>>You mentioned Basic Training at Lackland AFB -- that's where my first real programming job was -- we developed models to assist the USAF where to place recruits after basic training, based on their aptitudes, etc. Those were very exciting days for me -- I couldn't believe someone would actually pay me to program a computer!
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>>Pete
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>Pete;
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>When I was in the Air Force the duty station of an airman was based upon where you were from. They would then take the place in the world that was furthest from that spot and place you there. :) We were told "First comes the needs of the Air Force, then the needs of the world. Your needs are last on the list"!
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>I thought some guy with a dart board assigned duty stations. :) Now with a computer you can program it to do whatever is desired. They can be more accurate about picking a place furthest from your home with a greater degree of accuracy! Or they can use a random function to just mix up your assignment. Gee, this could be fun!
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>How many times did I see, "FIGMO - I just got orders for bum fuc* Egypt"! We must have had a lot of guys with that experience because I met a large number of people that were stationed there! :)
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>Tom

Tom,

Well, Tom, what can I say -- the programming technology in those days was pretty primitive; at the time, we thought a random number generator was sophisticated programming! <bg>

Actually, I think I mis-spoke. We weren't interested in WHERE you were placed (that was done by a General with a dart board); we were interested in what kind of job you could do (your MOS). So, with your aptitudes for engineering and computer programming, we probably calculated the best job for you was in security! :)