by Robert T.
I was born an Army brat,
and when I was 13, my father was stationed in France. Much of the time, I was
in my room building model airplanes. The first was a P-38. I wore glasses, so
after high school I enlisted in the Air Force and repaired aircraft navigation
equipment. I received my military discharge at March Air Force Base, California,
which was close to Lockheed Aircraft. There, I hired on as an electrical
installer on the L-1011 TriStar airliner in Palmdale, California. The beautiful
airliner’s program was challenging, but I progressed to production supervisor.
I took advantage of the
educational opportunities offered by Lockheed by getting my bachelor’s in
science from the University of La Verne. I held positions at Burbank in industrial
engineering and in cost analysis. I worked in ADP and on proposals. I transferred
with the F-22 program to Marietta, Georgia, in producibility engineering. My
most exciting assignment was at the Composites Development Center. I retired in
1999 as a senior engineer after 28 perfect years.
Lockheed Martin cared for its
employees with great medical coverage, helping our family to grow. We also took
full advantage of the investment program. My wife and I have a comfortable and
enjoyable retirement that we share with our two daughters' families, including
our nine grandchildren.
Looking back, my life has
come full circle. One of my favorite things is going to the Reno Air Races,
and, when one is there, watching a P-38 fly.
