I'll start with my most recent activities and work backwards. I am recently remarried to my lovely wife, Irma and am living in Orlando, Florida. Irma and I were married in Las Vegas one year ago. We love to travel, dance, go to movies, and keep up with families' activities. That is almost a full time job since there are 3 children (two boys and a girl), 15 grandchildren, and 10 great grandchildren to keep up with. Irma and I are both fully retired and enjoying life together. I try to watch as much sports as Irma will tolerate...but since we are both ardent New York Yankee fans, watching the Yanks ballgames works out pretty well for both of us.
I still enjoy outdoors activities...traveling / sightseeing in the National Parks...fishing... photography...taking cruises to other countries...among others. I still sing some in church and I've been "roped" into doing karaoke, and haven't yet been booed off the stages. I can still get away with singing folk, pop, and country and western songs of the 60's and 70's, and my daughter wants me to record a few songs...we'll see how that works out
I try to stay current on things happening nationally and internationally, and both Irma and I are still interested in politics and try to assist candidates that we support. I just wish that I wouldn't get so many political pieces of correspondence in the months leading up to the elections...all urging support...or another survey / questionnaire to fill out questions that lean one political direction or other. I'm glad I did not decide to go into politics after I retired from the US Army...
It's no longer a civil process waged among honorable men discussing their positions just on the issues that face all of us. Really sad to watch and listen to the diatribe.
That's generally the current picture of what I am in to now, so as to what I have been into over the past 50 years or so, I'll try to summarize those activities in somewhat descending order.
o In 2016 I was mugged by three men in Orlando, Fla. I sustained significant head trauma...brain bleed, dislocated jaw, teeth broken or knocked out, injuries to both eyes, and memory loss. Fortunately a good samaratan took me to the hospital emergency room and I remained in either the civilian hospital or the VA hospital (both in Orlando VA and then in Little Rock Va) for three months. It took another 8 months for the brain bleed to subside. The mugging had another effect...it activated the PTSD that I suffered after the Vietnam War. That took a little longer to work through. I am what you might call "a survivor"...my faith in God, the excellence of the doctors attending me, and the support of my family pulled me through this one. It is somewhat paradoxical that I survived Vietnam with nothing worse than a broken navicular bone in my right hand / wrist...gotten from diving into a bunker during a 122mm Rocket attack at Da Nang, South Vietnam (I still recall the buzzing sound of those rockets incoming) , and then to come back to Florida and very nearly get killed!
o From 1995 to 2015 I operated a small business "Jeanette's Estate Sales & Services, LLC. in Orlando, Fla. An interesting enterprise...offering a necessary service to people who have few options for the disposal of things they have accumulated over many years. I am considering writing a book about the experiences and unique characters that came to the sales.
o From 2000 to 2015 I also worked as an independent contractor / subject matter expert in the areas of procurement and subcontracts management, and in acquisition management. I worked a number of high level management interest new business development proposals labeled as "Must Wins" which Lockheed Martin Corporation and other corporations won in competition with other defense contractors. For anyone who has the experience and credentials that are reasonably current, this is a very good way to work after retirement from whatever company you worked...you get to pick and choose what jobs you will undertake...and you get paid for every hour that you provide in support.
o In 2011 my Mom gave the family a scare when she needed quadruple bypass surgery and then had an embolism in her lungs. There was a concern that she would not live out the year. I went up to Pennsylvania to care-give her while she recovered. I decided to collect information and data that I could use to write a book. I did research, conducted interviews, collected photos, and obtained her outline for an autobiography she hoped to write. I wrote a 250 page non-fiction draft narrative about strong women and the challenges and obstacles that they had to overcome during the Great Depression and World War years. I called it "Room to Grow". I presented the draft narrative to a publisher in Orlando and it was well received. I was encouraged to expand the narrative beyond the World Wars, and Vietnam War, up to the mid 2000's. I set about doing that and ended up with a 760 page book written in narrative form...complete with pictures and lots of anecdotal stories. I found writing about events in Vietnam was cathartic for me. I found it easier to write about what I did in Vietnam than it was to talk about it. It was like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders.
