I visited a former Marine OCS buddy's brother, 1st Lt. David Zito, who was training at George Air Force Base. I had just graduated several days before, in early December of 1973, in San Antonio, TX, at Lackland AFB. I had already driven my '73 Camaro to San Antonio and, with my mom, back to California where I had purchased it a Cormier Chevrolet that summer. I would leave my car with my mom while I flew to Minot AFB, North Dakota, for my first assignment, knowing that I would eventually be sent to Vandenberg AFB back in California for ICBM training there. That Spring of 1974, I would have my weekends off and drive down to Southern California to visit friends and family, though the gas crisis made it increasingly difficult to find the gas to drive back to Vandenberg. After missile school, I and a buddy would drive our cars to Minot AFB after spending a couple of days, staying with Uncle Lloyd and Aunt Jean in San Leandro before heading on to Minot.
But, of course, hanging over my head for my 6 1/2 years in the Air Force was the threat that I could be found out and discharged from the service which happened in October of 1979. Thankfully, no gay service members have to deal with this concern any longer, thanks to a Democratic congress and the Obama Administration.
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