biography
My nickname is Rick. Born and raised in Chicago, Pilsen neighborhood, St. Ann's parish.
Attended Pickard Elementary School, Harrison Tech High School, & Wright Junior College in Chicago, and UTEP ElPaso, TX for my Mechanical Drafting Certification while in service at Fort Bliss, Texas.
Drafted 7/68. Basic in Fort Polk LA, AIT in Fort Bliss, TX, Air Defense Artillery MOS 16F20. Deployed to Vietnam 12/68 to 12/69. HQ Battery, 5th Battalion / 2nd Arty / II Field Forces, Long Binh. Transferred to training cadre back at Fort Bliss and discharged from active duty 7/70. Currently on 100% VA disability for injuries and Agent Orange issues and complications from Vietnam duty.
Worked at The 1st National Bank of Chicago while attending night school after high school, 6/66 to 7/68 ( Drafted into Army ). After military service worked back at the 1st National Bank for obligatory agreement 7/70 to 7/71.
Hired by Zenith Radio Corporation, Chicago as a junior draftsman 7/71 to 11/72.
Hired by the Prudential Insurance Company as an agent, sales manager, district manager and field supervisor, 11/72 to 3/2004. Receiving numerous company and industry awards as well as my Life Underwriters Training Council and Chartered Life Underwriter designations. Retired 3/2004 with 31 years service.
Married 8/72 (50 years next year) with 3 sons and 2 grandsons.
Residences all in Chicago and Chicago suburbs of Countryside, Willowbrook and Lemont (presently).
Hobbies are music and music collectibles, coin collecting, automobilia, sports, my faith, my family and my country.
Currently in regular contact with 2 Officers and 4 enlisted veterans I served with in Vietnam as well as memberships in the VFW, American Legion, Disabled American Veterans and the USO. My older brother is a Vietnam era veteran as well.
We visited The Wall at Arlington while on a convention in the 90's as well as the traveling Wall many times over the last many years. My son, and younger brother have brought me pencil etchings and photos, from The Wall of a good friend and Hoochmate killed in Nam (Paul Rudy).
