Signing Off

Or Filling Those Last Column Inches

After the crown jewel

It was time …

There was no basking in glory after my major career accomplishment. As the 2006 holidays faded, my health also began to diminish. I failed a nuclear stress test at the old Walter Reed Army Hospital. Heart catheterization ruled out stents. I underwent 8 hours of heart bypass the day after my birthday in April 2007. Recovery was long and painful. My heart, as Colonel Gabreski had noted for an airman 40 years earlier, was “no longer in it.”

In my Air Force years, I had shaken hands with Brig. Gen. Jerry Dalton. Engaged in a bear hug with Brig. Gen. Mike McRanery. Winced as Brig. Gen. Ed Robertson shed a tear. Told to get a haircut by Brig. Gen. Ron Sconyers (in my defense, only after I had retired).

I mingled at Hollywood receptions and luncheons with the namesake of my award, Tom Lewis. And Frank Capra (“It’s a Wonderful Life”), Mel Blanc (“Bugs Bunny”) and comic and commercial genius Stan Freberg. There were many other notables.

In my career capstone, I had written products used by the White House. Assisted Tom Brokaw and his staff with his book, “The Greatest Generation.” Interacted with Pulitzer Prize winners. Told Lou Dobbs “No” more than once. Helped the writers of “Jeopardy” with questions.

Calculations showed I was eligible for early retirement. We moved back to Plymouth, Indiana, my hometown which Shirley had also adopted during my remote tours. There, we purchased a condominium and I spent seven years getting horrible golf out of my system. My only media activity was writing an extensive story using Census data to show how the city and surrounding county had changed since I joined the Air Force. The Pilot News publisher loved it and said it warranted a payment. It was buried on page 8 and I never saw a dime. Holding companies and venture capitalists had eviscerated small community newspapers, relegating them to glorified shoppers. Anyone with enough skill to generate a “news release” was practically guaranteed publication, and anyone with a computer was now a publisher on burgeoning social media.

Back to local history

Other characters, other stories

My other activities included portraying local history characters, which required research and historical perspectives.

A town founder in the 1830s, a Jewish haberdasher who arrived in 1855, a writer and historian from the turn of the 20th century, and – fittingly – a newspaper editor from the 1930s.

But Tom Wolfe was right. Medical care fell far short of Walter Reed standards. The nearest VA hospital was 75 miles away. Walmart dominated as the primary source for groceries and household items. We missed cultural attractions and finer restaurants. After having lived for 25 years in major metropolitan areas, we missed the aura of larger cities.

Mike Bergman portraying local history characters — Historical reenactments for local history.

West Palm Beach

A little portion of paradise

In 2014, we moved to our little portion of paradise in an over-55 community in West Palm Beach, Fla. I resumed getting world-class healthcare from the excellent VA medical center. Shirley readily found specialty care for her needs. Our quality of life, although of diminishing quantity, vastly improved in the persistent sunshine.

Since then, our only connection to the Air Force has been occasional glimpses of Air Force One during what our more affluent neighbors refer to as, “the season.” Our thoughts about the occupants are “close hold” and “not for publication.” I’m a news writer. Not an opinion writer.

The world, media, and the scope of what we call “public affairs” have changed dramatically since my story began.

As I stated in my preface, change was inevitable; it was not automatic.

The next air ace might be a drone. Giant rockets routinely launch dozens of satellites 130 miles away from me. We now can hold all the world's recorded knowledge in one hand. Robots do the work of men and women. The next frontier awaits exploration. The next dimension, discovered.

Storytellers will achieve higher orbits.

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