Page 159 - Journal of Special Operations Medicine - Fall 2017

Dedication

SGM Walter M. Hetzler, father, husband, A veteran of the Cold War, Vietnam, and
medic, and Green Beret, succumbed to a 20- our prologue to terrorism in the 1980s, he
year battle with cancer on 2 June 2017. SGM Walter M. Hetzler developed equipment and capabilities that
M
l
l
H
W
l
SG
M
l
have served us all during the past 15 years.
His career spanned 33 years, from a modest beginning in He was known for his aptitude and passion for unconven-
the Marine Corps to a lifetime in Special Operations Forces tional warfare, often noting that there, success is only found
(SOF), he continued teaching and training Special Operators through indigenous efforts and that problems can more often
until his death. be solved with personal interaction than with kinetics. He fre-
quently counseled a key attribute for Special Forces: “You’re
His life mirrored America’s history; born in a Civilian Con- only limited by your imagination.”
servation Corps camp in Alabama before World War II, he
grew up in Oak Ridge, Tennessee, as his family supported the He was an internationalist and knew that Allies would pro-
war effort. After completing SOF training in 1965, he was as- vide the necessary strength if the worst occurred. He respected
signed to 1st BN, 10th Special Forces Group in Bad Tolz, West the Peace Corps, often pointing out that they shared the same
Germany, conducting operations and cultivating partnerships sense of duty, purpose, and values as those in uniform.
against the Iron Curtain. In 1968, he received orders for his
first deployment to Vietnam and was assigned to 5th Special His greatest achievements live on; not in the battles, or the
Forces Group, where he served for 18 months with A-503 jokes and pranks, or those that he taught, but with the larger
Mobile Strike, or MIKE, Force and B-55. When SGM Hetzler impact his relationships have made on our profession and in
returned stateside, he was assigned as an instructor at the U.S. our world. He taught people how to think, not what to think.
Army’s Institute for Military Assistance Medical Committee, The Soldiers he trained, mentored, and served with have risen
responsible for training and certifying a generation of SOF in the ranks and responsibilities with great destiny.
Medics while gaining greater expertise himself.
No marriage is perfect and the true life partnerships are
Walt Hetzler returned to Viet- rare, but this was one shared with his beloved wife, Lynda.
nam for a second tour and Through good times
was assigned to Project Delta, and bad, over 47 years,
MACV SOG, from 1971 to she, too, endured the
1972. Following his service in sacrifice, the risk, and
Vietnam, he was then assigned the work to make ser-
to 1st Special Forces Group in vice and family a life.
Okinawa, Japan. During this Love endures.
assignment, his team was se-
lected to train forces on the With his children, as
island of Taiwan during a with his Soldiers, he
geopolitically sensitive and was not afraid to hold
complex time with the Peo- them to standards and
ple’s Republic of China. SGM even discipline when needed. More importantly, he also had
Hetzler and his family then re- the love, foresight, and respect to forgive and protect them
turned to Fort Bragg in 1974 after the lesson. The children, grandchildren, and great grand-
to again work as senior medical instructor at Med Lab. children he raised and loved have a more fulfilling life due to
that family respect from Papa.
Some service will remain unstated as he exercised a remark-
able respect for the importance of security in SOF. It is often said that we stand on the shoulders of those who
have gone before us; this Medic, along with his many brothers,
SGM Hetzler returned to 1st Special Forces Group at Fort paved a long road of sacrifice, evolution, and enjoyment that
Lewis, Washington, in 1988, finishing his career as the B Com- we all benefit from today. He would ask that we respect that,
pany, 2d Battalion, Sergeant Major for 6 straight years and to make our own paths, and to honor and exercise the same
ultimately retiring in 1993. standards, values, and expectations for our profession now.

155