Memoir of a Military Mustang
Character Traits of an American Patriot
by
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I provided the Air Force with a phone number, so they could call me in case of an emergency. On the day after we arrived at He called back to say I was being assigned to Whiteman AFB, Neither Luann nor the children were happy about the news, but they were encouraged to maintain a positive attitude. Everything had always seemed to work out for us in the military. While the drive to When we finally arrived at Whiteman AFB, we drove around the base to see if it had improved any. The base housing, gymnasium, Exchange and Commissary all looked as bad as they had three years previously. I dropped my family off at the hotel and drove over to Detachment 509. The Detachment was located in a newly constructed building. I reported in to the Colonel’s office which overlooked a large empty parking lot. There were only 15 individuals assigned to the B-2 organization at the time. Detachment 509 was overseeing $650 million of new construction and renovations across the base. It was 1990, but planning for the bomber base had already been occurring in the ‘black world’ for over ten years. The ‘black world’ is the super-secret world of the government.
On a historical note, President Reagan had told Mikhail Gorbachev to tear down the Berlin Wall in 1987. The B-2 completed its first test flight from
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About the Book
Memoir of a Military Mustang is a detailed journal of the author’s 21 years of service in the United States Air Force. The word ‘mustang’ is military slang used to describe an enlisted person who eventually receives an officer’s commission. The author served seven years in the enlisted ranks before securing an officer’s commission.
While sorting through numerous military documents and memorabilia, Major Lear began recalling many of his previous military experiences. This book transports the reader back in time as it reflects on the many ups and downs of his military career. Each chapter highlights a different character trait which was most prevalent during each particular time frame.
The author’s original intent was to simply document his military experiences; however, the book soon evolved into much more. Life in the military can be lonely if you have no family to share it with. Since his family was so important to his military career, he decided to include their personal experiences within the book.
Memoir of a Military Mustang reveals the inner thoughts and feelings of a military professional. While many of the stories he relates are true, some names have been changed to protect the privacy of those individuals. The author hopes the book will provide readers with a positive perspective of the military environment.
About the Author
Major William P. Lear (Retired) is a person of high morale character. Throughout his career, superiors have praised him, peers have emulated him, and subordinates have followed his lead.
When his writing talents became apparent, he was tasked by his Squadron to serve as the Officer Effectiveness Report (OER) monitor. Subsequently, he would edit and/or rewrite every officer's OER. A quality OER can make a big difference when an officer has to compete against another officer for promotion.
He also volunteered to edit and/or rewrite each military decoration and award. It was a huge undertaking, but he was intent on making sure every officer’s decoration and award was approved. His efforts were applauded by everyone in the Squadron.
His Squadron Commander then asked him to compose a highly technical weapon system and security handout. The handout would prove invaluable during situations requiring quick response by the missile crewmembers. He was praised for his literary efforts.
He also discovered a critical wording discrepancy in the Minuteman III weapon system technical order. The wording might have caused confusion while launching their intercontinental ballistic missiles. His succinct correction was quickly approved and implemented by the Minuteman III weapon system experts.
His talents were also utilized in rewriting an unclassified Missile Wing mission briefing. The briefing was revised into a clearer, more concise presentation of how the Missile Wing conducted business. It received outstanding reviews.