Ron Ridley:  

Following my less than illustrious BHS career I had intentions of attending New Mexico Eastern in Portales. At the time my plans were to get a degree in Wildlife Science or Wildlife Management and get a job with the NM Department of Game and Fish. I was enrolled, had a room and schedule and about a month before school started my dad got sick and my plans went on the back burner. I was somewhat relieved because by that time I realized that in order to succeed in college I was going to have to make drastic changes to the poor study habits I'd developed in high school. Like almost every other time in my life when an important decision needed to be made I started doubting myself. I believe God always has plans for us and often our plans and His differ. That became apparent to me when a female acquaintance I'd met in church let me know she was interested in me as something more than a friend. We started dating in October after graduation and we would have never started our relationship had I been away at school. I'll be thankful for that forever. I started attending a trade school in Albuquerque named Southwest Computer College in February 1971. Before I completed that program in October, I had enlisted in the New Mexico Air National Guard. I left for Lackland AFB on October 17th and completed basic training in November followed by a tech school at Lowry AFB in Denver in January 1972. Shortly after returning home I got a job in the data processin...Expand for more