Paul H. Wilkins, who called Manhattan, Kansas home for a long time, enlisted in the USAF in 1960. After completing Basic Training and Tech School he was assigned as an X-Ray technician at Travis AFB, in California. It was there as an A/3C that he received notification to report to Lackland AFB, Texas in April 1962 to attend class 63A, Officer Candidate School.
After graduation from OCS he was assigned to Gunter AFB, Alabama (9/62-4/63) where he studied Dispensary Administration. He was then assigned to Cannon AFB, New Mexico, (4/63-3/65) as Dispensary Administrator and Squadron Commander. In March 1965 he was sent overseas to Aviano AFB, Italy where he again served as Dispensary Administrator.
Upon his return to the U.S. Paul resigned his commission and went to college to finish his Bachelor’s degree. In 1969 he began working as a civil servant at Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California as a Naval architect. He was there from 1969 to 1979 when he relocated to Bremerton, Washington and the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. He remained there until 1995. In 1995 he retired from Civil Service with 26 years service.
During his civil service with the Navy Paul grew to like the Navy and in 1984 joined the Naval Reserve. By 1998 he had risen to the grade of Commander and retired as such.
Paul earned his Master’s in Naval Architecture and acquired a taste for boat building (wooden boats). He married Sherry shortly after OCS and they have two children. They now call Belfair, Washington home.
