| VFW Connections |
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Gary has been a VFW member for a very long time. He first learned about the organization when his brother, a WWII veteran, asked him where the nearest VFW post was so they could catch up over a drink. When Gary said that he didn’t know, his brother found them a local post, which Gary eventually joined as a member.
During his days as a Deputy Sheriff, Gary started visiting VFW Post 1503. He found a strong sense of camaraderie with the other members, and he liked that he could relax and be himself. He eventually took on leadership roles by working his way through "the Chairs.” Although he was somewhat reluctant to run for Commander due to his demanding work schedule, Tom Gimble encouraged him to step up for the position. Gary gives credit to all those who gave of themselves to make Post 1503 what it is today, especially Jim Martin, John Dodge, and Tom Gimble.
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Born in 1943, Gary was a "wartime baby." He was the youngest child in his family by a significant number of years. His two living sisters and a brother ranged 15-20 years older than him. Gary describes himself as an "incorrigible street kid” and a "juvenile delinquent” who grew up in an impoverished, tough area. He recalls being surrounded by gangs, drugs, alcohol, and violent crime. He attended local public schools until he reached 9th grade. However, Gary found that he "did not get along” with school and left.
When he was 16, he went to a Navy recruiter and forged his parents’ signatures to enlist. The recruiters caught the forgery, telling him he was too young to enlist yet. However, they returned to Gary’s house on his 17th birthday to see if he was ready. He agreed to go forward with the enlistment, especially as he grew up surrounded by WWII veterans and many family members who served in the Navy. This included his older brother—his childhood hero—who served on the USS Mahan (DD-364).
Also when he was 17, Gary married one of his childhood sweethearts, Sue. Gary credits his eventual maturity to the military and his role as a young husband and father.
Although Gary hoped he would go to the Bainbridge Naval Base in Maryland for his training, the facility had closed by that time. Instead, he was sent to the Naval Station Great Lakes in Illinois. From there, he went straight to a ship at Norfolk, Virginia, as he hadn’t chosen a military specialty yet.
For a while, Gary considered a radio billet, as he was interested in electronics and even worked a ham radio as a child. However, when he learned that this option would require him to leave the ship, he decided to strike for a billet as a ship serviceman instead. Gary passed the training and thus began a successful career in the role. Assigned to the USS English (DD-696), a destroyer, Gary served with approximately 325 men. He did well in the position, moving up to the rank of petty officer and taking over the supply section.
While Gary was in training, Sue lived with family. His wife joined him in Norfolk after he was assigned. Their first son, Michael, was born when Gary was 18.
When Gary was around 19 years old, he had one of his most memorable experiences in the military. He was drinking his coffee below deck when one of his shipmates encouraged him to check out their approach to the USS Enterprise (CVN-65), the world’s first nuclear aircraft carrier. At first, Gary shrugged and figured it would be like all the others he had seen before. However, he was unprepared for just how enormous it was. As the vast bulk of steel grew closer to the destroyer, Gary realized that their whole ship could fit under its flight deck--one capable of carrying over 5000 sailors. It was an awe-inspiring sight for him to behold.
Another moment that Gary would never forget was an unexpected detour after a North Atlantic cruise in October of 1962. The crew was finishing up their time at sea, and their ship approached the Destroyer and Submarine (D&S) piers in Norfolk. The sailors could see their families waiting and waving to them, when suddenly their ship slowed to a halt. Before they knew it, the destroyer was backing up and the men were heading out on the water once again. Gary curiously asked the radio operator if he knew what was happening, but he was told that their movements were confidential. Based on the placement of the sun, they knew they were headed South. They sailed all night in rough water before they stopped and anchored. When the motor fell silent, one of his shipmates told Gary that he should head topside to see what was happening. It was a clear day with visibility at around 20 miles. Gary looked around to take in the immense steel in every direction as far as his eyes could see. They were surrounded by U.S. Navy warships: battleships, cruisers, and destroyers. The hair stood up on the back of his neck, and he realized they were in for something serious. This was the beginning of a blockade to Cuba ordered by President Kennedy during the Cuban Missile Crisis. Thankfully the situation was diffused over several dangerous days, and Gary received several medals for this unexpected deployment.
In April of 1964, Gary finished his Navy service. Reflecting on his time as a combat veteran, Gary notes that these experiences shape you for the remainder of your life. Regardless of how troubling situations are in most aspects of civilian life, a combat veteran knows they have survived worse.
