ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Over a lifetime, the author has earned a BA degree in biometry from the University of Minnesota, a BS degree in computer science at National University in San Diego, and an AA degree in accounting at Mesa College, San Diego. He has earned a lifetime teaching credential in computer science for community colleges in California and has received a wealth of diverse business applications training while working for IBM, which he used while instructing a systems analysis class at Mesa College.

He has worked as a computer salesman, a hotel night auditor, a business applications computer programmer, a business computer consultant/analyst, and owner of a cloud-based business computer service bureau that hosts multiple clients and their software systems, acting as their IT departments.

Along the way, he earned a commercial pilot license and flight instructor certificate for single and multiengine airplanes with instrument ratings.

That led to forty years of part-time flight instruction and owning a Part 135 on-demand airline. In the capacity as owner-operator, he acted as chief pilot and FAA-designated check airman as well as being a line pilot when required.

His experience in the marines covered the years 1967 through 1969.

His Vietnam experience was from December 2, 1967, through December 20, 1968, the tumultuous year of the Tet Offensive and civil unrest in the United States. During his thirteen months, he was an infantry grunt, with training and combat experience in machine guns, mortars, rockets, and flamethrowers. 

He considers all life experiences valuable but evaluates his time with the marines as being the most influential on who he has become and how he conducts himself.

Bruce A Bastien