Dr. Richard Magdaleno, U.S Navy

1962-1971

What was your life like until the service?

I was a very michiveous child. My mother sent me away to a monastery in Taiwan at the age of 13 where I spent the next five years of my life. This was really eye-opening because it was an opportunity to get an education, which I couldn’t get back in Colorado. I got my Masters in Acupuncture and Martial Arts.

What year did you start your service and when did it end?

I was recruited while studying Korean Acupuncture by US Navy in 1962, and I returned home in 1971.

Where were you stationed?

We manned the rivers along Southern Vietnam and Eastern Cambodia. I was in a River Patrol Boat. The real question is where wasn’t I stationed.

What was your job or assignment in the Navy?

I was mainly a US Navy Advisor in both Korea and Vietnam. We went up and down rivers in our 31-foot boat which was Jacuzzi water jet powered so we could maneuver shallow waters. We always had the latest technology on our side so we could get out of any situation.

Do you still have friends that you served with?

Yes, there is one who lives in Florida. We weren’t close in service, but afterwards you start to get curious and look them up. Twenty to 30 years later, I started looking people up and that’s when the bond really starts to grow. Even though it’s been 30 years since we’ve seen each other, we know pretty much everything about each other and are therefore connected forever.

Did you go back to school after serving?

Yes, I did. I returned to the University of Northern Colorado. I graduated fifth in my class with the highest academic honors. I graduated with a double major in Ethnic Studies and Anthropology in a year and ten months. On top of graduating very fast, I worked four jobs, which helped me focus on something other than the fact that I went to war. I never slept because I never had the time.

My father met Dr. Richard 30 years ago at the gym where their friendship started. They both found out that they were in the healing professions with similar spiritual paths. He became my father’s mentor in Acupuncture. My father worked with him and later took over his Acupuncture Practice. Dr. Richard is currently retired from practice but remains a source of strength and guidance to all who know him.