The Book was published, copyrighted, and printed in a limited production run. I was proud to deliver the very first copy to Mom in 2012. Shortly after I gave Mom the first copy, she fell at home and sustained significant head trauma. She was hospitalized for several months in Towanda Memorial Hospital Her doctors said she had sustained a serious concussion and had memory issues...She could no longer live alone. She was moved to assisted living at first in Towanda, and later moved to the Bradford County Manor. She kept that book with her wherever she went. It was always on her nightstand when I flew up to Pennsylvania to visit her...she used it to fill in the gaps in her memory...I was glad that I had written it and that she took pleasure from showing it off, and referring to it when she needed to.
o From 1984 to 2000 I was employed first by Martin Marietta, and then later there was a merger with Lockheed... and just like that I was working for Lockheed Martin Corporation. Working for Lockheed Martin Corporation was challenging, interesting, and stressful. The hours were long...many weeks I turned in 70 - 90 hours per week working fast paced proposals, and programs...especially in support of systems that got a lot of press during the 1st and 2nd Gulf Wars. It was intellectually challenging as I had to work alongside some of Lockheed Martin's brightest engineers on very complex systems being proposed ...especially for Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) programs...it's hard to imagine the complexities of figuring out the closing velocities of an interceptor missile seeking to destroy an incoming intercontinental ballistic missile. It's like a bullet shot to intercept another bullet...but proposals that I supported as the procurement and subcontracts manager were won because Lockheed Martin was able to demonstrate that they hit and destroy incoming intercontinental ballistic missiles. On these programs, 70% to 80% of the program dollars were in the major subcontracts and procurements that I managed.
I led the subcontracts team that supported the Apache Attack Helicopter program throughout the 1st Gulf War. Similarly, I was the Director of Procurement and Subcontracts for the Advanced Missile Systems Mission Area during the second Gulf War. I had the Patriot Air Defense Missile System subcontracts, the subcontracts for the US portion of the Arrow Air Defense Missile system (which was the missile system that formed the major part of Israel's Iron Dome protecting against Iraq and Iran missile attacks. I also was responsible for the subcontracts and procurement portion of the Medium Extended Air Defense System (MEADS)...a multi-billion dollar multi-national program. MEADS was the replacement for the Patriot Air Defense Missile System. I studied for and earned the coveted Certified Professional Contracts Manager (CPCM) certification, and NCMA Fellow while I worked for Lockheed Martin. (Two designations that are held by fewer than 10% of the contracting, subcontracting and procurement personnel worldwide) I retired from Lockheed Martin in 2000.
o 1964 - 1984: I was in the US Army from 1964 to 1984. I entered as a Private (E-1) and retired after 20 years as a Lieutenant Colonel (0-5). The following are the highlights of that service to our country;
- 1983 / "84 Inspector General, The Pentagon, Washington, DC. : I conducted fraud, waste and abuse inspections as the Inspectors General's contracting expert. I briefed my findings to general officers on the Department of Army staff in the Pentagon, and to the Secretary of Army and Secretary of Defense. My findings were frequently given to US attorneys for prosecution of those involved in criminal activities. It was a grueling assignment...long hours, lots of travel (I spent 280 days out of 360 days each year on travel to US Army elements worldwide),
time away from my family was hard, but on the plus side, it was also a very intellectually satisfying assignment...sort of capstone for my Army career. After 2 years and 5 major inspections "under my belt" (Commercial Activities, Army
Communications Command, Army Information Systems Command, Special
Operations Command, and Intelligence elements ), I decided to "hang it up". I retired from the Army in November 1984. Retirement ceremonies were held at Fort Meyer, Va. My family came down from Pennsylvania, and up from Florida to witness my retirement. The ceremony had it all, general officer speaker, medals awarded, the Army Band, and several of the best marching units in the Army. It was also bittersweet...I was leaving the "family" I had known for 20 years. As the Army Band marched in review they stopped at the .reviewing stand where I was standing, and played Auld Lang Syne...there wasn't a dry eye in the crowd of onlookers..or in my eyes too. It was a fitting way to end my
career. I was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal for outstanding service to our
Country.. I began sending out resumes to various companies I wanted to work for, and
received several requests for me to come interview with them...received offers for management level positions, and I selected Martin Marietta's offer for a Subcontracts Manager position in Orlando, Fl..
