So, how did YOU get into IT?

A month or so ago, another "Friend I haven't met yet" posted about an art professor she'd had in college who she believes was the catalyst that made her the artist she is.  Then she'd questioned whether her readers also had a mentor that had coaxed results out of them that they hadn't believed themselves capable of producing.

Then, a couple of weeks ago, an "Old Friend I recently met", OldNFO asked me "How on earth did you get into IT?".

Finally earlier this week, still another "Friend I haven't met yet", PrairieAdventure posted about "Night Peoples".

Three apparently unrelated topics, but, always dangerous, they got me to thinking...

The answer to Mentors is "Yes, I have".  In fact, more than a few.  One, in particular, was Ed Rasimus whom I've posted stories on a few times.  He made me the fighter pilot I became, and fortunately, I got to thank him for that before he passed.

There were a few others I had in the Military, and perhaps I'll post on them also.  What is that acronym you use Sarge? POCIR?

However, I also had one when I was in college and he was completely unrelated to the military.

His name was Dr. Dale Flowers.  While he's evidently at Case Western now, at the time, he taught in the Business Department at Texas Technical Cow College in Lubbock.  He had started a new curriculum which would grant a BBA in Management Information Systems.

Dr Flowers
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One of the early requirements (this was in '73), for a BBA was to take a computer programming course.  This was in the days of IBM 370s, Punch Cards and Fortran or Cobol.  

IBM-370
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If you don't recognize those terms, "Get off my Lawn, Youngster".

Punch Card-No backspace key.  Typo? Throw it away and start over. (But, on the plus side, no autocorrect either.)
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I found that within certain frustrations, I enjoyed the course and was reasonably proficient.  So I changed the focus of my BBA to MIS.  (With the approval of the AFROTC Detachment of course).  I don't exactly recall how many folks did the same, but since this was the first year it was offered, it could probably have been counted on one hand, certainly on two.

That change meant that,in addition to the usual Finance, Accounting, Marketing and Management Theory classes required for a BBA in Management, I took Job Control Language, COBOL, Fortran, Statistics, and more than a few Computer Simulation Language courses.  The only language I had an issue with was Assembler.  Programming in 0's and 1's was a bit beyond my ken. (Still is.)

It's now around spring break of my Senior Year.  Graduation and Commissioning are so close I can smell them.  I've got my orders to Lovely Laughlin AFB by the sea, but will not report until March of the following year.

Laughlin AFB
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So, shortly after getting my orders, I'm visiting with Dr. Flowers, a usual occurrence as he was my degree advisor.  He asks me about my plans for the interim.  He had created an Intern program with Texas Instruments who had a large assembly plant just outside of town.  I told him I thought I'd apply for that.  

He shot that down quite quickly.  First, it didn't pay anything.  Second, I would have an 8 year commitment after pilot training, so anything I learned or anybody I'd met would be of little use in getting a job if I got out.  

Somewhat deflated, I asked him what he thought I should do.  

"You should get a Masters Degree in Management Information Systems."

"Do we have one of those?"

"We will if you sign up."

"Why should I do that?"

"Right now, you're used to studying.  If you go work as an intern, you'll party and work and get out of the study habit.  If you stay in school, you'll be ready for the academic portion of pilot training."

"I've only got 10 months before I go to pilot training, how can I complete a Master's in that time"

"I didn't say it would be easy."

So...May of '77, I'm commissioned.  My report date to Laughlin was 3 Mar '78.  The summer of '77, I took and completed 12 hours of Grad work.  That Fall, I took 18 hours. January and February I took the remaining 6 hours of course work, completed my thesis project and took my oral and written comprehensives.

My thesis was a simulation that tested scheduling rules for a machining shop.  The program was so big, I had to split it into two parts and run the first part, then hand feed the results to the second part to complete the simulation.  It was too big for Tech's computer. 

I'm pretty sure, it would have run on my FitBit today.

 I trimmed and optimized but couldn't get it to run on the computer.  February 28,1977 1978 (oops), I take the results to that professor and show him the work and explain the problem.  

He pronounces it complete.

March 1, I take my Orals.  March 2nd, I take my writtens.  Each of these is graded by 4 professors and graded as Unsatisfactory, Pass or High Pass.  Of the 8 grades, I received 7 High Pass and 1 Pass.

That evening I depart for Del Rio.

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Where does the tie to PrairieAdventure's "Night People" post lie?

I had to pay for the Masters, so I had to have a job.  I worked the 11PM to 7AM shift at AvTech Aviation at the airport.  There wasn't usually much traffic that late, but Management wanted us to be open to handle any that might drop in.  It was quiet, I could study.  (I learned that the most effective computer programming tool is a #2 pencil, eraser and paper).  

We did have one regular customer, he flew in every night for fuel around 3 AM as he ferried checks between Banks in an Aerostar.  Once I fueled him and got him on his way, I could usually nap for a couple of hours. Get off at 7, nap again and then head to school.

Aerostar
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So, Shaun, I feel your pain about the transition to "Night People".  

After that 10 months, UPT was comparatively easy for me.  I mean, I actually was expected to sleep  8 hours per night!

Oh, by the way, the sole "Pass" in the passel of "High Pass's"? Dr Flowers with a note "You can't BS an old BS'er".

But THAT was how I came to be in IT.  In fact, YouTube recently did a documentary on what I do in IT for the school district.  

I'm the guy in the Red Tie.

Just because, here's the sequel