Dad Joins the AF

At the tail end of the Vietnam War, and sure to be drafted by the Army, my Dad chose to go down to the Air Force recruiter. Here is that story. Below are both my Dad’s written words setting this story to paper in August 2020 and a video of our discussion about this time period.

IN HIS WORDS:

I didn’t become a pilot through any love of flying; I was a car guy, but I got drafted. After I started a Ph.D. program at Ohio State, I was notified that my 2S student draft deferment expired and was not 1A or prime draft meat. I was sent to an Army physical and passed. My Uncle Bev, an Air Force civilian employee, suggested I consider the Air Force. I took their tests and physical and waited. A few months later my draft notice arrived and I ran back to see the Air Force recruiter. He took my paperwork and asked, “Do you want to be a pilot or a navigator?” And, I said, “I guess I’ll be a pilot.” Sixty days later I was on my very first airplane flight (as a passenger) on my way to Air Force training.