Barry Soloway:  

meones life that I barely know. I cannot think of anything more rewarding. I do a good deal of pro-bono work for some that have much bigger problems than I do, it makes me feel good that I can do it whenever I so choose. Its also a great feeling to provide jobs for as many people as I do with great working conditions and be offered the respect that I get for what I do. I like to make people happy any way I can, even if they owe alot to Uncle Sam (which is usually alot less than they would have had they went elsewhere). You may think I am tooting my own horn, maybe I am, but its not a selfish thing that I do. Most of you may remember I was extremely shy in High School (although I had my moments) but no longer because of the confidence I've gained being the best at my profession (well, at least one of them)- unless of course I have to give a speech. Some of you may remember speech class - I was not very good. Actually I stank - still do. Military I joined the Navy to avoid being drafted into the Army. When I was on leave from boot camp, I was drafted by the Army. I am proud to have served my country, but it was not the greatest experience of my life. I meet some great people who I since lost contact with which really sucks. Hey John Brett and Ron Strom(Key West), Leroy(A-School), Thomas Doyle (Oceanna Va.), and Roy(boot camp): If you see this, please contact me. When I joined the service I was guarenteed school with the military however, I thought I had to list three choices. Not knowing any better I listed "ordinance" as my third choice. I really needed only to list one choice. Guess what, I became an ordinancemen. You know, guns, bombs, missles etc. I had a degree in accounting, go figuire. After training me I was sent to Key West and they voluntered me go to the "Line Division" (talk about government waste - all that training and all). Now I become a "plane captain" (the guy you see directing aircraft on the flight deck, tarmack or aircraft carrier. I actually liked it and took great pride in what I did but down in Key West it got over 110 degrees on the tarmack. It was the hardest I ever worked in my life. It got me in shape. I remember in the wee hours of the morning one day I was assigned an Aircraft but I had no time to check out the plane before it was schedualed to go out. Seeing a couple hydrolic leaks I downed the aircraft just as the pilot was ready to board. He commenced to chew me out because he needed the flight time but I held my ground and got back in his face and said "sorry SIR - if you go out in this plane and don't come back I couldn't live with myself AND my ass and HIS life was on the line. We didn't much like each other before that but he gained new respect for me after that. I still got alot of heat for it, until I threatened to request a Captains Mast although I never actually had to. I was so proud of my job and proud to fight for my country and proud to wear my uniform when on leave until some people let me know that it wasn't a kool thing because of Viet Nam. I wasn't proud of Viet Nam, but I was proud of my service to my country. Boot camp: The bigotry in boot camp reared its head soon after I was there. One moron who didn't care for Jews or blacks kept saying things to me and wanted to pick a fight. He "called me out" so to speak to "the drying room". I know if I went in there with him his friends would shortly follow and I would be dead meat. Of course; not to be stipid I rejected his proposal and not wanting to back down either (as I rarely do) I said to him: "OK, right hear and now, in front of the whole company". Coward that he was, he refused my invitation to dance. Thanks "Roy" for standing by me and give me a call if you ever read this. I do not remember the idiots name, but I am sure he still is a bigoted SOB - The invitation till holds.