When I came out of UPT, we were told 'do a combat tour and you will get your choice of assignments.' I could have gone elsewhere but all the fighters were gone so I chose 02s as a FAC. In the theatre I wrote everyone and applied to all the various boards and even tried to extend to get into OV-10s. I also wrote on my 'dream sheet' I didn't want to be in SAC. So.. down comes my assignment and I not only get -135s but I also get a crappy northern tier base. I was not happy.

My commander in Vietnam said, "here are the rules, here is the airplane, here is the area of operations.. go do you job and I will be there to back you up."

In SAC it was a real culture shock. From being given a wide latitude to do your job to having to ask for permission for everything.. I didn't adapt. Also, because I had completed one tour, I was now a SAC 'asset' and I was not going anywhere although I continued to apply for various assignments. Knowing I had no chance at fighters, no chance of going to another command, I figured 'screw it.' I did my job as best as I could but I was one of the rogues you read about in Kern's books. I have some pictures around here of us refueling 2 F-4s and we (the two tankers) are in fingertip with me sitting about 50-70ft off leads wing.

Long way of saying I realized I was not going to have any choices of my assignments or bases and I was not willing to let some guy at Randolph pick my name out of a hat and send me to West-bumphuque. In retrospect, I was not the best officer and due to my rogue nature, not the best pilot. I admired the guys who did put in the effort and I have learned there is a way you can voice your concerns without having to kick over the table.