Gary tried out several odd jobs after the Navy. He spent time selling encyclopedias, shoes, and even life insurance. However, it wasn’t until he got a job at the C&P Telephone Company (which later became Bell Atlantic and then AT&T) that he found what would be his primary profession for the next 30 years. He would drive in one of the green Bell System trucks to fix phones and ensure operational service. Gary witnessed the significant changes to the phone system first-hand throughout his time there, especially after Bell System split up in the early 1980s due to legal challenges against the monopoly business model. He retired from the telecommunications business in 1997.
While still working with Bell System, Gary started three of his own companies: Real Estate Associates, Real Estates Enterprises, and Control Communications. The first business is a full-service brokerage that Gary still owns today. The second company focused on contracting, and Gary was a Class A contractor for residential and commercial property. Although the company is no longer operational, Gary still maintains his contractor license. The final business was an engineering and facility corporation. All three entities have provided Gary with substantial experience for the real estate and construction markets.
As Gary has always loved playing music, he spent time in local venues singing while playing guitar, keyboard, or bass. His son was also a talented musician, so they often played together. However, Gary was deeply concerned about the emerging drug issues in Northern Virginia, especially when he found dealers were trying to offer heroin to his son. When he shared his worries with some of his law enforcement friends, they suggested that Gary become a confidential informant for the drug task force. With his long hair, beard, rings, and leathers aboard his chopper motorcycle, few in the drug business suspected that Gary would be the one to curtail their activities.
Eventually, several on the force encouraged Gary to become a full-time police officer. He started as a reserve deputy for Prince William County and the task force, working undercover before transitioning to a uniformed officer for the Prince William County Sheriff’s Department. He spent a little over a decade there and also worked with the Dumfries Police.
In 2006—the same year that Gary was elected to Commander of Post 1503—he was also selected to be a magistrate for the Northern Virginia area. This meant that he would have to resign from the police force, as this would be a conflict of interest to serve both roles. As a judicial officer, Gary acted as a judge who did not try cases. For example, he would sign arrest warrants, search warrants, and custody orders. He also oversaw bond and probable cause hearings, and he was able to issue warrants when they were needed. He served in Magisterial Region 5 before retiring.
Today, Gary and his wife spend time with their four children, nine grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren. Despite some health issues, Gary keeps himself busy, including sharing his real estate knowledge over breakfast at Post 1503.
- Despite being a bit ambivalent about enlisting at 17, Gary recalls that he was somewhat influenced by the knowledge that many young ladies liked a man in uniform.
- Gary’s training at Naval Station Great Lakes ended up taking him several extra weeks, as he ended up contracting a serious case of bronchial pneumonia and needed time to recover.
- Although Gary tried to fly back from overseas training in time to see the birth of his first child, he missed it by a few hours. He spent some time at home before returning to duty. Just nine days after his son was born, Gary received a call that his father had passed away, so he again made the trip back for the funeral.
- Destroyers like Gary’s ship were called "little boys,” as the weight of the "big boys”—the battleships—were significantly different. Just a single turret on a battleship weighed more than the entire 2200 ton destroyer.
- One of the reasons that Gary (and many of his shipmates) liked black coffee is that the creamer made their coffee an unappetizing grayish color with a foul taste.
- There were a few times in the Navy that Gary found himself in tense situations that could have ended poorly. He was always relived when the Marines arrived on the scene. As Gary tells it, "Jarheads saved my ass more than once!”
- While he was the Post 1503 Commander, Gary tried to reach the goal of paying off the mortgage for the building. Although he got close, it was a few years later under Mike Lowe’s tenure that the final payment was submitted.
- Gary has had many ups and downs in his life, and sometimes they happen to arrive all at once. In 2001, Gary received a knock at the door around 8:30 AM as he was enjoying his morning coffee. A messenger presented him with a package from the Bureau of Naval Personnel. When he opened the box, he found it contained medals to recognize his role in a partially-declassified combat mission. He decided he would celebrate by taking the day off. It was only a few minutes later when his mother-in-law called to ask if he was watching the news. He changed the channel on that morning of September 11 in time to see the second plane hit the World Trade Center. Immediately, the Sheriff’s office called him and told him to head to the Pentagon. To Gary’s knowledge, Prince William County had the first external security forces to arrive on the scene that day.
- Gary has several recordings of his music, including a Christmas album called It Feels Like Christmas.
