Newall, Roger, TSgt

PLEASE DESCRIBE WHO OR WHAT INFLUENCED YOUR DECISION TO JOIN THE AIR FORCE.
My interest in going to college and going the work was waning and my grade showed as much. Had to do something else and the Air Force made the most sense (Draft Board was looking at 18 and I was 21) didn't want to wait for them.

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?
After Basic Training at Lackland AFB, I went to Aircraft Loadmaster School at Shepherd AFB. My 1st duty station was Hill AFB, UT, 28th Military Airlift Squadron, C-124C's, Feb. 1966 to July 1967; (next) Tan Son Nhut AB, RVN, 19th Air Commando Squadron, C-123B's & K's July 1967 to Aug. 1968; (next) England AFB, LA, 4412th Combat Crew Training Squadron, C/AC-47C Sept 1968 to January 1969; "Early Out Program" to finish the college education, that I had promised myself to complete when I got out, at Springfield College, MA. While I was attending college, I joined the Air Force Reserve Unit, Westover AFB, MA 337 Military Airlift Squadron, C-124C's, Aug. 1969 to Sept. 1972. During that time my Primary AFCS A60770, Loadmaster and a Secondary of A60550 Air Freight. My rank was SSgt in 3-1/4 yrs and TSgt in 5yrs. Loadmaster Instructor: C-123K's, C-124C's & C/AC-47D's; Loadmaster Flight Examiner: C-124's & C/AC-47D's.

FROM YOUR ENTIRE MILITARY SERVICE, DESCRIBE ANY MEMORIES YOU STILL REFLECT BACK ON TO THIS DAY.
How much I was involved in for such a short period of service time.

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?

Post Award Ceremony

Each of my major medals; Distinguish Flying Cross, Purple Heart and Air Medals (7) has very special meaning relating to the events that they were involved with. However, the medal that means the most to me is the Navy Presidential Unit Citation awarded for our Squadron's support of the Khe Sanh Marine Base during and after Tet of '68.

WHICH INDIVIDUAL(S) FROM YOUR TIME IN THE MILITARY STAND OUT AS HAVING THE MOST POSITIVE IMPACT ON YOU AND WHY?

Ready for another mission - C-123K 19ACS

No individuals in particular, but as a group, the "C-123 crews" while in RVN. Although it was a War Zone each mission was conducted from a "This is My Job & Responsibility to Complete to the Best of Our Ability", "There are others depending on us" not just another task we needed to finish.

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?
After leaving the reserves and graduating from college with a Masters in Handicapped Physical Education, I worked in that field for 5 years; setting up programs for Evaluation, Development, and Activities in grades Pre-K through High School.

Due to the nature of my students' disabilities and events, I left

City of Albuquerque, NM - Veteran Affairs Liaison

teaching. I decided to pursue a hobby as a profession; Professional Ski Patrolman and Ski Area Operations. I moved to Vermont and worked for the Sugarbush Ski Complex in the patrol management. Ski Areas are generally semi-self sufficient relying on their employee's skills or train-ability for management, development, and construction. As such, I developed many constructions trades; Framing & Finishing, Heavy Equipment, Electrical & Plumbing, Masonry, Blasting and Logging in the Summer Months (April to October). Along with my Ski Patroller duties, I was also involved with the construction, setup, management and Daily Operations of their Snowmaking Systems. Those two skill sets created new work locations and employment at Durango Ski Corp, Colorado, Angel Fire and Sandia Peak ski areas in New Mexico. During this time I also worked as a Professional Ski Patroller Examiner throughout the Nation. Many great experiences and lifelong friends were enjoyed. I hung everything up in '88, went from 120 days a year on skis to 'No Skiing, No Equipment'.

