Oral History Interview with Nancy Prokop

[Interview Ends]

SPRAGUE: Today is May 4th, 2023. This is an interview with Nancy Prokop, who served in the United States Air Force from 1986 to 1990. Nancy entered the service as Nancy Poltzer. This interview is being conducted by Luke Sprague at the Manitowoc Public Library for the I Am Not Invisible Project for the Wisconsin Veterans Museum Oral History Program. No one else is present in the room. Okay. First of all, Nancy, where did you grow up?

PROKOP: Well, I was born in. And then when I was 12 years old, my family moved to Colorado. So I grew up in are mostly grew up in Boulder, Colorado.

SPRAGUE: Okay. And just out of curiosity, what did your family do?

PROKOP: Oh, my father was in real estate. My mother, she was a property manager for a company in Boulder.

SPRAGUE: Okay. Did you have any brothers and sisters?

PROKOP: I'm the youngest of five, so I have three brothers and one sister. And two of my brothers were in the military as well. Army and Marine Corps. And my dad was in the Army as well.

SPRAGUE: Okay. And if you're okay with it, could you mention their first names so we can reference them?

PROKOP: Sure. My dad was Robert Andrew Pulitzer. My brother is Robert Pulitzer. And then my other brother, Frank Pulitzer. So Robert was my dad. And my brother Robert or Bob were in the Army. And Frank was in the Marine Corps.

SPRAGUE: Okay. Yeah. So a pretty big service tradition in your family.

PROKOP: Yeah. Awesome.

SPRAGUE: Cool. And how did that did that influence you to join?

PROKOP: Partly, yes. Yes, it did. My my dad wasn't real thrilled at first for me to leave the house and join the military. But then they were on board and supportive. And of course, I love that my brother was a marine. So that did influence me as well. Okay.

SPRAGUE: And so what what in addition to you had mentioned, of course, your family influence, what were the other things that motivated you? What made you want to join the military?

PROKOP: Well, so growing up in Boulder, Colorado, we live ten miles west of Boulder, up in the mountains. So it was a little more secluded type of of life, you know. So being, you know, young and, you know, I was 17, the senior in high school. I kind of wanted to, you know, see the world. That's what I wanted to I was like, I would just want to get out. And I wanted to travel and and see the world. And I want to I decided to join the military because of that.

SPRAGUE: And did you enlisted 17 or did you enlisted 18?

PROKOP: 17? Yeah, I was still in high school, so I was in the delayed enlistment program for, I think, nine months.

SPRAGUE: Okay. And did you have to get your parents signature or something?

PROKOP: I think so, yes.

SPRAGUE: Okay. Did you have any grandfathers or grandmothers who served or uncles?

PROKOP: Not that I know of.

SPRAGUE: Okay. So when you were in the delayed entry program and you were still in high school at the time?

PROKOP: Yes. Boulder High School. Mm hmm.

SPRAGUE: I have to ask, what? What was that like being in the military and being still in high school?

PROKOP: It was exciting for me. I was anxious to join, you know, knowing that this was the path I was going to take. It was. It was motivating to, you know, get through it and move on with this decision of joining the military. I was ready.

SPRAGUE: Right. What at the time, what were your thoughts? Were you thinking career? Were you thinking just a couple of years?

PROKOP: I wasn't sure. I think at the time it was just over four years. But we'll we'll see how it goes from there. So I guess I wasn't really sure. I think it was more the the short term. I don't know if I at that age, if I was thinking career wise for the military.

SPRAGUE: Did you did you have any thoughts about the G.I. Bill or.

PROKOP: Yeah, that was great. I had the GI Bill, which at the time was $10,500 for for the GI Bill. So later I did use that for for college.

SPRAGUE: Okay.

PROKOP: Okay. But that wasn't my motivating factor at all.

SPRAGUE: And what do you remember about leaving home and going to boot camp?

PROKOP: Yeah. So. So when I when I joined. One of the things is you have to be a certain weight. This is kind of a funny story. So I believe for my height I had to be £117 minimum, but they wavered it to £113 for me. Okay, So, so that day that I went to the Met station in Denver, the military entrance processing station, I was £109. I was always very skinny. I was always a gymnast growing up, too very active in sports and a sprinter and whatnot. So my mom and dad would drive me to the metro station and I was very concerned that I wasn't going to get into the military because I was so excited to join and because I was underweight. So we were driving and my dad said, Well, you can drink a gallon of water that's £4. I was like, Really? I'll do that. So I was 109. It needed to be at least already wavered to 113. So when I went to the processing station that that night before, I was eating lots of bananas and just being lazy and drinking fluids. And my roommate, she actually was a little overweight, so she was doing sit ups and push ups and I was sitting there eating bananas. And so the next day when we went to start the entrance, you know, stuff and the exams and so at breakfast, so I didn't go to the restroom in the morning. I went to breakfast, had a big, huge breakfast, and I literally had a gallon jug and I had it filled with water. And I was drinking my water and holding everything in my bladder and drinking that gallon of water. So I finally got to the first place was to get weighed in and the doctor took forever. And I was in it looked like I was six months pregnant. I was in so much pain I couldn't button my pants and my my the girls that were with me were like, Oh my God, are you going to make it? I was miserable. It was awful. So when the doctor came in to finally weigh us, everybody said, Take her, take her. She needs to get weight. So sure enough, it was exactly £113. I made my weight and I was so thrilled to get into the military, but with my weight. But it was a it was a fine process. I was, you know, anxious for it and all went well.

SPRAGUE: And so where did you go to boot?

PROKOP: San Antonio, Texas was my basic training for six weeks.

SPRAGUE: And what was that like? What was that like arriving there?

PROKOP: Well, it was interesting you ask that because. So the night before, this was in Denver. So the next day we were supposed to fly to Texas. And so for, you know, our first day and, you know, and the whole thing they talk about they call it shakedown. You know, you go in as a civilian with civilian clothes and your civilian items, and it's a big shakedown. And they make fun of you or they yell and scream at you. And everybody was all nervous about shakedown. But we got on the plane and as we were flying out of Denver, all of a sudden people noticed that there was something fuel being dumped out of the wing of the aircraft. And the pilot came over and said that we were too heavy to land and they were dumping fuel. And we actually had to turn around and land back into Denver. And so we didn't go out until the next day. And so we missed shakedown. So in a way, it was a blessing in disguise. So we missed the big first day of a shakedown because of the plane airplane issues. Wow.

SPRAGUE: Was this an Air Force plane?

