August 2026

Program groups are common in prison. They cover a wide variety of areas which are related to the rehabilitation process. This article is about a man who saw a need for a program group for the military veterans in the California Health Care Facility (CHCF) prison and did something to fill that need.

“We don’t call it PTSD,” is what Robert “Bob” Lowe says, regarding the new Veterans Identity and Wellness group he is largely responsible for creating. This group is held every other Friday in the Group Activities area. The requirement for eligibility is to be a military veteran. “The idea behind this group is to provide a safe place to go for incarcerated persons (IPs) who are military veterans and have various unresolved issues from their time in service to their country,” Bob stated.

Mr. Lowe honorably served his country in the U. S. Marine Corps from December 1,1965 to December 1,1968. A large portion (June of ’67 to August of ’68) was spent seeing extensive combat while serving with Hotel Co. 2nd Battalion 7th Marines in the Vietnam war, where Bob earned various medals and awards during his service there.

Mr. Lowe’s first combat duty was located on Hill 55, Northwest of Da Nang, which is situated in what is ironically nicknamed “Happy Valley.” As a Corporal on his first combat experience, Bob served as a Fire Team Leader, leading a reinforced Fire Team on a four (4) mile extended perimeter patrol where his Fire Team came under sniper fire. Bob said, “There was the cracking of bullets all around me. At first I didn’t know what the cracking sound was, then I was told it was the bullets breaking the sound barrier.” Bob continued, “We were pinned down in a rice paddy, 6 of us hugging a rice paddy dike while laying in Buffalo dung. The only way out was to run for the tree line which was approximately 200 meters away.” Lowe called in for mortar support and minutes later mortars hit the area and Lowe’s team started to run for safety, one at a time, 10 seconds apart. But not all of the Viet Cong (VC) were gone. The third Marine in line was shot in the head. Bob said, “It is the first time I heard the term ‘the running dead’. He fell about 10 yards after being shot dead.” The fourth Marine in line had already started running, with orders to keep running. This left Lowe and another Marine, PFC Robinson. Bob says, “I told Robinson to go and I would pick up the KIA.”

Robinson told Lowe, “No, the squad needs you. I’ll pick him up,” following the long established Marine’s credo of never leaving a comrade behind. Bob said, “I ran for safety and looking back, there was Robinson carrying our casualty in a fireman’s carry, slushing through the deep rice paddy, bullets hitting all around him.” Lowe continued, “Incidentally the KIA was a white Marine and Robinson is a black man from Baltimore.” Lowe shared many of his experiences of combat in Vietnam, having taken part in numerous battles and fire fights during his tour, occasionally seeing immense stupidity from superior officers and incredible bravery from fellow Marines. Although Bob would never say so himself, he also exhibited the courage and character expected of a Marine during the 14 months he was in-country. Bob was a Marine who lived by what the Marines taught him: loyalty to his comrades, whether deserved or not. As a reward, when Bob returned to American soil he was called names, harassed and spit on because of his service to his country in Vietnam. “I feel my Marine service and Vietnam tour became a direct influence in my civilian life, ” Bob says. “I immediately started hating certain people, even going as far as shooting at protestors and Hippies with a pellet gun.”

Bob stated, “I wondered what had turned this young man, a person who played second base for the University of Kansas baseball team and was signed as a big league baseball prospect with the Pittsburgh Pirates, into this hateful and vindictive human being?” Lowe is serving a Life Without Parole (LWOP) sentence, although he has never committed a murder in his case. Bob says, “I have taken groups, taught school, and have grown as a person while in prison. I am not the same person that I was when I was arrested.” Lowe has been the Commander (Chairman) of the CHCF FSS Veterans Support Group for the past four (4) years. After some individual therapy sessions with Dr. Tickemyer, which are directly related to the PTSD he suffers as a result of his service in Vietnam, Bob came to the realization he, and other incarcerated Veterans like himself, who suffer from PTSD as a result of their military service, had no safe place to go where they can share their military experiences and help deal with their PTSD in an environment which was safe and would have the support of others who are able to relate to what each other have endured. Mr. Lowe has done an impressive job, working with Dr. Tickemyer, to bring a very helpful and important means for incarcerated military veterans to get the help they never had the opportunity to receive before. The group sessions are very personal and at times emotionally powerful, as a result of the experiences shared by various veterans in the group. A salute to you Bob!