My constructions skills landed me a job in Hawaii on the Big Island building the 1st Keck Telescope. It was steel framed design and produced in Spain, then shipped in pieces to the Island and trucked to the site on Mona Kea at 14,000'. We lived at 9,000' and worked 6 days a week. The scope was the 1st build of steel in triangular and support design, similar the bridge building to support a 10 meter 36-panel dish. The building and dome was already completed before we arrived, so all the frames, braces and parts had to be lifted by crane and placed inside through the dome opening. I was the Tech Forman and Lead Climber, which meant I was at the upper connection point or riding the piece in on the crane lift to make the connection. Great fun those rides Because of the design, all connections were bolted together. Once the Main Frame was assembled inside, on top of a 15' concrete support and carrying the ring, we had to align the 40' x 40' by 65' structure to specs + or 2 mm. We used good old fashion methods - 30-ton jack, #10 can of water, 1 lb. wt. on the end of a mono-filament fishing line, a tape measure, and 8' level. I would sit on the beam at the measuring point until the line and level aligned, then move to the next point and repeat till all point were correct.

After returning, I did a little substitute teaching in Math, Science and Physical Education. In '90 I started to work for my current employer Pella Windows & Doors. I started in the warehouse to learn the product and business. One day I was asked what I knew about computers, I have an Atari at home; I said not much but willing to learn. So self-learning began, tracking orders and inventory on the computer. As my MS Office skills expanded and the Ordering Program morphed into a Windows Based Program, I created both Excel and Access programs to meet our needs. As Pella Corp programs expanded and developed, much of what I created was also been created in their programs and we adapted into them. However, many of the tracking and recording programs I created, we still use today to double check that what we have purchased and where it is being delivered to is accurate. I am now the Systems Manager for the New Mexico distributor. I'm responsible for 5 servers, 50 computers, and laptops plus the programming and upkeep for our 6 offices.

I then went to work for the City of Albuquerque, NM, Mayor's Office as the Veterans Affairs Liaison. Responsibilities include working with Veterans within the City; Created a Veterans Preference for hiring Veterans to City Departments (our hiring rate is 10 - 12% new hires are Veterans); created a Challenge Coin the for Veterans that work in a City Dept. presented to them at no cost; Established a policy change that allows a veteran that is part of the VA Healthcare program to use their VA Healthcare card as their bus pass for City Buses.

What advice would you have for those that are still serving: What stands out most from my employment years that I learned while in the service was to think and make decisions on my feet for that moment's decision. These skills are wrapped up self-confidence and personal trust in me to be willing to say 'Yes' to new jobs and skills to be learned and then finding out what I needed to become proficient in the do the job. I think to the bottom line is 'if you enjoy what you doing, stay with it'. if think change is in order (in-service or civilian), then take the knowledge and strengths you already have and be willing to take the steps into a new career field and learn all you can while you're there to make it a success. Your success in life will benefit far more from what you put into it - than what others are doing around you.

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?
What do I tell others?

TSgt Roger Newall
Air Force Service 1965-1971
Conflict - Vietnam
May 2009

The question is always on your mind - "What do I tell my family, now and future, and friends about my Air Force experience"? I think it would fall into the category of "Events, Learned Ideals and Applied Experience Used in the Future".

I joined the Air Force in 1965 with 2 years of college and knowing I wanted to do something beyond "ground pounding". In basic training, I selected Aircrew and ended up in the Loadmaster career field and never looked back. During my brief enlistment, 3-1/2 yrs. Active and 1-1/2 yrs. Active Reserve, I was stationed at Hill AFB, 28th MAS - C-124C; Tan Son Nhut AB, 19th ACS - C-123K; England AFB, 4442nd CCTS - C-47D, AC-47D; Westover AFB, 337MAS - C-124C. During those years I spent 2500 hrs, in the air mostly over the "Big Pond" and in that "60's Extended Vacation Land, RVN".

I have many memories during those times, such as 10+ hour legs crossing the Pacific, island hopping; landing, fueling, sleeping, load/unload and repeating it all again at the next stop, until we delivered what we had to Saigon then did it all again in reverse. Once back at Hill, we had 3 to 5 days "Crew Rest", then packed and off again. Such Fun, (good thing I was single). Then I got an "Invitation" to work at a "highly active groupie cultural exchange location" - that's right - Vietnam and all the Fun I Could Have.

