Larry Dean Walters:  

Well Fella's and any Ladies interested, it has taken me a while but here it is, the unabridged and felicitous version of the Soporific Adventures of a Conscripted Clamper. After graduating Richfield I traveled to Indiana for the summer to visit my Dad's side of the family. Having enlisted in the Air Force prior to graduation, it was my summer fling prior to reporting for duty the beginning of October. After finishing basic training in San Antonio, I was politely asked... to board an aircraft to take me to my Technical Training school in Rantoul, Illinois. Arriving the afternoon of Thanksgiving Day in knee deep snow with a 25 knot wind was definitely a breathtaking introduction to the North Country. Only 5 hours prior I had been in short sleeve weather. Dressed in our Service Dress uniform we were marched to the Mess Hall to partake in the holiday feast, needless to say we were more interested in heat instead of meat. Having graduated school again in March, it was the start of a 24 year career in Aircraft Maintenance and many an excursion. Of the 24 years of active duty, 19 years were spent overseas in England, Scotland, Germany, Italy, Turkey, Iraq, United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Morocco. I participated in 6 operations; Operation Eldorado Canyon, Operation Desert Shield/ Desert Storm, Operation Provide Comfort I, II, and III, and Operation Northern Watch. My only regret is that I could not continue my education until I retired from active duty, if only today's technology was around sooner.... I retired from active duty in 1998 and spent the rest of the year as a gold miner in the Sierra Nevada's of California. I really do miss the camarader...Expand for more