Wayne Memorial High School Alumni
Wayne, Michigan (MI)
Frank Austin
Wayne Memorial High School
Class of 1963
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FRANK'S PROFILE
| First Name | Frank |
| Last Name | Austin |
| Graduation Year | Class of 1963 |
| Gender | Male |
| Current Location | Clinton Township, Michigan |
| Hometown | Westland, Michigan |
| Relationship Status | Married |
| About Me | My Twin Grand Daughter Chelsea DOB 10-5-93 set this up and posted the photos for me. My intent is to try and reestablish contact with the multitude of friends long since lost to me by time, distance, and circumstance. Afflicted with a learning disability which I now know to be Attention Deficit Disorder I was a horrible student. Nothing was known of such problems at the time. one early remedy was switching me from left to right handedness. I was the constant target of disapproval by educators and subject to constant testing and screening by counselors, psychologists, and social workers. My I.Q. tested between 125 to 148 through this period and I was reading above college level in the 7th grade. I could in fact read at the age of 4 thanks to my sister reading me comic books. Ultimately from June 1959 to Feb 1961 I was sent to The Starr Commonwealth for Boys in Albion Michigan completing my very lackluster education at Wayne Memorial High School from 1961 to 1963. My disability disappeared in adulthood and utilizing the United Stated Armed Forces Institute (USAFI) I obtained a BS in Counseling. I enlisted in the Navy 30 June 1965 and served until 31 December 1986 on active duty. Transferring to The Fleet Reserve and retiring 31 May 1995. I served a total of 3 yrs 9 mos at sea on the Aircraft Carriers USS Independence out of Norfolk Va, USS Enterprise out of San Francisco Ca, and USS Saratoga out of Mayport Fl. I also visited 24 foreign countries including Lebanon and Turkey. My Aircraft Squadrons were RVAH-1 (RA5C Vigilante), VP-62 (P-3 Orion), and VA-203 (A-7 Corsaire). My shore duty assignments were Naval Air Stations Sanford Fl and Albany Ga, Naval Air Facility Detroit Mi, Naval Air Stations Jacksonville and Cecil Field Fl, and Naval Air Facility Detroit where I retired. I am a recovering alcoholic whose last drink was 25 Oct 1994. I was fully aware of my alcoholism and went into a 6 week Naval treatment program in 1979. That included taking Antibuse every morning at muster ground up in a tiny medicine glass of water to prevent someone from tonguing or hiding the pill. However I quickly relapsed upon completion. I never missed a military commitment as the penalties for doing so were severe, sure, and certain. Thus I remained in control and functional until my retirement. I had good jobs for awhile, Parts Department Supervisor, Head of Shipping and Receiving, and Director of Inventory Control. No longer having motivation to control my alcoholism I performed very poorly and quit when the mistakes piled up and I was too embarrassed to continue. This is when I gave up and allowed my addiction free rein staying drunk 24 hrs a day consuming approximately a quart of vodka daily. My weight dropped from 186 to 117 lbs as I could not eat anything. I would awaken from my stupor and start drinking throwing up blood and vodka until I could keep it down. AA teaches us that only 3 endings await us, death, insanity, or incarceration. I realized that I was dying and embarked on a quest for sobriety lasting several years and 9 inpatient treatment programs. Tri-county Hospital Almont (2), VA of Battle Creek (2) Maple Grove West Bloomfield (1) VA Allen Park (1), Harbor Oaks Chesterfield Twp (1), Annapolis Hospital Westland (1), and finally finding lasting sobriety at St. John's Hospital Harrison Twp. I entered St. John's under my own power with a Blood alcohol content of .50 on 750 mgms Antibuse. I was still registering a .28 the next day. My liver enzymes didn't drop low enough for me to be placed on Antibuse Therapy following this stay ( no matter as it had no effect on me). As proof of the insanity of addiction