My Career: New Mexico State University & Sultan Qaboos University in Oman
But I needed a change. The Department of Agricultural Economics at New Mexico State University (pictured at right) was looking for a Head of Department. I applied and got the job. I served there for eleven years. It was a great experience. I got to know then-Governor Bruce King, a rancher and good Democrat. I also got to know US Senator Jeff Bingaman. New Mexico is a small state, and it is relatively easy to get to meet these folks.

In my capacity as Department Head of Agricultural Economics, I was also called upon by staffers of Republican Congressman Joe Skeen and Republican Senator Pete Dominici from time to time. These were professional, not political, relationships. They knew I was a Democrat, but as employees on the public payroll, we were expected to lend technical expertise when called upon.

At no time in my life could I have predicted where I would be five years hence. I was nearing the time for retiring from New Mexico State, thinking of a life of playing tennis, going to the gym, reading, and perhaps some writing when lightning struck again. A notice came from the USDA employment office that Sultan Qaboos University (pictured at lower left) in the Sultanate of Oman was looking for a department head for their Department of Agricultural Economics. My wife, Sherry, was not enamored with the idea. In fact, she didn’t like it at all. But she was a flight attendant for American Transair, I had always enjoyed my many foreign assignments, and I thought myself by way of experience and temperament to be ideally suited for the job. I applied for it and got it.

They flew me across the Atlantic, through Zürich to Muscat, on Swissair, first class all the way. It’s nice when a country has oil money to spend. I got settled in university housing and met my fellow faculty members in the College of Agricultural and Marine Sciences. My apartment was close to the staff club with its fine dining and athletic facilities including tennis courts. This was going to be a fantastic experience, and it really was. I quickly met some tennis players from Malaysia, India, Hungary, the Philippines, and a few other countries. What a great opportunity to experience a new culture.

It was about three weeks after I had arrived in Oman. I got home from the office, changed into my tennis duds, about to head for the courts. It was still a bit early so decided to catch the news on BBC. I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. Afternoon over there meant morning on the east coast of the US. The date was September 11, 2001.

I quickly got on the computer to get an answer from Sherry. Although ATA had not been mentioned as one of the airlines involved, who knew what else might be going on. Sherry was safe. And people back home wondered if I would stay in the Middle East. Of course I saw no reason to leave. And Sherry opted to keep flying, as ATA needed her. She subsequently won a national award from ATA for her dedication in assisting and counseling more junior FA’s and volunteering to fly in their place if needed.

In the ensuing weeks and months, I can attest first hand that we (i.e., America) had the sympathy, respect, and in the eyes of the world, the moral high ground. Newspaper editorials out of Muscat, Dubai, and other countries were uniformly supportive of America.

Click on a chapter title to read more...
Growing Up in Green County
From Farm Boy to Marine
Education: Fulfillment of "The Epiphany"
Influences of the 1960s
My Career: University of Minnesota
My Career: New Mexico State University & Sultan Qaboos University in Oman
Bush's War in the Middle East
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