John Podlaski
John served in Vietnam between 1970 and 1971 as an infantryman with both the Wolfhounds of the 25th Division and the 501st Infantry Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division. The Army awarded him the Combat Infantry Badge, Bronze Star, two Air Medals, and a Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, among others. He spent 50 years working in various supplier management positions within the automotive industry and earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration in 2004. John is a life member of Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 154 and Rave Reviews Book Club. He and his wife Jan live in Sterling Heights, MI and recently celebrated their 49th wedding anniversary. Both retired in 2013 and enjoyed not working. That ended with the birth of their only grandchild in 2018 when they began taking care of Scarlett, while her mom - a single parent - worked. John has published six books: three about his Vietnam War experience and three short stories based on his personal experiences. In his spare time, he manages a heralded Vietnam War website, contributes to social media platforms, and takes part in writing seminars to improve his craft.