William H. LukerLuker

National Army Security Agency Association

Vice Chairman - 2001

Chairman - 2002 - 2006

I first put on the uniform in Aug 66 when I joined the 406th Ordnance Battalion, US Army Reserve, Ann Arbor, MI. In Jun 67 I went RA all the way and "ASA All The Way" too. I aspired to be an "05H" by surviving basic at Ft Lost in the Woods, Misery and then enjoyed vacationing through AIT at Ft. Devens, MA and watching the "love-ins" at the Boston Commons. Then it was off to the 7th RRFS in Thailand for the most memorable 2-½ years of my life.

While at the 7th, I edited the post rag called the Ramasan Relay. After working mids, it gave me something to do...everyone knows normal folks don't sleep during the day. Then it was off to Vint Hill Farms and an ETS in Mar 71.

Times were tough...long gas lines...etc., so I tried a year in a Nasty Guard Signal Bn. I was one of two vets among a gaggle of draft dodgers/U of M students, etc., in Ann Arbor. I didn't like it so waited until I had the time to join a Special Forces unit with the reserves. Strange though it may seem, I graduated from jump school with the 10th SF Group at Devens...10 years to the month after coming to Devens for AIT. Made it through the SF qualification course, graduating as a SF Radio Operator (you think code was a problem?). I served the remainder of my enlisted time as the Battalion Commo Chief and loved it. In Dec 82 I was given a direct commission to the rank of CPT and became the Sig Det Commander and Battalion CE Officer.

Concurrently, with joining the reserves, I made the decision to work full-time for the Army in logistics. Somewhere in the process (e.g., 89-91) your taxpayer dollars sent me back to work in Thailand. The food is still good and the people are still nice. Singha Beer tastes as good as I remembered. My last civil service assignment was to work hard to put out fires at the US Army Reserve Command, Atlanta, GA, where I served the G-4 as a Logistics Management Specialist with responsibility for all reserve Commo and Signals Intel equipment assets. This was a critical period of service as 911 happened as did deployment of the reserves for Operations Enduring and Iraqi Freedom. Soldiers going into harms way needed lots of commo equipment. I retired from civil service in Jan 2004 with 35 years service and the civil service equivalent of the Legion of Merit. While in Atlanta, I maintained my reserve affiliation as LTC Luker, G-4 (acting), 335th Theater Signal Command. On retirement, my family and I returned to California.

As luck would have it, life is hills and valleys. I stayed in the Army Reserve, serving with a Civil Affairs Command. Within months of returning to California I was mobilized in support of Operation Enduring Freedom for 1 year and then was deployed for a year to Iraq, returning in Jun 06. My Officer Evaluation Report (OER) deteriorated, showing "Uses poor judgement" probably for having not retired from the reserve at the same time I retired from civil service. I could have avoided the mobilization and deployment. Seriously though, I'm honored to have served! Though you would never know it from reading the news, great things are and have been accomplished in Iraq. We need to stay the course!

Finally, I served as your Vice-Chairman in 2001 and have served as your Chairman from 2002 to date. It has been a team effort and we are making lots of progress. There is no "I" in "TEAM".

What we did in ASA when we were younger was important. We, your Board of Directors, are going to make sure someone remembers.

Sincerely...William H. Luker