HALLOWEEN THIRTY-FOUR YEARS PAST

Halloween 1975. Remember it like yesterday. I was still active duty US Air Force, and stationed at March Air Force Base, California. One of my “additional duties” was to help assimilate Vietnamese refugees “adopted” by my squadron into the American culture.

These good people, who had escaped the Communist takeover of South Vietnam, didn’t understand the American banking system, and kept what little life savings they had accumulated and escaped with, hidden in their homes.

As one of the squadron sponsors of the Vietnamese refugees, I did my best to explain the safety of American banks (that was before the 2009 recession!), and how the bankers were trustworthy. Finally, they agreed to take their money to a bank and open a safe savings account. I drove them there. They were nervous about the entire situation.

I escorted the refugees into the bank, whereupon they were greeted by Mickey Mouse, and the teller was Bozo the Clown. It was Halloween, All the bank employees were in costume.

Try to imagine, if you can, the expressions on the faces of the refugees, as they entrusted their savings to Bozo the Clown. I tried to explain, but it wasn’t easy. That occasion in 1975 was likely my most memorable Halloween.

A TEACHER TO TEACHER TALK

I had the pleasure of talking “teacher to teacher” about Alaska teachers and schools with Alaska National Education (NEA) President Barb Angalak. Barb and I have both been classroom teachers, so it’s understandable we share many concerns in common, including appropriate funding of education, school working conditions, plus recruitment and retention of quality teachers. Both of us expressed a need to return to a “defined benefit” pension for teachers and other public employees.

I’m both a retired US Air Force person, and a retired public school teacher. I’ve “been there, done that.” My military and teaching careers were fulfilling, but I must admit there were frustrating times when, I might not have persevered until retirement in either career, without the security of future defined retirement benefits. That’s reality.

FIRE OPS 101

Good news! I have muscles I never knew I had. Bad news. I’m so sore I feel like the age I really am. Really, really good news! The Anchorage Fire Department is one of the best fire departments in the nation. I’m ready to join. But I admit. I couldn’t keep up. No way. No how.

Yesterday, my legislative assistant Dirk Moffatt and I participated in Fire Ops 101. As the title implies, the activity was an overview of what our Anchorage Fire Department does every day to protect us. Along with other policy makers, we did a first hand extraction of a victim from an automobile crash, went into a burning building, had an opportunity to climb a six story aerial ladder, and attended to a cardiac arrest victim from arrival on scene to the Regional Hospital ambulance garage entrance.

First of all, getting into the firefighter outfit was no small task - at least for me: heavy protective clothing, gloves, boots, air bottle pack, head hood, helmet, and goggles. All in all, about 75 pounds. Add that to the fat poundage I carry around every day, and you’ve got a heavy legislator.

During the extraction of the victim from the car, I got to use the “jaws of life” to pry the car door away from the frame, and to use an instrument to break the glass out of a car window (legally). The being-in-a burning-building experience gave us an opportunity to use a thermal imaging device that made it possible to see the fire through the smoke and darkness (without it, couldn’t see anything and it was spooky).

Yes I did climb the aerial ladder but, I must disclose, only about the first eight or nine steps. Taking my time, I could have gone all the way up - but we were on a fast schedule, and the fire department couldn’t wait thirty days for me to get all the way up the ladder. But I did get a ride in the ladder bucket to the top of the aerial ladder. It’s a great view - and only scary when you look down.

There’s much talk about the need for health insurance. But let me tell you this. The Anchorage Fire Department is some of the most outstanding “health insurance” you’ll ever get!

REFUELING MISSION

Went on an Alaska Air National Guard refueling mission yesterday from Elmendorf AFB to the skies nearby Sparrevohn, Alaska. Our KC135 refueled a C17 transport plane. Got to perch down next to the boomer to watch him fly the refueling boom to the C17. This is socially acceptable passing of gas.

THE RACE CARD

Taking a public position on health insurance, the propriety of the government bailouts, the American military situation in Afghanistan (or for that matter, Vietnam), or any other issue, is free speech protected by the First Amendment. I have a right to disagree with you. You have a right to disagree with me. But what in the “you-know-what” does race have to do with anything? Huh? How dumb is injecting race into debates? Very.

Dumb is one thing. But if someone plays the race card on an issue, when they know better, that’s not dumb. It’s political cunning. It’s an insult to intelligence. And it’s despicable. It matters not if the race card is played by a former president, or any other big shot.

PATIENT SIMULATORS

There were no complaints from the “patients” at the UAA School of Nursing today. That’s because patients were high tech simulator mannequins eye blinks, pupils that dilate, pulse, heartbeat, temperature, and sound effects including respiration and heart beat, and more - all controlled by teachers via computer. As students examine a “patient,” the computer can induce various medical conditions and emergencies - to which the students can respond. Mistakes are learning opportunities, and don’t kill the ”patient.” All this is similar to flight simulators used by commercial airlines and our military.

It makes me proud of our university and the School of Nursing. Two of my daughters registered nurses, Debra in California, and Mary at Regional Hospital here in Anchorage.

Photos show the nurse instructors operating the simulated patients by computer, a student checking the patient's eyes, and me with UAA Chancellor Fran Ulmer.

ANCHORAGE TEA PARTY

It was wet and rainy. But weather didn’t put a damper on the speakers and about 100 participants of the Anchorage Tea Party - which was part of a national Tea Party event including at least 60,000 to 70,00 folks in Washington DC. Among the speakers here in Anchorage radio talk show host Eddie Burke, and former Judge Joe Miller from Fairbanks. The emphasis of the Anchorage Tea Party rally was national security and individual responsibility - something we need more of. Photo shows me with Eddie Burke.

56 YEARS AND COUNTING

Today is Marlene and my 56th Wedding Anniversary. I met Marlene on a blind date (she was "blind." I wasn't) in October 1952 when I was going through Air Force Cadets flying school at Malden Air Base, Missouri. She lived in Dexter, seventeen miles away. We were engaged on June 16th, 1953 at Big Springs,Texas - the evening after she pinned on my Air Force wings at cadet graduation at Webb Air Force Base.

On a Sunday August 30th, Marlene and I were married at Valdosta, Georgia the day before I soloed the F94C at Moody Air Force Base. The wedding took place after a regular church service. The wedding guests were whoever remained in the church after the service, plus Marlene's mom, plus my best man from the base - whose name I don't even remember. I thought I had taken some great wedding photos with my little Argus C3 camera. Unfortunately, there was no film in the camera. But the photos would have been good.

We've had a great life together. When we were married, I was 20. She was 19. We are somewhat older now. Marlene is not only the "Speaker of the House," but also a great wife!

The"then" photo shows Marlene and I (when I had hair) a month or so after our marriage. The "now" photo shows us at a picnic at McHugh Creek after a picnic.