Finding My Way: A Memoir By Jerry Morton

Podcast 70, "More of the Unexpected," is an account of several more unexpected challenges before me during the second year of being a school psychologist in seven inner city schools in St. Petersburg, Florida, during the 1970-1971 school year.  This was the first year that the school system began bringing white children into the formally all black schools and black children into formally all white schools.

Podcast 69, "The Unexpected," is an account of being confronted with an unexpected situation I encountered in my second year, the 1970-1971 school year, as a school psychologist in the inner city schools of St. Petersburg, Florida.  My seven schools had white teachers and other white professionals, such as myself, working in them for the first time last year.  This school year, some white children entered the formally all black schools and black children were attending some of the formally all white schools.

Podcast 68, "Year Two," is an account of my work as a school psychologist during the 1970-1971 school year in St. Petersburg, Florida.  This was my second year in the school system and the second year of integration for my seven previously all black inner city schools.  The first year of integration had white professionals going into the all black schools.  The second year began with white children entering the black schools and black children entering the white schools.

Podcast 67, "The Work," is an account of my work as a school psychologist during the 1969-1970 school year serving seven all black inner city schools being integrated for the first time.  This was my first year as a school psychologist after serving three years in the army.

Podcast 66, "Seven Schools," is an account of my first year as a school psychologists serving seven all black schools in the inner city of St. Petersburg, Florida which were being integrated for the first time.  In June 1969, I left the army searching for a job. Not until that August day, the day before I began work, was I made aware of my assigned schools or that the school system was being integrated for the first time.

Podcast 65, "Employed," is an account of finally obtaining a position after being discharged from the army in June 1969.  My new employment required a move across several states to start in a position that was far more complicated than I had anticipated.

Podcast 64, "Frustrations Abound," relates my disappointment with the loss of various employment opportunities I thought I had secured before leaving the army and my last minute difficulties in actually leaving the army.

Podcast 63, "Unexpected Frustrations," relates my continuing search for a position in the civilian world in preparation for leaving the army in June 1969.  The search now includes explorations with a corporation and a school system.

Podcast 62, Searching for a New Life, is an account of the options I encountered as I prepared to become a civilian in the spring of 1969.  My active duty army obligation would end in June.  Since leaving graduate school in August, 1966, my life experiences had caused me to want to explore the opportunities that might be available for me in the civilian world.

Podcast 61, Introduction, is the actual introduction to the Reluctant Lieutenant book.  It was written by G. Kurt Piehler, a military historian.  Dr. Piehler provides an excellent review of the historical development of the military draft system into the Vietnam era as well as important demographics concerning the Vietnam draftees.  At the end, he raises some important issues for all of us to consider.

Podcast 60, Preface, is an account of the situation that caused Jerry to be forced into the army, why he wrote the Reluctant Lieutenant, his attempts to write it as factually as possible and his appreciation of those who assisted him.

Podcast 59, Epilogue, is an account of Jerry's primary assignment at the JFK Special Warfare Center, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina, after completing infantry OCS in 1967.  He provides a brief picture of his professional career after fulfilling his military obligation.

Podcast 58, Experienced Soldiers, is an account of Jerry's last few weeks of infantry OCS in June 1967.  Jerry's wife joins him, he encounters lieutenants who have not received their commissions the OCS way and listens to a graduation speech.

Podcast 57, The Chipmunk, is an account of Jerry being assigned an impossible task to accomplish at the celebration party for achieving senior candidate status a month before graduating from infantry OCS in the late spring of 1967.  No one knew if the mission could be accomplished until the last possible second.

Podcast 56, Camping Out, is an account of the ten days of war games Jerry's infantry OCS company engaged in during the spring of 1967.  The activities demonstrated the need to have a backup plan for every operation in the field.

The  Ambush is an account of the last two weeks in the woods engaged in war games at Ft. McClellan, Alabama in late November, 1966.  Jerry's spontaneous behaviors produce unusual results.

Podcast 55, Tactics, is an account of the training provided to infantry OCS candidates in the spring of 1967.  The tactics included navigation, calling in artillery fire, being ambushed, making sure your men had all their field equipment and the use of specialized weapons.

Podcast 54, Second Lieutenant Ken Strauss, is an account of Jerry's platoon in infantry OS getting a new tactical training officer (TAC) in the spring of 1967. The TAC quickly earns his respect as Jerry tries to  fulfill new tasks assigned to him including being an instructor, writing a poem and filling the role of acting platoon leader.

Podcast 53, Troubles, is an account of a series of problems Jerry had to cope with during his infantry OCS training in the spring of 1967.  These difficulties include receiving forbidden food, failing to follow an officer's order and being ordered to accomplish the impossible.

Podcast 52, Zero-Eight-Hundred, is an account of infantry OCS training in the spring of 1967.  Jerry is caught polishing his shoes during study time.  He is required to produce a military letter under seemingly impossible conditions.