Checkpoints June 1994

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Secretary of the Air Force Sheila Widnall congratulates a member of the Class of 1994 during graduation ceremonies June 1. Widnall, the first female Air Force secretary, is also the first woman to deliver the commencement address at the Academy. Speaking of the Academy, she said “The measure of the excellence of this institution is not in the rigor of the courses nor the money invested in you, but on the positive impact of its graduates on the noble profession of arms. For more on graduation, see page 13. (Photo by A1C Andy Bellamy)

CHECKPOINTS (ISSN 0274-7391) (USPS 898-080) is published quarterly in February, May, August and November by the Association of Graduates, U.S. Air Force Academy. (Phone 719-472-0300, DSN: 259-2067. FAX: 719-472-4194.) It is provided as part of a membership package of which the magazine subscription annually accounts for $10. Single copies of CHECKPOINTS for members $2.50, for nonmembers $3.50. Second-class postage paid at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. POSTMASTER: Send Form 3579 to CHECKPOINTS, Association of Graduates, Doolittle Hall, 3116 Academy Drive, Suite 100, USAF Academy, Colo. 80840-4475.

Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions, policy or attitude of the Association of Graduates, its officers or the editorial staff. The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement by the Association of Graduates of the products or services advertised. Copyright, Association of Graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Summer 1994.

VIEW FROM THE TOP

Lt. Gen. (USAF, Ret)

Academy’s Airmanship Programs Unique Among Other Commissioning Sources

(Editor’s note: Lt. Gen. Bradley C. Hosmer, ’59, the Academy’s first graduate superintendent, retired on June 23, 1994, just after providing this final View from the Top.)

The Academy is more than just a four-year degree-granting university that emphasizes military training airmanship programs are part of the reason why. Our graduates must become well-rounded officers with a good understanding of the Air Force and its mission. We accomplish this by giving each cadet as many different development experiences as possible. The airmanship programs are a key part of this experience development and they remain essential to the Academy’s mission. They expose cadets to flying, offer important leadership opportunities, build character and officership, and motivate cadets to stay at the Academy and in the Air Force.

Lt. Gen. Hosmer, ’59

For over 70 percent of some Academy classes, the only direct experience of flight operations they may have will come from the Academy’s airmanship courses. Cadet classes are entering the Academy with fewer pilot-qualified candidates than ever before. And from the classes of 1993 until later this decade, many won’t go to flight training because of reduced training allocations at Undergraduate Flight Training (UFT). While the Academy still has a full 50 percent of all Air Force flying training slots, the majority of our graduates in the next few years will be going into support career fields. Without the Academy’s special airmanship experience, they will have little understanding of what it’s like to participate in the Air Force’s primary mission.

The inescapable fact remains that a person learns through doing. The more our cadets see and do, the better Air Force officers they will be. Our airmanship programs train almost 3,000 cadets each year, and we give over 200 cadet instructors and jumpmasters the opportunity to practice leadership. These cadets provide over 90 percent of the training to almost 1,800 cadets each year. These leadership opportunities are real-world, hands-on, safety-of-flight situations that aren’t duplicated at any other college or university.

Additionally, our airmanship courses significantly and positive

AOG Answering Machine Available

After normal duty hours (0730-1630 Mountain Time, Monday through Friday), constituents desiring to leave a message for a member of the AOG staff or an elected officer may now dial (719) 472-2073 for that purpose. Callers will be requested to leave their names, phone numbers and short messages. Replies can be expected the next business day.

ly impact an individual’s courage, self-confidence, discipline, acceptance of responsibility, and adherence to standards all character-building opportunities. These character-building opportunities are extremely important to future Air Force leaders. Data from the USAFA Institutional Research Reports 01-94 and 02-94 of January 1994 show both active duty and non-active duty graduates agree airmanship programs contribute to character development.

Beyond character, these programs enhance motivation towards a career in the Air Force. The same institutional reports showed time and again graduates pointed to the fact USAFA airmanship programs substantially influenced their decision to stay at the Academy and pursue the Air Force as a career their number one choice every time.

Graduates tell us Academy airmanship programs are a bargain. Only two former soaring instructors have ever washed out from UFT for flying deficiency or self-initiated elimination in the entire history of our program. While we can’t nail down an actual amount of money USAFA airmanship programs have saved the Air Force by reducing attrition statistics, we can compare the cost charged for T-41 as a screening cost with the UFT wash-out costs. The T-41 screening program helps ensure the Academy sends graduates with a strong likelihood of successfully completing UFT. To date, the Academy graduate attrition rates are currently below the UFT average of approximately 15 percent. Using current projections and anticipated costing from Air Education and Training Command, the estimated weighted average cost of UFT student wash-out is approximately $178,000 per wash-out with the net savings to the Air Force for using T-41 as a screening program as much as $170,000.

In short, graduates tell us airmanship programs have made the difference in their Air Force careers and continue to do so today. USAFA graduates must become well-rounded officers with a good understanding of the Air Force and its mission. This is

(Continued on page 9.)

Superintendent Retires

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THE AOG BOARDROOM

There are many items of interest that I would like to update for you in this article. Much has been happening despite the summer season and vacations and a serious attempt on my part to do some fishing and play golf.

The reception for the Class of 1994 was a success for the association and the soon-to-be graduates. It was an excellent opportunity to welcome them to our graduate ranks. I believe that they realized we are truly interested in them. I must admit after five nights of socializing and standing we were all ready for a respite. Many graduates from the local area were also present for which I am grateful. A spin-off of the events is a continuing flow of life memberships from the class. Several have also sent thank you notes and updates of the first few weeks of being second lieutenants. To the Class of 1994, our best wishes, and keep the cards and letters coming.

We also attended the Class of 1995 Class Ring Dining-In, and from my perspective it was a “class act” on the part of the cadets. (To refresh your memory, the AOG will assume class ring procurement duties next year.) To those graduates who believe we focus too much attention on cadets, I must assure we are well aware of your perception. It is equally important that we be attentive as each class progresses toward graduation and joining the association.

We met with the new Superintendent, Lt. Gen. Paul Stein, ’66, during his first few days on station. The major topics of discussion included the status of Doolittle Hall, the AFA Fund support to the Academy, our new donor society (The Saber Society) and our computer resume service and the Service Academy Career Conference (SACC) in Washington, D.C. and San Diego. We look forward to working with General Stein and his staff in meeting our common interests.

For your information, the Washington, D.C. SACC involved over 1,000 graduates from the four service academies. Forty-three companies participated. This figure does not include the multipledivisional representatives within a company...e.g. General Motors had five independent divisions, but only counted as one company. The final count on job offers is not in as yet, but we are aware of well over 100 follow-up interviews, and at least 36 were headed to Michigan for further interviews with General Motors.

(View: From page 7.)

precisely what our airmanship programs provide. The Association of Graduates has been on the leading edge supporting airmanship programs by contributing that “extra margin of excellence” in the form of donated aircraft. To reduce or eliminate the programs (as some are now suggesting) would take away not only alreadylimited flying exposure, but also opportunities for leadership, real-life character-enhancement scenarios, and motivation towards service some of what makes the U.S. Air Force Academy experience truly special. I believe that’s false economy.

The San Diego SACC will be held 1-3 September, 1994, and the next Washington, D.C. SACC will be in April 1995. We are condidering administering a Texas SACC in late 1995 or early 1996 after evaluating the effectiveness of a “long distance” SACC in San Diego. Will keep you posted.

We will be meeting with Harry Pearce, ’64, Executive Vice President and General Counsel of General Motors, who has most graciously agreed to be the chairman of our “Saber Society.” The Society campaign will kick off this fall and will be seeking participants to support the strategic needs of the Academy and the association. We will be seeking charter members who will be willing to contribute $1,000 per year. The concept was developed by John Kelly, ’65, a member of the board of directors, with extensive research of what other major universities of comparable prestige have done to meet their long-term needs. The memorandum of understanding between the AOG and the Academy was signed by General Hosmer and me in May 1994.

Additionally, the AOG has been most fortunate to receive support in developing the Saber Society from a friend of the Air Force and the Air Force Academy Mr. Greg Kolligian. He has undertaken to design and assist in our marketing strategy, using his own design resources and financial expertise. He is a gentleman and true patriot, willing to expend considerable time and effort to assist in making this new program an immediate suecess. We will never be able to adequately express our appreciation for his total support to the association and the Academy. If you know him or happen to meet him, please express your thanks. I would also like to thank John Kelly publicly for his time and hard work in making things happen.

Lt. Gen. Ben Beilis (USAF, Ret), a 1946 USMA graduate and President of the Falcon Foundation, has issued the challenge of matching five times his $50,000 contribution to the AOG Building Fund for a total of $250,000. I ACCEPTED THE CHALLENGE! I hope you will be a player in meeting this challenge from a NON-GRAD!

The use of Doolittle hall as the initial in-processing station for the Class of 1998 was a total success, and we hope it will continue for future classes. Maj. Gen. Patrick Gamble, the commandant, was quite pleased, and expressed his interest in making Doolittle Hall the traditional start of a cadet’s career at the Academy. I personally like the idea since the AOG will be their representative after graduation.

My final item is to let you know we have recently sent over 1,100 letters to nonmember graduates asking what would be needed to have them join our association. We hope the responses will provide a road map to continue to increase graduate participation. You can be involved by simply being a positive spokesman regarding our association. It’s the same story our strength come from you. Being a “closet supporter” does little to make us an effective, responsive organization.

We need to stand up and play! Think about joining the many graduates who are active players now. You can be a Harry Pearce, Greg Kolligian or Ben Beilis. Better yet, be yourself and join the team!

Hope you read the above paragraphs. Doesn’t help me, but it could help you and your Association of Graduates. Keep smiling.

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COMMANDANT’S CORNER

(Editor's note: Since the results of the February ’94 first-class quality review were so newsworthy, we thought this memo from General Gamble to the Cadet Wing (18 Apr 94) would interest you. It addresses the officer aptitude screening board (formerly called the quality review) and its role in determining cadet aptitude for commissioned service.)

MEMORANDUM FOR THE CADET WING

FROM: HQ USAFA/CW

18 Apr 94

SUBJECT: Improvements Aptitude for Commissioned Service Evaluation System

1. Over the past year we have questioned whether the academy has always graduated and commissioned cadets who have demonstrated the requisite aptitude for successful service as an Air Force officer. You are undoubtedly aware that the Academy did a special one-time look at the Class of 1994 in a manner different than previous classes for the purpose of better determining aptitude for commissioning. We were not satisfied with our system as a result. The purpose of this letter is to advise the Cadet Wing on how we plan to proceed in the future to determine a cadet’s aptitude for graduation and commissioning.

impose upon its members,” USAFAR 537-1, paragraph l-2.d.(l).

4. Among other factors to be considered by the evaluation board will be the Air Officer Commanding rating, peer ratings, faculty ratings, participation in leadership positions, and commitment, as expressed throughout the cadets records, to the Academy core values of integrity first...service before self...excellence in all we do. Additionally, the evaluation board will review factors bearing upon aptitude for commissioning as evidenced by a cadet’s leadership, teamwork, temperament, personality, attitude, military bearing, and general suitability. In reality this evaluation board process will be no different from the vast majority of evaluation boards now used by the Air Force to successfully match the most qualified personnel against a given requirement. Further, these same narrative standards are those intended to be used in our current system under USAFAR 537-1 tc arrive at the MPA.

5. To implement these improvements I have directed, after consultation with and receiving the approval of the Superintendent and the Academy Board, a revision of the Academy regulation: which currently are used to assess a cadet’s aptitude for commissioned service. Since I expect these changes will be accomplished soon, I am providing this information so that each cadet can understand these changes and be knowledgeable of the process that will govern action in this area.

6. The improvements that implement an evaluation board process will not in any way alter the Academy’s obligation to graduate and commission officers who have the requisite aptitude for service to the nation. All cadets have always been required to put forth their very best effort in all areas. Aptitude is not an exception. In short, every cadet will continue to be challenged to put forth his or her best efforts to demonstrate aptitude for commissioning. The Academy, the Air Force and the nation are entitled to nothing less. To expect otherwise contravenes the very principles upon which this Academy was founded and detracts from the public confidence in the ability of this institution to produce the finest possible aerospace leaders for tomorrow.

2. In the recent past, evaluation of a cadet’s aptitude for commissioning has been clouded by the linkage between conduct and aptitude. This linkage had grown to such an extent that a cadet’s military performance average (MPA) was in danger of becoming less than a meaningful tool for effectively gauging a cadet’s aptitude for commissioning. In essence, poor aptitude had turned largely into a function of conduct. To alleviate this problem, the Academy will de-couple aptitude from the current conduct and aptitude evaluation system. In determining aptitude for commissioning, we will still consider a cadet’s MPA, much as we have in the past; however, we will also use a board of active-duty officers to conduct a “whole person’’ review of a cadet’s aptitude for commissioned service...an “officer aptitude screening board.’’ Furthermore, we intend to offer cadets a much broader opportunity to see their cadet records regularly throughout the year so each individual can remain aware of how he or she is measuring up.

3. These boards will be very similar to the many evaluation boards currently used by the Air Force. By “whole person’’ we mean the board will consider a cadet’s entire record as it bears upon the cadet’s aptitude for commissioned service. Aptitude for commissioned service is currently defined “as the personality, capacity, and inclination (either natural or acquired) to adapt to military relationships, customs, and responsibilities traditional and necessary in the military service; and the strength of character and willingness to acept limits on freedom of individual action that the traditional structure and legal status of military service

7. We will be continuing the board review of aptitude for commissioned service for all classes. I urge each of you to re-read paragraphs three and four of this letter to ensure you understand the criteria and qualities that you will be measured against.

//signed//

Out

Thai Cadet Is Top Graduate; SecAF Speaks

Senior cadet Jackkrit Thammavichai of Bangkok, Thailand, was the Outstanding Cadet in Order of Graduation for the Class of 1994. He was the first international student ever to earn the award. Thammavichai was among approximately 1,008 members of the Class of 1994 who heard Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Sheila E. Widnall deliver the 36th commencement address at the Academy on June 1. Widnall’s appearance marked the 13th time a secretary of the Air Force has delivered the graduation address.

Widnall, the first female Air Force secretary, is also the first woman to deliver a commencement address at the Academy. She told the graduates and the crowd of some 21,350 that despite the pressure to cut back and save money, the Academy is still an “indispensable source” of leadership that must be preserved. But the repuation of the Academy and continued public support for such expensive education and training rests on the final product, she said.

Thammavichai had dreamed of flying airplanes since he was a six-year-old in Thailand. Becoming the Academy’s first foreignborn top gun wasn’t easy for the 23-year-old. When he came to America five years ago and enrolled at the Virginia Military Institute, he spoke no English. But he kept striving, inspired by his mother who died of cancer when he was 12.

“She always wanted me to do things perfectly. I would get punished if I didn’t do things perfectly,” he said. His next stop after graduation was the Massachusetts Institute of Technology to earn a master’s degree in aeronautical engineering. He then plans to serve his homeland with a stint in the Thai Air Force.

This year’s graduation brings the ranks of total Air Force Academy alumni to more than 27,600. Of the 1,008 1994 graduates, 126 were women and 980 were commissioned in the U.S. Air Force.

The new Air Force second lieutenants will report to a variety of assignments, including 225 to pilot training and 27 to navigator training. Twenty graduates expected to attend medical school

Children of Two Vietnam KIAs Become Friends at the Academy

On June 6, 1972, two Air Force pilots paid the ultimate sacrifice for their country when their aircraft was shot down over Vietnam. Listed Missing-In-Action that day were Lt. Col. James Fowler and Capt. John Seuell.

When Cadet John Seuell graduated here June 1, he was congratulated by 1st Lt. Stephen James Fowler, a 1991 graduate of the Academy. The sons of the two pilots shot down together in Vietnam share a unique relationship which began here in 1989.

They met at a Parent’s Club banquet during Christmas break that year and Fowler discovered that Seuell was the son of his father’s navigator. As it turned out, Seuell received an appointment to the Academy and both were here together in 1991 Fowler as a senior and Seuell a freshman.

They became close friends in that short year and even found out they grew up a short distance from each other at Patrick Air Force Base, Fla. Seuell graduated from the same squadron in which Fowler graduated Cadet Squadron 25.

“This is the only time such a thing has ever happened or probably ever will in regards to sons of MIAs from the Vietnam Conflict,” said Fowler, from his current assignment at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Fla. “I know our fathers would have been proud to see their sons dedicated to the same ideals for which they died. Only a place like the Academy coould reunite the sons of two MIAs from the same aircraft incident. John and I both believe the Academy was the only way to experience the dedication in which our fathers gave their lives and to likewise become pilots in the U.S. Air Force.”

while others go immediately to non-rated assignments Air Forcewide. In addition, six graduates will accept commissions in the U.S. Army, two will enter the U.S. Navy and nine will enter the U.S. Marine Corps.

Nearly 100 members of the class received scholarships and fellowships for graduate study. Since 1959 more than 850 graduates have been recipients of scholarships and fellowships, including 30 Rhodes, 92 Guggenheim, 62 National Science Foundation, 30 Fulbright-Hays, 33 Hertz Foundation, 50 J.F. Kennedy Scholarships, 12 National Football Hall of Fame Scholarships, and approximately 33 NCAA scholarships.

Among the graduates who earned military honors is Capt. Lance P. Sijan, Class of 1965, who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his action in Southeast Asia and for whom one of the two cadet dormitories is named. Two graduates were declared “aces” in Southeast Asia: Air Force Reserve Col. Richard “Steve” Ritchie, Class of 1964, and Lt. Col. Jeffrey S. Feinstein, Class of 1968.

To date, some 170 Academy graduates have been promoted to general officer rank, including former Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Bradley C. Hosmer, Class of 1959, the Academy’s first graduate to be named Superintendent. General Hosmer is the Academy’s number one graduate from the Class of 1959 and the first Rhodes Scholar. The current superintendent is Lt. Gen. Paul E. Stein, a 1966 graduate. Brig. Gen. Reuben A. Cuber, dean of faculty, is a 1961 graduate.

Air Force Secretary Visits Basic Cadet Training

Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Sheila Widnall is briefed by Cadet 1st Class Blake Mathies, left, and Cadet 1st Class Rob Rossi at the Air Force Academy’s Combat Arms Training Center during her visit July 23-24.

The combat arms facility is part of Jack’s Valley training area, where the Academy’s new basic cadets participate in two-week field training exercises. The encampment consists of teambuilding exercises, including air base ground defense training on the assault course. The annual rite of passage for the basic cadets also includes obstacle course exercises.

Doctor Widnall toured the command post, medical center, dining facility field operations, and the assault and air base ground defense training courses. She also addressed the more than 1,300 basic cadets, telling them to prepare themselves for a career in the Air Force and to “take advantage of the opportunities” presented at the Academy. Doctor Widnall also reminded the basics to remember the three core values of “integrity first, service before self and excellence in all you do.”

Former Superintendent Recalls D-Day, POW Experiences

Retired Air Force General Albert P. Clark was the Academy Superintendent from 1970-1974. What some people may not know is that he was a prisoner of war at Stalag Luft III, a German Luftwaffe POW camp in Sagan, Sadalia (which is now part of Poland).

The experiences of General Clark and his comrades were chronicled in the movie “The Great Escape.” “I had been shot down in the summer of 1942 while flying with a British squadron over France,” General Clark said. “By D-Day, there were about 9,000 American and British fliers in the camp, all officers.”

As a senior officer (Clark was a lieutenant colonel at the time), he was in charge of all the clandestine operations the prisoners performed in his 2,000-man unit of the camp.

“I was in charge of espionage, sabotage, harassment and any other activity which annoyed the Germans and thwarted their efforts. We were very well organized in the camp. We had radios which we kept hidden,” he said. “We would monitor the radios each night, listening to the British Broadcasting Corporation broadcasts from England, listening for news from the war. The BBC also broadcast coded messages for the various underground organizations throughout Europe. We were probably the bestinformed people in the war.”

It was during one of these radio broadcasts that Clark and his stalag-mates found out about the impending invasion. “We learned what the code words were through the underground. I think the message was ‘The flowers are blooming’, which meant the invasion of France was beginning,” Clark said. “The senior officers such as myself had to keep the news to ourselves, or else the entire camp would explode. That was tough.”

At 10:30 a.m. June 6, the German guards told the American and British officers about the invasion on the beaches of Norman

dy. “The Germans were very disciplined when they told us. They kind of shrugged off the news, like it was not very important,” Clark said. “But we could tell that in their hearts and guts, the Germans knew it was the beginning of the end. But none of us figured it would be almost another year before we were released.”

Stalag III was liberated April 2, 1945. “We were kind of an oasis in a country that was being destroyed,” Clark said of the 10 months after D-Day. “The Luftwaffe did their best to treat us according to the Geneva Convention rules, but as food ran out outside the camp, it ran out inside as well.

“Some of the German guards were decent enough and we knew they were just doing their jobs,” Clark said. “We even kept in touch with them after the war and invited them to some of our reunions. But there were some that were bastards. They disappeared quickly after the war.”

Clark remembered fondly one German master sergeant in particular. “His name was Hermann Glemnitz. He was in his 40’s at the time, while most of the prisoners were in their 20’s. He was not a member of the Nazis. He was a pilot during World War I and understood our restlessness as pilots,” Clark said. “He was in charge of finding our escape tunnels. He found something like 75 of the tunnels we had dug beneath the barracks, but missed three others.

“It was through one of these tunnels that ‘The Great Escape’ occured. There were 76 POWs that escaped at that time, but only three made it to freedom,” Clark said. “We invited him to our 20th reunion and he gladly attended and had a good time. He came to a few more after that until he died at the age of 81. He was really a very good human being.”

Clark said that his experiences as a POW were not all wasted. “All of us were very close and remained so after the war was over,” the general said. (The Falcon Flyer)

Charitable Giving: Options Offer Additional Tax Advantages

When most of us think about giving to charity, we think of writing out a check or perhaps donating clothing, furniture or time to a charitable organization. While most of us know that gifts of money, clothing and furniture to a tax-exempt charity are tax deductible, few of us are aware of the advantages of more complicated ways to donate.

For those who can afford it, these other options may offer significant tax savings to donors, while at the same time giving charitable organizations access to much-needed funds. Here are a couple of possibilities:

Charitable lead trust This type of trust pays out interest income to a charity for several years and then, when the specified term is over, the principal goes to the donor’s heirs. Obviously, the donor foregoes investment income from the donated asset, but the advantage is that the property or principal eventually gets transferred to the heirs with reduced or even eliminated estate or gift taxes.

West Pointer and Wife Challenge USAFA Grads!

Lt. Gen. Ben Beilis (USAF, Ret), and his wife, Rosemary, have challenged all USAFA graduates to a five-to-one match of their gift to help complete Doolittle Hall. General and Mrs. Beilis have pledged $50,000 to the building, challenging graduates to raise $250,000 in the next nine months.

Lt. Gen. (USAF, Ret) and Mrs. Ben Beilis have made afiveto-one match challenge to Academy graduates on their $50,000 pledge to the Building Fund. They will donate $50,000 and challenge graduates to raise $250,000 in the next nine months.

General Beilis is currently president of the Falcon Foundation. He is a former commander of Electronic Systems Division and the 6th Allied Tactical Air Force, vice CINC of U.S. Air Forces in Europe, and a 1946 West Point graduate.

We’re on the way to meeting the Beilis challenge! The Class of ’59 has agreed to strap on a goal of $90,000 as part of their 35th reunion gift. The Class of ’64 is pledging $50,000 for their 30th reunion. Donations from individual graduates contacted by telephone will now also count toward the challenge. Other reunion classes may also choose to play.

Let’s not miss a great opportunity to help complete Doolittie Hall. Send your donations to: AOG Building Fund, 3116 Academy Dr., Suite 100, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840-4475.

Please annotate “Beilis challenge gift” on your check. Thanks for your great support.

A donor can place an asset such as a house or security, for example, in a charitable lead trust. After the donor’s death, the asset is sold and the proceeds are reinvested to make annual payments to the charity. The longer the payments to the charity

15 years is a recommended minimum the greater the tax advantage to the donor. Also, heirs don’t have to pay taxes on appreciated value of the asset; for estate tax purposes, they pay only on the value placed in the trust.

Once the trust is established, however, no one can get at the principal until the trust expires. Donors should use attorneys and accountants who are experienced in estate planning to ensure the trust is properly set. Further, substantial initial and maintenance costs are involved, so assets probably should be at least $250,000 or it may not be worthwhile.

Charitable remainder trust This is the exact opposite of a charitable lead trust. A remainder trust gives the asset to charity and then pays the donor an income for life. Donors can give investment property (stocks, real estate, etc.) to the charitable trust. They then may take a tax deduction for the gift based on an agerelated IRS formula and also can receive investment income.

This trust works well for people who have acquired several properties that have appreciated significantly but might not have enough liquid assets to support themselves comfortably during retirement. The major disadvantage is that the gift is irrevocable. If for any reason the donor needs to cash in the asset, there’s no way to get at it.

Anyone who is considering setting up a charitable remainder trust definitely should consult an attorney who specializes in this area; one wrong word can upset the tax deduction. Also, have an expert compare the income potential from the trust with the moneymaking potential from the property your children would have inherited if you hadn’t made the gift. For those who can afford it, the ability to give to charity combined with the potential tax savings is often the motivation for setting up either of these two trusts. A word of caution though be careful not to give away too much too soon. There are too many uncertainties in life don’t get caught short.

Again, people considering something more complicated than simply giving money outright such as either of these two trust options would do well to consult an attorney, a professional tax advisor or other expert specializing in estate planning.

C1C Stephen Bunting and C1C David Dick, both now second lieutenants, present Dick Coppock, AOG executive vice president, a reproduction of the chart showing the flight path of Doolittle Raiders’ aircraft during the historic raid on Japan on April 18, 1942. The framed chart, a gift from 2nd Cadet Squadron, now hangs in the entryway ofDoolittle hall and bears the signatures of many surviving Raiders and a letter from General Doolittle.

BUILDING FUND DONORS

The AOG Board of Directors acknowledges with sincere appreciation the following contributors who pledged and made cash contributions to the AOG Building Fund from March 12 through June 23, 1994. We encourage others to join these dedicated graduates and friends in this most important project. Contributions and pledges made after June 23 will be listed in the next publication of Checkpoints.

CONTRAILS DONORS

($10 000-$24 999)

Anonymous

Mr David J Phillips ’59

FALCON DONORS

($5 000-$9 999)

Col(Ret) & Mrs Jock C H Schwank ’60

Anonymous, Class of ’59 match of

The Delta Air Lines Foundation

TALON DONORS

($ 1 000- 54 999)

Air Force Academy Society of WADC

Drs Jeff & Crystal Anderson ’81

Mr John H Barhaugh '67

Wilfred C Benitez 79 in memory of Daniel W Stratford 79

Col John C Blackmar USAFR ’65

Col(Ret) & Mrs H A Bondaruk, Jr ’65

Mr Ray Brannan, Jr 71

Mr & Mrs James B Bronson match of Abbott Laboratories Fund

Lt Col James W Brown III Ret ’59

Maj Gen Richard E Carr ’59

Ms Maria Carrion match of Exxon Education Foundation

Maj Robert D Cason Ret ’67

Col John H Casper ’66

Mr & Mrs Michael A Charecky match of IBM International Foundation

Col Neal D Coyle 72

Mr J Mike Cryer ’68 match of

Allied Signal

Mr & Mrs William B Cummins match of First Bank System Foundation

Mr & Mrs William Delahanty match of Allied Signal

Lt Col Joseph G DeSantis Ret ’59

Mr Dennis D Dillon ’61

Gen Gabriel P Disosway

Col John F Disosway 70

Lt Col Lee R Dorey Ret ’59

Lt Col William J Dunn MD ANG 76

Maj Dennis W Ehrler 77

Lt Col Timothy A Emhoff USAFR 72

Mr Gerard B Finneran ’59

Mr James H Fleming '64

Capt George P Fuller IV ’86

Mr Gerald Garvey ’59

Mr Douglas G Grafflin ’59

Col Willie W Gray, Jr Ret ’62

Mr & Mrs Manuel & Karen Guerrero ’82

Mr Thomas W Hancock 76

Mr & Mrs John C Handley match of Exxon Education Foundation

Mr Steven E Hartman ’81

Mr John W Hegner 73 match of Dun & Bradstreet Corporation Foundation

Brad and Zita Hosmer ’59

Lt Col Glenn F Howerton, Jr Ret ’67

Col Leigh H Hunt Jr Ret ’59

Maj Gen Wayne O Jefferson, Jr Ret ’59

Mr Rudy M Jiricek ’80 match of The Delta Air Lines Foundation

Gen Hansford T Johnson Ret ’59

Mrs Stella H Jones in memory of

Ira Milton James

Mr Charles A Kaake ’59

Mr Conrad M Kay ’59

Mr Stephen M Keen 75

Mr Gary M Kopacka 78

Mr & Mrs Randy A Kretsinger

Lt Col Kenton E Lammers Ret ’62 match of IBM International Foundation

Ms L Dianne Langmade ’80

Mr & Mrs George R Loucks match of General Electric Foundation

Ed Lynch '59

MCI Telecommunications Corp

Mrs Olivia M McKenna match of Martin Marietta Corporation Foundation

Mr & Mrs Donald M McNutt, Jr

Mr & Mrs David G Moelter match of Owens-Coming Fiberglas Corporation

(Continued on next page.)

Mr & Mrs Howard Fell

Building Fund Donation

Bill and Kathy Stein, co-presidents ofthe Long Island, N. Y. Parents Club, present a check (a portion of the parent club’s $10,000pledge to the Building Fund) to Jim Ulm, ’61, AOG president. From left are Ulm, Kathy Stein, Bill Stein, William Stein (son), ’94, and Kelly McKitterick.

(Building Fund Donors: Continued from previous page.)

