Upon receiving his draft notice, John enlisted in the U. S. Army Reserve in 1963 in order to fulfill his military obligation. Two years later he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Army Corps of Engineers. In April 1968, responding to the calls from Headquarters U. S. Army, John volunteered for active duty, flight school and service in Vietnam.
While in Vietnam 1969-70, he served briefly as the Service Platoon leader and was the unit Ready Reaction Force (perimeter security) commander throughout the tour. He commanded an Aviation Flight platoon consisting of eight CH-47 B & C model Chinooks with a complement of 16-18 Warrant Officer Pilots and some 35-40 enlisted flight engineers and crew chiefs. He logged over 800 flight hours flying combat, combat support and combat service support missions throughout Northern I Corps of South Vietnam with the 101st Airborne Division (Air Mobile).
John served in Air Mobile (Air Assault), Armor, Mech Infantry and Light Infantry units in his 22 years of active duty. Career highlights include command of both Aviation and Armor units; Director of Personnel Services, U. S. Army Garrison, Panama; Chief of Mobility, Technology Planning and Management, U. S. Army Materiel Command; RDT&E Coordinator, DCoS G-3, HQ U. S. Army, Pentagon; and Plans and Operations Officer for the Armed Forces Inaugural Committee, AFIC, in support of the 1989 Presidential Inaugural.
A graduate of the Army Command and General Staff College, John has a BS in Industrial Engineering/Management and an MBA in Management. With over 3500 flight hours, John is a Dual Rated (Rotary and Fixed Wing) Master Army Aviator, flight instructor and flight (instrument) examiner.
Retired from 20 years in the aerospace and defense industry, John is the current president of the Southern California Chapter of the Army Aviation Association, AAAA, and is a life member of the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, VHPA.
