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First interview in a series of five with Nevada State Senator Joe Neal conducted by Claytee D. White on January 24, 2006. Born in Mounds, Louisiana, in 1935, Neal joined his family in Las Vegas as a young man shortly before serving in the United States Air Force from 1954 to 1958. Following his military service, he earned a bachelor's degree in political science at Southern University in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Neal continued his education at the Institute of Applied Science in Chicago, Illinois, with postgraduate work in law. From 1973 to 2001, he served in the Nevada Legislature as the Senator from Clark County Senatorial District No. 4. In the first interview, Neal recalls his childhood, moving to Las Vegas as a teenager, and joining the Air Force. He discusses his early experiences in politics and his involvement in various issues.