PROKOP: No, just a commercial plane out of Denver? Yes. Huh.

SPRAGUE: So I bet you were relieved that you didn't have to go through a shakedown.

PROKOP: I was. Yeah, we were kind of.

SPRAGUE: What was it like when you got there? Being exposed to a new place, new people. What can you tell me about that? Oh.

PROKOP: It was like a whirlwind of. Of things, of waiting in line of. They always say hurry up and wait. You know, that kind of comes from the military. Hurry up and wait. Hurry up and wait. Just getting our uniforms going and going into this room that was just floor to ceiling with cubicles with all different sizes of uniforms. And so picking out our uniforms and getting familiar with our our bunks where we slept in one big open dormitory room with two rows of beds down each side, and then our lockers at the head of each bed. So it was just, you know, meeting our you know, meeting my fellow airmen and getting used to the rules and regulations of of, you know, basic training and what they expected of us. So it was a whirlwind, but I was always okay with it. I actually didn't mind basic training. Some women dropped out right in the beginning, but I was very gung ho. I liked it.

SPRAGUE: Had you trained to be in shape for the air, for the Air Force, or were you already how did that you know, in terms of prep?

PROKOP: Well, growing up from a small child, I was a gymnast, so I was always very strong. And, you know, they used to have the presidential fitness awards where how many pull ups you can do and sit ups and holding yourself above their. And that was all real easy for me. I, I enjoyed that. So that was fun for me. And my dad was like that, too. He was real skinny and just super strong, you know. So, you know, one of the things we had to do in basic training was go through the confidence course they call it, or like the obstacle course. And that was just like a giant jungle gym for me. That was so much fun. But some women were not real comfortable with that. You know, the first thing they had to do is walk on a rope over a river, you know, holding the top rope and then just sidestep across it. And the first girl that went across was crying and they had to get her off of the rope because she couldn't do it, you know, And, you know, just jumping on to a rope and swinging over water and jumping, you know, across and doing the monkey bars and running. And so that was all very fun for me. I was I would say it was in good shape being a gymnast and and being strong to start with and being a sprinter as well.

SPRAGUE: Now, were there was this did you train with men or was it just women in your unit?

PROKOP: It was just women.

SPRAGUE: Okay.

PROKOP: Okay. Yeah. And on this picture I have actually says w o 18 was our our unit number and the W stands for women.

SPRAGUE: Okay. Do you want to share that picture?

PROKOP: Oh, sure. Yeah. It's this is our, like, our graduation picture. And this was in San Antonio.

SPRAGUE: Very nice. And if you could move it just a little bit. There you go. And what's the jet fighter in the background?

PROKOP: Oh, good question. Okay.

SPRAGUE: No, just that's yeah, not.

PROKOP: A good question. It was air, so.

SPRAGUE: No worries. It's fine.

PROKOP: So that was our flight number. W o 18 was our flight number and our squadrons. 3743 And I'm the fourth one from, from the left in this picture they put the tall ones in the back. It was five and five, ten and.

SPRAGUE: From the left and you gave me your W Oh. What was your full class number again for the record.

PROKOP: W o 18. So it's flight number and then our squadron as well.

SPRAGUE: And then the flight and squadron number, it looks like squad 3743 Squadron. Okay. Okay. Got it. In the flight fits within the squadron, correct. Yeah. It's a subordinate unit.

PROKOP: Yeah. Okay. So nice.

SPRAGUE: Well thanks for sharing that with.

PROKOP: Sure, sure.

SPRAGUE: Do you remember any of those class members or any fond memories or not. Fond memories.

PROKOP: Of. Yeah, all great memories. And I have I still have my my Air Force Military Training Center book, and it's kind of like a yearbook. And so I went through and reading what what people wrote and how they said, You're so funny and so much fun. And, you know, it was it was real fun reading those messages from from my fellow airmen.

SPRAGUE: Could we could we see the book again? Sure. Cover of it and show us.

PROKOP: Yeah.

SPRAGUE: And this would have been from Lackland Air Force Base in 86. What time in 86?

PROKOP: About January. January, early and February. Yeah. Okay. Gotcha. Yeah. So there are some pictures of me on the doing the confidence course or just standing in formation reading our Air Force book that we had to get familiar with on, you know, learning about ranking and all of that sort of thing. Okay. So yeah, do.

SPRAGUE: You does anyone stick out in your head that you remember from from basic from.

PROKOP: The one that always marched next to me, what her name was Carmen. Carmen Butler. And she just we just connected. And I was always a goofball, too. My dad was too. It's kind of funny. So when we'd be marching, you know, you'd be marching along and I would do a double step, you know, just let you get right back in. She always got Knock it off. Police are not going to impose their, you know, thuggery. And we used to just laugh and and and have fun. But it's funny, going through all the old pictures. It's like I remember all of those gals and we it was quite a team. We had a lot of fun, a lot of memories.

SPRAGUE: Any particular experiences that stick out in your head?

PROKOP: Oh, man, let's see. So yeah, so one time when we were marching and it was Sergeant No Cotton, he was our male training instructor, so he was marching us and he went down the line and had each one of us called Cadence for practice. Right? So each girl go along and say, okay, airman, so and so let's hear it. So they'd be like, hup, two, three, four, two, three, four, like that. Right? So and mind you, I was like, really gung ho. I love the stuff. So, so finally when it came to music. All right, let's hear it. And composer And then I hesitated because I was like, Oh, should I, should I do it? And he's was like, Let's hear it, Airman Pulsar. So I went to a three or four play up to up three of four, you know, real loud. And everybody started giggling in the flight. And then you said, and composer, how'd you like to call Cadence for the captain? I said, No, sir. You said, Let's hear it and repulse her. So I went, hut, two, three, four, two, three, four. And everybody started laughing again. So but I think they, they thought it was funny and I didn't get in trouble during.

SPRAGUE: One of their memories. Do you have four basic?

PROKOP: Let's see. I wrote down some notes about. Oh, yeah. So? So as you know, I was underweight, so I had to get my clothes specially altered. So they sent in. To get my my dress blues specially altered for my waist at my height. So unfortunately, which I was so bummed I missed our graduation parade because all I had was the blue skirt because I didn't have the altered pants. So I was really bummed about that, that I missed the parade at the end where the family members were there and whatnot because I was too skinny and they didn't have my my pants in yet. So I was really bummed about that. So I just had to stay in the dorm together.

SPRAGUE: Excuse me, Did your family come for graduation?

