Posted by Navy CAPT Paul S. Hammer on September 18, 2012
U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Jonathan Steffen
Most of us are able to easily answer the question, “Where are you from?” However, for some it can be a bit more difficult. Many of us who have trouble answering the question have developed a default reply over the years.
When I’m asked, “Where are you from,” I am proud to say that I was an Air Force brat and grew up all over (yes, this is my default reply). Growing up, I wasn’t fully aware of what my dad did or why. My dad was a fighter pilot and, like many other military kids, I attended multiple schools and identified more with my family than with the locale.
In 1966 my dad went to Vietnam. Although he was a fighter pilot by training, he was assigned to a forward air control (FAC) squadron. As part of a FAC in Vietnam, he flew around in this dinky little Piper Cub-like airplane, dropped smoke and directed airstrikes in support of Army ground troops.