I joined the Navy in 1967 and saw the world. I was stationed for eight months in Thailand, then in Japan, the Philippines, and on base in California. During that time, I was an aircraft mechanic and an air crew member doing flight missions during the Vietnam War. I’m so proud of my daughter Dianne, who is a school teacher, and my son Jim, who served in the Navy for six years and is now in the Army where he is stationed at Fort Leavenworth. I’m also glad to have my wife Edie by my side every step of the way. After I was diagnosed with ALS in 2004, I was one of the first people to ask why isn’t this service connected? It was my personal goal to see that veterans get the care and recognition they deserved.