PROKOP: They I don't think they did, because they knew I wasn't going to be I wasn't going to be in it. PARADE Yeah. So and the thing is, is in in six weeks, we were, of course, up at the crack of dawn and running down into formation and marching and calisthenics and all these things. But when it came to Chow eight so much, I was so hungry all the time, you know, from being so active. So literally we would have if we were lucky, we had 5 minutes to eat our chow. So I would eat, I would finish everything and I would go up for I was like the only one that could go up for seconds within that time and get more because I was so hungry, so basic training, I gained £10. So by the time by the time I reached, I think it was my first duty station, or maybe it was in my my tech training school. I can't remember. My dress blues finally came in and then I'd outgrown them so they were too small. So I gained £10 and basic training for all that. Wow. Okay.

SPRAGUE: Anything else from basic that you'd care to share?

PROKOP: Um, let's see. I gained £10, I think. I think that was. That was it from basic, other than basic training, when it got closer to graduation, we had to fill out. They call it our dream sheet of where we wanted to be stationed. So by that time, after six weeks, I became very homesick. I really miss my my family. So, you know, I went in wanting to travel the world and I was so homesick. I put down all stateside. No, overseas. And I got Okinawa, Japan.

SPRAGUE: Now it's just like the military.

PROKOP: Yeah, but my my tech training was at Lowery Air Force Base in Denver, so I got to go back home for my training, which was I don't know how long it was. I can't remember. Six, six weeks, eight weeks. So I got to see my parents every weekend. It was great. So I was no longer homesick. So I was very excited to get stationed in Japan.

SPRAGUE: So before we jump to. Okay, you went to Lowry Air Force.

PROKOP: Lowry Air Force Base in Denver. Yeah. Okay.

SPRAGUE: Yeah. And that was four. And what did you choose as your career field?

PROKOP: It was a supply, so material filled material facility specialist and it spelled an 80 r i l at the end because not only is for military supplies, a lot of people put the L at the end, but l because it's specific to military supplies, which I thought was interesting. So so it was I pretty much worked in a warehouse. I learned how to drive a forklift, you know, a6k and a ten K forklift. I had a lot of fun.

SPRAGUE: Hold on. Sorry. So today first you said six K and a ten K for what?

PROKOP: The £6,000. What it could lift. Oh, okay. Yeah. The amount of weight. So it's a bigger, smaller forklift than a bigger forklift.

SPRAGUE: Okay. And did they train that with you at Lowry or.

PROKOP: No. No. This is when I got to Okinawa. Okay. Yeah. So we basically learned all of the, all of the paperwork stuff on, you know, how to, you know, for supplies arriving and, you know, getting supplies, pulling supplies and inventory and and getting it ready for shipment and also how to handle classified material, because we would handle like classified control panels for F-15 fighter jets and things of that nature. So we learned all about that and how to fill out all of the forms in the paper. And then the hands on stuff. Obviously it was in Okinawa.

SPRAGUE: So even during the training, was it still in 86? Was it still mostly paper or was there any computers involved yet or not?

PROKOP: Yeah, there were some computers, yes, but a lot of paperwork, a lot of signatures over the years. Uh huh. But then we had also they call it like you'll see them in hospitals. It's a tube or when you go to the drive through brain bank is like a tube system where you send the invoices and it shoots through and then it goes through whatever pickup and delivery wherever it needed to go to do the communication for the parts and and whatnot.

SPRAGUE: Do you remember anything from that tech training that sticks out in your mind? Incidents in class or hanging out with people after hours or any, you know, that memorable to you?

PROKOP: Not so much in in tech training. I do remember a lot of, you know, just a lot of classroom time, but I pretty much was gone on the weekends to be with my my family, my parents back home. So and they would come visit on base as well and we'd go to, you know, go to church on Sunday together or or whatnot. Most of my memories are more Okinawa. Mm hmm.

SPRAGUE: Did do you think your relationship changed with your parents from before you went to basic to after basic, or was it pretty much the same or was there a different you know what I mean?

PROKOP: I think it was I think it was the same, but I don't know, maybe even grew closer because of our time apart. So we would write lots of letters and talk on the phone as much as possible. And there was a, you know, a time difference in Okinawa. There was a certain time I had to call when they were awake and I was awake, you know. So yeah, lots and lots of letters and goodies from home was so awesome. So.

SPRAGUE: Okay, so we're talking about you're talking about from Okinawa sending letters back and forth. Yeah. Time difference. Okay, one quick thing and we'll button up the what what was your thinking when you I assume you chose Supply and what was your thought process?

PROKOP: Well, actually, you you took an exam and so there were certain jobs that you can do depending on your scores and supply was one of them. Okay. And so I ended up working in war readiness spare kits in Okinawa, Japan. Oh. So, yeah.

SPRAGUE: So tell me why when you got to Okinawa, where did you land? Did you land at Kadena or did you land somewhere.

PROKOP: Else you landed at? Well, I think it was the, um, the commercial. Um, not, not on base. I think it was Naha. Yeah, Naha. That was it. Yeah. Yeah. Landed in Naha. Okay. And I remember they lost my luggage, so I didn't get my luggage for, like, a month or something. I remember it was a long time. It was a long time.

SPRAGUE: When did you arrive in in Okinawa?

PROKOP: I believe it was March. So I'm trying to remember how long my tech training was. So that was for. Yeah, So probably March ish.

SPRAGUE: March of 86.

PROKOP: Yeah.

SPRAGUE: Okay. So what were your impressions when you got off the plane?

PROKOP: It was pretty. It was, you know, it's an island, so it was I just remember it being, you know, humid. Growing up in Colorado was very dry. So, you know, landing on this island. It was definitely a definitely a feeling of, you know, warmth and humidity and then just, you know, getting on base with all the the airplanes, the the sounds of the airplanes and getting to my dormitory. There was no room left in my in my supply squadron. So I ended up staying in the army like all the ammo dorms. So I lived with the ammo people my whole two and a half years in, in Okinawa, which is kind of interesting.

SPRAGUE: Had ammo people that I mean is that and how is it? I think I know, but tell me how that's different than what you did.

PROKOP: Well, there was, you know, army there was deal with ammunition and the loading of the planes and the storing of that ammunitions, their munitions. So, yeah, that's totally different from. Okay. You know my role?

SPRAGUE: Yeah. So tell me. And I've. I've looked into this a little bit, and it's interesting. You tell me. Tell me about war readiness, spares and spare kit. Spare kits?

PROKOP: Yeah. Tell me.

SPRAGUE: About this. I've seen pictures of it in photographs. Oh, explain to the reader, because they may not ever have another interview with someone talking about that, right?

