50-Year-Reunion

Matt Poole 2651 Molino Bridge Road, Pace, Florida 32571 (702) 683 - 1077 matthew.h.poole@gmail.com October 21

After graduation, I joined the Air Force and went to language school at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California where I studied the Korean language. Like high school, I did just enough to graduate. Next, I attended the USAF School of Applied Cryptologic Science at Goodfellow AFB in San Angelo, Texas. Upon graduation I received survival training in Homestead, Florida and Spokane, Washington. After two years of training, I finally reached my first duty station, Okinawa, Japan. There I flew reconnaissance missions throughout the western Pacific region. In 1982, I was assigned to a new weapons system in Tucson, Arizona where I met and married my life partner, Lisa. Not counting a one - year remote tour to Osan AB Korea in 1987, we stayed in Tucson, had two wonderful daughters. In 1990, I was moved to our HQ unit in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. There, I was the program manager for the weapon's operating system. In 1992 the Air Force did a restructure, and they eliminated my unit. Anticipating being sent on another remote tour, I worked a deal that sent my family back to Okinawa. Once we got to Okinawa in July of ‘92, Lisa informed me she was pregnant again, and the Air Force informed me I was heading to the Middle East . . . until relieved. I finally returned home just before Thanksgiving. My son was born in February. Okinawa has always been my favorite assignment but in 1996 it was time to go. We went back to Tucson, where I retired from the Air Force in 1998. Not finding meaningful employment there, we moved to Las Vegas where I finally earned my computer science degree and worked at Nellis AFB supporting their training mission. In 2006, I found a more fulfilling opportunity at Eglin AFB in Fort Walton Beach, Florida. This allowed me to be near family and get back to my chosen profession, Intelligence. But politics kicked in, Command Structure was altered and in 2014 Lisa and I headed to San Antonio. There, I directly supported Air Force Intelligence operations worldwide. In 2023, with my eyesight failing, I finally came to grips with reality and after 48 years of supporting the Air Force and the Department of Defense, I decided to retire. Lisa and I are building our retirement home back in Florida and hope to have many years visiting our children and their families and watching our grandchildren grow.

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