"People often ask me when I was in Vietnam and my response has always been from November 23, 1967 – July 27, 1969. However, what I really want to tell them is fifteen minutes ago.”
- Craig A. Tschetter, Author
Fifteen Minutes Ago is a gripping real-life story of one young man's experience of growing up in a strict Mennonite faith based home only to shake free of this lifestyle to join the Vietnam War, descending into the chaos and darkness of that time and place, punctuated by a chilling murder.
Readers in and out of the military will appreciate how the author's balance of narrative doesn't end after he leaves Vietnam and from his role as a drill instructor at the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego, Ca. The author goes on to show the mental and emotional scars of war that stay with him long after the war has ended. His description of depression, nightmares, suicidal thoughts, and obsessive memories of his time are hauntingly impactful. His quest to seek help rather than succumb to despair is a powerful message to all whom suffer from the effects of war.
While reading this content may be intense for readers, these experiences and moments of post-traumatic stress need to be shared and heard, and will be a comfort for those going through the same rollercoaster of effects after returning from war. His words will not soon leave your mind.
CRAIG TSCHETTER was born and raised in South Dakota. At age eighteen, he enlisted in the United States Marine Corps where he served as a combat radio operator for twenty months in Vietnam before returning to San Diego to complete his military service as a drill instructor. After his honorable discharge from the Marine Corps in 1971, he returned to South Dakota to attend college and start a family.
Educated with a degree in Mortuary Science he worked over 30 years in funeral service, retiring in 2005. Today, he lives with his wife, Della, in South Dakota, continues to write, speak at high school classes, and enjoy retirement. His daughter and granddaughter reside in Florida and his son in Oregon.
Author's website: www.FifteenMinutesAgo.com
Craig Tschetter, Vietnam War Vet
In 1967, Craig Tschetter enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps, was a combat radio operator in the Vietnam War and finished service as a drill instructor in San Diego. Post service, he returned to South Dakota and started a career in the funeral service industry. In 2017 Tschetter published his book Fifteen Minutes Ago: A Vietnam War Memoir about his experiences and his subsequent struggle with PTSD.