PROKOP: Well, I think just because, you know, Kadena was a huge base and they were, you know, SAC Mak attack. So Strategic Air Command, tactical Air Command, military Airlift Command, which is like combat support, you know, so all these different types of aircraft. So we but mostly in risk. We supported, you know, like the F-15 fighter jets, but we had everything from nuts and bolts to props for helicopters. And like I said, we had a special locked cage for, you know, classified control panels for the F-15. So all different types of material. So we were at the ready. So sometimes we would be actually on the flight line, you know, in a hangar, and we'd have all our supplies on a truck and the maintenance guys would come up and they'd want a certain part and they would get it right then and there and go right to the plane and put it on the plane. So we did that for exercises and then for real, real time stuff. I went to Guam for a week for some real world event. We don't know exactly what it was for, but so we were kind of at the ready with these parts.

SPRAGUE: Now, when you when you said risk, you meant w r as k.

PROKOP: W r s k.

SPRAGUE: And one of the curiosities I had is, is that actually the name of the unit at Kadena or is there, is there.

PROKOP: Like just our level So our supply unit. Yeah, I work in risk, you know. Okay.

SPRAGUE: Would say and what roughly how many people were in the unit.

PROKOP: And that's a good question because we had, you know, three different shifts. So there was a time I work day shift, swing shift, night shift. Honestly, I can't I can't remember how many.

SPRAGUE: Okay.

PROKOP: How many did you.

SPRAGUE: Have A you know, I'm sure you had NCOs, senior NCOs, noncommissioned officers.

PROKOP: Yes.

SPRAGUE: Yeah, maybe an officer or maybe. But how did that work?

PROKOP: Yeah, they were. We did have a captain's office for a while. That was right. In our area of the warehouse, we had our office and then there was a separate office for a captain. He eventually moved to a different area, but it was mostly, you know, a warehouse type environment with the conveyor belts for and supplies would come down through the conveyor belt. And I had several TDY or temporary duties to the Philippines and Korea and Guam. So that was a quite a wonderful experience to be able to travel to those countries. Okay.

SPRAGUE: So you had talked about tell me about the one the one there's a couple of them that he said that interests me in particular. The first one of them was the flight to Clark Air Force Base. Tell us about.

PROKOP: That. Yeah, so we were on a plane. Oh, geez. I forget the name of KC a KC ten, was it? So it's a mid-air refueling. So this was for an exercise. But we're flying to the Philippines, so we had a 15 on either side of the plane that was following along with us. So we were allowed to take turns and go down below and sit next to the boom operator. And that was the guy that operated the boom that went down to the F-15 to re refuel it in midair. So I do have pictures of that where it's like a big glass window down below. And and the F-15 would fly up and they'd refuel it. I just remember there was a in the in the window of the F-15, the pilot had a little sign that said, let's party, exclamation point. I thought I got a picture of I thought that was pretty funny.

SPRAGUE: You're welcome to share those photos with us.

PROKOP: Oh, sure. Yeah. Let's see. So we'll take that one out. That's just like fun stuff. So this is going to the Philippines. It might be hard to see.

SPRAGUE: You know what? I'm going to bring this closer to camera just.

PROKOP: So that's one shot.

SPRAGUE: The one with the F-15 down below and then boom.

PROKOP: No, but that's the F-15 flying alongside.

SPRAGUE: Alongside. Got it. I'm just trying to get it with the camera here real quick and then.

PROKOP: Sorry. Okay. No worries.

SPRAGUE: And then Now those are your pictures, huh?

PROKOP: Yeah.

SPRAGUE: We're okay with you taking them?

PROKOP: Yeah. And then this is the actual. And this down here is the boom operator. But this is what there is the boom that's refueling. Those are all those pictures.

SPRAGUE: Boom, then boom. Operator.

PROKOP: I got to sit right next to him.

SPRAGUE: What was that like?

PROKOP: So cool. I was like, Well, yeah. And the pilots, you know, I got to go in the cockpit and see the pilots and it was just so I like, wow, wow. I'm able to see this is like, so cool. You know, it was just a great experience to, you know, to see that and to experience that and then to look out the windows and and at 15 to be flying and they tilt their wings to to say hello, you know whose you even a.m It was, it was pretty cool. Yeah. I was in the Philippines for 4040 days and this was my first TDY and it was my first time being away from home because it was over Christmas and over New Year's. So we had a back to back exercise. So meaning we went there, we unloaded, we did an exercise, then most of the people went home. But I, me and a small crew stayed behind to receive any other parts. So I stayed at stayed in the Philippines until the next exercise came. So I was there for a full 40, 40 days. But I was actually staying in a like a motel off base. So that was quite an experience. It was. It was it was kind of lonely because I didn't know anybody, but I remember going to like the UN base swimming pool when I was off duty and, you know, meeting wonderful people and a family and then actually invited me over to their house because I told them my situation and I'm just here by myself and missed my family and whatnot, and my first Christmas and New Year away from home. And here I am alone in the Philippines. But they invited me over and had dinner with their family and it was a really nice, very nice experience. But, um.

SPRAGUE: And that was.

PROKOP: Clark Yeah, Clark Clark Air Force Base, which is no longer because I think a volcano erupted, I believe, in 1991, and it was completely covered in ash. And they they shot down that base.

SPRAGUE: So they were talking about, you know, being away from home on that first Christmas and that and you care to share anymore on that or not or.

PROKOP: Yeah, I mean, but like I said, it was it was good to meet new people and that that did help a lot. And of course, you know, just staying positive and just soaking in the experience. You know, I knew what I signed up for and that was part of it. And it was fun. When I went back home under dorm doors, we some people would have a racer boards or I had like a little notebook up there so my friends could write notes. And I came back and there were just pages and pages. It's like Pulitzer. Where are you? Did you go, well, when are you coming home? You know, Merry Christmas, Happy New Year. Where are you? You know? And so I came home to all those notes. And so it was just amazing. A lot of great, great friends. So it was a it was a it was pretty fun. Hard work, though, too, because you're on you know, you're you're you're a GI. So your government issue, so you are their property. So you have to you're available 24 seven, you know, so you know, hard work, especially during exercises, we'd have to wear our full chem gear in 100 degree weather, you know, 100% humidity. And Okinawa, Japan. Oh, my God, you'd be on the flight line. You'd be dying. It was so hot. So hot. And all this gear, this is part this was actually in Korea. But this is part of like our, you know, our we now preparation for our camp gear. We'd grab a mask real quick when the sirens would go off.

