Haymaker Histories: Highlighting Bryan Weale, Class of ’90

Recently, many Phillipians shared their stories with us as part of our Oral History Project. The following is one of these special stories from Bryan Weale, a 1990 graduate and veteran.

When I was stationed at Vance Air Force Base as an air traffic controller, I decided to pursue my degree and possibly become an officer. The military was incredibly supportive, granting me orders to attend Phillips University full-time for my final year. There were a couple other people that were also in the military that attended Phillips. I’m still friends with them. After completing my degree, the military sent me to serve in Desert Storm.

While I didn’t receive a commission, having my degree helped me advance within the enlisted ranks. I was able to take on more leadership roles, overseeing various offices and operations. Later, I transitioned to working as a contractor, using my expertise to help develop new simulators for the AWACS program at Tinker Air Force Base. I even went on to earn a master’s degree in business while continuing this work. Now that I’m retired, my wife and I enjoy taking an annual trip to Hawaii, staying at a military hotel called Hale Koa on Waikiki Beach in Oahu.