- 1981 /"82 Senior Corps of Engineers Officer, Taif, Saudi Arabia. My assignment was an interesting one...I oversaw major contracts for construction of facilities that the Corps of Engineers were tasked to construct and oversee contractors who performed the work. I oversaw the building of complete compound to house US
military and civilian contractor personnel. I also oversaw the delivery of Foreign
Military Sales (FMS) equipment which the Saudi government had purchased from the United States, and the contracts for training support required for the Saudi armed forces on that equipment. I was the US military advisor on the staffs of the Saudi Arabian Ordnance School...directly advising their Commandant on training and contracts matters. I did likewise for the Saudi Arabian Army's Supply and Transportation School, and the Saudi Arabian Air Defense School. I oversaw
the contracts for the civilian instructors who developed the curriculum and taught it at those Schools. I provided the liaison between the US government officials who wished to pay "courtesy calls" on members of the Saudi royal family, and Saudi government officials... whenever the Saudi royal family and government officials moved into palaces in Taif each year to escape the brutal heat in Riyadh, the Capitol of Saudi Arabia. I was also the Taif, Saudi Arabia Corps of Engineers compound commander and overall manager for all services performed on that compound. I also managed the contracts for those services.. I wore many hats at the compound from Director of Security, Entertainment Director, Roads, Grounds and Buildings Maintenance Supervisor, and "sheriff" keeping order on the compound. I was promoted to Lieutenant Colonel and awarded the Meritorious Service Medal.
I received reassignment orders for the Pentagon's Inspectors General Agency. I was sent to the Inspectors General Training Course in Washington, DC and completed that course in preparation for that assignment.
- 1978 - 1981 Senior Studies and Analyses Officer, Combat Developments Directorate Aberdeen Proving Grounds (APG) Md. . I participated in major re-organizational programs...(Division 86, Corps 86, Air Land Battle 2000, Anti-Artillery Study, Battle Recovery Study), whose charters were to transform the Vietnam-era Army elements that had been structured to fight in an counter-insurgency type war scenario, into a stronger, more lethal structure capable of fighting and winning wars in Europe and the Middle East where US forces were likely to fight...quite prophetic since that is exactly what occurred. I was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal I also taught graduate level courses at Florida Institute of Technology's off campus facility in Aberdeen, Md
- 1976 - '78 Student, Command and General Staff College (C&GSC), Fort Leavenworth, KS. I successfully completed one of the Army's toughest graduate level courses...one that prepared officers for battalion and brigade command
assignments, and for Dept. of Army general, and major commands' staff officer
assignments. At the same time I participated in graduate studies under the Army's Cooperative Masters Program. I went to C&GSC classes during the daytime.. participating in simulated fighting various scenarios postulated...Fulda Gap in Germany, the deserts of the Middle East, and the battles for control over the Straits of Hormuz at the Horn of Africa in Eastern Africa; and at nighttime... while my classmates were partying, I was in the classroom studying MBA subjects.The C&GSC school provided me the opportunity to study the tactics and participate in some very realistic simulations of war-fighting. I got to interface with classmates who had served in Vietnam...with classmates who were Medal of Honor winners, and classmates who were Prisoners of War during the Vietnam War. I also got to interface with officers of other countries who were also classmates. One in particular was a highly decorated Israeli Army Colonel who had fought in the "6 Day War" with Egypt. The Israeli tactics were of great interest to the C&GSC School and to the Training and Doctrine Command. That Israeli Colonel
was removed from the course and placed on the staff to advise C&GSC on tactics
used by Israeli's during "6 Day War, and other short wars with its Arab neighbors.