Col Hans J Mueh '66

Maj Steven W Mungle USAFR 'll

Mr Donald F Novak 75

Mr James E O’Day 71

Col Don H Owen '67

Lt Col Melvin E Pollard Ret ’59

matching of TFW Foundation

Maj Vincent J Rafferty, Jr ’81

Dr & Mrs Claude G Rick

Lt Col Norman F Roderick Ret ’62

Dr John P Roe 72

Mr Hal E Sauer 71

Mr Thomas G Skilling ’61

Mr & Mrs Anthony S Sotallaro

match of Exxon Education Foundation

Col David L Sweigart Ret '60

Ms Joyce Tjhio

Mr & Mrs Frank B Todaro match of Cooper Industries Foundation & The MayDepartment Stores Company Foundation

Maj Gen Harold W Todd Ret ’59

Lt Col William M Toney Ret ’59

Col Edward S Tooley ’66

Maj Steven M Topper MD ’82

Dr Marvin J VanEvery 76

Lt Col Peter C Vogel ARNG 72

Mr & Mrs Lloyd A Ward match of Caterpillar Foundation

Mr Kenneth L Weaver 79

Capt Robert F Wenzel ’82 & Mrs Barbara Mahon Wenzel ’85

Col John J Wolcott Ret '61

Lt Col Frederick B Wynn Ret ’59

TAKE OFF DONORS

($25 - 5999)

Maj Michael D Adams ANG ’78

Col & Mrs Jerry D Adinolfi, Jr Ret ’63

Ms Elizabeth A Alderete ’85

Mr Scott D Allan 79

Col Charles W Allport Ret ’62

Lt Jeffrey A Anderson 71

Mr Glenn E Anderson, Jr 71

Col David D Anderson Ret ’59

Ms Lori A Angelillo '86

Lt Col William G Bader ANG 70

Capts Regis J & Lynda M Baldauff '87

Capt Guillermo Balmaseda ^1

Mr Gerald Bame 78

Capt Sara M Baranowski ’89

Mrs Norma McElvain Barr

Lt Col(ARNG) & Mrs Jim & Kay Barr ’72

Lt Col John D Barrowclough 75

Mr & Mrs Glenn H Bartholic match

of Rockwell International

Maj Debra A Bartz ANG *82

Lt Col John E Bauer Ret ’66

Mr Kevin M Beatty ’82

Mrs Lou Beck

Capt Robert S Beckwith USAFR 79

Maj Richard D Beery 78

Maj Peter J Bergamini USAFR 79

Mr Steven M Berger 76

Mrs Lenora Wong Beming ’80

Col Michael P Blaisdell Ret ’62

Mr Ronald E Blum ’67

Mr John A Boose ’67

Capt Philip A Bossert, Jr ’82

Mr John E Boyd, Jr 70

Maj Dennis A Braun ’81

Mr Martin H Breidenstein ’79

Maj Gregory F Brewer ANG 79

Mr Daucey F Brewington 70

Mr Hugh C Briggs 72

Contributions

Mr & Mrs Ronald C Brown, Sr

MSgt(Ret) & Mrs George M Buch, Sr

Maj Robert C Buckles Ret ’59

Maj Mario C Buda 79

Mr David R Bull 72

Mr George G Burnette III 76 match of The Delta Air Lines Foundation

Maj Steven D Busch ’77

Lt Col Larry F Bush 70

Mr Lindsay W Butler III 76

Mr John Caldwell

Mr & Mrs Roy Campbell

Todd Carrillo 78

Mr & Mrs Leo F Carrow, Jr match of Sprint Foundation

Mr Joseph A Cavazzini ’82

Lt Col Robert M Chapman, Jr 72

Mr & Mrs Silvio A Chiavacci match of General Electric Foundation

Capt Daniel A Ciechanowski ’82

Mr Randolph E Clapp ’80

Mr & Mrs Richard A Clark match of Southwestern Bell Foundation

Capt Trevor M Clark ’89

Col George C Clark Ret ’59

Col Thomas M Conley Ret ’61

Mr Stephen K Conver ’66

Mr Peyton E Cook 79

Maj John S Coucoules ’80

Lt Col Roger L Counts Ret ’59

Lt Col Gary F Crew Ret ’60

Capt Alice L Cruz ’82

Mrs Linda G Cubero ’80

Mr & Mrs Danny L Curtis

Capt James Robert Cvancara ’85

Mrs Mary K McConnon Dauenhauer ’82

Capt Benjamin W Davis ’90

Mr George A Dawes 70

Capt Daniel J A DeCamp ’82

Mr John P Deceilio, Jr ’82

Col Daniel B DeDona 71

Mr John DeFilippo 70

Maj Jeffrey M Dierksen 77

Mr & Mrs Edgar A Dillard

Col John C Dinsmore Ret ’62

Mr Steven K Doss ’81

Capt Rae Anne Dotter ’85

Col Michael H Downie 71

Lt Col Robert A Draper ’67

Capt David L Duncan USAFR ’80

Mr D Brent Durrett ’82

Capt William E Eades ’82

Mr Warren P Edris III 71

Maj & Mrs Jay & Cathy Ellis, Jr 78

Lt Col Guy G Engler Ret '65

Maj Nelson W English ’81

Capt William L Erikson ’82

Mr & Mrs Roger Escorpizo match of Hoffmann-La Roche Inc

Mrs Jeanne Farley

Capt Angelique L Faulise ’86

LtCoI(Ret) & Mrs Dennis J Fife match of The Thiokol Foundation

Lt Col George K Finan II Ret ’66

Mr Wayne A Ford 78

Mr Raymond L Fortner 76

Lt Elizabeth A Frederick ’91

Mr Ralph B Fritzsch ’66

Mr Joseph L Frost ’72

Lt Col(Ret) & Mrs Clarence T Y Fung ’64 match of TRW Foundation

Maj Dennis F Funnemark Ret 70

Brig Gen Albert A Gagliardi, Jr Ret ’59

Mr Francisco R Garcia

Maj Mark D Garlow ’80

Mr & Mis John Garst

Anonymous

Mr & Mrs R Allan Gibbs

Capt & Mrs Terry Gibbs ’88

Mr & Mrs Deon G Gieg ANG 78

Col Robert B Giffen ’65

Mr & Mrs Hugh K Giggy

Mr Braxton Gilmore 71

Lt Col Scott W Gough 76

Col Michael D Grebb USAFR 72

Maj David J Gruber ’80

Mr Theodore S Haddad, Jr ’86

Capt Richard S Haddad USAFR ’81

Maj & Mrs Cyril K Haines, Jr ’77

Mr & Mrs David E Hall match of American Cyanamid Company

Maj Robert F Hall '78

Col Stephen A Hamer Ret ’59

Lt Col Scott A Hammond ANG 75

Mr & Mrs Daniel D Hancock ’80

Mr & Mrs Frank S Harman

Mr James D Harris ’66

Mr & Mrs Eugene W Harris, III match of The Delta Air Lines Foundation

Mr Robert J Harrison 78

Dr Donald W Hassemer ’67

Mr David A Haugen 75

Hawaii Parents Club

Col Donald J Heacox Ret ’62

Brig Gen Richard G Head Ret ’60

Col(Ret) & Mrs Willis L Helmantoler

Lt Col Francis S Heming, Jr Ret 70

Mr & Mrs Ronald Henderson

Maj Darrell L Herriges 78

Capt Steven C Herzig ^2

Mr Floyd R Hester ’59

Lt Col Donald E Hickman USAFR ’67

Mr & Mrs Michael D Higgins

SMSgt & Mrs Terry L Hollingsworth match of International Paper Company Foundation

Col Scott M Hoversten 70

Mr & Mrs Joseph Howard match of MITRE Corporation

(Continued on next page.)

Thank

Living Trusts: Avoid Probate, Ensure Inheritance Access

Setting up a living trust is a good way to avoid probate and ensure that your heirs gain immediate access to their inheritance, according to Lisa Berger in her book, Feathering Your Nest.

“These trusts let your heirs seize control of their inheritance from the moment you die,” Berger says, “leapfrogging the potendaily costly and time-intensive probate required of an ordinary will...A living trust can render probate into little more than a short footnote to your beneficiaries’ plans.”

Despite the word “Trust,” which suggests something useful only to the very rich, a living trust can be a practical alternative to a will for many middle-income Americans, she says. The practice is being adopted by many people, especially in states where probate eats a big chunk of an estate.

Setting up a living trust is relatively easy. Kits are even available so you can write a living trust yourself. It’s best to play it safe, however, and have a lawyer draft a legally-binding document. Although attorneys charge more to write living trusts than they do for wills, the long-term cost is less because of the savings in probate.

A living trust has several other advantages:

You don’t relinquish much control. You can serve as trustee, thus controlling all of the assets as long as you live; when you die, the successor you’ve chosen takes over.

• A living trust is “revocable.” You can modify or nullify the arrangement anytime you wish; you can change beneficiaries, or buy and sell assets.

(Building Fund Donors: Continued from

Maj Richard F Howard DO ’80

Maj Byron E Huddleston ANG 75

Lt Col Peter O Hugdahl Ret ’67

Mr William E Hughes ’75

Mr & Mrs Q Grant Hutchins, Jr match of Hoechst Celanese Foundation, Inc

Mr Arthur W Hyatt, Jr ’82

Mr & Mrs Wilfred H Ichiyama

Capt & Mrs Dunning Idle V ’82

Mr & Mrs Bienvenido Iglesias

Mr Gregory J Isert ’72

Col John D Jacobcik Ret ’63 match of McDonnell Douglas Foundation

Maj David A Jankowski ANG ’71

Col Jimmie L Jay Ret ’59

Col Robert S F Jennings Ret ’59

Mr Christian R Johnson ’63

Capt Troy A Johnson ’82

Col John A Johnson Ret ’60

Mr Raymond A Jones ’70

Ronald E & Patricia M Joy ’71

Capt Phillip J Kauffman and Capt Jill E Kauffman-Stiglich ’86

Maj Robert P Kay ’78

Capt Julie L Keck ’82

Lt Col Harold G Keck, Jr Ret ’62

Sandy Keeter ’82

Lt Col Charles A Kennedy Ret ’66

Capt Robert G Kilgore ’88

Maj Kevin L Kimsey ’80

Lt Col Richard P King 76

Mr Bruce F Kohl ’63 match of TRW Foundation

Col Robin Kozelka Ret ’59

Capt Edward H Krafft ’87

Lt Andrew R Kreis ’91

Capt Wolfgang K Kressin ’82

Lt Col(ANG) & Mrs Bruce & Candy Kroehl 72

Col & Mrs Thomas Kumashiro match of Rockwell International

Maj Ronald C LaFon USAFR 79

Maj & Mrs Kirby H Lambert

Mr Edward F Lankenau III '59

Maj Robert G Lannon Ret '62

Maj Glenn J Larsen USAFR 78

Mr & Mrs Dean A Latas '81

Maj James C Lewis 79

Maj Jeffrey T Liederbach USAFR 79

Lt Col Randall K Liefer ’77

Mr David R Lippert 76

Mr & Mrs Kenneth Lloyd

Lt Col Duane J Lodrige ANG 75

Mr Robert B Lopert 70

Dr Dino A Lorenzini ’62

Lt Col Peter C Losi 75

Capt R Scott Lucarelli ’82

Mr Richard W Lynch ’82

Capt John M Lyons *85

Capt Joseph M Lyons ’87

Mr James E Mack ’62 in memory of Darrell L Fox, Jr ’62

Mr & Mrs Louis J Magistrale

Lt Col Edward A Maher Ret ’63 match of McDonnell Douglas Foundation

Maj Dennis A Maier Ret ’66

Maj William Maiorano ANG 75

Mr & Mrs Robert A Majkowski

Mr & Mrs Roger Maldonado, Sr

Mr Gregory A Mandt 78

Maj Peter L Marcuzzo USAFR 75

Mr Marcel W Mayer 70

Capt Edward J McAllister III ’82

Mr & Mrs Gerry McCallum match of

Springs Industries, Inc

Lt Col Worth R McCue Ret ’61

Mr R Bruce McDonald ’67

Capt Robert A McEntee ’88

Maj Charles S McHenry USAFR 76

MEI Technology Corporation

Mr James A Meyer ’77

Lt Col Richard M Midkiff Ret ’67

Mr Steven Miller 71

Mr Richard E Miller, Jr 71

Col Craig V Miller Ret ’59

Mr & Mrs Dwight Moe

Capt Anthony Montero ’86

Lt Col Philip C Moore USAFR 70

Mr Kevin J Morgan 79 & Mrs Susan E Morgan ’80

Col Joseph D Morgan III Ret ’59

You can name a trustee who will manage your Finances if you become disabled. This feature will save your family a trip to court to arrange for a guardian or conservator to handle your affairs.

A living trust becomes “irrevocable” upon your death, and your designated successor trustee will distribute your assets immediately according to your instructions no waiting for the slow probate process. Living trusts, which travel across state lines better than wills, are particularly practical for families who own real estate in more than one state. Heirs won’t have to go through probate in every state where property is owned.

“If not properly crafted, a badly drawn living trust can leave your estate in a mess,” Berger cautions. “Be sure the lawyer you hire to do it has experience in your state and is a member of the American College of Trust and Estate Counsel.” Living trusts have no tax advantages; the assets in your trust will be included in your estate for tax purposes.

“Think of a living trust as a safe-deposit box into which you put any or all assets of your estate,” says Berger. Once your lawyer has established the trust, place your property titles real estate (including your home if it’s not jointly owned and you’re not planning to refinance), stock portfolio, antiques, jewelry into it.

What if you forget to transfer something into the trust? Any assets not included in the trust will have to go through probate unless you have a “pour-over will” which allows those assets to “pour over” into the trust. A knowledgeable lawyer or financial planner will recommend this supplement. The safest route is to consult with these professionals about what will work best in your situation.

previous page.)

Mr David L Morrow, Jr 78

Mr Douglas L Mowery '77

Mr & Mrs John Mulligan match of Stone & Webster Inc

Mr & Mrs Robert Muncy

Maj Ted O Mundelein, Jr 79

Capt Mark D Murray ^l

Capt Edward Philip Nagler ’85

Col Steve W Nielson Ret ’62

NORAD Combat Operations in memory of Tina Livingston *86

Mr Gunnar A Ohgren 75

Mr & Mrs William M Orlowsky match of General Public Utilities

Corporation

Capt Paul

Mr & Mrs Jerry Rueschhoff

Mr Michael Ruggiero 77

Mr Andrew J Salisbury ’83

Mr Douglas R Sander ’82

Mr David L Sanders *82

Mr Robin L Sanders 79

Mr & Mrs Donald E Savage

Maj Gordon S Savage, Jr Ret ’60

Mr Steven C Sawtelle 79

Maj Robert K Saxer ’80

Lt Col Daniel R Scace ANG 72

Capt Mark E Schieve ’86

Capt Scott R Schlapkohl ’82

Maj Charles B Schmitz ANG 75

Col Donald P Sellers ’67

Mr & Mrs Mario J Serna match of Exxon Education Foundation

Mr Eric W Sharp 75

Mr Stephen J Shay 71

Mr Roger D Shell 79

Maj Albert J Simon Til

Capt James R Simpson ’82

Mr Stephen A Simpson 70

Mr Archie C Smiles, Jr 72

Capt Jeffrey J Smith ’86

Lt Col Quay C Snyder, Jr ’77

Mrs Darlcen Aveiy Sobota ’82

Mr & Mrs Francis Spellman

Maj Thomas B Spratt III ANG ’77

Lt Edmond V Stack ’91

Mr & Mrs D Tim Stamets

Ms Lynn M Steer ’SS

Maj Robert A Steigerwald and Mrs

Sitvi K Steigerwald ^l

Mr David J Steinbeck ’80

Mr John W Storer 75

Capt Ronald K Story *87

Capt Charles A Streeter ’85

Mr William L Strell 76

Mr & Mrs James T Suber match of

General Electric Foundation

Capt Robert T Sullivan ’88

Mr David R Sun 76

Lt Kevin L Sutton ’93

Lt Col Keith K Sweatland Ret ’67

match of Hughes Aircraft Company

Lt Col Ronald T Talcott Ret ’66

Mr & Mrs Michael Taraborelli, Jr

Mr & Mrs Robert H Taylor

Lt Col John A Taylor, Jr Ret 70

Lt Col James D Thames Ret ’66

Capt Evan C Thomas ’86

Col John M Thomas ANG Ret 70

Maj Gen Arnold R Thomas, Jr ’64

Lt Col Dale E Tietz 71

Lt Col Thomas V Tilden Ret ’67

Mr Thomas J Topolski, Jr 75

Capt Jay E Trageser Ret ’80

Lt Col Dick Trail Ret ’59

Capt Octavio L Trippe III ’86

Mr Keith S Troxler ^

Maj Jon R Turner USAFR 75

USAFA Parents Club of SC

Capt Jeffrey D Van Havel ’85

Lt Jackie D Van Ovost ’88

Mr Peter R VanAllen ’63 match of General Electric Foundation

Capt Elise M Vander Vennet ’85

Capt Robin Paul Vanderberry ’85

Capt Rick E Vandiver USAFR ’80

Rev Bradley VanSant Major

USAF Ret ’62

Capt Joseph A Vasta ’86

Mr Robert M Vendley '77

Mr & Mrs Barry Wachter

Mr & Mrs Stacy T Walser, Jr match of Hoechst Celanese

Foundation

Mr & Mrs Mark G Walter match of Anheuser-Busch Foundation

Mr & Mrs Stephen E Ward match of General Electric Foundation

Col Albert L Waters Ret ’59

Dr & Mrs Brady C Way

SMSgt(Ret) & Mrs R J Weiss match of General Electric Foundation

Lt Col Gerald M Wenner, Jr Ret ’67

Lts Philip & Kimberly Wielhouwer ’90

Col Paul L Wilke Ret ’65

Mr William L Williams II 78

Maj Guy J Wills III ’79

Lt Col Sam H Wilson USAFR 71

Lt Col Stuart B Wood Ret ’67

Mr Thomas H Wuerslin 71

Lt William E Young, Jr ’91

Anonymous

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Dear classmates and friends of Richard B. Shepard,

This evening I watched the sun set over the Gulf of Mexico. It hid behind a distant thunderstorm prior to sinking into a placid sea and painting the scattered clouds in shades of lavender, rose, and pink. The silver sands were washed by the gentle waves of an ebb tide. Tiny sandpipers, moving in unison as a ballet troupe, scoured the beach for morsels left by the receding waters. Huge dragonflies helicoptered about in search of prey. Soft offshore breezes quietly rustled mangroves and palms, and lightly brushed sea grasses, before chasing the disappearing sun across the shimmering water. It was a calm and splendid beauty. I had walked this very beach with Dick Shepard not so long ago. I will sorely miss the opportunity to do so again. We lost Dick to cancer on Jan. 18, 1994. He is buried at the Academy, a place he loved.

Last night, I had a warm and friendly dinner with Marsha Shepard (Dick’s widow), Shawn and Kiley Shepard, Dick’s older son and daughter-in-law, and Jim Glaza. Scott Shepard, Dick’s younger son, lives in Ft. Lauderdale but could not attend. Dick is survived also by his mother, Vivian, from Ashville, N.C. and his brother Jim in Tokyo. Our dinner was at the wonderful new Naples, Fla. home, planned and built by Dick and Marsha, where they could settle and fight Dick’s difficult disease. It was a project manifesting the indefatigable optimism Dick had and his conviction that he could defeat this affliction. This home was a project of classical Shepard determination against odds which would have discouraged all but the most stouthearted. He was precisely the fighter at the end, that you had seen years ago on the Academy athletic fields. He never gave up.

During the evening, many recollections of Dick came forward. To all who knew him, he was the consummate cadet, a poster-boy of what you had always idealized about Academy life and its product. His athletic prowess in all he tried was legendary. We were members of the KC-135 unit at Westover AFB, Mass, in our first assignments. We ran, skied, played handball and squash together often. I don’t ever recall winning.

He met Marsha while at Westover. They married in 1964. Dick acquired farmland near Amherst, Mass, in the mid-’60s. He built his home here, much of it by hand. He developed Rich-Mar Farm from his land, breeding fine Morgans. It was in this bucolic setting that the Shepards raised their sons. He helped his in-laws start a girls summer riding school called Bobbin-Hollow. It was a successful endeavor from 1968 until its eventual sale years later. Dick worked at Eastern Airlines from the mid-’60s until it closed in 1991. He flew the L-1011 and the B-727 as captain, covering Eastern’s South American routes. Dick and Marsha started Marsha de Arriga, an import company, in 1988. It sold fine custom

leather and suede apparel and riding suits, produced in South America. Dick’s extensive South American travel led to fluency in Spanish.

Dick Shepard was never lukewarm about life. He was quick to laugh and never complained about circumstances. He embraced life with boundless energy. He was positive, Christian, selfreliant, and devoted to his family. He would work relentlessly at whatever goal or project he had before him. He was taken too soon. Surely his family, classmates, and friends will reflect on the tragic loss of Dick. But tarry not too long, for Dick Shepard would expect you to drink deeply of life, walk the beach, and enjoy the sunsets.

Donations in Dick’s memory may be made to the AOG Combined Agency/Restricted Fund with his name in the lower left check memo line. Send contributions to the Association of Graduates, 3116 Academy Drive, Suite 100, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840-4475. (Brian G. Kaley, ’60)

William E. Linn, ’75

For those of you who may not have heard through friends or classmates, William “Bill” Evan Linn, USAFA Class of 1975, hometown Novato, Calif., died of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) at his home in Minneapolis, Minn, on March 2, 1991.

After many of you last saw Bill he went on to try his hand professionally at several arts: pilot training, nav school, B-52s, and finally departing the Air Force, bachelor’s degree (geography) in hand, 10 cents in his pocket, a diploma from a three-week course from a matchbook cover called “How to be a Travel Agent,” and a never-say-die attitude, he set out for Atlanta, Ga.

Right up the ladder he went: First, agent for Francis Travel in Atlanta; then manager, Independence Travel, Atlanta; then director of franchises, First World Travel, Midwest Region, Minneapolis; on to sales manager, Republic Airlines, Minneapolis; then sales manager, Northwest Airlines, Minneapolis; and finally PARS (Northwest Airlines’ reservation system) manager of sales and marketing, Northwest Airlines, Minneapolis.

That was Bill’s professional course. In life, Bill’s wanderlust took him world wide. (The bachelor’s degree in geography and the travel agency diploma paid off!) His travels took him to Japan, Hong Kong, The Philippines, Thailand, Ireland, Scotland, England, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, Italy, Greece, Mexico, Canada, Ecuador, and all over the United States (and he could name all the capitals and discuss various aspects of all their geographies).

But what counts is that Bill caught us all up in his journey

caring, sharing and showing us that life can be rich, happy, simple in its complexities, and delightful in its simplicity absolutely worth the ride. (Contributed by Kenneth F. Rash, pilot, Northwest Airlines, on behalfofBill’s parents, William and Eve Linn ofNovato, Calif.)

Randolph E. Clapp, ’80

Randolph Clapp, Class of 1980, died at his home on Long Island, May 11, 1994. He was 35 years old. Randy suffered from chronic liver disease, first diagnosed in 1983. He chose to keep the degree of severity of his illness to himself and in fact worked the day he died.

Randy’s loss will be deeply felt by all who knew him. He was a friendly, caring, and very helpful individual who always seemed willing to sacrifice his own preferences and desires in order to put the extra effort into personal relationships that endeared him to all who knew him.

Although Randy’s career and training were relatively short, it was indeed full and varied. Randy graduated from Smithtown East High School in 1976 and then attended the U.S. Air Force Academy where he graduated with a degree in physics in 1980. In 1983, he received a master’s degree in physics from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology. While in the Air Force, he worked at Hanscom AFB, Mass, as a research physicist in electromagnetics. Following the diagnosis of his liver condition, he retired from the Air Force in 1983 as a first lieutenant.

In his civilian career, Randy worked as an antenna engineer at Hazeltine Corporation’s Wheeler Laboratories in New York. In this position, he worked on wide-band VHF communication antennas. Randy left Hazeltine in 1988 for a position at AIL Systems, Inc., New York, as an Engineer I in the antenna department. While at AIL, Randy worked on many diverse projects, but was most recently program manager and most everything else on two antenna development programs, the PTS antenna for GAC, and the High-Gain Phased Array Antenna for CECOM.

Randy also contributed to his profession through the publication and presentation of numerous papers. While in the Air Force, he was the recipient of an Air Force Scientific Achievement award for his work on adaptive antenna nulling and most recently was co-author and co-presenter of an AIL Systems Inc. Dyer Seminar paper entitled, “Circular Array Interferometer Development at AIL Systems Inc.”

Untold numbers of Randy’s friends and coworkers attended his funeral at Calverton National Cemetery, New York. Randy was a life member of the Association of Graduates. He is survived by his mother, Grace Clapp, of Smithtown, N.Y., and his sister, Lois Scott and brother-in-law Maj. Lawrence J. Scott, stationed at Pope Air Force Base, N.C. (Peter McVeigh)

Warren D. Dennis, ’86

On Jan. 26, 1994 a great hero was lost when Warren D. Dennis, “D”, died of injuries suffered in a motorcycle accident in

Okinawa, Japan. Warren is survived by his wife, Capt. Vivian Dennis, his mother and father, Irene and Winifred Dennis; two sisters, Alicia Banks and Glenda “Tracey” Gipson; and a brother, Darrell Dennis.

A member of the 37th Squadron, Warren’s zest for life will live on forever. At the Zoo “D’s” personality helped carry not only him through but many who met him; myself included. Indicative of this personality was his demeanor on the intramural football field. “Cheap Shot Dennis” he was called, and let me tell you nobody would hesitate to call “D” that on the field, because his plays many times bordered on a penalty but seldom crossed the line. He was a fierce opponent, the consummate teammate, who seemed to feel that winning the game was his birthright. But, after the game he was always your best friend. Not because he felt sorry or apologized for any play, but because you came to him, saw that million-dollar smile, felt his heart of gold and knew that all was left on the field as it should be.

Since the Zoo, Warren wanted to fly C-130s and got his chance after navigator training. After an assignment at Dyess AFB, Texas, he got his dream assignment with the 17th Special Operations Squadron at Kadena AB, Japan. There it was evident where his career was headed as it took off like a rocketship. He upgraded to instructor navigator, evaluator navigator, and the pinnacle of his career, assistant chief of Squadron Standardization and Evaluation. He loved that HERC. “Gets the job done” he’d say speaking not of the aircraft or of himself but of the two combined.

This love could only be surpassed by someone special, and that one love was his wife, Vivian, an Air Force nurse who he met at Dyess AFB and married just last October.

Finally, I must speak of Warren’s last days because I know that he wants all of his buddies to know that he left on his terms, in his fashion: fighting. Fighting for his belief in himself and fighting for those who believed in him; fighting for his life. Even then his concern was for others, those caring for him, Vivian, his wife, who sat 48-hour vigils interrupted by only three hours of sleep; his parents, who traveled halfway around the world to be at Warren’s side for his battle; and his friends. “Is Vivian getting enough sleep?”, he would ask. “Does everyone have a nice place to stay?”, “What time are Mom and Dad coming in?” I could feel him saying what he always said when adversity struck his path, “Don’t worry about me, I’ll be just fine!” And “D” said it with that million-dollar smile. I Love You Brother. (Nate Wilson, ’86)

Tina M. (Willers) Livington, ’86

Captain Tina M. (Willers) Livingston died on Feb. 4, 1994 at Peterson AFB, Colo. She was 29 years old.

Born in Hampton, Va. on May 28, 1964 she attended KentMeridian High School in Kent, Wash, and graduated 11th in her class of 700.

After graduating from high school in 1982, Captain Livingston was appointed to the USAF Academy’s Class of 1986. She ma-

jored in space operations and upon graduation received the Outstanding Cadet in Space Operations Award. Following training as an air weapons director at Tyndall Air Force Base, Fla., she was assigned to Tinker Air Force Base, Okla. in 1987, and deployed worldwide with the E-3 AWACS. She was selected in 1990 to serve as the 552nd AWACS Wing weapons director training officer and in November 1990 was upgraded to senior director. Also in 1990, she graduated with honors from Oklahoma City University with a master’s degree in business administration and in the same year attended Squadron Officer’s School in residence. In 1991, she deployed to Saudi Arabia in support of Operation Desert Storm and to Turkey in support of Operation Provide Comfort.

In January 1992, she was reassigned to Cheyenne Mountain Air Force Base in the Hq NORAD Presentations Division. In October 1992, she became qualified as an assistant for operations in the NORAD and USSPACECOM Command Center. At the time of her death she was chief of the Command Center Current Operations Branch, a job for which she was selected in August 1993.

She was selected as Hq NORAD’s Company Grade Officer of the Quarter, second quarter 1992 and 1993 and nominated for NORAD’s Company Grade Officer of the Year for 1993. She was a member of the Association of Graduates. Her military decorations include the Air Medal and the Air Force Commendation Medal.

At the time of her death, she was eight and one half months pregnant with her first child, Ryan Thomas. They were cremated together and laid to rest in Kent, Wash. Donations in Captain Livingston’s memory may be made to the AOG Combined Agency/Restricted Fund with her name in the lower left check memo line. Send contributions to the Association of Graduates, 3116 Academy Drive, Suite 100, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840-4475.

Michael C. Branche, 87

Michael Charles Branche died of cancer on Dec. 29, 1993 at Malcolm Grow Medical Center, near his hometown of Bowie, Md. We will remember Michael most for his concern for his community, and his passion for flying.

Michael graduated from Largo Senior High School, Upper Marlboro, Md. in 1982. While there, he excelled in sports, became active in high school clubs and developed his interest in flying. He graduated from the Prep School in 1983 and from the Academy in 1987. In July 1988, he completed pilot training at Vance AFB, and was subsequently stationed at Barksdale AFB in Louisiana.

