• Skip to main content
  • Skip to secondary menu
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Contact Us
  • Advertise With Us
    • Our Advertisers
  • Distribution Locations
  • Past Issues

The Denver North Star

Your Guide to Community, Politics, Arts and Culture in North Denver

Hot off the Presses!
Check out the Jan 15 – Feb 14 issue here.

Help Us Improve!

Take our community survey and help
guide the direction of the The Denver North Star!

 

  • Community
  • Politics
  • Education
  • Health
  • Arts
  • Dining
  • Community Calendar
  • Become a Member

Walking the Talk: Richard Campos

October 13, 2020 By Kathryn White 3 Comments

In March I began noticing more on neighborhood walks. And I started taking a little extra time for conversations with neighbors. One snowy morning I chuckled at a yard sign in front of a house along my route. It sat within a collection of three or four others.

A dog was pictured saying, “What have the humans done wrong? Why are they all wearing muzzles?” Another sign had to do with serving in the Marines. I didn’t know what the one about Cadet Bone Spurs meant. I made a mental note to Google it.

Not long after, I saw a plant with a note attached in front of one of the signs. With fewer opportunities to say “hello” in passing, it seemed folks had taken to new ways of staying in touch. One day I also dropped a note off, on the doorstep, curious about the signs and how they connected to their owner’s experiences and viewpoints.

Richard Campos. Photos by Jan Pelton

Richard Campos settled in North Denver after growing up in San Antonio, Texas. He served as a Marine in the Vietnam War. His first few years in Colorado were rough: the war took a lot out of its soldiers. Much is known now about the tolls exacted by war—by that war in particular—but for Campos and fellow soldiers, they came to understand combat fatigue and PTSD by living through the mysterious, harrowing, day-by-day intensity. Connecting with one another became a healing salve. And together they never lost a sense of connection with U.S. service members missing in action or captured as prisoners of war.

The evening I sat with Campos, I learned about a collective veteran movement of the 1980’s and 90’s that transformed the way broader society understood the experiences of Vietnam veterans. It ultimately also improved programs supporting veterans’ health and recovery.

The veteran movement coalesced around the music of singer-songwriter-veterans Michael J. Martin and Tim “Doc” Holiday and long-distance marches across the United States organized by Martin and Holiday’s The Last Patrol. Music became anthems for over 40 300-, 900- and 1,600-mile journeys veterans took by foot to call attention to the issues they faced.

Campos’ stories about the marches and the music taught me a few things about what it means to put your time and energy into what matters. And I can’t help but also reflect on the healing power of collective struggle and the music that often accompanies it.

Among other marches, in 1986 Campos completed a 6-week trek of over 900 miles from Denver to his hometown in Texas. He arrived in time for the dedication of San Antonio’s Veterans Memorial Plaza on Nov 9th. That day, “Hill-881 South” was unveiled: a sculpture by Austin Deuel, a Marine Corps combat artist who, like Campos, Martin and Holiday, served in Vietnam.

Today, Campos walks his talk in new ways. His yard signs now total 15; they lean political and to the left, with bits of lefty humor infused. Each is topped with two small flags, mostly the Stars and Stripes, with a few POW/MIA flags sprinkled in.

One day, not too long ago, a newer sign about PTSD gave me pause:

“PTSD: It’s not the person refusing to let go of the past but the past refusing to let go of the person.”

Campos spends most days now with his teenage grandson supervising online school while his daughter is at work. He knows many of his neighbors; some are even family. One passer-by was angered by the signs, but Campos didn’t take it too seriously. It seems to Campos to be a straightforward form of patriotism, speaking your mind. Even if some people don’t agree with him. Yet.

Kathryn has lived in North Denver since around the time the Mount Carmel High School building was razed and its lot at 3600 Zuni became Anna Marie Sandoval Elementary. She’s raised two children in the neighborhood, worked at several nonprofits, and facilitates a Caregiver Support Group for the Alzheimer’s Association Colorado Chapter.

