Life Prior To USAF
I had no life prior to USAF. My father was a career AF Officer and from 18 months on I was a military brat. I went to grade schools in Panama, Washington DC, Montgomery AL, San Antonio. and high schools in Willamstown MA, Kokura and Ashiya in Japan and graduated from the latter in 1957. I chased girls and drank beer and flunked out of the Univ of Colo.
Enlisted Experiences
I was a smart assed college kid with an attitude when I washed out of Aviation Cadet training and was assigned to Richards-Gebaur AFB, MO in 1961. After a singularly undistinguished stint as an Education and Training Specialist (I ran the Base Education Office) I was accepted for OCS.
Memories Of OCS
Bad attitude, smart mouth, too many tour ramps in the heat, marching and doing leg lifts with ankle in cast (not to mention submarine training), square meals, memory training, L’Italien, Pulliam and getting through it all with friends.
Life After OCS
First assignment as non-rated, non-technical Education and Training Officer and Civil Engineering Squadron Commander at SAC’s Francis E. Warren AFB in Cheyenne in January 1963. Not a prescription for career success. Over SAC’s strenuous objections applied and was accepted for Signals Intelligence Officer training at Security Service’s Goodfellow AFB.
Spent remainder of AF career in what was then AF Security Service including tours in Misawa and Wakkanai, Japan, ‘Nam (Tan Son Nhut, Danang), Ft. Meade (NSA), USAF Electronic Warfare Center and Kelly and Medina AFBs in Texas. Great intel officer – poor politician. Briefing officer for Presidents, Senators, Generals and SecDefs. Fun times – passed over for LC – retired as a major. Retired in San Antonio in 1981, moved to Houston in 1987.
Present Life
Happily married to second wife. Three grown children, nine grandkids. Undistinguished, but lucrative career in Telecommunications selling hardware, internet connectivity and network services for Toshiba, Southwestern Bell, ALLTEL until dot-commed by ICG Communications in November 2000. Basically retired since. Will test for license as Professional Real Estate Inspector in June.
Future Plans
Looking for about 40 acres with four seasons, deciduous trees, streams, ponds, and wildlife to retire to somewhere in the northwest quadrant of Texas. Will travel as desired, watch sunrises and sunsets, visiting children/grandchildren and native flora and fauna for remainder of life.
