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Surviving an American Gulag

Welcome to Ft. Gordon, Ga - the Special Training Unit. It's 1967, the height of the Vietnam War and Private Winslow Gibbs has been drafted. He's two-hundred and seventy pounds and a bundle of nerves. He also has issues of a different nature, but in these days before the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy, these are dealt with in the American Gulag, the Army's answer to the problem. What they don't count on are the ones like Private Gibbs, who want to survive it and serve. Based on the author's own experiences, Surviving an American Gulag is a story that the military would prefer remain a footnote. However, it is a defining moment and should not be lost to posterity. Also included with this work is "A Dime a Dip," a tale of the author's grandmother and her considerable efforts on behalf of thousands of migrant worker children. Revised for 2010. Review from Rainbow Reviews: This story is a diamond . . . in the rough. Private Winslow Gibbs is a caterpillar. The special training unit essentially is his cocoon from which emerges the butterfly. Through those around him, Gibbs is able to realize who he is inside. The below exchange is magnificent in how it encapsulates the journey Gibbs is traveling. "What should I do?" "Nothing," Avila said. "Love yourself. That's what's happening here. You're learning to love yourself. Loving others will come naturally after you learn to love yourself." "But how do you do it? " "One day at a time. No great plan. I wake up and see the sunshine or the rain and ..." Gibbs does learn to love himself and the rest follows as Avila promises. As this story is based on real life, it seems untidy. But that is how life is and the story has that indefinable air of truth because of it.Read more

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