CHAPTER 6:  THE ITALIAN ADVENTURE

Mary and the kids arrived in Italy in the middle of February.  Our car had not yet arrived from the states forcing us to walk with the kids from the Pensione (Boarding House) to the part of the base housing the cafeteria, Base Exchange, Commissary and NCO Club.  I remember it rained almost everyday for the first two weeks.  Again, Mary was alone in a small space, this time with two little ones. Why she did not split and go home I'll never know.
    We shortly were able to find an affordable (cheaper than the states) apartment, pick-up our car which had now arrived and start to create some semblance of a normal home life.
    We lived in a building with two other American families and three Italian families. It was most interesting to notice the teenager who lived immediately below us listening to Armed Forces radio to hear all the new music.  During our stay we were able to visit the holy places in Rome, spend time in Naples while coaching little league, and take an almost two week trip experiencing the sounds and culture of a beautiful Germany. 
   The International Red Cross sent a case worker to basically visit Mary and our daughter.  Although Mary spoke no Italian and the case worker no English, an amazing mother to mother understanding took place.  The case worker was expecting and after two or three visits to our third floor apartment we were not visited again.  Ironically, the base which was basically a gas stop for airplanes would later become pivotal in our Bosnia campaign.  While we were there it was a small somewhat sleepy place which was high on the list for numerous visits and inspections due to our close proximity to inexpensive Murano glass and Italian marble.  Being forced to live out with the local populace caused me to attempt to learn a bit about the language in order to interact with shopkeepers, neighbors and others.  It seemed that the time just flew by and just before Christmas 1970 it was time to return home.

CHAPTER 7 Back to Illinois (1971-1980)

Returning to the states and of course Rochester found Mary's dad retiring from KODAK, selling the house, and moving to a mobile home in Ocala, Florida.  He would later comment that he wished he had not done all of that in the same month, and given a replay he would not have done it that way.  Mary and I and the kids, accompanied by their Basset hound (which they had been advised to put down because of a skin condition that would be aggravated in tropical Florida) proceeded west to commence a second training assignment at Chanute Air Force Base in Rantoul, Illinois.  At the time, we thought it was again to be for about 9 months, so that I might attend advanced training which would qualify me for promotion.  I had thought about the possibility of teaching and thought that it would be ideal to be paid by the Air Force to examine this possible career choice.  When I mentioned the idea to Mary she was not excited since having come from the rolling terrain of New York State, the cornfields of central Illinois were not her cup of tea.  Ironically, some 9-10 years later she would be sad at leaving what had become home.  To sell the idea I reminded her of the ongoing conflict in Vietnam and the possibility of immediate assignment at the conclusion of my training.  If not, I suggested that a short state-side assignment might be followed by a Vietnam tour to replace a colleague in a small career field.  After a year I would return to a stateside assignment, in other words the possibility of three moves in two to three years.  Mary immediately saw the merits of the idea and gave it her blessing.  I applied during my training, was approved, and following six weeks of Instructor training, was dropped into the pressure cooker of an advanced electronics classroom.  I spent the first few months running to get help from superiors as I gained both knowledge and expertise in dealing with people, usually of higher rank.  It was during this assignment that I actually  got serious about my college career. I had started it rather hit or miss in France with a few courses, adding a few more in Italy.  Eastern Illinois University brought the best on base educational program of my air force career to Chanute.  They even piloted a new Career Occupations degree program designed originally to fit the needs of military training instructors.  The degree used as it's major the instructors air force specialty adding courses in career occupations and educational subjects to round out the degree program.  In the summer of 1976 I was sent on what I still facetiously refer to as a sabbatical a term usually found in education..  Actually, it was a remote tour to a little 2 mile wide and 4 mile long island in the Aleutians called Shemya.  Luckily, Mary and the kids were able to remain in Chanute base housing.  This eliminated the search for alternate housing and allowed the children to remain in the same school with their friends.  That is not to say the year was easy but there was much more peace of mind under these circumstances. Personnel procedures in place at the time allowed me to return immediately following the year (actually 11 months) to a classroom job at Chanute.  I continued with Eastern Illinois University on base classes accumulating close to 200 credit hours.
    It was during the time following my return from Shemya that God's hand reached out to touch me again.  It was the fall of 1979 and although I had completed 20 years of Air Force service I was not looking forward to retiring from the service and finding a civilian job.  This was where I believe God stepped in. I was on my way to lunch when stopped by our department secretary to accept a call she was not sure how to handle.
      Reluctantly, I took the call which turned out to be from a former Chanuter with whom I had taken some career occupations courses. He explained that the Electronics Department at Moraine Valley Community College where he had recently been employed was in disarray.
The dean was searching for someone to consult and make recommendations on a new or revised program.  The question was "did we have someone leaving through separation or retirement who might be interested?" When there was a quiet pause he inquired "if I was still there" and I responded "that he should give me the details" I arranged to come to Palos Hills, IL  to meet with the dean and make appropriate recommendations.  I continued to make regular visits from Labor Day until long after my hiring was approved in February 1980.
  When informed of my hiring, I immediately went to personnel to arrange for Air Force retirement effective June 1, 1980.  My comrades snuck around while I was making my regular visits to Moraine Valley to plan the highlight of my Air Force career,  a surprise retirement party.  Also, at my small retirement ceremony, the Lieutenant Colonel for whom I worked awarded me the Air Force Meritorious Service Award and better than that made the comment that I had taught him a bit about people skills, a fact in which I still take pride. This ceremony took place on May 28th and using three days leave Mary and I and the kids on May 29th, took our two vehicles, the cat and the Basset hound and headed north.