USAF 1972 - 1976
After basic training in Texas & tech school in Colorado, I was assigned to the Strategic Air Command, stationed at Castle AFB, California with the 93rd Bomb Wing. I had a great duty assignment there but that only lasted 5 months before I was placed on orders for a series of 1 - 2 month long schools in South Carolina, Florida, Idaho, Washington before being deployed to Thailand at Udorn RTAB and points North.
On my trip over the Pacific I took the opportunity to call my former barracks roomie, a personnel specialist, in California and see what he could find out about my next stop. Apparently he didn't have sufficient clearance to get any details.
Eleven months later I returned to the good ol' USA, right back to Castle, with a few new holes scattered here and there on my person. Not enough of them to send me home nor not enough to kill me but surely enough to **** me off.
From there my duty assignment did not change, filling a Procurement & Contracts position in support of the bomb wing, the 924th ARS (KC135 tankers), the 84th FIS (General Dynamics F106 Delta Dart), the pilot training simulator group and the base Civil Engineering group.
As my enlistment was winding down I was paid a visit by the base NCOIC, a CMSGT with every service stripe, diamonds and other ribbon devices you could possibly own. His name was Richard K. Draves and I'll never forget that lovable ******* for as long as I live. We had a history that stretched back to my tech school days in Colorado. But that's a story for another time.
Raising my hand and taking the oath of enlistment was a singular moment in my life. It was my privilege to have served our country and I've never regretted my decision to enlist.
I do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; and that I will obey the orders of the President of the United States and the orders of the officers appointed over me, according to regulations and the Uniform Code of Military Justice. So help me God.