I was an “Army brat,” born at Ft. Meade, Maryland, in 1947. My childhood saw many different homes, from Japan to Germany and several states in the U.S. I was a swimmer, a golfer, and a drama actor in high school, and I received my appointment to West Point through an “Honor Military” high school, Georgia Military Academy (now Woodward Academy).
At West Point I tried out for gymnastics and just barely made the team; I finally lettered Firstie year. Commissioned Military Intelligence with a two-year detail to Infantry, I volunteered for Vietnam and served on the G-2 (intelligence) staff the whole year. Upon return to the States, I underwent training as an image analyst and worked as an image analyst in D.C.–a terrifically fascinating tour of duty. Next, 1974-76, I studied at the University of Bonn, Germany, as an Olmsted Scholar; the most important aspect of that tour of duty was meeting my wife, Claudia. We continued for four more years in Germany, where I served in various positions in the 3d Infantry Division.
The second half of my Army career included Stanford University (MA, modern European history), the Armed Forces Staff College (Norfolk, VA), teaching history at West Point, Brigade S-3 of 205th MI Brigade in Frankfurt, Germany, and a tour of duty at the Defense Intelligence Agency in D.C. By this time, Claudia and I had three wonderful children.
Retiring in 1990, I joined a technology company (TASC) and worked for thirteen years in a government laboratory whose purpose was to explore and evaluate new tools/technology to aid the image analyst. Finally, I taught in a private high school, Blue Ridge School, for four years. Claudia and I now have five grandchildren, which consume much of our lives and give us endless pleasure. My hobbies are grandchildren, assisting veterans (tutoring at the local community college, among other things), woodworking, and travel. Life has been very good to my family and me.
- Country – A View from Abroad – 1975
The University of Bonn had the reputation, among West German universities in the mid-1970’s, of being relatively conservative and orderly. However, when I was privileged to study… Read more: Country – A View from Abroad – 1975