Soon after arriving in Louisiana, he joined the Literacy Volunteers of American Tutors and contributed many hours to the education of others. He was also active with the East Coast Chapter of Tuskegee Airmen, the Caddo Parish-Bosier City Soccer Association of Coaches, the Shreveport Soccer Club Assistant Coaches and the Louisiana High School Athletic Association.

Michael loved to fly; and he flew at every opportunity. He logged countless flying hours on weekend, cross-country missions honing his skills and visiting his many friends. His smile and willingness to share a kind word were welcomed in every corner of the country.

Of his flying accomplishments, Michael was proudest of his participation in Operation Desert Storm. On one historic mission, on Jan. 16, 1991, seven B-52s from Barksdale AFB launched against targets in Iraq. They flew 35 hours and 14,000 continuous miles, returning to Barksdale AFB the following day.

He completed aircraft commander training in the summer of 1993 and returned to Barksdale AFB as the first B-52 Distinguished Graduate from the wing in eight years. Michael was awarded the Meritorious Service Medal posthumously. He was a life member of the Association of Graduates.

Survivors include his wife, Kedra Hughes Branche, of Shreveport, La.; his parents, Dr. William C. and Eloise J. Branche; a sister, Dr. Christine M. Branche-Dorsey; a brother, 1st Lt. Marc C. Branche, USAF; his grandparents, Kathleen and Hampton Johnson; one brother-in-law, Dr. Alfred S. Dorsey, Jr.; one sister-in-law, Kimberly A. Branche and a host of other relatives and friends. (Capt. Joe Wilburn, ’86)

Laura A. Piper, '92

On April 14, 1994, in a helicopter downed by friendly fire in the skies over Iraq, we lost a rare and extraordinary woman, our friend and classmate, 1st Lt. Laura Ashley Piper. Laura was deployed at Incirlik AB, Turkey, in suport of Operation Provide Comfort when she gave her life in the service of her country. While her death is tragic, her short but full life is an example for all of us.

Laura was raised in an Air Force family, born to Danny (Class of ’67) and Joan Piper on March 18, 1969, at the Air Force Academy. Laura planned to attend USAFA from age 12, and with this goal in mind, she excelled in all areas of her life during her four years at Robinson High School in Fairfax, Va.

Her father’s career was a strong influence in Laura’s decision to attend the Academy and to be an Air Force officer. Joan was Laura’s best friend, role model and strongest supporter throughout high school, the Academy and her two years active duty. Laura was also very close to her brother Dan, who graduated in the Class of ’94, and was a great source of pride for her. According to Laura and anyone who knew her, one of the great blessings in her life came in 1984 with the birth of her youngest brother, Sean, who she adored.

Laura, “Pippy” or “Pipes” to her friends, entered the Zoo with the Class of ’91, but graduated with the Class of ’92 after taking a year off to further her language studies at the University of Texas, and to spend time with her family, especially Sean. Laura strove hard at the Academy, both academically and athletically, maintaing a level of intensity matched by few. End(Continued on next page.)

The Price of the Academy Experience

(Editor’s note: The following article was reprinted from the May 1994 issue ofWarrior Update. It was written by now 2nd Lt. Danny Piper, who graduated with the Class of 1994 on June 1. Lieutenant Piper is the brother of 1st Lt. Laura Piper, Class of 1992, who was killed in the friendly-fire shootdown of the helicopter in which she was riding over Iraq on April 14, 1994.)

On April 14, 1994 I got a call from my father explaining that Laura was on one of the helicopters shot down in Iraq. I spent the next week trying to come to terms with this so I could move on. Having sorted out why Laura was there and what she was doing really changed my perspective of myself and the Academy. I will not graduate on June 1 the bitter person I would have been without the memory of my sister. I hope this helps you see through the bitterness as well.

Many people told me that the Academy is a great free education. Just think: four years of school and no student loans. The price you pay is more than any student loan you could have incurred. Just ask Capt. James E. Steadman, my father’s USAFA roommate in 1967, who never returned from Vietnam; or ask my sister 1st Lt. Laura A. Piper, Class of ’92. With the price so high, why do we stay here to become military officers? This is an important question to ask because as tensions rise in Bosnia and Korea it could be you or me who gives their life next.

I have looked to my sister to answer this question for me. Laura was a fierce competitor who hated to lose. The typical type A personality. She, like most of us, felt that the price of an Academy education was having to put up with a four-year rollercoaster ride filled with frustration and bitterness. After graduation Laura went to intelligence school happy to be away from here with a good job. To Laura the Academy was a means to something better in life. This probably sounds familiar to most of you.

The means to something better in life is exactly what it gave her. Laura traveled the world and as a matter of fact we are still receiving postcards and gifts from her last trip to Egypt. She had a job of significance in Operation Provide Comfort. After her

(Gone But Not Forgotten: From previous page.)

ing up in CS-40, Laura lettered in Varsity Track three times, helped lead the Women’s Rugby team to their first National Championship, and graduated with honors, receiving a degree in political science as well as minors in German and Russian.

Laura also found time to laugh, and attracted many and diverse friends. One friend, Rich Lewis, Class of ’89, put it best in a card to Joan: “I will remember Laura as a fighter, who never gave up. The academy was rough on all of us, but Laura never gave an inch. She never complained, but instead used humor and laughter to make light of bad situations, and before anyone knew it we were all laughing and happy again. Laura’s smile, sparkling eyes, laughter and good nature will be with us forever.”

After graduation, Laura entered the Intelligence field, waiting for a deferred pilot training slot. An honor graduate of both Air Force Intelligence courses, she saw a childhood dream come true with an assignment to Ramstein AB, Germany. Laura was deployed to Incirlik in December 1993, where she served in the Combined Task Force Intelligence Directorate until her death in April. She volunteered to go to Iraq as a means to better fulfill her duties as an intelligence officer, as well as what she felt were her duties as a human being to the Kurds in Northern Iraq.

Laura’s passion was travel and she enthusiastically toured throughout Europe and Turkey after graduation and during her assignments there. She spent the last week of her life touring Egypt with her friend and fiancee, Dan Murray, Class of ’92. They were to be married in late 1994.

Those who knew Laura know she was a combination of the best in a person: loving and kind, stubborn and tenacious, outgoing but shy, childlike but wise beyond her years, a great listener and conversationalist, passionate, strong, a trustworthy and stalwart

assignment in Germany she had the option to take an AFIT scholarship or go to UPT. She was experiencing a life most only dream about. No one made Laura go into Iraq with the United Nations team but Laura would never pass up an adventure. For Laura, this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Laura paid the ultimate price for this life she loved and as her brother I know she would not have changed a thing if she could. I now realize I have always looked at this place backwards. I have never viewed the Academy for what it gave me but for what it took away. I often got frustrated and confused because I could not see a purpose. The confusion led me to believe that the price of the Academy was giving up beer, parties, women, and an easier course load to get a stable job.

Now it has been five years since I graduated from high school, and I see what my friends are doing. The few who made it through college are receiving good jobs as store managers or accountants. The salaries which they make are double what my lieutenant’s salary will be. So why are we here? The week of my sister’s funeral I talked with graduates from many classes (especially the Class of ’92), and I realized why we are here.

We are the people who make a difference in the world. We are the pilots who fly into the hot spots of the world like my father who was on the crew which brought back the hostages from Iran in 1980. We are the intelligence officers who sift through top secret information to understand the world and figure out where the world’s crisis zones are. We are the acquisition officers who work hand in hand with the engineers to develop and implement the defense networks of today and tomorrow. We are the ones who work on the secret black projects that the public will never see. We are the people behind the news each night. No, we are the people who make the news each night. We are the ones who live the lives which Tom Clancy writes about in his best-selling novels.

The jobs we have are critical. You can ask the Kurdish villagers who my sister gave her life for. We are in a selfless line of work where the rewards are far greater than any monetary compensation could ever provide; however, the price could be fatal.

friend. Laura loved her family and her country. She saw life as a great adventure and believed in both, achieving difficult goals as well as taking time to enjoy life’s simple pleasures. Thanks Laura, for your love for others and for life, and for making a difference. While we wish you started this next great adventure much later, we will remember and love you always.

A scholarship fund has been established in Laura’s name. Donations may be made to the AOG Combined Agency/ /Restricted Fund with Laura’s name in the lower left check memo line. Send the contribution to the Association of Graduates, 3116 Academy Drive, Suite 100, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840-4475. (Daniel P. Murray, ’92)

At press time we had learned of the deaths of the following graduates:

William L. Pepper, Class of 1965, who died on June 10, 1994 in Lake County, Mont, as a result of an auto accident.

Thomas E. Dellafiora, Class of 1967, who died on May 12, 1994 in Phoenix, Ariz. of an aneurism.

Commander (USNR) Robert R. Hood, Class of 1974, who died on July 19, 1994 on Guam.

Lt. Col. Mark C. McGeehan, Class of 1978, who died on June 24, 1994 at Fairchild AFB, Wash, in the crash of a B-52 aircraft.

Cadet Second Class Douglas Greenleaf, Class of 1996, who died on July 23, 1994 just north of Colorado Springs in an automobile accident.

Our sincere condolences to the relatives and friends of these graduates and cadet.

Jabara Award Won for Heroic Rescue

Lt. Col. James A. Sills, Class of 1974, was named the winner of the 1994 Jabara Award for Airmanship for distinguishing himself by outstanding achievement while participating in aerial flight Jan 10-11, 1994. He was the Air Combat Command nominee. The mission involved leading a flight of two HH-60G rescue helicopters across the entire southern coast of Iceland in heavy snowstorms, icing conditions, and extreme turbulence to save six Icelandic seamen stranded when their ship, the merchant vessel GODINN, floundered in heavy seas and strong winds. Despite ceilings as low as 50 feet and visibility down to zero with driving rain, sleet and snow, Colonel Sills’ crew and the crew of the second rescue helicopter, successfully located the ship.

Lt. Col. Sills

With the storm continuing to pound the battered vessel, the ship’s surviving crew had scrambled to their only remaining sanetuary, the roof of the wheelhouse. With the surf raging below, Colonel Sills had no references for hovering and had to rely solely on verbal directions from his engineer to maintain a constant position. Thirty to 40-foot breakers driven by 60-knot winds smashed over the fragile remains of the wheelhouse sending huge fountains of spray 100 feet in the air. With the last two survivors attached to the helicopter’s forest penetrator, the flight engineer once again, acting as Colonel Sill’s eyes, directed the subtle movements required to hold a stable hover over the wave-battered wheelhouse.

Just as the survivors were being raised, a huge breaker washed them overboard sending them into the pounding surf. The left scanner directed the aircraft into an immediate climb plucking the two frightened and drenched seamen from the turbulent water. With them safely aboard, Colonel Sills landed on the nearby beach. Once the six sailors were safely on the beach, two of them were found to be in critical condition requiring immediate hospitalization.

Both aircraft then took off heading for the nearest medical facility. Now flying on Night Vision Goggles, the horrendous snowstorms coupled with extreme darkness soon exceeded the capabilities of both the crews and their aircraft. A coastal village was located and the only suitable area, a precariously small parking lot, was selected for landing. Following a precision touchdown amid the light poles and wires, both sailors were rushed to the local hospital where their lives were saved. On return to Keflavik Naval Air Station the following day, Colonel Sills diverted his aircraft into a small farming village to medevac a critically-ill Icelandic citizen to a hospital in the capital city of Reykjavik, saving his life.

Colonel Sills, his crew, and the crew of the second rescue helicopter, were credited with a total of seven “saves” during this dramatic two-day rescue effort. The professional skill and extraordinary achievements of Colonel Sills on this internationallyacclaimed lifesaving rescue mission warrant his selection for the 1994 Colonel James Jabara Award for Airmanship. The Jabara Award will be presented to Colonel Sills by Lt. Gen. Paul E.

Stein, ’66, Academy superintendent, at the Jabara Award Reception and Banquet Saturday, Sept. 17, at Homecoming 1994. This year there were two runners-up for the Jabara Award. They were:

Col. Kevin P. Chilton, ’76, nominated by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) for his outstanding performance as pilot of Space Shuttle Mission STS-49, the maiden flight of ENDEAVOR. Colonel Chilton was responsible for monitoring the development and flight test planning for the rendezvous, capture and repair of INTELSAT-VI. He distinguished himself in flight by maintaing an uncanny situational awareness when repeated rendezvous attempts failed to capture the satellite. Eventually successful, Colonel Chilton’s expertise directly contributed to the success of a number of firsts in space: the first three-man extravehicular activities, the first flight to fly three rendezvous, and the first flight of NASA’s orbitor with its improved systems.

Capt. Robert G. Wright, Jr., ’84, nominated by U.S. Air Forces in Europe for outstanding gallantry in connection with military operations against an armed opposing force near BanjaLuka, Bosnia-Herzegovenia, on Feb. 28, 1994. Captain Wright led a flight of two F-16s and was directed by a North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) Airborne Early Warning aircraft to investigate multiple contacts at low altitude in northwest Bosnia. Captain Wright intercepted a flight of six Galeb ground-attack aircraft and made two warning calls instructing them to depart the area or risk engagement. Observing the Galebs bomb a village and storage depot, Captain Wright attacked a numerically-superior enemy force. With antiaircraft artillery fire-control radars locked on him during flight, he rapidly downed three of the aircraft with air-to-air missiles, and scattered the rest of the force. His heroic and decisive actions unequivocally demonstrated NATO’s resolutions and enhanced the prospects for peace in war-torn Bosnia.

The other distinguished nominees for the 1994 Jabara Award were:

Maj. Michael A. Gerzanics, ’80, nominated by Air Force Material Command for his outstanding aerial service as the lead experimental pilot for the F-16 Multi-Axis Thrust Vectoring (MATV) program. The MATV program utilized unique Digital Flight Control System (DFLCS) control laws and the engine exhaust nozzle to greatly expand the F-16’s angle of attack flight capability. During one hazardous envelope expansion flight, the decisive and rapid actions of Major Gerzanics averted the loss of the unique MATV test aircraft.

Maj. Richard B. McNabb, ’80, nominated by the Air Force District of Washington for acts of valor during Operation PROVIDE COMFORT II as MH-60G PaveHawk airborne commander and flight lead in the United Nations exclusion zone in Northern Iraq. On a rescue mission to recover a Turkish F-104 pilot who crashed in Northern Iraq, Major McNabb received repeated small arms ground fire and antiaircraft rounds. He directed his wingman into evasive maneuvers, positioned his own aircraft to lay suppressive fire, and silenced the threat. Major McNabb flew more than 15 combat helicopter hours over three days and saved both aircraft in his flight and their crews.

Maj. Wyatt R. Fleming, ’81, nominated bt Pacific Air Forces for developing and influencing significant Combat Air Force tactical employment improvements and facilitating demanding and realistic training among U.S., joint and allied assets. Major Fleming is the concept leader for his wing to integrate unique Block 40 F-16 LANTIRN capabilities in close air support employment. He personally developed the close air support syllabus of the PACAF Mission Commander School and spearheaded Joint Air Attack Team training in Alaska with the 4-9 Cavalry Squadron/6th Infantry Division (Light).

Maj. Michael P. Winslow, ’81, nominated by Air Education and Training Command for his excellence in F-15 Advanced

AOG Assumes Responsibility

Take a look at your ring. Have you ever wondered about its design? Do you know how policies are established and how the integrity of your ring is protected? We, as your association, did, and decided that we needed to become more involved. It was our position that class rings are essentially graduate rings and that policies and traditions pertaining to their design, ownership and wear should more properly be the province of the graduate community, represented by the AOG.

We discovered that important policy issues were not clearly articulated in an enduring document. We also found that the old method of procuring class rings placed undue burden of responsibility upon ring committee OICs, including liability for loss or damage before rings were turned over to their final owners.

We felt that as a corporate entity, we were better equipped to pursue such legal remedies as might become necessary from time to time to serve the best interests of both cadets and graduates and that we could provide the necessary stability, continuity and corporate strengths in areas of policy, procurement and servicing.

(Jabara Award: From previous page.)

Handling Characteristics’ papers, research and testimony. His research and articles have been incorporated in instructor pilot training manuals which enable instructor pilots to see firsthand the relationship between stick, rudder, angle of attack, and airspeed during basic fighter maneuvers. His identification of additional F-15 flight safety concerns has directly improved standardized training approaches, resulting in reduced F-15 mishaps and improved pilot performance.

Capt. Kent W. Borchelt, ’87, nominated by Air Mobility Command for heroic actions in leading his crew to successfully launch

for Class Ring Procurement

With that in mind, we set about to create an agreement which increased our role in the process. In March 1994, a memorandum of understanding was signed by the superintendent and the AOG president/chairman of the board establishing responsibilities for ring design, procurement, control and servicing.

Starting with the Class of ’97, the AOG will be responsible for ring procurement, servicing, return of rings from disenrolled/resigned cadets, maintenance of the history, heritage and traditions of class rings; and policies regarding the design, procurement, ownership and wear of the rings. The Academy will approve the final ring design, approve cadet ring committee actions dealing with the design of a class crest and the class ring; appoint an OIC of the ring committee; and continue to plan, coordinate and execute the Ring Dining Out and Ring Dance.

We look forward to working with all future graduates in the design, procurement and servicing of their class rings. We also welcome the opportunity to ensure ring tradition is maintained for the entire graduate community. Wear your ring proudly it is a symbol of the common bond we all share as graduates of the Academy.

a C-5 in minimum time out of Mogadishu, Somalia during a field attack on Sept. 20, 1993. The requirement to launch the C-5 before nightfall was a great concern due to mortar attacks. During upload, hostilities on the airfield intensified. With the control tower evacuated due to an airfield attack, Captain Borchelt coordinated with three helicopters to protect the C-5 during taxi and began power-up and takeoff. His swift actions saved a valuable U.S. asset and many American lives.

Lt. Rodolfo Llobet, ’87, nominated by the U.S. Navy for his heroic action as the pilot of a Navy S-3B “Viking” on Oct. 11, 1993, while on a search for a lost Cessna 206 pilot 100 miles off Puerto Rico who was low on fuel. Lieutenant Llobet found the aircraft and knowing the Cessna pilot’s radio was incompatible with his own, he gained visual contact and planned for a visual guide to the island of St. Christopher. He coordinated a Search and Recovery effort with the local Coast Guard unit and flew his S-3 with full flaps, landing gear retracted, six knots below landing speed for 40 miles leading the Cessna which landed safely at St. Christopher airport with less than three gallons of fuel remaining.

Capt. Shawn J. Anderies, ’89, nominated by Air Force Space Command for his professional airmanship qualities. Individually, he flew 21 rescue missions and was credited with saving 19 lives. During one successful search and rescue mission searching for hunters lost for three days near Steamboat Springs, Colo, he skillfully guided his aircrew through marginal weather conditions and astute mission planning. His innovative tracking of flying and ground training requirements ensured annual currency and aircrew qualification for 28 assigned and attached crew members and his efforts lead to his selection to augment Air Education and Training Command’s aircrew standardization team inspection of the helicopter “schoolhouse” at Kirtland AFB.

Jabara Award winners are selected by the Academy and the Association of Graduates on behalf of the Jabara family. The award honors a “USAFA graduate whose contributions are of such significance as to set him apart from their contemporaries.” Nominees’ actions must be directly associated with an aerospace vehicle or component. The award is named for Col. James Jabara, America’s first jet ace and second leading ace in the Korean War. The nominees are screened by a Jabara Award Selection Committee composed of graduate members of the Association of Graduates. Their final recommendation is forwarded to the superintendent for his approval.

Serving on this year’s selection committee were Col. John M. Blind, ’71, chairman; Lt. Col. David O. DiMarchi, ’74; Maj. Rhuett Atherton, ’79; Maj. Mark Braley, ’79; Maj. Mark Peruse, ’80; Capt. Jeffrey Barnson, ’83; Capt. John Robinson, ’85; and Capt. Craig Ward, 87.

CHAPTER NEWS

ARIZONA CHAPTER

The 1994 Arizona Chapter calendar of events was recently planned. On May 15, we arranged an outing at the Phoenix Zoo which turned out to be a wonderful day.

The joint Army/Navy/Air Force golf outing on June 4 at Stonecreek Golf Club was a huge success, since the Arizona Air Force graduates took home the trophy for the second year in a row. The Arizona USNA graduates sponsored the golf event this year, and our Air Force team edged out the Navy team and soundly defeated the Army team.

Another event currently being contemplated is a trip to Sedona with a ride on the Verde River Railroad Line. Ken Klimes, ’74, has volunteered to be the project officer/coordinator for this event. If anyone is or may be interested in going on such a train ride, please contact Ken at 877-8961. If we have at least 20 people, we can qualify for various discounts and perhaps take over a whole car or two on the train (first class is $46) which would be enjoyable and get us out of the heat in the summer.

Finally, we are planning on returning to San Diego for the Air Force/San Diego State football game scheduled for Oct.l, at Jack Murphy Stadium. Tim Furst, ’78, has volunteered to again coordinate the trip to San Diego. If anyone is interested, please contact Tim at (602) 952-6400. If anyone has any other ideas for an event that should occur in 1994 (probably late fall), please let me know. I think each of these events are enjoyable by themselves.

If you have not paid your 1994 Arizona dues, please send a check for $20 payable to the Arizona Chapter AFA AOG to John Mahoney, ’81, 5326 East Kathleen Road, Scottsdale, Ariz. 85254-1757. If you have recently moved to Arizona or have not received our mailings, please contact Jim Sienicki, ’74, Snell & Wilmer, One Arizona Center, Phoenix, Ariz. 85004-0001, to be added to the master list. (Jim Sienicki)

GREATER CHICAGO CHAPTER

The Greater Chicago Chapter celebrated its first anniversary in June at a dinner at the historic (1847!) mansion that houses Emilio’s Meson Sabika Tapas Restaurant in Naperville, Ill. Future plans include a trip to the Oshkosh Experimental Air Show in Wisconsin at the end of July, a group viewing of the Chicago Air Show in August, a Chapter Dinner on the far north side of Chicago in October, and a road trip to the Air Force vs Notre Dame game in South Bend on Nov. 19.

To join, or for more information, contact the chapter president, Tom Krise, at (708) 778-8342, 509 Aurora Ave #317, Naperville, Ill. 60540. (Tom Krise, ’83)

INDIANA CHAPTER

Pat McBride did a great job in hosting our initial social function. It was an entertaining and fun time of exchanging “war” stories. The John Turco, ’69/Pat McBride, ’68, “roast” was a bust. They got along fabulously; hardly reminiscent of their battie on the basketball court at the Blue Zoo! Bob Sorenson, ’72, kept everyone on their toes with his quick wit. Ken White, ’70, introduced his book, “World in Peril, The Origin, Mission and Scientific Finding of the 46th/72nd Reconnaissance Squadron. Ken’s father was the first commander of this unit based in Faibanks, Alaska. Anyone interested in this book should call Ken.

Rose Miller, ’80, and Margaret Johnson, ’82, made their presence known. Listening to these two female grads gave everyone a real appreciation for what they went through during and after their Academy days... and some of us thought we had it tough! Truly this was an exhilarating experience, getting to know some fellow graduates and their spouses, as well as beginning to understand the trauma at USAFA of the female gender! In fact, it was readily apparent that there are few who loved good ’ole USAFA during their attendance or even their tenure in the Air Force. And it is unanimous that a majority of grads are delighted to feel a part of an organization which links them to their alma mater. Those of you who did not attend missed a fun, relaxed evening of fascinating enjoyment.

The next social function will be a barbecue sometime this summer. John Turco, Pat McBride, and Rose Miller are making the arrangements and will find a suitable, central location. An announcement will be forthcoming, so get your family prepared for a nice time!

Tickets are going fast for the Falcon/Notre Dame football game, Nov. 19. Please call Pat McBride, 1-800-634-2433, to make your request. The first 50 people get tickets. Bob Sorenson is assisting Pat in developing a nice agenda for this event. Our chapter will be sponsoring a hospitality suite at the hotel/motel where the team will be housed. Also, Bob and Pat will coordinate with other AOG chapters, parent clubs, liaison officer groups for a major tailgate party before the game. You won’t want to miss this event sign up now!

The Indiana Chapter continues to grow. Our chapter has members from lower Michigan, Central and Northern Indiana. We welcome all grads to our chapter. Call Jim McCleary at 219-267-2122 for further information and happenings. (Jim MeCleary, ’67)

NORTH TEXAS CHAPTER

April was a busy month for the North Texas Association of Air Force Academy Graduates (NTAAFAG). Bill Reemsta, ’63, and staff (Annette Kuzmiak, Lisa Batton and “H” Ownby, ’69) put on the North Texas Association’s 15th Annual Founders Day Banquet and Ball on April 9th. Can you believe it 15 years Bill’s been doing this! It was a gala event, with DJs, dance instruction and dancing for the nearly 160 NTAAFAGers who attended. We were sorry that the AOG President, Jim Ulm, ’61, could not attend: Jim, we were ready for you! The food was great, the drinks were plentiful and the socializing was active. An enjoyable evening for all, including our special members Charlie and Sandy Hamm (USMA, ’56) and Ed and Renee Rafalko (USMA, ’45).

Wayne Hermandorfer, ’78, gathered up the North Texas contingent of grads to visit with Dallas’ own Herb Kelleher (Southwest Airlines president) on April 13th. The venue was a Tri-Service Academy luncheon hosted by Navy. Herb’s remarks were well received by all.

Then on April 24th, Dave Brigman, ’71, led a stroll to victory around the Riverside Golf Club in North Arlington, Texas in the AFAN (Air Force/Army/Navy) Spring Golf Tournament. Air Force fielded four four-man teams, took the event and the trophy. Air Force’s winning team (11 under par 61) was Fred Zickrick, ’72; Mike Bulkeley, ’66; Bill Skaer, ’64; and Jeff Wilson, ’80. Fred took “closest to the pin” honors as well. Dave Brigman will run the event again at Riverside in 1995.

Lance Ammon, ’70, continues to have problems controlling the Navy! He set up the AFAN Softball Tournament for June 4th, only to be told the day prior by Navy (and their Army cohorts) that neither would be able to field a team. Rather than graciously accept the winning trophy on forfeit, he rescheduled the games to later in June if Navy and Army can field a team.

North Texas’ grads laid a wreath at the Texas Vietnam Veterans Memorial at Fair Park, Dallas, on May 29th, (see photo), and took time to chat with Gen. William C. Westmoreland (USA, Ret).

Jerry Smith, ’62, and Richard Fairlamb,

’61, represented the AOG and NTAAFAG at ceremonies on June 10th in Dallas recognizing 2nd Lt. Laura Simmons, USAFA, ’94. Laura was MVP of USAFA’s Women’s Tennis Team for four consecutive years and is USAFA’s 1994 Female Athlete of the Year. She received the Gladys Heldman National Intercollegiate Tennis Award over nominees from Stanford, Texas A&M, Florida, Kansas and Duke. A great night of recognition for both Laura and USAFA.

Get ready for more social and athletic events. How about a 4th of July Picnic at Bedford Boys Ranch, including the best fireworks in North Texas? Then an AFsponsored Tri-Service Academy luncheon at the Ranger’s Ballpark in Arlington; keep tuned in. John Quincy, ’70, will run a CoEd AFAN Tennis Tourney in early September. NTAAFAGs are planning a gala weekend outing to San Antonio to play golf, tell war stories and cheer on the Falcons at the University of Texas/El Paso -USAFA football game on the 24th. And don’t forget those perennial favorites, the Fall Bar-B-Que/Sink Navy Party (Jerry Ahmann, ’63, to host) and the 2nd Annual Service Academy/Alumni Golf Classic, October 24-25. It’s been an active year for our more than 200 members and looks like it’s getting better. (Richard Fairlamb, ’61)

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER

The Northern California Chapter met at Treasure Island on June 4th. The grads enjoyed socializing and hearing from Duane Tway, ’66, of Consultants for Organization Response & Effectiveness, on why all management methods have problems. The next meeting is scheduled in September at Travis. We will also meet Dec. 3rd at Mountain Home Inn on Mt. Tamalpais. If you would like to be on our mailing list please call, write or fax our chapter secretary, Chuck Reed, at Reed, Elliott,

Creech & Roth, 99 Almaden Boulevard, Eighth Floor, San Jose, Calif. 95113.

Telephone: (408) 993-9911. Facsimilie: (408) 993-1335. (Chuck Reed, 70)

ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER

Once a year the Orange County Chapter of the Association of Air Force Academy Graduates sends a letter to all known graduates living in the greater Orange County, Calif, area highlighting the major events of the past year. The chapter was formed in 1983 initially to help provide information about the Academy for high quality, prospective candidates in the local area. Since then, we have evolved into primarily a social and business networking group.

Last count showed us with over 50 duespaying members. We schedule two AOG golf tournaments at the El Toro Marine Air Station course with typically 16 members playing. Bob Carey, ’70, does a super job in setting up and arranging the teaming for these events, and the chapter would like to extend our thanks once again to him for his continued efforts. Kem Wentzel, ’64, organizes all member meetings at the Officers Club following the tournaments where we enjoy libations, eat hors d’ oeuveres and reminisce about days gone by.

Two golf tournaments were again scheduled this year, one in June and another in August, and we will arrange a “tailgate” party around a football game in fall. Be alert for news about a couples winetasting party in August. We may use the “telephone tree” to get the word out about an upcoming poker party, if there is sufficient interest.

The planning and direction for the chapter’s activities is still entrusted to a loosely federated group we call the chapter’s “Board”. This group is currently comprised of 15 interested graduates (spread from ’63 to ’91) of which six or seven are relatively active participants. The

board meets on an approximately bimonthly basis at Scott Jackson’s law office in Irvine. Any graduate who is interested in working on the board is encouraged to attend one of these meetings. Please call Scott Jackson at (714) 851-7427 or Ken Wentzel at (714) 641-6083 for chapter information.

The chapter’s board is developing a resume book for networking and job finding purposes, and we encourage all members to participate. We are a select group of people. Our members are active, successful leaders and professionals. We have a common bond of education and experience, have learned the value of depending on each other, and know the benefits of being reliable, participating members of a team. We all have something to offer whether it be professional services, business opportunities, employment counseling in our areas of expertise, or many other unique areas.

