Robert Matthew Baker was born in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, on January 6th, 1966. As a child, he was exposed to auto racing and "going out to the woods," a euphemism for spending an inordinate amount of time roaming the wilds of the Florida Everglades. These two memories still remain strong for him. Robert attended high school at Cardinal Gibbons and graduated from Boyd H. Anderson in Lauderdale Lakes. He attended Broward Community College, majoring in Pre-law and minoring in Music. He transferred from that school to Nova University (now Nova Southeastern University), where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Liberal Arts and a Master's Degree in Liberal Studies. After graduating, Robert worked as an environmental technician before deciding to teach college-level English composition and literature. He has taught English for Eastern Kentucky University, Prestonsburg Community College, and his alma mater, Broward Community College. In 1999, he left teaching and went into private enterprise, establishing a bookstore in London, Kentucky.
Robert enjoys music in his spare time (he once supplemented his teaching income with regular musical work) and has recently established a modest digital audio studio in his home for private recording purposes. He is an avid reader and collector of books on Kentucky Civil War history, having a modest, but fairly rare selection of books in his own library. He is also fond of searching for battle sites and graveyards when the weather permits. Robert is a member of the Sons of Union Veterans of the Civil War. He is also a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, claiming the camp established for his own ancestor's commanding officer, Captain William Green Wells. Robert married Pamela Lynn Norman on August 3, 1999, in the Prestonsburg Courthouse. Judge John David Caudill performed the ceremony. One strange coincidence: Pam was raised in Pike County. Robert was raised in Florida and had never met Pam before 1997. However, Pam's ancestors and Robert's ancestors were neighbors in 1850 and they served side by side in Company H of the 39th Kentucky Mounted Infantry.
Brian Edward Hall was born on August 2 , 1966 in Willard, Huron County Ohio the oldest son of Ronald & Mable (Moore) Hall. In 1976 he left Ohio with his family and moved to Hueysville in Floyd County, Kentucky. There he attended school at the Upper Quicksand Elementary School in Knott County, a two-room school house. In 1980, he entered high school in Eastern Floyd County at the J. H. Allen Cental High School.
After graduating high school in 1984, he moved back to Willard, Ohio, where he worked for R. R. Donelly & Sons, a book printing factory. In 1986, he returned to Kentucky and enlisted in the United States Air Force through the recruiting station in Pikeville. Brian began Basic Military Training at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas, on December 2, 1986. After the completion of basic training, he graduated from the Air Force Electronics Training School and was assigned to the 1913th Communications Group at Langley AFB, Virginia, in July of 1987. Brian was promoted to Sergeant and became a Non-Commisioned Officer in July of 1990. In November 1991, he was re-assigned to the 5th Communications Squadron at Minot AFB in North Dakota. During this tour of duty he was selected for a short one-year assignment to the 6903rd Intelligence Squadron, "Skivvy Nine," at Osan Air Base, South Korea. He returned from South Korea in February, 1995, and re-trained as an Imagery Interpreter. Brian is presently stationed at the United States Stategic Command at Offutt AFB in Nebraska and holds the rank of Technical Sergeant (E6). Additionally, he served at Dhahran Air Base, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, in support of the Gulf War. His military decorations include: the Air Force Commendation Medal (3 oak leaf clusters); the Joint Service Achievement Medal; the Air Force Achievement Medal (1 oak leaf cluster); the Joint Meritorious Unit Award; the SouthWest Asia Service Medal (two campaign stars); Small Arms Marksmanship Ribbon; the Liberation of Kuwait (awarded by Saudi Arabia), and the Liberation of Kuwait (award by Kuwait).
In July of 1993, he graduated from the Community College of the Air Force (CCAF) and was awarded an Associate of Applied Science degree in Electronics Systems Technology. In March of 1996, he was awarded an Associate degree from CCAF in Communications Applications Technology.
On January 12, 1990, Brian married Barbara Ann Scott, whom he met during his first assignment in the Air Force. Barbara was born on October 20, 1963, in Philadelphia and was the youngest of four children of Thomas and Kathleen Scott. Barb and Brian have two children, Matthew and Sadie. Brian's hobbies include classic car restoration, guitar, genealogy, and the American Civil War. Brian is the great-great-great grandson of Preston Hall, Private, Company K, of the 39th Kentucky Infantry. He is a member of the Air Force Sergeant's Association and the Sons of Union Veteran's National Camp-at-Large.