My twenty years on active duty began when I was trained by the Army to be a Social Work/Psychology specialist. As such I spent many years in a clinical setting conducting psycho-social histories and performing various types of individual and group treatment. I also worked with organizational development and effectiveness, small group functioning, and many other areas of behavioral dynamics. My places of work included clinics, prisons, military units, schools, hospitals, and a variety of other assignments. I gained expert competency in interviewing and counseling.
As part of the social welfare efforts of the military, I was assigned to assist in the creation of the Army Community Service program. This involved extensive planning among both the military and civilian community and development of a corps of volunteers. I was appointed a member of the Bexar county (San Antonio, Texas) community welfare board and often acted as liaison between the military and civilian leaders. Among my duties was the coordination of continuing education opportunities to both soldiers and their dependents.
My experience in various positions led to my appointment as instructor at the Academy of Health Sciences. For many years I not only gave courses, but coordinated and administered the training of students from around the world. This involved mastering all the logistics of conducting instruction as well as a wide range of subject matter. My experience covered all aspects of adult education from recruitment and screening of new students to job placement and follow-up evaluation of both students and instruction.
During my service in Viet Nam (April 1967 - April 1968) I was responsible for establishing and supervising five psychiatric clinics and conducting research into combat-related illness. This involved extensive coordination with commanders of numerous combat and medical organizations. In this position I was frequently required to make immediate decisions involving the deployment of personnel in direct combat. On occasion, I was placed in the role of first sergeant of a combat medical company. I was also involved with the establishment of unit training programs in various practical subjects.
At the close of the Viet Nam conflict (1972) I was placed in charge of a large team sent to establish a drug abuse screening program in Viet Nam. Following the success of that mission, I was assigned to a joint military and civilian group that established and operated a world-wide training course for drug abuse counselors. This involved non-conventional short courses for adult students from around the world. Classes were held in a variety of civilian settings and utilized instructors for the local community as well as from the military.
Because of my close work with the drug abuse programs, I was asked to take a three year assignment in Bangkok, Thailand. This involved conducting a survey among US personnel in the area and compiling research data. The assignment included close coordination between government and academic agencies in both the United States and Thailand. During this assignment I worked directly for a major international organization.
Because of the need for senior non-commissioned officers in "line" units, I was sent for a short time to a combat division where I served both as first sergeant of a company and training coordinator for a battalion. In this position I evaluated the need for training, developed programs for delivery of instruction, and coordinated numerous large training programs. I was also responsible for insuring the continuing education of the adult soldiers within my company.
Toward the end of my twenty years in the military I was asked to take on duties as an Army recruiter. After extensive training in sales and management, I worked at a station in Houston, Texas. This involved working closely with secondary schools, civic leaders and the general public. I often gave speeches to large groups and participated in school related activities. After two years I was awarded the "gold badge", a major permanent military decoration for accomplishment in recruiting. My duties included everything from budget management to coordinating advertising programs to long term evaluation of policy and methods.
While on active duty I was able to complete my BA degree at St. Mary's University in San Antonio, Texas. My major was international relations and comparative government with a minor in education. I also obtained my secondary teaching certification. Over the next few years I completed a Masters degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio in education. My concentration was in junior college administration with a special emphasis on adult and continuing education.
Following retirement from the military, I put on a back-pack and went to Europe where I remained for the next five years. I traveled extensively through the British Isles and Europe. Generally I camped or stayed at Youth Hostels (more than one hundred in Europe and fifty in the UK). I held jobs as a tour guide in the south of France, helper in various hostels, and as restaurant and bar help in Spain, among others. I have often been called upon to give presentations to university groups about student travel in Europe and Australia.
I met Annica in Spain and we were married in her home town in Sweden before moving to the United States in 1985. I entered the PhD program at the history department of the University of Texas at Austin. As a teaching assistant, I taught numerous American history classes.
For a period of six months I left Austin and worked as resident historian at the Roosevelt Campobello International Park on Campobello Island in New Brunswick, Canada. My task was to establish the archives, conduct extensive oral history interviews, and write the twenty-five year history of the governing commission.
While at the University of Texas I became involved with creating an Australian studies center. After two years of fund-raising, the Edward A. Clark Center of Australian Studies was opened and I became the only full-time employee responsible for all administrative and many academic duties. I also managed a three-year faculty exchange program. My research became more oriented toward Australia and as a result of archive work in collections held in Austin I was invited to present an academic paper in Australia. Shortly after that visit I was invited to accept a major fellowship to complete my PhD at the University of Sydney.
Although I had completed all my course work for the PhD from Texas, the degree from Sydney is based exclusively upon an original research thesis. During the four years in Sydney I conducted extensive research in London as well as in New Zealand and Australia. My thesis involves the diplomatic relationship between the USA, Australia, New Zealand and the UK from 1943 through 1948. Considerable emphasis is placed upon the development of the United Nations, and especially the role of the small nations. I was also a tutor teaching courses in Australian history. My additional employment as the administrative assistant in the history department involved supervising exchange and study abroad students from numerous countries.
I was awarded the PhD degree in 1995. At that time I was asked to move to Pennsylvania State University and fill-in for the director of the Australia-New Zealand Studies Center during his one year absence. As the "acting deputy director" of the center I was closely involved with all aspects of the administration of a major academic center. My primary effort was to incorporate Australian topics within the curriculum throughout the university. My duties also included screening students for study abroad and exchange programs, establishing new exchange agreements between Penn State and Australian universities, briefing students before departure to overseas studies, and supervising international students. I also created and maintained the center's World Wide Web site.
During this time I worked under contract as an expert adviser to the Arts and Entertainment Network doing commentary for the History Channel on Australian topics. I also was a consultant to the Australian Education Office in Washington on student exchange and study abroad matters as well as establishing and maintaining their WWW site. I have held positions on the board of directors for both the North American and the International Australian Studies Associations.
To assist the study of Australia, I created and continue to operate the Australian Studies Network on the internet. This is the primary resource for academics throughout the world who have an interest in Australian subjects. I have worked directly with many international universities to develop and maintain World Wide Web sites dealing with Australian studies.
My combined interest in Australia, in continuing education, and in computers led to a one year contract with Open Learning Australia in Melbourne. I researched and planned a program for internet delivery of distance education courses throughout Australia.
In early 1999 we returned to the United States. At present Annica and I are visiting friends and relatives while deciding upon our next adventure.