Our objective in developing the resume book is to help one another with job placement. The number of grads in the Orange County/Los Angeles area is steadily growing. The more graduates that join the chapter and participate, the more potential benefits we will all enjoy. Ancillary benefits may be new customers, new business relationships, job opportunities, positions filled, and who knows what else. Contact Mike Mercier, ’86, who is in the job placement business, in the evenings, at (714) 640-7656 for further information. F. Scott Jackson, ’67)

REQUESTS FOR ACADEMY STAFF AS SPEAKERS

In order to provide better assistance to AOG Chapters seeking speakers from the Academy, please submit a letter to HQ USAFA/XPAA, Attn: Capt. Richard Klodnicki, USAF Academy, Colo. 80840-5241, at least six months in advance.

Academy 2000: A Look at Infrastructure Requirements for the 21st Century

Those of you who graduated from the Academy in its’ early years probably remember the Academy’s pristine facilities and majestic architecture set against the spectacular backdrop of the Rocky Mountains. This view, seen by our one million plus visitors annually, is still quite moving. However, the Academy’s beauty is belied by the age and condition of the facilities that struggle to sustain it.

Critical to the mission of developing tomorrow’s air and space leaders are the buildings and infrastructure that form the foundation for daily cadet activities and provide a model of facilities excellence that our future leaders will emulate throughout the Air Force.

Facility History

The physical plant of today’s Academy consists of 19,000 acres of land, large and unique structures totalling eight million square feet (60 percent of which is in the Cadet Area), 500 miles of utilities, five miles of those infamous underground tunnels, 160 miles of road, 27 acres of terrazzo, 143 acres of athletic fields, 500,000 square yards of parking lots, a hospital, an airfield, a 50,000 seat stadium, two golf courses and 1,229 housing units.

To many of the visitors who tour the Academy each year, the Academy is the only first-hand impression they will ever have of the Air Force. Beyond its size, architectural significance, and public relations value the Academy is unique in another way. Unlike most colleges and universities, the Academy was constructed almost entirely in a single comprehensive undertaking. Numerous features and systems of the original 1950s construction are at or beyond their useful life.

While the philosophic underpinnings of the Academy have not changed since the 1950s, the functional demands on Academy facilities have:

The 1950’s design of the Cadet Area envisioned facilities for a maximum of 2,500 male cadets; today there are 4,213 cadets, 542 of whom are women.

Asbestos was a common building material during original

Twenty-seven acres of terrazzo necessitates an ongoing maintenance program.

Laboratories are crowded and do not meet OSHA requirements.

construction; now asbestos is regarded as an environmental and legal pariah.

Laboratory equipment in the 1950s meant test tubes and Bunsen burners; contemporary labs house nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers, and are computer and electrical power dependent.

EPA and OSHA did not exist when the Academy was built; today environmental, safety, and health regulations affect virtually every aspect of facilities planning, construction, operations and maintenance.

In addition to functional changes, deferred maintenance and wear and tear imposed by a harsh climate and energetic cadet wing have taken their toll on Academy facilities.

Investment History

Figure 1 shows DOD’s investment in capital renewal at the Academy through two funding streams: Real Property Maintenance by Contract (RPMC) and Military Construction (MILCON). The combined RPMC and MILCON investment over the past 23 years has averaged only .8 percent of the current replacement value of $1.5 billion.

The Association of Higher Education Facilities Officers (APPA), representing over 1,500 accredited colleges and universities, recommends a range of 1.5 percent-3 percent continuous annual investment to ensure that college campuses do not face academic obsolescence and excessive deterioration. This range is based on empirical evidence gathered at over 1,800 college campuses

throughout the nation. The range between 1.5 percent and 3 percent is driven by institution age, climatic conditions, level of use, quality of facilities, and type of construction.

Because the Academy received virtually no maintenance funds in the 1960s and an average of .8 percent subsequent to that, most major facilities in the Cadet Area have accumulated deferred maintenance needs.

The model of Vandenberg Hall in Figure 2 illustrates the impact of this point well. This model assumes that each major building component is replaced at the end of its’ useful life, (i.e. carpet is replaced every seven years, roofs every 15 years, etc.). Average annual investment required in Vandenberg is 2.6 percent of the facility’s $107 million replacement value. Actual investment to date is 1.1 percent per year resulting in a current bill to pay of $40 million.

FIGURE 2 VANDENBERG HALL INVESTMENT MODEL

Academy 2000

Academy 2000 is a systematic, coordinated program begun in Spring 1993 that details the facility repairs required for the Academy to achieve its mission. The Academy 2000 program also responds to the Air Force’s renewed emphasis on facilities, their effect on morale and performance, as well as the need to reduce increasing facilities maintenance costs.

Physical and functional deficiencies have been identified through five separate activities that have validated the requirements:

On-going Civil Engineering deficiency analysis and programming of required remediation.

The Commander’s Facility Assessment, part of a downward-directed program from the Vice Chief of Staff, which links facility performance with mission requirements.

A survey of cadets regarding their expectations and their views of facility shortcomings.

Independent detailed consultant analysis of deficiencies and recommended remediation.

Inspection and input received from several accreditation boards.

Condition Assessment

What are some findings of the condition assessment?

Facilities suffer from hard wear and tear, particularly Vandenberg Hall (the original cadet dorm), which has been used constantly over the past 36 years. To say that the cadets have worn out their dormitory doors or their showers may not have much impact until the number of doors (counted in the thousands), the amount of bathroom tile (measured in millions of square feet), and the extent of plumbing and conduit replacements (measured by the mile) is considered.

Codes Analysis

Codes set minimum standards for safeguarding life, health, property, and public welfare.

Detailed studies have been conducted for three of the Academy’s major facilities: Fairchild, Vandenberg and Sijan Halls. Some of the code deficiencies identified are:

Fire rating of doors, walls, and ducts.

Means of egress.

Coverage of detection, suppression and warning systems.

Handicap accessibility.

Various occupancy ratio deficiencies.

Use of asbestos.

Accreditation Requirements

An excerpt from a report prepared by The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools on 28 June 1990:

“The major physical facilities problem is the critical need for additional academic space. When the size of the Academy was increased to its present authorized limit, the physical facilities were not correspondingly enlarged. Consequently, space for laboratories, classrooms, and offices is extremely limited and is a concern for the future.”

An excerpt from the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board Report, 3 August 1989:

“Many faculty offices are small, i.e. cubicles with partitions, and would be considered barely adequate by most standards. They only marginally meet the intent of the Computing Sciences Accreditation Board criteria.”

Dr. Kaiser, senior vice president for facility administration at Syracuse University, describes the Academy’s laboratory facilities as “good quality high school labs.”

Cadet Perspective

In May 1993, 1,200 surveys were sent to the cadet wing asking them (1) to identify deficiencies in the facilities they use most frequently and (2) to give their opinion about the importance of facilities in their daily life.

In the written comments, the dormitories, Fairchild Hall, and the terrazzo surfaced as the facilities requiring the most attention.

When asked whether quality of facilities affected their ability to perform, nearly 60 percent of cadets said that it did. When asked whether quality of facilities impacted their morale, an overwhelming three out of four cadets responded positively.

Closing the Gap: An Action Plan

The essence of the Action Plan is seen in Figure 2. An average investment of 2.6 percent of plant replacement value over the next six years will offset the impacts of more than 30 years of maintenance underfunding. An investment of 2 percent thereafter will allow the Academy to maintain adequate standards.

The intent of this Action Plan is to establish and fund a better renewal cycle for Academy facilities. Taking better care of these facilities consistently increases the life cycle of the facility and reduces the need for repairs and replacements.

FIGURE 3 INVESTMENT PLAN

Without dedicated funding at the levels stated in the Action Plan, the Cadet Area facilities and supporting infrastructure will

(Continued on next page.)

Construction Begins on

A new educational facility at the Academy is going to have some major effects on people who work in the cadet area during the next two years. The Consolidated Education and Training Facility (CETF) is a $34 million project that will house laboratories, classrooms and offices for the Departments of Civil Engineering, Astronautics, Biology, and Chemistry.

The Frank J. Seiler Research Laboratory and bioenvironmental engineering will also be located in the new facility.

The new facility has been in a planning stage for many years, according to Alex Parmelee, CETF project manager. As the Academy has grown since its beginning in the 1950s, the Academy’s main academic facility, Fairchild Hall, has not kept pace with modern space and safety requirements.

The laboratories in Fairchild have not grown, despite the major advances in technology since it was built and the increase in size of the Cadet Wing from 2,500 to 4,000 cadets.

“The Academy was built in the era of slide rules and Bunsen burners,” said Col. Paul W. Hains, 54th Civil Engineering Squadron commander. “We are now in the age of high technology and computers. It is actually less costly to build a new facility rather than rehabilitate the old labs in Fairchild Hall.”

In addition to the CETF construction, major renovations are in the programming stages for Fairchild Hall in the future to upgrade the facility to meet new fire and safety codes and provide instructors with more space and more efficient work areas. “This is the first step in an overall plan for academic modernization,” Hains said. “Fairchild Hall simply does not meet standards for a major higher education facility anymore.”

As the academic programs have expanded, the space available for them has not, according to a plan detailing academic moder(Academy 2000: From previous page.) continue to decline relative to cadet expectations, Air Force standards, codes, accreditation requirements and taxpayer expectations.

As facilities decline the potential for increasing code violations, non-accreditation, and decreased cadet morale become very real. Issues of greater liability exposure, decreased safety for cadets and guests, and public disenchantment arise. Operating costs go up. The potential for environmental violations increases.

With adequate stewardship from the Board of Visitors, the Air Staff, alumni, and Academy leaders, the Academy will continue to fullfill its stated mission of developing and inspiring tomorrow’s Air Force leaders. Renewed facilities will also allow the Academy to carry out its unofficial mission as national landmark, architectural treasure, and exceptional representative of Air Force values.

To obtain copies of the full report, please contact me at HQ USAFA/CEP 8120 Edgerton Dr, Suite 40, USAF Academy, CO 80840-2400, DSN 259-2153 or (719) 472-2153.

New Education Facility

nization for the Academy. It was suggested in this plan that classrooms and their related laboratories must be located in the same area to increase the efficiency of the cadet’s education.

The 347,000 square foot CETF will meet the needs of the Cadet Wing now and well into the future, Parmelee said. It will allow both cadets and instructors the room necessary to carry on the Academy’s mission of developing air and space leaders with a vision for tomorrow.

While construction was approved for the new facility April 27, the official groundbreaking ceremony was May 17. “Groundbreaking” is an appropriate term for what’s going to happen in the Fairchild Hall area.

Faculty Drive has closed completely and will remain closed during the two-year construction period. The bridge that leads from the southeast corner of Fairchild Hall to the 50th Airmanship Training Squadron has been torn down. The observatory has been demolished and a new one will be constructed east of the observatory hill parking lot. Parking spaces will be taken out of service but not demolished.

When the CETF is completed, approximately 50 parking spaces will be added to the academic areas. An interim parking plan has been activated to help ease parking concerns, Parmelee said. This plan includes the provision for shuttle bus service to and from the parking lots and the area around Fairchild Hall.

Access to the 50th ATS is being maintained during the construction period by a temporary road. A pedestrian path has been built to provide cadets a means of getting to the 50th ATS.

“The CETF will be a two-story facility about half the length of Fairchild Hall.” Parmelee said. “The facility will be connected to Fairchild Hall by an enclosed bridge for pedestrian traffic. The building will have a covered parking lot much like Fairchild Hall. The facility has been designed to be architecturally compatible with Fairchild Hall.” (The Falcon Flyer)

FALCON SPORTS Academy Names Top Athletes for 1993-94 Year

Seniors Chris Maclnnis and Laura Simmons were named the Air Foce Academy’s most valuable athletes for the 1993-94 season at the Athletic Awards Ceremony in May.

Maclnnis, a placekicker on the Falcon football team, earned first-team All-America honors. He led the nation in punting with a 47.0-yard average and earned the AT&T long distance award as the nation’s best punter. In his honor, AT&T made a $1,000 donation to the school’s degree completion fund. His 47-yard average is the second longest in Academy history, just missing the record of 47.3 set by All-American Mark Simon in 1985. He ends his career with a 44.0 career punting average which is second alltime in Academy history.

The multi-talented athlete also handled the kicking duties for the Falcons. He tied an AFA record in the opening game of the year against Indiana State with nine extra points. He finished the season hitting 33 of 34 extra point attempts and nine of 14 field goals. He also became only the second Falcon ever to earn WAC Special Teams Player of the Year honors in 1994.

Simmons, the No. 1 women’s tennis player, has won more singles tennis matches than any player in Academy history male or female with 123 victories. She led the Falcons to their second NCAA Championship appearance with a mostly-Division I schedule. Simmons earned All-American honors in singles for the fourth straight year as she posted a 31-6 overall record. In doubles, she and her partner earned All-America honors for the second time in her career, as they collected a 35-4 record.

Simmons led the Falcons to the Colorado Athletic Conference Championship with an 8-0 record as she won the CAC championship at No. 1 singles and No. 1 doubles. She was also named Colorado Athletic Conference Player of the Year. She concluded her career winning the National Gladys Heldman Award as the nation’s top female intercollegiate tennis player. She is the first nonDivision I player ever to win the award.

Senior Don Sheesley’s dedication and commitment in both the classroom and in the pool earned him the 1994 Scholar-Athlete Award. Sheesley possesses a 3.82 grade point average as an applied physics major. He maintained a 3.89 GPA last fall while leading the water polo team to a second-place finish in the conference. He is a three-time selectee to the Academy All-Western Water Polo Association team. He is the only three-time selectee in the conference’s history.

Athletically, Sheesley excelled as a two-sport letterwinner. As a swimmer, he was instrumental in establishing school records in five different events. He was a member of the 1991 WAC Champion 200-meter freestyle relay team. As a water polo player, he was named second-team all-conference in 1992 and first-team allconference in 1993. He played 87 quarters as a goalie and compiled 185 blocks. He was also second on the team with 32 steals.

Senior Trace Thurlby won the Academy’s Athletic Leadership Award. Thurlby was the wing commander in the fall and established himself as one of the top tennis players ever at the Academy. He is a regular on the superintendent’s list and is the No. 1 ranked cadet in the management major. He served as team captain in 1994 and helped the team to its 18th consecutive 20-win season with a 24-5 mark.

Thurlby recorded a 23-2 singles record and a 20-3 doubles mark while earning all-conference honors this season. He ends his career as the winningest tennis player in Academy history with an 84-10 record, which is an .894 winning percentage. His 84 wins are

the fourth-most ever at the Academy. He also set an Academy record by winning 41 straight regular season matches over the last two years. He was awarded the Arthur Ashe Jr. Regional Sportsmanship Award in 1994. Next year he’ll attend the University of Pittsburgh to receive his MBA.

Senior Otis Jones won the Athletic Excellence Award. He became only the second player in Academy history to earn backto-back first-team all-Western Athletic Conference basketball honors. He led the conference and was ninth nationally in scoring with a 25.5 average. His scoring average is the highest in the WAC since 1989 and is the third best ever at the Academy. He scored 30 points or better eight times, which was more than any other player in the WAC.

A consistent leader, Jones led the Falcons in scoring in 25 of 26 games while becoming only the second Falcon to ever earn firstteam all-district honors. He matched his career high of 32 points five times including the Falcons’ win over Utah at the Academy. In that game, he set an Academy record with 17 free throws as he earned conference player of the week honors for the second time in his career.

Senior Erika Schenavar won the Athletic Achievement Award. Schenavar became one of the most decorated swimmers in Academy history. She led her team to a second-place national finish and collected five All-America titles. She won the 400-meter individual medley event at nationals in a blistering time of 4:29.45. She became the first swimmer since 1984 to win a Division II national title.

Schenavar also was named All-American in the 500m freestyle, the 1,650m freestyle, the 200m individual medley and the 800m freestyle relay. She also excelled at the conference level, compiling 13 all-Pacific Coast Collegiate Conference honors. As a senior, she won the 200 individual medley event. She was Air Force’s top NCAA scorer and was named the Division II national swimmer of the year. She ends her career with eight All-America titles.

Falcon Men’s Golf Team Finishes in Sixth Place

The Air Force men’s golf team saved its best for last in the 1994 season. Air Force’s spring schedule had produced only one top 10 finish in five tournaments until the team rolled into Provo, Utah, for the Cougar Classic. Team co-captain Jim Fagan fired a tournament and career-best 67 in the opening round to take the individual lead.

The Falcons shot three straight sub-300 rounds for the first time this year on their way to a sixth-place finish in the 15-team field. Fagan finished eighth overall with a season-best 219. Fellow co-captain Jason Vitas followed with his best effort of the season, 221

The team finished ninth overall in the Western athletic Conference. Junior Owen Shipler paced the Falcons with a 30th-place finish.

The fall season was highlighted by a fifth-place finish in the Falcon Invitational and a second-place showing in the Tri-Service Classic. The team also finished fifth in the Southern Utah Classic.

Fagan led the team with a 77.6 stroke average in a team-high 30 rounds. Vitas was second with a 78.8 average. Shipler and sophomore Trey Treadwell, who will be the top guns next year, each finished with 79.1 averages.

23 Academy Athletes Earn All-American Honors

An All-American is defined by Webster’s New Collegiate Dietionary as “one of the best athletes selected in a particular category at a particular time.” That definition exemplifies what 23 Falcon athletes achieved this season. That brings to 289 the number of cadets who have received All-America honors since 1956.

Again this season, women’s swimming led the entourage of AllAmericans with 13 as the team finished second nationally. These 13 athletes won a combined 33 All-America titles in individual and relay events. They are Erika Schenavar, Keri Schreiber, Rebecca Currie, Brenda Boeckmann, Tanja Hauber, Teri Heitmeyer, Robbie Kilroy, Yiotula Chiligiris, Maiya Anderson, Shannon Goff, Abby White, Julie Freedman and Claudine Tjhio.

In rifle, seniors Justin Broughton and Will Reinert, sophomore Robin Orth and freshman Dan Pemple earned All-America status in either smallbore or air rifle. The four shooters were the most in a single season in Academy history to earn the honor.

Senior runner Phil Swenson was picked as an All-American in

cross country, while football’s Chris Maclnnis was named to the AP and UPI first teams.

Freshman gymnast Jen Spence finished second on floor exercise and eighth in the all-around at nationals to earn All-America titles. In indoor track, senior co-captain Jeff Kuzma earned the honor in the 800-meter event while tennis standouts Laura Simmons and Christine Rivolick received All-America honors in doubles competition. Simmons was also named an All-American in singles for the fourth consecutive year.

Receiving honorable mention All-America status were junior Melissa Hyland and sophomore Casey Cornish from women’s swimming and senior Tim Cullen and junior Ben Maitre from fencing.

Academic All-America honors went to Renae Bartolone and Jennifer Kornacker from cross country; Roberta Breyen, Dan Pemple, Lane Thompson and Francisco Casanova from rifle; Amanda Krantz from tennis; and Keri Schreiber, Tanja Hauber, Claudine Tjhio, Abby White and Maiya Anderson from women’s swimming.

Baseball Team Finishes with Winning Record

When the 1994 baseball season is reflected upon, the 25 broken records will quickly be remembered.

Air Force finished the 1994 season with a 26-24 overall record, 7-15 in the Western Athletic Conference’s East Division. In the process, the Falcons broke eight team records and 17 individual marks. The Falcons clinched their second consecutive winning season for the first time in 14 years. Air Force also snapped an Academy record by spending 100 consecutive games at the .500 mark or better. The previous school record was 99 games set between 1978-1980. The seven WAC wins are the most since the 1990 season.

Calif., ranks in the top three in five other offensive categories. This season, he hit .398 with 11 home runs, 40 extra-base hits and 52 RBIs.

Harris, a junior from Stillwater, Minn., was also named firstteam all-District 8 and is on the ballot for All-America honors. He became recognized as one of the most feared hitters in the WAC. He had the most productive season in the last six years, leading the team in batting average (.426), home runs (16), RBIs (72), slugging percentage (.876) and stolen bases (11). In WAC games, he raised his game to the next level. He shattered the school records for batting average (.526), home runs (12), RBIs (41) and slugging percentage (1.118) in WAC games.

Freshman shortstop Brian Bernard also gained some national recognition. Bernard, a native of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla., was named to the Collegiate Baseball Freshman All-America team. He hit .391 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs in 43 games.

“All in all it was a great season,” Mainieri said. “The senior class of eight players will be a great loss for us. They have been a big reason why Falcon baseball continues to get better.

Denver Quarterback Club Is Seeking New Members

“We were very disappointed with our performance in New Mexico (losing the final three games of the season),” head coach Paul Mainieri said. “We were a much better team than what we showed. However, when you look at the whole picture, it is tough to be upset. We accomplished the majority of our team goals and set a lot of records.”

Air Force broke team records in home runs, triples, hit batters, slugging percentage, saves and strikeouts. The Falcons led in the nation in batting average with a .360 mark. Air Force is also among the nation’s leaders in runs scored, triples, doubles, home runs and slugging percentage.

Senior Vern Mullis and junior Glenn Harris concluded outstanding seasons. Both were named first-team all-Western Athletic Conference. The duo marked the first time two AFA baseball players were named all-WAC in the same season.

Mullis, who missed just one game in his four years at the Academy, broke the school career records for hits, RBIs, at-bats, total bases and triples. The .376 career hitter from Spring Valley,

The Air Force Academy Quarterback Club of Denver is proud to be a Booster Club for Academy Athletics for over 33 years. Through your membership we are able to co-host the Football Awards Banquet, held for the first time off Academy grounds, host an August team barbecue, host a Basketball Tip-off luncheon, provide football and athletic awards, and contribute to a new costume for “The Bird”, just to name a few activities.

You personally can enjoy our golf tournaments, weekly fall luncheons with Coach DeBerry and other guest speakers, exclusive tours, theater outings, dinner dance, team barbecue and other social events. Please call or write for membership information.

Minetta Miller, executive secretary and mortar for our club since its inception, has officially retired. However, Minette will still remain an active member of our club. We couldn’t do without her!

The new executive secretary and president is Winetta Mahaffey. New address: AFAQBC Denver, P.O. Box 323, Wheatridge, Colo. 80034-0232. New phone: 303-238-9245. The fall luncheon location will be the Valley Country Club, just off Arapahoe and Jordan Roads.

Women’s Rugby Team Wins National Title

The Academy women’s rugby team won the national championship, sweeping Oregon State University and Boston College in early May at Corvalis, Ore. It was the women’s first national titie since 1991, and improved the team’s record to 9-1 for the season.

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In the game against OSU, the Air Force team threatened to bash the Beavers early, jumping out to a 21-0 lead in the first 15 minutes of the match. OSU fought back, however, closing the gap to 21-14 by halftime. Air Force’s Rashelle Brown scored 15 minutes into the second half to improve their lead to 26-14. The Beavers clawed their way through the Air Force defense again, closing the score to 26-21, which ended up as the final.

“This was an incredibly tough and physical game,” said Craig Baltz, Air Force head coach. “OSU never gave up. They were a huge team. They had two players on their team who weighed more than 200 pounds. Our speed and conditioning made the difference in this game.”

In the other semifinal game, Boston College beat Penn State, 15-13. This set up the championship match between Air Force and the Boston College Eagles.

In the championship, it was a battered and bruised Air Force team that walked off the field as 7-3 winners. About 15 minutes into the first half, Air Force outside center Joyce Gange made an impressive play, running wide and straight-arming a BC defender out of her way before passing to Tracy Hubbard, who ran in for the score. “We dominated the possession battle with Boston Col

lege, but they kept on tackling us. It was a war,” Baltz said. “The Eagles finally scored on a three-point penalty kick 15 minutes into the second half.”

The game ended in a dramatic fashion, Baltz said. “We were called for punching at midfield with about a minute left in the game. A BC player got the ball and ran wide, turning the corner at their own 22-yard line. After a few nice inside passes, our wing and fullback knocked her out of play at our 10-yard line.

“As the time ran out, the referee blew his whistle signifying the end of the game,” Baltz said. “That was thew sweetest sound I’ve ever heard. Now I know how football teams that win the Super Bowl feel.”

Hubbard was named as the championship’s most valuable player and also as as All-American. Other Air Force AllAmericans were Heidi Wahlman, Yvonne Spencer, Joyce Gange, Patty Rodriguez-Rey and Virginia Weldon.

Next year’s team will have a different look as 10 seniors graduated in June. “Most of the women we lost were staters, but we still have an excellent group coming back,” Baltz said. “We’re not looking at next year as a rebuilding year. We fully intend to defend our championship.” (The Falcon Flyer)

Zoomies Men’s Rugby Team Takes Third Place

The Air Force Zoomies rugby club placed third at the “Final Four” national championships in Washington, D.C. in early May. Air Force got a bid to the nationals by winning the Western Regional Rugby Championship April 16-19 in Houston, Texas.

In the first round of the nationals, the Zoomies took on the University of California-Berkeley Golden Bears and lost 42-21. “We were behind in the first half and managed to tie the game at 21-21 midway through the second half,” said Charles Milligan, officer-in-charge of the men’s rugby club. “Then there was a 10-minute stretch where we made a lot of mental mistakes. Berkeley jumped right on our mistakes and put the game out of reach.”

Halfback Chris Eden scored all of the Zoomies’ 21 points, hitting seven three-point field attempts. The loss sent Air Force into the consolation match against Penn State, which had lost to Navy. The Zoomies won the game and third place by a score of 24-17.

“We played a whole lot better against Penn State,” Milligan said. “Their defense wasn’t as good as Berkeley’s, so we were able to play a much more wide-open game.”

In the championship game, Berkeley defeated Navy to take the title for the 11th time in the 15-year history of the tournament.

This was Air Force’s 13th trip to the Final Four in 15 years, the Zoomies had won the national title in 1989 and 1990. (The Falcon Flyer)

Alamodome Suites

Available for Lease

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The Alamodome in San Antonio will be hosting the UTEP/Air Force game on Saturday, September 24. The Alamodome has several suites that can be leased on a perevent basis. The suites are on the 50-yard line, have 16 seats, two closed-circuit televisions in the suite, DMX sound, refrigerator, private wait staff, speciality food may be ordered ahead of time, VIP parking and entrance and use of the Sports Club. Anyone interested in leasing a suite for the game should contact Courtland Olivet, Club Level Manager/Alamodome, (210) 207-3650.

Mayo, *61, Named to GTE Hall of Fame

Dr. Rich Mayo, Class of 1961, who quarterbacked Air Force to its only unbeaten season (9-0-2) in 1958 and a tie with Texas Christian in the 1959 Cotton Bowl, was one of five outstanding former student-athletes inducted into the GTE Academic AllAmerican Hall of Fame in Washington, D.C. on May 17.

Mayo was also the Falcon football team’s captain in 1960 and became the second Academy athlete to be named to the GTE Academic All-America list. The first was Brock Strom, ’59, who was named to the list in 1990 for his outstanding Falcon football and academic performance.

Dr. Rich Mayo, ’61

Setting 12 school passing records, Mayo threw for 3,399 yards and 24 touchdowns and was the nation’s fourth-ranked passer in 1959. The start of his stellar football career was his starting quarterback debut as a sophomore against Oklahoma State about midway through the 1958 season. In that game, he completed three fourth-down passes, the last for a touchdown with 0:09 left

for an upset 33-29 victory.

He earned academic all-America status as a junior and a senior, was the Falcon’s punter for all three seasons, and as a two-way player, he led the team in interceptions (four) in 1959. After his senior year, he played in the East-West Shrine Game.

Following graduation, Mayo served as a fighter pilot for eight years before resigning his commission to attend medical school at the University of Texas-Galveston. He remained in the Air Force Reserves for another eight years and retired after 21 years of service with the rank of lieutenant colonel.

Mayo currently owns and was the founder of the Sunrise Recovery Center, a drug and alcohol recovery facility in Houston, Texas, he speaks to church groups and individuals about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse. He is active in the American Medical Association, the American Psychiatric Association and the Association of Addiction Medicine. He lives in Woodlands, Texas, located outside of Houston.

The four other inductees this year were Anne Donovan (Old Dominion, 1983, recreational services), a three-time basketball Olympian and the 1983 Naismith Trophy winner; Lee Roy Selmon (Oklahoma, 1975, special education) a two-time AllAmerican and six-time football All-Pro; Bill Walton (UCLA, 1974, history) three-time NCAA Player of the Year for basketball; and John Wooden (Purdue, student-athlete, Indiana State and UCLA, coach) who was an honorary inductee.

Prior to this year’s selection, GTE and the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) have named 28 people to the GTE Academic All-America Hall of fame. The Hall of Fame was established in 1988 to honor former Academic AllAmerica Team members who have attained high achievements in their chosen professions and have made substantial contributions to their communities.

Kickoff luncheon - 23 Sep 94

Pre-game tailgate party - 24 Sep 94

Post-game party - 24 Sep 94 Details will be mailed to AOG chapters or call:

Simmons Leaves Behind Monumental Legacy

As the school year drew to a close, so did the career of senior tennis star Laura Simmons, who made her mark as one of the best players to ever swing a racket for Air Force. She is the most celebrated women’s tennis player in Academy history and one of the most successful athletes ever here.

Laura Simmons, ’94

In April, Simmons added another award to an already staggering list of accomplishments she was awarded the Gladys Heldman Award as the top woman collegiate tennis player in the nation. Simmons beat out five other finalists to become the first non-Division I player to win the award. The Air Force women’s tennis program competes on the National Collegiate Athletic Association Division II level. The award is given annually based on athletic performance, as well as academic achievement and outstanding leadership and citizenship.

Add this award to the National Intercollegiate Tennis Association Arthur Ashe Jr. Sportsmanship Award she won last year and the NCAA Division II singles national championship she won as a freshman and you have one of the top female students and athletes in all of college sports.

