Michele Klaes:  

Life I graduated from MacArthur in 1970. I joined the US Air Force in May of 1971 and retired as an E-8 First Sergeant in August 1991. I had a varied career and travelled all over the United States, Korea, England, Turkey and spent brief periods in Germany, Guantanamo Bay, Alaska, Japan, Phillipines, Puerto Rico, and Switzerland. My primary career field was nursing, but I spent 1.5 years flying as a medical crew member on C-9's for 1.5 years. I then served on a special duty assignment as a Professional Military Education instructor and taught leadership and management and communication skills. I then returned to my career field and served as superintendent of critical care over intensive care, coronary care, and the step-down unit. I then retrained into the First Sergeant field where I spent my last three years. I met my now ex-husband of 20 years in the Air Force--we married in 1984. My dad and step-pop died in 1990, and my mother and step-mother moved to Bay St. Louis 12 years ago and built a home together. I've been living with them for about a year now mostly due to their declining health. We would have stayed there, and have evacuated for hurrricanes before only to return and pick up a few fallen limbs, etc. Katrina was different, and we had no home left. My brother, Dallas County Constable Mike Dupree, made lodging arrangements for us and kennel arrangements for the dogs. The generosity of the people here has been ...Expand for more