I graduated from C&GSC in 1977, and pursued my Master of Science degree at Florida Institute of Technology. In 1978 I graduated receiving my MS in Contract &
and Procurement Management. I carried a 4.0 GPA and was the Society of Logistics Engineers (SOLE) award winner for the most outstanding research thesis..."Should Cost, A Model for Determining Effectiveness which was published by the US Army Logistics Center.
- 1975 - 1976 Procurement and Production Officer assigned to US Army Missile
Command Redstone Arsenal, Ala. My responsibilities included managing major contracts in support of the Hawk Msl. Sys., the Improved Hawk Missile System,
and the Lance mobile defense system. I sought a change and was accepted
into the Program Management specialty program, and was assigned to the STINGER Air Defense Missile System Project office. I performed duties as Program Planning and Budget Officer, and was the designated briefer whenever the Program Manager was unavailable to brief congressional staffers, and high ranking military and civilians who wanted to get up to speed on STINGER program progress.
- 1975 Student US Army Logistics Center, Ft. Lee, Va. Completed the Basic Procurement Course, the Advanced Procurement Course, and Contract Law Course.
- 1973 / '74 Student Mount St. Mary's College, Emmitsburg, Md. Graduated with
Summa Cum Laude honors and was inducted into the Delta Epsilon Sigma Honors Society...equivalent for Catholics the same as Phi Beta Kapa for non-Catholics.
- 1971 / '72 Company Commander 604th CS Company, US Army Vietnam. This 200
man company was responsible for executing the US Army Vietnam's Retrograde & Redeployment Program to remove US Forces from Vietnam under the
Vietnamesation initiative to withdraw US forces from the fighting. My unit operated in all 4 military regions of Vietnam...and also in Cambodia. I had some soldiers wounded, but none were killed...I sent none home in "body bags".
I was awarded the Bronze Star Medal for exceptional performance. - 1968 / '69 US Army Alaska, Ft. Greeley, Alaska. Post Motor Officer; Post Maintenance Officer responsible for 1,000 + vehicles...commercial design, military design wheeled, tracked, and engineer vehicles ...everything that moved was my responsibility...A challenge to be sure under the most extreme weather conditions imaginable...ambient temperatures of 65 + degrees and windchills of 100 derees below zero. Also, I assumed command of a 1000 man headquarters unit when its commander was relieved of his command. I was Promoted to Captain; Awarded the Army
Commendation Medal - 2nd Award.and Qualified Expert with the M-16 rifle and .45 cal. pistol.
- 1967 / ' 68 Platoon Leader / Tactical Officer OCS Brigade, APG. Md.; Executive
Officer and later Company Commander for 1000 man headquarters company APG. , Md.; Promoted to 1st Lieutenant; Awarded Army Commendation Medal.
- 1966 / '67 Honor Graduate of Ordnance OCS at Aberdeen Proving Grounds, Md. Commissioned 2nd Lieutenant in the Ordnance Corps; Graduate Armament Maintenance Officer Course;
Expert M-14 rifle; Expert Cal. 45 Pistol - 1964 - '68 Enlisted Pvt to Sp- 5
> 1965 / '66 Student in Finance Procedures, and Military Accounting courses, Ft. Benjamin Harrison, Ind. Reassigned to US Army Camp Carroll Depot, South Korea. Performed duties as a military accountant, wrote the sports pages for the Post newspapers; Played on the Post level fast pitch softball, slow pitch softball, basketball, and volleyball teams that played in tournaments all over South Korea. Applied for and was accepted for the Ordnance Officer Candidate School (OCS). Promoted to Specialist 4th Class, and Specialist 5th Class. Qualified expert with the M-14 rifle.
> 1964 /'65 Basic Training, Ft. Jackson, SC. Promoted to PVT E-2...Top Recruit; Qualified Expert with M-14 Rifle.
- 1962 - 1964 Dad's "right hand man" working the family farm's requirements; Also worked for local veterinarian, Dr. Conrad during times when "field work" was slow.