With all of this success, it would be easy for an athlete to lose perspective, to get a big head and want more. But not Simmons. “I’m very honored, but to be perfectly honest, it doesn’t affect me at all,” Simmons said. “I really don’t like awards and I’m not comfortable with them. Whenever I get one I say ‘that’s great, but let’s forget about it and move on’.”

With the high-pressure atmosphere of college athletics, especially at the Academy, it is rare to find an athlete who is able to prioritize things like that. Most athletes who are successful find the pressure to stay in the spotlight is too much for them. That’s not the case with the level-headed Simmons. “I wouldn’t say there is pressure, because I try to avoid the spotlight.”

Simmons made her mark as a freshman winning the Division II national singles championship while leading Air Force to its highest national finish (fifth) ever. She won an Academy-record 35 singles matches that year and was named the NCAA Division II Rookie of the Year. She also won the first of four team Most

Make your tax-deductible donation now to The Air Force Academy Fund.

Your Support Helps Develop Leaders With Vision For Tomorrow.

Valuable Player awards. Not too bad for someone who considers tennis secondary.

“Honestly, I did not come to the Academy for tennis,” she said. “I didn’t even think about it. I came here for the whole school experience. Tennis was just something on the side.”

Simmons chose the Academy for its wide-range of opportunities, which she’s taken advantage of. “There are things I thought I could do here that I couldn’t do at a normal school. I really wanted to jump (parachute) while I was here and I finally got to.”

“I’ve enjoyed many aspects of it (the Academy),” she said. “The best thing about it are the friends I’ve made here. I even met my husband here.” Simmons married 2nd Lt. George Koury, a 1993 graduate who played on the varsity golf team, on June 11, the day after she received the Heldman Award in Houston, Texas.

Tennis has been a part of her life ever since she can remember. Her brother Russ played varsity tennis at Texas A&M University, and she began playing the game when she was 10 years old. She attended Klein High School in Spring, Texas, where she got her first taste of success. Simmons won two state doubles championships and graduated with a perfect 4.0 grade point average.

Simmons’ academic success continued at the Academy. She had a 3.07 grade point average in her major of biology.

Wrapping up a tennis career most players can only dream about, Simmons leaves behind an impressive legacy. She has won more matches (123) than any tennis player in Academy history men or women. She’s a four-time All-American and has led the Falcons to a pair of NCAA Championship tournaments.

Dealing with the pressure has not been as hard as one might think. “Pressure is what you make of it,” Simmons said. “You always try to do your best, but I wasn’t worried about it. I think that was one of the reasons I did well my freshman year. I had no clue what the competition was like. I just showed up for my match and played my best.” (The Falcon Flyer)

Women’s Tennis Ends Regular Season with 15-11 Record

The 1994 women’s tennis season is one that will be remembered in which almost every goal was achieved. The Falcons goal was to gain a berth to the NCAA Championships, win the Colorado Athletic Conference championship and finish the year above .500 with a newly constructed schedule which included a bundle of Division I teams.

The team was three for three!

The Falcons rolled through the CAC regular season with an 8-0 record. The team was seeded first for the tournament. Air Force then dumped Denver to win the tournament and assure itself a bid to the NCAAs.

Senior co-captains Laura Simmons and Christine Rilovick paced the team, each winning CAC singles crowns. Simmons’ title at No. 1 singles was the second of her career. Rilovick won her first CAC singles title at No. 2. The pair combined to win the title at No. 1 doubles. Each would gain a bid to compete in the NCAA singles championships. Simmons advanced to the third round before falling, while Rilovick was defeated in the opening round.

Amanda Krantz added the CAC singles title at No. 6 singles. The team title is the team’s second in four years under the direction of head coach Maj. Bob Swanson. The Falcons dropped both team matches at the NCAAs, but finished the season ranked among the nation’s top 10. The team finished the year with a 15-11 regular season record.

Simmons concluded her career as the winningest player in Academy history with a 120-36 career record. Her 120 wins are the most by any tennis player in Academy history men or women. She is a four-time singles All-American and a two-time doubles All-American.

1986 Graduate Wins Top Meteorologist Award

Every day, Capt. Carolyn Vadnais (nee Reed), 645th Weather Flight at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, searches for ways to help Air Force and Department of Defense aircraft systems function effectively in all environmental situations. For her efforts, Vadnais, a 1986 Academy graduate, received the 1993 Best Award as the outstanding staff meteorologist for the Air Force.

The award, given in honor of former Air Weather Service commander Brig. Gen. William H. Best Jr., recognizes individual excellence by an Air Force member providing staff weather or space environmental support. Captain Vadnais competed for and won this Air Force level award after winning the Air Force Material Command’s 1993 Best Award Competition earlier this year. Captain Vadnais earned the award for her leadership and technical support as staff meteorologist to Aeronautical Systems Center (ASC) at Wright-Patterson AFB, an organization which acquires new weapons systems for the Air Force and conducts extensive aerospace research in its laboratory.

The 645th Weather Flight assists the center by predicting and advising how those new systems aircraft and missiles will perform in various weather conditions. “A lot of times our customers don’t realize they need our input,” said Captain Vadnais, who earned a bachelor’s degree in engineering from the Academy and another bachelor’s in meteorology from Texas A&M. She also hold a master’s degree in physics from Utah State University. “We’re responsible to make sure environmental

Track and Field Athletes Set Numerous School Records

In a sport where success is measured by thousandths of a second and feet and inches, Air Force’s outdoor track team had several athletes who ran faster, threw farther and jumped higher than their competition. And, in the process, put their names in the record books.

The men’s team produced two individual WAC champions. Jeff Kuzma set a school record in winning the 800-meter run at the conference meet and Nick MacFalls ran away with the 1,500-meters. MacFalls set the school record in this event earlier in the year. Fie was also the leadoff runner for the distance medley relay team which set another school record. Joining MacFalls on the record-setting team were Paul Gomez, Kuzma and Eric Mack.

Joining Kuzma and MacFalls on the All-Conference team were Gomez, a second-place finisher in the 400-intermediate hurdles, and Clayton Cole, a second-place finisher at the conference meet in the high jump. Kuzma and Gomez also ran on the four-by-400meter relay team which came in second at the conference meet to earn all-league honors. They were joined by Marcus Alexander and Mike Reed.

Mike Claborn set a school outdoor record in the high jump with a leap of 6-1 1 3A.

Stephanie Holcroft was a standout in three field events the discus, shot put and javelin. She was a national qualifier for the NCAA championships in the discus. She has the second best discus throw in Air Force history and she was the Falcon’s top competitor in both the javelin and shot put this season. In the javelin, she ranks third on Air Force’s all-time list.

Several of the women broke into Air Force’s all-time top five list this season. They include: Michele Johnson, fifth in the 200 and 400-meter dashes; Renae Bartolone, fourth in the 10,000-meters; Jana Kokkonen, third in the 100-meter hurdles, fifth in the 400-meter intermediate hurdles and fifth in the triple jump; Brenda Smith, fifth in the 100-meter hurdles; Jennifer Bozied, fourth in the shot put; Eve Douglas, fifth in the discus throw.

aspects are considered in the development of all sysyems. “We help determine whether systems and sensors will work in certain conditions,” Captain Vadnais explained. “Obviously, it’s crucial that engineers know how their systems will work in different situations.”

Captain Vadnais worked extensively to help resolve environmental issues facing muli-billion dollar programs like the B-2 and the F-22. By identifying and minimizing weather-related problems early in the acquisition process, her efforts saved these programs millions of dollars. Some of her efforts detailed the effects of rain erosion on radar absorbing material while in flight. Also, she is leading the Air Force’s efforts to better understand what specific environmental conditions must exist for contrails to form and how to detect these conditions before aircraft fly into them, resulting in visual sightings of stealthy aircraft.

Captain Vadnais attended Unity High School in Balsam Lake, Wis., prior to attending the U.S. Air Force Academy. She is married to Capt. Scott Vadnais, a public affairs officer also stationed at Wright-Patterson.

Men’s Tennis Team Marks 18th Straight 20-Win Season

The Falcon men’s tennis team concluded the year with their 18th straight 20-win season. AFA was 24-5 and finished seventh in the Western Athletic Conference Championships in Provo, Utah. The seventh-place finish is deceptive, however, as the Falcons were the highest finishing American team. All other teams that finished ahead of AFA had older, more experienced foreign players.

“That’s usually the case,” said Air Force head coach Rich Gugat, who has guided the Falcons to each of the 18 20-win seasons. “There are just so many good foreign players out there, that the competition is very tough. But I’m very proud of our team. They had a tremendous year.”

Junior Jerry Ledzinski made Air Force history, as he is the first men’s tennis player to be selected to compete in the NCAA Singles Championship. Ledzinski was one of four players from Region VII selected by the NCAA to compete in the championships May 25-29 in South Bend, Ind.

Ledzinski’s achievements this year place him among the elite to have played at the Academy, according to Gugat. “When we recruited Jerry out of high school he had the best tennis credentials of anyone that we’ve ever had here,” the coach commented. “This award confirms his stature as a tennis player. He’s as good a player as we’ve ever had at Air Force.”

Fellow junior Paul Griffiths also had a breakthrough year in 1994. Griffiths won 20 matches for the first time in his career. His 22-6 record ties as the most wins in Air Force history at No. 2 singles. “Jerry and Paul have improved every year they’ve played here,” Gugat said. “They are both playing the best tennis of their careers and we’ll be counting on them to provide leadership next year.”

The Falcons will head into next year without two of the best players to ever lace them up at the Academy. Seniors Trace Thurlby and Mike Bautista each concluded tremendous careers this season.

Thurlby and Bautista combined for a 20-3 doubles mark to lead the team. Individually, they are second to none in Academy history. Thurlby’s 84-10 career record makes him the winningest player in Academy history with an .894 winning percentage. Bautista is not far behind with a 63-11 career mark (.851 winning percentage) for the second spot on the all-time list.

“We are really going to miss Trace and Mike,” Gugat said. “They are two of the best we’ve ever had here as players and peopie. You will not find two finer individuals than these two young men.”

OUNC1NGJ

The Service Academy Database

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Your AOG is pleased to announce a new service to graduate AOG members. We have joined forces with the alumni associations of West Point, Annapolis, and the Coast Guard Academy to jointly provide resumes on graduates from all academies to prospective employers.

The goal of this easy-to-use service is to maximize the employment opportunities for our graduate members seeking a career change. Establishing a network of employers, as well as a database of potential graduate employees, is an integral part of this joint effort. By combining forces with the other service academies we have greatly enhanced our graduates’ probability of being evaluated by a company that knows the value of an academy background. Send $25 (check or money order) to the AOG and in a few days you will receive:

Resume Program

• Makes quick work of the difficult task of creating a resume

• Produces professionally appealing, typeset resumes

Job Attributes Program

• Collects personal data and employment preferences:

► Education, graduate & undergraduate

► Language ability and computer skills

► Work experience, military & civilian

► Industry and position preferences

► Geographic preferences

► Security Clearance

► And other pertinent information

Used by Employers to identify You

Complete the easy-to-use, menu-driven job preference and resume programs on any DOS computer (Vh disk) and send a copy of the program output files to the AOG for inclusion in the database.

HIRE ONE OF YOUR OWN

Many of you are in a position to make or influence hiring decisions for your Company. If you wish to obtain a disk set of Service Academy Alumni resumes, attributes and job preferences with search and retrieval capability, send your request to the AOG with a check or money order. The price for the disk package is $150 (a discount is available to graduate AOG members for personal use). A quarterly subscription rate for the corporate disk package is available upon request. The program will only work on a computer running Windows 3.0 or higher.

EH Yes, I would like to be in the database and I enclose a check or money order for $25

EH Yes, I would like to receive a database of Service Academy Alumni and enclosed a check or money order for $150

Your Name:

Company Name:

Address:

Return the completed form and your check to:

Association of Graduates

3116 Academy Drive, Suite 100 USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475

If a USAFA graduate, year of graduation:

Whether you are an individual graduate investigating a career change or an employer seeking a superior performer, this new AOG service for graduate members may well provide you the best approach. Send in the completed form or contact the AOG Vice President, Services, Col(Ret) Jock Schwank at (719) 472 - 0300 for further information.

ATTENTION IN THE AREA

Visitors Center Offers AOG Discount

The AOG is pleased to announce a new membership benefit. Through the cooperation of the Academy Athletic Association (AFAAA), all AOG members are now eligible to receive a discount at the Academy Visitors

AOG Resume Service Prices Increase

Because of a significant contractual change imposed by the processor of our electronic resume programs, the AOG must increase the prices it charges for various resume disk services. The following prices go into effect immediately:

$25.00 - Individual graduate’s original input into the database.

$20.00 - Update of an individual graduate’s information in the database.

$150.00 - Corporate disk package containing all resumes in the database. A discount is available on the corporate package to graduate members requesting the database for their personal use. A quarterly subscription rate for the corporate disk package is also available.

The AOG regrets any inconvenience caused by the above price changes. If you have any questions please call the AOG vice president, Services, Col. (Ret) Jock Schwank at the AOG offices.

Center Gift Shop (which is operated by AFAAA). You only need to show the cashier your AOG membership card to receive your 10 percent discount. This discount was previously extended only to active duty and retired military customers. The AOG extends our sincere thanks to AFAAA for their support of the graduate community by offering this excellent benefit to all of our members.

Class Ring Information

Graduates who need to replace or have their Academy class rings repaired should go directly through the manufacturer. The manufacturer has the expertise and equipment to repair or replace your ring. Contact them directly for cost estimates, which vary significantly. Below are the manufacturers and how to contact them:

Jostens

c/o Seal Seykora 4890 S. Kitteredge St. Aurora, Colo. 80015 (303) 699-9199

Balfour Company

Classes of 1960, 1962, 1963, 1968 1970, 1971, 1972, 1973, 1974, 1976 1977, 1978, 1979, 1980, 1981, 1982 1983, 1984, 1986, 1989, 1990, 1991 1992

Classes of 1959, 1961, 1964, 1965

c/o Jess Crane 1966, 1967, 1969, 1975, 1994

3502 S. Marion St. Englewood, CO 80110 (303) 789-0623 (Evenings: 303-757-0557)

Herff Jones

Classes of 1985, 1987, 1988, 1993

226 Publis Street Providence, RI 02905 (401) 331-1240

SERVICE ACADEMY/ALUMNI GOLF CLASSIC

DALLAS, TX - OCTOBER 24 - 25 1994

The 2nd Annual Inter-Service Competition... combining graduates of USAFA, ARMY, USMMA and their COLLEGIATE GOLF TEAMS

SITE: Dallas Athletic Club - featuring two Jack Nicklaus "signature" golf courses.

COST: $250 per player - includes two rounds of golf on Monday, range balls and carts. Food and refreshments throughout tournament.

FORMAT: Four-man graduate teams plus one collegiate team member or coach play two rounds of golf on Monday, October 24. Grads play one round Florida scramble, one round best ball with handicap. Collegiate players play their own ball. Collegiate teams play their final third round on Tuesday morning, October 25.

PROCEEDS: Donated to the golf programs of participating schools.

PARTICIPATION: 32 graduates per Academy on first received basis.

COMPETITION: (1) Inter-service collegiate tournament (54 holes)

(2) Inter-service alumni tournament; five low gross scores (18 holes)

(3) Inter-service alumni tournament; team scramble (18 holes)

(4) Intra-service alumni team tournament: scramble + best ball (36 holes); Individual two low gross (18 holes); individual two low net (18 holes)

(5) Closest to hole

(6) Longest drive

ENTRY INFORMATION: Call Bill Reemtsma USAFA ’63 - Tournament Chairman (214) 357-5502

Eight Scholarships Awarded to Graduate Offspring

Not surprisingly, many of our USAFA graduates have children who have excelled in many areas and endeavors. In recognition of their exceptional achievements in academics and extracurricular activities, and in volunteer work and employment, eight young men and women were selected for award of 1994-95 Graduate Dependent Scholarships totaling $5,500. The Graduate Dependent Scholarship Committee reviewed nearly 60 applications from children of lifetime and long-term AOG members, identifying the nominees listed below as the most deserving of this special recognition.

The Graduate Dependent Scholarship (GDS) Fund is an endowed fund supported by contributions through the Air Force Academy Fund and by other restricted contributions. The number and the amount of the awards have increased over the past several years with new gifts to the endowment and will hopefully continue to increase, allowing for more of these deserving young men and women to be recognized and rewarded. All of the applications reviewed by the committee were outstanding, and it is truly a heartening experience to read of the many successes and achievements of our fellow graduates’ children. The following synopses of this year’s scholarship winners’ applications are indicative of the superb quality of individuals applying for the scholarships:

Bradley Whitman ($1,000): Mr. Whitman is a senior at Suffern High School in Suffern, N.Y. where he ranks third in his class of 267 with a 4.0 grade point average, which included many advanced placement courses. His academic background was also notable for the numerous summer academic programs he has attended at such first-rate institutions as Harvard, Johns Hopkins, and Columbia University. He is currently the co-editor-in-chief on the school newspaper where he has also served as editor in his four years on its staff. He participates extensively in several music programs, including the marching band, the symphonic band, the orchestra and the jazz ensemble. He also had long-term involvement with forensics, mock trial and debate, among many other school activities. (Edwin L. Whitman, ’60)

Christa Gannon ($1,000): Ms. Gannon is currently a senior at the University of California at Santa Barbara, studying pre-law. She attended the university under a NCAA Women’s Basketball Scholarship, but will be continuing her education in pursuit of a law degree. Ms. Gannon was a national finalist for a Rhodes

Celebrating USAFA’s 40th

Early graduates gathered to celebrate the Academy’s 40th birthday at a party in Mitchell Hall on April 2. From left are Jim Brown, 59, AOG vice president, vice chairman and secretary; Brock Strom, ’59; Jim Ulm, ’61, AOG president and chairman of the board; Larry Fortner, ’59; and Mike Quinlan, ’61.

Scholarship, and her GPA of 3.9+ and recognition as UC-Santa Barbara’s “Female Scholar Athlete of the Year’’ attest to her excellence in both academics and on the basketball court. In addition to the many demands placed on her by her basketball scholarship, Ms. Gannon worked during the summer as a counselor in basketball camps, and in the office of the prosecuting attorney’s office in Idaho. (John B. Gannon, ’70)

Kathryn Arbeit ($700): Ms. Arbeit is currently a senior at Sahuaro High School in Tucson, Ariz. She is ranked first out of her class of 403 students, with a perfect 4.0 grade point average. She is a member of the National Honor Society, Students Against Drunk Driving (SADD), and her school’s award-winning marching and concert band. Her community activities include volunteer tutoring, and she has worked for a disabled elderly lady for three years, doing housekeeping and preparing meals. Also impressive was her co-authorship and conference presentation of a scientific paper in the field of astronomy, and her desire to pursue a career in astrophysics. (Ferde P. Arbeit, ’67)

Stephanie Daly ($700): Ms. Daly is a senior at Hayfield High School in Alexandria, Va. where she is ranked first in her class of 321, with a 4.0 average. She has been a member of the high school newspaper staff for four years, currently serving as editor-inchief. She is the team captain of the varsity field hockey team and a member of the varsity lacrosse team. She has contributed to the community as a fund-raising volunteer for cystic fibrosis four years and as a Red Cross volunteer. Ms. Daly has worked throughout high school, including jobs as a sales associate and as an office assistant. (Robert P. Daly, II, ’69)

Marcella Kearns ($600): Ms. Kearns is a junior at Canisius College in Buffalo, N.Y. where she has a perfect 4.0 grade point average. She was a GDS recipient for 1992-93 and 1993-94. Her extracurricular activities include involvement with Canisius College Little Theater, the college newspaper, and a local Girl Scout troop. Ms. Kearns has been employed on the technical crew at Shea’s Performing Arts Center and as a sales clerk. (Wade J. Kearns, ’73)

Nathan Stooke ($500): Mr. Stooke has illustrated the power of hard work and perserverance. Even with dyslexia he has achieved a 4.0 grade point average, and ranks at the top of his class of 367 students at O’Fallon Township High School in O’Fallon, Ill. Mr. Stooke also has achieved this while swimming on a year-round USS swim team, which requires four hours of practice a day. He has worked throughout his high school career, as a lifeguard, in building maintanance, and in diverse odd jobs. He is an Eagle Scout and was awarded the Order of the Arrow. (Willard N. Stooke, Jr, ’71)

Laura Stobie ($500): Ms. Stobie is a two-time former GDS recipient. She is a sophomore at Duke University with a 3.8 grade point average and a biology major. She is a member of the varsity crew club team and Duke’s Visual Arts Committee which manages two galleries on campus. She also has served as a freshman advisory counselor during orientation week and volunteers at a children’s hospital one day each week. She has worked at a number of jobs in the areas of sales and food preparation throughout the year. (James G. Stobie, ’71)

Adrienne Prahler ($500): Ms. Prahler was a recipient of the GDS last year. She is a freshman studying electrical engineering at MIT in Boston. Her high school grade point average was 4.0; MIT does not give out letter grades to freshmen. Ms. Prahler was a varsity cross-country runner for MIT and has worked 12 hours a week during the school year and 40 hours a week during the summer at a plumbing supply company. She is a volunteer in the LINKS program at MIT which seeks to encourage interest in math and science at a local grade school. (David S. Prahler, ’72)

Cynthia Goode (first alternate): Ms. Goode is a senior at the Leto Comprehensive High School in Florida. She is third in her (Continued on next page.)

Scholarship Criteria Outlined

Graduate Dependent Scholarships are being offered for the upcoming 1995-1996 academic year. Recipients for these annual awards will be selected by the AOG Board of Directors Selection Committee. This AOG scholarship program is intended to directly support post-secondary education for the children of AOG graduate members.

To be eligible to apply:

A. The applicant must be the child of either a graduate life member of the AOG or a graduate who has maintained annual membership for at least the five consecutive years immediately preceding the submission of the application package. AOG membership requirements for applicants who are children of deceased graduates will be evaluated on an individual basis by the selection committee.

B. The applicant must either be the graduate’s natural child or legally-adopted child, but need not be financially dependent upon the graduate or his/her surviving spouse.

C. The applicant must agree to enroll as a full-time student, as defined by the institution, at a college or university accredited by an appropriate regional or national accrediting body. The applicant’s program of study may be in any field at either the graduate or undergraduate level.

D. The applicant must have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale for the six most-recent semesters as a full-time student.

The scholarship amount can be as high as $2,000 for the academic year and is paid in one lump sum directly to the student upon his/her demonstrated acceptance into the accredited institution. An individual may receive a total of four of these annual scholarships, but they do not have to be applied for, or awarded, in consecutive years.

Scholarship award winners, as well as those applicants not selected to receive a scholarship in a given year, are encouraged to reapply for scholarships in subsequent years. These applicants compete with all new applicants for subsequent-year scholarship monies.

The number of scholarships to be awarded each year and the dollar amount of each scholarship is determined annually by the board of directors. The scholarship winners will be determined based on overall demonstrated merit. The deadline for receiving application packages is March 1 for both initial applications and reapplications.

Send requests for application forms and direct questions on this scholarship program to Col. (Ret) Jock Schwank, AOG vice president, Services, Association of Graduates, 3116 Academy Drive, Suite 100, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840-4475 or call (719) 472-0300.

(Scholarships: From previous page.)

class of 456, with 24 advanced and honors courses. She is the student council president and a member of several honor societies ineluding the National Honor Society (NHS). Ms. Goode is captain of the cheerleading squad, and has been named employee of the month several times at her part-time job in a clothing store. She plans to attend Florida State University. (Michael L. Goode, ’69)

Anna Povich (second alternate): Ms. Povich is a straight 4.0 student at Shadlepark High School in Spokane, Wash, taking many honors and advanced placement courses. She is president of the NHS and a member of the student council. An accomplished flutist, she has been recognized on numerous occasions at state and national levels for her musical talents. She is involved in her church youth group and Campfire Girls. She has earned money for her education by teaching flute, and seeks to become a professional flutist. (Michael J. Povich, ’64)

It was an extremely difficult task to determine the most deserving students from the exceptional batch of applications received. All of the applicants are to be commended for their notable achievements. Your AOG encourages members with children who will or are attending a post-secondary educational institution to read the accompanying article in this issue of Checkpoints for more details on how to apply for these annual scholarships.

Make your tax-deductible donation now to The Air Force Academy Fund.

Your Support Helps Develop Leaders With Vision For Tomorrow.

ALL CLASSES ARE INVITED TO HOMECOMING 1994

Make your plans now to attend Homecoming 1994, Sept. 16-18, 1994. Another record crowd of alumni is expected to return to the Academy for the celebration to be held in conjunction with the USAFA vs. Northwestern football game.

Homecoming registration forms were mailed to members of the 20- and 10-year reunion classes in July. Other alumni are heartily encouraged to join these two major reunion classes in the annual return to campus sponsored by the Academy and the Association of Graduates (AOG). Those from classes other than ’74 and ’84 must contact the AOG office to request registration forms. Forms will not be printed in Checkpoints. All attendees must register through the AOG. The deadline for registration is Sept. 6, 1994. Those attempting to register after this date might well find most, if not all, events sold out. Send requests for registration forms to:

Association of Graduates (Homecoming) 3116 Academy Drive, Suite 100 U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840-4475 (719) 472-0300 / DSN: 259-2067

ALL-CLASS EVENTS

Friday, 16 Sept ’94

0700-0745 Breakfast with Cadets (preregistered grads only) Mitchell Hall

0800-1800 All-Class Registration Doolittle Hall

0700-1400 Golf Tournament Eisenhower Golf (grads & spouses only) Course

0800-1130 Open House Cadet Dorms

1200-1245 Lunch with Cadets (preregistered grads only/200 max) Mitchell Hall

1130-1400 Buffet Line Officers Club

1300-1400 Open House Cadet Dorms

1400-1600 USAFA Briefings Arnold Hall Theater

1500-1600 Next-of-Kin Coffee Arnold Hall

1630-1700 Memorial Ceremony Class Wall

1700-1800 ’74 & ’84 Class Photos Cadet Chapel

Saturday, 17 Sept ’94

0800 Fun Run to Jack’s Valley Cadet Gym

0800-1100 All-Class Registration Doolittle Hall

0900-1000 Cadet Wing Parade Parade Ground

0900-1130 All-Class Tailgate Doolittle Hall

1200- USAFA vs. Northwestern Falcon Stadium

1800-2100 Jabara Award Reception and Banquet Mitchell Hall

Sunday, 18 Sept ’94

Catholic & Protestant Services Cadet Chapel

Association of Graduates Available Member Benefits/Services

AOG offices are open Monday through Friday, 0730-1630 Mountain Time. For all offices, telephone: (719) 472-0300 (DSN: 259-2067/2073).

CHECKPOINTS MAGAZINE— your quarterly link to friends, classmates and the Academy.

REGISTER OF GRADUATES—

annual presentation of biographical information on all Academy graduates.

CHAPTERS—

support for some 29 chapters throughout the world

AOG MASTERCARD—

favorable terms and credit limits from Air Academy National Bank. (800) 365-5890

LINE OF CREDIT

unsecured line of credit at 6.4 percent over prime rate from Security Pacific Executive/Professional Services. For information call (800) 274-6711.

SCHOLARSHIPS—

a preparatory school scholarship via the Falcon Foundation.

post secondary scholarships to graduates’ children

SABER RENTAL—

sets of six for the military wedding.

LOCATOR SERVICE—

need to find a fellow graduate? We help!

LONG DISTANCE CALLING DISCOUNT—

sign up for USAFA AOG long distance program with MCI and get a special 5% AOG discount over and above MCI’s regular long distance rates at home and on the road. This discount can also be combined with MCI’s Friends and Family discount program for a total savings of 25%. You’ll receive a personalized USAFA AOG long distance calling card absolutely free. To enroll call 1-800-SKY-USAF (1-800-759-8723).

TRAVEL SERVICE—

year-round member rebate travel program for vacation, business and reunions. Call Camelot Travel at 1-800-877-5444 and reference the AOG Travel Number AOGX.

REUNION/HOMECOMINGS— coordination and planning by your AOG.

MERCHANDISE/MEMORABILIA—

Academy/AOG-unique items created especially for members.

CAR RENTAL DISCOUNTS—

special rate from Budget - (800) 772-3773 (AOG ID It 876-00-09402/Rate Code: WE91). You must present your AOG-provided Budget card when picking up your car.

Rules Outlined for Grad Golf Course Use

Through the efforts of the Association of Graduates (AOG) and the Directorate of Development and Alumni Programs, the following procedures have been arrived at for graduates wishing to play golf at the Academy’s Eisenhower Golf Course.

Active-Duty and Retired Graduates may schedule their own tee times by calling (719) 472-3456, 24 hours in advance. These are the same reservation rules applicable to all active-duty personnel and retirees not stationed at the Academy. Green fees are $16. Reciprocal privileges are in effect for active-duty graduates who have annual memberships at other Air Force courses. Golf cart fees are $14.

Nonretired, Nonactive-Duty Graduate AOG Members: The AOG is allocated eight tee times per month. Nonretired graduate AOG members who are no longer on active duty may play at these special times. Graduates wishing to use these tee times must make reservations through Steve Knight at the AOG. He will contact the golf course to schedule your desired date and time. After confirmation of the tee time, he will notify you of the date and time. We emphasize that these graduates must go through the AOG office for reservations (719-472-0300).

Graduates may schedule only one tee time per month to insure all graduates have an opportunity to use one of the eight tee times. If by the 25th of each month the eight tee times have not been reserved, a graduate who played earlier in the month may schedule a second tee time. Green fees for nonretired, nonactiveduty graduates are $40 and golf cart fees are $14.

Reunions and Homecoming: A tournament will be scheduled

AOG Answering Machine Available

After normal duty hours (0730-1630 Mountain Time, Monday through Friday), constituents desiring to leave a message for a member of the AOG staff or an elected officer may now dial (719) 472-2073 for that purpose. Callers will be requested to leave their names, phone numbers and short messages. Replies can be expected the next business day.

