Newspaper Review

It started at a movie Culpeper man writes his life

Culpeper man publishes memoirs of his Navy service
By DONNIE JOHNSTON
Date published: 10/11/2006
By DONNIE JOHNSTON
In Jim Calhoun's life, the movie led to the book.
In the summer of 1956, Calhoun and a friend were sitting around in Maryville, La., wondering what to do now that they had graduated from high school.
Neither, Calhoun admits, had the grades or inclination to go to college and career choices were extremely limited in the little town of 800.
Finally, the two teenagers decided to quit worrying about the future and go see a movie in a neighboring town. That movie, a Navy flick called "Mr. Roberts," would change their lives.
"After seeing that movie, watching sailors chase native girls down the pier, there was no doubt where my future lay," Calhoun says in his new book, "The Adventure."
He and his friend left the theater and joined the Navy.
"The Adventure," which documents Calhoun's rise from a 17-year-old enlisted man to the rank of captain in air-traffic control, officially hits bookstores nationwide Oct. 23.
"I've already received requests for more than 350 autographed copies," says the 67-year-old Calhoun, who now lives near Muddy Run in northern Culpeper County.
Calhoun says he didn't start out writing his memoirs with the intention of becoming a nationally published author.
"I wrote the book with the idea of self-publishing," he admits. "I felt the story needed to be told and was determined to document some of the highlights and lowlights of my career for family and friends."
But when the manuscript was completed, Calhoun changed his focus.
"Everything I have, everything I stand for is because of the commitment I observed in the personnel mentioned," he says. "The book is but a down payment on the debt I owe [the many people] who made my adventure possible.
"I began reading it and I thought, 'You know, this is pretty damn good!'" he laughs.
So he began shopping it around and found several publishing houses who were interested. He signed with PublishAmerica.
The 230-page paperback ($19.95) is divided into chapters according to Calhoun's duty stations, beginning with recruit training in San Diego and ending with the author's second assignment at the Pentagon.
The book, however, is much more than the story of Calhoun's almost 40-year Navy career.
"After I read the first draft of "The Adventure," I concluded that the story was actually a testimony to the dedication of people involved in the provision of air-traffic control services, both military and civilian," the author says.
The book also hits upon the hardships, especially in the early years, that a military career sometimes places on the family of an enlisted man or woman.
When the total monthly income is $270.40 per month for a second class petty officer before withholding and your rent and car there is not much left over for food and entertainment," Calhoun says.
He adds that frequent duty station changes make it hard on wives and children.
The book also singles out many of the enlisted men and officers who were part of Calhoun's long and distinguished career. In fact, the retired captain says the book is in great part a tribute to those people.

The Adventure

Jim Calhoun, Captain, USN Retired a plank owner member of our association has written a book to be published on 23 October by Publish America. This book essentially captures the high lights/low lights, successes and failures of his almost 40 year career as a Navy Air Traffic Controller.

In the book, Captain Calhoun attempts to capture the stresses of navy life and its effect, on not only the individuals serving, but also their families. He identifies specific individuals that were his hero's and served as a roll model for him during his journey from E-1 to O-6.

Jim shares some of the foolishness that takes place that all of us may recognize from our own careers. He also shares some of the insights gained while serving for thirteen years as the communities "Man in Washington".

The selling price of the book is $19.95 plus tax and shipping. The book is a 6" X 9" document and approximately 250 pages. Personnel interested in purchasing the book can either do so by internet, amazon.com, www.Publish America.com, by phone 301 695 1707. The ISBN number of the book is 1-4137-9158-1. If individuals would like an autographed copy with a note if appropriate, Jim may be contacted on internet kaysailor@AOL.Com, telephone (540) 937 1730 or mail, 12241 Michaels Ct. Culpeper, VA 22701

Jim will donate $2 to the GCA/ATC Association for each book purchased by a member of the group.