Dan was drafted into the US Army in 1969 and was sent to Vietnam at the age of 18. Dan's tour of duty lasted 6 months and 29 days. He was part of the 101st Airborne at the 37th Signal group. Although he was spared the experience of hand-to-hand combat, he was not immune to the bomb runs that required frequent stays in a bunker. Below is a picture of Dan sitting outside the bunker's safe haven. While serving, Dan was assigned the head of the mess hall and was known by his fellow servicemen as a cook who made the best use of every ingredient he had on hand. Additionally, Dan sought out team members to be placed on his staff who had culinary abilities in their civilian life. As a result of his culinary creativity and leadership, Dan enjoyed rewards such as more frequent calls from home from his commanding officers. He was honorably discharged on August 15, 1969.
