Elmer left home and went to Michigan where he worked at Buick Motors until they went on strike and he was unable to work. He was cold and had a job of delivering samples of a laundry detergent door to door to make enough money to pay for rent. He was sleeping in the attic of a friend and was renting this for $5.00 a week. One day after completing his route he was cold standing on a corner when an Air Force Recruiter asked if he wanted coffee and donuts. He went into the Recruiting Station, ate all of his donuts and when he left he had enlisted in the Air Force. When he arrived at Lackland Air Force Base for training he was doing just fine until the third week of training. He was called into the Commanders office and there he met two FBI agents who handcuffed him and read his right. He was informed he was a draft dodger and was being arrested and was subject to imprisonment and fined. After discussion with the agents he was allowed to remain in the Air Force. He remained for twenty years and retired with honors. After his Air Force retirement he worked in the civilian sector in management, personnel and civil service where he was the Mortuary Officer for the Army in the state of New York. He was responsible for receiving the remains of military service individuals who were deceased and was brought back to New York for internment. He retired from Civil Service and went into the Ministry.