After graduating from Magnolia High School, Brian started to attend Fullerton Junior College.
He took general education courses but soon grew tired and bored with the courses and decided to drop out of school in his fourth semester. (P.S. He didn't tell the school he was dropping out - he just didn't go back!)
Brian went down to the Coast Guard recruiting station and told them he wanted to sign up for that service.
He was told by the officer there that they currently had no openings, but that his name could be put on a waiting list. So - he did.
3 months later his mother was by herself at home when the phone call came. Pat had no idea that Brian had put his name on the recruitor's list. She took down the message for Brian when he came home. Pat told Brian that the Coast Guard recruiter called and said he could come on down and sign up - which he did.
Shortly after he signed up, his parents saw him off to Govenor's Island. The island is just off the coast from Alameda California. Basic training lasted 6 weeks.
One story he recalls from boot camp was when the new recruits were standing at attention for inspection, the officer was inspecting the group. When he came to Brian he looked him over carefully from head to toe, then takes a step back and REALLY scrutinizes him. The officer comes forward - practically nose to nose with Brian - grabs his under shirt up to Brian's eye level.
"Give me 50!!" was the officers only statement.
Brian - in the mean time - had not quite figured out why he was doing 50 push ups. It wasn't until later that he realized that his t-shirt was inside out!
Brian recalls - "I was trying not to laugh, and focusing on what he was showing me right into my face!"
After boot camp he was assigned to Electronics School in Groton Connecticut.
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