Spicer, Howard, SSgt

PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE AIR FORCE.
I graduated high school in 1969 and had no idea what I wanted to do or had a desire for attending college. Knowing the draft was inevitable I decided to enlist. My father retired from the USAF in 1966. Having lived on or near air bases growing up I felt most comfortable with the Air Force. My father had been an aircraft mechanic and flight engineer for many years. Dad's stories about flying and aircraft always interested me. Plus he never complained to us about the Air Force so I figured it would be best route for me.

WHETHER YOU WERE IN THE SERVICE FOR SEVERAL YEARS OR AS A CAREER, PLEASE DESCRIBE THE DIRECTION OR PATH YOU TOOK. WHERE DID YOU GO TO BASIC TRAINING AND WHAT UNITS, BASES, OR SQUADRONS WERE YOU ASSIGNED TO? WHAT WAS YOUR REASON FOR LEAVING?
I left for basic July 16, 1969, the same day Apollo 11 left on it's historic mission to the moon. I had grown up an AF brat but quickly learned that was not the same as being an Airman Basic. After basic I took a bus to Sheppard AFB for tech school, 1 & 2 engine jets. Graduated a week ahead of my class and arrived home on leave the first part of December. Shortly after new years 1970 I left for a 2 year tour at Yokota AB Japan. While at Yokota I was assigned as crew chief on F-4C's and found out to my shock that we would be working 12 hour shifts, a wake up call to the real AF. While at Yokota I traveled to both Osan and Kunsan Korea. In Korea I spent many hours and days on the alert facility.

After 17 months at Yokota I was transferred to Kadena AB, Okinawa for 5 months. Due to a housing shortage we were put up in a warehouse wing of the barracks living in cubicles made from lockers. Not a bad deal actually as no one bothered us as long as we behaved and kept place cleaned up. After almost two years it was time to rotate stateside, so after a 30 day leave back home in NH, I arrived at Webb AFB, Texas. Because it was a pilot training base and part of ATC, everyone said It would be like being back in Lackland. Man were they ever so wrong. Best duty so far working 8 hour 5 day weeks crewing T-38's. After having worked on the F-4's it seemed like all we needed to do was kick the tires and fill with gas and off they went.

At my 3 year service mark the AF started a program called Palace Chase due to war in Vietnam winding down. If accepted into this program, one would serve 2 months with the guard for every month active duty remaining. Catch was you needed to join guard unit in your same AFSC. The nearest I found was with Connecticut ANG working F-100's. After a year with them I was told I could transfer to NHANG if they had an opening, even though it was with a different AFSC for C-130. So I went over to Pease AFB, NH and checked it out to finish my last year. I was told they indeed had positions but I would be required to enlist for 3 years and could request to be discharged after my year remaining commitment was up. So off to NHANG I went. After my year was up decided to stay on and complete my 3 year enlistment.

In the mean time I began attending one of NH VOC-TECH schools for a 2 year course to obtain an Associates degree in Industrial Electricity. My once a month guard duty along with GI Bill meant I only needed to pick up occasional odd job. Plus during summer break I did my 2 week guard requirement and was asked if I was interested in staying on for 3 months as temporary help, best summer job I could have ever found. After 3 years active duty and 4 with ANG I left the AF life behind in July 1976. I have never regretted my time in AF both as an Airman and an AF brat. I will always be proud to say I am a Veteran. The AF helped me grow and mature along with working for some of the finest people I've ever met.

IF YOU PARTICIPATED IN ANY MILITARY OPERATIONS, INCLUDING COMBAT, HUMANITARIAN AND PEACEKEEPING OPERATIONS, PLEASE DESCRIBE THOSE WHICH MADE A LASTING IMPACT ON YOU AND, IF LIFE-CHANGING, IN WHAT WAY?
No I did not participate in any combat operations during my service. The closest I came would be in the support of the defense of South Korea on nuclear alert.

