Lt. Col. Alfred G. Nichols III

Lt. Col. Alfred G. Nichols III

Lt. Col. Alfred Nichols enlisted into the U.S. Army in 1957, into the 82nd Airborne Division, after one year of college. Following his active-duty enlisted tour, Al transferred to the Army Reserve, returned to college at the University of South Florida and received a direct commission to second lieutenant after graduating. Al volunteered for the newly formed Special Forces (Green Berets) and attended the Special Forces Qualification Course at Fort Bragg, N.C. Following graduation from this grueling training he was immediately sent to Vietnam on a Special Forces team. Al's team advised Vietnamese Special Forces teams and civilian defense groups. After returning home from his tour, Al decided to leave the Special Forces and attend flight school to become a helicopter pilot. After graduating flight school, Al returned to Vietnam for a second tour as a Medevac (Air Ambulance) helicopter pilot. During his second tour in Vietnam Al hauled over 2,000 wounded soldiers to medical facilities directly from the battlefield, a majority of time under enemy fire while he landed. Al retired in 1982 with the rank of lieutenant colonel. He earned a master's degree from the University of Colorado. Al's awards from his military service include the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit, the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Bronze Star for Valor, 34 Air Medals (3 for Valor), the Purple Heart, the Army Commendation Medal For Valor, the Vietnamese Honor Medal, the Parachutists' Badge, the Vietnamese Parachutists' Badge, Master Aviator Wings, the Combat Medic's Badge and the Special Forces Tab, among many other awards and decorations.