 The Good Life
I enlisted in the AF in 1969 as an Airman Basic and fell into some "special activities" type work which took me to Thule Greenland for a year (i.e. 11 mos, 2 wks, and 4 days). While at Tutiful Booley I learned that the AF had an education and commissioning program which I was able to enter and graduate BSEE in 1975 and was commissioned a Second Looey. Then is was Keesler AFB, MS for a tech school; Boston, MA to help engineer the AWACS E3A for the US and NATO; then to Andrews AFB, MD for HQ mgmt of the AWACS program. Out of the blue, the AF offers to send me to their grad school for a MSEE specializing in something called "Low Observables" which in common terms is "Stealth"; so I went to Wright Patterson AFB, OH for grad school and remained there to work stealth engineering on such stuff as the F-117A which was a career highlight! Next to the Pentagon to work on more interesting stuff; and then to Los Angeles for more interesting stuff not to mention the sun and surf; then back to the Pentagon to help the AF re-engineer the way we acquire our systems; then a short diversion to Defense Acquisition University as the Dean for Research and Consulting; then back to the Pentagon to work some issues in Information Warfare. Having entered in 1969 to do only my four years and then out, I stayed because the people were so well focused and appreciated the value of the mission and there just wasn't ever a dull moment, that I just kept going and going until 32.5 years later when I felt that it was my time to transition to industry and support my brothers in arms in the next generation. So I retired on 1 Oct 2001 as an 0-6 Colonel. Just after the 9-11 tragedy and my prayers are for those still serving in uniform and I am grateful for their dedication to keep our beautiful nation safe and secure.
Lord Bless,
Bill  | 
05-22-2009, 01:17 PM
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