David (David Michael Montella) graduated from the Army's Southeast Signal School in Georgia in 1967, as a Specialist 4th class Aviation Electronics Technician. He was assigned to Company B in the 229th Aviation (Assault Helicopter) Battalion in Quang Tri, Vietnam in February of 1969 and he spent his first week flying in and out of the A Shau Valley stripping electronics equipment from his unit's downed UH-1H helicopters to use as floats (backup equipment) for his other Hueys . Half way through his tour in Vietnam, he was promoted to Specialist 5th Class and at the end of his tour he left Vietnam with an Air medal and a Bronze Star for heroism. He was next assigned to Boeblingen, Germany and later to the Army Air Force Base at the Stuttgart Airport in Stuttgart, Germany, where he finished his 3rd year of active duty. He took a European discharge and flew to Spain, France, Germany and England before heading home to attend Florida Institute of Technology (FIT). Coincidently, while at FIT, he was housed at the airport campus, where he took flying lessons and obtained his private pilot's license. He flew both Piper Cubs and Cessna 140s.