After leaving Vance AFB, I completed the survival schools and Combat Crew Training School at Castle AFB, CA before reporting to Minot AFB, ND to fly the KC-135A.  I also began flying the T-38 as part of the SAC ACE (Accelerated Copilot Enrichment) program and married my long-time girlfriend.  In 1979, we moved to Beale AFB, CA where I flew the KC-135Q and supported worldwide SR-71 operations.  Our first daughter was born at Beale in 1981. 

In 1984, I “volunteered” for an assignment to Eielson AFB, AK to fly operational reconnaissance missions in the RC-135S “Cobra Ball” from Shemya AFB, AK (tip of the Aleutian Chain).  Our second daughter was born at Fort Wainwright (Fairbanks), AK on New Years Eve day, 1985.  In 1987, I was selected to be the Joint E-6A Operational Test and Evaluation Pilot for the U.S. Navy at NAS Patuxent River, MD.  In actuality, I was a one-man detachment assigned to HQ System Command at Andrews AFB with duty at NAS Patuxent River and I was responsible for the initial VS-22 program, mine sweep detection array test programs, ES-3B Operational tests, and the E-6A Qualification tests.

In 1990, after SAC forced me to turn down an assignment with the 89^th AW at Andrews, we moved to Robins AFB, GA where I was supposed to become a KC-135R Squadron Commander.  After arriving at Robins, I was re-assigned to fly the U.S. Central Command EC-135N/Y Command and Control aircraft to transport General H. Norman Schwarzkopf and his battle staff to worldwide destinations.  In 1991, I was selected to be the Officer-In-Charge for Command Crew Flight Operations at Robins AFB.  In addition to the EC-135N/Y operations, we supported the Commander, U.S. Special Operations Command with the EC-137D (Boeing 707 in civilian markings) Command and Control aircraft.  In 1994, my flying career ended and I became the 19^th ARW Assistant Wing Inspector (IG).  I retired in 1997 after completing a very interesting 24-year career and accumulating over 5600 flying hours.

In 1998, I accepted a position with FlightSafety Services Corporation as the Site Manager and pilot instructor for the KC-135R Operational Flight Trainer at General Mitchell ANGB in Milwaukee, WI.  My height (now 6’6”) and years of flying finally caught up with me in 2000 when I was diagnosed with aneurisms in the Popliteal artery in both legs.  After two artery bypass surgeries and three follow-up angioplasty procedures for stent placement, my doctors say I have “the legs of a twenty year old.”  Now, if only the rest of my body could catch up with my legs!