United States - Self Destruction

Richard was born in Protland, IN during the Great Depression and this caused him to learn that you have to rely on yourself, and not depend on the government bureaucracy. He was the first one in his family to graduate from high school and also to graduate from college. While attending college he returned home, each weekend, and worked to earn money to help pay for college expenses. Upon graduating from college, he married his wife, Gail, entered the U.S. Air Force and was trained as a navigator. After his tour of active duty he joined the Tennessee Air National Guard and flew voluntary missions to Viet Nam hauling cargo to our troops who were fighting there. During this time he held a full time job working as a marketing representative for an insurance company, for whom he worked 28 years. He was promoted to Marketing Manager and transferred from Nashville, TN to Detroit, MI. This transfer caused him to change to the Air Rescue Service in the Air Force Reserve in which he served for 8 years. He was again promoted to Territorial Marketing Manager and transferred to Chicago, IL. As a result of this move, Richard became a Liason Officer for ROTC and the Air Force Academy for whom he recruited qualifying candidates for the Reserve Officer Training Corps and the U.S. Air Force Academy. In 1991 he retired from the Air Force Reserve, as a Lieutenant Colonel, and in 1999 he also retired from the insurance industry. During all of these years Richard was also heavily involved with politics with which he began as a Precinct Captain in 1964 and was elected President of the Davidson County (Nashville) Republican Club. He aided the Republican Party while living in Grosse Pointe Woods, Mi. and upon moving to Illinois continued to be active to this day in Palatine, IL. After retiring in 1999 he began his research for data to aid him in writing his only book, United States - Self Destruction. Richard and Gail celebrated their 56th anniversary in 2010, and are the proud parents of three adult daughters.