I offer these examples. I entered Maple Grove with a pint in my back pocket and Annapolis Westland with 2 fifths in my bag. Imagine the sight I presented on admittance. I"m Sitting at Registration with an open fifth at my side and taking swigs all the while the clerk is getting my information. After I got upstairs they forced me to pour the remainder out much to my dismay and confiscated the 2nd bottle. I recognized Gods mercy in allowing me multiple opportunities when so many can't get treated and just die. It's as though he watched me flounder and would dust me off and send me back into the game of life. I decided he had a purpose for me, helping others as I was helped. I formed an alumni group of volunteers to counsel and talk to patients, transport them and sponsor them at AA Meetings, hold fundraisers for Clean and Sober dances, and picnics in the summer. I than went back to school through the Michigan Certification Bureau of Addiction Professionals in Okemos MI spending 7000 real hrs in study and on the job training to become a Substance Abuse Therapist (this while working full time). I was then allowed to take the Fundamentals of Alcohol and Other Drug Problems (FAODP), Specific Population Exam (SPEX), and the Columbia Assessment Exams (this allows me to practice in other states). I am the only person I know to pass all three the first time. The SPEX exam was a killer. It asked technical questions unique to specific demographic groups. Hispanics, Jews, Native Americans, Blacks, etc. Finally I was licensed and worked there as an unpaid counselor earning the credentials of Certified Addiction Counselor (CAC I, CAC II) and Certified Alcohol and Drug Counselor (CADC) from 1998 to 1999. I was supposed to replace a person retiring in December but the center closed 1 July 1999 as all 3rd party payees (insurance companies) started denying admittance and payments. In the end we were doing sub-acute detox only. My full time employer was Guardsmark LLC from 23 July 1997 to 12 Aug 2009. I was let go 1 month short of turning 65. I had been posted at the Ford Van Dyke Tranmission Plant as Shift Supervisor of Security and Fire for 4 yrs. I then retired until Aug 2011 when I again returned to Ford Van Dyke with Allied-Barton Security Corp. I am married with 4 grown children (2 boys & 2 girls), 13 grand children, 2 of whom live with us, and 2 (boy 3-19-2008, girl 5-17-2010) that we babysit Mon-Fri while their mother and father works and 1 great granddaughter. My Wife Ramona is from Puerto Rico. We met through her Niece (whose husband was a good friend of mine) and were maried in Debary Fl by a Justice of the Peace 28 Oct 1967. We never had a real wedding as her family was in New Jersey and mine in Michigan. We could not afford a car or phone on my $84 a month and took a cab to buy groceries on payday and walked everywhere else including carrying our laundry to be cleaned. I would hitch hik...(read more) |
Class of 1963 Alumni
→ Reunite with 36 class of 1963 alumni that have joined.
Janet Setzke
Class of 1967
Tina Moore
Class of 1990
Michael Gilbert
Class of 1971
Cynthia Harner Cynthia Harner
Class of 1964
Bettie Day
Class of 1973
John Erickson
Class of 1997
Irv (robin) Rooney
Class of 1972
Erin Turner
Class of 1992
Jessie Hengy
Class of 2010
Edward Bisesi
Class of 1981
Robert Matheson
Class of 1974
Linda Leabu
Class of 1980
Sylvia Hipke
Class of 2006
Jean Moody
Class of 1974
Mary J Mary J Buchholz
Class of 1969
Charles Chuck
Class of 1962
Natalie Smith
Class of 1980
Deandrea Colbert
Class of 2004
Recent Class of 1963 Reunions
Plan a Class of 1963 Reunion for Free
Class of 1972 50th Reunion
Invited Classes: All Classes
Date: May 14, 2022
Description: Registration will open on January 15, 2022. Persons can register and pay online at waynehighclassof1972.org or pay by ma...(read more)
All Class Charity Golf Tournament
Invited Classes: All Classes
Date: May 14, 2022
Description: The price is yet to be determined, but around $65 per golfer. In conjunction with the Class of 1972 50th reunion weekend...(read more)