About The Author

I was born in Allentown, Pennsylvania on Monday, 18 November 1963. After a childhood and adolescence filled with warm, happy memories, I reluctantly left the bosom of my loving family and ventured forth, as have millions before me, to begin basic training at Lackland Air Force Base, in San Antonio, Texas. I began my life in the United States Air Force, an organization in which I am still serving proudly, on 02 March 1982. What follows is a very brief summary of my military career to date:

Lackland AFB, TX	Mar 1982-Jun 1983	Basic Training & Basic Russian School
Goodfellow AFB, TX	Jun 1983-Jan 1984	Air Force Technical Training
Fairchild AFB, WA	Jan 1984-Feb 1984	Survival School
Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan	Feb 1984-Oct 1985	My only Asian tour, an airborne tour
Hellenikon AB, Athens, Greece	Oct 1985-Nov 1987	My first European tour & last abne tour
Marienfelde Fld Stn, West Berlin	Nov 1987-Nov 1989	My second European tour
Menwith Hill Stn, Harrogate, UK	Nov 1989-Oct 1994	My third and final European tour
Presidio of Monterey, CA	Oct 1994-Aug 1995	Advanced Russian School
Medina Annex, TX	Aug 1995-Aug 1997	My sole operational stateside tour
Presidio of Monterey, CA	Aug 1997-Present	Russian Language Instructor

To date, I have been in the Air Force nearly 18 years. The highlights of my career, in order, are: 1) My marriage on 07 Jun 1993 to Ceris Diane Mason at Ripley Castle, North Yorkshire, UK T-2) The birth of my 1st daughter, Rebecca May, on 04 Aug 1994, at Harrogate (UK) General Hospital. T-2) The birth of my 2nd daughter, Megan Louise, on 07 Feb 1996, at Wilford Hall Medical Center, San Antonio, TX. 4) Being selected to serve as a Military Language Instructor at the Presidio of Monterey, California. 5) Being promoted to Master Sergeant on 01 July 1998. 6) My educational accomplishments:

AA	1996	Communications Applications Technology	Community College of the Air Force
BS	1998	Liberal Arts, Russian Area Studies	Regents College, NY
MA	est. 2001	Teaching Foreign Languages	Monterey Institute of International Studies

My future plans include maintaining a happy marriage until Ceris and I both grow very old (but not incontinent), raising two happy, intelligent, and independent daughters, finishing my MATFL degree program with honors, retiring from the Air Force, and landing a position teaching Russian at the Community College/Junior College level (so if you, dear reader, have any such openings in the 2002-2006 timeframe, please e-mail me!). My hobbies include (in no particular order): being the perfect husband/father/friend/role model, playing sports (bowling, darts, and softball are my sports of choice), travelling, reading, role playing games, and playing with our family computer (when it's my turn, of course).

Also, having children has raised my interest in yet another hobby -- genealogical research. I am not alone in this. My wife, Ceris (BA/Honours-1986, Theology, Oxford University, MA-1989, Theology, Oxford University), has also been bitten by the genealogy bug, although her area of interest is the Brown, Hughes, Mason and Blease surnames in North Wales and Northwest England. She has created two wonderful web sites dedicated to members of her family. The first of these sites, The Boys From The Old Swan, tells the story of her grandfather and three great uncles, all of whom fought in World War I, and all of whom lived to tell the tale. The second is dedicated to her father, Leslie Mason, who sadly died last year. I highly recommend you stop by and read their stories as only Ceris can tell them. I guarantee you won't be disappointed.

Can't get enough? I don't blame you. Feel free to start over.