Chip was born in Dalton, GA but grew up in the Chattanooga, TN area on top of Signal Mountain.  He attended Chattanooga High School graduating in 1970. His father was a WWII veteran having served with the First Special Service Force who were a special operations unit consisting of Canadian and US soldiers.  The US Army Green Beret today claim the FSSF as one of the of units of their lineage. That sparked his interest in the Army. 

After Graduation he attended North Georgia College which offered a full time ROTC program for all resident males.  During his senior year at NGC 1973 – 1974, He applied and was accepted into the Citadel in Charleston.  He graduated in 1974 with a degree in history and political science.  This was the Cold War era so one of his favorite study focuses was Soviet Foreign Politics.

Upon graduation from the Citadel, he was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the US Army Field Artillery Branch.  The next weekend he married, Gail, who he met in their freshman English class. The next weekend he reported to Fort Sill Oklahoma for Field Artillery Basic Course 

After graduating from the basic course he was posted to Fort Carson, in Colorado Springs Colorado.   With the 1st Battalion 19th Field Artillery 4th Infantry Division (Mechanized). 

As a 2nd Lieutenant he assigned several duties, supply officer, arms room officer, Chemical, Biological, and Radiological warfare officer, etc.  

The special duty jobs mentioned above are not your primary tactical mission. He was a forward observer which means you adjust indirect artillery fire for the infantry and armor units that you support.  He was assigned to support an armor unit, had to learn how to command and fight a main battle tank in combat and spent 6 weeks living in an M-60 A1 and qualifying all the tank tables.  

At that time some field artillery units still had a tactical nuclear weapon mission. They spent countless hours practicing with training, not armed, nuclear warheads.  Fortunately, we never had to fire one.

His unit deployed twice from Fort Carson to Germany, there he was promoted to Captain. In Wiesbaden they took over an old Air Force base and moved in with an entire heavy mechanized brigade.  

After about five years of service, he and Gail decided to separate from the military and pursue civilian life.

He was hired by Michelin North America and spent 39 years with Michelin in many different positions.  Eventually moving to Simpsonville, South Carolina in 1994.  Gail was a teacher all those many years. She finished her career at Hillcrest High after 22 years teaching there. 

He and Gail are blessed with boy, girl twins in 1982. They are both married and live here in Greenville.  They have 3 grandchildren with their daughter and a baby on the way with their son.  

They enjoy retirement and loving being close to their children and grandchildren.●