How many of us remember our senior year of high school? For most, this is a rite of passage. We leave behind our parents and depending on the life choice even our friends. My parents had moved me from one school district to another. Starting in 9th grade, I had to make new friends. I can only imagine what it must be like for the children of military parents. Moving every couple of years. But I was lucky enough that my Dad was no longer in the Air Force by the time I was born. Moving was rare for me, it was only the third time in my life. But let’s get back to high school.
By the time my junior year rolled around. There were 4 of us who hung out. Mike Jetton, Doug Peace and Cory Stanfield, I found my class group photo and sure enough they we are together. By the time our senior year rolled around our lives were going very different directions. We had girlfriends and having to make different life choices. By Graduation, we drifted apart pretty quick, but I think it is a guy thing. At the 15 year mark (1997), I made it my mission to find my old high school friends. This was the early days of the internet, but I was able to leverage it and find them. Mike was in San Diego, Doug in Pennsylvania and Cory had returned to Tucson. I had every plan to attend my 20 year reunion, but life had other plans for me. Yes, another story for another time. I better be tracking these.
Back to planning. It was my senior year. I had every intention to go to The University of Arizona for an architecture degree. At the same time, I think I was getting tired of school. I enjoyed the time with my friends. We all started to explore the Military. With my Dad being ex-Air Force and my two older brothers in the Army, this made some sense to me. Doug had enlisted in the Navy, Mike was planning on the Army and Cory had his sights on the best graduation party of 1982. But he also ended up enlisting in the Army after graduation.
I went through the same exercise at the start of my senior year. College, Military, college, Military and back again. By the time December rolled around I had offers from three of the four branches. With very high ASVAB scores, the best was on the table from each branch and each offer had it perks and downside.
- Navy: Nuclear program. This one came with a lot of bonus programs. With a ten year commitment, I would have $60,000 in bonuses. This was amazing considering the average home cost $50,000 in 1982. The downside was 3 years on a submarine. I just did not like the idea of being under water that long and away from family.
- Air Force: Air Traffic Controller. With the recent firing of the air traffic controllers, there was need new controllers. With a $6,000 signing bonus, I could get that dream car right away. The downside was Air Traffic controllers had the highest suicide rate from job stress (and my brother was in demolitions). I wasn’t sure I could deal with the daily stress.
- Army: Helicopter Pilot. This one was just exciting, at this point in my life I have never flown. And to be a pilot, I was all over that. Not much of a bonus, only $2,000 after completing basic training. But it had the excitement factor at the highest scale. But like the others it also had a downside, the highest mortality rate of any profession in the Army.
January had rolled around, I was moving beyond the point where I could apply to UofA. So, I was really courting the Army to get more details on basic and becoming a helicopter pilot. But then a recruiter (or sales person) came by our high school There was a new Tech School that had started in Phoenix in 1980. In two years you could get an Associate’s degree in Architectural Drafting. At that moment, my dream came back to me in one massive wave. I wanted to be an Architect and Draw.
In the course of an average day as an Architect. I make what seems like endless decisions all day long. But the one decision on that February day in 1982, shape my life. Do I have any regrets, not really. I enjoy my work every day and look forward to what the next day will bring.
…and now for something completely different.
One in every five adults believe that aliens are hiding in our planet disguised as humans.