With his antiwar t-shirts and John Lennon-style glasses, Michael Holzman may seem to many like just another hippie.

As the bus and facility technician at Huachuca City Elementary, it is not uncommon to find him flashing the occasional peace sign or working in his garden on school grounds.

“I am a child of the ‘60’s and I don’t fit in,” Holzman said. “But people accept me here. They never told me what I couldn’t do or say or wear.”

But despite his laid-back demeanor, there is much more to Holzman than his attire.

Holzman is the Southern Arizona representative for Vietnam Veterans Against the War Inc. (VVAW), which helps veterans find healthcare and education assistance. The VVAW also lobbies against the Iraq war.

As a Vietnam veteran, Holzman is all too familiar with the reality of war and the difficulties facing veterans today. He was sent to Vietnam on his 19th birthday and served for two years in the Army.

Holzman became involved in the antiwar movement when he returned home, but he quickly realized that it wasn’t easy returning to civilian life after war.

He spent many years trying to put Vietnam behind him.

“It’s really bizarre to take someone from civilization and fly them 10,000 miles away,” Holzman said. “And say, ‘Here you go, anything goes.’ The next day, you’re right back in civilian life. It doesn’t feel like reality. You still got a lot things going on in you that you need to work with. I needed something that would help keep the juices going in a positive way.”

After Vietnam, Holzman worked for the U.S. Forest Service and the Huachuca City Fire Department before joining the Tombstone Unified School District three years ago.

But the Iraq war brought a flood of memories back and sparked a new desire to become active in politics once again.

“People who have never been to war or have never been shot at— they don’t understand that war is not the answer,” Holzman said “It never accomplishes anything. Those who have been, as they get older and a little wiser, begin to realize that.”

Still, Holzman must walk a fine line between expressing his political views and working for the school district.

Tom Yarborough, principal of Huachuca City Elementary, said that Holzman truly cares for children and goes the extra mile to take care of the school even if he sometimes crosses the line with his politics.

“I know I can count on him to do the right thing,” said Tom Yarborough, principal of Huachuca City Elementary. “I respect him for a lot of things, not just his military background.”

Holzman’s wife of 10 years, Stephanie, who is the Food Services Coordinator for the district, said that though some people may not agree with his politics, many will find that he is much more than meets the eye.

“Michael’s his own person,” Stephanie said. “You just have to take him the way he is and I’m real big on accepting people the way they are. He’s one of a kind.”