By Emily Gross, Senior Manager of Program Development and Outreach
Today’s Front Line Hero is Bob Worthington, retired Army officer, Vietnam War veteran, and resident of The Evangelical Good Samaritan Society’s Las Cruces Village in New Mexico. LTC Worthington (RET.) received seven decorations for valor, a Purple Heart, and many more awards over his 30 years of military service.
Now an accomplished author, Worthington was recently recognized by The Military Writers Society of America, receiving a Gold Medal for Excellence in Literature for his work, Under Fire with ARVN Infantry. In his book, Worthington details experiences from his first tour in Vietnam. During 1966-1967, the heart of the Vietnam War, Worthington served as combat advisor to Vietnamese infantry units, and was closely connected to the everyday lives of infantry members, often dining with them and spending time with their families. Remembering his time in Vietnam, Worthington describes it as a “beautiful country” with “beautiful people.”
After two tours in Vietnam, Worthington went on to earn an MA in Counseling and Psychology from Northern Arizona University, an MBA from Webster University, and a PhD in Counseling Psychology from the University of Utah. He has served as a clinical psychologist and consultant for the U.S. Army; led research projects on post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD); owned several small businesses; and worked as a tenured professor of psychology, business, journalism, advertising, and writing.
Worthington says he and his wife Anita love living at Las Cruces Village and he is in the middle of writing another book covering his second tour in Vietnam, which he anticipates publishing in 2021.
Thank you for your service, LTC Worthington!
