The Flight Deck

Brian

- Born in ’65 at Yokosuka Naval Hospitol in Japan. Dad was standing OOD somewhere off of Viet Nam in a Tin Can at the time.

- Grew up in Colorado and then North Carolina.

- Graduated in ’87 from NC State (Mech Engineer). ROTC Midshipman.

- Went to P’cola in early ’88 (stashed at the swim facility, teaching swimming and administering the dreaded mile swim & 5-min tread in full flight-gear tests).

- (Finally) started AI in Sep ’88. Got through and finished VT-10 in early ’89

- graduated wanting a BN slot more than anything – got ATDS (E-2′s) instead. Recovered from that shock on the drive out to VAW-110. Married a lovely (and brave) woman while wrapping up as an SNFO.

- left Miramar with my wings in summer of ’90 bound for adventure and Japan, the Midway, and the VAW-115 Liberty Bells of CVW-5.

- Cruised on Midway’s last IO, which happened to also be Desert Storm.

- Participated in CV-swap-ex at Pearl with Indy

- Cruised on Indy via Sidney (thanks to GHWB for that one) to IO.

- Typical CVW-5 WestPac Warrier – lots of Subic visits, Hong Kong, Thailand, Korea, etc.

- Flew APS-125 and APS-138 -equipped systems.

- Spent some time in AWACs doing “joint stuff.”

- On det in Saudi I finagled a 2-hour hop in a F4 Wild Weasel – best flight of my life in any A/C, period. 2V1 time, tanked on a KC-135, dropped practice ordinance, thumped some camels with a sonic boom. An E-ticket ride on Uncle Sam’s nickel.

- Left Japan for DC as Program Manager (PM) for E2/C2 training systems (PMA-205). Saw the seamier side of USN and US gov in general. This was during the ‘Hook aftermath and I think being in DC soured my view considerably. Did get a couple of excellent trips to France out of the deal, though.

- Resigned in 95 and moved to Ann Arbor, MI to follow my wife’s promotion that happened to come as I was leaving the Navy with nothing in particular to do.

- 10 years later I’m a Senior Project Manager for a material handling systems company. I oversee baggage handling systems installations at airports around the country (and world, at times).

- Our family now includes Anna, 10, and Anthony, 6, and Cassie, the dog.

- love to read, work on bicycles, tinker with my house, run, play with my kids.

- motto – “bloom where you’re planted”