Marilyn, I was in the AF, stationed at Sandia Base 1969-1972. I worked for DOD DNA. I was a computer operator. For two years an Army Sgt Roger Sorenson and me AF Sgt Tom Mitchell, carrying small arms, picked up punched cards (locked in box) on Sandia Base, drove all the way to Manzano AFB (mostly MPs on this base) We continue to drive inside the mountains, produced reports from the punch cards, and returned to Sandia. We did this twice a day. In 1971, we had a card reader and printer on Sandia Base and did not have to drive to the mountains. In 1972 I was put in charge of merging the data of the bases (Sandia and Kirtland. No more Sandia after the IT merger. From 1974 to 1983 I was employed, as a civilian by the same DOD DNA as a System Analyst.
Marilyn, I was in the AF, stationed at Sandia Base 1969-1972. I worked for DOD DNA. I was a computer operator. For two years an Army Sgt Roger Sorenson and me AF Sgt Tom Mitchell, carrying small arms, picked up punched cards (locked in box) on Sandia Base, drove all the way to Manzano AFB (mostly MPs on this base) We continue to drive inside the mountains, produced reports from the punch cards, and returned to Sandia. We did this twice a day. In 1971, we had a card reader and printer on Sandia Base and did not have to drive to the mountains. In 1972 I was put in charge of merging the data of the bases (Sandia and Kirtland. No more Sandia after the IT merger. From 1974 to 1983 I was employed, as a civilian by the same DOD DNA as a System Analyst.
Thank you for responding! I just haven't kept up with History Hub, with so much going on in the past 2 months. I am so glad you could add some more information regarding Manzano Base. My late husband was discharged from the AF in Sept, 1967. He had been at Manzano Base for 2 yrs prior to his discharge. I have been attempting to obtain information on the radiation safety procedures provided at Manzano Base during the mid to late 1960's. I have contacted the resources provided by this History Hub group: but, without much success. So much information seems to be archived. Usually one source will refer me to another. It's like a merry-go-round. I'm told that any radiation site inspection reports would have been destroyed by now. I also haven't been able to locate any information on military personnel dosimetry badge requirements during that time period. I plan to get back to my research as soon as I can.
I just thank you so much for describing your Sandia Base experience. I wish I had sent you a "thank you" before now. My regards.
Tom Mitchell. I just found your post and was wondering why it was as late as 1971 that you acquired a card reader while at Sandia. I was stationed there 1962 -1965 and we had mucho EAM equipment including card readers, sorters, collaters, and keypunch machines. In fact we had what was then the latest IBM digital storage media, RAMAC - Random Access Storage - and before my separation from the service a small IBM 360 computer with removable disk drives was in place. That being said, I know information about such things was compartmentalized so your section may not have known of this computer capacity.
I do not remember the trip to Manzano as being “all the way”. If memory serves it was just a few minutes Drive.
