During our Senior year, there was a class that taught the fundamentals of aviation. It planted the seed that I wanted to become an Air Traffic Controller. One month after our graduation I was off to the Army to become one. Three airports later and lots of weekend study I got a degree in Aerospace.
One hot Sunday afternoon in Yuma, Arizona I was notified that Air Traffic Controllers were on strike nationwide and I was to report to Buffalo International Airport to go to work in the Tower there. I felt like a farm team baseball player being called to the big leagues.
In the months I was there I had to make the decision to stay in the Army or stay and become an FAA Controller. I gave the Army the ultimatum, make me an officer and send me to flight school, but please don't send me to Korea. The next 18 months could have been a movie; the Officer and a Gentleman, Patton, and Top Gun. After the movie was over I got an apology letter from the Army and orders for a year in Korea.
Years that followed I became a helicopter gun pilot and instructor. I was plucked from that assignment and took command of an Air Cavalry Troop. So like the scene in Apocalypse, now I found myself in Desert Storm doing Robert Duvall impressions, "That gasoline smell, there is nothing like it... it reminds me of... victory." "You know gentleman, some day this war is going to end." And the war did end for me. At age 38, 20 years and a month after high school I was done.