SPRAGUE: Ha. So that's both chem gear and it looks like you have a jacket or a parka.

PROKOP: Went Yeah, this was in Korea because it was so cold.

SPRAGUE: But where were you in Korea?

PROKOP: Gwangju Gwangju. Gwangju So it's like GW A and G U. I believe in South Korea. So I was there for, I don't know, I think three weeks or something. So they'd go, they'd have exercises with that where they had the alarm would go off and you'd have to don your mask. Then you go under a table or whatever. And but this is cold weather.

SPRAGUE: Go ahead. Was this in reaction to the North Koreans threatening to use chemical weapons?

PROKOP: So that's a possibility. Yeah, but we weren't really told. You know, details. We were just, you know, you're doing a job, you're doing an exercise in congee Korea, and that's where you'll be.

SPRAGUE: Do you remember the name of the exercise by chance?

PROKOP: I don't. I'm sorry.

SPRAGUE: I thought it was a team spirit and all.

PROKOP: Oh, yeah? Yeah. Team Spirit.

SPRAGUE: Team spirit.

PROKOP: Yeah. Interesting.

SPRAGUE: And that might have been team Spirit in 86 or 87.

PROKOP: Yes.

SPRAGUE: Yes, you tell me.

PROKOP: 80 April, 1987, in the back here. That was in Korea, April 87.

SPRAGUE: And you said it was a Kwang Joo Kwang.

PROKOP: Ju spelled g w a and j u I believe as well. Okay.

SPRAGUE: Do you remember the name of the airstrip or airbase in Korea? Other than that, Gwangju was the name?

PROKOP: I don't know. Okay. Don't I remember? They had a little bowling alley, this funny story on base, and they had one little lane and you throw the ball and this little Korean guy would go set up the pins back there and then you could bowl again.

SPRAGUE: So a manual.

PROKOP: Bowling. A manual bowling alley. I remember that. Wow. Yeah.

SPRAGUE: Anything else that you remember about Korea in particular?

PROKOP: I remember saying I had to We had a pallet of supplies. That was it was still tied down like so it still had plastic and had tighten straps, but it was sitting on the edge of the flight line and we're waiting for somebody to come. And they said, you just stay here and and watch this pallet. I didn't have a gun or anything, but I literally got up and sat on the top of that pallet. And I remember it being early morning and the like. You know, the sun was was coming up and I was like, Wow, here I am in Guangzhou, Korea, the only one sitting guarding this pallet. What am I going to do? Somebody tries to take over. But it was just that feeling of looking around. It was crisp and cold and the sun was coming up and it was like it was just kind of awesome. I don't know. It was just a cool experience.

SPRAGUE: Maybe a cold one or whole experience.

PROKOP: But we, you know, they supplied us with their coats and so they took care of us, the military, you know, and also a memory of when we went to Guam. And that was for an actual real world event. And they put me in charge of all of the the pallets there. There's a word for. So. So you had to configure that's the word configure the palette. So it gave you this map of how the airplane looked, the cargo plane. So you had to put the boxes configure in the fashion to where it will be loaded on the plane. It'll be turn, it'll be slid in and how it'll fit on the plane. So those boxes, some were high, some were low, and you had to configure it perfectly so it would fit on that plane. So I was in charge of doing that, you know, doing the plastic and tying it down with the tie down straps. So it was all secure. And then and then flying to Guam and doing that exercise for for a week. So that was kind of fun.

SPRAGUE: So I seem to remember vaguely having been in the Army and participated in that when the Air Force did it, they had a name for that. Isn't that like the loadmaster or that.

PROKOP: Yeah, a special. Oh yeah.

SPRAGUE: Skill set.

PROKOP: Yeah, I think so. But there's a different person that's actually on the plane that actually takes that pallet in and operates that. Okay, our job was to configure it and have it be completely, totally secure and ready to load. So there was a separate person that actually was on the plane that did that, you know, operated the machinery to get it on the plane. Wow.

SPRAGUE: Anything. I mean, tell me, what was that like doing that type? What was that like doing that work?

PROKOP: It was it was rewarding. It was nice to be in charge, just like being left behind in the Philippines that I could, you know, be left in charge to receive supplies and be there. And so that it was good to have that responsibility and to know that they trusted me to to do that and to configure the pallets for for an exercise for or a real world thing going to Guam.

SPRAGUE: So the real world thing and Guam, I remember what year it was.

PROKOP: Oh yeah, that was.

SPRAGUE: Or roughly a.

PROKOP: I'm not sure if that was 88, 87, 88. I can't quite remember. Okay. I don't know. It would be on the back of my picture. I don't think I brought the glam pictures with me. But I remember seeing, like, Kate, I think it was a KC five huge, huge plane that opened up like a shark mouth where they could load up, you know, big equipment to. I remember seeing that somewhere if it was there or if that was Guam or. But I just have memories of that was pretty cool. Yeah, pretty amazing. The aircraft.

SPRAGUE: Okay. Any other TDY trips that you took out of out of Kadena?

PROKOP: Just the Philippines A couple of times. Mm hmm. And then the Korea. And then the Guam. Mm hmm.

SPRAGUE: And you mentioned the Philippines. What? What are some other memories? I know you shared with us that Christmas. Any other memories that you have from the Philippines?

PROKOP: Oh, just like. Like off base, I remember, is kind of poor. There's a lot of dirt roads and just bars everywhere. And if you go into a bar to get a drink, I remember getting a drink and it was like $0.50. If you got like a rum and coke or something, it was like $0.50 for a drink. I remember that back then. But yeah, and, and then I was off for a few days, so I took a is just a personal a trip. I took a bus ride to Manila and I had pictures of that real crowded, you know. And, um, and then I took this trip where we got in these canoes, and they would paddle us up to these beautiful waterfalls in, like, in the mountain area of the Philippines just to experience the culture there. So I remember that was that was pretty cool. They took us through and and then the hotel we're staying at, they were fil it was like an Italian crew. They were filming a movie. You know, the guy from Tarzan, the man with Bo Derek Bo. I think Bo Swenson was there. And the guy who did Tarzan, the man, I forget his name now. I got a picture with him. They were doing a making a movie there. So that was kind of a cool experience. Oh, yeah. That's not military related. No, that's okay. It doesn't have to be. Yeah.

SPRAGUE: What were what were some of the issues that you ran into when you were loading the. Getting the pallets ready and that type of thing?

