Pete’s demonstrated mastery of machining could not prevent the loss of a couple of his fingers which in turn inspired me to choose another career direction. To escape the dangers of the machine shop I enlisted in the Air Force immediately following graduation for what I believed would be a four-year tour, long enought to get my feet on the ground.
My Air Force career started like all do at Lackland Air Force Base (AFB) in San Antonio, Texas where I spent the entire summer of 1977 between basic training and the Security Police Academy followed by another four weeks of ground combat training at a nearby outpost called Camp Bullis. If you have ever been to San Antonio between June and September, you know what I mean when I say that was one hot summer. The next seventeen years included tours of duty at Pease AFB, New Hampshire; Hahn Air Base, Germany; the USAF Recruiting Station in Worcester, Massachusetts; F.E. Warren AFB, Cheyenne, Wyoming; Araxos Radio Relay Location, Greece and Buckley Air National Guard Base, Colorado.
During my career in the Security Police (renamed Security Forces) I served in many capacities including leading an Emergency Services (SWAT) Team, Security Police Flights and strategic missile security teams, commanding high risk convoy operations, conducting security force training and evaluation, dispatching and controlling security forces in the field, patrol and emergency response and standing sentry duty on alert bomber and fighter aircraft. The military achievements I am most proud of include being selected to serve on the security detail for the returning American hostages held 444 days following the Iranian Revolution, and having the honor and privilege to select, lead and serve with the first members of the 702 security Police Flight’s Emergency Services Team in Colorado. During my military career I also earned an Associate of Applied Science degree as an Instructor of Technology and Military Science from the Community College of the Air Force.
Immediately following my retirement from active duty I went to work for a small environmental engineering firm as a training instructor and field technician working with hazardous materials response and remediation. While there, I completed baccalaureate degrees in Business Administration and Criminal Justice Administration from Columbia College. When myemployer decided to eliminate the training division to focus on core engineering services, I was offered a lease for my existing office training space. I jumped at the chance to start my own enterprise and had a reasonably profitable and successful run. Five years later I sold the business to my employees and relocated to the Annapolis, Maryland area.
In Maryland I was hired by a government contractor to manage the Independent Study Program of FEMA’s Emergency Management Institute. During my tenure I was recognized for leading exponential growth of a program that had remained relatively static for several years. Shortly after the attacks of 9-11, I was promoted to Project Manager for the development of an online logistics training course for the Navy. While taking evening computer programming courses I stumbled on the architecture program the school offered. As a kid I had dreamt of becoming an architect. The prospects were exhilarating, and to test myself I took nothing but architecture classes the next two semesters. I was hooked, and immediately applied to the three-year Master of Architecture program at Morgan State University.
During the program I interned with Architect Jay Huyett in Annapolis until graduating in 2007 when my wife and I relocated to Bass Harbor, Maine. I became an Architect Intern with Roc Caivano Architects in Bar Harbor where I had the pleasure of working on several area residential and institutional projects including work at Schoodic Education and Research Center for the National Park Service.
In May of 2010 I was able to apply a variety of my skills and experiences to securing my current position as Supervisor of Security for The Jackson Laboratory where I manage security operations for the main Bar Harbor campus and our Sacramento, California facility. I am also a volunteer Fire Fighter and Training Officer for the Trement Fire Department and am currently servining my first term as as a Selecteman for the Town of Trement. I also have the honor and privilage of serving as the Logistics, Finance, and Search and Rescue Officer for the 38th Composite Squadron.
completed high school in 1977 receiving my diploma and trade certificate in Machine Shop Practices from