photo submittedMajor Charles and Roselita Danley

The Luminary welcomes Major Charles A. Danley, since 2020 of Port Royal, Virginia, formerly of Muncy. Danley is our first subject in a new series highlighting current and former service members who enlisted after the events of Sept. 11, 2001, and those who were currently enlisted. After 20 years, where are they now?

Major Danley, who graduated from Muncy High School in 1982, is the son of Arthur Danley, Hughesville, and the late Marjorie (Webster) Danley. After achieving a degree in Aerospace Engineering in 1986, he joined the US Air Force, retiring with the rank of Major in 2006. His wife is Roselita, originally of New Jersey with two and a half years in Virginia.

Of his seven duty stations, the most memorable were the 13 years spent at Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, CO. He held significant responsibilities within the US Space Command. In the simplest terms, Major Danley provided information needed by the military to outmaneuver any enemy attack.

For any Star Trek fans it is no wonder his call sign was Data, a homage to Android Commander Data of Star Trek Next Generation fame. In 2002 Space Command was disbanded and merged with US Strategic Command. These new responsibilities included operation of the Defense Department’s Global Information Grid and deterrence of any global nuclear strikes. If these responsibilities do not seem daunting enough, Major Danley had time to become a broker in precious metals dealing in gold in the latter 1990s.

The following 14-years after his Air Force retirement were spent in Colorado Springs. At the time, the price of fuel was rising with no end in sight so Danley learned to convert vegetable oil into diesel fuel. This venture was profitable until the eventual fall of fuel oil prices. He has forecast the rise in oil prices in the near future, and is prepared to once again convert vegetable oil to diesel fuel if profitable.

Danley has achieved Masters Degrees in both Aerospace Engineering and Cyber Security. The latter is being put to use to this day as Danley is currently employed with US Cyber Command in a civilian capacity. Part of its mission, for our interest, is the focus on strengthening our nation’s ability to withstand and respond to cyber-attack. In simpler terms, Danley teaches risk security and risk management. Interestingly, with the onslaught of computer hacking, he feels they have failed the users. In conversation with the Major, I learned of “whaling”. The upper echelon of corporations is targeted for more sensitive information. The click rate for these individuals’ hovers at one-hundred percent.

Fortunately, it is not all work and no play in the field of national security. Family has taken advantage of the beautiful location of Colorado Springs for occasional visits. High energy activities are usually not on the agenda as the 7000 foot elevation and its weak oxygen level takes visitors time to adjust.

The location is just right for a favorite activity, enjoying the hot tub on a clear starry night. The Milky Way is said to be magnificent, and thought of more as an obscuring cloud than the actual Milky Way it is so crisp and clear. With an Aerospace Engineering degree, it goes without saying Astronomy is a hobby.

For the Astronomers in our readership, a Schmidt Cassegrain telescope is used well. Mr. Danley is preparing to build his own Dobsonian telescope, using the cardboard cylinders commonly bought at Lowe’s as a form for concrete piers to be used as the housing.

In the near future, as one looks up to the sky in awe at all the colors on the hot air balloons at Hughesville’s balloon festival, you may see a balloon aptly named Primary Reflections as it has the primary colors of yellow, red and blue.

This balloon will be piloted by Charles Danley, and his wife Roselita will probably be at his side. The couple had met at a hot air balloon event and share the love of this activity. A favorite challenge of our spotlighted balloon pilot is called the “splash and dash,” where the pilot lowers the balloon to a body of water just until contact is made and then swiftly rises back into the skies.

Another balloon challenge is called “sailboat in the sky,”where the pilot allows the balloon to float freely with the winds. While describing this event, another Star Trek analogy was used, 3-D chess. That is how the earth is viewed from the sky. It is all about the different levels observed from above.