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Today's Featured Biography

Russ Roosa

Well, well, where to start. After graduating from "Clarion High School," I joined the Air Force. I was one of those kids who wasn't mature enough to decide what I wanted to do in life. But, I knew I needed to earned a steady income. I attended basic training in Lackland Texas and then went on to Denver Colorado for Tech School. The AF trained me to work with explosives; a great talent which has a very,,, very narrow civilian application. I spent my first three years in Northern Italy. Not bad for a young punk kid from Clarion, Iowa. I loved Italy, and traveled all over; Venice, Germany, Austria, Switzerland. I was hooked and decided the military was a place where I could make a life. While in Italy, I met Rita, my friend and partner and eventually my wife of 28 years. After Italy, we traveled to Utah, then to Japan, back to Utah, and finally touched down in Tennessee. During that time I spent the longest year of my life away from my wife, daughter and son, serving in Korea. When I returned from Korea I spent the next three years deploying back and forth to the desert; Kuwait, Qatar, UAE, Dubai... Everyone affectionately called the desert the "sand box." Regardless of what people called it, it was hell on earth. Anyway, I survived, and hopefully, my body parts won't start falling off in the future. I decided to retire after my third trip to the "sandbox." I did something really smart while traveling the globe for Uncle Sam; I earned a college degree in Industrial Safety. I knew that whole explosive talent wouldn't amount to too much on the "outside" so I wanted to be prepared. Little did I know how much my skills were in demand after September 911. I was working in the "civilian" world before my terminal leave from the Air Force was over. I spent a short time working in Fort Walton Beach, Fla. Unfortunately, my new "civilian" job required me to travel to the desert again. I made one trip and decided to find a new job; I was not cut out for the type of work I being asked to do. I was offered and accepted a great job in Tennessee. I started out as a lowly Technical Special and rose through the ranks to... "Interim Manager." Being the interim manager comes with all the stress the job has to offer, without the pay. You see, it's the management's way of letting you test drive the car without really committing. This way, if they like how you drive, they might throw you the keys...and a bigger paycheck... I won't hold my breath on the bigger paycheck. Anyway, I feel I have lead a very blessed life. We have lived here in good ole Tennessee. I now lead a quiet, boring life, just me, Rita, my kids and my two dogs.

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