Raymond Lopez:  

I always wanted to be a Soldier when I grew up. My family and friends thought that was a terrible idea. As it turns out, they were WRONG!!!. As some of you might remember I left school early to enlist in the Regular Army. I have never regretted going off to the Air Cavalry Division it was one of the happiest times of my life. I left the Army in 1977 I was a lousy peacetime soldier. I really loved flying helicopters and I had a great time. I got to make some history instead of just reading about it. I am "retired" from the Government it might comes as a shock to you but I wound up being a federal agent for twenty-five years. I worked for several agencies. I even pulled duty at the U.S. Mints in Philadelphia and Denver. I was also in Washington and out of the country. I go to work and I mess with my Marine students telling anti-Marine Corps jokes to them and that is on Marine Corps Base Quantico. Until you live in Virginia, you have no idea what bland food is, they think that salt and pepper are exotic spices. Down here they not only lost what they call the "War of Yankee Aggression" they lost their taste buds too. Down here I am referre...Expand for more