I blame my reading of "Robinson Carusoe" followed by "The Swiss Family Robinson" for getting me hooked on surviving and thriving with what is available. Then I really starting learning and praticing (in the woods), as I read the stories of the old mountain men and the westerns by Louis L'amour and others.

The USCG taught me some basic survival skills for sea and land. I also learned navigation and signals from the guard. During my time in the guard, I worked with the training detachments of the 2nd & 3rd Ranger Battalions while training "A" teams of the 2nd, 7th, and 10th Special Forces Groups (winter operations/survival). In the course of my career I also got involved in planning and executing low level air recon missions as Mission Commander and Aerial Observer. I was OPS Boss for 4 different cutters which meant I was also the Training Petty Officer for the entire crew (among many, many other collateral duties). As a Medical Officer (15 males & 1 female patients/crew), I had to specialize in OB/GYN (Haitian Embargo/pre-invasion ops), patient stabilization/MEDEVAC, advanced 1st Aid, CPR, etc. As the assistant Intel Officer on some of those Cutters, I learned to accept "processed Intel" with large grains of salt and to look for the raw Intel to make our own judgements with (no politicizing garbage). As Combat Officer on 2 Cutters, I learned tactics and weapons (WEPS on 1 Cutter).

No, I did not have the normal career path for a USCG QM!!

I am still learning everyday!!!