Hello to everyone out there!

Ed Gay · 11-18-2007, 04:40 AM

As many have said, big thanks to Wade for putting this together. Hopefully the word gets out!

Honestly, high school seems like an entire life time ago...I find it rather difficult to remember too many people. Of course there are a few that stick out!

I joined the USAF in July, 1987, and really found something I enjoyed. I trained as a medic, and it has been an incredible experience. I spent most of my career flying med-evac, or working ER, and have njoyed every minute. I have seen places and things I could only have imagined in high school. It certainly made me grow up fast. I look back now and realize how silly and immature I was back then...Currently I am stationed in Hawaii. I am a E-7 (MSgt), attached to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC). Our mission is to bring home the missing service members from all the past conflicts. We basically dig up old battle fields and crash sites world wide trying to recover remains. I support the team as a medic, and dig holes at the same time. It is a great job, and I plan on staying here 5 years more or so. I am based in Hawaii. My family loves it here, but houses are quite expensive. I don't know if I can afford to retire here or not!

I visited Spokane a few times after I enlisted. In 1996 my parents moved back to their home town in Iowa, and there was no reason to go back to Spokane. But just last year they moved back, and I am probably going to take a trip there in May or so. Maybe I can meet up with some old friends while in town. If anyone is planning a trip to Hawaii, let me know!

As I write this, I am in a hotel, about 50 miles west of Hanoi, Vietnam. We have Internet here, which makes it a big plus! I'll get some pics up on the forum soon, but for now, here are a few in webshots.

IDMT pictures from outdoors photos on webshots

Stay in touch,

Ed

Shawn Abel · 11-18-2007, 03:55 PM

Ed.. how is it going.. you have to remember me Shawn Abel. we went to Logan together and then high school.. how the heck are you

Tracy Ahartz · 11-18-2007, 05:55 PM

I remember you! I also remember you rear-ending a 1965 chevy pick-up coming out of the school parking lot! I was in that truck. Ah the memories! Nice to see you here!
Tracy A

Shanna Abel · 11-18-2007, 06:54 PM

Hi Ed,

How are things going? The pictures are awesome and you look the same as I remember, even from grade school....lol..take care and keep in touch..

Ed Gay · 11-19-2007, 03:59 AM

Ha, yeah, the truck incident...can't forget that one! I am a better driver now LOL! Glad it was a minor bump and you guys were OK! I'm sure I remember seeing you around!

Shawn and Shanna, of course I remember you guys, we went back a ways LOL. I always credit Shawn as my first "crush" from third grade! Ha! I have "filled" out some since those days. Luckily I have kept most of my hair. It is a little thinner in the front. Hopefully I am not quite as goofy looking as I was back then!

I remember Wade of course...several others, but I just didn't see anyone after High School at all. I left for basic in July of 1987 and took off to see the world.

My first base was in a crappy little town in Oklahoma. I wanted to see the world and got that place. But luckily after that I started flying med-evac in 1990 from Toyko, Japan. I flew all over the Pacific and saw a lot of great places. After that I went to North Carolina from 1993-1996. I met my wife there, so it was a great assignment. I deployed to Bosnia, Somalia, Haiti, Cuba, Panama, and a few other places. Then we did a tour near Milan in Italy, it was a great time. My son was born in Italy. In 1998 we went to San Antonio, Texas. It was a fun city, but too hot, and the base was crazy. So 2000-2001 I spent on a remote tour in Korea. We went to Langley Virginia after that. I deployed a lot of palces from there too, including Iraq, Turkmenistan, Guyana, and a lot of South America time doing drug-interdiction stuff. I left Virginia in 2006 for Hawaii. It was a big decision, we sold our house there, and I was eligible for retirement in 2007, so now I am staying over 20 years. That's the short version of my story, with lots of details left out LOL! I'll post pics up on here of Julie, Richard, my dog, etc.

Ed

Shawn Abel · 11-19-2007, 08:02 AM

wow sounds like you have been very busy how lucky you were to be able to see all those places and move around. some of us stayed here, like me, and have never left. too much a home body I guess.

Shanna Abel · 11-19-2007, 08:22 AM

Wow!! You are the seasoned traveler. What a great experience for you. I remember doing patrol with you in sixth grade....lol...and learning to drive your stick shift after having one too many..lol..anyhow I am glad to see you have been doing good.

Chris Wood · 11-19-2007, 01:52 PM

Hey Ed!
Nice to see you on here!! Remember our crazy party nights? You me Shanna and Jeff?? OHHHH those were the days!

Kathy Maher · 11-20-2007, 08:58 AM

hello Ed!
I remember you from AP English...
I just wanted to give you kudos and a BIG thank you for your service. My father, son and I are all involved in the local POW/MIA organization. It is such a wonderful thing when one of our heroes comes home after so long. It is also nice to know someone, personally, who is helping to bring them home.

Ed Gay · 11-20-2007, 03:12 PM

Thanks Kathy, it's also great that you are involved in the local organization. If I can get you any info from our unit let me know. Our webpage is Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC)

Yep, we did have some times Chris and Shanna!

