Phillip had always dreamed of being a member of the United States Air Force. After becoming an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America and Scout Lifeguard, he decided to attend Oakland City College after graduating from Oakland City High School. That did not fulfill his ambitions and he entered the USAF in Dec 1964. He graduated from BTMS in Feb 1965. Phillip attended Personal Equipment School at Chanute AFB, IL and graduated Apr 1965. His first station was with the 29th FIS at Malmstrom AFB, MT, where he did his job for the flight crews of F-101s until Apr 1966. Then he was transferred to Kinchole AFB, MI, with the 449 BW(H), where worked with crews of the B-52Hs and KC-135s. He was released from the USAF Apr 1967. After that he returned to Oakland City College for another semester. Phillip did factory work and sales work until he became a Indiana certified Emergency Medical Technician and became employed by the Gibson County Emergency Medical Services, 28 Sept 1976 until he retired as an Advanced Emergency Medical Technician, 12 Mar 2013. He joined the Air Force Association in the 1990s and became a Life Time Member 2006. He is a Charter Member of the USAF Memorial. He still enjoys keeping up with the daily activities of the USAF. He and his wife Martha do family researches and travel across the country many times photographing lighthouses, waterfalls, and covered bridges.