Ken Swickard:  

Life If you knew me in high school, you knew by my grades that I was not the brightest light bulb in the room. I was, however, very mechanically inclined and that ability, and getting over the fear of speaking in public, allowed me to have a very exciting life with a full pot of memories to feed off of. After a year of Police Science at Shasta College in Redding, I joined the active duty Air Force for 12 years and reserve's for 8. In the wisdom of the military, they made the guy, who was deathly afraid of needles, a medic. I joined to see the world and my first base was Kingsley Field at Klamath Falls, Oregon. I retired from the 12th USAF Contingency Hospital as a Master Sgt. and am a Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician (Radiology Service). I am with the same lovely bride that I married in 1969 and have two children(with spouses), and 4 grand kids and one great grand daughter. I have had, and still am having, an interesting and full life. During my active duty tour 1964 to1976, I was assigned to 7 bases in Alaska, two bases in California, one base in Oregon, one in Ohio and one in Texas. I was given an all expenses paid trip to Exotic Southeast Asia (Vietnam) and was able to enjoy the fireworks of a Tet Celebration in 1968. I was given the opportunity to live in Avellino, Italy for two years playing doctor to 150 men and their 350 dependents. While in the military, I left the clinical side of medicine and cross trained into Biomedical Equipment Repair. Since I graduated with honors from that course, the Air Force decided that I, the kid who stuttered for half his life and was afraid to speak in public, should become a Training Instructor. In early 1976 I left the security of the military family, with the bride and two small children, and jumped into the Civilian World. Three days after I left the military, I was offered the position of Clinical Engineer at Marin General Hospital. During my time at Marin, I spent 3 years as a reserve Pol...Expand for more