fought in Europe the rest of the war. Nearly all of his uncles fought in either World War II or Korea. “So I grew up in a family that believed that freedom is not free. I believed then and now that there is no greater honor than to serve in our military to protect our way of life,” said DeSantis, a manager in Support and Test Equipment Design at the Boeing site near Philadelphia. Because of his passion for aviation, DeSantis used his four-year enlistment to train and serve as an avionics technician. During that time, he spent 14 months in Vietnam. “Although the separation from my family and the living conditions were difficult,” he said, “I never questioned why I was there or if these people needed our help.” After his discharge from the Marines, DeSantis pursued a degree in electrical engineering while also supporting the U.S. Air Force’s Air Defense Command within the federal civil service. Having recently marked his 35th anniversary with Boeing, DeSantis said he’s honored to still support the U.S. military in what he does. “My position is not only rewarding by allowing me to play a role in aerospace, but it also uses my experience to give something back to the warfighter in the quality of the products Boeing delivers,” DeSantis said, mentioning that he thinks of the past and present aircraft and their roles in history-changing events every time he looks at his collection of Boeing aircraft models. His stories from his tour of Vietnam include memories of A-4 Skyhawks, F-4 Phantom fighters and even the DC-3, he said. “Each aircraft teems with untold numbers of stories of warfighters using these aircraft to defend our nation, as well as the armies of engineers and manufacturing people who dedicated their lives to build these machines, which means something to me. It makes me take pride not only in my nation but also in The Boeing Company.” Joni Bretthauer also served in the Marine Corps. Military service gave her direction for her life and career, she said. Bretthauer, an Information Security analyst with Joni Bretthauer PHOTO: GAIL HANUSA/BOEING Frontiers November 2014 33
Frontiers November 2014 Issue
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