I went into the delayed entry program in November 1982, right after graduation, on June 23, 1983, I went active duty. I was in high school in Erie IL.

Where did you serve during your time in uniform?

I was stationed in San Diego CA, San Jose CA, Honolulu HI, Cubi Point Philippines, and ships company USS Ranger CV-61.

What were some of your key memories during your time of service? 

Key memories. Meeting my wife, living near the ocean in Hawaii, shopping in Hong Kong, swimming at Grandy Island in the Philippines, being a tourist in Abu Dhabi when we were heading to the Persian Gulf War. Way too many fond minutes to list here. Greatly miss it and will do it again in a heartbeat.

What is an important value that you took away from your military experience? 

Always carry yourself responsibly and show respect and others will respect you back.

 What advice would you give someone interested in joining the military?

Go into it with the knowledge of basic training is wedding out process. Pick the field that you want to be in and stick to getting there. Don’t let anybody change your course or direction. Take advantage of every opportunity you have while you’re in. Seeing the world, education, and the life long benefits are great reasons to join.