A native of the Lone Star State, Col. Kent Laughbaum, Davis-Monthan Air Force Base's wing commander, is looking for a Texas two-step dance floor.
Laughbaum, 47, who has commanded D-M's 355th Wing since August 2006, said he loves the desert and the community here but misses the couples country dance that bears his home state's name.
"It's hard to find a place to two-step," Laughbaum said.
The first of four brothers, Laughbaum was born in West Texas. But he grew up in Spring, a Houston suburb, while his father worked as a geologist in the oil industry.
Laughbaum received a bachelor's degree in business from Texan A&M University in 1983. He also holds three master's degrees.
After graduating from A&M, the newlywed Laughbaum spent five months in Tucson training on A-10s.
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"It was like one big honeymoon," he said.
Tucson has grown a lot since the early '80s, but that's not the biggest change Laughbaum sees. Military personnel are welcomed by the community now, as opposed to the sentiment expressed in the years after the Vietnam War, he said.
"The city as a whole is far more supportive of the military," he said. "Back then, the city wasn't necessarily hostile, but people weren't friendly."
Here's a quick Q&A:
● The University of Arizona men's basketball team hosts Texas A&M in December, and you've lucked into tickets to the game. Do you wear Wildcat red or Aggie maroon?
"I love Tucson and I'm friends with (UA) President Robert Shelton, but that will be a war. I will love the UA on every day but that day. I will forever, until my last breath, bleed Aggie maroon."
● Texas A&M and the UA both have a rabid student following. Is the Zona Zoo or the 12th Man the better student section?
"The UA and Texas A&M have a lot in common, including incredible alumni dedication. The student body at the UA is impressive, but there is only one 12th Man."
● Is Tucson's summer better than Houston's, and is there truth to the saying, "At least it's a dry heat"?
"Absolutely. Though it may be 100 degrees, when the sun goes down you can have a sidewalk buffet.
"In Texas, you would be eaten alive by mosquitoes."
Editor's note: Because so many Tucsonans started out somewhere else, we offer this weekly feature — geared especially to newcomers and visitors — profiling Tucsonans who are transplants from other states.
