The life and autobiography of Scott Mark Huelsman (Waunakee, WI).
Military Service
On March 3rd, 1983, I entered full active duty with the U.S. Air Force, reporting to Basic Training (along with my brother Rob) at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas. I graduated from Basic Training in mid-April and reported to Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois to obtain my electronics training, then departed for Homestead Air Force Base in Florida in September to work on F-4 flight simulators (getting married in July as well).
I remained at Homstead AFB the remainder of my career in the military, winning Maintenance Professional of the Year for 1986 and 1987 and being honorably discharged in March of 1987 (when I then relocated to Milwaukee to eventually start college at UW-Milwaukee in the fall of 1987).
Decision to Enlist
After graduating from high school in June 1981, I enrolled in a two-year electronics program at the local Moraine Park Technical College; I really enjoyed electronics in high school and felt that I could make a career of it. However, the first semester didn’t go well–I wasn’t really feeling it. Meanwhile, I had written a screenplay that I thought I could market, so I took the money for my second semester and paid a company in New York City to evaluate the screenplay. Needless to say, that didn’t go well either. Then, my brother suggested that I join him in the military, and with little else on the horizon, I agreed, needing to wait until March 2nd, 1983 to actually join the military.
Basic Training (March - April 1983)
My brother and I left Milwaukee for San Antonio on March 2nd, 1983, arriving in the wee hours of the next morning. After being screamed at, we were fed and then put to bed, only to be reawakened an hour later for an entire day of training. In basic training, every minute of every day is carefully planned so we were always busy, but as long as you kept your head down and did as you were told, the overall experience wasn’t unbearable. I got through basic only losing a single “341” (form used when an airman screws up in some way) and departed Lackland AFB in mid-April, on time and ready to begin my technical training.
Technical Training (April - September 1983)
Located roughly 260 miles due south of Fond du Lac, Chanute Air Force Base was where I was assigned to go through over five months of intensive electronics theory and training. Established in 1917, the base was very old and would be retired about ten years after I left. Located just outside of Rantoul, IL, we had several jokes about the place, such as “Don’t shoot ’em, Chanute ’em” and “Happiness is Rantoul in the rear view mirror.” Still, my electronics training went well (thanks to all the training in high school) and after I got married, I didn’t even have to march with everyone to school anymore (which was very sweet!). I left for Homestead AFB in September, 1983.
Got Married! (July 30, 1983)
On July 29, 1983, I travelled the roughly 250 miles north to marry my junior high school sweetheart Michelle Ann Pevonka, the marriage ceremony taking place on July 30. Originally, we weren’t going to get married until October, but then I learned that once I arrived at my permanent place of duty (Homestead AFB) I wouldn’t be allowed to leave for six months, prompting us to move up the date. The next day, we packed all our belongings up in a U-Haul truck and drove back down to Rantoul, IL, where we found some temporary housing to live with our stuff until I graduated from Chanute. Again, married life afforded some benefits, such as not having to march with everyone.
Permanently Stationed at Homestead AFB (September 1983)
Later in September after graduating from the Chanute AFB electronics program, we rented another truck and made the pilgrimage down to Homestead AFB in Florida (located about an hour south of Miami and just before the Florida Keys). Because of the marriage, we were allowed to live off base, so we quickly rented an apartment within the city of Homestead, we soon bought a car and I quickly settled into the life of an enlisted airman. There was also a lot of new technical training and, of course, I had to learn how to fly an F-4 Phantom, three simulators of which would be my primary focus the next three and a half years.
Military Career Highlights
While I didn’t like the military experience overall, I did do well while enlisted, winning numerous certificates and awards through my four years of military service. This included Maintenance Professional of the Year in both 1986 and 1987 (which rarely happens), the Air Force Achievement Medal for Meritorious Service, the Air Force Training Ribbon, Air Force Good Conduct Medal and the Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon. Of all things, I also served temporary duty as the base’s jail overnight guard, watching the prisoners and ensuring nothing went wrong. I was honorably discharged on March 3rd, 1987, returning to Milwaukee where I would start college six months later.