Good morning on this 28 degree, snowy morning. It’s coming down quite heavily at the moment. There are already reports of accidents around the area. The snow is barely sticking to the grass but I guess the roads are really slick in some areas. Ah well, it’s supposed to be 60 by Wednesday and 72 by the weekend. Nothing to get out of sorts about. 

Would you allow me to reminisce for a few moments this morning? On November 10th, 1965, I entered Lackland Air Force Base and began what would eventually become a 32 year career. At the time, the Air Force was only 18 years old which means I’m older than the Air Force. Along the way I progressed from Airman Basic (E1) to Colonel (O6). I will be the first to tell you that I did that with the help of an extremely supporting and tolerant Ms. Kate, some very wonderful understanding daughters, hundreds and hundreds of excellent fellow service men and women, and a God with a sense of humor. 

During the career I have lived in California (x2), The Philippines (x2), Florida, Turkey, Missouri, Illinois (x2), North Carolina, Texas, Massachusetts, Nevada, and Virginia. I have done extended temporary duty in  Alabama, Italy, Sicily, the Netherlands, Germany, England and Croatia. Needless to say, I have had a wonderful chance to see the world. 

A Military career is certainly not for everyone or for every family. It takes a certain personality for a spouse to follow a husband or wife around for move after move after move. We changed locations every two to two and a half years which meant setting up a household from zero again and again. We lived in base housing most of my career so there wasn’t a lot of choice in what your house was going to look like. Because I served as a unit commander and Chief of Police at my locations, I was required to live on base. Most of the houses were okay. Our place on Nellis AFB in Las Vegas was wonderful and was our first and only “Colonel’s housing”. The down side to all of that is that we had to buy our “forever home” when I retired at almost sixty years old. Taking a thirty year home loan knowing it would be paid off when you are 90 is a daunting thought. (Ms. Kate of course wasn’t going to let that happen and we paid it off two years ago..)

That’s my story and I’m sticking to it. Tomorrow is officially Veteran’s Day and so I’m taking time today to say thank you to my family and to all of my fellow veterans. If you know a veteran, take time to say thanks to them today. Peace