Lynna and I were married in December 1984. I had already enlisted in the Air Force under the delayed enlistment program. In January 1985, I left for basic training, and tech school in Texas. In June of 1985, I proceeded to Plattsburgh Air Force Base in New York, where I would begin my service.

       Plattsburgh proved to be quite an enjoyable city. It was relatively small as cities go (about the size of the Baldwin-Whitehall area), but was located in a prime outdoor enthusiast location. Lake Champlain bordered Plattsburgh to the west, with the Adirondack Mountains  to the east. Lake Champlain had its own "monster", Champy. While I personally did not see Champy, I have heard stories from people that claim that they have. The summers provided an abundance of hiking and fishing opportunities, with the base having its own boat launch, and several smaller rivers throughout the city feeding the lake to provide boating and fishing activities. The mountains were also prime locations for the skiing community, with many slopes being within an hour or so away. Lake Placid was about a 2 hour drive away, and Mt. Marcy (in the Adirondacks) has the remnants of an Air Force bomber that crashed into the mountain many years ago.

       The city of Plattsburgh was geared mostly to the consumer, with more shopping centers and malls than anything. There were a few industrial complexes there, but most industrial type business were located north of the city. Plattsburgh was home not just to the Air Force base there, but also to three different colleges. The local economy was flourishing during the 80's and 90's. Since the base closed in 1996 however, the city has suffered with the loss of base personal.

        I entered the service as an Aircraft Mechanic (crew chief) working on KC-135A/Q model tankers. These were modified Boeing 707's that were used for refueling other aircraft in flight. It was a job that I ejoyed doing, and during the 10 years of my military service, performed several different functions regarding these aircraft. I started working in the "Phased Inspection" branch, where we performed a major teardown and inspection of the aircraft. This gave me a great deal of knowledge of the inner workings of the aircraft. After working there for several years, I transferred to the Flight Line organization where our primary duty was the launch and recovery, servicing, and on a smaller scale, inspections of aircraft. Again, it was an enjoyable job with the exception of working on a large, flat, open area during the winter months.

        In 1990, I left Plattsburgh to go to Saudi Arabia via a short stop in Spain to serve in the Gulf War. It proved be a very interesting time. I have photos located here.  After returning from Saudi, I went back to work on the flight line. In 1993, I was transferred to the flightline vehicle section, where I acted as a go-between for the flightline vehicles, and the base vehicle maintainance section. We provide support for the vehicles used by the flightline personal, stored the vehicle fluids, and kept spare vehicles. When a vehicle was due for maintenance, we took the vehicles to the motor pool for service.

       As the base started the closure process, and the vehicle section was shut down, I transferred to the Hazardous Waste Pharmacy. It was a newly formed operation to deal with all the chemicals, paints, oils and such that needed disposal as various organizations shut down. We were charged with ensuring that these materials were properly packaged and labeled to meet with EPA disposal regulations. This would be my final position in the Air Force. I was given a choice of either an early seperation (leaving the Air Force before my enlistment was actually expired), or taking a new assignment at Minot Air Force Base in North Dakota. I wasn't too keen on the thought of winters on the flight line in N.D., so I decided to leave. My last official day of service was June 5, 1995.

       As anyone that has served in the enlisted ranks of any service can attest, the enlisted ranks don't pay too well. During the time I was in service, I held a second job working at a Montgomery Ward in thier auto garage. We had found that I could make more at the garage, than Lynna could working at any of the stores. So Lynna stayed with the kids, and I brought a second income to help with the cost of raising the family.

       Plattsburgh was considered the Air Forces biggest secret. About the only way to leave the base was to ask for a new assignment. Unlike other bases, transfers out of Plattsburgh didn't happen too often. The vast majority of people stationed there enjoyed it there, and stayed there. I am convinced that if the base had not closed, I would likely still be there.