John and his wife Margie have lived in Templeton since 1992, where they raised their family. Their daughter Brittany is a mother of two children and lives with her husband in Templeton. Their son, Jared, is currently serving in the US Army Special Forces. John transferred from the Santa Clara Police Department in 1990 and joined the Atascadero Police Department. A graduate of CSU Sacramento and the FBI National Academy, John retired as the Chief of Police in 2007. He has served as a board member for the Salvation Army, the North County Women's Shelter and Resource Center, Atascadero Veteran's Memorial Foundation and until his term expired as a board member of the Estrella Warbirds Museum.. John is an avid sailor and enjoys various outdoor activities, traveling with Margie, and spending time with his grandkids. He is also a member of Lifewater International, a Christian faith based organization dedicated to teaching hygiene and providing safe drinking water to third world countries. His primary role is training volunteers in water well drilling. John also works as a valve mechanic and skills evaluator for PGE during refueling outages at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Plant.

He grew up in North Dakota and left shortly after graduating high school to join the Army. Soon after being trained as an airframe repairman, he was deployed to Vietnam where he served in two units. Initially he was assigned to the 221st Aviation Company where he helped maintain O1 Birddog forward air control aircraft. He was soon transferred to the 114th Assault Helicopter Company where he served as a helicopter door gunner/crew chief in the Mekong Delta in 1971-1972. Upon returning from Vietnam he trained as a military policeman. After his discharge he attended CSU Sacramento and earned a degree in Criminal Justice Administration and began his law enforcement career in Santa Clara. He has served various roles in law enforcement including motorcycle policeman, SWAT team member, firearms instructor, detective and Chief of Police in Atascadero.

John has been a sport parachutist and flier of hang gliders but never became a pilot, choosing instead, to take up sailing as a hobby. His presentation will be a snapshot of one person's tour in Vietnam from the perspective of mechanic and door gunner.

For more information about John Couch and for pictures from previous dinners click here

Dinner is catered and open to the public ($17/person), reservations are required prior to 6 p.m., Monday prior to dinner, either On-line HERE or call 805 296-1935.