At a few days before my 82nd birthday, I did a little reflection on my past.
I never took a study period in High School. It was a waste of time.
One thing I realized. I never had any defined aim in life or desire for a specific vocation.. I did have a desire for learning. Learning opportunities always were given to me and I took advantage of them. I did have one defined aim and that was to have Dorothy O’Neill as my wife.
Me, Dorothy, Kenny & Vern (My brothers)
I succeeded at that. It took time.
During high school an opportunity came to work in the school library where , among other things, I learned the Dewey Decimal System. By the way, I also earned $.25 an hour.
After high school, I applied for a job in a tool & die shop. They told me I had to go to vocational school. I did and got a job as a milling machine operator.
That did get boring.
The war was all around us.
So I enlisted.
I took IQ test and scored high. So they sent me to Aircraft and Engine School for six months. Graduated and was sent to C-46 factory school for three months. From there I was sent to Arctic Training in Colorado.
From there and as new aircraft came into the Air Force inventory, I received training in such as P-61
F-94, Jet engines,
When I got out of the Air Force the first time, 1945, I applied for aircraft maintenance at Tetaboro Airport. They said I had to bring my own tools and would pay $.30 an hour. Since I had no money to buy a set of tools. I applied for a job at Jergens Lotion in Bellville, NJ. I took a test and was hired at a dollar an hour. There I learned the compounding of various lotions and cleaners. I got laid off as it was a seasonal job.
I re-enlisted in the Air Force and got married. At that time, I told Dotty my main object for the future was to ensure a financial secure retirement income. That I did.
I got out of the Air Force in 1953. I got a job at Right Aeronautical testing Aircraft Engines. It paid very well, including a half hour to get to the parked car and back (each way), $2.50 an hour, time and a half for Saturday and double time for Sunday. It got very boring because there were days (including Sundays) that I just went in and did nothing. I quit.
Applied for a civil service job. They asked me what I did. I said I was an Aircraft Inspector. I then got an inspection job in Pottstown, Pa. The reason I got it was two fold. My machine shop experience at reading blue prints and of course my aircraft experience. It was an aircraft engine manufacturing company, Jacobs Aircraft Engine Company.
They also made the engine accessory section for a GE jet engine.
During the period here, I took course in ferrous metallurgy at night at Penn State Extension in Reading, PA It took three years to complete.
From there, I got promoted to itinerant inspector at various facilities and then became a resident quality representative at Reading Aviation, Reading, PA and Air Products, Inc, Allentown, Pa.
From there, I got promoted to Aerospace Specialist in Philadelphia. My territory was the five state region, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia.
That opportunity gave me a chance to go to schools again to study statistical controls and Quality Management.
04/09/1969, I joined a professional society, the American Society for Quality Control.
After a few years because of my work with the society and teaching for NASA, they qualified me as a Senior member. Less than 5% of the members of the society are Senior members.
Then they sent me to McGuire Air Force Base as a Production Specialist. Therefore I had to go to school for 6 weeks to learn production management.
While at Mcguire AFB, I transferred my reserve assignment to McGuire and there I was assigned to scheduling aircraft maintenance with four or more regulars. They promoted me in rank to Master Sergeant
When that closed down, they reassigned me to Philadelphia as an Aerospace Specialist. That included all the NASA facilities in the five state region where there were many. That was really a learning experiences as NASA was pushing the state of the art in all fields. My superior requested that I retire from the AF reserves because of the time needed for NASA. I did because I wanted the NASA position. I did not receive my retired pay till I was 60.
Sometime during this period, I took two classes a year of Diaconate Training for four or five years. I really learned a lot about the Luther’s teaching, the Bible and the Lutheran Church. It was taught by professors from seminary and Princeton.
Then NASA asked for me to go to Instructor Training in the NASA procurement documents in Huntsville, Alabama.
I became the lead instructor for the East coast. I enjoyed that. It eventually lead to being requested to teach at NASA facilities and within DOD nation wide. Being recognized as a teacher and my other activities for NASA led to many honors including watching an Apollo lift off in the VIP section with the President seated two rows behind me. (read about the Apollo 12 launch)
Quality Assurance in NASA sort of quieted down and life got less interesting. I had no more promotions available to me and I was at the top of my pay grade. I retired. My retirement date was April 14, 1979, my 55th birthday.
I enjoyed about a year off which included going with Neil in the morning for a swim.
I saw an opening for a consulting effort in Quality Assurance.
That included a new field of learning, Nuclear Quality Assurance.
That evolved into being a resident consultant to a German company in New Jersey. This involved travel to the nationwide. Canada, UK, France and Germany. It involved learning about the centrifuge industry and its requirements. Dotty did travel with me, at times, to Sweden, Dublin and Germany.
Each and every company I visited for the Air Force, DOD, NASA, and firms where I consulted, included reviewing management practices
During this period, I got involved with the Occupational Training Center of Burlington County. This was another learning experience, the handicapped individual and their requirements.
My teaching Sunday Church School was also a enjoyable learning experience.
My 35 years in Boy Scouts and longer in church offices added to my learning experience.
After actually retiring again, Dotty and I participated in courses with Elderhostel We both found them very interesting.
