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Information - The following is a short autobiography to let you know a little bit more about the author of this web site. There is no real reason for this section, except, it's my site, and I feel like putting this information here. Although this section may help explain the wide variance of locations that this site list.
Where to Begin - I was born and raised in a small town in north-east Oklahoma to a great family in May of 1970. My dad's name is Charles, and my mom's name is Nancy, I also have a brother his name is Tray. Commerce, OK - Home of Mickey Mantle - and the Commerce Tigers - was my stomping grounds for 18 years. Had several odd jobs, but none that I would consider making a career out of, so eventually I joined the U.S. ARMY.
I specialized in unit level communications equipment installation and repair (31V) through the basic training and AIT at FT. SILL, OK. My first duty station was at FT. RILEY, KS. While there, we received deployment orders for operation Desert Shield / Desert Storm. I had been seriously dating a very nice young lady (Teresa) for quite a while, and before we deployed, I asked her to marry me, She said yes. We married on December 10, 1990, on January 4, 1991 I deployed to SW Asia with the BIG RED ONE - HHC 2nd Battalion / 16th Infantry Regiment (mechanized). We redeployed to FT. RILEY, KS with the loss of a few of our fellow soldiers.
My new wife and I made a great go of things there in Junction City, KS for the entire time we were stationed there. It was there that our oldest son Jake was born. From FT. RILEY, we were shipped to Bad Hersfeld, Germany. Home of the Blackhorse 3/11 ACR. I was assigned to I Troop. It was while stationed there that my real interest into Amateur Radio began. Well as history now shows, we closed that post down due to the re-unification of Germany, and was sent to Wiesbaden, Germany an Army Air Base, and I was assigned to 3rd COSCOM, until the new TO&E was enforced. But not such a bad thing, I was only moved a few blocks to the 212th M.A.S.H. (Victory Medics).
While stationed there in Wiesbaden, my wife gave birth to our son Shawn, I was hospitalized with Meningitis (the doctor told me on my release, that she didn't think that I would make it when she admitted me to the hospital), My wife got pregnant with our daughter (though we didn't know it was a girl at the time) Julie. Julie was born to us while I was finishing up processing to leave Germany, and my wife had already traveled back stateside.
After a great (overall) three plus years in such a beautiful place as Germany, we were once again transplanted, this time to FT. CAMPBELL, KY home of the 101st Airborn Division, the Screaming Eagles. I was assigned to HHC 3rd Battalion / 187th Infantry Regiment - Air Assault - RAKKASANS. We had a wonderful time while stationed there. We met several great friends there, sadly only one of which I still maintain a Friendship with today. While stationed here we had our son James. After that we decided that four children, no matter how much we love kids, was enough. We eventually got moved into a little house in Hopkinsville, that we planned on remodeling to add a couple of extra rooms for the family. I ETS’d from the military there and went to work for RadioShack as a part time sales associate. I quickly moved up the ladder, taking the Manager In Training course, and ended up as the assistant manager to the store in Hopkinsville. One thing led to another, and I was offered a promotion.
Summer/Fall 2000 - Well we thought that staying there in Kentucky would end up being a great thing, but the job offer has came up and we have decided to take it. I Still work for RadioShack, but have been offered a store of my own in Arizona! So we packed up our things and moved to Tempe, AZ. What a wild trip moving here, you must have moved all of your belongings (with a U-Haul by yourself) to even begin to understand this. Ok so picture a 26 ft. U-Haul truck loaded, towing a car transporter, with four children and two adults in the cab of the truck. It took us four days to drive from Hopkinsville, KY to Tempe, AZ. Upon arriving in the Phoenix Metro Area, there was one heck of a storm brewing, the Monsoon of August 2000. I was driving this truck/trailer combo, trying to find my brothers apartment (we were staying with him until we got ours ready) and he shut off his phone for the entire day that we were trying to find his place. But anyway on the first day of inventory for my store, my dad ends up in the hospital (possible “minor” stroke) so I call up my district manager to inform him of the situation. He tells me to stay at the store and do my inventory, or else I'm fired. Heck no. I told him no thank you, I QUIT! Well it turns out that it wasn't a stroke that my dad suffered, but it did keep him in the hospital and off of work for a short time. My wife and I got jobs working for Pinkerton USA Security, both of us at the same site, just different shifts. The children like it here, but not as much as in Kentucky. One can only hope for the best.
Spring 2001 - Ok for those people revisiting my pages here you will notice some changes, not many but some. First - Let me say that this summer has been one heck of a summer for my family and me. We have moved from The Phoenix / Tempe Arizona area back to our old stomping grounds in NE Oklahoma. Second - We are finally in a house we can call our own (married for 10 years now with 4 children, and I was in the military for 9 1/2 years). So we are very glad to be able to finally settle down in one location to raise our children.
