European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 1, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Magazine making it As an air Force family by Dave Diehl , bureaus t i 30 a u the Portee Homo the Colfi o pot is gurgling Oul its last drops three year old Nickoli in t paying much Allon Tion to his now Mushy co real brother Ian 10, is upstairs Reading mom s been doing her usual morning housework she s upstairs changing. Dad s up. Bul to was Able to Sloop today he s usually Oul to door Fay 4 30. It s not like this every to rung Mashlor sergeant husband dad Shelton Porlee is usually Al Woik by 5 . This week is Dilfer enl. Master sergeant mom Wile Wanda Porlee has finished her housework the bed has to be made and the House has to be clean before going to work but today she does t have to wait Lor the Babysitter to show. Dad can Wail for her. Couples in uniform Nickoli As Ever does t want mom to go. It s second nature now a hug and a kiss make i i of to leave. Wanda Portea s uniform is what fellow airman would refer Loas Sharp above average better than it has to be even after she serves As a Jungle gym Lor her son. A Mila and a half of jogging or six Miles on a bicycle a Day keep it fitting Well. The air Force has been Good to the porters. Bolh Are Well paid together the if Force pays them Aboul $4.000 per month at their ranks they Don t lace some of the financial problems or obstacles of other couples. They have two new cars a Nice House an All Day Bab Shter plenty to Eaf a lol to look Forward to. She s been in the military for 14 years he s been in 19 they met at Lackland fab. Texas As Drill instructors raining new recruits. They be been married before she to a Mhilary Man he to a civilian they know they ii have  and Downs. But they know each other. They know and like the air Force they know thai each of them not Only depends on. Bul is Relle cled in the other you re compared constantly Wanda. 32, said of Hersell and her husband although they work at sepia Ito bases to As a professional military education ins i Rector at r of Upwood. She As an in Vantory management spec asst Raf Alconbury 15 Miles away they know and often work with some of to same people. She sad what he does will reflect on her and vice versa. Wanda Porto is White. Hollon Porlee is Black. Does being an interracial couple Creale problems it has i Lor them. Some couples use Ilas a Crutch. An excuse Iff problems said master sgt.  Portee but even in their travels in Small towns where Lay expected Al least a few stares in places like Texas. Sis photo by Dave 01ehl Wanda Portee with Taulty military women carry the Load at Home. I ton expect any More Lor  Kentucky and Britain the two if Force mauler sergeants Haven t seen any evidence of prejudice directed at them. Bolh Chalk it up to acting Normal because they feel and say they Are. A Normal couple it has t affected i heir careers. Shellon. Who has been a pc engine Mechanic a maintenance scheduler and a Drill instructor is wrapping up his Lour at the . Air forces Europe no Academy. Before the year s end he and his family will be in Okinawa his 14th Lour since joining the air Force. No More classes to teach. He s the first of Tho family to snarl the move. He s emptied his Ohice. There s extra Lime in the Day. The if Force has almost been As much about basketball As it has a career Lor him. He s in there playing with the lunchtime pick up crowd full court these games. At 36, Polce s passes Are More certain his Steps More sure his play his shots planned he s playing with men Hall his age. He claims he s Oul of shape but he looks bettor Ana stronger than most to looks As Young by i some Call him "pops.1 he s playing less now his logs Aren t what they used to be and he says i Don t have the drive i used to to coaches instead of plays for the base team. To plays in two intramural leagues. But what he lacks in physical drive is made up in professional drive his 4 . Wake up. He says is partly due to his stint As a military training instructor. On class Days he s in the office by 5 ., preparing and reviewing Tor the Day s classes teaching technical and master sergeants things like military customs and courtesies and world affairs. When he s in the gym at Alconbury by 5 p.m., he s Homo by 8. He studies reads naps. He wakes up Friday August 1, 1936 Lor a few hours studies reads and Back to sleep until 4. Ii begins again Portee from Buffalo ny., Lisl re enlisted in the air Force when they offered him Tho Bonus because i never seen so much Money in All   he s held Oul and he could retire next year. He wont unless it s necessary. The Only thing he says that would make it so would be an eminent separation from Wanda and the kids he does t be the Houghl of an enforced separation from them. Ii could he a Remote tour an assignment to a separate base. The air Force sometimes has a hard Lima locating two senior cos at the same base. He s thought of being a first sergeant to Beller their chances of slaying together but if it came to it he d change roles to said. Ii we had to Sepa ale. I d get out and Lake care of the kids. Thai would t be too big of a sacrifice to keep us together 1 think i Man enough or woman enough to do  Wanda a Wool Liberty. Ky., native came rom a family of 11 kids. She works hard. Besides handling the base s $109 million equipment account and supervising seven others she Cooks Deans the House and takes care of the kids she does t mind she grew up with it. Growing up As a daughter of a Farmer Means Hal when she finished in the Fields Wilh he Brothers she had Iho household chores to do too. The majority of women in the military carry the Toad at  Wanda said. I Don l expect any More for that. I could have chosen nol to have any  As a woman in the military Wanda says she expects to have to work harder it s a fact of military life. You have to be aggressive to stay in the military As a Lemala final article of series the stars and stripes Page 13