I graduated from Lefors High School in May 1970.

After a quick introduction to college (back in Clarendon) during the summer where the mathematics class I tried to complete was canceled due to lack of sufficient enrollment, I went to Texas City for a month or so where my parents had moved to, then back to Lefors where I got a job with an electrical company for a few months.  When the project we were working finished, I joined the Army.

In 1972, I met Dorothy Elaine Pratt and we were married on September 30th of that year.

In 1973, I reenlisted and asked to be sent to Europe.  During the next 3 and 1/2 years, Amy and Gabriel were born.

June of 1976 had the family returning to the United States and my assignment to the US Army Criminal Investigation Command headquarters in Washington DC where I worked in the Investigative Concepts and Doctrine Directorate for 3 years before moving to the Command Group as the Secretary, General Staff Administrative NCO.