OF ALL YOUR DUTY STATIONS OR ASSIGNMENTS, WHICH ONE DO YOU HAVE FONDEST MEMORIES OF AND WHY? WHICH WAS YOUR LEAST FAVORITE?
I would have to say Yokota AB Japan was my favorite assignment. It was my first time in a foreign country and enjoyed seeing some of the sites. I found the Japanese people to be honest, friendly and hard workers. While we worked hard, sometimes 12+ hour days, our free time was pretty much ours to do and see as much as we liked. The living and working conditions were very good. I worked on the F-4C one of AF front line fighters, something I will never forget, I also had the opportunity to visit Korea on many TDYs. It was an interesting place but I preferred Japan. I had several friends I was stationed with that I'd like to meet up with.

FROM YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY MEMORIES YOU STILL REFLECT BACK ON TO THIS DAY.
The one memory that really would be the shock of arriving at basic. We got to our barracks late at night and first thing our TI instructed us to do was shave all facial hair. We promptly did as told but being a bunch of boys who just left home we did not clean up after ourselves. That certainly did not go unnoticed by the TI.

OF ALL THE MEDALS, AWARDS, FORMAL PRESENTATIONS AND QUALIFICATION BADGES YOU RECEIVED, OR OTHER MEMORABILIA, WHICH ONE IS THE MOST MEANINGFUL TO YOU AND WHY?
I did not receive medals or awards during my service. The most meaningful item received was a certificate for graduating ahead of my class in aircraft maintenance school. It was presented to me at commanders call by 347th commander Col. Jarvis. This award made me feel as if I had already accomplished something to be proud of even though I was still a rookie.

WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?
I cannot think of any one individual. My TI's certainly helped shape me from a mama's boy into a man capable of taking care of myself. Others would be the airmen who helped me learn my job and become more confident at my first duty station. Special mention would be the career people who had worked the aircraft for a few years. Their knowledge was impressive.

CAN YOU RECOUNT A PARTICULAR INCIDENT FROM YOUR SERVICE, WHICH MAY OR MAY NOT HAVE BEEN FUNNY AT THE TIME, BUT STILL MAKES YOU LAUGH?
While at Kadena we had a water shortage which led to rationing. Water was turned on 12 hrs and off 12 hrs. This continued until it was off for 36 hrs and on for 12 hrs. We had large canvas bags of chlorinated water for shaving and washing. Actual showers came about every 3rd or 4th day. Finally 2 typhoons eased the drought. During the first typhoon several of us were in the parking lot behind the barracks wearing nothing but skivvies with a towel and soap showering in the pouring rain. It felt good to not have to take a 2 minute shower. Several officers walking by just looked but said nothing.

WHAT PROFESSION DID YOU FOLLOW AFTER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND WHAT ARE YOU DOING NOW? IF YOU ARE CURRENTLY SERVING, WHAT IS YOUR PRESENT OCCUPATIONAL SPECIALTY?
While in the NH ANG I attended a voc-tech school to obtain my electricians license and an associate degree in industrial electricity. After graduation I was hired as a plant electrician by a company that produced automotive oil seals. I did electrical work for them for 20 years.Then I had an opportunity to move into their engineering and development lab setting up and running various testing equipment. I'm still with them after 35 years and working towards retirement.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS SERVING IN THE MILITARY INFLUENCED THE WAY YOU HAVE APPROACHED YOUR LIFE AND YOUR CAREER? WHAT DO YOU MISS MOST ABOUT YOUR TIME IN THE SERVICE?
The military taught me the value of being responsible as well as dependable. In particular being an aircraft mechanic, it made me understand the meaning of doing a job properly and complete.

BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE AIR FORCE?
I would suggest taking pride in doing your job the best you can. This pride will follow you the rest of your life. While the job may seem tough and impossible at times, some day you will look back and be able to say I did my best and I'm proud.

IN WHAT WAYS HAS TOGETHERWESERVED.COM HELPED YOU REMEMBER YOUR MILITARY SERVICE AND THE FRIENDS YOU SERVED WITH.

TWS and The USAF

In the short time since joining I have found the people here to be the friendliest anywhere. TWS has reminded me of how good it was to have friends that seem like family when in the service far away from home. Sometimes we griped, but in the end we all worked together and got the job done. Then we partied like brothers. I now feel that same brotherhood all over.

DS 6/7/16