However, he does think if he had talked to a doctor directly after returning, he would have been diagnosed with PTSD. At that time, he did not struggle with PTSD and nightmares as bad as he would eventually. He often worked overtime at U.S Steel along with another job so that kept his mind busy. He did not start going to the VA until he retired in 2001 after a friend told him about it. He was not informed about his benefits, including the VA. I mean, they brought us home, dumped us on the street, and were supposed to be normal again. Here, just went back to the normal way of life. Sims said, “those people there were pretty rude. We weren’t normal…” Clarence Sims on life after Vietnam “…they brought us home, dumped us on the street, and were supposed to be normal again. After returning home, he was not given any information on his veterans’ benefits. He saw his daughter for the first time when she was eight months old. His daughter was born while he was in Vietnam and he did not find out for a few days after her birth. When he left for Vietnam his wife was five months pregnant. He spent most of his time in Vietnam as a medevac picking up and helping the wounded. Sims was a crew chief on a Huey helicopter. He was then sent to Vietnam to Camp Eagle and was in the 101st Airborne. After he completed his basic training, he and his wife moved to Fort Eustis, Virginia. He did not get to tell his wife or family goodbye and did not come home for 2 weeks. He left directly from the board and went to Fort Polk in Louisana. He reported to the Bessemer draft board and thought he would return home that evening. He received his draft notice in November 1970. My interviewee discussed his time serving in An Loc, Vietnam, agent orange repercussions, and his experience after returning to the U.S. That changed when he received his draft notice in November 1970. Sims was not planning on enlisting in Vietnam. Since his family did not have much of a military history, Mr. Growing up, his family did not have a strong military background. Clarence Sims was born on Novemin Sylacauga, Alabama.

Sims 3 helicopter working