I signed up in the Air Force back in August 1964 and spent 11 years as a fuel systems mechanic on F100 B-52 bombers at refueling Plattsburgh Air Force Base in New York. I had a top-secret clearance because some of the B47s I worked on carried H-bombs. I competed with other bomber groups to see how fast we could get these planes refueled and off the ground. I also served in New Mexico. I was on stand-by for the missile crisis.
After discharge, I moved to Seattle to work for Boeing. Eventually, I retired from the postal service in 2012 after 23 years of service; my daughter even followed me, working for the USPS. I also had seven sons, with two serving in the Navy and another in the Army.