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Bob Kean, 74, U.S. Air Force, 1962 – 73.
From Stoneham, Massachusetts, Kean said he never planned on staying in the Air Force 21 years.
“I felt it was something to do,” Kean said, “citizen responsibility. My original plan was to go in the Air Force for four years and go in the Navy for three years, and then make a decision on what to do after that. In my first two or three years in the Air Force I got married, had a son and that kinda laid the groundwork for staying put. I never planned on making a career out of anything. I got to ten years without even realizing it. The plans I had made had gone out the window. I wasn’t confident in myself to get out. There was security in service, but the assignments and separations weren’t good, but you take that as it comes.”
He was an Air Force civil engineer, building and repairing things on air bases. He eventually worked on the refrigeration and air conditioning systems for the Titan II missiles. Overseas duty took him to Sembach Air base in Germany, Naha Air Base in Okinawa, Binh Thuy, Vietnam and Udorn Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand.
“Thailand was an excellent assignment,” said Kean, “I learned a little of the language, the food was tremendous, and the people were nice. I’d go back there in a minute. “
He served stateside assignments at Carswell Air Force Base, near Fort Worth, Texas, McConnell AFB in Kansas, Lackland AFB, Texas, Wurtsmith, Michigan, and McChord AFB, in Tacoma, Washington where he eventually retired.
After retiring from the Air Force, he said he worked for Boeing after a short contract job in Saudi Arabia. Kean said he suffered a stroke in 2007 and his son brought him to Boise. His son and his son’s friends eventually moved him into the State Veterans home in 2012. He claims he can still fit into his old uniform.
| Date Taken: | 09.04.2019 |
| Date Posted: | 11.08.2019 10:29 |
| Photo ID: | 5897805 |
| VIRIN: | 191101-Z-XK920-0003 |
| Resolution: | 2700x1800 |
| Size: | 1.91 MB |
| Location: | BOISE, IDAHO, US |
| Web Views: | 82 |
| Downloads: | 6 |
This work, In Recognition of Veterans Day - Coffee with Vets [Image 25 of 25], by Thomas Alvarez, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
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