Dan Mattingly:  

First off I want to thank everyone for taking the time to read my profile. I'm trying not to make it sound depressing but, still give the facts. I didn't graduate in 1966 from Ritenour. I was only a junior in 1965. .1966 would have been the year of my graduation. I was given an ultimatum by my parents to leave home after the finish of the school year in 1965. I was doing terrible in school. Did nothing else wrong that any other teenager hadn't done, just embarrassed them with my grades is my guess. I was bored to death with high school. Too, structured and stiff, in the "our way only" routine. My parents offered me a bus ticket to anywhere and $30.00 or go into service. It happened, what can I say. I opted for the service(Navy) and immediately got my GED while studying in A school then Sub school then, to nuclear power school. Yeah, me a non-graduate offered all these schools and a possible appointment to Annapolis, go figure. Vietnam in 1967. I met my wife just before shipping out for Nam and we married in 1968 after I got home. We have 2 boys and 4 grandchildren. After service it took a while to figure out what I wanted to do for a vocation. I have to experience something to know if it's what I want to do the rest of my life. I wish I could have approached it differently but, that's me. I spent 4 years in Toronto, Canada, where my wife is from, and did several jobs finally ending up being a music teacher for the National Conservatory of Music associated with the University of Toronto. I got my teaching certificate and had 116 students a week. I taught keyboard music. I finally ended up in electronics as my true vocation and thoroughly enjoy it. Came back to the states to use my VA benefits and studied at Lindenwood College but, had to drop out when my wife became pregnant with our second child and, had to go back to work. It wasn't easy but, I continued my studies through home courses and doing labs. I worked for several small company's, Intersat Corp., in St. Charles, Conifer Corp. in Burlington IA. I also taught a electronics courses at the Burlington Community College. I went to work for the Dept. of State doing security for all the Embassies and Consulates around the world. This entailed both physical and bodily security. My last position was the State Dept building in Wash. DC. They were trying to keep me on but, it was hard on family life being gone so much. They could not guarantee me that I would not have to travel again. Home for 2 weeks and gone for up to 3 months at a time but, I did get to go to a lot of interesting countries, 26 in all. I took a promotion and worked for the DOD at PAX River NATC in Maryland as the head contractor of the Aircraft Instrumentation Calibration Lab. In 1991 I left to live at my present location trying to connect back with my family. I was not fully successful in that endeavor. I did give up a beautiful home and successful job to try and, have no regrets for doing so. Family is important to me and even though my parents never connected with me, I can say I gave it my best shot. In 1994 my father was dying from cancer. He would keep trying to get out of bed. Too, we...Expand for more