Summer 2002 - Well life has a funny way of playing tricks on people doesn't it! Things started out just fine here in Oklahoma for a while last summer for the family, then all heck broke loose to put it mildly. If anyone out there has attempted to contact me on the radio, I apologize! I have not been on the radio at all this spring / early summer due to events in my life. (Currently going through a divorce and all of my gear is being held hostage at my house.) But everything will work out for what it is supposed to be in the long run. Also if you have tried to email me but received no response please try again, had difficulty keeping the same e-mail while doing all of this moving around.
Fall/Winter 2002 - Why does it not seem like I can do anything right these days? My divorce is now finalized, had great plans with a wonderful lady (Tammy), but she had plans of her own. Her plans obviously didn't include me like my plans included her. Oh well life goes on, or so everyone keeps telling me. The only bad thing about this fine lady, she keeps blaming me for things happening at her place when I'm nowhere around her apartment. So I think it might do me some good to get away from the area for a while, possible a move back to Arizona, Kentucky, or maybe even Kansas who knows where I'll end up.
Spring/Summer 2003 - Well I made yet another move in my lifetime. I am no longer in the Northeast Oklahoma area, no small thanks to that wonderful lady mentioned in the Fall/Winter 2002 section. I miss my children dearly, but at least I'm not being blamed for everything that happens in that lady's life (at least I hope not). Also I am working once again and able to keep up on my child support payments like a good father should. The divorce, then separation from a beautiful lady, have forced a lot of changes in my life as well as a lot of deep thinking. I am still single, and may just stay that way, unless the right lady comes along and wakes up the part of me that I have put to sleep to keep it from getting hurt (my heart).
Fall/Winter 2003 - Ok so things are still wierd for me, but I am still here (alive and kicking). I have had my own doubts several times this past year. I have decided not to keep my heart all locked up, and have found a very special young lady to share time with. I hope that we can end up spending a lot more time together. This lady has helped me ‘ Keep it all together ’ for a while now.
Winter/Spring 2004 - The young lady (as yet un-named here) mentioned in the Fall/Winter 2003 section is still hanging on to me. This is a welcome change for me as normally I have to try to hang on to what I want. Don't get me wrong, I want this lady in my life and so far so good. I keep my fingers crossed every day that we can be together one of these days (closer together that is).
Spring/Summer 2004 - Ok well for those of you that are actually still reading this Bio that keeps growing, Thank you! Things keep on changing for me in my life, but that's ok it keeps things interesting. The "young lady" listed above is still in my life as a friend, but a Great Love has entered my life. Luana and I are proud to be able to announce our upcoming Wedding. We met at a little watering hole just across from where I used to live in Mesa, AZ called the Friendly Irish Pub. She sings like an Angel, and I, well let's just say I don't run people off and no animals have been hurt while I attempt to sing. LOL. When I first began to pay attention to Luana, it was as one friend to another. I could talk to her about what was going on in my life, and the same for her toward me. I would normally get to the FIP before she would and when she would walk in I would have her either a drink chip in her spot, or a drink waiting on her.
One night I finally got the courage to ask her out to lunch (we both work 2nd shift). Luana shot me down, kindly I might add. She explained her rule to me as something like this; "I have made it a rule of mine to not go out with, or date anyone from a place that I frequent. That is simply because if it were not to work out between myself and the other person one or the other of us, possibly both would feel uncomfortable in returning to the place we met." Well I did not get mad about it, instead I agreed with her at least in principle. I would continue to buy her at least one drink each time that I would see her, and I would still talk with her.
April 13, 2004 - Luana's car had broke down on her the weekend previous to this date, and I hadn't heard from her since the Friday night before. Luana shows up at the FIP via taxi and tells me what had happened to her car that weekend. As the night is coming to a close, Luana asks Lisa (the manager) to call her a taxi so that she can get home. I ask Lisa to wait a minute on making that call. Background info - 1. I don't have a vehicle of my own yet so that I could offer her a ride home. 2. Luama lives about 12 miles from the FIP and was going to take a taxi home then back across town in the morning to pick up her car. I procede to tell Luana that there is no sense in paying for a taxi to her house, then back again in the morning when my apartment is right across the street. Granted it is only a studio apartment, but I am a gentleman. And I gave my complete address and telephone information to Lisa. Luana talks it over with Lisa and Rhonda (the Karaoke hostess that night). They both tell Luana that it should be alright. Then they both tell me that if she doesn't show back up, they wouldn't call the cops, but I'd be the most hunted man in AZ. I took the hint and reassured both of them that I am a gentleman.
We have been together ever since that night, and this update is being typed out and should be posted today (September 15, 2004). Oh yah, almost forgot, the wedding will be in May of 2005 (the week of the 22nd) in Las Vegas at the Luxor. I still feel like the luckiest man on the earth.