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HERE
Feb.'64-Jun. '64- I arrived at Lackland AFB on 13 Feb. '64 and went through 1st. phase Basic Training and was waiting for orders but was informed that I would be in 2nd. phase awaiting tech. school. After 2nd. phase we fell out to get our orders. There were ten of us that didn't receive orders but were told we were going OSL. After looking at each other we asked, "What is OSL?" We were told that it ment Other Side of Lackland, Air Police Tech. School. We graduated the end of May '64 and every one in my class received orders for overseas. Mine was to RAF Wethersfield, England.
Jun. '64-Jun. '68- After a few weeks leave I arrived at the patch. I started on "C" flt. security walking the ramp of the old F-100's. About eight months later I was asked if I would transfer to Law Enforcement. I did and remained in Law until I left. During this time I was assigned to gates, desk sergeant, town patrol, base patrol and temporary flight chief.
Jun. '68-Sept. '68- I returned to the US and was assigned to the 862nd. SPS at Minot AFB, ND. After SAC Training I spent one cycle in aircraft Security, B-52's, and the Law Enforcement Supervisor said he wanted me to transfer to law because he checked my records and I had the experience which he needed. I spent my remainder their in Law.
Sept. 1968-Dec. 1971-After leaving active duty I returned to Michigan only to find high unemployment. I finally was hired by a company but after eight months they closed. At the time my first wife was English and I decided to move back to the UK. I worked at RAF Wethersfield and RAF Chicksands for AAFES. At RAF Chicksands I was hired as a cashier at the Commissary. I took advantage of the VA and received my degree in 1977. The Commissary was controlled by each base until 1976.
1976-1990- From '76-'90 all Air Force Commissaries were combined under one roof called: AFCOMS.
1990-2002- I remained working for the commissary which was redesignated as: DeCA which included all branches of the service. I added my military years and on 31 July 2002 I retired with 31 1/2 years Federal Service. During these years I worked my way up to positions of Store Administrator, Commissary Officer and attained a GS-12 grade level. During this time I have been assigned to RAF Chicksands in England, Bitburg in Germany, NAF Atsugi in Japan and in the US, Bolling-DC, Hurlburt-FL, Gunter-AL, Warner Robbins-GA, East Kelly-TX, McGuire-NJ, and Fort Belvoir in Va. as my last. I have also been TDY to Hawaii, Guam, Korea, Okinawa, McChord-WA, Lowry-CO, Ft. Lee-VA, Maxwell AFB, Al, Kelly AFB, Tx, Ramstein AB & Vogelweigh, Ge. and New Orleans-LA.
2002-2003- During this year I didn't do anything and got bored.
2003-2005- I took a job with the University of Texas Health Science Center in San Antonio as a Police Guard. I worked posts on campus and off campus facilities.
2005-2007- I took a job at Lackland AFB as a Supervisor Armed Lieutenant Security Officer working for a contractor. We worked closely with the Security Forces and had guards on the entry gates and visitor centers which ended on 30 Sept. 2007.
30 Sept. 2007-Dec. 2016: I officially retired/retired from work, signed up for Social Security and also receive my Civil Service Retirement. I now spend my time working on my family history, and keeping in contact with my three children in England and my three children in the US. I completed a 13 week class at the Citizen Police Academy and will be in the Volunteer In Policing program assisting the SAPD in various ways. I completed the training for the Family Assistance Crisis Team (F.A.C.T.) on July 28, 2015. Completed the Public Safety Team Academy and graduated on March 17, 2016 and was swarn in and received my badge. Completed the Defensive Driving for City vehicles.
Other Memories RAF WETHERSFIELD A BRIEF HISTORY RAF Wethersfield was officially opened in January 1944 as a RAF station under 9th Bomber Command, US Army Air Corps. The 416th Bomber Group's first operation was on 3 1 st March 1944 and in the lead up to D-Day they attacked airfields and railways. These missions resulted in the award to the 41 6th of the Distinguished Unit Citation. At this time there were 2,200 airmen and 62 Havoc A-20 aircraft stationed at Wethersfield. The 41 6th left for France in September 1944 and were replaced in November of that year by two Royal Air Force Squadrons under Fighter Command, equipped with Stirlings, flying special missions over the Continent. In late 1944, during Operation Varsity (the crossing of the Rhine), 81 American Dakota aircraft took off from RAF Wethersfield with paratroopers of the 6th Airborne Division. In April 1946 a Royal Air Force Heavy Transport Conversion Unit was based at Wethersfield and remained until July of that year when the station was closed and placed in a care and maintenance status. During this period it was used as a winter camping ground for Chipperfield's Circus. Elephants were housed in the maintenance hangers and nissen (quonset) huts, formerly used as offices, became homes for lions, tigers, snakes and monkeys. RAF Wethersfield was reopened in May 1952 and the base then became part of 3rd Air Force under the United States Air Force in Europe (USAFE). It was assigned the mission of providing support for NATO Forces. In February 1955 the Group was upgraded to Wing status and the 20th Tactical Fighter Wing (TFW) earned the Outstanding Unit Award on four separate occasions while at Wethersfield. Many improvements were made during the time they occupied the base including the extension to and complete resurfacing of the runway. The F-84 was the primary aircraft used until 1957 when the F-100D Super Sabre was put into service and remained the primary aircraft until 1970. The 20th TFW was converted to the new F- I I I s and moved to a new location at RAF Upper Heyford in July 1970. On Ist April 1970 RAF Wethersfield became a Dispersed Operations Base (DOB) until September 1970 when the base mission was changed to that of Standby Deployment Base, ready to support augmentation forces if directed. In October the 66th Combat Support Group was redesignated 66th Combat Support Squadron (CSS). In August 1976 the 66th CSS became a detachment of the I Oth Tactical Reconnaissance Wing (TRW), based at RAF Alconbury, and became Detachment I (Det. 1) 1Oth TRW. Det. I supported a number of units including the 819th Civil Engineering Squadron Heavy Repair (CESHR) and Det. I 2166th Information Systems Squadron (later to become 21 66th Communications Squadron). In 1978 the British and American Governments agreed to establish a Rapid Emergency Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineering (RED HORSE) unit in England. The 819th was selected in December of that year and on I st April 1979 an advance party of 40 men arrived. 819th CESHR, along with 7119th Air Base Flight, a supporting unit, and Det. 12166th CS remained at Wethersfield until February 1990 when it was announced by the United States government that, as part of a budget cutting exercise, RAF Wethersfield would be closed. The base was handed back to the Royal Air Force at an official ceremony held on 3 July 1990 and, at the end of September, Wethersfield was once again placed under care and maintenance status. In April 1991 the Chief Constable of the Ministry of Defence Po1ice assumed responsibility for the base and a small joint civilian/uniformed team moved in to organise the relocation of the Ministry of Defence Police Training School and Firearms Training Wing from Medmenham, Buckinghamshire and the Headquarters from Earl's Court in London. The Operational Support Unit moved to Wethersfield from RAF Wittering and has been permanently based there since May 1992. In addition, Wethersfield was to be the home for the MOD Guard Service (MGS) Training School. In October 1994 the joint location of MDP training and HQ, along with the MGS Training Wing, was completed, giving the Force the first combined HQ and Training Centre in its history.
