Wednesday, July 26, 2006
Life in Salina
(1)
The job of Base Supply Illustrator was easy and boring - and a dead end. I needed to learn something I could use in civilian life. So in exchange for another four years of my services the USAF agreed to retrain me as a radar technician. I was hoping for the ultimate assignment: as a technician at an air base somewhere in Japan. (As I type this, mister tap-tap upstairs is doing his thing and the skin on my scrotum feels like it is crawling. A typical morning living among the insane.)
Meanwhile, Kootch had adjusted to life in America, learned how to drive, and got a job at the NCO Club to help make ends meet. I continued to read philosophy and also took some evening college classes (psychology, sociology, philosophy). I also developed an interest in astronomy and bought a small telescope (2.4 inch Unitron refractor). And I continued to study chess. I had played and studied the game quite a lot in Japan (having learned it about age 16).
After five years in Salina we were assigned to the Air Training Command at Keesler AFB, Mississippi. But before we left Salina Somebody at Schilling - (oops: I called it 'Ellsworth' in a previous post. Ellsworth comes later) - decided to 'reward me' for my service at Base supply by giving me the Air Force Commendation Metal. It was a 'last minute' sort of thing. The nomination carried a 'suggested assignment' recommendation. The person writing up the recommendation suggested, 'higher headquarters,' not 'Japan.' Nobody bothered to ask me, of course, whether I had any kind of preference. The medal was presented to me at Keesler. I declined a 'ceremony.' I also failed (mister tap-tap is now mister boom-boom) either to read the recommendation or take the opportunity to let the USAF know my real preference. Again, nobody asked me. The result was that Kootch and I probably missed our last chance to return to Japan (boom).
The job of Base Supply Illustrator was easy and boring - and a dead end. I needed to learn something I could use in civilian life. So in exchange for another four years of my services the USAF agreed to retrain me as a radar technician. I was hoping for the ultimate assignment: as a technician at an air base somewhere in Japan. (As I type this, mister tap-tap upstairs is doing his thing and the skin on my scrotum feels like it is crawling. A typical morning living among the insane.)
Meanwhile, Kootch had adjusted to life in America, learned how to drive, and got a job at the NCO Club to help make ends meet. I continued to read philosophy and also took some evening college classes (psychology, sociology, philosophy). I also developed an interest in astronomy and bought a small telescope (2.4 inch Unitron refractor). And I continued to study chess. I had played and studied the game quite a lot in Japan (having learned it about age 16).
After five years in Salina we were assigned to the Air Training Command at Keesler AFB, Mississippi. But before we left Salina Somebody at Schilling - (oops: I called it 'Ellsworth' in a previous post. Ellsworth comes later) - decided to 'reward me' for my service at Base supply by giving me the Air Force Commendation Metal. It was a 'last minute' sort of thing. The nomination carried a 'suggested assignment' recommendation. The person writing up the recommendation suggested, 'higher headquarters,' not 'Japan.' Nobody bothered to ask me, of course, whether I had any kind of preference. The medal was presented to me at Keesler. I declined a 'ceremony.' I also failed (mister tap-tap is now mister boom-boom) either to read the recommendation or take the opportunity to let the USAF know my real preference. Again, nobody asked me. The result was that Kootch and I probably missed our last chance to return to Japan (boom).
