Thank you, veterans

Meet Ardenwoods resident Bruce Holcombe, a veteran of the United States Air Force. Originally from Lyman, South Carolina, Bruce and his wife, Elnor, moved to Ardenwoods from Nashville in 2023.

In the 1960s, while attending Clemson University for mechanical engineering, Bruce joined the Air Force Reserve Officers’ Training Corps.

The summer before his graduation, Bruce completed four weeks of basic training at Maxwell Air Force Base and Gunter Annex in Birmingham, Alabama. Having previously spent time as a marching band saxophonist, he was a natural at marching during training.

After completing his degree at Clemson, Bruce secured a job with Georgia Power Company — but five weeks later, he received his first military assignment, learning he would be stationed at Tyndall Airforce Base in Panama City Beach, Florida. From 1969 to 1972, Bruce served in the Air Force as a mechanical engineer, climbing the ranks from second lieutenant to first lieutenant to captain.

His squadron was made up of pilots and engineers whose role was to test and evaluate existing aircraft for function and opportunities for improvement.

“At the time, I would have liked to have been a pilot, but I did not have the eyes for it,” he said. “Though I was able to get on flight status for one year, meaning I was allowed to fly with pilots around the base, testing various parts of the aircraft.”

But Bruce knew he was one of the fortunate ones: Because he held a degree in mechanical engineering, he was kept stationed in the United States. If he had studied civil engineering, he likely would have been assigned to serve in Vietnam at the height of the Vietnam War.

As he was stationed in Florida, Bruce remains grateful to have been able to stay in touch with his family in South Carolina during his service. He made sure to keep in touch via mail and would use his four weeks of vacation time each year to travel home.

It was also during this time that, at a friend’s request, Bruce decided to take up square dancing, a hobby that would eventually lead him to meet Elnor.

“I sure did not know anything about square dancing, but I tried it,” he explained. “There was a lot to it, but it was fun. A year or so after I joined the club, we needed more female members, and we decided to go knocking on doors. Elnor lived at one of those doors — and I was assigned to pick her up. Now here we are, married, 55 years later.”

At the time, Elnor had been a teacher at the junior college in Panama City Beach. Looking for something fun and social to do in her free time, she decided to try out square dancing, met Bruce — and the rest was history. The couple married two years later.

“I had a military wedding on the base with eight people forming a tunnel with their swords that we walked through after the ceremony,” Bruce said. “It was super special.”

Upon completing his service with the Air Force, Bruce returned to his job as a mechanical engineer for Georgia Power Company. The company had known he was enlisted in the Air Force upon hiring him four years prior and decided to honor his temporary leave — “and back I went,” he said.

Bruce now lives happily with Elnor at Ardenwoods, reflecting on the many adventures from his days of service.

This Veterans Day, Ardenwoods’ residents and staff will enjoy “Salute in Song,” a live concert with brass and piano. Current resident veterans will also be featured in a photo display in the clubhouse. Over the weekend, a special program titled “My Veteran” ran on the house cable channel, featuring pictures of resident veterans.