PROKOP: Um, there were really a lot of issues just getting everything perfect, you know, moving boxes around. I remember I was so strong. I used to lift literally £80 boxes over and onto my shoulder and I'd walk with it one hand walking in the warehouse. I could lift those boxes. I remember it was super strong back then, but so it was hard work. It was it was hard work. I remember my one war story. I was pushing a stack of boxes, probably like five heavy boxes from one pallet over to another pallet. And so I was sitting on the palette and I was pushing the boxes with my feet over. So there's a stack I'm pushing with my feet and then there's a stack to my right. Okay, that was going to go to. So as I was kind of pushing, these started teetering, so I was pushing, pushing with my feet. And then the guy said, Oh no, it's coming over. And these boxes started to fall. And so I rolled it away. And as I rolled away, some boxes fell on my like the calf of my left leg. And I just I pulled my leg out and I was like, oh, my gosh, I can't believe that happened, you know? And I got up and and then my coworker was like, Is that blood? I'm like, What? And there was just blood pouring down my left leg. And, you know, they have big, you know, like two inch or inch and a half box staples, metal box staples. So there was one that was sticking out, went straight into my leg and then it ripped when I pulled my leg out. So I was like, oh, I didn't really feel anything at. First, and then all this blood came out. I had to go get stitches for that. Are still a tiny little scar there, a little indentation. But that's my war story. Although I. And then I also did. Thank God we had steel toed steel toed boots because I did have a big metal pellet fall on my on my toe and actually gouged my boot. But that steel toe saved my toes. So and one other time I was wearing a ring and I was closing a bin door for the supplies and my ring got caught and it completely bent it backwards into my finger. I don't know. You don't wear it. I don't didn't wear jewelry after that for that reason. And it dug into my finger. It was so bent, my fingers started to turn blue and I had to go to the E.R. and get that ring cut off. So this are just a little thing that can happen, you know, working in a warehouse. But other than that, no, no major, major incidents.

SPRAGUE: Okay. What were some of the more positive things that you being stationed at Kadena that you enjoyed while you were there?

PROKOP: Well, so my brother, he was a marine and he got stationed in Okinawa as well. So he was stationed there for a year. Here's a picture of me and my brother. So it was wonderful to have my brother in Okinawa as well.

SPRAGUE: And this is Brother Frank. Frank. Frank.

PROKOP: Pulitzer.

SPRAGUE: And do you remember what he was?

PROKOP: An MP. Okay. Military police? Yeah.

SPRAGUE: And was he? Which camp? Not to put you on the spot.

PROKOP: Oh, what was that camp called? I think I know it off.

SPRAGUE: I heard Camp Foster. Camp Schwab. Camp Hanson.

PROKOP: Schwab. Sounds familiar.

SPRAGUE: Okay.

PROKOP: I'd have to ask him about that.

SPRAGUE: No worries.

PROKOP: But that was a really good experience to have my brother there. And, oh, my God, he just loved coming to the Air Force base because it's night and day from the from the Marine Corps to the Air Force. We had a pretty posh we had our own private dorm rooms that were air conditioned. We had a lot of mini refrigerators. But the Marines, they it was like basic training. They had like, you know, little dorms that were one big room with a curtain as tiny little room, and it would be two guys and bunk beds and they'd have mosquito net over the windows. That's their air conditioning. So he would go visit me. It was like a five star hotel, you know, comparatively so. But we got to go to all around the base. We went to Tanabe Seawall and it was kind of like the Sinabi seawall was for, you know, I guess for tsunamis. If you think of the game jacks where they threw the jacks and marbles, the tiny little X things, but just in the shape of like a jack, but giant concrete. And that would be all along the wall. And they call it the Sinabi seawall. So we'd go out there, we'd go to beaches. There was a swimming pool right across from my dorm. And I remember when we'd have typhoons, I remember looking out there and there's huge waves in the swimming pool across. So I experienced an earthquake in Okinawa, a couple earthquakes. That was quite an experience.

SPRAGUE: What was it like?

PROKOP: But it was.

SPRAGUE: Earthquake.

PROKOP: Fun. I mean, okay, so when we would be aware that a typhoon was coming so everybody would stay in the dorms and we'd have two typhoon days, the dorms, so we'd have to get duct tape and duct tape all around, all of the windows and the doors. And so that it was like a big party. It's like, oh, typhoon party when you have to go to work. So everybody would go, you know, get their you know, get their booze or whatever in their food. And every door would be open and people would be watching movies in and eating and getting ready for the typhoon that was coming. So that was actually they made it into a fun experience. You know, we were just to prepare it ahead of time for for that. But the the earthquake, I remember laying in my bed one morning and all of a sudden I was awakened by my whole bed, started shaking, and I thought somebody snuck into my room or something. It was under my bed or literally jumped out of bed and looked under the bed and thought there was something under there, but it was an earthquake. And then I started to hear hearing the girl screaming and people were coming into the hallway and my stuff on the walls was swaying. And it. It was an earthquake. It was quite quite an experience. Quite an experience. But nothing major happened at or at our dorm.

SPRAGUE: What is something that most people don't know about doing the type of work that you are doing on the on the flight line or on the tarmac?

PROKOP: Things that people don't know.

SPRAGUE: People, Yeah, somebody on the street would be like they have no idea that that's part of what you do.

PROKOP: Maybe just the experience of actually being on a flight line, being on a big open bed truck under a hangar and having to, you know, sit there for four, 8 hours and, you know, watching the material and being there to issue the material to, you know, maintenance guys that would literally walk across where you could see the F-15s right there. And, you know, just being in charge of those parts and the inventory of it.

SPRAGUE: How did they get parts in for a few? You know, they didn't come from Okinawa, I would think. I mean.

PROKOP: Where. Oh, well, that's a good question. I don't know if I remember that. That part, the actual parts. Yeah. But yeah, I don't know. I mean, we still I mean, we have conveyor belts with parts that come down and then just, you know, like I said, you know, you'd have a propeller for a helicopter in, in our warehouse. And, you know, just the experience of driving the forklift to get, you know, pallet smaller pallets of of stuff over. And so.

SPRAGUE: Was there one of the things in researching this was talking about the the stock time, like they were talking about 30 days of war stock at your what what what is your sense of that is your feeling of what they had you know in roughly in capacity and in storage or did you not have a sense of.

PROKOP: That? I don't think so. Okay. Yeah, I don't I don't remember about that. The timing of that. I don't know if that was something else that, you know, higher ups dealt with.

SPRAGUE: Okay.

PROKOP: Yeah, I don't I don't know.