Ed

11-18-2007, 04:40 AM	#1 (permalink)
Ed Gay Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Honolulu, HI Zodiac Sign: Taurus Rating: Posts: 132	Hello to everyone out there! As many have said, big thanks to Wade for putting this together. Hopefully the word gets out! Honestly, high school seems like an entire life time ago...I find it rather difficult to remember too many people. Of course there are a few that stick out! I joined the USAF in July, 1987, and really found something I enjoyed. I trained as a medic, and it has been an incredible experience. I spent most of my career flying med-evac, or working ER, and have njoyed every minute. I have seen places and things I could only have imagined in high school. It certainly made me grow up fast. I look back now and realize how silly and immature I was back then...Currently I am stationed in Hawaii. I am a E-7 (MSgt), attached to the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC). Our mission is to bring home the missing service members from all the past conflicts. We basically dig up old battle fields and crash sites world wide trying to recover remains. I support the team as a medic, and dig holes at the same time. It is a great job, and I plan on staying here 5 years more or so. I am based in Hawaii. My family loves it here, but houses are quite expensive. I don't know if I can afford to retire here or not! I visited Spokane a few times after I enlisted. In 1996 my parents moved back to their home town in Iowa, and there was no reason to go back to Spokane. But just last year they moved back, and I am probably going to take a trip there in May or so. Maybe I can meet up with some old friends while in town. If anyone is planning a trip to Hawaii, let me know! As I write this, I am in a hotel, about 50 miles west of Hanoi, Vietnam. We have Internet here, which makes it a big plus! I'll get some pics up on the forum soon, but for now, here are a few in webshots. IDMT pictures from outdoors photos on webshots Stay in touch, Ed

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11-18-2007, 03:55 PM	#2 (permalink)
Shawn Abel Shawn Abel Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Spokane, WA Zodiac Sign: Aries Rating: Posts: 60	Ed.. how is it going.. you have to remember me Shawn Abel. we went to Logan together and then high school.. how the heck are you

11-18-2007, 05:55 PM	#3 (permalink)
Tracy Ahartz Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Spokane Valley Zodiac Sign: Aries Rating: Posts: 64	I remember you! I also remember you rear-ending a 1965 chevy pick-up coming out of the school parking lot! I was in that truck. Ah the memories! Nice to see you here! Tracy A

11-18-2007, 06:54 PM	#4 (permalink)
Shanna Abel Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Spokane, WA Zodiac Sign: Aries Rating: Posts: 31	Hi Ed, How are things going? The pictures are awesome and you look the same as I remember, even from grade school....lol..take care and keep in touch..

11-19-2007, 03:59 AM	#5 (permalink)
Ed Gay Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Honolulu, HI Zodiac Sign: Taurus Rating: Posts: 132	Ha, yeah, the truck incident...can't forget that one! I am a better driver now LOL! Glad it was a minor bump and you guys were OK! I'm sure I remember seeing you around! Shawn and Shanna, of course I remember you guys, we went back a ways LOL. I always credit Shawn as my first "crush" from third grade! Ha! I have "filled" out some since those days. Luckily I have kept most of my hair. It is a little thinner in the front. Hopefully I am not quite as goofy looking as I was back then! I remember Wade of course...several others, but I just didn't see anyone after High School at all. I left for basic in July of 1987 and took off to see the world. My first base was in a crappy little town in Oklahoma. I wanted to see the world and got that place. But luckily after that I started flying med-evac in 1990 from Toyko, Japan. I flew all over the Pacific and saw a lot of great places. After that I went to North Carolina from 1993-1996. I met my wife there, so it was a great assignment. I deployed to Bosnia, Somalia, Haiti, Cuba, Panama, and a few other places. Then we did a tour near Milan in Italy, it was a great time. My son was born in Italy. In 1998 we went to San Antonio, Texas. It was a fun city, but too hot, and the base was crazy. So 2000-2001 I spent on a remote tour in Korea. We went to Langley Virginia after that. I deployed a lot of palces from there too, including Iraq, Turkmenistan, Guyana, and a lot of South America time doing drug-interdiction stuff. I left Virginia in 2006 for Hawaii. It was a big decision, we sold our house there, and I was eligible for retirement in 2007, so now I am staying over 20 years. That's the short version of my story, with lots of details left out LOL! I'll post pics up on here of Julie, Richard, my dog, etc. Ed

11-19-2007, 08:02 AM	#6 (permalink)
Shawn Abel Shawn Abel Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Spokane, WA Zodiac Sign: Aries Rating: Posts: 60	wow sounds like you have been very busy how lucky you were to be able to see all those places and move around. some of us stayed here, like me, and have never left. too much a home body I guess.

11-19-2007, 08:22 AM	#7 (permalink)
Shanna Abel Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Spokane, WA Zodiac Sign: Aries Rating: Posts: 31	Wow!! You are the seasoned traveler. What a great experience for you. I remember doing patrol with you in sixth grade....lol...and learning to drive your stick shift after having one too many..lol..anyhow I am glad to see you have been doing good.

11-19-2007, 01:52 PM	#8 (permalink)
Chris Wood Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Spokane, WA Zodiac Sign: Scorpio Rating: Posts: 25	Hey Ed! Nice to see you on here!! Remember our crazy party nights? You me Shanna and Jeff?? OHHHH those were the days!

11-20-2007, 08:58 AM	#9 (permalink)
Kathy Maher Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Salem/Keizer, Oregon Zodiac Sign: Leo Rating: Posts: 57	hello Ed! I remember you from AP English... I just wanted to give you kudos and a BIG thank you for your service. My father, son and I are all involved in the local POW/MIA organization. It is such a wonderful thing when one of our heroes comes home after so long. It is also nice to know someone, personally, who is helping to bring them home.

11-20-2007, 03:12 PM	#10 (permalink)
Ed Gay Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Honolulu, HI Zodiac Sign: Taurus Rating: Posts: 132	Thanks Kathy, it's also great that you are involved in the local organization. If I can get you any info from our unit let me know. Our webpage is Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) Yep, we did have some times Chris and Shanna! Ed