David Painter:  

I left high school and joined the Army where I trained to be a medic. Went to Germany until I was 18 and then to Vietnam and flew on helicopters (Dustoff) as a flight medic in '67 - '68, where I experienced the Tet Offensive and a WHOLE lot more. Came back and at Fitzsimmons for awhile in the pathology and physiology labs as an xray tech. Left the army in '70 and hired on to the Aurora Fire Dept., where I was a firefighter and promoted to Eng/Driver. Then promoted to Arson Investigator for 8 years. In charge of Arson Bureau for 6 mo. and found I couldn't stand the politics of the job and city council and city managers. Politicians as a whole. Also at that rank and higher, I didn't get to go into fires or to rescues, where all the action is. I then demoted back to fire/fighter where I loved it and stayed until I retired. That occured on Aug. 21 '09 after 39 years. I was still able to pass all the annual fitness tests, but found it to really be a young man's job. The last few years were really difficult, but the excitement was always there. I truly believe the old saying of finding a job you love and you won't work a day in your life. So...kinda lost my direction for awhile and am now trying to figure out what's next. I'm sure that things will come about, so am now...Expand for more