Jerry Ballard

Upon graduation from high school, I served in the US Army as a helicopter mechanic for 4 years. I then earned a BS in Aerospace Engineering at U. of Tulsa and entered the USAF in 1970 as a pilot where I flew T-37s, B-52s, and T-39s. While in the Air Force I acquired two Master of Science degrees. I served two tours of duty in Germany and have lived in Oklahoma, Texas, North Carolina, Ohio, Washington DC, California & Illinois. I retired from the USAF in 1986 and have worked in the computer industry as a Program Manager. I was married to Carol Gainor for 26 years. We divorced in 1996 and I have 1 step-daughter and 3 grandchildren. I strive to maintain a healthy lifestyle with diet and by visiting the gym at least twice a week for spinning and resistance exercises in a program designed by a physical trainer. I have completed building an RV-7A airplane, a dream I’ve had since my teens. It’s our own personal flying hot rod that can take me and my girlfriend of 9 years, Joan Porter, anywhere in the continental US in one day. I reside in Evergreen, Colorado on the west side of Bear Mountain (my altitude is 7600 feet) with a gorgeous view of Mt. Evans and the continental divide. I could stop working and really retire but have no desire to do so.