Air Force provides foundation for new career

By Melanie Creamer, Portland Press Herald News Assistant

Copyright © 2003 Blethen Maine Newspapers Inc.

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Photo Bruce Datson II

MAINERS AT WAR A daily profile of men and women serving in the armed services as part of Operation Iraqi Freedom BRUCE DATSON II Age: 27 Hometown: Buxton Rank/branch/unit: Staff Sgt. U.S. Air Force, Command and Control Stationed: Ramstein Air Base, Germany Military occupation: Command and Control, satellite intelligence Family: Son of Dawn Pierce-Datson; brother of John and James Datson and grandson of Richard and Faye Pierce, of Buxton. Education: 1995 Graduate of Bonny Eagle High School and currently taking college courses in the Air Force. We welcome your submissions for Mainers At War. E-mail information to mainersatwar@pressherald.com, or call 1-800-442-6036, ext. 6300. OUR NATION AT WAR Our special section looks at how the war with Iraq is affecting Maine. You can find: News coverage about how Maine reacts Event listings for rallies Online discussions of issues surrounding the war To top of story

Since Bruce Datson left his job as assistant manager at Wendy's nearly six years ago, he has been to five countries, served in Operation Iraqi Freedom and has become a young man with a promising future.

Datson, a staff sergeant, collected information from satellites and gave coordinates of enemy targets to coalition forces. In addition, he compiled information received by ground forces and analyzed the data.

Datson joined the Air Force to make a better life for himself. His grandfather, Richard Pierce, of Buxton, said he has certainly found his niche in life.

"It is great to see the change in him," said Pierce. "The military has brought out the best in him. It has given him a good education in what he is doing and he has the opportunity to go to college."

Currently, Datson is studying to be a teacher. He wants to teach history and will have plenty of material learned first hand, although much of what he does is classified. He served two six-month tours in Kuwait, a year of active duty in Korea and about four weeks in the Persian Gulf for Operation Iraqi Freedom. In addition, he participated in advanced military training for a year in Iceland and in Germany.

His grandfather, who has been more like a surrogate father, said he and his wife were very nervous when he was in the Persian Gulf during the war. He was also worried while he was in Korea.

"The tensions had started to increase when he was over in Korea," said Pierce. "You just don't know what North Korea is going to do. I couldn't find the words to define how proud I am of him. There is not a day that goes by that I don't talk about Bruce. We are proud of all the boys and women that are overseas and we hope they all get home safe."

Currently Datson is stationed in Germany, where he is taking advanced training for a new classified assignment. Datson is scheduled to continue training in the states, when he hopes to come home to Buxton for the July Fourth holiday.

"Yesterday, my wife got a card for Mothers Day, 'For a Special Grandmother.' "My wife is crying right now," said Pierce. "We just adore him. We think the world of him. There is always a person that is a little bit different - that stands out from the rest. Bruce is that person."

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