My vocational history

My Federal Experience
Military & US Dept. of Agriculture
Military Active Duty - Enlisted 7 June 1946, U.S. Army Air Corps. Inducted at Smokey Hill Army Air Base, Salina, Kansas. Basic Training at Lackland Army Air Base, San Antonio, TX. Technical School Training at Lowry Field, Denver, CO, trained as a Photographic Laboratory Technician, and reported for duty at Langley Field, Hampton, VA. In August, 1947 all personnel of the Army Air Corps were transferred to the newly created United States Air Force. Since the primary mission of the 161st Tactical Air Squadron, 363rd Group, was to create mosaics of enemy areas. After WW 2 ended, the need for our services ceased to exist so I had the opportunity to type payrolls for 5 months. After having failed typing in High School twice, this was a stretch, however, I did learn how to type correctly. This being the case, I was transferred to the Historical Division, Tactical Air Command headquarters, where I ultimately became the Chief Clerk of that division. The Tactical Air Command was the headquarters for both the 8th and 15th Numbered Air Force Commands. My enlistment ended 6 June 1949, at which time I returned to Kansas for some reason.
Reserve / Air National Guard
Heeding the advice of my First Sergeant, Otis A. Thompson, I promptly enlisted in the Army Reserve since there was no Air Guard available. I held a variety of mundane clerical positions prior to my enlistment in the 891st Engineer Aviation Battalion, Manhattan, KS, serving a variety of clerical positions until I was ultimately promoted to WOJG 1 and 2, Battalion Personnel Officer. My summer camps were served at such glorious stations as Camp McCoy, Wisconsin, Fort AF Leonard Wood, Missouri, Fort Riley, Kansas, and Camp Carson, Colorado.
In May 1956 I was allowed to graduate a few days early from Kansas State University in order to receive a commission as a Second Lieutenant, prior to my 28th birthday, following this promotion I became the Personnel Officer of the Battalion, a position I held until graduation from Veterinary School. One year later I was promoted to First Lieutenant. Following my move to Colorado I was transferred to the USAF Reserve, Veterinarian, Lowry AFBase. Because of my age I was able to be assigned as a Major. 5 months later I was solicited by the CO ANG, Buckley ANG. I reluctantly agreed but ended up filling both vacancies for 7 months. When Lowry AFB was closed, I continued at Buckley where I became both the veterinarian and the Environmental Health Officer and continued until 1981 when I transferred to the Michigan Air Guard, Battle Creek, MI where I retired in 1986.
Professional Veterinary Medicine
On May 31, 1959, my 31st birthday, I graduated from Kansas State University and accepted a position in Tyndall, South Dakota working for a practioner named Dr. Glenn Duncan. He had previously been highly recommended to me by his brother, Major Dale Duncan, my battalion Executive Officer in the 891st. Since I had a great relationship with Maj. Dale, I accepted the position with little caution. I was later made aware that their being brothers was about the limit of their similarity. Approximately 15 months later I had sufficiently experienced my first exposure to a "partnership", at which time I purchased a practice in Wakonda, S. D. During the next 7 years I had a great time serving the people of that area in a veterinary capacity. It was a wonderful community and my family and I really enjoyed much interaction with the others in the community. If time and energy permits, I shall write a special and separate section of that experience. I have endeavored to return many times but for a variety of reasons was unable to execute the trip. During the fall of 2002, I had the joy of returning to the community, accepting the invitation of bed & breakfast from my exceptional friends James and Ruth Williams. My visit was truly a nostalgic 'high' which continues to bring tears of joy to this very day... As I recall, one of my few regrets concerning life in Wakonda was that I continually failed after taking square dance lessons. I must have taken them 7 or 8 times. I do remember graduating but somehow when it came time for Harold Kemmis to teach, our entire group had to go back to lessons. Enough on that subject.
During my tenure as a resident, husband, father, and veterinary practioner, I had the pleasure of wearing several other 'hats', 1) President of the Commercial Club (an informal Chamber of Commerce), 2) Design engineer, CEO, and Sales manager of McCauley-Madsen, a travel trailer manufacturing company, 3) A licensed pilot, single engine, 4) Member and leader in Civil Air Patrol, 5) A licensed electrician, 6) WM - Ophir Lodge, AF & AM, 7) Volunteer fireman, 8) Member of the school board, 9) and a couple others that I dare not identify.
The majority of my practice was working with shipped in feeder calves, pigs, and lambs. The thrust of most clients was row-crop farming which translated to my having what I called a practice of 5-9 twice a day. The rest of the day was left for routine veterinary work. About 5% of my income was derived from small animals. It is worthy of note, however, that fees generated by small animals was minimal since the patients were mostly owned by large animal clients. A great portion of the revenue was generated from vaccination of pigs for Erysipelas and Hog Cholera.
My departure from practice was due to several economic factors resulting from a changing agriculture development. The major reason was the introduction of free or inclusive veterinary pharmaceuticals being included in feed contracts. This allowed the clients to purchase feeder animals to the full extent of their loan from the bank, and not pay for feed, animal care, or other necessities until the animals were sold. These contracts pre-empted preventive vaccinations and other initial treatment from being paid for until the animals were sold. Since marketing conditions were down, many of the producers did not have enough money left to pay the feed company and the bank. Not having the financial capacity to weather this storm, I sought employment with the federal government.
Civil Service – U. S. Department of Agriculture
In June 1967, I was approved for employment with the Meat & Poultry Inspection Service and promised a minimum of one year (following 90 days training in Minneapolis, MN) assignment in Denver, CO. Since this promise was in writing, I gullibly believed it to be true, and it was. The only hitch was that even though I was assigned to the Denver work force, I was placed in a “relief” position which necessitated my being out of town every other 2 weeks. Since we had to travel on the weekends, being out of town meant travel this weekend, work for 2 weeks, and travel for another weekend getting back home.
Ten months later, I traded my letter of promise for a full-time assignment in Loveland, Colorado. This was the stepping-stone for what was to become a tremendous career with the USDA. My career encompassed several agencies within the Department. My service with the USDA, Civil Service, was concurrent with many years of Military Service in the Colorado, Michigan, and Wisconsin Air National Guard. In another spot I would like to delineate my service with the following:
USDA, Meat & Poultry Inspection, 1967 –1979
Assigned to plants in Colorado, Texas, Oklahoma, Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, and New Mexico.
1979 – 1982 – A dramatic period of Non-federal Civil Service and a period when my life was converted to include Christianity like I had never known. This was accomplished through McK, Ltd, an organization I put together to become independently wealthy. The details of the rest of the story will told separately.
USDA, Veterinary Services, 1982 – 1986 - Wisconsin
Field Veterinarian – Antigo, Waunakee, Madison -
USDA, Plant Protection & Quarantine, 1986 – 1994 (Ret.)
Monitored all inbound animal products – Review port inspection activities throughout U.S., Alaska, PR, and Virgin Islands
Since retirement, I have had a noteworthy continued affiliation with veterinary medicine. Some of the activities include: Global Economic Organization, END Task Force, Consultant for Environmental Sanitation Development, and others.