Ron Helgeson:  

Life I actually did not graduate from Anoka but would have had I not moved away prior to our Junior year. I attended Champlin (and Washington for 4th grade) Elementary then Jackson Junior High. The highlight of my time at Jackson Jr. High was the trip in 1973 to the Soviet Union as a part of my Russian class with a group of 13 students. A lot has happened to me since leaving, I graduated from Villard High School (near Alexandria, a big switch from going to a class of 26 from what I would have graduated from at Anoka). I graduated from Moorhead State University with a bachelor degree in Business Administration. I earned a Masters Degree in Information Security and Assurance from Western Governors University. I also have an Associates Degree in Avionics Systems Technology. I have also earned a MCSE (Microsoft Certified Systems Engineer) and A+ Computer Technician and Security + certification. I spent 8 years in the Navy, on board submarines as a Nuclear Trained Machinist Mate, and retired from the Air Force Reserve, with 20 years of service, being a Communication and Navigation Electronic Specialist and was promoted to the rank of Master Sergeant on July 1 2003, retiring from the reserves in August of 2012 with over 28 years in the military. I won a base award as the Communication and Navigation Electronics Specialist of the Year in 2002. I retired from the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton Washington with 29 years of civil service, returning to Alexandria MN. I am enjoying retirement with a lot of pickleball, golf, bowling, two service organizations to keep me active. For my 65th birthday, I made a trip to Denmark, Norway and Sweden. College I attended Willmar Community College for one year, then transferred to Moorhead State University. The spring quarter of my junior year, I transfered to St. Cloud State for an internationa...Expand for more