Honoring Our Heroes

Captain James Robert Bossert: Age 81

James Robert Bossert served 27 years in the U.S. Military including six years enlisted in the U.S. Army, nine years enlisted in the U.S Air Force and 12 years as an officer in the U.S. Air Force. His Air Force Specialty Code (AFSC) included: (1) 4945C Communications Computer Systems Officer, (2) 4924 Plans and Programs and (3) 5135B Information Systems Plans and Programs Staff Officer. His military medals, awards, citations and ribbons were: Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award Ribbon, Air Force Good Conduct Medal with two oak leaf clusters, National Defense Service Medal, Army Good Conduct Medal, Air Force Longevity Service Award Ribbon with four oak leaf clusters, Small Arms Expert Marksmanship Ribbon, Non Commissioned Officer Professional Military Education Graduate Ribbon, Air Force Overseas Long Tour Ribbon and Air Force Training Ribbon.

Captain Bossert was born October 30, 1943 to his parents, Robert George and Julie Bossert, in Flushing Queens, New York. Three generations of the Bossert served in the U.S. Military. His father served in the U.S. Army Air Corps during WWII as an engineer disarming a bomb earning a Silver Star and completing his military service in the Army Reserve at the rank of Lt. Colonel. Captain Bossert's son, Warren, served in the U.S. Army for 2.5 years before passing away from cancer.

Because his father worked in the family construction business, the Bossert family moved to many locations while he was being reared. Captain Bossert graduated from Staples High School at Westport, Connecticut, in 1961, and he attended college at the University of Bridgeport for 1.5 years. He then volunteered for service in the U.S. Army and enlisted at Bridgeport, CT, February 25, 1963.

Captain Bossert completed 90 days of Boot Camp at Fort Dix, New Jersey. He first served at Ft. Rucker, AL, where he worked on engines for fixed wing aircraft and helicopters for one year. He then was transferred to Fliegerhorst Air Base, Germany, where he worked as a mechanic, an office clerk and inventory clerk for two years and took courses at the University of Maryland. After this assignment, he remained out of the U.S. Military for a while until he joined the U.S. Air Force in 1971 at Bridgeport, CT. He completed a Disbursement Accounting course for two months at Sheppard Air Force Base, TX, and he then worked in accounting at McCoy Air Force Base, FL, at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska, for 18 months where he also completed courses at the University of Alaska and then at Plattsburg State University while serving at Plattsburg Air Force Base, N.Y., for four years.

He graduated with a B.A. Degree in Business Administration with a major in Accounting from Plattsburg State University in 1978. Captain Bossert completed Officer Candidate School at Lackland Air Force Base, TX. He then started out as a 2nd Lieutenant as a computer officer. He was then stationed at Langley Air Force Base. VA, for four years serving as head of the management team of Tactical Air Command taking care of the iterations which are new versions of a piece of computer hardware or software changes in programs. His final Air Force duty station was at the Computer Center at Maxwell Air Force Base Gunter Annex, AL. When he first arrived there, he worked with the computers for the Judge Advocate General. Then he worked with the plans and programs at the headquarters and also worked as the budget officer for the headquarters. Captain Bossert retired from military service in June 1990.

Captain Bossert and his wife, Jeanette Ann, were married 58 years before she passed away, and they had two children, seven grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. Since his childhood at the age of 10, he has had a deep interest operating, designing and engineering model trains.

When reflecting on his military career, Captain Bossert says, "The best thing about the military was that I was able to control where I was going and what I was doing, and my family and I were secure." He would like people to remember him as being friendly and helpful.