My four years in the U.S. Air Force marked a period that fundamentally reshaped my worldview. It began with basic and technical training, where I was introduced to military discipline and encountered people from vastly different backgrounds. Growing up in small-town Minnesota had offered little exposure to diversity, but boot camp quickly challenged many of my childhood assumptions. I was forced to reconsider long-held beliefs about race, culture, class, and life beyond the narrow boundaries of my familiar world.

My first assignment at Ellsworth AFB in South Dakota provided structure and purpose. I secured a technical role operating a keypunch machine—a position offering stability as I found my footing. I formed a close friendship with Tom Luft, a Vietnam vet, and we enjoyed parties, road trips, and casual hangouts together. Living off-base with Tom and another friend, we created a carefree lifestyle with just enough responsibility to maintain order. It was chaotic, enjoyable, and formative—an accelerated course in independence.

Being reassigned to U-Tapao Airfield in Thailand marked a pivotal shift. What began as a search for adventure evolved into something more profound. Immersed in Thai culture and distant from American norms, I began viewing the Vietnam War—and my participation in it—differently. I transitioned from supporter to quiet skeptic, joining fellow airmen in subtle resistance acts like drawing peace signs under our caps. I also became a regular pot user—part of many airmen's off-duty culture and another way of stepping outside military rigidity. After moving off base, I was introduced to a different world—one shaped by Buddhism, Thai hospitality, and village life—which began to reshape my views on faith, morality, and priorities.

Thailand didn't merely expand my world—it challenged its foundations. The contrast between military structure and the surrounding towns drew me toward something freer and more authentic. I found meaning in simplicity, cultural differences, and a slower rhythm of life. I wasn't simply passing through—I was absorbing the culture. By my tour's end, I knew my connection with Thailand remained incomplete. College could wait. I was determined to return—to explore further, to live differently, and to continue learning. This chapter marks when my life began diverging from convention toward something unknown but deeply compelling.

Chapter 4 Photo Collage