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Subject: After 58B
Date: Wed, 19 Apr 2000 19:08:13 -0700 (PDT)
From: jack brown <[email protected]>
Ollie,
Here is the 58-B forward bio:
Six of us, I believe, were picked at OCS for the AFIT
program, which I had never heard of until that time.
We were selected for meteorological training at
civilian universities. We all had at least 2 years of
college aimed primarily toward engineering or the
sciences. Jim Marx and I were sent to the Univ. of
Texas at Austin and spent about 25 months there. When
I got out, was sent to Stead in Reno to the Air Defense Sector blockhouse. What a spot for a new
weather guy---no windows.
Spent 2 years there and was sent to Hickam. Again,
Jim Marx beat us there by about two weeks. It was
four years of mostly great weather. The whole family
cried when we left! I spent the first 3 & 1/2 years
on the weather counter and the last six months in the
PACAF CP which was completely rebuilt to keep up with
the buildup in Vietnam. Three of us managed to handle
24/7 including the daily morning briefings to CINCPACAF.
From beautiful green Hawaii to weather detachment
commander at Mountain Home, Idaho! Culture shock! About 15 months later my Squadron Commander in Waco
offered me my choice of McTan in PI or 7th AF as
briefing officer at Tan Son Nhut. It was really a no brainer because McTan offered tents, mud, no
sidewalks, 13 month tour which in my case would have
meant two Christmases, no tax break, no combat tour,
etc. We decided I was better off in Vietnam.
Arrived in Dec 67, civvies downtown, steakhouses, open
clubs, Paris of the East. Then Tet arrived and ALL
that changed. Spent the year briefing the 7AF/CC
twice a day on weather for all SEA with specific
target forecasts for out-of-country bombing runs,
mostly by the units in Thailand. First 6 months was
Gen William Momeyer (not an ounce of humor in the man)
and the 2d 6 was Gen George Brown, who was somewhat
more human.
From RVN to Langley as commander of the base weather
station for about 18 months then got an offer for a
tour supporting the Army in Germany. Was the weather
squadron current ops and training guy for 4 years. Was
also the Staff Weather Officer for the US Army, Europe
commander when he put on his NATO hat and became the
Commander of the Central Army Group. Loved Europe,
hated the Army style. Back to Langley for 5 years.
Had 3 in the Weather Wing ops and tng division and the
last 2 as the TAC Weather Support Unit chief. While
there I managed to add a degree in Human Resources and
a Masters in Public Administration.
Managed to wrangle an assignment to Randolph as the
Squadron ops officer and retired there with a total of 30 years, 4 months,
25 days. Gail and I stayed there for
a total of 16 plus years. I piddled around with
several things after I retired in 83 and after doing
some outside audit work for SAS Shoemakers was asked
to come to work full time. Although we considered it
for a couple of months before deciding, finally went
there for two years to "buy a new car". I finally
left 8 years later and had been the Retail Personnel
Director for over 100 stores for over 6 years when I
left. Gail and I had bought the house here in the
Florida panhandle two years earlier but it took a
while to sell the house in Texas. We arrived here
exactly 2 months after Opal in 95 to, fortunately,
almost no damage to our 30-year old home, 1200 feet
from the white sugar sands of Seagrove Beach. Didn't
find out until last year that Ed Callicotte and Kate
lived across the Bay. Gail and I are happy here and
do not plan to ever go anywhere else---unless we move
a little further east to Mexico Beach or Port St Joe
to try to stay ahead of the developers a little. END
OF REPORT
Maybe
I'll send a current photo later.
Cheers, Jack Brown
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