I'm a retired Law Enforcement Officer from Cumberland,  Md. I retired in 2010 and started learning piping shortly thereafter. First learned Practice chanter from Annie Bristoe @ Garrett Highlands Pipes and Drums. Joined Ali Ghan Shrine Highlanders, then Jaffa Shrine Highglanders, then Rail City Pipes and Drums. Rail City and Jaffa Highlanders are in Altoona, PA. I go to North American Academy of Piping and Drumming in Valle Crusis, NC annually. There I met many wonderful instructors and ended up studying with Robert Mitchell in Shepherdstown, WV. I'm now studying with Tim Gatehouse in Altoona.  I play a set of David Naill DN3As and a set of 1950s Lawries that Used to belong to Tom White of NC. (Picked them up at NAAPD last year.) I also play Scottish Small Pipes. My current set was made by Rob Felzburg in the Pittsburgh, PA area. I am currently having a set made by EJ Jones in Asheville, NC. Finding instruction has been hard. Since running into Bob Mitchell and Tim Gatehouse, things have drastically improved. Pipers DOJO was also a revelation.