Personal
- Website
- http://www.HotSpotCoffeeShoppe.com
- Full Name
- Gustav Postreich
- About Me
After being honorably discharged from the U.S. Air Force as a Analog/Digital Data Processing Repairman in 1964, I decided to accept an electronic/mechanical technician job at Kennedy Space Center, Florida.
I was hired by North American Aviation to work on the Apollo spacecraft. From then until being laid off in 1970, I worked as an electro/mechanical tech inside the crew module. As part of my assignment, I was trained to become a Space Craft Operator (SC0), a somewhat elite group of technicians in the space program. An SCO does the testing and checkout of all the systems of the craft, taking direction from engineers in the firing room. In other words, I flipped switches during testing, much like the astronauts would do upon launch and in orbit. They called SCO’s, grounded astronauts…
After layoff, I decided to stay in Florida and became a commissioned sales person with Sears Roebuck, JCPenney, and latter became a waiter at world famous Bern’s Steak House in Tampa, FL.
In 1982, I was rehired at KSC as a technician on the shuttle program. Again, I worked primarily in the crew module and was trained to become an SCO. So, SCO’s completed testing and checkout of all the shuttles electro/mechanical systems as being directed by engineers from the firing room. I’ve often commented over the years, feed us a banana and we’ll flip a switch.
While still employed at KSC, in 1998 I decided to spread my entrepreneurial wings part-time. I decided to become a book publisher… Having an interest in electronic book publishing, I published a suspense novel and sold it on my self-made website, www.TheBookDen.com. Although the business has since closed, the site is still active and you can read About Us… As the book publishing business grew, my wife and I decided we needed a real Brick & Mortar storefront. I purchased a building in Daytona Beach and completely renovated it. Oh, the city decided we could not open a bookstore, so we opened www.HotSpotCoffeeShoppe.com where we could sell books. The business rocked, especially during open mics on Thursday and Friday evenings. We closed the business when the economy took a dive but continue to post photos of Tuesday evening musical jams and other musical events we attend. Our customers became closer than family. Read more in About Us.
As the shuttle program began to wind down, opportunities became available to voluntarily be laid off. I was laid off October 2009. As a laid off space center worker, Brevard Work Force offers grants and training, hopefully with the potential of earning an income.
At age 71, my passion still revolves around web site building and I had researched the possibility of being retrained in web site development. Just as I was about to commit to an on-line course, BWF introduced Drupal Career Starter Program. After research, both my wife and I applied. With over 200 applicants, 70 were selected to attend an orientation/introduction with 20 being selected for the DCSP2 program. My wife and I were both selected. We’ve had a few days of training and feel as if we’ve been shot out of a canon. It’s like learning a foreign language however, the Drupal family seems very willing to assist.
History
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- 13 years 37 weeks