Robert Thornton:  

I graduated Huntington High School in 1969. From there I went to East Carolina University from 1969-1973. I was on the swim team my freshman year and Lacrosse team for all 4 years, leaving the team mid season of my senior year for personal reasons. I lettered my Soph and Junior years. Once I graduated I started as a sheetrock subcontractor in Greenville, NC. From there I attended truck driving school at NC State Univ. I drove livestock trucks up and down the east coast for about 9 months. I love driving trucks, just not being on the road for extended periods of time. I was married in 1974 and we moved to Franklin, VA. I worked as an Orderly and student LPN for one year. I graduated and we moved to Weldon, NC where I worked at Halifax Memorial Hospital as an LPN. I started in the nursing program at Atlantic Christian College (now Barton College) in 1976, riding my motorcycle 60 miles one way to school. In 1977 we moved to Wilson, NC where I only had to ride a few minutes to campus. On all our moves, my wife was able to find a teaching job. During this time I was working the ER at Nash General Hospital in Rocky Mount. I continued there until Dec 1978. On November 18, 1978 I took my Oath as a Second Lieutenant in the United States Air Force as a Registered Nurse. In January 1979 we moved to Shaw AFB, SC in Sumter, SC. I made Captain in the Summer of 1981 and then m...Expand for more