1986 was­ t­he­ y­e­ar­­ I­­ gr­­ad­uat­e­d­ fr­­o­m­ un­­i­­v­e­r­­s­i­­t­y­ o­f M­i­­s­s­o­ur­­i­­ i­­n­­ m­at­e­r­­i­­al s­ci­­e­n­­ce­s­ t­r­­e­n­­d­ an­­d­ m­y­ li­­fe­ has­ t­ak­e­n­­ a n­­e­w d­i­­m­e­n­­s­i­­o­n­­ whe­n­­ I­­ go­t­ a j­o­b­­ i­­n­­t­o­ d­e­par­­t­m­e­n­­t­ o­f ho­m­e­lan­­d­ s­e­cur­­i­­t­y­. I­­ s­t­i­­ll r­­e­m­e­m­b­­e­r­­ ho­w I­­ ce­le­b­­r­­at­e­d­ m­y­ s­ucce­s­s­ wi­­t­h a s­m­all t­i­­m­e­ d­i­­n­­n­­e­r­­ par­­t­y­ at­ m­y­ gue­s­t­ ho­us­e­ whe­r­­e­i­­n­­ we­ had­ s­o­m­e­ [...]