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I"M IN THE ARMY NOW!

 Hi Ho! It's off to work we go ...and for the first time in years I was producing what others wanted rather than for myself.  And for a year I spent mornings soliciting jobs and calling friends for leads.  In the afternoons I got to play with my son - which was the best part of being basically unemployed.  Word of my situation soon got around to many of my friends and associates.  One day even our minister stopped by to “see how I was doing.”  After a half hour he left me with the remark, “I was worried about you not working, now I worry that you aren’t worried.”  And he was right - I was confident that something permanent would eventually come around. (And that year the reality was that with my wife working the only effect of losing my full time job was that we didn’t buy a new car that year and we didn’t get out to dinner much.

The work paid very well when I got it but - it wasn’t consistent. I overbooked myself many times taking two jobs in one day allowing no travel time between them.  Many of the assignments were interesting but many more were just plain work.  Phil Rodgers, my ATT contact, hired me at least a few days a month and I would usually bring home at least $1500 for a few days' work.  I mostly produced and directed corporate training videos.  I also did some modeling for print and several commercials including one for a Ford Pinto dressed in a cowboy outfit - my one line, “Buy a Pinto and get a pair of cowboy boots!”  I remember on on camera ob that was pure torture a twenty page script of deadly medical details on camera with no cut-aways. I was exhausted and my eyes were out of focus from reading a teleprompter all day.  And then one day I got an interview by surprise - when I got a call from Fort Dix. 

   

One of my professional friends  had recommended me for  an “Army Training Film” project.  I interviewed and got the job to produce a pilot for EOCT (End of Cycle Tests). Fort Dix was a major basic training center and I was to write, produce and direct a pilot video that was ordered by the post commander General Kelly to help recruits “study for the finals”.  There were 30 test of “Battlefield Survivability” which culminated in the basic training that the new  soldiers had to pass to move on to specialized training and assignments all over the world.

To jump to the chase - The general loved my pilot show and I was hired to do 29 more programs.  And the pay was great and the benefits were akin to being a higher officer in the Army now which got me admission to the Officers club, mess and most important, the PX (post exchange!) And for a person who missed Viet Nam because of a platinum screw holding his shoulder together I would now get to try what many of my friends experienced.  I flew in a helicopter; removed my gas mask in a dark gas filled room; shot an M16; tossed (nervously) a ‘live” grenade; fired a LAW (Light Anti-tank Weapon; And learned that the military had acronyms for acronyms.  The only downside was the hours - the TV Center worked 6 AM to 6 PM. The upside we had every Monday and Friday off and I enjoyed a year of long weekends.  As a full time employee I also was assigned other programs beyond my training project and one of the highlights that I will always remember is directing a short video of Bob Hope’s stop at McGuire Airforce base for refueling before leaving on his annual Christmas tour.  The company did an impromptu show for a small group of airman - Ann Gillian sang a song and Bob told some jokes and ended with the group singing a few Christmas carols.  They seemed to be having as much fun as we were.  It was a great start for my own holiday.  And then after finishing my project and waiting for my next one I got a call from New Jersey Bell.

And I started to believe that I didn’t find jobs - they found me.  My pal, Phil once again recommended me for a corporate TV producer/director job.  I interviewed on my regular Monday off.  Was offered the job on Wednesday and resigned my “commission” on Friday.

The following week I reported to the Newark studio at the telephone company’s headquarters in Newark, NJ and stayed for 20 years - but that’s the next story.


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