Date of Birth: 10 Nov 1957

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I enlisted in the United States Marine Corps 20 June 1976.

 

MCRD San Diego, Platoon 1071, Commenced Training 2 July 1976, Graduated 15 September 1976

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Infantry Training School, San Onofre, Camp Pendleton

MOS 0311 - Oct 1976

 

2nd Platoon, C Company, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion

Camp Onna Point, Okinawa, December 1976 - November 1977

Amphibious Reconnaissance Course

MOS 0311/0321

Deep Reconnaissance Platoon (DRP), 1st Reconnaissance Battalion

Camp Talega, Camp Pendleton, November 1977 - June 1980 (EAS)

Jump School - Fort Benning, Ga.

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Parachute Packing, Maintenance and Air Delivery (Rigger School), Fort Lee, Va. - Dodge Award recipient; 1st in class

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SCUBA - Coronado, Ca (BUD/S 2nd phase)

Squad Leader, DRP

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Jumpmaster - 2-79 2nd Force Recon Co - 1st in class

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NCOIC 1st Recon Bn. Paraloft

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Rank Sergeant April 1979

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Rifle Expert/Pistol Expert

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Navy Achievement/Good Conduct

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MOS 0451/8654

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EAS 23 June 1980

 

I attended college to "learn computers".  While in college, I joined the Platoon Leadership Course (PLC), attending two six-week sessions of Officers Candidate School (OCS).  I did learn quite a bit about computers but left school without a degree.  Fortunately, I began working is systems integration, covering the entire scope of IT, very early in the development of personal computers, and then the beginning of the internet, where the opportunity of playing with computer graphics drew my interest.  I began collecting, then re-creating Marine Recon unit emblems.  

 

I joined the FRA in 1995 after accidentally showing up at an FRA reunion, with my wife, in St. Louis, at the Adams Mark Hotel.  I always thought that I could contribute to the FRA, using my IT skills.  I created forcerecon.com in 1998.  I started posting news from the FRA to the FRA website.  Pat Ryan awarded me an FRA Founder's Award in 2001 (Recon 2001, Louisville).  I have also received plaques in appreciation from the FRA in 2002, 2003 (and more recently, in 2019).  I became the Communications Chief, sometime early in 2004, when I did some initial work on the member database.  I soon became the custodian of the FRA member database, and continue in that role through 2020.