Roburt Coates:  

Life Well after I broke my neck in a diving accident in the pool, graduated and, partyed the summer away, I departed for my adventures in the USAF. After Basic Training and Tech School I found myself assigned back to Griffiss. Great stuff, so I thought. I wound up getting my heart shattered (you know who you are!) and met my first wife. In 1980 I was re-asigned to Shaw AFB, SC. There my son was born. Unfortunately I was separated and divorced by 1983. Long story, no need to expound. I met my second wife in SC and in 1984 I was assigned to a unit in Korea. I returned, got married and proceeded to Columbus AFB, MS. THAT was not my best assignment! I was blessed with an assignment to England to a TR-1/U-2 unit. Fantastic time, best five years of my life, to that point. Could have been better if I were married to someone different. My Karma, I suppose. Anyway, I left there and headed for Minot AFB, ND... BRRRRRR...that's all I'll say about that! I hooked myself up with my next assignment and found myself in the Med on the Island of Cyprus. Paradise Island! Can't tell you what I did there...you know, I'd have to kill you... I was forced to leave the island, came home, finally told the second wife enough was enough, divorced, and proceeded to Pope AFB, NC. Oh yes! This was truly the cultural center of the universe. NOT! Here I was assigned to the historical 23d Fighter Group, otherwise known as the Flying Tigers! Awesome outfit! It was from there that I retired in Oct 2000. I cruised up to Everett, Washington where I worked as an FAA certified Airframe and Powerplant mechanic with BF Goodrich Aerospace...until 9-11 and I was laid off. I floundered in WA from Sept to Dec 2001 until Lockheed-Martin came to their senses and finally hired me. I found myself in my dream job as an ER-2 Mechanic (NASA version of the U_2) with Lockheed-Martin and NASA at Edwards Air Force Base, CA. I was with this outfit nearly two years and deployed twice with the aircraft on two scientific campaigns. Six weeks in Key West, six weeks in Hawaii. We flew our butts off but we had a great time doing it! NASA decided just after the Columbia mishap to cut the budget at Dryden. I was riding the fence as far as my place in the layoff line so I searched for another position w/in Lockheed. This is how I found myself with Lockheed-Martin Middle East...Expand for more