About
Jim Burkett was born in a small coal mining town of West Virginiawhile his father was serving in Korea. Once his father returned, thefamily was transferred to Hawaii were they spent the next five yearsstationed at Hickum Air Force Base. While stationed in Hawaii, Jimspent as much time touring the submarines while they were in port as hewas allowed.
Their nexttour took them to MacDill Air Force Base in Florida. For six years, hespent his weekends going with his father to the different basefacilities, often allowed permission to spend time with the airmen andofficers listening to and watching as they went about theirassignments, working on the planes and transports mechanics. At the ageof 13, he lost his father who by this time was serving overseas onceagain.
Yearslater, while pursuing a Computer Science degree, he met his future wifeCathy and they were married a year and a half later. Still marriedafter 35 years, they have two sons and have been blessed with twograndchildren.
Inaddition to his current Senior Systems Analyst position, he also servesas a senior staff photographer for a local magazine in the Tampa Bayarea. Previously, he wrote a column for the SouthWinds Sailing magazineand worked on several projects including spending a week photographingthe Canadian Olympic Team prior to the Beijing Olympics and the“Earthrace” boat which would later set a world speed recordcircumnavigating the globe. In 2006, he received the “Volunteer of theYear” award for his work with the Pediatric Cancer Foundation.
Throughhis photography and writing, he feels privileged to have met and spenttime with such men as General Tommy Franks, George Steinbrenner, PeteBethune and Steve Yerrid to name only a few. One of his closest friendsis a retired Secret Service agent who once served on Presidentialdetail under six presidents.
Holdingclose to his military roots, he has continued to study military historyand high-tech science and blends these into his first book Declaration of Surrender. He uses his skill with a camera, and his devotion to his grandchildren to build his series Read With Me Pops, for pre-readers and early readers.
