After a years tour on the Del Monte Plantation, in the southern Philippines, I served for four more years at the AFTAC headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. The USAF then decided that those of us in the 3044's Electronic-Communications Career Field were having their careers ruined. Upon this decision, about 30 of us were "returned" to the Air Force; myself via Keesler AFB, for a stint at the Communications-Electronics Staff Officer's School. I taught there for a while, awaiting the birth of my second child, Crystal, (brother Brent needed a playmate) and their mother had two lobes of her lungs removed.

My next adventure from Keesler, was an assignment to the USAF Communications Service, as Chief of Maintenance of a Communications Squadron at Takhli Royal Thai AFB, Thailand. I accepted a Regular USAF Commission, (March, 1967,) during that tour. Hence, on to Eglin AFB, Fort Walton Beach, Florida for my last farewell tour, again, as Chief of Maintenance of a Communications Squadron. On September 26, 1971, at age 37, I said goodbye to a 20-year rewarding career, full of excitement and adventure. It was now time to get a real job, before I got too old to be marketable.

Since I had heard throughout my USAF career, that I needed a real education, I returned to school at Florida State University in Tallahassee, Florida, after remarrying in 1972. I received a BS Degree in Business Administration, with a major in Accounting in December, 1975. From there, I joined the State of Florida, Office of the Auditor General, Tallahassee, Florida, and for the next eight years audited a dozen state agencies. [Daughter two arrived during this period and is almost in reach of graduation, from Valdosta State University, Valdosta, Georgia.} Having become tired of the wandering amongst these agencies, I settled on just one and joined the Internal Audit staff of the Department of Environmental Protection, where I have been for the past 15 years. I'll retire from the state in June, 2003, with 29 years of service.