biography

I enlisted in the Army on 26 April 1968 and was assigned to Fort Brag, North Carolina for my basic training where I earned the "Leadership" award.

I was then sent to Fort Gordon, Georgia for basic military police school training. Prior to regular training I was sent to the two week Leadership School and upon graduation was assigned as a Platoon Leader for my training company at military police school. Upon completion of MP school I received the designation of "Honor Graduate" and was promoted to Private First Class.

My first duty assignment was to Alaska, but before I was processed out the orders were changed and I was on my way to South Vietnam, arriving in December 1968.

In Vietnam I was assigned to A Company, 720th Military Police Battalion, in the III Corps Tactical Zone. During my tour with A Company I worked many different assignments, most of which consisted on convoy escort missions. We worked regular escort runs to Bear Cat, Cu Chi and eventually to the Mekong Delta in IV Corps.

During the last half of my first tour I was reassigned from convoy escort to the Enemy Prisoner of War Escort and Transport Unit which wasn't bad duty. Our job entailed a lot of flying throughout South Vietnam and it was a regular day shift assignment. Before my first tour came to an end I was promoted to Sergeant and was placed in charge of the escort team.

I decided that rather than return to stateside duty I would apply for two additional six month extensions so I could end my military enlistment in Vietnam. At the end of my first tour in December 1969 I was granted my first extension and left for home on a thrity-day leave. When I explained my intentions to my mother she was furious to say the least.

I returned to A Company in January 1970 and assumed I would go back to my previous assignment with the escort team, I was wrong. They assigned me to convoy escort again, this time it was Operation "OVERTAKE Darkness." They were all night runs on Highway 316 and we frequently came under hostile fire.

I received a promotion to Staff Sergeant and as my first six month extension was coming to a close and I decided that I didn't want to press my luck with a second extension.

I departed Vietnam in July 1970 with orders for assignment to Aberdeen Proving Grounds in Maryland, which was only thirty-five miles from my home in Newark, Delaware. In Aberdeen I was assigned as the Desk Sergeant where I spent my last nine months of duty in the Army.

I received my Honorable Discharge and used the "GI Bill" to attend college, receiving a Bachelor of Science Degree in Business Management.

I applied for and was hired by the U.S. Treasury Department, Internal Revenue Service, Criminal Investigation Division, as a Special Agent. In January 2001 I retired and moved from the federal government service into state government service. I am currently employed as a Financial Investigative Specialist with the State of Delaware, Insurance Commissioner's Office.

I have been married to my wife Diane for more than 30 years and I have a 24 year old daughter and a 21 year old son, both of which I am very proud of.