I was ripped out of school after completing first year of high school (twice), I could hardly write my own name. My folks put me to work in a steel fabrication business as a labourer. I tired of that after six or seven years and drifted to a few other dead end jobs before joining the air force in 1975 as a police dog handler, being discharged in 2000 as medically unfit. During that 25 years service I educated myself and rose through the, ranks until I reached the top of the non compoop ranks. Before being booted out, I found myself as the Acting Base Security Officer and Cyclone Officer, despite being only a non compoop. Under my control I had dog handler, police, counter intelligence, investigations, physical training and ground defence sections. When I look back I shake my head in disbelief, despite having no real schooling, I found myself correcting the written communications of officers (University graduates), writing orders and SOPs and cyclone orders. My proudest moment in that 25 years was winning Top Dog of the Air Force and winning three inter unit competitions, outright: Top attack dog, top basic obedience dog and top dog overall. I can't remember all the people I met, but funnily enough, I still remember every single dog I met. My three police dogs PD576 Dante, PD1006 Shinta and PD 1310 Chum are long gone, Dante dying in 82, Shinta in in 89 and Chum in 98, but they live on in my memory, my dreams and on my study wall, best mates a man could ask for. I wrote their stories years ago which I shall copy and post.