My Air force Career began in the sandhills of far West Texas and Southeastern New Mexico. I am an American by birth and a Texan by outrageous circumstance. The small town we lived out side of Jal had no hospital so when it came time for me to be born my parents had to take me across the state line in texas about 17 miles away. From there and until I went into the Air Force at times I would lay out on a sandhill and watch the white contrails streak across the sky and wonder & dream if some day I would be a part of making those lines in the sky myself.

As it turned out the Air Force was in my future and even with all the medical problems I am experiencing It still remains the greatest Adventure a kid from nowhere could hope for. As a part of a In-flight Refuelling Squadron the 380th FMS out of Plattsburgh, New York, the KC-135 became my home away from home. Guam, Wake Island Okinawa, and Hawaii were only places I dreamed of ever getting to go. Unfortunately these were not sightseeing excursions and it left very little opportunity to enjoy being there. Still I was able to identify with those historical locations I have always had a keen interest in. I got to put my hand in bullet holes at schofield Barracks in Pearl Harbor and changed Engines numerous times on Wake Island.

I don't like hurting like I do now as a result but I would do it all again in a heartbeat. I have lifelong friends and thoroughly benefitted from the experience. The Air Force is where I grew into a man and learned responsibility for all your acts I was Honorably Discharged in August of 1970 after a four year enlistment as a SAC Trained Killer AFSC 43250 Jet Engine Technician. The very thing that made the lines in the sky those many years ago over the Sandhills.