I'M NOW RETIRED SINCE THE CANCER. I RETIRED FROM THE STATE OF MICHIGAN IN A DEFERRED PAYMENT STATUS. THIS MEANS I'LL START TO COLLECT MY RETIREMENT PAY AT AGE 60. THE STATE IS REDUCING STAFF ALL THE TIME AND I WAS CAUGHT UP IN THAT BECAUSE OF ONLY 15 YEARS WITH THE STATE. SO, I MADE MY OWN MOVE FOLLOWING THE 5 P'S. SECOND CAREER I WAS A FOOD SERVICE DIRECTOR FOR A PRISON WITH THE MICHIGAN DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS IN JACKSON,MI. I WAS HIRED IN THE MDOC SIX MONTHS AFTER I RETIRED. I PROMOTED INTO MANAGEMENT WITHIN 16 MONTHS. MY FACILITY HAS A POPULATION OF 1752 PRISONER. I DO NOT GET THE SAME REWARDING FEELING RUNNING A OPERATION FOR PRISONERS, BUT THE PAY IS GREAT AND SOMEONE HAS TO DO THE JOB. IN RECENT MONTHS I BECAME RESPONSIBLE FOR THE MDOC BOOT CAMP. MY WARDEN IS A FORMER MARINE AND HE SPEAR HEADED THE BOOT CAMP FOR MICHIGAN. THE POPULATION MANY GET AS HIGH AS 450 BECAUSE OF A CHANGE IN THE LAWS. PRISONERS WHO GO THRU THE PROGRAM USUALLY DO NOT RE-COMMIT AND THAT'S THE WHOLE IDEA. ITS NOT THE 1970'S BOOT CAMP, BUT FAIRLY CLOSE IN MANY RESPECTS. THE CORRECTIONAL OFFICERS WHO BECOME DI'S ARE THE BEST OF THE BEST, PROFESSIONALS ALL IN ASPECTS. WORKING AT THIS FACILITY ALMOST BRING BACK FLASH BACKS OF BOOT CAMP.
Other Comments:
TODAY I'M A GRANDFATHER OF THREE BOYS AND ONE GIRL. I STILL ENJOY SHOOTING FIREARMS AND HAVE AN ENOUGH PISTOLS AND REVOLVERS I BOUGHT A LARGE SAFE. I HOPE TO BEGIN RELOADING SOON WITH MY BLUE PRESS. I COMPETE IN NRA MATCHES 2700'S AND KEEP PRACTICING WITH MY CARRY GUNS. KIMBERS, GLOCK, SMITH & WESSON ARE MOST LIKELY CANCEL CARRY HANDGUNS. MY INTEREST IN FIREARMS BECAME MORE INTENTS WHEN I BECAME A MARKSMANSHIP INSTRUCTOR. TRAINING BOOT'S AT EDSON RANGE ON THE SAME RANGE I SHOT ON IN BOOT CAMP. REQUAL SHOOTERS AT CAMP SCHWAB AND AS A SGT. I RAN THE COACHES AND PMI SCHOOL AT DIV MTU FROM JULY 1977 TO JULY 1978.
Description Cobra Gold is an Asia-Pacific military exercise held in Thailand every year. It is the largest Asia-Pacific military exercise held each year, and is among the largest multinational military exercise in which the United States participates.
Cobra Gold was first held in 1982. It served as military training exercise to improve coordination between the armed forces of the United States and Thailand in both hostile military and humanitarian efforts. It also had the goal of strengthening ties between the U.S. and Thailand, the oldest ally of the United States in the South Asia region. More recently, Cobra Gold has served a humanitarian mission, as military personnel deliver health care to the local Thai population, and as a testing ground for new battlefield technologies such as solar powered weaponry.
The United States has engaged in only a single, very minor military intervention in the Pacific area since the end of the Vietnam War, making it difficult to judge Cobra Gold's effectiveness in improving warfighting capabilities and coordination. Cobra Gold has, however, proven effective in improving coordinated military response to natural disasters.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
March / 1990
To Month/Year
September / 1990
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
People You Remember COL. T.P. MURRAY, LT. COL. BLICE SGT. MAJ. RAJKOVICH, 1st SGT STRICKLAND, GY SGT WILKINS, CAPT. TRAHAN, 1st LT NYHART AND CPL. BOFILL. THE WHOLE COOK CREW, THEY WORKED HARD AND PLAYED HARD.
Memories BEING THE Co. GUNNY JUST BEFORE OPERATION COBRA GOLD. THE BN. GUNNER GAVE ME A CIGAR JUST BEFORE THE HUMP BACK TO THE SHIP AND TOLD ME HE HAD NEVER SEEN ANYONE LIKE ME TO TAKE THE JOB AS Co. GUNNY AND DO IT AND DO IT GOOD. TO ME THAT MET MORE THAN MOST OF MY AWARDS. WE ALL KNOW WHAT IT IS, WE DON'T ACT WE DO!!!!!!!!!
