Dennis L. Boyer was born on July 13, 1949 in Allentown, Pennsylvania. He attended local schools and enlisted in the Air Force upon graduating from high school in 1967. He received some initial training at Lackland Air Force Base in Texas before taking specialized courses at Chanute Air Force Base in Illinois. He specialized in weather observation, and served a tour of duty in Vietnam from July 1970 through June 1971. Shortly after returning to the U.S. Boyer received his discharge and returned to Pennsylvania.
Boyer enrolled in a local university and became very involved in the anti-war movement. He joined Vietnam Veterans Against the War (VVAW). He stayed very involved with VVAW for several years and climbed the ranks on a local level. He eventually moved to Wisconsin, settled in Dodgeville, and became a labor activist. He has written several books about Wisconsin folklore.
