I grew up in various places around St Louis
(mostly on the Illinois side). Joined the Army Reserve in February 1955,
then dropped out of high school in March 1955 before completing the junior
year. I enlisted in the USAF in March 1956. After tech school at Scott
AFB, I worked as a personnel specialist at Ellsworth AFB, SD. Was assigned
to Spain, arriving in late August 1957 and was assigned as a personnel specialist
and personal affairs specialist
I met Loly in early September 1957, and we were married in Seville,
Spain on 15 November 1958. Loly grew up in a small town in Spain where her
family had been for centuries. After completing school, she and 3 sisters
then lived with their aunt in Seville where they worked in various jobs (there
were few jobs available in her home town). She also had 2 older
married sisters living in Seville. The younger siblings (there were
10 children in her family) were back in the home town.
In 1961, was assigned to Chanute AFB, IL and retrained to be a missile systems
analyst on the Hound Dog missile. Worked at Blytheville AFB, AR from
July to December 1962.
After graduating from OCS and reciving my commission in June 1963, I worked
as a personnel officer at McChord AFB. In early 1966 located an assignment
at San Pablo AB, Spain with AFCS, but MAC would not release me, so I volunteered
for Vietnam. Was personnel and administration officer in the communications
squadron at DaNang Airport, Vietnam from July 1966 to July 1967.
In August 1967 I was assigned as a communications
officer at Moron AB, Spain until my unit deactivated. AFCS personnel
called and said I was urgently required for the next assignment (Offutt AFB)
and there was no time to take leave. We left Moron AB without a port
call. We just got on the courier plane to Torrejon AB, Spain on 30 December
1970. The next morning I talked to a personnel guy who amended my orders
so we could get on a C-141 to Charleston AFB, SC. After Offutt AFB,
we moved to Keesler AFB, MS so I could attend Communications Electronics Staff
Officer Course and Air Command and Staff College (concurrent seminar) in
December 1972. Graduated in July 1973 and was assigned to Shaw AFB,
SC. I retired in grade of Major on 1 May 1976.
I attended Southern Illinois University and received an MBA in March, 1978.
I began Federal civil service career at Hq Air Force Communications Service,
Scott AFB, IL. From April 1978 to January 1982 I was a communications
specialist doing planning, programming, and budgeting for total Air Force
communications requirements. From January 1982 to May 1984 I was deputy
chief, voice operations division at Hq AFCS. In June 1985 returned to
Hq Air Force Communications Command and worked as communications engineering
and installation budget programmer. In March 1986, I transferred to
the Defense Communications Agency in Arlington, VA. My last position
was deputy director of voice networks, Defense Information Systems Agency,
responsible for worldwide management of the Defense Switched Network and the
Defense Red Switch Network. I retired in January 1996, as GS-15.
We sold our house in Burke, VA in January 1997 and put our household goods
in storage. We went to Spain for a few months (we own an apartment in
Seville). Then the renters in our house in Illinois decided to
move out and we moved in. We like to walk and those winters in Illinois
were too cold for me to get out much. So we had a house built in Ormond
Beach, Florida and moved there in December 1999. Now we spend 2 or 3
or 4 months a year in Spain, going several times. We also visit our
3 children (ages 43, 41, 39) and 7 grandchildren, so we are on the road a
lot.
Our daughter (our oldest child) just bought a Blimpie subs & salads
franchise. She quit her job in human resources at Southern Illinois
University. Her husband is a metallurgist at a steel mill. They
live in Illinois close to St Louis. They have two children (girl 20
and boy 17). Our oldest son is a GS-15 working for the Defense Intelligence
Agency and a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserve. His wife
is from Sweden. They live in the Virginia suburbs of DC. They
have two children (girl 14 and boy 10).
Our youngest son is a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force and is commander
of the 38th Student Squadron at Maxwell AFB. He was the military aide
to Dr Sheila Widnall, Secretary of the Air Force. His wife is from Illinois.
They live in Prattville, AL and have three children (girl 14, boy 12, and
girl 7).
In my spare time, I enjoy researching and compiling information on
the USAF in Spain.