Bruce Carlson:
CLASS OF 1972
Wyoming Park High SchoolClass of 1972
Wyoming, MI
Davenport UniversityClass of 1981
Grand rapids, MI
Newhall Middle SchoolClass of 1969
Wyoming, MI
Kendon Elementary SchoolClass of 1966
Lansing, MI
West Elementary SchoolClass of 1966
Wyoming, MI
Bruce's Story
Life
Life was full of surprises and when Sharon Cartwright (Simpson) met Robert (Bruce) Carlson, something wonderful happened. Even though they had five growing boys between them, they decided to take a chance and became a family. Many years later, Sharon and Bruce are living 2,300 miles away from Fresno, where they originally met, and now reside in Hudsonville, Michigan where Sharon works at Spectrum Health, Kent Community Campus, and Bruce is a retired Chief Master Sergeant/Civil Servant having retired in November 2006 from the Indiana Air National Guard in Fort Wayne. Bruce also worked for the City of Grand Rpaids Police Department in their 911 dispatch center the last three months of 2007. Bruce is currently undertaking a new line of work in Financial Services with Primerica.
The boys are all grown up now. Three still live in California. Jamie lives in San Francisco where he teaches high school special ed. Eric is an info systems technician with a local casino just north of Fresno. He is now married to Becky and they have two son, Aaron and Daniel. Paul works for Northpointe Church as their Communications, Video & Marketing Director. They have two children, Anna and Samuel. Jeff graduated from Fresno State University class of '04 and is working for Comcast in Portland, OR. Mark and Timery moved to the Grand Rapids, Michigan area the fall of '06. Mark found work in health care administration at Spectrum Health, Kent Community Campus, and Timery is working as a dental assistant. They had their first baby boy, Ian, in May '07. The Carlson/Simpsons like to travel in addition to skiing, golfing, playing racquetball and just spending time together.
School
Lived in Lansing, Mi during K-1st grade where I attended Kendon Elementary. I really liked my first grade teacher, Ms Utkey (sp??).
Moved to Wyoming, MI the during summer of 1961 and enrolled at Wyoming West Elementary, which was then known as West Newhall. Attended second through sixth grades there. I liked Ms Burgland in 2nd and Ms Guy in 4th. Mr Yared was kinda cool too in 6th.
Went to Newhall Junior High for 7th through 9th grades, (66-69). Was in the ski club all three years. I enjoyed 7th grade geography class with Mr Kik and shop and mechanical drawing with Mr B.
On to Wyoming Park High for 10th through 12th grades, graduating in June 1972.
College
I completed a few college classes during the eight years I was in the U.S. Air Force. During the spring and summer of...Expand for more
1981 I attended Davenport College in G.R. I moved to Fresno, California in the fall of '81 and enrolled at Fresno City College there. I received an A.S. degree in Business Data Processing. Since then I have taken just a few odds and ends type classes, mostly German.
Military
I joined the Air Force during my senior year of High School with two of my buddies (Tim and Gary) in the delayed enlistment program. Left for basic training in June 1972 at Lackland AFB, TX. From there I went to Lowry AFB, Co. for my technical school. I was there for training into the weapons mechanics career field (462X0). Graduated from that school in Dec '72 and was off to my first permanent duty assignment at Williams AFB, AZ near Phoenix. Worked in the Weapons Release Shop in the 425th TFTS (F-5E aircraft) under Master Sergeant Glen Lambdin.
In July '75 I was reassigned to Kunsan Air Base, Republic of Korea where I worked in the Gun Shop. I maintained the SUU-23A 20mm gatling gun used on the F-4D aircraft. From there I returned to the states to Keesler AFB, MS for retraining into the Electronic Warfare career field (328X3 AFSC). I was there from July '76 through Feb '77.
My next assignement was to Mather AFB, Sacramento, CA. I was assigned to the 320th Bomb Wing, Avionics Maintenance Squadron ECM shop for two years and then transferred to the headquarters squadron to work in Quality Assurance as an avionics inspector for two years (B-52G and KC-135 aircraft). I was honorably discharged from the USAF in December 1980 and moved to Grand Rapids, MI.
I joined the Michigan Air National Guard at Battle Creek, MI in Jan 1981 working in the OA-37 Flight Simulator section. Because I was unable to find employment in G.R., I applied for and got a full time job with the California Air National Guard in Fresno, CA. I hired on as a weapons mechanic on F-106A/B aircraft. After about seven months an opening in the Comm-Nav shop became available which I applied for and got. While assigned to the 144th at Fresno, I worked on F-106A/B, F-4D, F-16A/B/C/D, T-33, and C-131 aircraft.
In the summer of 2002 I accepted a position with the 122nd Fighter Wing in Fort Wayne, Indiana in the avionics shop (F-16C aircraft). During the summer of 2003 I was selected for the Maintenance Operations Flight NCOIC. I retired as a Chief Master Sergeant in Sep 2006.
I have been on several trips with the air national guard to Florida, Nevada, Panama, Alaska, Hawaii, Michigan, Arizona, and Saudi Arabia.
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