to read and develop more confidence in myself. I am now
ready to go back to school. I have goals today. I want to keep
what I have so I am willing to give it away. I enjoy helping
others. It's something today that I really enjoy. I do it for
the right reasons. Today I have a better relationship with people
toady. My daughter, my job…I'm working on my body, soul
and sprit. I have bad days too, but that's ok, that's life...I
know how to deal with them today instead of getting high. Today
because of CCAR, I have been able to give back to the community
and put a face on recovery that people do recover. I enjoy doing
that too. Like I said before, I will do anything to help people.
For the right reasons, I put my recovery first, for anything.
CCAR
also gave me a scholarship to attend school. One of my charter
defects was being afraid of going back to school. If I put my
mind to it, I can do anything. It's a gift from God. I'm doing
work on myself because freedom is not free. I'm enjoying life,
doing things like walking on the beach. Things that I thought
were corny. Nature, music, and most of all I got near to God
so he would help take care of me. I am internally grateful for
the good and the bad. I wouldn't be where I am at today without
the good and the bad. To get through that pain and get to the
other side instead of getting high. I will keep doing Gods will
and not mine. Today I can cry today and feel my feelings and
share them with others. I'm sick as my secrets.
I
also had to get professional help after 9/11 from issues I carried
with me from being in Vietnam. It brought back stuff from being
in the war and why I used and how I felt so patriotic. Having
received 3 purple hearts, I realized that I would defend my
country at any cost. I 'm being treated for post traumatic stress
disorder. Getting help was one of the biggest decisions I could
make to help me deal with this. Actually I'm able to help the
VA also by supporting their 12-step program through a commitment
I have. I trust this process. When I think of all the things
I went through I say, "Why me." Why not me. God has
me here for a reason. I continue to do a lot of soul searching.
I'm so thirsty to give back because I want to keep this newfound
life. For me to keep this I have to keep doing what I'm doing.
I have to keep going to meetings and stay connected.
I
thank God for sponsorship. I also thank those that I sponsor,
as they help me too.
For a person that had a lot of anger in the 60's and the things
I did, I certainly have changed.
God
used me with the aid of other people in starting a 12 &
12 book meeting. My life is a lot better today than it has ever
been. Today, through the 12 & 12 and my higher power, I
can change that fear to faith. Anger to Love. Resentment to
Acceptance.
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