I started working for the 7th Psychological Operations Battalion (US Army) as an illustrator.
The place we worked was Graphics Art Section that included
panchro-film photographers
ortho-film photographers
offset plate makers
Multilith 1250 Printing Machine operators
and illustrators.

A friend at work convinced me to take step into photography.
He trained me on darkroom technique
and even helped order a camera from PX (Pacific Exchange Service).
When he first mentioned "photo" to me,
both he and I didn't realize that he prepared a career for me and two years later I became combat-photographer for The Associated Press.