<HTML><HEAD> <META charset=US-ASCII http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; cha= rset=US-ASCII"> <META content="MSHTML 6.00.2800.1400" name=GENERATOR></HEAD> <BODY style="FONT-SIZE: 10pt; FONT-FAMILY: Arial; BACKGROUND-COLOR: #fffff= f"> <DIV> <DIV>In a message dated 5/28/2004 7:51:33 AM Pacific Standard Time, marysmit= h@mail.utexas.edu writes:</DIV> <BLOCKQUOTE style="PADDING-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; BORDER-LEFT: blue = 2px solid"><FONT face=Arial>Good points, Dale. Many of us were not as fort= unate as you in that you were trained by highly skilled and trusted techs. F= or those of us (like myself) who attended, shall we say, somewhat less-than-= spectacular training schools (the one I attended is no longer around), the R= PT exams do indeed serve as ENTRY LEVEL requirements. Let's hear it for cont= inuing education! The PTG can help promote and further better technical work= , but it is the technician who must take advantage of the offerings...<BR><B= R>Mary </FONT></BLOCKQUOTE></DIV> <DIV>    <FONT size=3>    Mary </FONT><= /DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  You are absolutely right! I was fortunate & I= also realize most are not. However  for me the Incredible value of PTG= has been inestimable in my on going education. I learned very solid basic s= kills from my Dad but the traing was quite incomplete in many areas. ie gran= d regulation rebuilding skill. </FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>   As technolgy & information evelove it w= as ptg that developed deciminated it I & you & any one with a desire= have been the benificiarys.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>   I often say Most of what I no came thru thi= s organization & networking with members.</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>    To paraphrase your last statement....= .. you can lead a horse to water.........</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3> Its up to the indidivual. RpT status or not I woul= d have still availed myself to this process of info. The tuning test was an = incredible bench mark moment for me though in 1980. I was nervous but passed= with high marks & the bench marking aspect  was a good thing.</FON= T></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>   Dale</FONT></DIV> <DIV><FONT size=3>  my </FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>