I graduated from high school in 1982. I had studied radio/tv, and I was also involved with the ROTC program.
After graduation, I had trouble finding my way. I could get plenty of work as a DJ in a roller-skating rink, or at an under-21 club. But not the radio DJ job that I wanted.
So...I joined the Army.
Why??
Well, they offered me the opportunity to do what I always wanted to do since I was a kid, be a DJ on the radio!!
Sure I'd have to go through Basic Training at Fort Knox, Kentucky. After that, I would be home for about a year because the radio/tv training was at Fort Benjamin Harrison.
Let me tell you. Basic Training was hell on Earth!! I didn't have ONE good day there. I'm amazed I made it through.
Well, there WAS one good day. That was the day my family was allowed to come down to the post and visit me. THAT was a good day. My Grandma brought me a box of homemade edible goodies. She asked me if I was going to share them. I told her, NO! hehe
After surviving basic training, I made it to Fort Ben. It was good to be home. After a few months, I was allowed to go home on weekends. What a relief!
The radio/tv training at the Defense Information School was a piece of cake compared to basic training. A year later, I graduated.
I was assigned to go to Fort Ord, California to work in the public affairs office. Since the main job of a broadcaster is overseas, I was sent temporarily to Tegucigalpa, Honduras, for about 6 months.
I was sent there by way of Panama City, Panama, where I had to get my jungle uniforms, and special equipment.
When I arrived in Honduras, I started working for the Navy in a small broadcast studio.
Back then, there was no satellite, so we had to receive our tv programming from Panama on Beta videotape. The TV news and sports were always a week behind, but at least we had it!
I had a night time radio show I inherited from another Army broadcaster who had just left.
This is getting kinda long, so I'll stop here and continue when I feel like it!