This story begins four years after "
Throwin' Pennies in the Bay
."
The following events occurred in 1985, long before the "Don't ask, don't tell" policy was in place in the military. Being an active lesbian was risking your career, especially for an officer.
© 2020-2023 Candy_Kane54
***
I was starting my new assignment today. I arrived in the area last week, settling into my new residence, but today would be my first day in the office. Luckily, my possessions, including my 1980 Ford Mustang convertible, showed up in time to set up my place. I did visit the facilities last Friday to scope out the building I would be working in.
For this assignment, I was leasing a two-bedroom condo in El Segundo, less than twenty minutes from the base. I was lucky to get it. It turned out that the owner was an Air Force officer who was being assigned back east, and he didn't want to sell it, so I got a terrific deal on a four-year lease for it.
I had worked my current assignment to Acquisitions Systems Command (ASC) at Los Angeles Air Force Station (AFS). Typically, an Air Force Base has a runway, while an Air Force Station doesn't. Los Angeles AFS was a collection of office buildings, a gymnasium and athletic field, and a commissary. It didn't even have living quarters. They were located at the army facility at Fort MacArthur in San Pedro, quite a commute for any enlisted personnel assigned to Los Angeles AFS. Officers got a housing allowance and were on their own to find a place to live.
I was looking forward to meeting my civilian co-workers and fellow officers after reporting to my new commander. The Strategic Defense Initiative (SDI) was finally fully funded, and the Brilliant Eyes program was an integral part of it. The Pentagon was anxious to get the SDI programs through the Request for Proposal (RFP) process and get contracts awarded as quickly as possible.
My job was to ensure the contractors interested in working on the Brilliant Eyes program understood what the RFP was asking for. I would be briefing each of the four contractor teams that expressed an interest in this program whenever the requirements changed, or there were questions about them. Based on my previous experience working with Infrared (IR) sensor systems at the Air Force Weapons lab, I was perfect for the job.
With that in mind, I wanted to make a good impression. As I went through my morning toilet and laid out the uniform I would wear today, I studied my image in the mirror. I had long, straight honey-blonde hair halfway down my back and sapphire blue eyes. I was 5' 2" tall and weighed 104 pounds. I was a knockout and always turned heads, men and women alike. I was sure I could still rock my high school cheerleader outfit even as I would be celebrating my 32nd birthday next week.
After deciding on the skirt instead of the trousers today, I finished donning my uniform. I had great legs and loved to flaunt them. I then put a quick French braid in my hair and pinned it up into a loose bun to keep it in regulation (i.e., off the collar) while wearing the uniform. I loved my long hair and have resisted getting it cut, but someday I would get tired of putting it up all the time and get it shortened to shoulder length. But I won't just yet.
The weather was lovely ... 72 degrees and sunny, much better than the weather in Ohio. As I walked through the quadrangle, I smiled as I noticed I was turning heads. I briefly thought about my last assignment to the Foreign Technology Division (FTD) at Wright-Patterson AFB. I hoped my new assignment wouldn't involve foreign travel like that one had. That had been as much drama as I wanted to experience, although it had greatly enhanced my career. I smiled as I remembered Col. Travis getting his first star and how appreciative he had been for my part in helping him get it.
I reported to my new commander, Colonel Lyles, and he made sure I knew he was really looking forward to my making a significant impact on the program. In fact, he had already scheduled 'Meet and Greets' with all four contractors for me, starting tomorrow morning at one of the two local contractors. After hearing his enthusiasm about the program, I was sure I would enjoy this assignment.
Meeting the rest of my team went well. The team was made up of a great group of people. The civilian co-workers were laid back, but it was apparent that they knew what they were doing. Many of them were employees of The Aerospace Corp, located across Aviation Boulevard from my office building. The officers I would interact with were all nerds like me, not jackasses (most of them ring knockers) like some officers I've worked with. Meeting everybody took up most of the morning.
I had checked out the cafeteria across the commons when I visited last Friday and found they didn't have much in the line of salads for lunch. I decided to look for a nice restaurant for lunch, and, asking around, Jack's Salad Bar and Grill, located in Manhattan Beach, was recommended to me by several co-workers. After getting directions, I drove to the address given to me and saw that it was a quality place, just a short distance from the beach. Parking was at a premium, but I did find a spot nearby. I got out of my car, straightened my skirt, and put on my cap. As I walked up to the door, I checked my reflection in the window: I rocked my uniform, and my three-inch heels made my legs and ass look good.
I entered, removing my cap, and the hostess directed me to a table by the window. As I followed her, I noted that the outfits of the wait staff were high-rise cuffed shorties and tees with breast pockets. I sat down and picked up my menu.
Almost immediately, a waitress bounced over to my table and, after a brief moment of distraction, said, "Hi! I'm Bonnie. I'll be your server today. Can I start you out with something to drink?"
I checked Bonnie out, and I liked what I saw. She was about my age, height, and build, with straight brown hair down to the middle of her back in a ponytail, brown eyes, and a round face with a broad smile that looked like it went from ear to ear. She was really rocking the outfit. Her low-top sneakers and ruffled ankle socks made her look like a teenager.
I answered, "Thanks, Bonnie. I'll have some unsweetened iced tea with lemon." I always made it a habit to use the name of the person who waited on me. I liked to make them feel like I was treating them as an equal and not as a servant. Also, I love interacting with people when I get the chance. I had the bad habit of burying myself in my work and could go for a long time without interacting with anybody.