The Machine-Gun Shaman
Ben Cardamone was born in Utica, New York, Nov 1946.
Joined the Marine Corps in August 1966 (around 20) and was discharged end of 1969. While enlisted, Ben's duties included jet mechanic, helicopter crew chief & machine gunner, among other duties. He Flew a bunch of missions in Vietnam. Before Vietnam, he was on an aircraft carrier to Cuba, Haiti, Panama, and all the other islands in the Caribbean; he had front-row seats to some unique moments in American military history, which we talk about briefly.
In the ‘70s, Ben moved to Colorado, lived in a commune, and was involved at the beginning of natural food distribution in the whole united states. He started by unloading trucks and moved up to driving 18-wheelers, became transportation manager, and finally, VP of operations, where he held the position for at least 20 years.
As you will see, Ben has had to work with many personal demons, and his journey is unique. We talk about war, the nature of human connection, “thanking veterans” for their service, what is actually medicinal, and how he figured out his way through life.
Ben has been kind enough to volunteer his time here, and I thought he captured a unique way in which Vietnam-era veterans have had to work with their experience. I hope his nature comes through here since we all benefit from his wisdom in my opinion.