Magalia-Pines Family Practice Medical Clinic 

Don Sakal, MMSc., PA-C / CEO, is a veteran U.S. Army Special Forces (SF) Medic (91B2S/18D) and had short stent with SF via three years enlistment and was selected as SF instructor (no team-time experience, rather student to instructor).  Don credits the men on this page for influencing him to accomplish something good in life and for their service to our Country. 

  Instructor 1980    Student 1978   Gymnast 1979

 Don Sakal (above photos)

Col. Ola Lee Mize, U.S. Army Medal Of Honor, Korea, joined the Special Forces in the early 1960s and spent 20 years including nearly four years of duty in Vietnam, during which he was shot three times. Col. Mize was commander of the Special Forces Schools at Fort Bragg and as School Master visited Camp Mackall (where we trained SF) often enough.  As he suffered terrible allergic rhinitis he usually stopped by our Aid Station for some relief.  I was SF Cadre for the SFQC phases I & III back then working the Aid Station with Stu Blanchard who went onto Delta with Craig Maxim.

Col. Ola Lee Mize U.S. Army Medal Of Honor, Korea, (below is from MOH page)

Sergeant Mize's company was defending "Outpost Harry" when the enemy launched a heavy attack. Learning that a comrade on a friendly listening post had been wounded he moved through the intense barrage, accompanied by an aid man, and rescued the wounded soldier. Returning to the main position he established a defense system and inflicted heavy casualties against attacks from determined enemy assaults which penetrated trenches in the outpost area. Sergeant Mize was blown down by artillery and grenade blasts three times but returned to his position, tenaciously fighting and repelling hostile attacks. When enemy onslaughts ceased he took his men and moved from bunker to bunker, firing through apertures and throwing grenades at the foe. When an enemy soldier stepped behind a comrade, prepared to fire, Sergeant Mize killed him, saving the life of his fellow soldier. Moving from man to man, distributing ammunition, and shouting words of encouragement he observed a friendly machinegun position overrun. He fought his way to the position, killing 10 enemy and dispersing the remainder. Finding several wounded at the outpost, he took a position to protect them. Later, securing a radio, he directed friendly artillery fire upon the attacking enemy's routes of approach.

The Ballad of The Green Beret

Fighting soldiers from the sky
Fearless men who jump and die
Men who mean just what they say
The brave men of the Green Berets

Silver wings upon their chests
These are men, America's best
One hundred men will test today
But only three win the Green Beret

Trained to live off nature's land
Trained to combat hand-to-hand
Men who fight by night and day
Courage taken from the Green Beret

Silver wings upon their chests
These are men, America's best
One hundred men will test today
But only three win the Green Beret

Back at home a young wife waits
Her Green Beret has met his fate
He has died for those oppressed
Leaving her this last request

Put silver wings on my son's chest
Make him one of America's best
He'll be a man they'll test one day
Have him win the Green Beret

October 12, 1961: Brigadier General William P. Yarborough speaks with President Kennedy at Fort Bragg, North Carolina.  Kennedy was responsible for developing the Green Berets. 

Walt Hetzler, Air Strike, on top of Nui Coto with a napalm drop being conducted (1969) all part of the 5th Mobile Strike Force (Nha Trang) collection.

CSM Walt Hetzler was SFC Instructor of Goat Lab in 1978 (after his Mike Force Vietnam experience).  I had opportunity to be student under SFC Walt Hetzler and later worked along side him at Med Lab/Goat Lab as a junior instructor/medic teaching surgery.  In 1979 before the Iran Hostage Situation Walt had honored me with an offer to Green Light/SADM, but I felt too young to accept.  Knowledgeable about medicine and one of the best Instructors I’ve ever seen, I remember Walt mostly for being a most honorable and fair man.  CSM Walt Hetzler went onto the VSA.  After retirement he lead O.A.S.I.S.   which helps special-ops vets and POWs get the VA benefits they deserve, and he also worked for NEK.  In 2011 Walt was entered into the SF Hall of Fame.  I appreciate Walt Hetzler's many years of service to our Country and for training us junior medics.  Simply, I can't thank you enough sir!   

Walt Hetzler, with Tiger cub Dong Ba Thien (1968)

Craig Maxim 1970 (Mini Max) Gunner: 176th Assault Helicopter Company 1970 

SSG. Craig Maxim, was SF Camp Mackall TAC, master ruck-sacker, whom I was both student under and later worked with in 1979 at Camp Mackall where we trained SF.

I remember during the SFQC phase I , Maxim began to verbally reprimand me for being out of uniform (having no rank on), but when he learned that I was still an E-nothing (an E-1 with less than 6 months service, and therefore, no chevrons yet to wear) he sternly exclaimed: “don’t let anyone ever tell you that you’re an e-nothing, because as long as you’re standing before me you’re an E-something”!

Maxim past me on the airport run (4 miles run in 32 minutes carrying 55 pounds - equates to 8 minute miles) as a student even though I was a few seconds late (unheard of), because after he saw the gross blood blisters on my feet he believed me able.  Without him I would never have moved onto phase II.

Fortunately, after graduation, I worked at Camp Mackall and slowly began to know Craig Maxim.  In 1979 I had opportunity to treat his overuse knee syndrome after his amazing 40 miles Delta march for qualification.  It was good to know that I had returned a small favor.  Not long after, reportedly, Craig Maxim was one of the first in the Delta Force with Col. Charlie Beckwith on that C-130 that burned in Iran during the Iran Hostage Situation.

Much later Craig Maxim did 12 months as chief of security for General Norman Schwarzkopf, and 13 months in Afghanistan as detail lead for President Hamid Karzaion.  Craig ran the first WPPS PSD contract under DynCorp for Karzi.  His successful performance made that world for that company.  On June 19, 2004 · NPR's Scott Simon spoke with Craig Maxim, who spent 30 years in U.S. Army Special Operations, about his work for Triple Canopy, a company that provides protection in high threat environments, regarding Maxim's time as lead on Afghan President Hamid Karzai's protection detail.