My father and one grandfather served in the United States Army, and my brother and other grandfather were in the Navy.
I joined the United States Air Force in 1994, serving first at Sheppard AFB in Wichita Falls, Texas, and then at Tinker AFB in Oklahoma City working on AWACS. I went on my first deployment to the Middle East, as a part of Operation Southern Watch in 1995. While in Saudi Arabia, I received a non-combat head injury, which eventually lead to an Honorable Medical Discharge in 2001.
My medical condition continued to deteriorate, and I suffer from seizures and migraines related to my injury. I also have had 4 heart attacks and was recently diagnosed with Restrictive Lung Disease (from volunteer work at the 1995 bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building).
Due to my physical disabilities, I was unable to hold down full time Employment, and I eventually fell into a deep Depression. A Veteran friend got me interested in some local non-profit programs and I became involved with them. I found this time to bond with fellow Veterans over fishing, hunting and golf…..a true God send.
It was during this time that I discovered my love for woodworking, especially crafting wooden American flags. I have made 1190 flags to date, with over 800 flags donated to Vets. My goal is to create 100 – 150 every year from here on out.
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