Chicago, IL—This story begins in my hometown, where I was drafted into the Army during the peak of the Vietnam War (1968-1970).    Growing up as a fighter, I was ready for combat even as a teenager. Though I had no desire to join the military, I knew that getting drafted was a real probability, and I had to prepare myself to face it. During this time, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara significantly lowered the intelligence requirements for military enlistment and recruited large numbers of petty criminals.    Many of these recruits, often referred to as 'McNamara’s morons,' struggled to complete basic training, with many going AWOL or getting into other trouble. Those who couldn’t adjust left the military with less than honorable discharges, though some did manage to turn things around and become successful soldiers despite their limited intellectual capabilities. The nickname 'McNamara’s morons' was fitting for many of these recruits, who mostly volunteered to jo...