SPRAGUE: So in 86, that would have been Cold War. What were conflicts that that we were thinking about at that time with out of Okinawa?

PROKOP: Um. Yeah. 86. Um, I don't know about specific conflicts, but I do remember that the S.R. 71 was important. I remember it being there, and I remember seeing the S.R. 71 fly over, fly overhead. We got it. We kind of knew in advance that it was it was going to happen and it was going to be lower that we could see it. So I remember that time of that aircraft being important, you know, like the the spy plane. What was the other name for to S.R. 71 or a blackbird? The blackbird. Yeah. Yeah. So but, you know, I was young. I was 18. I was I don't know if I was as we're aware of, you know, the specifics of, you know, conflicts.

SPRAGUE: Did you have much dealings with pulling classified stuff out of the out of the storage area and bringing it? Tell me more about that.

PROKOP: Yeah, it was. So everything was done, you know, by hand. They had handed to you and there to always be somebody there with you. And there was a combination into the cage and you would pull that part and stay with that part. It, you know, it's obviously never, never come down on a conveyor belt or anything like that. It's always locked and it's always accompanied. So and there was, you know, a specific, you know, protocol for what you had to do when a classified part was was needed. You know, you get the part, you lock it, you stay with it, and they would come pick it up by hand, like pick up and delivery or whoever it was and hand it off. So it's always it's never left alone.

SPRAGUE: So. We are seeing the current war in Ukraine and the issues that the Russians have had with logistics. Do you have any thoughts on that?

PROKOP: Um, yeah, I it's crazy what's going on, and I just don't know if, you know, to continue to keep funding this war is a good thing. It just goes, you know, it's going to go on and on and on and you know, times are tough right now, you know, with everything going on. So it's it's sad. We are losing people there, you know, Americans. And but, you know, everybody has their opinion if we should be continue to keep funding. There were, you know. Okay. I don't know. I don't know what the right answer is.

SPRAGUE: No right answer. There are no right answers in this case. Yeah. Any experiences happen to you involving were you ever harassed while you were in Guam by men or women? No, no.

PROKOP: No, no.

SPRAGUE: How about in terms of promotion potential of being discriminated against as a woman for promotion purposes or anything like that?

PROKOP: Oh, I didn't experience any of that myself.

SPRAGUE: Okay. Okay. No. Okay. And when did you leave Okinawa?

PROKOP: 88. So I was there for two and a half years. Okay. And then I was stationed at in Altus, Oklahoma. And that was more of a culture shock going from Japan to Alpha. So I miss Japan because that was, I think, like kind of like a training base. And it was just kind of in the middle of nowhere and it was Oklahoma. And, um, I think it was at that point I decided that I wanted to get out of the military that was kind of, you know, over supply. And it was different in, in Oklahoma. You know, maybe if I knew I was going to be a nurse, I didn't know back then. Eventually I became a nurse and got my R.N. and my bachelor's degree. Um, you know, maybe if I knew I wanted to do that and cross-trained, maybe I would have stayed in longer. But my dad was also sick at the time. He had leukemia and some issues, so I kind of wanted to go home. Mm hmm. You know, so after four years, I got out in 1990 and. And went back to Colorado.

SPRAGUE: Okay. And for that short time at Altus, you were working Supply or.

PROKOP: Yeah.

SPRAGUE: Yeah. Do you happen to remember the unit there that you worked in or not?

PROKOP: I don't remember. Okay. Um.

SPRAGUE: So what was it like after eating, getting out and coming home? What was that like? Well.

PROKOP: I will say I missed the camaraderie. There's nothing that that can parallel that and that you get in the military. It's just different. As a civilian, um, you just feel like you're more of a solo person. The military is like you are part of the family. You. It's just this amazing camaraderie you have because you're all experiencing the same thing basically in the world of the military. So, you know, I just went back to those the civilian world. I, you know, worked as a secretary for a while. And, you know, when you went to school and, you know, worked night shift and would work all night and get off in the morning and go to my college classes at the University of Colorado, see you. And you. I would do that and kind of put myself through college. I did have help with the GI Bill to 10,500 for the GI Bill, so that did help a lot. And eventually I decided I wanted to get into nursing and ultimately went to nursing school and got my two year degree and then got that in 2004 and then went back to school in 2009 and got my bachelor's in in nursing. So I was in nursing for I was in health care for like 25 years, started I started out as a nurse assistant but was a nurse for 18 years.

SPRAGUE: So can you see any parallels? Between civilian nursing and having served in the military.

PROKOP: You know, I wasn't really aware of that world. And in the military, I think in the military, you could do more. As a nurse, You're given more responsibility. I think I've heard. But in the civilian world, it's my it's it's different. It's very specific.

SPRAGUE: Okay. And you were sharing with me pre-interview. Tell me a little bit. You were in nursing, and then you transitioned to your own business then.

PROKOP: Oh, yeah. Yeah. So? So after, um, you know, being a nurse for so long, I ended up in Manitowoc because my family came to be in Wisconsin. I was originally from Chicago, so we used to vacation in Wisconsin. My grandpa had a little cabin on Lake Michigan in Duisburg. So that's my original connection to Wisconsin. So as children, we used to vacation in Wisconsin a lot. But, you know, some of us, because my older brothers are already married and grown up, stayed in Illinois, but me and my brother and my parents moved to Colorado. So eventually after my dad passed away, my the mountain house got to be too much for my mom. So she moved back to Wisconsin to be near my sister and my brother and the grandkids. So I stayed in Colorado for many like 40 years, all in all. So I came to Manitowoc about five years ago in 2018 to be near my mom and my sister that I would come and visit all the time every year. And so my mom's getting up in age. I wanted to be closer to them. So, um, so I worked out here for a while as a nurse, but then the pandemic hit with COVID, so I was not comfortable with the COVID vaccine receiving the vaccine. And therefore I lost my job as a nurse because of that. So I decided to get out of health care altogether. Like I said, it's been 25 years and I was ready for a change anyway. So this was the impetus for me to move on. So I started my own cleaning business and it's actually kind of with a, you know, a military mind set for my local. I actually have it here just to Oh yeah. So it just has the flag. It's made ID in America and then it has Rosie the Riveter is my logo. I'm not advertising, but I'm just saying I, um, the military is very near and dear to my heart. So that was kind of, you know, the impetus behind my logo and my business. So and I'm kind of a neat freak. So it went well with my personality. And also I have an Airbnb out of my home. So with those two things, I do find I'm very happy, I'm my own boss. So I actually really love it and meeting new people and I'm a very active person, so I'm it's hard work, but I like it. I stay very physical and so I enjoy it. I love being my own boss and my sister works with me sometimes too. So yeah, it's great.

