Judy L. Richardson - Vietnam War - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series

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Vietnam War

Click on Veteran's photo to see their service story. These Warriors served during the Vietnam War

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Where can I donate?

I have created a way to accept donations to grow the project, use the WWII Veterans Portrait Series
Please email

Where are you located?

I live in the San Diego area but have traveled to many locations to interview and photograph Veterans.


How Long is an Appointment?

Appointments usually last an hour. But please free up time for Mickey to set up lights and cameras, hold the interview, and take some still photographers for in the project.

Do you accept reservations?

Yes is the simple answer to the question. Each appointment is set up as an individual session. Group sessions have been set up when I visited a senior living facility or many of the California Veterans Homes.

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United States Army Specialist 4 (Spec 4) Vietnam War Judy L. Richardson was born on June 15, 1943, in Fairmont, Indiana. She grew up in Fairmont and graduated from Fairmont High School in 1961. After high school, she attended Marion Business College. She worked for six years at Robert's Manufacturing and also held positions at a China shop and a Sunday school publishing company. Judy enlisted in the Army in 1974 at age 31, seeking a greater sense of purpose and challenge that a desk-bound administrative role could not provide. She entered the delayed-entry program and reported for basic training in July 1974. She entered the service as a Private First Class/E3 due to her college education. She completed basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, followed by Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Dix, New Jersey, where she trained as a heavy truck driver. Her first duty station was Fort Ord, California, where she arrived in November 1974. Although she was trained to drive five-ton trucks, her college background led the Army to assign her to the protocol office. In this role, she drove a station wagon to transport visitors and officers, including a colonel from Fort Hayes. She was promoted to Specialist 4 in November 1974. While stationed at Fort Ord, she transitioned to a role focused on environmental projects alongside civil service employees. One of her primary tasks was ecological preservation, including capturing fish from Mud Hen Lake during the dry season and relocating them to Lake San Antonio. She completed her three years of obligated service and was honorably discharged on 22 July 1977. She received the National Defense Service Medal and the Rifle Marksman badge. After a seasonal job with the forestry department checking hunters at Fort Ord, she returned to secretarial work. She later transitioned into computer-based roles, teaching herself to use computers, and retired from Monterey Peninsula College. Judy also enjoyed solo motorcycle adventures, beginning in 1980, when her first excursion took her around Indiana. In 1981, she decided to attempt a trip "all the way around" the country. Her journey included several notable experiences and challenges.
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Judy L. Richardson - Vietnam War - Mickey Strand - Veterans Series
United States Army Specialist 4 (Spec 4) Vietnam War Judy L. Richardson was born on June 15, 1943, in Fairmont, Indiana. She grew up in Fairmont and graduated from Fairmont High School in 1961. After high school, she attended Marion Business College. She worked for six years at Robert's Manufacturing and also held positions at a China shop and a Sunday school publishing company. Judy enlisted in the Army in 1974 at age 31, seeking a greater sense of purpose and challenge that a desk-bound administrative role could not provide. She entered the delayed-entry program and reported for basic training in July 1974. She entered the service as a Private First Class/E3 due to her college education. She completed basic training at Fort Jackson, South Carolina, followed by Advanced Individual Training (AIT) at Fort Dix, New Jersey, where she trained as a heavy truck driver. Her first duty station was Fort Ord, California, where she arrived in November 1974. Although she was trained to drive five-ton trucks, her college background led the Army to assign her to the protocol office. In this role, she drove a station wagon to transport visitors and officers, including a colonel from Fort Hayes. She was promoted to Specialist 4 in November 1974. While stationed at Fort Ord, she transitioned to a role focused on environmental projects alongside civil service employees. One of her primary tasks was ecological preservation, including capturing fish from Mud Hen Lake during the dry season and relocating them to Lake San Antonio. She completed her three years of obligated service and was honorably discharged on 22 July 1977. She received the National Defense Service Medal and the Rifle Marksman badge. After a seasonal job with the forestry department checking hunters at Fort Ord, she returned to secretarial work. She later transitioned into computer-based roles, teaching herself to use computers, and retired from Monterey Peninsula College. Judy also enjoyed solo motorcycle adventures, beginning in 1980, when her first excursion took her around Indiana. In 1981, she decided to attempt a trip "all the way around" the country. Her journey included several notable experiences and challenges.