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I started my military career in October 26, 1966 in Amarillo AFB, Texas; I did my Boot Camp and Technical School at Amarillo, for Aircraft Maintenance. When I completed my training in April 1967, I was told that I was being specially selected to go to Beale AFB, CA. to work on the Black Birds; I had no idea what it was. The program was Top Secret and only a few of us were selected. When I got to Beale AFB I worked and trained in the end product of the A-12, YF-12 which later became the Mission Aircraft SR-71s that set many air speed records. We had so much pride while working on the program whenever we went to any military base they would always treat us with the highest respect and throw in the Red Carpet for us. I never did go to Area-51, but I did hear a lot about it, from the older senior sergeants that had 5 to 8 years of service over me. When I was working in Strategic Air Command (SAC) in 1967 to 1972 at Beale AFB, I worked on the SR-71 A, B, and C Models and on YF-12 tail number 981 as a mechanic and crew chief.
My main responsibility was to inspect the planes before each mission (Pre-flight Inspection), after every flight (Post Inspection), Major Inspection after so many hours of hot flight missions at Beale AFB, and Kadena AB, Okinawa Japan. I was a member of the Emergency Recovery Team when I was working at Beale AFB on the SR-71. When ever a plane went down for any emergency in the country or over seas I was there to help fix the planes and the planes then would fly back to their home base. I supported all the Major SR-71 Servicing operations, Engine Run, Fuel Servicing, Lox Servicing, and loading parachute performing aircraft modifications as required by Air Force Technical Orders.
When I was deployed to Thailand in May of 1968 I worked on F-105's in Taklii AB, Thailand during the big campaign for the Viet-Nam War which was the Tat-Offensive. Then I came back in May 1969 and I got stationed at Nellis AFB, NV, I worked and trained on the F-4 Phantom I also supported the Air Force Thunder Birds in 1969. Then later in February 1970, I got sent back to Beale AFB and worked again on the SR-71. Later in November of 1972, I went back to Thailand and got stationed in Ubon AB, Thailand, and worked in Crash Recovery and in the F-4s in Ramp Maintenance than in December 17, 1973, I returned early to Travis AFB and got discharged from the regular Air Force. Then later when I got out, I went to work for the U.S. Navy at Point Mugu in communications and telemetry. In 1974, I went to work for a company in at Oxnard Airport as a Technical Aircraft Mechanic on Cessna Citations, Queen Air 80, and King Air 200. Then in 1976, to 1977, I worked as a Lead Inspector at Marquart Corporation which made and tested the Apollo Ram Jet Engines. In 1977, I joined the AF Reserves and worked on the C-141's, C-5's, KC-10's and C-130's and in May 19, 1997, I retired from the Air Force Reserves.
From 1982 to the present, I am still working with space vehicles that fly faster than the speed of sound like the Space Shuttle, International Space Station, Delta RS-27, Atlas MA-5, MX Ballistics Missile, and THAAD (High Altitude Area Defense Missile) programs as a Defense Contract Management Agency/NASA Quality Engineering Technical Specialist.
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