I grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania and enjoyed machine shop classes in high school, so upon graduation took a one-year machinist course at a tech school. I then went to work in a shop that forged metal parts operating machine shop equipment. Two high school friends and I decided to join the Navy since it was the Vietnam War and being drafted was likely. During my naval time I worked in the machine shop aboard USS Forrest Sherman, achieving the rank of Machinery Repairman II. My wife and I had a wedding planned upon my separation from active duty, but I was extended 4 months because of Vietnam. I was granted leave so I could attend my planned wedding and returned to my ship for the other 4 months.
I returned to my job in the machine shop and became a die maker after active duty. Within a year I had worked my way up to the top pay, sometimes working in very hot and dirty conditions. It was then that I decided to go to college and get certified to teach what I loved, metalworking. I applied for the GI Bill, and between that and my day job in a machine shop I was able to support my wife and son, who was born within 10 months of my marriage. I was able to get my BA degree within 6 years of night classes going year-round. Without the GI Bill I could never have afforded college which allowed me to teach what I love for 25 years and now enjoy retirement with our 2 children and 6 grown grandchildren.