I enlisted in the Marine Corps in November 1978, attended boot-camp
at Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, CA June-August 1979 and
graduated with honors and a meritorious promotion out of boot-camp.
 
After MOS training at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina I returned to the
4th Engineer Maintenance Company in Omaha where I served in the
Marine Reserve and Individual Ready Reserve until November 1984
while attending UNO.
 
In February 1987 I was sent to Officer Candidate School in Quantico, 
Virginia, was commissioned a second lieutenant in Arpil 1987, then
attended The Basic School in Quantico from April until October 1987.
After that I was trained to become an Artillery officer at Fort Sill
(Lawton), Oklahoma, then transferred to the 2nd Marine Division 
at Camp Lejeune, North Carolina where I served as an artillery
officer and then as an intelligence officer (S-2) for 5th Battalion,
10th Marine Regiment.
 
In the last month of my active duty, Saddam Hussein invaded
Kuwait and I was allowed to extend on active duty, participating in 
Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm in Saudia Arabia and
Kuwait during December 1990-April 1991.  At the end of hostilities,
my unit was stationed outside Kuwait City, having participated in
combat, coming up from Saudi Arabia into Kuwait from the south.
Several times I entered Kuwait City prior to the arrival of Arab
"Liberation Forces" and was able to meet the Kuwaiti people.  
 
As my HMMWV drove through the streets, people of all ages were
waving Kuwaiti flags and would come up to the vehicle to just thank
us and shake our hands.  Those who spoke little or no English
learned from friends that "USA is good!" and "George Bush is great!" 
were the simplest ways to express their gratitude.  I was given flags,
tea, rice for dinner, and will ALWAYS remember that liberating a
city that had lived under tyranny, even for a short period of time 
is one of the greatest feelings in he world.
 
After the war I was discharged to the Marine Reserves where I served
as an Admin fficer for a Mobilization Station in Chicago, and as an
Officer-In-Charge of the eacetime/Wartime Support Team for the
4th Engineer Maintenance Company in Omaha.
 
In 2004 I volunteered for duty with the 4th Civil Affairs Group out of
Washington,  DC as they deployed to Iraq.  Within two weeks of
arriving at Haditha Dam in northwest Iraq, the unit I was attached
to was sent to Fallujah for the liberation of that city.
 
In November and December 2004 I served as the Civil Affairs 
Officer for the 1st Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment (an infantry
battalion) as they fought in the city of Fallujah.  After the city was 
secured, I set up a Humanitarian Assistance Site in Fallujah, which
then provided relief to the people of Fallujah who had remained in
the city despite warnings to leave prior to the invasion.
 
The bravery, courage, fearlessness, and dedication to duty of the
Marines who fought in Fallujah was incredible.  At this time in my
life, I was 44 years old, which was old enough to be the father of
most of the Marines I served with, and am proud to have served
with them.
 
After returning to the United States I served as a Anti-Terrorism/
Force Protection Officer fo the United States Strategic Command 
(STRATCOM) out of Offutt Air Force Base, Bellevue, Nebraska.  
 
In October 2007, I retired from the Marine Corps Reserve as a major.
 
Semper Fidelis,
 
Tim Hanson
Major, USMC (Retired)
 
 
I am currently working as a deputy sheriff for the Furnas County
Sheriff's Office out of the Cambridge sub-station.
 
Prior to that I worked in law enforcement for 16 years in Ashland,
NE, Kimball, NE, Papillion, NE, and started my law enforcement
career in suburban Chicago at the Palatine (Illinois) Police Department