HOTEL DISCOUNTS—

save 10% at participating Clarion, Comfort, Econo Lodge, Rodeway, Friendship, Quality and Sleep Inns, Hotels, Resorts-(800) 4-CHOICE. (Ask for the travelers discount for AFA AOG members, ID #C00041511).

15% savings at Woodfin Suites-(800) 237-8811.

an approximate 20% saving at the Embassy Suites Hotel of Colorado Springs. Call (719) 599-9100 and ask for the AOG RSVIP Rate (excludes special and group events). You must present your AOG membership card on check-in.

save 10-25% at the Radisson Inn North (formerly Sheraton Inn North) just outside the USAFA South Gate. Call (719) 598-5770 and ask for the Association of Graduates rate (excludes special or group events... discount depends on time of year and room availability). You must present your AOG membership card on check-in.

save 50% at the Colorado Springs Marriott when traveling January, March, April and October, November, December. Call 1-800-962-6982 and ask for the AOG VIP Rate (excludes group, special events and promotional rates). Discount based on rack rates and subject to availability. Must present AOG membership card upon checkin.

by the Academy and the AOG to accommodate graduates at a set fee for all players. The fee will be independent of military status or golf course membership.

Corporate Life Members

Association of Graduates, USAFA

Air Academy National Bank

Air Force Association

Ampex Corporation

Betac Corporation

Boeing Aerospace Company

Budget Rent a Car Corporation

Continental Electronics

(Division of Varian Associates,Inc.)

Electronic Data Systems Corporation

Embassy Suites Hotel of Colorado Springs

General Dynamics Corporation

McDonnell Douglas Corporation

The MITRE Corporation

Motorola, Inc.

Government Electronics Group

PRC,Inc.

Rockwell International

TRW, Inc., Electronics & Defense Sector

United Services Automobile Association

United Technologies Corporation

USAF Academy Athletic Association

Walsworth Publishing of Colorado

Westinghouse Electric Corporation

Defense & Electronic Center

Corporate life memberships are being offered for $2,000. With the exception of voting and holding office, members enjoy all privileges of regular members. For more information on corporate life memberships write to Col.(Ret) Jock Schwank, vice president, Services, Association of Graduates, Doolittle Hall, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840-6600. Phone (719) 472-0300.

Qty-

T-Shirt

Both

Association of Graduates

Doolittle Hall

3116 Academy Drive, Suite 100 USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475

AOG Gift Merchandise

Qty.

BOOKS: The Iskra Incident by Jimmie H. Butler, ’63; 366 pages, hardbound, signed by author. $19.95

Red Lightning, Black Thunder by Jimmie H. Butler, ’63, 439 pages, hardbound, signed by author. $21.95

Vietnam Above the Treetops by John F. Flanagan, ’62; 300 pages, hardbound, signed by author. $24.95

Separated by War by Ed Herlik, ’80, 292 pages, hardbound, signed by author. $24.95

Into the Mouth of the Cat about Lance Sijan, ’65; by Malcolm McConnell, 253 pages, hardbound. $ 9.00

Raid on Quaddafi by Robert E. Venkus, ’63; 189 pages, hardbound, signed by author. $21.95

Academy 25th Anniversary Book, a pictorial history of the Academy, 260 pages, 9"x 12", hardbound. $12.50

WILD BLUE U. Video (45-minute VHS tape of Academy life produced by KUSA Channel 9 Denver)

Academy Sport Cap With class year:

Without numerals

License Plate Frames (Imprinted either “Alumnus” or “Falcons” at top & “U.S. Air Force Academy” at bottom) One

Circle Choice: Alumnus Falcons

CADET ISSUE CLOTHING (AOG members only)

USAFA or AOG (circle choice) Blazer Patch (pin back, metallic thread)

Coffee Cups (white)

Doolittle Hall Marble Coaster

Falcon Etched on Marble Plaque, 10% "x \2Vi"

Laser-Engraved Walnut Plaque (of Cadet Area) 17 !/2 x 13 Vi"

Cadet Saber (Sold to graduate AOG members only)

FINE ART PRINTS: “Here’s a Toast” Limited edition of 850 signed and numbered by the artist Keith Ferris. 24"x30" print of F-16 missing man formation flown during the 1983 Homecoming Memorial Ceremony.

“Gyrfalcon:” Limited AOG commemorative issue signed by artist, Charles Frace. 20" x 26" print.

’82 “Thunderbirds Over Academy:” Limited edition of 750 signed by artist, Rick Broome, 20" x 28" print.

USAFA Silk Tie blue or garnet (circle choice)

AOG Charm (% sterling silver by Jostens)

TOTAL ORDER

NON-AOG members please add 20%

Colo, residents add 3% sales tax

Packaging, Shipping Handling - add $3.25 or 10% of order (whichever is greater)

TOTAL ENCLOSED

Date:.

Date:.

Print Name:

Signature:

Phone:

U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES

The Association of Graduates (AOG) of the United States Air Force Academy is a nonprofit, self-supporting corporation located in Doolittle Hall on the Air Force Academy grounds. The association was established to serve and support the Academy, graduates, and cadets.

Examples of current AOG programs, services and membership benefits are detailed below:

AOG SUPPORT TO GRADUATES

★ Historical record keeping

★ Graduate memorialization

★ Chapter support

★ Civilian employment opportunities programs focusing on networks of graduates seeking employees and/or employment

★ Locator services

★ Class reunion arrangements and Homecoming activities

★ Management of class funds

★ Scholarships for graduate dependents

★ Graduate education scholarships

★ Jabara Airmanship Award and banquet

★ Humanitarian Fund

★ Cadet sabers: rentals and sales

★ USAFA golf course reservations for those not otherwise eligible

AOG MEMBERSHIP BENEFITS

★ Four issues of Checkpoints annually with class notes, news of USAFA, alumni affairs and articles of interest

★ Register of Graduates published each November which lists names, addresses and biographical data on all graduates

★ Discounts and rebates on airline travel

★ Discounts on rental cars and motels

★ Discounts on long distance telephone service

★ Eligibility for exceptional credit card and line of credit programs

★ Discount at USAFA Visitor’s Center

★ Use of Doolittle Hall for receptions, meetings, parties and ceremonies

★ Wide array of unique gifts for sale, including cadet issue clothing

AOG SUPPORT TO THE ACADEMY, ACADEMIC PROGRAMS AND CADET PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

★ Academy lecture series

★ Air Force Academy Assembly

★ Military History Symposium

★ Department speaker programs

★ Center for Teaching Excellence

★ Academy Press

★ Cadet Commanders Leadership Enrichment Seminars

★ Honor Committee awards

★ Cadet excellence awards

★ Cadet activities:

Blue Bards

Chorale

Drum and Bugle Corps

Wings of Blue

★ Cadet clubs and teams

★ Sailplanes for cadet soaring program

★ Aircraft for cadet flying team

★ SERE displays

★ War Memorial

★ Brick and mortar projects

★ Cadet squadron improvement projects

★ Mitchell Hall furnishings

★ Prep school scholarships

New Military Performance

(Editor's note: This article appeared in the November, 1993 issue of Warior Update. The new Military Performance Average (MPA) continues to be updated and refined.)

“Air Forces that don’t change die.” General McPeak made this remark when explaining why we are reshaping, restructuring, and rethinking our Air Force.

The same idea applies to governments, corporations, institutions, and individuals. Indeed we see daily examples of people, or groups of people, who suffer because they failed to change...or improve.

In the last couple of months much has changed here at USAFA. One of the more obvious alterations is the new and improved, one-each, standard issue cadet MPA (Military Performance Average) system. In case you just recently tuned in, let’s briefly look at it.

Gone is the quota-driven, subjective, low-on-expectations, high-on-unanswered-questions, variable source with limited feedback, “Gosh, if only I had another 3.0 I’d give it to you” system that we all loved...and were comfortable with.

Now we have a criterion-referenced, objective, nonquota, 1,000 point, “Blame the person you see in the mirror” system that we’re unfamiliar and uncomfortable with. Four direct inputs make up the total score: conduct, Military Performance Evaluation (MPE), peer evaluations, and professional competency exanimations (PCE). Two indirect inputs are considered as well: the Officer Attribute Assessment (OAA), and the Leadership Attribute Assessment (LAS).

Conduct is a function of demerits and merits. Currently each cadet starts the semester with approximately 100 conduct points. Merits add to, and demerits subtract from this baseline, on a one for one basis. The maximum conduct score is 150 points, the minimum is zero. A cadet who “stays clean” and earns 50 merits will max out the conduct score.

The MPE is completed by the cadet’s rater, then reviewed by the additional rater and finally the AOC. Each cadet is rated by their immediate cadet supervisor with two exceptions: fourth class cadets are rated by their third class instructor, first class cadets are rated by their AOC/Group AOC/CWD. Fourth class cadets are rated in 10 categories. Gradually this increases such that firsties are rated in 18 categories. The categories mirror the expectations

Average (MPA) Explained

of each cadet set forth in the Leadership Development Manual, Part 2. Table 1 depicts the MPE input weighting for each class.

Each cadet receives five peer evaluations from classmates within their unit. Raters are randomly assigned. High and low scores are discarded. The middle three scores are averaged for MPA input.

PCE input comprises 25 percent of every cadet’s MPA. Class training directors in CWIT will decide what the 250 points is composed of: tests, briefs, papers, or a combination of these.

SUMMARY OF MPE INPUTS by semester

4th 3rd 2nd 1st

Final Flight

Former Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. (Ret) Bradley C. Hosmer, ’59, wrestles a hose awayfrom Capt. Richard Hartlaub, ’88, 557th Flying Training Squadron. General Hosmer received the traditional “hose down after hisfinalflight at the Academy on June 2. The superintendent, however, turned the tables by grabbing the hose and drenching the surprised junior officer. (Photo by TSgt. Dennis Rogers)

The OAA, and to a lesser extent the LAS, indirectly figure into the MPA equation. OAAs are done by faculty, coaches, and club OICs/NCOICs; and this begs the obvious question. If it’s indirect input why do it? That’s a good question. The short rhetorical answer is: what is our mission here that is different from the mission of...CU in Boulder? We develop and inspire air and space leaders, period, dot. It takes extra effort from all of us to make that happen.

The OAA sets common expectations for all cadets across all mission elements. Character, initiative, leadership, teamwork, and social maturity are basic tenets of officership. As a minimum every cadet should meet standards in these categories in any activity or environment.

Cadets need to know what we expect. They need training and feedback, with associated consequences, in order to achieve personal and professional growth. Our challenge as faculty, coaches, and club OICs/NCOICs (civilian or military) is to get actively involved in their development show an interest. Many of us do this already, hopefully now more of us will. It’s our duty...it’s our privilege.

The OAA form and its completion is secondary. The personal interaction between role model and cadet is what matters most that’s the meat of the OAA and really why we’re doing it.

Our world is changing. Our institution is changing. The USAFA MPA system is changing and most agree for the better. Hey, it’s not perfect, we’re the first to admit that, but it’s a start. We’re committed to improve it, in fact over the last several months we’ve done just that based largely on input from you, the customers and suppliers.

Like General McPeak says, “We’re damn good now and we’re going to get even better.” Working together we will make it happen.

DON’T MISS A

ACADEMY ALUMNI ALERT

I am chairman of the Academy Memorial Board, the body that governs the memorialization process for the Academy. We are guided by the same Air Force regulations as any base, with a few additional restrictions unique to this institution. Key among these is a 25-year moratorium deferring the naming of major structures until the year 2004, in order for the graduate base and subsequent candidates for memorialization to expand.

A concern of many is that only one major facility, Sijan Hall, is named after a graduate. There are still a few unnamed buildings for which we are attempting to collect nominations, and, over the next 10 years our goal is to identify highly-qualified candidates for this purpose. Additionally, the requirements for memorialization include a five-year period from time of death to bestowment of the honor, to preclude emotional ties versus historical significance being the driving factor behind deciding who will be honored on the Academy grounds.

The Academy Arts and Architecture Committee (AAAC) is chaired by Col. Mai Wakin. This committee was reintroduced after it again became apparent that expertise in paintings, sculptures, other art objects, and architectural asthetics was required to process the growth in the amount of these type gifts being offered to the Academy. The AAAC’s charter is to provide recommendations to the superintendent on the appropriate course of action in these matters.

Another program of interest is the cadet awards. The focus is to recognize outstanding cadets with awards presented in honor of an outstanding cadet or graduate. Today, some awards still have no name associated with them, or are named after a nongraduate, or are named for someone because they sponsor the award. What we need is a database on graduates who have distinguished themselves in cadet endeavors and their subsequent activities after graduation. We’d like to pattern it after West Point’s successful system. Their athletic awards are named after graduates who were a. Cadets of good standing during their days at the Point.

AOG Accepting Contributions of Books and POW Memorabilia

The AOG is seeking contributions of hard-bound books and POW memorabilia to display in the new headquarters/alumni house, Doolittle Hall.

While any POW-related items are welcome, POW memorabilia relating directly to USAFA graduates and other Air Force prisoners of war are most directly sought. The items must be of relatively small size, as they will be displayed in a case 314 deep, 26" wide and 56" long.

Hard-bound books for the library lounge area of the building are also needed. The association is seeking books primarily on military and POW/MIA-related themes. Books may be either fact or fiction and series are welcome.

Donations are tax-deductible and acknowledgements will be provided for all contributions. If an item has a higher than normal value (e.g., historical POW mementos or rare books), the donor should have in his/her possession an appraisal and provide same to the AOG. This will give the donor the necessary documentation for IRS purposes and will help the AOG in providing special care for the item as well as securing appropriate insurance coverage.

All gifts should be sent to: Association of Graduates, Doolittle Hall, 3116 Academy Drive, Suite 100, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840-4475.

b. Outstanding athletes in the particular sport that is offering an award in their honor.

c. Graduates with outstanding promise who were killed in action before they had a chance to prove their merit by rising to more senior ranks. Although the majority of those so honoreed are Vietnam veterans, at least one young captain was a hero of the Civil War.

For all our awards, we’d like to continue the legacy of those graduates who have proved themselves worthy of recognition by naming the cadet awards after them. You, the graduates, have the collective knowledge of classmates who are worthy of recognition. Please send us whatever biographical information you may have on a fellow graduate worthy of honoring in this regard; we will ensure proper consideration is made.

I feel pride as I drive around the Academy and see the names of Arnold, Fairchild, Harmon, and Vandenberg. However, I am discouraged to see so little honoring our own. You, the graduate community, need to ensure that our own get their proper recognition and that we help carry on their heritage. Please send your inputs to Capt. Richard Klodnicki, HQ/USAFA/XPA, 2304 Cadet Drive, Suite 351, USAF Academy, Colo. 80840-5002.

The

Stein, ’66, Named Superintendent, Earns 3rd Star

The U.S. Senate confirmed General Paul E. Stein’s promotion to lieutenant general and appointment to become the 13th superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy in late June.

Air Force Chief of Staff Merrill A. McPeak pinned on General Stein’s third star in a ceremony at the Pentagon.

General Stein became the second Academy graduate to hold the superintendent’s position in the 40-year history of the Academy. Lt. Gen. Bradley C. Hosmer, a graduate of the Class of 1959, was the first.

General Stein was the director of legislation liaison, Office of the Secretary of the Air Force in Washington, D.C. He graduated from the Academy in 1966 with a bachelor of science degree in political science and international relations.

Following graduation, he was an Academy Falcons assistant football coach for almost a year prior to being assigned to a combat support group in West Germany. In 1971, he became chief, special services, 2nd Combat Support Group, Barksdale AFB, La.

After earning a master’s degree in business administration at Florida State University in 1973, General Stein was assigned to the E-3A Airborne Warning and Control System test force at the Boeing Company in Seattle, Wash.

From 1976-80, he served at Tactical Air Command headquarters, Langley AFB, Va., with the AWACS program review organization, eventually becoming executive officer to the assis

AOG Answering Machine Available

After normal duty hours (0730-1630 Mountain Time, Monday through Friday), constituents desiring to leave a message for a member of the AOG staff or an elected officer may now dial (719) 472-2073 for that purpose. Callers will be requested to leave their names, phone numbers and short messages. Replies can be expected the next business day.

tant deputy chief of staff for operations.

General Stein was then assigned to Headquarters, U.S. Air Force in 1980 as a fighter requirements officer and the Office of the Secretary of the Air Force in 1982. After completing Air War College in 1986, he was reassigned to TAC headquarters, first as deputy chief of staff, personnel, and then in 1989, as chief of staff.

In 1991, General Stein became commander of the Keesler Technical Training Center, Keesler AFB, Miss. He was named director of legislative liaison in May 1992.

General Stein is married to the former Carol Manning of Paul, Idaho. They have a daughter, Christine, and two sons, John and James. (The Falcon Flyer)

The Secret Life of Waldo F. Dumbsquat

C/4C Waldo F. Dumbsquat loved weekends.

Knowing he should work out at the Cadet Gym today, the doolie decided to warm up first. He lazily stretched out on his blue nordic-bed and prepared to lower his heart rate.

The freshman’s dorm room door flew open and slammed shut as “Regs” Buch scrambled into the room.

Waldo, are you asleep?”

“Not anymore.”

“Why are you in bed on a beautiful day like today?”

“Since they did away with mandatory chapel, I don’t get as much sleep as I used to.”

“Well, get up and let’s speed out to Arnold Hall!”

“Shall we wear our quasi-official uniform? asked Waldo.

“No, let’s go in Bravo. I never got the quasi-official blazer just the belt and shoes.”

The freshmen braved the hazardous hallways of the squadron, stumbled down the stairwell, and sprinted past the dirt-filled Air Garden fountains. They relaxed once they made the sanctuary of

Arnold Hall. Inside the recreational facility, Waldo and his friend strolled past lines of doolies waiting for telephones, doolies waiting to play the piano, and in a line of freshmen waiting to ask the Smackbar cashier for a date.

Waldo especially enjoyed standing on the same stage the Falconaires played on. He imagined dancing at the Ring Dance with a beautiful girl from Loretto Heights.

His fantasy was shattered by an extremely agitated “Regs”.

“It’s gone!”

“What’s gone?”

“Pegasus has flown away!”

Upon inspection outside the ballroom, the doolies faced the cruel truth. The winged horse statue, a gift from the Italian Air Force, no longer occupied its traditional perch.

“The legend is true!” whispered the awestruck doolies.

“What are you smacks gazing at?” asked the patrolling NCOIC.

“Sir, Pegasus has departed the fix.”

“Get a grip, Dumbsquat. That statue was moved to the traffic circle in front of Doolittle Hall.”

’’Another tradition nipped in the bud,” complained “Regs”.

“It was either Pegasus or a decorative grandfather clock.”

Waldo groaned. * * * * * *

Academy to Get New Slingsby Aircraft Trainer

The long-awaited moment has arrived. Coming to a runway near you, the Academy’s long promised and much anticipated Slingsby Firefly Military Basic Training Aircraft or T-3A for short. The T-3A will replace the aging T-41 Mescalero which is currently used to screen cadets and pilot candidates for Undergraduate Pilot Training. The Air Force will purchase 113 Slingsbys, 56 of them for the Academy.

“We expect to start receiving five a month starting in September,’’ said Lt. Col. John Shafer, T-3A liaison officer. “This is a phased approach. Hondo, Texas, a UPT screening facility for ROTC, Officer Training School, Guard and Reserve pilot candidates, will get the first 28 aircraft. We’ll receive the next 56 and Hondo will the receive their remaining 29 aircraft. All the T-3As at the Academy should be here and flying by September 1995.’’

Planning began in 1989 at Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, where the T-3A was one of 11 aircraft considered for purchase by the Air Force. “The T-3A was chosen because of its excellent handling characteristics and maintainability,” said Lt. Col. Denny Grady, director of operations for the 557th Flying Training Squadron. “The requirements of the aircraft were specifically designed for the needs of the Academy. It will be a less labor intensive aircraft to maintain and has a longer life expectancy than was required by the contract. We’re looking forward to flying it into the 21st century.”

Grady knows the requirements and characteristics of the T-3A better than anyone. He was part of the requirements team that put together the specifications for the aircraft. “It’s a fantastic opportunity for someone to get to be the program manager for a system and then be there when it actually arrives,” said Grady. “I had no idea I would be at the Academy when the Slingsby was delivered. I can tell you from personal experience that it flies exactly like the T-37 aircraft used at UPT. It will serve the purposes of the Academy to a *T’.”

The “T” Grady talks about is the Academy’s capability to screen prospective pilots for UPT. “We have had a change in philosophy concerning pilot training,” said Capt. Jeff Roberts, T-3A operations flight commander. “We’ve gone from pilot indoctrination to flight training and screening. So our job is to screen the cadets and determine if they are UPT-qualified. We need the T-3A to accomplish our mission because it will allow us to determine an individual’s adaptability to aerobatics, screen for airsickness and allow us to fly tactical overhead patterns just like UPT. It will give us the extra edge we need to determine someone’s chances of making it through pilot training.”

Roberts added, “Identifying students who have the potential to complete pilot training in this program can save considerable time, money and resources.”

The T-3A is the “Superman” of aircraft trainers. “The T-3A is

REUNION CONTACTS

’64 (30th) 5-9 Oct 1994

Col (Ret) Pete Lopresti

2025 Paseo Del Oro

Colorado Springs, CO 80904-1682

Ph.: 719-633-7971 (H)

’74 (20th) 14-18 Sept 1994

Lt Col Ted Roth

6364 Galway

Colorado Springs, CO 80918

Ph.: 719-590-7383 (H)

Hotel: Marriott 719-472-2635 (O)

’69 (25th) 19-23 Oct 1994

Lt Col (Ret) Steve Edelman

680 Silver Spring Circle

Colorado Springs, CO 80919-1711

Ph.: 719-531-6642 (H)

DSN 259-2635

Hotel: Marriott

’84 (10th) 14-18 Sept 1994

Mr Mike Jensen

12035 Milam Road 719-380-2470 (O)

Colorado Springs, CO 80908

Hotel: Marriott Ph.: 719-495-9289 (H)

719-481-4646 (O)

designed to last 18,000 flying hours, which exceeds the necessary 12,000-hour requirement by 50 percent,” said Roberts. “It has a 260-horsepower engine compared to the T-41’s 210 HP-engine and can climb to altitude about twice as fast,” he said.

But speed and performance aside, the T-3A is here for one purpose and one purpose only to screen cadets. “Our syllabus is going to change considerably,” said Roberts. “We are going from 11 sorties to 19 and doing significantly more aerobatics and area solos. There is quite a bit more to learn in the T-3A than there was in the T-41,” he stated.

The T-3A Slingsby Firefly Military Basic Training Aircraft should arrive at the Academy in September.

Before the cadets can be trained to fly the T-3A the instructor pilots must be trained. “We will be sending four to six instructor pilots to Hondo in mid-August to be trained in the T-3A,” said Grady. “If all goes well, they will return to the Academy at the end of August and start training the rest of the IP cadre who are anxious to get into them,” he said.

Capt. Scott Wardle, assistant T-3A flight commander, said the T-3A upgrade time for the IPs will vary. “The IPs will fly up to 15 sorties to become qualified,” said Wardle. “Their training could take 14 to 21 days to complete depending upon their flying background. The 557th FTS instructor pilot upgrade program will take approximately 50 days to complete.”

Grady explained the timetable on all of this could slip if the delivery of the T-3A is delayed. “We really don’t anticipate any problems once the plane is delivered,” said Grady. “Since Hondo has been flying the T-3A already, they are working out most of the bugs.”

Training in the T-3A will begin in January with the Class of 1996. “We will shut down flight training for the cadets in August and concentrate on training the IPs,” said Shafer. “Since the 557th FTS planned for this we were able to work in the training delay and still have all the cadets trained on time.”

Roberts added, “If we start training in January, we should still be able to finish a class in the fall semester of their senior year.”

(The Falcon Flyer)

Doolittle Hall Available For Many Special Occasions

Doolittle Hall is now available at very reasonable rates for special functions. To date the AOG has hosted a variety of events: department meetings, retirements, wedding receptions, workshops, cocktail parties, luncheons and formal and informal dinners. Doolittle Hall can accommodate as many as 175 at a sit-down dinner and more than 200 for a cocktail party. AOG members receive preferential rates. For more specific information on your special-function needs, please call Mrs. Pat Buland at the AOG at (719) 472-0300.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Ultimate Sacrifice

Paid By Graduates

Dear AOG,

Recently, I read your article in the Air Force Times pertaining to Lt. Laura Piper’s death and was deeply moved. I am also a 1992 grad who wanted to go to the Academy at a very young age. Although I may not have been the model cadet, I felt a certain amount of similarities to Laura while reading the story. As I read, the reality of this tragic event insidiously overwhelmed me.

As a cadet I remember the seriousness of one classmate’s death, C2C Buffy Bowden. She was someone I called a friend which made her death even more powerful. And when other fallen Academy grads were given their due respect by playing Taps across the terrazzo it always hit a nerve. At the time I did not realize exactly why. I did not know those people. I did not even know Lieutenant Piper. But how wrong I was.

As an Academy grad I share a special bond with every other grad since 1959. Even those we disliked at times we still call brother or sister. And when Taps strikes that nerve, it’s because that fallen officer is someone we all know so well ourselves.

While it may be true each of us came from different backgrounds and will pursue new experiences in a variety of ways, for a short time we were all one. Whether we are “True Blue ’92” or “Proud To Be ’93” or any other class, the fact is that we live in a dangerous world which we try to improve daily. And when one must make the ultimate sacrifice it hurts that much more because they died with honor. But we would do them a great injustice to forget them.

Buffy, Laura, and all the others will always live on with respect and admiration in my heart. Please ensure this check is credited to the Lieutenant Laura A. Piper Memorial Fund so that others can also remember for years to come.

Sincerely,

Disliked Derogatory Yearbook Write-ups

Dear Alumni,

As a graduate (Class of 1962) I read with dismay an article that appeared in The Press-Enterprise newspaper on April 6, 1994. (The article elaborated on numerous derogatory statements on the academy experience by 1994 graduates in the 1994

Polaris yearbook Ed.) This article was entitled, “AF academy cadets depart with potshots”. I expect that I am not the first to communicate with you, or to send a copy (enclosed) of the article. However, may I add my voice of dismay, incredulity, disappointment and, yes, some anger to those of other graduates, parents of graduates and relatives of graduates. What a slap in the face! Somewhere the system is not selecting only those who truly want, more than anything else, to serve their country and are appreciative of USAFA and those who serve long hours instructing there. In “my day” I think that was the universal case.

Hopefully the comments cited are the sum total of all there were. In any event, what a shame that these individuals, who could have departed at any time from our alma mater and gone elsewhere to acquire an education, now have to take “potshots” at an institution and heritage that has produced some very fine officers and ones who were appreciative of the “free” education and the extensive preparation for a military career. Many of us graduates continue to be thankful for our USAFA “experience”! Need I add that a number have given their lives, the ultimate in commitment, dedication to duty and comment on principles that were in part instilled on the eastern slope of the Rockies!

I am writing in additional hope that this article will cause an examination of the selection process for new cadets. We should be far better off to have fewer selectees who possess genuine dedication and commitment than continue to provide to those who have no reservation about publicly slandering and belittling a superior institution of higher learning. In the event that the criticisms offered hold any merit, I trust corrective actions are in progress.

Finally, I find it interesting that those who elected to inscribe in the Polaris such derogatory terms seem clue-less to the lasting shadow they cast; a lasting commentary on their judgement, commitment, due regard for the worth of institutions, etc. A display of maturity and awareness of potential consequences their writings were not. I question their ability and maturity to serve as officers in the USAF.

For your information, I have sent a similar letter to Lt. Gen. Hosmer.

Sincerely yours,

Ideals Stressed

Editor:

I am not much given to writing letters to

the editor, except in extraordinary situations. Last week I encountered such a situation: the entrance of my son, John, into the Air Force Academy as a member of the class of 1998. In all the years since I graduated as a “Red Tag” in 1962, no single event brought forth emotions as did John’s acceptance to the most special of schools not even my repatriation from North Vietnam in 1973. John, too, is a “Red Tag.”

On the day prior to his reporting I took John on a “windshield tour” of the Academy, pointing out the sights and landmarks he wouldn’t have a chance to see in the coming weeks of BCT. As we drove in the south gate, we both marvelled at the magnificent harmony between God’s Rampart Range and the man-made creation of the Academy. I couldn’t help verbalizing to him what it meant to be a graduate of the Air Force Academy, something I hoped in the future we would share. Our graduates, I told him, share a common heritage which no other institution can provide, whether another service academy or civilian school and his class is key to the heritage. The common bond forged here would remain whether classmates made the Air Force a way of life or whether they separate to become non-military citizens. Above all I stressed the most common of all bonds, the Cadet Honor Code, and what it means to come away from the Academy with something special, as unique now as when the Air Force Academy was founded in 1954.

Never before have the Academy and its ideals stood in such stark contrast to the society around us. When I entered the Academy in 1958, high ethical standards were generally commonly held by U.S. society. Throughout the ensuing years, our nation’s ethical behavior increasingly embraced relativism, something others in the past tried to impose on the Air Force Academy. Today we are hard pressed to find any significant American institution outside the military willing to accept responsibility for its actions. I am reminded of advice a newspaper publisher friend gave me years ago when I entertained the thought of leaving the Air Force. He said, “John, stay in the Air Force. It’s the only institution of integrity we have left.”

As I made my trip over familiar ground at the Academy I couldn’t help reflecting ojj what some of our so-called American leadership would have us be in order to serve its own selfish ends. Even'some of our ilk have jumped on the opportunistic bandwagon and done their share to undermine

our American and Academy traditions. The bottom line is to drag the Academy down to their mediocre level the denial of a regular commission is a first indication of this mindset. The sad fact is that those who have never been in the arena are most responsible for ill-founded decisions based on specious advice from even lesserqualified individuals, those who have never experienced callouses earned from sacrificing for a greater good. Our AOG president may have been fantasizing in his fine Summer 1993 Checkpoints article but those of us “long in the tooth” need to speak up and draw attention to ominous events. Prophets of the past have been ignored and America has suffered. Let’s hope those with good sense will not permit our leaders to make disastrous decisions which ultimately destroy history’s greatest democracy.

