John (Hop) Hopkins

It has taken me some time to even get to my bio, and quite frankly I'm tired of catching crap from Rick and Susan, so it is time to get it done! First off I have to admit I have been blessed with a very good life. For awhile there I had no clue what the future held for me, but the last twenty years have been awesome!

After graduation I learned several important facts about myself. I won't go into detail about my six month UNM experience since I don't remember or attended most of it, and it's obvious from the college photos that school was not my priority, but I can tell you that the most important part of UNM for me was finding my future wife Jennifer and moving on with my life by joining the United States Marine Corps.

My stint in the Marine Corps was awesome for many reasons, including laying the groundwork for where I am today, working in the IT industry. My first permanent station orders issued by the USMC was going to take me to Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, ROCK ON!, but the day before I was prepared to ship out from Millington, TN my Gunnery Sergeant yelled, "Hopkins, you have new orders, congratulations you are going to Lemoore, California!" "Yes Gunny, what the @#$!" So in 1989 I moved to the wasteland of California!

I spent five years in Lemoore and enjoyed testing and troubleshooting F/A-18 aircraft armament systems, loading weapons, and instructing new military personnel. I was also very lucky to travel to: Fallon, El Centro, Yuma, Miramar, San Diego, and San Francisco. I visited numerous Air Force Bases and participated in exercises on five different aircraft carriers. Most importantly my squadron was the first one in the military to pilot a paperless Maintenance Action Form System, and this was the first of my soon to be many IT assignments.

While stationed in Lemoore, Jennifer and I were married in 1991. We were fortunate enough to have it in good ole LA. For those that attended we continued the old '87 tradition of a good party!

1995 brought some excellent changes in my life. I was finished with my commitment to the Marine Corps and had been a civilian for close to a year working as an electrician for dairy farms and plants, VERY stinky and not my ambition in life! I was also continuing to work toward my elusive undergraduate degree which I was bound and determined to achieve, but didn't have enough money. Then I received a job offer that really changed everything. I was given an offer I couldn't refuse for a job with Kay and Associates Inc. training the Kuwaiti Air Force on FA/18's, so Jennifer and I moved to Kuwait! (Yet another wasteland!) Yes, the little Middle Eastern country where our military forces kicked ass and took names!

Jennifer and I lived in Kuwait for four years and had some incredible experiences and travels. I worked for a Department of Defense subcontractor for the Kuwaiti Air Force performing the same work I did for the Marines, but also included System Administration for our company's local area network. Jennifer also worked as a teacher at two different American Schools. Her classes included children with varied nationalities. I also completed numerous Microsoft certifications so I could transition my career back in the states.

Our travels included a train trip through Switzerland, Italy, Austria and Germany (AWESOME BEER!), visits to the Netherlands, Spain, Tunisia, United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, safari in Kenya and Tanzania, and a 2 hour layover in Egypt, which is all I needed to see of that country! Jennifer will never forgive me for not seeing the pyramids Ð whatever! Kuwait was a dry country so even a plane ride on KLM drinking Heineken was a vacation for me so we got out of Kuwait as much as we could!

In 1998 our world changed for good, Jennifer and I had been married for seven years and decided to add to the Hopkins Clan. Emily was born in Sharq, Kuwait and I was one proud Papa! We had a family reunion in Majorca, Spain and had all of the grandparents, and Jennifer's sister joining us and taking turns changing little diapers! We smoked Cohibas, drank really good wine and beer, and most importantly ate pork!

We moved to Los Alamos in 1999, primarily because I wanted to raise my child in a good community. In 2000 our second gift was the birth of Katie. And again I was one extremely proud papa, but now I would become more protective since I am a father of two girls!

I have been working at the Lab since we moved back. When I am not at work I completed my undergraduate degree, have been playing golf, and coaching skiing, soccer, and basketball with the kids. I don't teach fouls, just intensity! I am currently in the middle of my Master's degree and will eventually finishÉ some day!

To finalize my full house deck, my youngest and FINAL daughter, "Mustang" Sally was born on July 4th 2004. Again I was a proud papa and I will be preordering a new license plate for my truck: PMS 24/7 for the upcoming teenage years!

My life now involves playing Carrie Underwood and Gwen Stefani on our iPOD and dancing with my 3 girls! Sally tells me, "Look Daddy, I shake my booty!" GREAT! I really need some Molly Hatchet!

I hope to see everyone at the 20th since we were unable to be at the 10th and look forward to visiting with you all! Don't forget to sign up for the golf tournament it will be a good time!

Hop