I have been involved with aviation as a Marine and Civilian Marine for over 46 years. I enlisted in the Marine Corps after my freshmen year of college in 1966 and trained to be an Aircrew Survival Equipmentman (Parachute Rigger) and became qualified as an Aircraft Mechanic Egress (Ejection Seat Mechanic). In 1975, I completed a degree in Business Administration while stationed at Iwakuni, Japan. After retiring from the Marine Corps in February, 1996, I worked as a parachute rigger/ordinance mechanic at the Naval Aviation Depot (Fleet Readiness Center East) until transferring in 2006 to the National Museum of the Marine Corps in Woodbridge, Virginia as the Museum Specialist in the Restoration Department. I retired in June 2012.