Do you have story ideas for The Gray Zone? Email thegrayzone.denvernorthstar@gmail.com.

Filed Under: The Gray Zone

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Dixie Davis says

    October 14, 2020 at 7:22 am

    I was married to Tim (Doc) Holiday until his death from Agent Orange cancer in 2000. Rich Campos was an awesome leader in the Veteran’s awareness movement. Well respected by all. He was and still is an example of a patriotic and caring American. Thank you Rich for all that you have done through the years to help veterans.

    Reply
    • Kathryn White says

      November 6, 2020 at 4:12 pm

      Dixie, I appreciate your addition to the story. And I’m sorry for your loss. Those gentleman did a great service to the community and future generations through the movement they led.

      Be well,
      Kathryn

      Reply
  2. Richard Campos says

    October 13, 2020 at 5:26 pm

    Ms. Kathryn,
    T;hank You for the story!

    Reads good especially the ending “yet”!!! Brings back a lot of memories from “WALKS” and “CONCERTS” from the past.

    Wished your editor would’ve allowed more pictures at least on line, though!!

    Richard Campos

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Email Newsletter

Sign up to receive email updates about The Denver North Star, your new guide to community, politics, arts and culture in North Denver.

Community Events

The Denver North Star community calendar is coming back! We’ve updated our form to better accept physical and virtual events, as well as to collect additional information possible attendees would like to know.

Please use our new form to submit your event!

Jan 23 2021

Local Quilt Shop Day

Jan 23 2021

Necessity Drive for Latina Safehouse at Denver Elks Lodge #17

Feb 16 2021

Berkeley Regis United Neighbors (BRUN) Monthly Meeting

Mar 16 2021

Berkeley Regis United Neighbors (BRUN) Monthly Meeting

Apr 20 2021

Berkeley Regis United Neighbors (BRUN) Monthly Meeting

No event found!
Load More

Connect With Us

  • Email
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Twitter

Keep Up With Us

The Denver North Star

Recent Comments

  • Catherine O’Neill Thorn on More Than Names and Dates: Local Historians Build Community
  • Karen F Kalavity on More Than Names and Dates: Local Historians Build Community
  • Kathleen Cain on More Than Names and Dates: Local Historians Build Community
  • Lois Harvey on More Than Names and Dates: Local Historians Build Community
  • Lois Harvey on More Than Names and Dates: Local Historians Build Community
  • Mark Barnhouse on More Than Names and Dates: Local Historians Build Community
  • Alan Culpin on More Than Names and Dates: Local Historians Build Community

Our Columnists

  • Educator and mom Jill Carstens writes about parenting in her column, Letters from Miss Jill.
  • Librarian Hannah Evans discusses great reads in her Checking Out: Book Reviews column.
  • Dennis Gallagher tells all in his column, Shaping Our Future by Remembering Our Past.
  • Erika Taylor advocates for community wellness in her Taylored Fitness columns.
  • Kathryn White focuses on issues of interest to older adults in her column, The Gray Zone.
  • District 1 Community Resource Officer Bob Anderson focuses on public safety issues in his monthly column.

Our Archives

  • January 2021
  • December 2020
  • November 2020
  • October 2020
  • September 2020
  • August 2020
  • July 2020
  • June 2020
  • May 2020
  • April 2020
  • March 2020
  • February 2020
  • January 2020
  • December 2019
  • November 2019
  • October 2019
  • September 2019

All Categories

  • Arts and Culture
  • Cannabis
  • Checking Out Book Reviews
  • Community
  • Community Voices
  • Coronavirus News
  • Denver North Star News
  • Dining
  • Editorial
  • Education
  • Environment
  • Featured
  • Globeville
  • Guest Column
  • Health
  • Legislature
  • Local Dining
  • Opinion
  • Parenting
  • Politics
  • Public Safety
  • Shaping Our Future by Remembering Our Past
  • Student Voices
  • Taylored Fitness
  • The Gray Zone
  • Transportation
  • Uncategorized

Copyright © 2021 · All Rights Reserved