OUT OF THIS WORLD

WHO AM I?

My name is John McColloch and I like solving problems, creatively.

Nothing makes me happier when I hear it can't be done. I love coming up with creative solutions to get the job done. At the heart of everything I do, is my love of drawing and problem solving.

I love telling stories. Here's one about me:

A long time ago, I went into the U.S. Air Force. Before I went in, I was told that there was no chance I could go in as an artist, so I entered in the open capacity, which meant they could assign me any job they saw fit. Early in basic training, we went to select our jobs. The clerk gave me a list and as I suspected , there were only three jobs on the list; a cook, a security policeman and an aircraft mechanic. Now these are all good professions, don't get me wrong, but not a good fit for me. Without hesitation I unbuttoned my shirt and withdrew a batch of drawings I'd snuck in. I'd drawn them before I came to boot camp, depicting Air Force life as I imagined it. His eyes grew wide and then he looked at the drawings. He told me to wait and then came back with a chief master sergeant, the highest enlisted rank you can achieve. I'd never seen so many stripes. He took one look at the drawings and told me he liked them and asked if he could have one. I told him if he gave me a job as an artist, he could have the whole batch. He said he couldn't promise anything, but he'd see what he could do. That was it. At the end of basic training, I received my orders to report to my new duty assignment as a U.S. Air Force Graphic Illustrator. The odd thing is, I never had any doubt.