To honor our service men and women leading up to this Fourth of July, we are profiling veterans with remarkable stories.

We met a U.S. Army Vietnam vet, who spends his days reaching out to soldiers whose problems he understands all too well.

At 20 years old, Bob Scholten spent 10 months as a combat soldier in Vietnam. He carried his Bible in his pocket every day, and prayed while he ran.

“Survivor's guilt, that was a killer,” Scholten said.

Almost 37 years passed before Scholten was treated for Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, bringing back memories he'd buried deep. Like the night he watched a Special Forces Unit come under attack.

“They got mortared, rocketed, and all we could do was sit there and watch it happen, because it was too far for us to fire,” Scholten said.

Scholten says the war continued when he returned home.

“I really don't want to talk about it there was no honor. Whenever I wore my uniform, there was absolutely no honor towards it,” Scholten said.

Scholten's experience inspired him to become a pastor.

The Chicago native found his calling at the Annville Reformed Church. In 2007 he completed a 6-week PTSD treatment program through the VA. His faith plays an ongoing role in his recovery.

“War was a scar on me. I see the scar, but the pain is gone, it's just a scar. The pain's not there, the scar is. So when I look at the scar, I think of god's grace,” Scholten said.

Scholten also published his memories and prayers in a book, called "Reflections on a Journey to War." He co-founded Jackson County Veterans Outreach to help soldiers struggling to return to civilian life.

This Fourth of July, Scholten wants Americans to be patient with veterans.

“We cannot force ourselves onto a veteran. We cannot force ourselves into a veteran's life. A veteran has to allow you to come in and a veteran will allow you to come in when he or she knows you're real,” Scholten said.