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LORDSTOWN -- Gary Simones wanted to join and leave the military under his terms.
It's why the Lordstown resident enlisted in the Marines before graduating from Newton Falls High School, then joined the Air Force Reserve and, finally, the Ohio Air National Guard. Altogether, he spent 36 years in the armed forces.
Although he retired from military service and the Kmart Distribution Center after 32 years at the Bazetta warehouse, Simones hasn't slowed down.
Besides unloading a supply truck at a local McDonald's, he said, "I got 20 acres. I got three garages with cars. I got a two-story house and seven chickens."
He also mentioned that he helps out others with repair work -- plumbing, construction and mechanical -- and has a backhoe for excavation.
"I'm comfortable. I'm happy."
His civilian life mimics how he treated his military career -- physical labor over a desk job.
Simones said that when he was informed of being eligible for a higher rank while in the National Guard he replied, "Nope, nope. I said, 'No, I don't want it.' All that was was office hours, emails and meetings. I didn't want that. I want to be out on the field."
After seeing his older brother and sister join the Marine Corps, he wanted to follow their lead.
On April 20, 1973, Simones joined the Marines and got to Parris Island, South Carolina, for training less than four months later on Aug. 2.
While the war in Vietnam lasted until 1975, Simones' infantry instruction, which included combat fighting and using M14 and M16 rifles, didn't end up with him going there.
"They were gonna do an all-out Vietnam deal. They were going to do a cleanout. Then, they figured it was going to cost too many lives, and it wasn't worth the devastation. So, they canceled."
After serving his Military Service Obligation (MSO), he moved to another branch of the armed forces.
Rather than transfer and be a Marine Corps Reservist, Simones joined the Air Force Reserve at the Youngstown Air Reserve Station. Location became an important factor in his decision.
"The only Marine Corps Reserve base was in New Castle and the Air Force Reserve was in Vienna. We live in a snowy area. Which would you rather drive -- 12 months out of the year -- New Castle or Vienna? It was closer. The chance of not making duties because of snow and base closures was more likely in New Castle than this one," Simones said.
Recognizing that after 27 years at YARS he'd be asked to retire, Simones then joined the Ohio Air National Guard as part of the 200th Red Horse (Rapid Engineer Deployable Heavy Operational Repair Squadron Engineer) squadron based at Camp Perry Joint Training Center near Port Clinton.
Simones discussed one of the projects the 200th accomplished at Camp Dwyer in southern Afghanistan. He was part of a group that built hangars to withstand attacks and a runway for C-17 and C-130 cargo planes to bring supplies.
"We had to work at night. Some of the guys couldn't take the (Afghanistan) heat."
According to Simones, the buildings were 99 feet wide, 140 feet deep with walls 22 inches thick, reinforced rebar and floors that were 8 inches thick.
His accumulated military service took him all over the world. Besides his training at Parris Island, Camp Pendleton in southern California, and Cecil Field in Jacksonville, Florida, he traveled to Afghanistan, Guam, Serbia, Germany, Italy, Greece and Luxembourg.
Like their dad, three of Simones' children entered the military. His two sons eventually left the Air Force while his daughter is still a medic with the Air Force Reserve's 911th Airlift Wing at the Pittsburgh Air Reserve Station.
Not ready to kick back and take it easy, Simones said he never used his GI Bill and is considering attending truck driver school in order to go on trips with his son, a cross-country trucker who lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
"My eyesight's good. My hearing's good. So, every once in a while, I could fly out there and do some trucking with him," Simones said.
Gary Simones
AGE: 70
RESIDENCE: Lordstown
SERVICE BRANCH: U.S. Marine Corps, Air Force Reserve and Ohio Air National Guard
MILITARY HONORS: Meritorious Service Award, National Defense Ribbon, War on Terrorism Award, Good Conduct Medal and Unit Citation medals
OCCUPATION: Kmart Distribution Center, Dunlap Plumbing
FAMILY: wife, Debra; two sons; three daughters; 31 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren