Don McBurney was a US Air Force pilot, flying an EC-121 in radar recon and combat air patrol over Vietnam; he also patrolled Korea's DMZ, and his unit traded salutes with Russian Bears as they flew the northerly extension of America's DEW Line. After his military service, Don graduated from Oral Roberts University with a master's degree in theology, and today Don is a retired real estate appraiser. He and his wife of forty-nine years are active in their local church and are proud parents of five grown children and (so far) nine grandchildren.