Anderson retires after 18 years as Wadena County Veterans Service Officer
by Trinity Gruenberg
Long-time Veterans Service Officer David Anderson has retired from his post.
Anderson was born at Wesley Hospital, graduated from Sebeka High School, and Staples VoTech. He worked at the North American Railroad Company, rebuilding railroad cars, and then at the Sebeka Bakery.
At the age of 22, Anderson felt the need to do something more and joined the Navy. An Army recruiter actually talked to him first.
He wanted to be a helicopter pilot, but there was a two-year waiting list. He wanted to go to Thailand but learned he’d have to be there four years and request embassy duty. Anderson also thought about tanks and going to Germany.
He spoke to his father, an Army veteran, about the possibility of driving a tank. They talked about what Anderson could do after the Army and how driving a tank wouldn’t translate into a job. His father did not support this decision.
Anderson picked up a flyer for the Navy, which offered positions for a hull technician, welding, and brazing much like he did with the rail cars. He called the Navy recruiter. After going back and forth, the recruiter took him to the ASVAB test at Fargo. They encouraged him to be a gas turbine systems technician on new ships....