Edmund Contreras

1964


2013

My Story

After graduation I started attending LACC for which I was woefully unprepared, but as fate would have it in less than a year our nation was at war. As did several of our class members I joined the Marine Corps, served three years active duty, three years standby reserve, and then as it appeared that more trouble was brewing and thinking the powers that be might change the law for their convenience, I elected to do four years ready reserve with the air wing, having no desire to chance being with the ground pounders. I don't have a lot of great stories, as do other marines, because I was a photographer, the most exciting thing I did was sit in the hatch of a helicopter held by a gunners belt shooting pictures.

Upon leaving active duty I went to work for Los Angeles County holding positions in four different departments and taking early retirement for a work related accident and disability.

While working for the county, I always took classes in a wide variety of subjects. When I left the county I returned full time to school and graduated from Cal Poly Pomona with a BS in Hotel', Restaurant and Travel Management.

Once again I took a different turn and took what I thought was a temporary position to substitute teach with LAUSD. However I quickly passed jive national teachers exams and received some training in special ed, and had many long term assignments. I was about to start classes for a regular credential when my father passed away and put things on hold. By the time I was about to try again health issues came up and once again I was forced to retire.

I am single, while I have met several women I thought might be the right person for me, it appears that I was not the right person for them.

In retirement I spend my time at meetings with social groups, friends and family, and reading in my own version of independent study. I can't shake the memory that while I had to end my university studies to make a living, on the day I received my BS degree my department chair told me that of all the graduating seniors I was the only one capable of earning and benefiting from a Ph.D.