Air Force

Air Force Basic Training Chanute AFB Homestead AFB Moody AFB Fort Gordon/DDEAMC J79 J79 Components

Joining the Air Force was a pivotal time of my life. It was the start of a career, had exciting and different experiences, a life-changing hospital stay and an unexpected ending.

Why the Air Force?

It has been many years since entering the Air Force, but I can assume I joined because I had no other options. I pissesd away High School and never had a job through school. Also college was never an option. I do remember going down to the recruitment center and specifically requesting to be assigned as a Jet Engine Mechanic. Took the ASVAB test which for some reason I was able to score high on the mechanical part. I didn't think it was that difficult as one of the questions was, a hammer is to a nail as a screwdiver is to a ___________? Again, not difficult.

One funny story is, one day I entered the building on the wrong side and walked past the Marines recruitment office and they called me in. I even went so far as having a Marine recruiter come to the house. But I knew Marines were not my calling.

In the end, I selected the Air Force but I was entering on June 19th and I was still 17 years old, which meant a parent had to sign for me. Dad would not sign (and I do not know why, as he was in the Navy), so mom signed for me.

June 18th, 1980

So I got a bus at the Greyhound Depot on Main Street and headed to Milwaukee. There we had our physicals and other tests. I distinctly remember having to do the duck walk (which is a military requirement). At that time, being young, it was very easy. The worst part, you had to strip down to your underwear and it was a group of guys doing the duck walk in a large room. Well one guy, yep that guy, showed up and didn't wear underwear. Didn't matter, he had to do it and well had a show.

I remember when we first got there, everyone was so nice and calm, "do you need anything?", "are you all having a good time?". Well, we raised our right hand and got swore in and everything changed. The recruiter started yelling and swearing and we were told that we were to go get lunch and be back at a certain time and if we didn't get back on time we would be considered AWOL. Geez were did all the niceness go???

We were marched through the Milwaukee Airport, still getting yelled at, and got on a Piedmont Airline airplane. I do know we got to San Antonio Airport late and the bus arrived at Lackland AFB in the night time.

From the gallery

Pictures of my military career.