SPRAGUE: Do you think if there are any connections between the skills you acquired or learned while in the military, any did any of those transfer to becoming a business owner or.

PROKOP: Um, well, I mean, I've always had, you know, high integrity and my values. We grew up with, you know, strong values in our household. And so just, you know, the honesty and hard work and, you know, with the military, you had to be there. You know, there was no really, if you were sick, you were in the hospital, in the military, you didn't just stay home sick, you know. So, I don't know. I kind of brought that with me. I'm just a very hard worker. I you know, I do what I say I'm going to do. I'm there when I say I'm going to be there. Yeah. So, you know, just that regimen, I, I did get a lot of that from the military, too, and I was okay with that. We up my mom kind of had our house like a like basic training. With five kids. You know, we all had our chores to do and, you know, you got those done before you could go play. And, you know, so it was an easy transition for me to the military. And then as a business owner, I take all those values with me. Yeah, it's important to me.

SPRAGUE: Before we miss it, uh, could you show us your uniform, please?

PROKOP: Oh, sure. Yeah. The says. One of my I also have is are my fatigues, but I also have a camouflage one.

SPRAGUE: And if we could go over what each of the patches.

PROKOP: Oh, yeah. This is for 43rd military airlift training. Military Airlift Command. So that's the math was saying military Airlift Command for 43rd supply providers. So that was my where I worked. And then, you know, just the training at Kadena. So.

SPRAGUE: And yeah, Tell me about the your chevrons there.

PROKOP: Yeah it's so it was senior airman and then I think I got out actually as a sergeant I think they put a star on it, I believe. But that that's changed a bit now. But I believe I was sergeant when I got out of the military.

SPRAGUE: So was this the state of your uniform as you left, or did you end up putting add in these patches on later or.

PROKOP: No, I think this was it. How I how I left. Okay. Yeah. I mean, I think I did have some ribbons, but I don't know what happened to. Okay. The real problem. Yeah.

SPRAGUE: Okay.

PROKOP: So what.

SPRAGUE: I'd ask. Yeah. My. Okay. Did you keep any relationships going with people who you'd served with by chance?

PROKOP: You know, for a little while, Not anymore. I actually ran into Carmelita Butler that I mentioned from basic training at Altus, Oklahoma. Wow. Yeah, I ran into her at the gym there. You know, so we really reconnected. Yeah. But, yeah, not. Not a lot. Just one other person. Very, you know, once in a while. Well, you know, message each other or something, but. Yeah, not so much anymore.

SPRAGUE: Okay. Do you have any involvement with veterans organizations?

PROKOP: Well, there's this. The the local Manitowoc veterans group. I've gone to one of their meetings. I'd like to do more with them. They do it local community things, you know, like they'll do, you know, highway, garbage pickup. They get together to do that. So I'd like to actually start doing that more. But I've been busy with my work and then I've done I did the presenting of the colors at Blue Harbor Resort in Sheboygan for a women's group there. And it was, I forget, in the Sheboygan. Oh, what is that? D I forget the number of the post.

SPRAGUE: Number in Sheboygan.

PROKOP: Yeah, I forget. Sorry, but what is the American Legion? Yeah, the American Legion. It was the American Legion in Sheboygan. So we a few, like four of us went there. We went through what we were going to do and the presenting of the colors. And we did it for this group of women in in Sheboygan. So that was a good experience to present the flag there. So there's a video of that. I posted that on Facebook. But yeah, but that's about it. Yeah. Okay.

SPRAGUE: Um, what do you think about being a veteran?

PROKOP: I love it. I'm really proud to be a veteran. And, you know, on my I, you know, I talked to my sister. She's like, I really wish I would have joined the military, too, You know, it's just, you know, I have veterans benefits with, you know, with health care and, of course, that GI Bill that helped. And there's just lots of good things surrounding veterans or, you know, even getting a loan. Veterans loans. I get discounts at the bank. You know, I don't pay that monthly, you know, bank fee. There's just a lot of little things, you know. So but it was a really I don't regret anything from the military was an awesome experience. I do it again in a heartbeat. I'm very proud to be a veteran.

SPRAGUE: Yeah. Okay. So counter that question. What if you hadn't served? What do you think your life would be like?

PROKOP: Huh? That's interesting. You know, maybe I was kind of a late bloomer, you know, getting into nursing. You know, maybe. I don't know, Maybe I would have gotten into nursing maybe sooner. That's a possibility. But I wouldn't have had those amazing experiences that I had in the military. And just those great memories, you know? And I'm just so, so proud and thankful to to be a veteran and.

SPRAGUE: So what we've got. Memorial Day coming up. How do you what do you do on Memorial Day?

PROKOP: Um, yeah, there's they do lots of things around Manitowoc and they have the memorials and now, you know, meet memorials are they'll we'll go to like a parade. They'll have a memorial Day, you know, a parade. So some day I would like to, you know, go to Washington and see all that has to to offer. I mean, just the going to the cemetery there and. Yeah, that would be pretty awesome to do.

SPRAGUE: What motivated you to do this interview?

PROKOP: Um, well, just to put my story down and in writing and I think about my, you know, 12 nieces and nephews and maybe their children down the road if they see my stuff in the in the museum or this video. How cool would that be, you know, to tell my story. Who would ever know about all these funny little stories I had? You know, I don't even know if they know some of my funny stories I have and just my military experience. So just to get it down in writing and, you know, someday have a look at me and see, you know, or, you know. Yeah. Just to be a resource for people that, you know, may need to do research or whatever. I think it's good to tell your story. And as a woman, I think it's important.

SPRAGUE: Did we miss anything that you'd like to cover?

PROKOP: Um, let's see. I don't think so. I think we we covered pretty much most of the stories. I wanted to get out there.

SPRAGUE: Okay.

PROKOP: Yeah.

SPRAGUE: Any of the pictures there that we missed that we may have not gotten that you wanted to?

PROKOP: I don't think so. I think it would be hard to to see those, but, um. I think we got them.

SPRAGUE: Okay.

PROKOP: Yeah. Other than. I mean, this is my. My basic one, but I think we. That's something. I am not invisible. That's just our main, you know, picture they take for for the book. Okay. Graduation. Okay.

SPRAGUE: Well, then that's going to conclude the interview.

PROKOP: Awesome. Thank you so much, Luke. I appreciate it. You're welcome.

[Interview Ends]