Bill,
in 1970-71, then President Nixon was giving Marines with at least 6 months (I think...) of overseas duty an "early out". I qualified and was released from active duty in January 1971.
Shortly after that, using the G.I. Bill, I enrolled in a formal 4 year apprenticeship program with the National Tool Die and Precision Machinists Ass'n's apprenticeship program. Our shop and school was originally located on Navigation St., in the heart of Houston's industrial district, but we moved to a nicer location near the Gulf Fwy sometime during the early 70s while I was still in school.
I had always wanted to be a machinist since watching the machinist at my Dad's shop during late 50s and early 60s. They were mainly a fabrication shop but they had two lathes and one machinist. Sometimes they had to work 1/2 a day on Saturday and my Dad would take me to work with him. One of my earliest memories as a pre-teen was watching that machinist take an old rusty looking piece of steel and turn it into a beautiful, precision, working part. That fascination has never left me!
I knew right then that my life's ambition was to be able to do that for a living. My Dad wanted me to go to college and I wanted to go to trade school, so I did both! I have a degree in business that I've almost never used. Over the years I turned down opportunities for advancement because I would have to give up machining.
Right now I miss the "squeaking" sound of a properly ground end mill running at the correct speed in the Bridgeport. I miss the smell of smoking cutting fluid coming off a threading tool as it single tools a thread on the lathe, etc, etc, etc. I think you get the picture!
After I retired, we moved up to the Brazos river valley area of south/central Texas. I guess the nearest town of any size would be the Bryan-College Station metro where Texas A&M University is located.
