Early Influences and Considerations

The principal, Mr. Peterson, said I should consider the military because I had a lot of growing up to do! Imagine that! Mr. Schilling told me that I should consider the Air Force because he did an enlistment and liked it. I never had any plans for college anyway. I knew I didn't want to farm the rest of my life, so I guess the seed was planted.

At that time we were visited by the various military recruiters so I took more of an interest in the possibility of joining up. I knew that there was a good possibility that I would be drafted for Vietnam and of course I wanted to join the Marines just like Dad did so I could kill bad guys, but Dad told me no way in hell was I going in the Marines! I actually listened to him!