Michael Sweeney:  

Life I am currently (Oct 2008) living with Laurel, my wife of over 38 years in Wichita Falls, Texas. We moved here from Leesville, Louisiana in April of 2007. I had retired from the Army at Ft Polk, after serving 29 years. We stayed there as I continued to work for the Army in Food Service while Laurel worked for the Army at the Dental Clinic. I left that job in Jan 2006 to drive drive cross country. I attended driving school in Dallas Texas with Schneider National. I teamed with Chris, my yougest Son for a while, then we both went solo. I left Schneider for a couple of months to check out working in Afphganistan as a supervisor of dining facilities. I came back in Sept of 2006 and went back to Schneider. In April of 2007, I was called by Mr. Cantu, who is owner of Cantu Services, Inc. He wanted me to be his Director of Operations, effectively making me an offer I could not refuse. Laurel was able to retire with disabilitie and we are in a much better place in our lives, financially. We are also living in a much better place climate wise and people wise. School We didn't move around as much as my Sons did with me in the Army, but I did attend a few schools growing up. One highlight that stands out the most, was my 5th Grade Teacher in Portland, where we lived for only one year. Ms. Isabel McLelland, was a publish author. She wrote "10 Beaver Road" and "Shadows on the Moore", amoung others. She taught me the importance of reading. Reading turned out to be the main ingredient to my education. School was never good for me, or me for it. I never took it serious and eventually dropped out of school in the 11th grade to join the Army at 17. Other memories include Ms. Allen, my very hot 6th grade teacher. Then there was the day in high school when I went to school very drunk. It was a day that at least in my memory of it, even the jocks and popular kids thought I was pretty cool. Of course, looking back at it, I'm sure they were laughing at me and not with me. I did have a lot of friends in my high school years, whom I have lost touch with. I joined the army one day with one of them, Mike Hoyden. He ended up going to Viet Nam and I was too young. I ended up staying in the Army for 29 years and Mike got out after his tour in Nam after 2 years. He died a few years ago. I miss him. Hard to believe it has been 39 years since I left Everett. One freind, Keith, I just reconnected with through classmates. He is in Iraq. Very odd. I spent 29 years in the Army and have never seen combat and Keith was never in the Army and is in the Combat zone as a civilian. Just might have to go join him. Military Mike Hoyden and I joined the Army together on the "buddy basic" plan on 31 December 1969. Thing is we were very high (no details) and actually went to harrass the army recruiter one day, becuase most of our freinds were "crashed" and we were b...Expand for more