There will always be a need for the Air Force Academy to provide leaders committed to the defense of our nation and it is our common heritage as graduates and citizens to ensure that it remains to serve that need. I am proud to know that for now my son, John, and his classmates will be able to further the tradition built by those who preceded the Class of 1998.

Class of 1962

What Is “Character?”

To Whom It May Concern,

It was with great interest that I read the “View From The Top” article by Lt. Gen. Hosmer in the most recent Checkpoints.

Twenty-four years ago when I graduated from the Air Force Academy, “character” was a term which we all understood. It is a shame that the Academy of today has to “wrestle with the definition and attributes of character”, but I certainly would agree that “character is the sum of those qualities of moral excellence which stimulates a person to do the right thing”.

This definition identifies the ultimate problem in the Academy’s efforts to instill character into its cadets. Whereas the cadets of my time came from a society in which the “right thing” was well defined as part of a moral consensus, the current cadets are arriving at the Air Force Academy from a society in which the moral consensus is fractured by a war of competing values within our own country. We now live in a country where something as fundamental as adherence to the Ten Commandments could not be encouraged at the Air Force Academy without threat of a lawsuit, and the leaders of our government avoid discussions of absolute standards of right and wrong by substituting nebulous references to a “politics of meaning”.

Unless we once again become a society which has a moral consensus and agrees upon what the “right thing” is, an institution such as the Center for Character Development at USAFA will be no more

able to reach its goal than would a navigator stripped of his map and compass be able to reach his destination.

Sincerely

Ritchie P. Gillespie, MD, ’70 Col. (USAR), Medical Corps

Poem On Integrity

In reference to “One Grad’s Dilemma: How Far Integrity?” By Brad Jones, dealing with the cadet who lied, and the “friends” Brad lost when he reported the cadet.

Subject: Responsibility

To: Brad Jones, Class of 1985

“No excuse, sir”

First thing we learned...

There is no excuse.

First thing we were taught.

Why did you do it?

“No excuse sir”

Why didn’t you do it?

“No excuse, sir”

First lesson of basic training...

There is nothing more basic.

Responsibility for your own actions, or inactions.

If you cannot accept responsibility for your own actions

You are not a cadet.

You cannot be an officer.

There is nothing more basic

To being an Academy graduate. There is no excuse.

You are responsible for what you do.

Accountability is the hallmark of the Academy.

Thank you, Brad for upholding the honor.

It was difficult I’m sure.

Probably still is.

We owe you a beer.

Chet Ladd, Class of 1971

Integrity Revisited

Gentlemen,

The article by Brad Jones in the winter Checkpoints, and various supportive replies in the spring edition, caught my attention more than any other I’ve read since graduating in ’71. While I, also, support Brad’s decision to turn in the cadet, there is one more point that needs to be made.

Brad made a difficult decision, but he left out the most critical responsibility we all have if we are to support the levels of integrity which articles and letters make clear mean so much to us.

I think Brad should have confronted the cadet, personally, prior to the cadet returning and before he had the “opportunity” to violate the honor code, and tried to convince him of the importance of his agreement to abide by the code. When the cadet was overheard talking, he had only expressed an intention to do a dishonorable thing. While I don’t condone the statement, desire or intention to lie does not constitute an unforgivable transgression in life, or in most laws or rules. Who among us is not “guilty” of sometimes wanting to take the easy way out? It is actions that we have to live with, and that affect the world we live in.

The cadet apparently met with nothing but implicit (possible explicit) support from Brad’s friends when he declared his intention to lie. The reactions of these “friends” and the cadet’s family, after the cadet had been expelled, make it pretty clear where the cadet got his misguided sense of ethics. Unfortunately, that same implicit support was all Brad gave him by not responding to the cadet’s statements prior to the cadet carrying out his intentions.

We cannot depend on punishment by institutions to uphold integrity. We must, individually and directly, be willing to speak

(Continued on next page.)

Doolittle Hall Serves as Class of ’98 Drop-off Point

Doolittle Hall for the first time became the focal point for basic cadet in-processing as some 450 cadets who arrived by private vehicles on June 30th used the new Association of Graduates facility as their drop-off point. From Doolittle Hall, the cadets were transported by bus to the cadet area and formed into makeshift squadrons at the base of the battle ramp. The total number of doolies in the Class of 1998 was over 1,300 basic cadets.

Three members of the Class of 1998 pose with Pegasus, now located in the traffic circle in front of Doolittle Hall. The new AOG headquarters building was the in-processing drop-offpoint for the first time this year. (Air Force photo)

Parents of all new cadets were invited back to Doolittle Hall for a “tailgate type’’ lunch which began at noon. More than 600 parents, relatives and friends of the new cadets partook of the lunch, with many touring the relatively-new facility. Cadets and their families were also given the opportunity to make free telephone calls from Doolittle Hall courtesy of the AOG and MCI.

The basic cadets got a crash course in military atmosphere from

(Letters: From previous page.)

up for the kind of integrity we all swore to uphold. If a lone, courageous voice had encouraged the cadet to remember what was at stake, he might have learned a valuable lesson and still be a cadet. The cadet still bears the responsibility for his actions, but each of us bears an additional responsibility when we fail to take a direct role in changing what is possible instead of reacting to what has happened.

Would I have had the presence of mind to take the action I propose? I hope so, but I don’t know. The 20-plus years since graduation have taught me that the times we have to face a direct challenge to our stated beliefs always come up unexpectedly, and don’t generally permit time to reflect and take considered actions. Whatever “crime of omissions’’ Brad may have committed are balanced by his courage in making a difficult decision, and then deciding to let us learn from his experience. Thank you, Brad, for writing the article so we can reflect and come up with our own answers as to your actions, and the actions we hope we would have taken ourselves.

Sincerely,

the moment they arrived at Doolittle Hall. Cadet greeters met them there, formed them up in groups of 20-40, and instructed them as to what they will say, where they will go and what they will do. After signing in, the doolies underwent a quick examination at the Cadet Clinic to ensure they were still physically qualified. They then entered the logistics control center where the in-processing actually began.

Any cadets still harboring doubts about their new military environment soon had them disappear along with their hair! At the logistics warehouse, they received more than 200 separate items. They then went to the Individual Equipment Unit to pick up items they needed for Basic Cadet Training, signed into their summer squadrons, and went to Vandenberg Hall to get room assignments.

Statistically, the Class of 1998 was quite diverse. One of the 16 former Soviet Socialist Republics, as well as two former Warsaw Pact countries, was represented. Estonia, Romania and Bulgaria, along with South Korea, Honduras, Singapore and Malaysia, sent basic cadet nominees. Among the class, 233 are minority members

17 percent of the new class and 208 are women, said Lt. Col. Danny L. Moore, associate director of admissions.

Overall, Moore said the Academy received 30,911 requests for applications and more than 8,800 men and women decided to apply for admission. The selection process then went to the nomination stage, where 7,292 students, including 1,409 women, met the requirements necessary to compete for an appointment. Of those, 1,726 men and 307 women met all the qualifications needed to enter the Academy.

The Academy offered 1,831 appointments for the Class of 1998, including 288 women. After in-processing, the first four weeks were spent training the new class within the cadet area. Near the end of July, all basic cadets marched to Jacks Valley for an eight-day encampment and field training, which involved physical conditioning, athletic and spiritual activities. The basics returned to the cadet area the first week of August to be accepted into the Cadet Wing with a parade and then begin academics with the other classes.

Looking for 1960s Photo

Dear

AOG

Allow me to introduce myself. I am now 74 years old, and I am the pilot who, in the ’60s, towed a banner behind my plane over the Air Force Academy reading “CLASS OF 67”.

My wife worked all night to finish handmaking that banner; I rigged, balanced, and test flew it at break of day. Then we loaded it into the airplane, and my wife and I took off for the Black Forest airport, where I would land, lay it out, pick it up on the fly, and head over the Academy. The turbulence that day was so severe that my wife became very ill, even though she is a pilot too and had been looking forward to the adventure; when we landed I sent her back to Boulder on a bus!

When briefed by the commanding officer, he asked what I would do if I had problems at any point. I told him I would head away from the assembly grounds, and would land in the trees next to the mountains if need be! And, when circling, the most severe turbulence was encountered between the chapel and the mountains; needless to say, I had a few anxious moments, especially because of the drag of the banner.

Because of the high winds and downdrafts that day, I had great difficulty positioning the banner low over the dorm behind the assembled Class of ’67 at the prescribed time that the band played. But, the Academy photographer caught the moment the class in front of the dorm and the banner looking like a big sign centered on top of the dorm!

The Academy was very gracious in a letter of congratulations and complimented me on a job well done. Also, they sent me an enlarged photo of the results of my efforts. I treasured that photo and the accompanying letter. We had the photo framed and placed it on the mantel of our fireplace. But, alas, our home, along with the photo and letter, was destroyed by fire.

Therefore, would you please be so kind as to look into the possibility of acquiring another copy of that photograph for me? I would be forever indebted to you, and will be more than happy to pay for whatever the cost would be.

Thank you for your consideration in this matter. Best Wishes.

CLASS NEWS

1250 Big Valley Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80919-1015

Home: (719) 531-5874

FAX: (719) 531-6697

Percent members: 83

Things got really desperate in the correspondence department this quarter! If it weren’t for the reunion, I’d have had to fill up the column with nothing but news of the Todd meanderings and visits. You won’t escape the travelogue completely, but at least it will be balanced by something interesting.

By most accounts, the 35th Reunion was the best ever. Bear in mind, though, that some guys are showing their age and can’t even remember being at an earlier reunion, so the vote might be a little suspect. Also, some of the luster faded from the weekend for Doug and Jo Anne GRAFFLIN when their airline tickets were stolen, but you can’t have EVERYTHING!

About a hundred ’59ers made it to the reunion, accompanied by a glittering array of wives, fiancees, companions, kids, grandkids, etc. in various creative combinations. Jim O’NEIL introduced us to his charming wife of about a year, Kathy. We were also blessed by the presence of children and former spouses of two of our deceased classmates, Don MADONNA and Buzz OLSON. Seven former classmates who didn’t graduate with the class shared in our celebration, as did nearly 30 ATOs and a goodly number of our original faculty and staff. There weren’t many times when the hospitality suite wasn’t full and jumping.

The weather cooperated all week to the special delight of the golfers, tennis players, hikers, and other outdoorspeople. Enough folks arrived in Colorado Springs early for us to launch a rousing Early Bird Social on Wednesday evening. Then we had such a good turnout for the Thursday evening reunion buffet at poolside that we overflowed our allotted area. Most of Friday was spent at the Academy: golf in the morning; lunch at either the course or, for the non-golfers, Doolittle Hall, our classy but unfinished AOG building; State-of-the-Wing briefings in the afternoon at Arnold Hall where we learned about everything from changes in cadet leadership training to advances in mulching techniques at the Academy; an F-16 flyby, courtesy of Brock STROM’s son; a moving memorial service at the cadet chapel; and finally a splendid superintendent’s reception and buffet in the Arnold Hall ballroom.

Our class business meeting on Saturday was the usual model of the decorum and efficiency that have become the hallmarks of our class. NOT! There are two things people with queasy stomachs should not watch being made: sausages and ’59er decisions. The main event of the meeting was deciding on a class gift and, although the process was a bit unruly, the outcome should please most of you. Here are the key decisions that we reached:

1. Everyone agreed to abide by and support the decision of the majority. If you weren’t able to attend the meeting, we hope you’ll abide by the class consensus, as well.

2. There was virtually unanimous agreement on scaling the earlier target down to an average class gift of $500 per person. Some can afford to give more, some will be able to contribute less, but we are committed to this average. Our goal is 100 percent participation.

3. After lengthy and quite reasoned debate on a number of options for the class gift, the class voted by nearly a six-to-one margin to fund the east and west breezeways and associated portals for Doolittle Hall. We decided that the west portal would memorialize the Class of ’59. A class committee will develop a proposal for appropriate dedication of the east portal and submit it to the class for decision.

4. The class also reached agreement in principle on developing a publication compiled from experiences of members of the Class of ’59. This book should have a leadership and integrity theme and would serve as a continuing legacy for cadets. A class committee will develop this concept further and furnish a proposal for class review.

5. The class agreed to support a project to have General Harmon’s role in establishing the Air Force Academy officially recognized by the Air

Force (e.g., have him designated the “Founder” or “Father” of the Air Force Academy).

6. The vast majority voted to continue our tradition of holding our five-year reunions in the late spring.

7. The class declined to support the parole application of the class officers and elected the entire slate for another indeterminate period.

We seated well over 350 people for the Reunion Banquet at the Sheraton on Saturday night. Jimmy JAY repeated his superlative 1989 performance as MC and closed the evening by leading the group in the Air Force song. The more-or-less formal program was a retrospective of the class as we closed out the chapter of our active duty in the Air Force. B/Gen Pete Moody, former professor of English, spoke on the intellectual development of the class (which he properly described as an oxymoron); Col J.B. Townsend reflected movingly on the military development; and Brock Strom spoke for the class in tying together the threads of 35 years since our graduation.

It’s hard to capture the fullness of such a grand reunion in a few paragraphs, but the essence was lots of time for camaraderie and a minimum of scheduled “events.” This formula seemed to work well and we plan to stick with it, subject to your suggestions for improvement.

As threatened, I’ll close this issue’s column with a quick account of Wendy’s and my early spring sprint through the northeast. It was primarily a grandbaby inspection for us, but we managed to work several visits with classmates into the itinerary.

We flew first to Minneapolis to visit my daughter Hellen, her husband (Steve WILSON, USAFA ’76, who now flies for Northwest Airlines) and family. Don BROOKS also teaches ground school for Northwest and he graciously arranged a ride for me in the Airbus A320 simulator. Light years from the BUF cockpit! The next evening, Don and Jin Hee joined us for dinner and good conversation at a tasteful local restaurant.

We continued east and, after a quick jump up to Lake Placid, NY, to visit another daughter/husband/granddaughter over Easter, we drove down to Connecticut for a few days with RL and Eugenia PENN. You might recall my account of their stop with us last summer and this was sort of a retaliatory strike. Mostly we just hung around, but we managed a day in the Big Apple doing all the tourist things (World Trade Center, dinner at the Russian Tea House, Phantom of the Opera, etc.)

We finished the trip as guests of Doug and Jo Anne GRAFFLIN in their stylish Brooklyn apartment. Doug has a high pressure job as the overseer for all the computers, communications lines and supporting “command and control” infrastructure for the entire New York Stock Exchange. He and Jo Anne, who also used to work at the NYSE, arranged a fascinating tour of the exchange for us. We watched from the gallery while the trading was underway and then got a floor tour after the closing bell. Doug refers to the NYSE with some reverence as “The Cathedral of Capitalism.” I can see why.

Shortly after returning from this odyssey, I received a note from Flak

Which leads me to my final observation. By the time you read this, Brad and the four other remaining active duty members of the Class of 1959 (Mike CARNS, Dick CARR, Bob DELLIGATTI, and Bob OAKS) will have retired. It is truly the end of an era that began on 11 July 1955 and spanned wars, crises and political upheavals. We have all now stepped aside and a new generation has risen to meet the new challenges. I’m proud of our role in this slice of history and I’m proud to have shared it with all of you. As is proper, the world will not note this closing chapter, but I thought it worthy of modest attention here.

Anthony “Tony” J. Burshnick ®ur ^ ---A

7715 Carrleigh Parkway <^jr JOTy, Springfield, VA 22152 v

Percent members: 78 ’ L / 11 1

Greetings from Washington, D.C. Chris and Pat are on vacation in Michigan and Canada, so I am filling in for this issue. Tony B. Nulli Secundus! Remember when that meant, “Second to Nothing.” Well we don’t have ’59 to kick around anymore, we are now the senior class on active duty. Just who is left on active duty? Three names come to mind: Mike LOH, Dale THOMPSON, and Ron YATES. They are our superstars (pun intended). I thought this would be a good time to look

back on three brilliant careers. I found it very interesting how similar their careers have been.

For starters it is nice to be able to say that they are still married to the same lovely ladies who shared many memories of cadet days and early lieutenant trials and tribulations. These ladies deserve a special thanks for not only putting up with our illustrious classmates but for doing so much for our Air Force. Each in your own way made contributions that can’t be measured or rewarded. You are the wind beneath the wings of our heroes! For that we thank you.

All three were fighter pilots. Mike and Ron in fighter interceptors while Dale flew the heavies: Thuds and F-llls. Mike and Ron graduated from test pilot school while Dale validated the program with all of his instructing and teaching at squadron level. They all went through the chairs at wing level. Dale and Ron ended up as wing commanders and Mike as the England AFB vice commander. Mike and Dale aced the Air War College program while Ron was cum laude at ICAF. Mike and Ron then went on to spend a lot of time with the Air Force Systems Command.

Mike was the program manager for the YF-16/YF-17 and worked the F-16 SPO. He later commanded the Aeronautical Systems Division. Ron also worked the F-16 as the PEM and later program director. Mike and Ron both held high-powered jobs at the Pentagon, Mike as the Vice Chief and Ron as principal deputy assistant SECAF for Acquisition.

Meanwhile Dale was trying to avoid the Pentagon! He did not make it and had to serve a tour in the NMCC J-3 of the OJCS. But he found himself paying club dues in Ramstein and Upper Heyford. There he did it all: fighter operations, chasing Quadafi, and learning a lot about logistics.

But all three still had even bigger things waiting for them. Mike would command his first love, TAC, and later Air Combat Command, made up of everything that flies, fights and wins. Ron took command of AFSC; however, the Air Force thought he had too much free time so they also gave him the old AF Logistics Command to run. They then changed the name of the new organization to Air Force Material Command so it would not appear to be too difficult a task. Dale meantime commanded the Ogden Air Logistics Center and then came to Wright-Pat to give Ron a hand as the AFMC vice commander.

With less than a year to go and counting, our fellow classmates will find very little free time to plan their retirement years. Mike is in the middle of the great debate: Can we fight two medium-range conflicts? What should the bomber force look like? When do we get the F-22? How much, how fast, and where do we draw down the force? Ron and Dale are no less busy. Will we keep all our depots? Can they be competitive? How much money for R&D and how much for new procurement? R&D in-house or privatized? Can we maintain all our test facilities?

So suffice it to say our fellow grads sit at the highest echelons of our Air Force (many predicted that 35 years ago). No question you have done well. The rest of us in ’60 salute you and say thanks for keeping our banner raised so high.

Now for a quick trip around the Beltway. Jerry and Betty de la CRUZ threw a great Mexican potluck back in April. The food was fantastic and Jerry’s formula for sangria loosened up the tongues. Ralph and Darlene LALIME have son Chris out of college and Jay with one year to go at Virginia Tech. Darlene stays active with the Virginia Dental Hygiene Assoc, while Ralph struggles at Rekenthaller Inc. Dick SEXTON is still in the realty business but is free-lancing as a paralegal. Daughter Helen is married and Ann, a recent grad, is employed at the American Enterprise Inst. Dick, it is time for you and Sally to really retire. Chris will find you a

place in Colorado. Bill and Fran HODSON checked into the D.C. ’60 Club. They have three of the brightest grandchildren in America and can’t wait for you to visit and to show you the videos of them. Joe and Sue HIGGENS are taking all those savings and enjoying the good life Grenada this past March and Ireland this summer. Kitty and Bill TAYLOR are still working, and saving, and hoping to travel. Kitty is with Lenox and Bill with RAND. (They are saving for the reunion.) Nothing new with John MACARTNEY and Lorna (not enough sangria). If you tune to a D.C. radio station after any military action you will hear JD in his military consultant role. He is better than any four-star.

Tom and Mary BURKE have good news and bad news. Good news: The last child, son John, is finally in college. Bad news: That makes three in college at the same time. It is only money, Tom. Bob and Liliane BADGER lay claim to the most grandchildren (seven). Son Bob Jr joins the law connection this spring after graduating from Notre Dame. One still in college. Bob is still with the Justice Department flying top legal cover for the FAA. Judy and Ken ALNWICK get daughter Leslie married off this fall. Melanie and Keith are both gainfully employed. Ken is still working the simulation and gaming business while Judy, despite the bureaucracy, continues to educate the next generation. Leon and Maryn GOODSON have all the kids married off, one grandaughter and one on the way. Ops research business is going well enough to pay for yearly ski trips. Evelyn and George ELSIE got both kids married this year. Merran is in Seattle and Roy is in Austin. George still flies the Tiger Moth but will hanger it this summer to enjoy a Scottish vacation with Evie in Inverness. Richard HEAD is enjoying life to the fullest in D.C. Daughter Laura is a D.C. lawyer while son Tim explores Boulder. Like father like son. A1 and Gale JOHNSON still run the AFBA Bank in Old Town. A1 will make you a deal for all your financial needs. Call collect. No news on HALLER, CLARKE, GOODYEAR, REKENTHALLER, WEINAUG, or QUERY who were noticeable by their absence.

One of the last phone calls Chris received was from Frank MAYBERRY. Frank and Eve were visiting their daughter in Denver during the last week of April. They had just returned from a visit to Eve’s family in England. During the preceding months they had the opportunity to visit several classmates. In Lubbock they saw Ted and Donna STUMM. Ted is finishing his master’s in economics and hopes to land a job in city government. Frank said he reviewed Ted’s thesis and it was very good; well beyond what one would expect for a degree seeker.

They spent time in February with Lew and Sherry PRICE at their home in Northern California. Frank has taken up playing the flute which he got from Lew. Lew is still turning out hand-made flutes but can’t make them fast enough to keep up with the demand. The Prices plan on being at the reunion. Get your flute orders in early.

Frank talked to Jack SCHIRA who told him he was giving up on politics. Jack tried to run as a Democrat in a Republican (Dayton, OH) district. Jack is going to concentrate on making money. When you make it Jack don’t forget the AOG building fund. Frank also heard that Vic YOAKUM is teaching ROTC in Louisiana. Check in Vic.

The MAYBERRYs were to leave for Australia the first week of May. If you remember Chris reported about a year ago that Frank had retired from TRW in Feb ’93 after his project had been cancelled. Well TRW has made an offer Frank and Eve could not turn down so Alice Springs here they come. They look forward to seeing Jim and Erika KERR who are still engaged in providing mowers to the Aussies and live in Queensland. Frank says he looks forward to having visitors, but to be sure to call or write ahead. He will stay home to greet you. Change of address and phone number in the next issue.

Those of you who really keep track of our classmates know that my earlier comment about who is left on active duty was not quite correct. Dean BRISTOW will probably be the last member of ’60 to put the blue suit away. Dean resigned in 1967, went to medical school to be a urologist and by the late ’80s was the chief flight surgeon for the Utah National Guard. During the Gulf War Dean was called to active duty and sent to Offutt AFB. After the war he had the opportunity to return full time to active duty which he did with a DOR of Jan ’92. Dean is now the chief of Hospital Services at Davis-Monthan and will pin on full colonel in January. He could serve 10 more years with an age waiver. Dean and Sandra have three lovely daughters and a son who is on a church mission in Germany. Hang in there, Dean, we in ’60 are equally proud of you.

Hope you all enjoyed the update. Remember Wayne KENDALL and I represent you on the AOG Board. Let us hear from you if you have any suggestions or complaints. Keep the cards and letters coming to Chris. He still has deadlines to meet.

GIVE GENEROUSLY TO THE AFA FUND!

Hanson Scott

1300 Onava Court, NE Albuquerque, NM 87112

Phone: (505) 293-4486

Percent members: 83

Greetings from the Land of Enchantment and on with the news! I received a note from Dick FAIRLAMB he is president of the North Texas Chapter of graduates they appear to be very active, so they are in great hands for the forthcoming year. Dick added that Paul DEAN is in the area as a captain for U.S. Air with a Baltimore domicile; Pete LANE is vice president for development at NTSU with a little teaching on the side; and Tom WILLIAMS is still part of the “military-industrial complex” with LORAL. Last, and certainly not least, Carl GRANBERRY is OIC of Winona, TX and still heavily involved with his family-owned manufacturing company. I appreciate the info, Dick.

From the Beltway, Lowell JONES reported that Bill and Theda FOSTER hosted a ’61 social and dinner at their home in March. In addition to the local folks, Pat BUCKLEY and Vic and Diane BOUQUET were there. Hector NEGRONI is now president of the Latin American Management Association, which supports economic empowerment and business development of 200 small companies. Sounds like the perfect fit! Hector has a sizable staff and a solid budget for his association’s activities. Hector said that several of the gang got together for a weekend on the Maryland eastern shore (planned by The KOHOUTs) a great time was had by all. Hector added that Bill STACKHOUSE is looking for investors for his new business venture!

Terry WOELFEL took some time from his lawn mowing one Saturday afternoon to provide an update. Terry is a “rep’’ for several companies handling electronic components. Terry and Kay have three children (six grandchildren!): Scott (32) is also an electronic components rep; daughters Susan (31) and Sandra (29) are teachers, currently occupied full time as homemakers. Terry said he is living a “regular civilian life.”

I disturbed Erik VETTERGREN’s pre-mission crew rest one evening for an update on his activities. Erik has been with American Airlines for 27 years and is currently flying to Europe on the Boeing 757 and 767. Erik lives in his hometown of Luddington, MI and commutes to the east coast for his trips. He said his outside activities are primarily “golf and tennis.” Daughter Vickie received a MBA from Harvard and is doing very well with Anderson Consulting. Son Erik III will complete his undergraduate degree in chemical engineering soon.

Received a letter from the class TQM expert, Ron FULLERTON. Ron was TDY to USAFA in April with meetings in Doolittle Hall. Ron said he saw Dick COPPOCK and several others frequently (see photo). Ron added that the building is very impressive the “AOG Board and Staff have really done a super job of serving the members now and planning for the future.” Ron said that he is still having a great time on the Air Combat Command staff, working for General Mike LOH (’60) and seeing “quality in action.”

Terry, Dick, Ron, Worth, Mike

In a recent note, John MAY said that he and Sheila will remain in New Jersey for a while longer. John enclosed the following card: “The Board of Trustees of Atlantic Community College is pleased to announce the selection of John T. May, Ph.D. as seventh president of the college effective Feb. 2, 1994. Congratulations, Johnny! John added that he, Gene HOPP, and Art KERR have informally established a ’61 electronic mail group, and others are welcome to join. Gene is on CompuServe at address

70224,2627; his address on Internet is 70224.2627 @compuserve.com. Art’s Internet address is adherr@hitl.washington.edu, and John’s is may@atlantic.edu. Hope I got all that right!

Enclosed is a picture (provided by Brig Gen Tom KECK, ’69) of General Lee and Dorene BUTLER at Lee’s retirement ceremony in February. Lee assumed command of Strategic Air Command in January 1991, and was the last CINCSAC. He became the first commander of U.S. Strategic Command on 1 June 1992. As we all know, Lee had extremely significant responsibilities during the latter years of his career, and in the words of the troops at Offutt, “his leadership at both SAC and USSTRATCOM created the foundation for today’s national policy of our strategic forces.”

Dorene and Lee

Rich MAYO was recently selected for the GTE Academic All-America Team Hall of Fame for both his academic and athletic record at USAFA as well as his current contributions to the Houston Community drug and alcohol programs. Terry STORM sent me a recent newspaper article in the Colorado Springs Gazette Telegraph which recalled Rich’s accomplishments as quarterback, with particular emphasis on that famous season, fall of ’58. The article cited Rich’s career records, including that of recognition as the “nation’s fourth best passer in ’59” and academic All-America status our second and first-class years. As a two-way player, Rich led the football team in interceptions in ’59. I received a program for the induction ceremony from Lt Gen (Ret) Tony BURSHNICK (’60) who attended the dinner. Rich was introduced by former football coach Ben Martin. Also inducted this year were Anne Donovan (Old Dominion University basketball), Lee Roy Selmon (University of Oklahoma football), Bill Walton (UCLA basketball), and John Wooden (Honorary Inductee, Purdue/UCLA basketball). Among past inductees were Jamaal Wilkes, Pete Dawkins, Joe Theismann, and Brock STROM (’59). Congratulations, Rich! Thanks for the info, Tony!

Had a great visit with Dan BATES. Dan is an attorney in Eugene, OR, with emphasis on injury claims and worker’s compensation. Clarice is teaching nursing at a local community college; son Don is studying the classics at the University of Oregon; Kathy (22) graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in civil engineering and has just started a two-year tour with the Peace Corps in Kenya. Christy is an interior design specialist working in Seattle.

Other news. From Utah, Bob and Margy DINGLE write that they have just purchased new bicycles and they are going to get back in shape once and for all. Bob said the greatest day around their house is when they take their boat out of storage! John BRUSKY reported from Laguna Beach that he is still busy in the real estate business: John Paul (20) attends U.C. Irvine; Jimmy is a junior in high school, daughters Julianne and Gillian are making their way in the working world. We had a great visit dating from MATS days, including some anecdotes about Roger STRINGER. Jerry LEFTON came through town one night taking his son David to Indiana for a summer job. We managed to close down the East Central IHOP recalling war stories from the ’50s to the present. Lt Gen Marc ANDERSON was in town in June for the 20th anniversary celebration of AFTEC/AFOTEC (Marc was commander July 91 to Nov 93). We had a few minutes to visit at the anniversary dinner (hosted by Maj Gen George HARRISON, ’62), and it is obvious that the USAF IG is actively involved in almost every issue affecting our Air Force. Keep up the great work, Marc!

Thanks for the news standing by to copy.