As a member of the 19th Air Commando Squadron, Saigon TSN, we did most of our missions in 3 & 4 Corps but weren't strangers to 1 & 2 Corps either. Our prime mission was support of Special Ops and Special Forces, which made for very interesting flights and some stories that can be told - like Air Drops in the Delta where we felt like part of an "Arcade Shooting Game" since the ground fire was hitting us from all sides, that the FAC and Cover didn't know where to drop to help us. Flights in and out of Khe Sanh were always eventful, as were most SF Camps located within range from across the border.

One camp holds a lasting picture (or film clip) in my mind; Ton Le Cham SFC. It was there in my 1st month in-country, that we were mortared after landing as we were turning around to off-load a full load CIDG's and SF Leaders; needless to say, we didn't hang around to off-load and left. However, during that short eventful time, we lost 2 of our 4 engines; air conditioned the aircraft with over 250 holes; had a dozen wounded, including myself; and were given very bad odds by the SF on the ground that we wouldn't get the plane back in the air. Always nice to beat the odds!

After returning to the Land of the Free, Brave and Thankful (scratch Thankful), I married a HS classmate and off we went to England AFB, LA as a Loadmaster Instructor/Flight Examiner on C & AC-47D's. Still saw an occasional ground shot on our return training out in the Gulf at 4 am from the local chicken farmers that didn't like us waking their chickens up that early.

After leaving Active Service on an Early-Out-Program, I went back to finish my college education completing a Bachelors and Masters program. During that time, I went into the Active Reserves at Westover AFB, close to school, to reacquaint my ears with the "pleasant drone" of the C-124C engines in flight. I finally left to service as a TSgt - not bad for 5 years, to use my teaching degrees. Notable awards during my tours, Distinguish Flying Cross, Purple Heart, Air Medal w/6 OLC, AF Presidential Unit Citation and Navy Presidential Unit Citation, 4 AF Outstanding Unit Award 2 w/V's for Valor, Vietnam Service Medal 4 Bronze Stars, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/Palm and 2 Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross w/Palm for Unit, AF Good Conduct Medal.

So what did I learn then that I use regularly now although not all at once? The 1st was to believe and trust in myself; this helps me face each day and with luck overcome or work with whatever I encounter during the day; 2nd was life was not a guarantee and needs to be cherished and enjoyed, but not at another's expense; and 3rd, but not last by any means, I'm third in line: God is 1st, others are 2nd and I'm 3rd. Too many people think that might mean I'm last, but in reality, I am the main support at the bottom of the "Ladder of Life". If I fail to do my job and hold up my part, then all above me in life or work will fall off the ladder when it crashes down. I have also learned how to "speak on my feet"; to listen; not be afraid to investigate how some thing's work, and to make the repair; be the best at what you do, and make the best with what you have and build for the future.

To sum up, what do I say and hand down to those who follow: Live your life with purpose and meaning, remember it is not a guarantee and work hard to make others successful, (they will do the same for you) and finally, look yourself in the mirror each morning and be proud of who you are, what you have accomplished. If you don't like who you see - then find a way to fix the problem, don't just say "Oh well, that's Life, I can't do anything about it".

BASED ON YOUR OWN EXPERIENCES, WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO THOSE WHO HAVE RECENTLY JOINED THE AIR FORCE?
What stands out most from my employment years that I learned while in the service was to think and make decisions on my feet for that moment's decision. These skills are wrapped up self-confidence and personal trust in me to be willing to say 'Yes' to new jobs and skills to be learned and then finding out what I needed to become proficient in the do the job. I think to the bottom line is 'if you enjoy what you doing, stay with it. If you think change is in order (in-service or civilian), then take the knowledge and strengths you already have and be willing to take the steps into a new career field and learn all you can while you're there to make it a success.

Your success in life will benefit far more from what you put into it - than what others are doing around you.

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

TWS and The USAF

Still new to TWS so I will have to wait and see what the future holds.

DS 5/26/17