Chip Malcolm Auto Biography
July 18, 2002
Born May 14, 1951 in Washington, DC (51 years
old). Grew up an Air Force "brat" as my father was career
military. Attended 14 schools in 12 years; my family was stationed
at Charleston Air Force Base six of the 12 years and I graduated from high
school there. When I go back for class reunions, it seems like coming
home.
As a kid, I loved shooting whenever I had the
opportunity to shoot. Was able to do some rabbit, squirrel and bird
hunting when visiting grandparents on the farm in Southeastern NC. Of
course, my BB gun and baseball glove were my two most cherished possessions
growing up.
After high school graduation, I enlisted in the
Air Force to fulfill my military duty to my country. Vietnam was raging
in 1969 and I knew I would have to go sooner or later. My plan was to do
my military service and then use the GI Bill to get further educated.
I volunteered for Security Police because I
knew I would get to shoot as much as I wanted. Handguns, rifles,
shotguns, .30 caliber and .50 caliber machine guns, and even got to play
around with 81 mm mortars. Graduated "Outstanding Honor
Graduate" from Security Police school after being trained in law
enforcement and nuclear security.
My first duty assignment was with the 68th Bomb
Wing, Strategic Air Command, Seymour Johnson AFB, Goldsboro, NC in the summer
of 1970. My job was guarding a B-52 in the alert bomber area with a
payload of 12 nuclear warheads. There were nine alert bombers in this
secured area that were ready to fly on a moments notice if the orders came
down. It was kind of like living the movie "Dr. Strangelove"
(Peter Sellers--Slim Pickens).
I received orders in September of 1970 for Phu Cat
AB (air base), Republic of Vietnam. The end of November and most of
December was spent in Texas undergoing Asian Zone Readiness (AZR)
training, i.e. combat school. Now that was real fun--even had the
priviledge of crawling 100 yards on the basic infiltration course under live
.30 caliber machine gun fire. At night, the tracers make the prettiest
red lines just over your head. And to think, for every red line that you
saw there were four more rounds in the air. I was a happy camper
when that was over.
I left McChord AFB, Seattle, WA for Vietnam on
January 27, 1971. Twenty hours later I arrived in Cam Ranh Bay on
January 29--we crossed the International Dateline, I lost the 28th day of
January, 1971. I caught a flight on a C-7 Carribou up country to Phu Cat
and signed into the 12th Security Police Squadron, 12th Combat Support Group,
Seventh Air Force. The thing I quickly realized about being in a
war-zone is that it truly is 90% boredom and 10% sheer terror.
After my tour of duty was completed, I was
assigned to the 363rd Security Police Squadron, 363rd Tactical Fighter Wing,
Shaw AFB, Sumter, SC. The neat thing about receiving orders for Shaw was
the fact that my father was also stationed there. I processed in at Shaw
in early February 1972 and worked as the desk sergeant for Cobra Flight
(midnight shift) law enforcement.
On May 25th, 1972, while on a three day pass, I
was involved in a motorcycle accident which resulted in complete paralysis due
to a compression fracture at T-5. Crusing at about 35 mph, an older man
with poor sight just didn't see me and made a left turn into my path.
The next 4 1/2 months was spent at the Portsmouth Naval Hosp, Portsmouth, Va
recuperating. Then 4 1/2 months in rehab at the Richmond Veterans
Administration Hosp in Richmond, Va.
Aftrer being discharged from the VA Hosp I became
a beach bum at Myrtle Beach, simply because I could. I met my wife,
Lynn, in 1981 and we were married in April of 1982. Our son, Marshall,
is a graduate of UNC, Greensboro with two degrees. Needless to say, we
are both very proud of him!
In December of 1982, I started Limited Electric,
Inc., a load management consulting and engineering business, which has since
become A-1 Energy International, Inc. After twenty years it keeps me
somewhat busy, but there is always time for shotgunning. Where most
companies use golf as entertainment and to seal the deal, we use sporting
clays.
After Vietnam I just didn't care about seeing
anything in the sights of a gun. It took twenty years and a childhood
friend to get me out shooting again. The friend, Ron Herring, took me on
a sporting clays shoot for my birthday in May of 1992. I loved it from
that very first quartering away target, and would be afraid to say how
many clay birds I've shot at since that day.
Six months after my first sporting round, I was
invited to shoot with General Schwarzkopf in his charity shoot, The
Schwarzkopf Cup, to benefit The Miami Project to Cure Paralysis. I was
able to participate in all Schwarzkopf Cup's to benefit The
Miami Project from 1992 to 1998 (the last year it was held). In
1995, I was the Captain of the winning team and am very proud of my
Schwarzkopf Cup which sits on a trophy shelf in my office.
At the 1996 Cup, in mid-March, I was approached by
Sam Rensi, Vice President of Firearms and International Trade for Remington
Arms Company, who asked if I would like to shoot under contract. He also
wanted me to become an instructor at the Remington Shooting School, which I
did. By the last week of March I was in Orlando instructing
for Remington.
I continued instructing eleven days a month, every
other month for the next year. The school was in Orlando in the
winter and Ilion, NY in the summer--not altogether a bad deal.
Due to my affiliation with Remington I have been
able to attend celebrity shoots such as The Louise Mandrell Shoot and the
Nascar drivers shoot for the Nascar Wives Auxillary at Summer Duck Farm.
With Remington's participation in Nascar, I've met many of the drivers, car
owners and others in the sport.
It's still hard to believe that I've had the
priviledge to know and shoot with Dale Earnhardt and Dale Jr., Richard and
Kyle Petty, Bobby and Donnie Allison, Ron Hornaday, Kevin Harvick, Jeff
Burton and many more. I can even say that Mike Helton, President and CEO
of Nascar, is a good friend.
Two of my favorite charity events are
the Think First for Kids Cloister Classic at Sea Island, Georgia, for the
Think First Foundation - a national injury prevention foundation, and
the Lakeshore Foundation Sporting Clays Challenge at Selwood Farm outside
of Talladega, Alabama.
I was given the honor of being nominated to the
Board of Directors of the Think First Foundation this past March at
the shoot in Sea Island. I look forward to the opportunity to work
with the kids that this foundation reaches and educates about the
importance of protecting the brain and spinal cord. I am sure
that I can make an impact on the kids that I will speak to, and they will
remember the message I will leave with them--use your mind to protect your
body... think first before doing something unwise or unsafe that may have
life-altering consequences.
Even though I'm not doing as much for Remington
now as in the past, the relationship is as solid as ever. I will always
shoot my Remington guns and use Remington ammo because I truly believe in, and
enjoy using Remington equipment. After almost six and a half years
of being associated with Remington Arms, like Clayton Moore will always be the
"Lone Ranger", I guess I will always be that guy from
Remington.
I will end with an affirmation of my faith in
God and my saviour, Jesus, The Christ. Without whom I could not
have lasted this long under these conditions in my life. With faith came
the knowledge that paralysis is just a slight inconvenience that allows me to stand
out in a crowd. God has helped me keep the proper attitude and
perspective on the one hand, and has blessed me beyond belief on the other.
To Him I give all the praise and glory.
Chip Malcolm
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