I was born in Wheeling WV in October 1953. I grew up in McMichen WV. I graduated in 1972 from John Marshall High School and after spending the summer at home working as a clerk for a local grocery store, I enlisted in the US Army to become a Military Policeman. I attended Boot Camp at Fort Dix, NJ. After Boot Camp, I went to Fort Gordon Georgia for advanced individual training for the military Police. I wanted to enlist in the army as my dad was a combat wounded veteran of the Korea Conflict. He never said much about Korea other than, “I dug fox holes.” After my dad was honorably discharged, he went home to Martins Ferry Ohio. He met my mom who grew up in Wheeling. They married and I was the first child with four sisters and one brother. My brother enlisted in the Navy and one of my sisters enlisted in the US Airforce. After I was discharged from the Army, I got a job working as an underground Coal Miner for Ireland Mine. I met my wife in 1976, we were married in 1977. In October 1977 my first daughter was born and in September of 1978 my youngest daughter was born. I had four years underground work, but was laid off in November 1979. In September 1980, I was hired at “Mobay Corporation”. I spent the next twenty years working for Mobay making rust or pigment that was used for coloring concrete. In 2001, Mobay/bayer was starting to down size. They offered an early retirement package and I took it. About six months later I went back to mining underground for McElroy Mine. I had already had four years credit towards a miner’s pension and I needed ten years total to receive the pension. I ended up working in the Mines a total of 21 years. During that time, the United Mine workers of America started a “Veteran’s Committeeman Program for the Support of Our Veterans”. I was nominated for one of the positions and voted into being a Veteran’s Committeeman that was when I started doing work for the Vet’s. The best thing we did yearly was clean the Vietnam Wall.   About the same time, I received in the US Mail a flyer from The American Legion and I really didn’t know that much about it. I did however, fill out the application mailed it in. I received my membership card national suggested that I transfer from post 200 to a local post. So, I chose to visit Post 3 in Moundsville. The first time in Post 3, I met men that I had worked with at least 20 years and longer. They had never even mentioned being American Legon Members. Anyhow, I was welcomed to the post, they immediately completed the transfer paperwork from Post 200 to Post 3 and they “Hooked” me. Just like they were supposed to! They asked me to attend the meetings, which I did, and they got me to participate in pretty much everything thing they were doing. My point in talking about how I got into doing Legion work is, I never once in all the years of working with the men who were legion member, they didn’t say anything about the legion. Had they told me about it at work, I probably would have had a lot more years in the Legion. We all need to spread the word about what we do and who we are, not just at the Legion, but also where we work send wherever we are. If we see a person who looks like they are military don’t be afraid to ask. Invite them to join, to attend the meetings and to participate in what we represent. I also am a volunteer and supporter of Helping Heros. It is a program to help homeless veterans and their families. It is a very good program for supporting the vets and their families. I also am a member of the northern panhandle Veteran’s Council. We have met with politicians discussing what kind of support we need to have for our veterans. It too is a very good organization to provide vets with different avenues to help with whatever needs a vet may have. I enjoy helping our vets with whatever they may need.