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It's been a long 42 years since we were together as a class of young men with visions of
performing great things for our country. Since then many things have transpired and the threat
that we served to prevent has dissipated and communism has been defeated. We succeeded in that
venture.
When I left OCS in June of 58, I went to Keesler AFB to the Communications Officer School with
Bobby Burnett, Carl Coombs, and a couple others I don't remember. When that school was
completed I went to McConnell AFB 2007 Comm Sq as a NavAids Maintenance and Supply
Officer for a little less than a year. From there it was on to
Karamusel, Turkey and
Communications Maintenance Officer of TUSLOG Det. 63. Karamrsel was a Security Service
base. That tour lasted 18 months.
Returned to the states for what was probably my most interesting tour, at Vandenberg AFB and
the 4392 Comm Squadron as Maintenance Supervisor. This job entailed maintenance of all the
missile communications system for Atlas A, B, C, D, E, F and G series; Titan I and Titan II; Thor, and
Minuteman I though-IV, test missile systems. It was an interesting and challenging three years.
The Air Force must have thought I really liked Turkey, because they sent me back again in 1965
to Diyarbakir, where I was the TUSLOG Det. 75 Commander for one year at that remote site. The
functions at Diyarbakir were Space Track and Missile detection.
Returned to Keesler AFB to attend the Communications Staff Officer School, and because I was
so good looking (???), they kept me as an instructor. At the time I hated that assignment because I
thought I was destined for greater things. It turned out the instructor duty was a ticket to post Air
Force employment in the defense industry.
After three years at Keesler I was assigned to the 5th Allied Tactical Air Force in
Vicenza, Italy, (a NATO unit under Air South). That was Margie and I's most enjoyable tour of duty. We
spent almost four years there and our fourth daughter was born there in 1969. While in Italy I had the
opportunity to travel all over the country as a member of the NADGECO program, which was an
automated command and control system being installed in Europe for NATO Air Defense.
After returning to the States in 1973 I was assigned to SAC Headquarters at Offutt AFB on the
Communications Staff. I served as a Plans Officer, then later as TAC
Comm Planning Officer for SAC. Spent four years there, and finally realized the Air Force did not intend to make me a Lt/Col
so I retired on 1 August 1977, packed up the wife and kids and headed to Colorado Springs.
Since then I have been employed primarily in the Defense Industry as a Trainer and Technical
Writer for first Ford Aerospace Corporation, who was bought out by Loral Corporation, who was
acquired by Lockheed Martin. I spent 12 years as a trainer, primarily on the Space Defense
Operations Center in Cheyenne Mountain, along with a major army program called
Maneuver Control System. I also spent six years working the a program called REACT, which was a
replacement Command Console program for the Minuteman Launch Control system. I retired
from Loral in June of 1994, and have been working for Lockheed Martin as a consultant almost
continually since October of 1995. I work part time, and enjoy that much more than the full time
regime. Currently I work on a program called TBMCS which the Theater Battle Management
Core System for the Air Force and the Navy.
I'm currently a grandfather to six girls, and a great grandfather to two girls and (finally) one boy!
Dave Sorenson
OCS Class 58B
2nd Squadron |
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