I recently designed, developed, and delivered a Web Page Design with HTML course at Assabet Valley Regional Vocational High School as part of their adult continuing education program. The course was full and well received and I expect it to become a standard offering in their evening program in the years ahead.
 

For the past five years I've been enjoying my retirement. I've had time to sit back and do a lot of things I never seemed to find time to do. Reading a lot of non-technical books, planting a vegetable garden and lots of flowers and plants. Just in case I wanted to go back to work on a temporary basis if I got too bored, I've tried to keep my computer skills up to date and ready to handle new tasks in the training and documentation field.  

I went out last year and bought a Gateway G6-266 Home System to replace my Macintosh iisi relic. I've spent many hours in the past year teaching myself the ins and outs of Windows 95 and the network. I have been focusing on Web Site design as a primary target. In the process of designing a proto-web site I learned how to use most of the tools necessary to publish on the Web.  

I'm starting to get a little bored with smelling the roses and would like to get back to work plying my trade. I've got a lot of time on my hands and over thirty years experience just waiting to be put to work. 

Worked as a contract writer at Digital's LKG facility in the DECathena Software Engineering group. I designed, developed, and wrote formal engineering documentation that described the process and procedures for "porting" new UNIX-based workstation platforms to operate as clients within the DECathena network environment. (refer to the 2/91 to 3/92 assignment shown below. Additionally, the documentation included developing and writing functional software descriptions for each of the existing client platforms supported by Digital (DECstation 3100, VAXstation 3100, HP, SUN, and IBM 6000 WS). 

Worked as a consultant on a temporary three month assignment. Evaluated all the existing technical documentation and training that supported Digital's Advanced Electronic Support (AES) operations. Prepared a report that identified quality problems and deficiencies in the existing documentation and training programs. outlined both short range solutions for solving the immediate problems and longer range strategies for developing documentation and training to support the AES needs of the '90s. 

After retiring from Digital on October 1, 1990, I took four months off to reflect on what I wanted to do next. In February 1991 I accepted a contract assignment with Computer Methods Corporation as an independent training consultant. My assignment was to design, develop, and deliver a formal one week "cover all bases" course to train Digital Equipment Corporation personnel how to install, manage, and maintain the DECathena Services software in networked computing environments consisting of hundreds of heterogeneous UNIX-based workstations.  

I designed, developed, and produced the Introduction to DECathena Services and Basic System Management Student Guide and instructor Guide and delivered the course eight times during a six month period. The course and its supporting documentation were completed and turned over to Digital's educational Services on December 1, 1991.  

After the DECathena project ended, I took a couple of months off and then returned to Computer Methods Corporation and worked part time managing and maintaining their in house systems that consisted of Macintosh systems, DECstation 3100s, and SUN workstations. The general business slowdown forced CMC to cut back drastically in March 1992 and I was let go. 

During over 20 years at Digital I successfully performed the tasks related to the following positions, starting as a Hardware Instructor in their small training group and ending up as a Senior Educational Consultant in the Educational Services Department.  

• Principal Hardware Instructor 
• Senior Diagnostic Engineer 
• Principal Software Engineer 
• Senior Technical Writer/Course Developer 
• Customer Services Support Engineer 
• Senior Educational Consultant 

1. In my last two years at Digital, I worked on the VAX 9000 project writing hardware technical manuals and delivering field service maintenance courses for the VAX 9000 system. The two manuals I wrote were: 
• VAX 9000 Family Service Processor Technical Description 
• VAX 9000 Family System Testing, Diagnosis, and Fault Isolation Manual 
 
2. Assigned as a Customer Support Engineer providing remote telephone support to customers and Digital field personnel for VAX and PDP11 computer systems running Ultrix, Digital's version of the popular UNIX operating system. 
3. Developed and wrote the following hardware technical manuals for the DECSYSTEM10/20 and VAX8600/8650 computer systems: 
• MF20 MOS Memory System Maintenance Manual 
• VAX 8600/8650 MBox Tecnical Description 
• VAX 8600/8650 EBox Technical Description 
• VAX 8600/8650 System Description 
• VAX 8600/8650 Diagnostic User's Guide 
 
4. Designed diagnostic test scripts for Digital's remote diagnosis host computer that permitted automated remote testing of PDP11 and VAX computer systems from the Digital Diagnostic Center (DDC) located in Colorado Springs. 

I also researched and developed training courses aimed at the support engineers in Colorado Springs to enable them to use the UNIX operation system (BSD4.1) as a troubleshooting tool for on-line testing and fault analysis of VAX systems running UNIX (BDS4.1).  

5. Designed and wrote the disk system analysis program modules for a system error analysis software system called SPEAR for DECsystem10/20 and VAX systems. The software was designed using the BLISS programming language and isolated hardware faults to the field replaceable unit (FRU) based on the types of errors logged in the system event file. 
6. Designed, coded, debugged, and documented hardware diagnostic programs for both the DECSYSTEM10/20 and PDP11 systems. 
7. Designed, developed, and delivered computer maintenance courses for both field service and customer personnel. Systems I taught included the DECSYSTEM 10/20, PDP11, and the VAX family of machines. The subjects included CPUs, memories, and peripheral subsystems. 

Hired as a Senior Hardware Instructor to develop, document, and deliver hardware maintenance courses to Field Service Engineers. The Systems I taught included the 2200, 1200, 200, and 120 (Series 200 Family of computer systems) and included both CPUs and peripheral subsystems. 

Assigned as a technical instructor under contract to the U.S. Army at White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico. I prepared and delivered courses in transistor circuit theory, design, and troubleshooting to both civil service and U.S. Army personnel. 

Initially hired to establish and operate an electrical test department responsible for all electrical testing and measurements of waveguide components such as bends, twists, couplers, etc... Until my hire, the company could only accept contracts involving mechanical measurements only because they lacked the equipment and expertise to before electrical testing of microwave components. 

Served aboard submarines, aircraft carriers, destroyers, and shore stations during a 12-year tour of duty. I was responsible for the repair and maintenance of all shipboard electronic equipment. I taught electronics theory and practice and radar system maintenance courses at the Radarman B School during my last four years. At the time of my honorable discharge I held the rank of Chief Electronics Technician (Pay grade E7). 

Enrolled as an apprentice in GE's apprentice training program at the River Works facility. I worked on-the-job to learn the trade of machinist tool and die maker from the ground up. 

General surveyor's helper for the town's highway and engineering departments.