LH> hello again - 
LH> can't believe that I'm talking to someone from ND.  This is new, thi
 
Hi Lori,
 
  Hehehe, yes live (?) from the frozen tundra  we're just 
coming off of a couple-day-long blizzard and it's good to be able to go 
outside again (even if the wind chill is still at -40 F).
 
LH> Surfing the net has been only in our area for two months.  We now ha
LH> our own server in addition to our BBS at the local community college
LH> It's thanks to our youth that this has occurred.   
 
  That's great--I think both the "net" and local BBS' have a great deal 
to offer.  Each has their place in the online community and can be real 
helpful as well as just plain fun.
 
LH> Curiosity and more info for my 8th graders - leads me to ask about y
LH> stint with the honor guard.  What was best about your job?  What did
LH> mean as far as a schedule was concerned?  And furthermore, did it le
LH> to a step toward a career for you later?  What is your career now?  
LH> are you retired?   
 
  Hmmm, lots of good questions :)  Well a brief sketch of my background 
may help out here.  I am currently a Captain in the USAF (active duty), 
I've been in the Air Force since 1980--a couple of years as an airman 
(enlisted--that's when I did my honor guard work), two years as an Air 
Force ROTC cadet working towards my commission, and then the last 11 or 
so years as an officer.  My primary career field is Accounting and 
Finance, for the last 2+ years I have been serving as an Assistant 
Professor of Aerospace Studies at North Dakota State University, AFROTC 
Detachment 610 in Fargo, ND.  
 
  I teach leadership and management which includes:  quality principles,
counseling, mentoring, communication skills (oral & written), 
tradtional management thought, ethics, problem solving skills, a 
variety of leadership styles and principles, team building, etc.  My 
cadets are at the junior level, but since my class is also cross 
referenced with the Speech Communications department on campus, I have 
a high number of speech comm/mass comm junior and senior students as 
well (non-ROTC).  I team teach our freshmen cadets--teaching basic comm 
skills, ethics, customs and courtesies, AF history, core values, and 
the AFROTC Training Philosophy of Mutual Respect.  I have oversight for 
the cadet taught leadership laboratory--a hands on lab for our jr/sr 
level cadets to practice their leadership skills in the cadet corps 
setting.
 
  I absolutely love being in the classroom, it's just a lot of fun and 
it is great to see the students grow as they go through the program.  I 
still have a few more years in the AF, however I have my sights on 
teaching after I do retire.
 
  My Honor Guard experiences were very memorable.  I was an Airman 
First Class (E-3) when I joined and I started as a pall-bearer during 
military funerals.  I quickly worked my way up through the team to be a 
color bearer during funerals and special functions.  My Honor 
Guard/Color Guard experiences were focused in the tri-state region of 
IL/MO/IN and were quite enlightening.  You see a different side of 
people in that setting, you see the pain, hurt, anger, relief, sadness 
and a host of other emotions present at funerals...until I attended a 
military funeral with the guard, I had only witnessed one funeral and 
that was as a young child.  There was always an incredible sense of 
pride being *the* representative--handing the American Flag to a family 
member, firing your volley of rounds in the 21-gun salute, it was a 
very important responsibility...one I always took seriously.
 
  From the guard, a couple of us started a Precision Drill Team, 
performing with issue M-1 rifles (weighing 13.1 lbs each, not those 
balsa parade rifles!), we did drill ceremonies across the state and 
marched in countless parades going through the manual of arms with 
flair.  We were a distinctive drill team, proud to be ambassadors of 
the AF.  It was great fun, some of the special drill movements we 
learned were extremely complicated and looked sharp when executed 
properly.  I value my time on the guard/drill team as one of the most 
rewarding aspects of my military career--even though it was considered 
an "additional duty".  I am a patriotic person, I still stand a little 
taller when I hear the National Anthem, I come to attention and render 
the appropriate respect for the flag when it passes by, whether I am in 
uniform or not -- it's just the right thing to do.  
 
LH> Are you far from Fargo, ND? 
 
  Nope, I'm right in the heart of Fargo!
 
LH> If I'm too curious, remember I'm still a teacher at least until the 
LH> 2004. 
LH>  
LH> Some of my students are in NJROTC to answer the question why are the
LH> so curious.  Lori 
 
  Curiosity is a *good* thing!  Hello to your JROTC cadets, the junior 
program is a super deal.  Even if the students don't elect to pursue a 
career in the military you can't been the civics and responsibility 
training.  I'd be more than happy to answer any questions you or your 
students may have, as I mentioned I've been in the AF for a few years 
;) and we've (married with 4 daughters, ages 7-17) lived in the Azores 
Portugal, Guam, IL, NC, ND and I've been on temporary duty to places 
such as:  Okinawa Japan, Panama and many of the states.  
 
  You can also reach me direct via internet email at either address:
 
        dhill@badlands.nodak.edu  (work)
 
        captain.scarlet@spectrumbbs.com  (home-my bbs)
 
  or check out our detachment web-site:
 
        http://www.ndsu.nodak.edu/afrotc 
 
Have a good one!
 
   Dale
--- TriDog 10.0
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