Chip Beckwith:  

I'd tell my story, but people that knew me probably won't believe it. Anyway, here goes. After graduating NFA, I joined the Army National Guard. After basic training, I became a medic and then moved back to Norwich where I worked at Benny's while going to Mohegan Community College. While at Mohegan, I became a science geek. I got my Associates degree and then transferred to Eastern CT State where I became a super geek. I became interested in molecular and microbiology and graduated with high honors. Toward the end of my days at Eastern, I learned that schools actually pay students to go to graduate school. Seemed like a good gig to me, so I applied and got accepted. Not too shabby I thought! For the next 5 years I studied the molecular mechanisms of DNA replication and DNA repair. I eventually got my Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Biochemistry and Genetics, and then took a job with the CT Dept of Public Health developing and implementing molecular diagnostic systems. I was originally hired to set up a system to detect and monitor the spread of the West Nile virus, but eventually worked on projects for bio-threat detection. I even participated in the investigation that detected the anthrax in the CT mail system. After a couple of years, I moved on from the CT Department of Public Health. I took a little time off for R&R, worked for the government of the US Virgin Islands, but that was really just an excuse to SCUBA dive in the Caribbean. From there, I took a temp position with the Centers for Disease Control which took me...Expand for more