Gary Hall:  

Life After graduating from Ensley High School in 1975, I attended Auburn U. for one whole semester before flunking out - too much pool-playing at the Student Union, not enough studying. So, my Dad says," Either get serious about college, or try something else." So I tried something else. Enlisted in the AL Army National Guard, and went to Ft. Dix, NJ, for Basic Training. Thanks to the "Angry-Drill-SGT-In-Your-Face" Diet, dropped about 80 pounds, made it through BCT, and then went to Ft. Eustis, VA, to learn how to repair helicopters. Got back to B'ham in August, 1976. After a "nowhere job" stocking grocery shelves for a few months, I decided to see the world, and enlisted for 4 years in the Army for duty in Germany as a Ground Surveillance Radar Operator. Arrived in Baumholder, FRG, and the 2nd Brigade, 8th Infantry Division, in Dec. 77. I was assigned to the GSR Section, Combat Support Company, 1st Battalion 68th Armor Regiment. Served three years in CSC 1/68, and I loved almost every minute of it - except the time the huge wild boar chased me around the motor pool on guard duty in the wee hours one snowy morning... I left Germany for Ft. Carson, CO, and the 4th Infantry Division in Jan. 81. I was assigned to the 104th CEWI Bn, and worked in the 4th ID G-2 as the Surveillance Radar NCO. I decided to make the Army a career, so I re-enlisted, but for a different job. I signed up to become an Army Broadcaster, and went to the Defense Information School in Indianapolis In Nov. 81. Graduated as the top student in my class, and returned to Ft. Carson and a job in the Public Affairs Office for a few months before getting orders for Germany again. Arrived back in Germany in Dec. 82, and was assigned to AFN Bremerhaven. I did the 6pm TV News for a year, and then moved over to the radio side of the affiliate, and did the AM Drive Time radio show (from 5am to 10 am) for about a year. Loved being an Army DJ - no guard duty, no formations, no CQ. I re-enlisted again in March 1984 for 4 more years, but during a re-up physical, I found out I had developed diabetes. I was medically discharged in Jan 85, and returned to B'ham. I started college at UAB, and graduated with a BA in Mass Comm/Broadcasting in 1989. In 1990, I was hired as a civilian contractor for the AFRTS Station at AFN Kwajalein, located on a small island about halfway between Hawaii and Australia. Did almost 3 years there, doing radio shows and running TV Master Control. Left to start graduate school at the U of A in Tuscaloosa in '93. Got married in August '93 in my parents' backyard in Gardendale, to a woman I had met through a Christian Singles magazine. Had medical problems due to the diabetes (toe amputation), and had to quit graduate school. Worked as the evening DJ at WACT in Tuscaloosa for about a year. Was hired by the Dept. of the Navy to do video production in Sept. 95, and moved up north of Chicago. Worked making training videos for the Great Lakes Naval Training Center. Then, went to work making videos for the Army in TX, and the INS in TX. Got divorced in 2001. Moved to Brunswick, GA, to do video production for the Treasury Dept. in 2001. Met Anita through "Match.com", and we were married in July 2002 in B'ham on the top of the Jefferson County Courthouse. Was hired by the Army (again) to do video pr...Expand for more