There have been many times in my life when I have said, "what am I doing here?" This is one of them! Several years ago I found myself in the middle of a war zone in the middle east, that was one of those times as well. Without writing my usual tome, I will tell you a bit about myself and how Knight Grafix came to be....and what I'm doing here!

Many years ago, when I was eight years old, I went into a local magazine store in Munster, Indiana and saw a picture of a top fuel dragster in a racing magazine. I have been hopelessly hooked on drag racing ever since.

I spent plenty of time drawing pictures of dragsters and funny cars. I wasn't an artist by any means but found that I could trace pictures of the race cars and get the desired result. What I really liked to do, was to put my own paint design on the cars. My favorite thing to do was to put my name where the drivers name was and let my imagination go! I shouldn't tell you this....but I still do that today....don't tell anybody! Me and my pencil, paper and traced funny cars.......life goes on.

Many years later I found myself in the U.S. Air Force as a Loadmaster on a C-130 Hercules aircraft. The call came one day to head to the middle east to support Operation Iraqi Freedom. I found myself in several of those "what am I doing here" moments as we flew in and out of dozens of locations throughout the war zone. Luckily I, and the rest of my squadron, survived and returned home safely. Unfortunately, the government didn't allow our base in Milwauke to remain open. Our motto became "Survived Iraq, killed by the brac." B.R.A.C. stands for base realignment and closure.

My squadron moved to North Carolina, and I moved my happy self back to college. I decided that it's time to draw pictures like the big boys and girls and go after my graphic design degree. I am currently attending college in Wisconsin studying both graphic and web design.

So, serving with the Air Force in the desert was a blessing in disguise. It enabled me to fulfill a life-long desire to serve my country, at the same time, I was ultimately steered back toward college.

This has nothing to do with how I ended up here, but I just had to tell you that I met Ted Nugent when I was in Kuwait......this is why I ALWAYS have my camera within reach!

My love of drag racing and serving in the Air Force has afforded me opportunities that I wouldn't have had otherwise. I have seen the world, served my country with the 95th Airlift Squadron and outstanding commerades and met people whom I would have never had an opportunity to meet. Here is a picture of me and 14 time Funny Car World Champion, John Force in Joliet, Il. My mouth still hurts from smiling so wide!

I look forward to meeting and working with many more people from different places and walks of life as my graphic design career progresses. I have had the pleasure of creating more than a dozen recruiting ads for the Air Force as well as logos and various graphic works for my squadron.

I have also had the opportunity to work with NHRA veteran Top Fuel Dragster driver, Cory McClenathan.

Can I give you a bit of advice? If you get the opportunity to work in the field in which you have always wanted to work in, (like the world of professional drag racing perhaps....) don't try to steal the drivers' trophies. My sister snapped this picture when I decided to steal one of Corys trophies.......just kidding........I'm not that stupid.

I waited until he went to sleep and took it in the middle of the night!