Synopsis

Joining the Air Force was a defensive move on my part necessitated by the Vietnam War.  I had a limited interest in the military as a career. As such, I never took ROTC in college, nor had I ever investigated a military school or any of the Service Academies, not that my academic record would have qualified me for admission.  My only interest in military history was when my oldest brother entered the Navy.  I really thought this was very cool, and I started reading all about the Navy and its role in WWII. I think there was a large amount of ‘hero worship’ involved when your older sibling takes on an exciting adventure. 

The Air Force opened my eyes to a world that I could not have imagined and it introduced me to a structured environment where democracy is not a popular form of management. I was never ‘big’ on structure, nor a big fan of rules and regulations. However, I knew almost from day one that fighting the system was an exercise in futility, so adaptability became the key principle to a symbiotic relationship with the Air Force.  I quickly began to see the humor in many of the situations in which I found myself.  It made little sense to ‘cry in your beer’ all the time when there was so much humor and insight to be gained by observing and appreciating the events that unfolded in front of your eyes.

It is with that philosophy that I undertook this book.  Most of the readers who have never experienced military life may find some of the circumstances hard to believe, and perhaps even shake your head in disbelieve a time or two.  Those who have experienced the military may chuckle and nod their head in agreement. If in sharing my adventures on military life makes you chuckle and laugh, I will have succeeded in my goal of capturing the humor of the times and events.

Along the way, I met the 'girl of my dreams,' and after a long-distance courtship convinced her to marry the young Captain who was smitten by the Armenian princess.  From that point forward we traversed the journey together and shared the adventures and tribulations of Air Force life.