I never took a study period in High School. It was a waste of time.
One thing I realized. I never had any defined aim in life or desire for a specific vocation.. I did have a desire for learning. Learning opportunities always were given to me and I took advantage of them. I did have one defined aim and that was to have Dorothy O’Neill as my wife.
Me, Dorothy, Kenny & Vern (My brothers)
I succeeded at that. It took time.
During high school an opportunity came to work in the school library where , among other things, I learned the Dewey Decimal System. By the way, I also earned $.25 an hour.
After high school, I applied for a job in a tool & die shop. They told me I had to go to vocational school. I did and got a job as a milling machine operator.
That did get boring.
The war was all around us.
So I enlisted.
I took IQ test and scored high. So they sent me to Aircraft and Engine School for six months. Graduated and was sent to C-46 factory school for three months. From there I was sent to Arctic Training in Colorado.
From there and as new aircraft came into the Air Force inventory, I received training in such as P-61
F-94, Jet engines,
When I got out of the Air Force the first time, 1945, I applied for aircraft maintenance at Tetaboro Airport. They said I had to bring my own tools and would pay $.30 an hour. Since I had no money to buy a set of tools. I applied for a job at Jergens Lotion in Bellville, NJ. I took a test and was hired at a dollar an hour. There I learned the compounding of various lotions and cleaners. I got laid off as it was a seasonal job.
I re-enlisted in the Air Force and got married. At that time, I told Dotty my main object for the future was to ensure a financial secure retirement income. That I did.
I got out of the Air Force in 1953. I got a job at Right Aeronautical testing Aircraft Engines. It paid very well, including a half hour to get to the parked car and back (each way), $2.50 an hour, time and a half for Saturday and double time for Sunday. It got very boring because there were days (including Sundays) that I just went in and did nothing. I quit.
Applied for a civil service job. They asked me what I did. I said I was an Aircraft Inspector. I then got an inspection job in Pottstown, Pa. The reason I got it was two fold. My machine shop experience at reading blue prints and of course my aircraft experience. It was an aircraft engine manufacturing company, Jacobs Aircraft Engine Company.
They also made the engine accessory section for a GE jet engine.
During the period here, I took course in ferrous metallurgy at night at Penn State Extension in Reading, PA It took three years to complete.
From there, I got promoted to itinerant inspector at various facilities and then became a resident quality representative at Reading Aviation, Reading, PA and Air Products, Inc, Allentown, Pa.
From there, I got promoted to Aerospace Specialist in Philadelphia. My territory was the five state region, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Delaware, Virginia and West Virginia.
That opportunity gave me a chance to go to schools again to study statistical controls and Quality Management.
04/09/1969, I joined a professional society, the American Society for Quality Control.
After a few years because of my work with the society and teaching for NASA, they qualified me as a Senior member. Less than 5% of the members of the society are Senior members.
Then they sent me to McGuire Air Force Base as a Production Specialist. Therefore I had to go to school for 6 weeks to learn production management.
While at Mcguire AFB, I transferred my reserve assignment to McGuire and there I was assigned to scheduling aircraft maintenance with four or more regulars. They promoted me in rank to Master Sergeant
When that closed down, they reassigned me to Philadelphia as an Aerospace Specialist. That included all the NASA facilities in the five state region where there were many. That was really a learning experiences as NASA was pushing the state of the art in all fields. My superior requested that I retire from the AF reserves because of the time needed for NASA. I did because I wanted the NASA position. I did not receive my retired pay till I was 60.
Sometime during this period, I took two classes a year of Diaconate Training for four or five years. I really learned a lot about the Luther’s teaching, the Bible and the Lutheran Church. It was taught by professors from seminary and Princeton.
Then NASA asked for me to go to Instructor Training in the NASA procurement documents in Huntsville, Alabama.
I became the lead instructor for the East coast. I enjoyed that. It eventually lead to being requested to teach at NASA facilities and within DOD nation wide. Being recognized as a teacher and my other activities for NASA led to many honors including watching an Apollo lift off in the VIP section with the President seated two rows behind me. (read about the Apollo 12 launch)
Quality Assurance in NASA sort of quieted down and life got less interesting. I had no more promotions available to me and I was at the top of my pay grade. I retired. My retirement date was April 14, 1979, my 55th birthday.
I enjoyed about a year off which included going with Neil in the morning for a swim.
I saw an opening for a consulting effort in Quality Assurance.
That included a new field of learning, Nuclear Quality Assurance.
That evolved into being a resident consultant to a German company in New Jersey. This involved travel to the nationwide. Canada, UK, France and Germany. It involved learning about the centrifuge industry and its requirements. Dotty did travel with me, at times, to Sweden, Dublin and Germany.
Each and every company I visited for the Air Force, DOD, NASA, and firms where I consulted, included reviewing management practices
During this period, I got involved with the Occupational Training Center of Burlington County. This was another learning experience, the handicapped individual and their requirements.
My teaching Sunday Church School was also a enjoyable learning experience.
My 35 years in Boy Scouts and longer in church offices added to my learning experience.
After actually retiring again, Dotty and I participated in courses with Elderhostel We both found them very interesting.
posted by Neil at 5:35 AM
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