Coming home to re-enlist

The Newton Falls native joined the Air Force in 1988, after high school.
By DENISE DICK
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
NEWTON FALLS -- Air Force Tech. Sgt. John Shade wanted to thank his hometown for all of its support so he returned here to be sworn for his third re-enlistment.
"Newton Falls has always been very supportive of the military," said Shade, 32, who is stationed at Good Fellow Air Force Base in San Angelo, Texas.
He enlisted in 1988, two weeks after graduating from high school.
"My brother told me the Air Force seemed like it suited me," Shade said. "I signed up and it was the best decision I've ever made."
His brother, Harry, served more than eight years in the Army's criminal investigations division.
In 1991, he re-enlisted at Veteran's Park, and in 1997 the ceremony was at Fort McHenry in Baltimore. He planned to return to Veteran's Park on Saturday but rainy weather moved it to Roby Lee's Restaurant.
"My brother could be here from Columbus and my sister lives here in Newton Falls and I just wanted to give something back, to thank the community," Shade said.
Swore him in
Lt. Kay Sipe, who came in from Scott Air Force Base in Illinois, swore Shade in during Saturday's brief ceremony attended by family and friends.
"We served together at Good Fellow and she gave me my first evaluation and we've become friends," Shade said.
He is a signals intelligence analysis apprentice course instructor, teaching people skills at an Air Force technical school when they complete basic training. He works in intelligence analysis but declined to elaborate on what that entails.
"I love what I do," Shade said. "I love teaching and I've been all over the world."
He's a son of Eleanor Shade and the late Harry Shade.
"We just thought it would be nice to have this for family and some friends," Eleanor Shade said. "We're very family-oriented."