Mike Griffin is reluctant to speak of his time as a soldier in Vietnam.
Very reluctant.
"I don't have beers with the guys and talk about any of that," Griffin said. "That's not how I am or how I wanted to be with my family.
"I think about (serving) everyday."
Griffin's strength and resolve are clear in his message and his words. He's proud of his service, and prouder still of how it allowed him to create a life for his family in the decades since his year in the jungles of Asia.
He went from active duty to being a police officer in Atlanta. He advanced to serve on narcotics units and become a homicide detective up to the rank of major in the DeKalb County Sheriff's Office and was the commander of all field operations.
He went to John Marshall Law School in Atlanta and graduated from the FBI academy.
He turned that into profitable runs as head of security for a couple of Fortune 500 companies.
(Read about other local veterans in our "21-Veteran Salute" series here)
BIO
Name: Mike GriffinAge: 71Branch of military: U.S. ArmyYears of service: 1968-70
The Rossville, Georgia, native who had a deferment from service joined the military moved back to the Chattanooga area so his son, Michael, could attend McCallie School, where his wife, Theda, works as an executive assistant to the headmaster.
And while he doesn't discuss his time in Vietnam - "We saw a lot of action," he said with a long pause. "A lot." - he believes the ground work for his success was laid in his service.
That service, though, was game-changing - for Griffin and in some ways for the American military effort.
He was part of the 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry, 173rd Airborne Brigade, a tight unit that specialized in ambushes and small-group attacks.
They went by the nickname Holloway's Raiders and SRAP - Short Range Ambush Patrol - and in a big-picture sense, were some of the foundations and forerunners for SEAL teams and other special operations units and the elite tactical forces.
"We were handpicked," Griffin said. "It was an elite group."
Griffin, in his ever-reluctant way, did not want to talk about the action and the acts of war but did said he and his group went on close to 70 missions in the central highland mountains of Vietnam.
"What did we know, we were kids, but we became men - fast," he said. "Kids will do a lot of things that adults would stop and ask, 'What are we doing?'"
His decorated career - he was awarded three Purple Hearts, the Bronze Star, two Air Medals and a slew of other medals and awards - also gave him an inner strength that has never left him.
As a 19-year-old sergeant and squad leader, he frequently led the small team assaults, and he still finds himself looking and scanning scenarios in everyday life for possible dangers.
"Fear? I don't know the last time," he answered when he asked if he could remember the last time he was afraid.
"Everyone handles fear differently. I learned long ago to talk to myself and remain calm under the gun."
Contact Jay Greeson at 423-757-6343 or jgreeson@timesfreepress.com.