Profile by Stephen Gorham Bronson still flashes his ID when asked who he is.

Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index Previous Profiles | Send mail to The Voice Two soldiers transition to life at Multnomah Bronson and a friend pause after a flight in what Bronson calls "the pride of the Air Force." -Blaine Bronson, photo On a warm August day, two young men stood in line during registration in the Mitchell library. They knew their lives would be completely different after this day. These young men had both served in the armed forces before coming to Multnomah Bible College. Jason Whaley had worked as a Korean linguist in the U.S. Army, and Blaine Bronson had worked as a communications technician in the U.S. Air Force. Soon after his discharge, Bronson joined the National Guard. He enjoyed being back in uniform and returning to a military base. Bronson described the military as a family. One time, when he flew home from Italy on vacation, he noticed a man with a high, tight haircut in the military style. Bronson asked what branch of the service he served. The man said the Army. The man's mother walked up and gave her son an iced mocha, which he did not want. He offered it to Bronson. This "family atmosphere" is what Bronson misses. Whaley and Bronson have noticed a difference in their daily lives since leaving the military. Soon after his discharge in January, Whaley worked in a factory building steering wheels for eight hours a day. The repetitiveness of the job made him want to go back into the Army. Bronson has noticed the difference in the structure of his daily life. Instead of reporting for duty and following daily orders, he has a syllabus and a calendar to plan. Whaley has faced several new challenges at Multnomah. In the Army, he ate in a chow hall at a set time with the rest of his company. His food was in his hands in 10 minutes. But now he has to set aside an extra 40 minutes to cook for himself at mealtimes. In the service, Whaley never worried about utilities or a place to stay. All the money he earned was his to spend. Bronson found his transition to civilian life easy because the military trains its people "to adapt to new situations," he said. "The military moves you from place to place and teaches you to adapt to every situation." Despite being out of the service, both find themselves reverting back to "military habits." Every morning, Bronson makes sure his bed is made tight and his shirts pressed and neat. Bronson still flashes his ID when asked who he is. On base, if he did not show his ID, he would be handcuffed and detained until identified. A woman at the campus post office told Bronson that he only had to mention who he was. "It has become somewhat of a joke between us," he said. Bronson and Whaley refer to the cafeteria as the chow hall. But Whaley also calls the bathroom the "latrine" and the Multnomah campus "base." Both agreed the discipline they learned in the armed forces was the most important lesson. Bronson and Whaley agreed the best thing about civilian life is the freedom it offers. Yet while Whaley and Bronson enjoy this freedom, both prefer the armed forces. Bronson, who is already in the Guard, plans to return to the Air Force as a chaplain. He wants to shepherd and spiritually guide "the family" he loves and misses so much. He said Multnomah will help train him for that. Whaley is not sure if he will go back in, but if he does, he wants to be a chaplain. He is also interested in Cadence International, a ministry to military personnel. The Air Force instilled in Bronson a servant's heart. "It isn't really a [glorious] job, and you're doing behind-the-scenes type of work. But it prepares in you a heart to serve for a bigger cause, whether it is the United States of America or the living God," he said. Back to Table of Contents | Back to Main Index Previous Profiles | Top Of Page Send mail to The Voice| Journalism department website © 2001 The Voice. No part of this publication may be reproduced in written or electronic form without prior written consent from the journalism adviser of Multnomah Bible College. All rights reserved.