I served 4 years in the Navy as an E-5 Quartermaster with 17 months of duty in Vietnam. 

I received a BS in Political Science from Towson University in Baltimore and a Master’s in Legislative Affairs from George Washington University. 

From 1974 to 1981, I worked as a legislative aide with the U. S. Senate Foreign Relations Committee, Subcommittee on Foreign Assistance. 

After leaving the Senate, I worked with a small business lobby organization for 15 years, where I managed up to 250 people across 17 states.

I built, owned, and operated Decker Diamonds and Athens Oconee Adult Baseball - a 21-acre sports complex for 18 adult teams of baseball players aged 18-70.

Later, I taught high school and college-level political science, history, and economics at The Donoho School and Jacksonville State University in Alabama.

For several years, I worked as an Independent Consultant for Myers-Briggs Type Indicator. (MBTI).  During that time, I also worked as a tutor for Back to Basics Tutoring in Wilmington, Delaware.

Since retiring, I have founded Teen Scene, Inc., dba Cape Fear Voices (2004), a monthly publication for creative writers of all ages. I am also the founder and Commander of Leland VFW Post 12196 (2020) and Veterans Creative Arts Program (2024).