I CARRY A BADGE
I carry a badge. Not a 'tin shield' like police officers, but the kind of picture ID with a 'chip' in it that get's one into millitary bases. I've worked all the branches of the armed forces, nuclear submarine facilities, torpedo test facilities, rocket test sites, aircraft manufacturers, been to the somewhat legendary base that houses "AREA 51" and some research facilities that I'm not even supposed to name. I had a badge once that allowed me to:"Transport Nuclear Materials" issued by the NRC (Nuclear Regulatory Commission). Working for ARCO/BP/Phillips/Conoco, Aleska Pipeline, the I-Corps Headquarters, Corps of Engineers..... all require a badge. These I'm probably not supposed to "Post". I don't remember it saying that in any of the NON Disclosure Security Agreements I signed, but it was probably there in someones interpretation.
They take security to bizare lengths at some of the facilities. In a 'compartmentalized' research & development facility, it takes 4 things to get thru every door, and the places are all doors. 1) Scan your badge, 2) punch in a number sequence into a key pad next to the door,3) punch in a 4 digit number into the 'cipher-Lock' on the door and 4) the Palm or Retina Scanner. They don't usally have Both Retina & Palm, it's either one or the other.
I only had a low level temporary security clearence at this one facility that I only had to work at for a couple days. Me and my apprentice both had to be 'escorted' at all times. It was where they had built the 'Mock-up' for the Stealth Bomber. It was a fully compartmentalized facility with the full 4 tier security on every door. To go to the bathroom one needed "leed-time" that is you needed to head out to the Bathroom 15 minutes ahead of time. Lots of doors. Even the bathroom door has locks. I had to laugh because over the urinal there was a sign that read:
NO PROGRAM MATTER TO BE DISCUSSED IN THIS AREA"Yeah, Right, like Who am I going to talk to?
I've got a pretty flashy Resume. Not quite as impressive as my dad's: PHd Mathematics, Buckingham Professor, Chairman of Dept. Mathematics & Statistics, Senior Resident Missle Scientist..... knew half a dozen Nobel Laureates. Mine spans about 33 years; Licensed Electrician, Electrical Inspector, Fire Control Tech, Field Engineer, Electrical Administrator, Troubleshooter....
Do you think I should pencil in at the bottom: "And I know a little bit about Snow Cat's." ?
Working and living around the Puget Sound, Seattle/Tacoma/Everett area I would run in to someone I didn't know at a Denny's Restaurant, a Boeing Facility, an Antique Car Meet, or at an auto parts store. Somehow the subject of snow cats would come up and I was always suprised when a person asked me: "Do you know the "snow-cat guy" in Sumner?". I should have been a wise-acre and said : "No, never heard of him", or "Yeah, I think I might have met him", but usually I said: "Yeah, I'm the guy"! There were even a few people that called me the "Snow-Cat-King". But the titles of: "Snow Cat King & Qween" probably belong to Bill & Mary Guthrie. That's why I gave them the Serial #1 tag some years ago. Maybe Earl would be the "Duke".
