EDITOR’S NOTE: This is part of a weekly series on Trumbull County veterans that runs through Veterans Day. To suggest a veteran, call Metro Editor Marly Reichert at 330-841-1737 or email her at mreichert@tribtoday.com.

Correspondent photo / Karla Dines
Norman Brown of Warren had intended to serve in the Navy, but ended up in the Air Force.

WARREN — Norman Brown visited the U.S. Armed Forces Recruiting Office in downtown Youngstown in 1976 with the intention of enlisting in the Navy, just like his father.

However, the Navy recruiters were preoccupied when he arrived at the office and were unavailable to talk with him.

“The guy who was the Air Force recruiter offered for me to come in to talk to him,” Brown said, which led him to join the Air Force.

Brown attended boot camp at Lackland Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas. He was placed in a leadership position, serving as dorm chief during his time there.

“When the sergeant was away, I was in charge,” Brown said. “The sergeant did not put me down or rough me up. He spoke with me and did not make me feel like he was bossing me. It is these positives that I remember. I had never been to anything like this. I got the job done. The sergeant told me that.

“Four weeks in, a guy who had been kicked out of basic training in another unit wanted to fight me. I told him that I did not want to fight him. ‘Please have a seat. I have nothing against you.’ The guy then just walked out. He eventually left our basic training, too. So, I don’t know if the sergeant kicked him out or what happened.”

One day, the sergeant asked Brown to come to his office. There was a big empty space in the office. He told Brown that in the old days, they used to throw guys into that space for misbehavior, but the practice stopped.

If something was happening that should not be happening, Brown, as dorm chief, was to either stop it or contact someone who could stop it. Brown said he was relieved that they no longer put recruits in the office space for misbehavior.

Upon completion of basic training, each recruit was given a book containing individual pictures of all the recruits. Fellow recruits signed Brown’s book, leaving many positive comments regarding his role as dorm chief.

Brown said, “I really appreciated all the comments.”

As a child, Brown belonged to an organization that practiced marching. He also played football in high school, which he described as being tougher than the exercises they had in basic training. He felt that this background helped him acclimate to the training and marching required in basic training.

Brown helped one recruit who was struggling to finish his responsibilities. The sergeant in charge provided the analogy that if they were in war, and something bad should happen to one person, the other guys need to help him out.

Brown said, “You look at these guys with the thought, ‘We are in this together.'”

After completing boot camp, Brown was given a choice between going to an Air Force base in Wisconsin, or to another base in Texas. He chose the Air Force Training Command Center at Sheppard Air Force Base in Wichita Falls, Texas, which provided training for many specialties. Brown chose optometry specialist training.

After his training was completed, Brown held a position at Sheppard Air Force base as an optometry specialist for the remainder of his time there.

He said, “I was in Texas for three years, 10 months, 12 days, 15 hours and 17 minutes. I was still in the Air Force because it was not a complete four years. I had to get permission to leave to go to Youngstown State University.”

Several Air Force officers provided Brown with recommendations for the respiratory therapy program at YSU. Brown graduated from the program and worked in the area as a respiratory therapist.

He was also later employed by Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, helping patients coordinate their care.

Brown is now retired. He and his wife Donna are vendors at the Howland Farmers Market and Chagrin Falls Farmers Market, where they sell frozen food.

Brown said, “Overall, I really enjoyed being in the military.”

Norman Brown

AGE: 71

RESIDENCE: Warren

SERVICE BRANCH: Air Force

MILITARY HONORS: Air Force Commendation Medal

OCCUPATION: Retired respiratory therapist

Family: Wife, Donna; two children, Norman and Nicole