Serving 26 years in the army, Lowell May embraced uncertainty. With the Military Police, he’d make a difference for soldiers all over the globe.
Originally from Central Indiana, May had always wanted to be in the military. After graduating high school, one branch became the clear frontrunner for where he would serve.
"I could choose the training I wanted in the army,” May said. "I’d always wanted to be a policeman, so I chose Military Police.”
His first duty station landed him in Germany, where May guarded nuclear warheads.
One year later, he found himself in the more traditional role of a Military Policeman.
"It was pretty much what I imagined, town patrols, checking passes, checking soldiers,” May said. "It was interesting. No two days were the same.”
That variety was important to May, keeping things interesting for his more than 20 years of service with the army.
He served as a Compound Supervisor, Career Counselor, Maximum Security Cell Block Supervisor, and everything in between.
"I felt it was a necessary work,” May said. "When I was working in corrections, I was more helping people than anything else.”
Taking on a role with the Correctional Training Facility in Fort Riley, May made a difference with soldiers who had been court marshaled and needed help to turn their lives around.
"Our philosophy was either send the soldier back to duty as a good soldier, or if you’re not sending him back to duty, discharge him with the tools that he needs to become a productive citizen,” he said.
These days, May is staying plenty busy. He volunteers with Fort Riley Museums, Midwest Dream Car Collection, and the POW Camp Concordia Preservation Society.