John W. “Jack” Jamba

4 Judy Court

Satellite Beach, FL 32937

Home: (407) 777-5520

Office: (407) 861-3519

Percent members: 72

This is going to be a short column. I haven’t received very many letters and I don’t have much time to call around. I found a Christmas card from Hesh ALTMAN which I mislaid. He is still in an apartment in Sunnyvale, CA. His son Joel is still living in the family digs in Las Vegas while he works in VIP Hosting at the Tropicana Hotel. Daughter Jodi has moved in with the folks while she starts her graduate work at Palmer Chiropractic College in Santa Clara. Wife, Bobbi, is still working part-time in San Jose at a collectibles boutique. The Hesh himself is in international marketing at Loral chasing 30 programs in 10 different countries. He thought he gave up 16-hour days and permanent jet lag when he left the Air Force. Such was not to be the case, Hesh. Thanks for the note and have a good year.

Got a call from Fred and Arlene HENDRYX a couple of months ago. They were in nearby Melbourne visiting Fred’s mom and looking at the prospects of retiring here. They stayed for a couple of months. We had a nice dinner as soon as we could mesh schedules and a lunch just before he left for Cincinnati. He and Arlene retired from Proctor & Gamble, she in December and he in January. He took some time to learn about investing and financial planners and investment brokers. He took advantage of a downsizing plan at P&G to receive a good early retirement program. He also found out that he could draw on his IRA penalty-free between ages 55 and 60. How about that! Meanwhile they both had to write their job descriptions and train the people who would be taking over their responsibilities. They plan to stay in Cincinnati for a couple of months and then head off to Jackson Hole, WY, to visit some friends for an extended vacation. After that it’s back to Cincinnati until a trip in the spring to the Cayman Islands. Fred said that his sons were doing well. Mike was promoted to tele-comm manager and has a car and house full of comm equipment to stay in touch anywhere and anytime. Wife, Juanita, is back to school at Capital Univ, studying nursing. Son Mark built a new house. Fred had some stories about helping him move in. Mark works for Aetna. Wife, Susan, works for a company that collects on defaulted student loans. Biggest offenders are doctors and lawyers. I’m looking forward to Fred and Arlene returning to the local area for another visit next year.

Back in April I was attending the Space Congress in Cocoa Beach where I judged the high school students in the Science Fair. Great time! Afterwards I went to a hospitality suite sponsored by another company at KSC. While I was there I asked some of the employees about their president, Larry GOOCH. Much to my surprise, I found out that Larry was flying in from Cleveland and would be arriving in a short while. Sure enough he wandered in a little while later. We had a chance to talk for a while and meet some other people before he had to run off and visit his company’s display booth. He’s still as witty as ever and full of energy.

Last week I called Gail PECK to tell him I was coming to Las Vegas again in a couple of weeks. Gail said he had finally retired-retired. He was fooling around with some ideas that he wants to pursue at his own pace while enjoying more time with the family. When I called him back today, his daughter said that he was on his way back from Virginia and was probably in Kentucky. She expected him back by Wednesday and would give him my message. I hope we can get together again like we did last year. Footnote: Gail called me a few minutes ago and confirmed that we would get together next week in Las Vegas. I’ll take pictures and notes.

Got two change-of-address cards. Mike BUTCHKO has moved into his new house in Niceville, FL. And Jim WHITTED has relocated to West Los Angeles. He is pursuing some computer technology and programming courses. That’s it for now. Only have a few minutes to make my deadline. Send letters, postcards or money. Go REDTAGS!

Norman I. Lee III

17532 N.E. 38th Court

Redmond, WA 98052

Work: (206) 294-1665

Home: (206) 882-0968

Percent members: 78

SSSraSj,

My suggestion to use E-Mail (Prodigy and Internet) for contributions to your Class News paid off! Three messages were received, one each from Dick TROY, Andy NASSIR and John SHMOLDAS.

The first E-Mail meaasge, from Dick, was truly a pleasant surprise. Turned on my computer and “SHAZAM!” there was a letter. Dick is working on the Pennsylvania State Government WW-II Coordination Committee. His task? Find any old WW-II aircraft engines floating around that could be displayed in honor of those veterans, both flying and non-flying, both civilian and military. He also works for the senior state senator in the Pennsylvania Senate. Carol sells Mary Kay, Tim is a security policeman at Plattsburgh and Shannon is a freshman at Mt Saint Mary College (10 miles north of West Point). Dick’s Prodigy address is KTJG64A.

The second message, from Andy, was via Internet. Andy promptly let me know the Internet address I listed in the column was wrong The letter “a” was missing. The correct address follows: hhmm30a@ prodigy.com. Referring to the successful completion of the Class of 1963 AOG Stairwell fund-raising campaign, Andy coined a new phrase: “A fine ‘step’ from our Class.” For the record, Andy’s Internet address is Nassir@act-lajolla-po.act.org.

John sent the third E-Mail message, this also via Prodigy. John and Lea live in Thousand Oaks, CA where John is a senior manager for business development for Marconi Dynamics Inc. designing a family of precision guided weapons. John and Lea have two children: Andre a sophomore at Univ of Calif at San Diego and Jonelle who is engaged to be married at St. Paul’s Cathedral London, UK. John’s Prodigy address is VFGV23A.

George FREDEREICK phoned from Austin, TX where he and Sharon have moved into a new home overlooking Lake Travis. We had a great conversation despite the ‘‘old technology” of the telephone. George works for Radian Corporation in Austin. Radian is an environmental engineering concern and George is in the division that builds meteorological instruments such as a Drop Windsonde using GPS for determining wind strength and direction at all levels traversed by the sonde. Now, that is music to the ears of an old weather recce pilot. Older Windsondes (1984 vintage) used Omega for the same purpose. George told me about the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration looking to replace their Lockheed P-3C Orions with a large business type jet airplane to do atmospheric reconnaissance and climatology research.

Bill

Larry

Mary Anne

Caroline PICKENS, Maureen HANNAM and Dick GUILD. The happy couple have not set the date as yet; however, since Joe lives in Fort Worth and Vicki lives in Arlington, VA, getting it all together may be one of the more complex problems of the century. They will have their work cut out for them.

Larry HOFFMAN sent the following “Fighting Fourth” photograph taken at the reunion. From left are Bob HAYES, Larry, Don CAREY, Dave MILAM, Dick TROY, Skip ANDERSON, Joe JOHNSON, Phil MAYWALD, Andy NASSIR, and Brent MAXON.

Larry told me Cheryl is being treated for Lupus and she made five trips to Denver in 1993, four of which were to St Anthony’s Hospital for treatment. Although the doctors say she is in remission, she continues her treatment in Florida about every six weeks. The treatments are a form of chemotherapy. According to Larry, the treatments in Denver were experimental but have done wonders for her condition. I know we all wish Cheryl a speedy recovery.

General (Officer) Rumors: Air Force Times and Air Force Magazine have both been speculating on selection for the next Air Force Chief of Staff. There was a big picture layout in the Times devoted to the subject. Ron FOGLEMAN and“RTB” Butch VICCELLIO are being touted as the two top choices and, according to both periodicals, Butch is in the

The “Fighting

Fourth” lead for the Chief of Staff while Ron appears to be headed for the Atlantic Command a Navy job!

Two other Golden Type General Officer names have also been in the news: Ralph ROHATSCH is now retired and living in San Antonio and Pat CARUANA, currently commander of 14th AF, is slated to become the vice commander of Space Command (does this mean a third star?). Art WALLACE used his AOG Biographical Information to introduce new wife, Patsy Ruth. Art and Patsy Ruth were married at the end of November in California. At the conclusion of the reunion in November Art left Colorado Springs and drove to California for their wedding.

Address changes include Barry BELINSKI listing a new address in La Jolla, CA. Bob MURPHY departed Omaha, NE for Dakota Dunes, SD and retirement. The postmark on Bob’s change-of-address card showed Sioux Falls, SD so I am making the rash assumption that Dakota Dunes is nearby.

Lucky EKMAN’s new address is Panama City, FL (the old address was Vienna, VA). The last I heard, Lucky was working for Snow (Harry SNOW) Aviation. Last but not least, John PHILLIPS, one of the Yellow Tag Delta pilots, made an in-state move; Peach Tree City to College Park.

That’s it! The 777 made a very successful first flight and I have completed a reasonably successful trip to Amsterdam. Until next time, I look forward to hearing from all of you. Take care.

Bob Hovde

7812 Ridgecrest Drive Alexandria, VA 22308 (H):703-765-0517/(0):703-415-4760

Fax:703-415-4536 imm

Internet: BHovde@ccmail.crc.com

Percent members: 76 syf

MAILBAG: Just in case a few of you find it easier to fax or E-mail than to make a trip to the post office to get stamps, I have included my office fax and E-mail addresss above. Yes, your scribe has entered the 20th century just in time to be out of date again! Some people do still know how to write letters, however.

A1 MATECZUN writes that he is now a captain, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy. He is the commanding officer (commander is a rank in the Navy) of the Navy’s Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory in Pensacola, FL. A1 got out of the Air Force in 1973 to go to med school and joined the Navy when he finished in 1978. I guess that means that he can stay in another five years if he wants to. (By the way Al, I hope you’re having as much fun in the lab as I had at the Geophysics Lab. Being in charge of a research laboratory is just as much fun as you can have in a non-flying tour.) Al says that he regularly talks to Don SPOON and Tom MCNISH, who also got their medical degrees (after returning from Hanoi).

Nick LACY writes that he has been busy since moving to “the farm” in Georgia last fall. He has rebuilt two bathrooms, installed new kitchen appliances, painted the entire house inside and installed carpet this was Phase I (make the house livable). He reports that he has purchased a lot of used farm equipment through fighter pilot instinct attack! He claims that by missing the good deals and leaping at the bad ones he managed to get equipment that works, and plans on planting 50 acres of soybean this summer. Maybe the soybeans will be easier than picking up all of the pecans that he and Patricia also “harvest” and sell.

Anyway, Nick claims that life in the slow lane is fantastic. The “rush minute” in Ray City is tolerable, in that a traffic jam is three cars waiting at the stop sign. All he has to do now is get on with Phase II building a

CLASS OF 1964 30-YEAR REUNION

5-9 OCTOBER 1994

USAFA versus Navy

garage, a family room and replacing the roof on the house. That should take him at least up to the reunion, so his “job” shouldn’t interfere with attending. See you there, Nick!

PHONE CALLS: Yes, I do accept phone calls. Tom MCNISH called to tell me that now that I’ve moved back to northern Virginia, he is retiring and moving to Texas (San Antonio). He is going to work with Biodynamics Research Company. They do such “Bio” things as reconstruct accidents to prove how injuries occurred. Anyway, the timing is good, in that Tommy is graduating from high school and going to North Carolina. It seems that North Carolina has a special scholarship for offspring of ex-POWs from North Carolina. Anyway, Tom “graduated” himself on June 17th at Bolling AFB in D.C.

I also talked to Paul BELMONT. He is still working for The Analytic Sciences Corporation, here in Arlington, VA. (My office is in Arlington, also.) Paul is in a good news, bad news situation: The good news is that he has lots of work to do and is very busy; the bad news is...!

30TH REUNION: When you get this issue, you should be all ready to go to Colorado for the reunion. Pete LOPRESTI and the rest of the group in Colorado have put together a great schedule of events. It should be an enjoyable time for everyone. Sandy and I will probably get there Tuesday night so that we have time to visit old long-time friends. I’m not sure what Pete means by “a meaningful reunion celebration”, but he always could say things nicer than I could. I just want to see friends that I haven’t seen for awhile, and everything is geared toward that end. Even the Friday night banquet is planned for minimum speechifying and maximum meet’n and greet’n!

Pete says that we need to elect new class officers at the reunion. A nomination committee has nominated Jerry BUTLER for president, Bob BEVERLEY for vice president, Wally WOLNIEWICZ for treasurer, and D.J. ALBERTS for historian. (“Do I hear a motion that the nominations be closed?”) Of course, between the time I wrote this and the time it was published, other names may have been added, so check your ballots before you just put a big X on them and put them in the ballot box.

Also, the reunion committee has decided on the class gift being for the AOG building again. If we raise $50,000, the atrium will be dedicated to the Class of 1964. (’64 already has its name on a plaque for our donation to the original fund.) Please contribute whatever you can afford to this gift. It is easy to “forget” to send the check, but the AOG needs our support now so that it will be strong and influential in the future.

If you know of something “unique” that has been done by or to one of our classmates, there is still time to write, phone, fax, or E-mail the information to me. I’m sure that it will be mentioned at the appropriate time during the reunion. This can mean anything from making a fortune in futures for sea urchin fillets to getting a Nobel Prize. (I don’t think we have one of those.) Has anyone sailed solo around the world? I have fairly good statistics on the classmates who made the active Air Force their careers, but not much on the civilian side. I don’t even have a lot on the Reserve and National Guard people, although I know we have done well there, also.

Sandy and I are looking forward to visiting with each of you at the reunion.

Ron Flake

1001 Pat Booker Road, Suite 200

Universal City, TX 78148

Home: (210) 560-3115

Office: (210) 658-5305

Fax: (210) 658-1855

Percent members: 69

\

Our 30th reunion will be one year away by the time you read this newsletter. Start planning to be there. Anyone who attended the 20th or 25th knows how worthwhile and rewarding these gatherings are.

For those of you who missed it, our class celebrity, Flash WILEY, appeared on the Today Show in May as a spokesman for Boston’s business community. Flash has had an eventful year. Last September, he joined Goldstein & Manello, a prominent Boston law firm, as a senior partner. He has been actively involved in the effort to bring the 2008 Olympics to Boston, and in May, he became chairman of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. He served as deputy chairman since 1992, and to quote the

Boston Globe “his personal ebullience and persuasive abilities...” have been instrumental in the the revitalization of the Chamber. Congratulations, Flash!

Another classmate celebrity is Tom GORGES who was the subject of an article in the June 3rd issue of the San Antonio Business Journal. Tom, one of the dwindling members of active duty guys left, is the first military officer to head the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence at Brooks Air Force Base. The center has 400 employees and provides environmental and engineering services to bases worldwide. It is very involved in the closing of bases worldwide.

Dan FETZER is a freelance writer living in Orlando since his retirement in 1989. Dan favored me with a copy of a Father’s Day article he had published in the June 1993 issue of Family Journal, titled “Confessions of a Househusband” which chronicles the difficulties and complexities of taking care of a house and children after a career and retirement. Well done, Dan!

Neil STONE received a letter from Warren LANGLEY. Warren is a partner in Hull Trading Company and is the “gray-head” of the company. They trade on the exchange floors in Chicago, New York, Philadelphia, London, Paris, Frankfurt and Hong Kong. He and Bart HOLADAY and Jim PIPER work in the same vicinity and get together regularly. Bart still commutes from his family home in Prescott, AZ to Chicago where he runs a venture capital program. Warren and Jim tried some bar hopping with Joe O’GORMAN, who is an executive vice president with United Airlines, and found that their moves had slowed significantly. Ogre passed on that Jim SWALLOW had left Chicago to work in Europe for the consulting firm A.T. Kearney.

Neil also provided a copy of a 9th Squadron newsletter from Joe KOENIG who, as a teacher with lots of free time, serves as a clearinghouse from his home in Dayton. Mike DOUGLAS is with TRW and lives in Albuquerque with wife, Linda. Dennis VALENTINE is an attorney in Denver, and he and his wife, Cindy are involved in raising and showing Arabian horses. J.C.EDWARDS is also at TRW. Jim PERRY and wife, Kathy, are in Jacksonville where he is an orthopod. Paul THOMAS is flying a JetStar for General Mills. His wife, Joan, is a vice president/general manager for some big company and supports him in style. Jerry KEYSAR is chief pilot and manager of Flight Operations for McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems in Mesa.

Dick HUSEMANN and his wife of 25 years, Brenda, live in Beavercreek, OH. Their son Chuck is a senior at Miami University in management info systems, and daughter Mary is a sophomore at Notre Dame, studying English. Dick retired as an 0-6 in 1992 and with a couple of other retirees formed an international technology transfer firm to import Russian high technology from the former Soviet defense R&D establishment. They have spent substantial amounts of time in Moscow setting up joint ventures with a Russian governmental agency and a Russian defense institute director turned entrepreneur. Dick says its been interesting and challenging but not profitable yet, so he took a job as director of a state program to provide vocational rehab for people in western Ohio with mental illness and substance-abuse disabilities.

Kirk HALL and wife, Betsy, live in Seattle where he has just retired as acting area manager, Puget Sound area office of the Bonneville Power Administration. Roy KILGORE is with McDonnell Douglas Helicopter Systems as a team manager. He and wife, Corina, live in Mesa. Norm KOMNICK and wife, Joyce Ann, live in Tacoma. Norm advised that he is self-employed but didn’t tell us at what. Bill HERRICK and wife, Claudia, live in Prospect, KY. Bill is a first officer for UPS flying DC-8s out of Louisville and expects to bid captain this fall.

Chuck RYERSON is a 737 first officer with United and now lives in Pasadena. He says he survived Hurricane Andrew in Florida and moved to California in time for two major earthquakes. Vince BRISTOW retired in ’90 and is a United 727 first officer based in Chicago. He hopes to upgrade to the A-320 Airbus soon. He lives in Folsom, LA with wife, Suzanne. Their daughter Ashley will start LSU law school this fall.

Ray CHOJNACKI retired in ’92 and has stayed retired. He is working full time to reduce his golf handicap and has brought it down from 36 to 17 and falling. His wife, Meg, is a schoolteacher and the family’s breadwinner and probably necessarily so since their two sons are both in grad school. Howard ESTES is the commander of the 7th Air Force in South Korea. Good luck!

Address changes with no information: A1 ROWE from Logan, UT to

Make your tax-deductible donation now to The Air Force Academy Fund.

Your Support Helps Develop Leaders With Vision For Tomorrow.

San Diego, CA; Jim BEAVERS to Goldenrod, FL; and Jim VICK to Kent Store, VA.

To close, please plan to attend the reunion in November, 1995. Anyone who would like to be a squadron contact, let one of us know, and we will try to coordinate with the committee. We would also like to find a fresh group to take over the newsletter after the reunion. Anyone who may be interested, let us know if we do not get any volunteers, we may have to organize a draft. Send your letters for the next issue to me or Skip Cox, 33 Westcourt Lane, San Antonio, TX 78257. Home: (210) 698-2871. Office: (210) 224-5306. Fax: (210) 227-2131. Please note Skip’s new address. He and Susan have just built a new home in the Dominion area. He lives almost directly between George Strait (country singer) and David Robinson (basketball star). Skip is still on loan from USAA to San Antonio 2000 and maintains a high profile as he works with other San Antonio community leaders to develop educational programs for the future.

Ryan Denny

1210 Applewhite Road

O’Fallon, IL 62269

Home: (618) 624-4255

Work: (314) 895-0167

Percent members: 73

Greetings Redtags! Congratulations to Paul STEIN! There’s probably an article about him in this edition of Checkpoints, but, for those of you who only look at the pictures, he is the new superintendent at USAFA and our class’s first three star. Paul is ideally suited for the Supt’s job at a very critical time in the Academy’s short history. There are a lot of politicians who are questioning every aspect of the Academy, including its size, the makeup of the faculty, and even its need to exist. Paul is smart, dedicated to USAFA, and knows his way around Washington. (Besides, his mind hasn’t been turned to mush from pulling Gs all his life.) USAFA will be in great hands. Good luck, Paul! (Maybe he’ll have a reception at his house when we have our 30th reunion.)

Another Redtag that’s setting the Air Force on fire is Dick BETHUREM. Dick has been the USAF director of Plans (XOX), and is now moving to Nellis AFB to be the commander of the USAF Weapons and Tactics Center. Another great match for the Air Force.

Redtags at Ryan’s Retirement: Jim Murphy, Ryan Denny, Dennie Watson, and Ron Morey.

The picture you see here was taken at my retirement. If you are wondering why everyone else is wearing a coat and tie, it’s because of different interpretations of the word “casual”. It was my party, so I defined casual as jeans and boots. Jim MURPHY, an investment counselor with USPA, defined casual as a light-colored business suit. Dennie WATSON, a financial manager for a rich doctor in Kansas City, defines casual as bib overalls and no shoes, but his wife, Shirley, made him dress up. The fourth Redtag in the picture is Ron MOREY, still in the USAF, still running the training business for AMC, still only has one sport coat, so it’s casual when he takes off his tie. It was a great party and a good ending for 28 years in the Air Force. I am now working for McDonnell Douglas in St. Louis, helping to manage the T-1A program. For those of you who have not kept up with such things, that’s the new aircraft that pilot trainees who are in the transport/tanker track of pilot training fly instead of the T-38. We’ve already got them at Randolph, Reese, and Laughlin; and we’re putting them into Vance and Columbus next year. My office is right near the St. Louis airport, so if any of you are passing through, give

me a call it’s only 25 cents and 1 might be able to buy you lunch.

Dale ELLLIOTT wrote to say that he felt compelled to write me, but he couldn’t think of anything to say perhaps an early sign of Alzheimer’s. He said that he hid his own Easter eggs this year. Dale also said that Paul VIOTTI is holding occasional foreign policy seminars at the University of Denver, and questions the current administration’s policies once in a while. John MCBROOME sent a card to the AOG telling us all that he and Patsy had moved from a house to a Post Office Box in Ft. Collins. I’m not sure what conclusions to draw from that maybe rents are really high in Ft. Collins.

That’s all the news I’ve been able to scrape together. Unless you want me to print the verbatim text of my retirement speech, you all need to call, write, stop on by, or something to let everyone know that you are still alive. Until then, Happy Landings!

Greetings from Bitburg Air Base which by the time you read this will be a part of Air Force history. More to follow on that.

It probably won’t follow by much. I had written my customary lengthy and extremely pertinent AOG newsletter input with plenty of time to spare for the June suspense date because I am in the process of a PCS move. It was chockful of all sorts of timely information. Unfortunately the packers absconded with it and it probably is now in some shipping crate being fumigated for possible gypsy moth infestation.

That is the long story. The short story is that my prepared input disappeared just prior to the suspense date and this information is all I can come up with on very short notice.

BG Peyton COLE, currently the commander of the 2d Bomb Wing at Barksdale AFB, retires 1 Sep 94, with no information to me thus far on where he will be headed next. Former CS-06 squadron commander (’64) MG R. Nels RUNNING is moving from his assignment as DCS of HQ UN Command Korea and DCS of the United States Forces Korea to become the chief of Safety, HQ USAF, at the Pentagon. We in CS-06 always figured he would go far.

From the AOG, two notes of folks on the move. Ed GUNTER is moving from Prattville, AL to McQueeney, TX and Art LEACH has moved from Nicholasville to Cynthiana, KY.

The drawdown in Europe continues. Nearly every military establishment in Europe demonstrates that: either the place is closed completely, or pending closure, or its population has diminished significantly as demonstrated by available parking place at the BXs, clubs, hospitals, etc. the Chimsee Hotel and military recreation facility will close this fall; Bertchesgaden likely will follow. There are no published plans for Garmisch, but one can’t help but expect that military facilities there will also close. Used vehicles are available at every parking lot throughout Europe, often for near giveaway prices. And the skies that were once the playground for American fighter aircraft are now home for but a few, as most are either deployed or their units defunct.

The Bitburg runway, once home to the most successful flying units of the Gulf War, is now “co-used” only by single-engine civilian light aircraft which buzz in and out about once daily. Rumors of further drawdowns abound in the German press, emphasized by the contemplated congressional action to remove almost all U.S. Forces from Europe unless significant monetary contributions are made toward their costs there. This is simply not the USAFE or the Air Force that we all grew up with.

On a profoundly sad note: sincere sympathy to Danny and Joan PIPER whose daughter, a recent Academy graduate, was lost in an aircraft tragedy earlier this year.

This is the last edition I will write from Bitburg, as I will shortly be fitted for my black hat and join the Medical IG Team based at Kirtland. I will get my new address to the AOG as soon as I have one. I look forward to seeing more of you in the course of my travels with the team.

My apologies for the brevity of this column. Actually, I don’t recall that there had been a helluva lot of input anyway, but there had been some. I have no doubt I will locate it when I reach my new home, and will include it in the next newsletter. Unless that too turns up missing.

From Bitburg Auf Wiedersehen; from Albuquerque Buenos Dias.

GIVE GENEROUSLY TO THE AFA FUND!

Hello ’68! After three weeks in retirement, I am beginning to see some patterns emerge. First, the way you are able to structure a day’s worth of work and activities (or inactivities) without having to be greatly concerned whether arbitrary deadlines set by yourself are met or not, definitely feels pretty good. Second, I may need to complement my wardrobe. My suits, dress shirts, and ties need some minor updating like about a decade! In addition, my leisure clothes are a little too leisurely for Northern Virginia particularly some well-worn shorts and tee shirts that probably need to find their way to some homeless shelter or to a disaster relief package addressed to Bangladesh flood victims. There is something about jogging down a scenic Virginia bike path or trail, where my snake-eater and AC-130 gunship “death reigns from above” tee shirts don’t seem to have quite the same appeal to the families that I pass as they did with my crew at Air Force Special Ops Command. Third, I get a lot more household chores to do now than when I was able to use the standard work-related excuses. There are advantages and disadvantages to this. On one hand, while performing home-related tasks one can occasionally turn on the tube to find out what is happening in world news through CNN and, of course, by the world-stopping topics covered by Yolanda, Oprah and Geraldo on their syndicated television shows. On the other hand, one quickly discovers that you can watch so much Headline News in a day, and listen to the babble of characters who are often selected to parade some social abnormality in front of the nation doesn’t exactly move you very far forward on the human evolutionary progression scale. With all this time on my hands, I believe it is in the best interests of family, friends, and country that I get back to work again and knock off all of these “deep thoughts” about retired officers’ lives in the 1990s.

future and welcome (within reason during the skiing season) classmates who would like to visit them in Deutchland.

During a time of personal introspection about the transition to civilian status, I find that many of our gang are taking on similar experiences. Benny VETETO was able to scrounge up a military hop for Ed EBERHART, Glenn ZAUBER, and me to attend his retirement ceremony at Robins AFB in April. Mike MOFFITT also drove up from Forces Command in Atlanta to attend. Ed served as Benny’s retiring official and did a fantastic job giving the Veteto family a heartfelt sendoff through his inspirational and ofttimes humorous remarks. We all shared in a joyful experience with Benny’s many friends and family and were pleasantly surprised to run into John GRAHAM, who works at Robins on the civilian side of the house. Benny is headed to UPS training and will become one of our flying mailmen. Bill BOWMAN’S name came up a number of times in helping Benny to get his act together for his UPS job application and interviews. Thanks Bill, for looking out for one of our own. Networking pays off, gang! Don’t be afraid to ask for help!

Another ’68er, and recent SPOTLIGHT guy, Doug MENARCHIK is also hanging up the blue suit for a super teaching position at the Marshall Institute in Garmish, Germany. Once again a number of the class supported his sendoff at a ceremony conducted by Army BG Wes Taylor in the Pentagon. Doug and Debbie are excited about their prospects for the

OVERSEAS VISITOR DEPT: We had a very enjoyable visit with Mark TORREANO who was back from Hawaii to attend some official business conferences in D.C. followed by leave to attend his son Mark’s graduation from USAFA and both of his son’s and daughter Marci’s wedding in Colorado directly following graduation. The amount of planning that had to go into these events had to be phenomenal. Hats off to Mark and Mimi!

MAILBAG DEPT: I received an enthusiastic letter frm Pat RUSSELL, who echoed many of the class’ sentiments about the high quality of our 25th reunion. He also said that he accepted a new position as the manager of the Maintenance Division at the Southern Nevada Water System for the Las Vegas Valley Water District. The job description includes delivering up to 400 million gallons of Lake Mead water per day through 65 miles of aqueduct, tunnels, and pipes using 13 pumping plants to get the water to five communities in Southern Nevada. He now has a longer commute to work, but is literally at the other end of the pipe from his former waste treatment job and has an office overlooking a lake instead of less attractive environs. His son Jim now lives in C-Springs and is a lieutenant stationed at Falcon Air Station at the Academy. He took special delight in “mooching” off his son during the reunion saying that paybacks are great!

Rob REYLING wrote and sent this photo of a chance ’68 mini-reunion brought about by Ed EBERHART’s visit to Hanscom as the head of the Air Force’s Installation Excellence Award Survey Team in January. This picture was taken just before a genuine New England lobster dinner. Hanscom didn’t win the competition, but all had a great time and dinner.

68 SPOTLIGHT

The ’68 Spotlight for the Summer ’94 issue falls on Jim DEFAZIO. Following USAFA, Jim went to pilot training at Reese AFB, TX and then to C-123s at Phan Rang in South Vietnam. Upon his return from Southeast Asia, he upgraded to KC-135s out of Warner Robins and met his wife, Sherry. He separated from the Air Force in 1973 and did a short stint with a trade association in labor relations out of Lexington, KY. In 1976, he joined the FBI and has been with them ever since. Tours of duty have included six years in Detroit, three years at FBI HQ in Washington,

The Incognito Family, Alias Foster Grant Family, Alias Jim and Sherry Defazio and sons vacationing at an FBI safe house. DC, and the last nine years in Pittsburgh, PA. Last year, he considers himself extremely fortunate to have been selected to attend the British Police Staff School in the UK.

When asked what the Academy meant to him, Jim replied “If I were to pick one thing... it would undoubtedly be that it taught me the value of being honest in dealing with my bosses, contemporaries, subordinates, children, wife, and especially myself. Being up-front has always saved anguish down the road. Every now and then, it has meant having to admit I was wrong and/or needed help.”

When asked about something to pass on to the Class, Jim said to send a hearty thanks to all of you who he worked or played with over the years. It has been a great association.

And, thank you too, Jim, for sharing a bit about yourself with us.

ANNOUNCEMENT DEPT: Reese Class 70-01 25th Pilot Training Reunion is 23-25 Sep 94 in Chicago. Call Marty COLE at (312) 649-9246 if you want to come, but haven’t registered. Also heard through the grapevine that after a break in service, Rob WILSON pinned on his Eagles. Congrats Rob!

’68ers ON THE MOVE: Sam BOLE from Enid, OK to C-Springs; Henry HUNGERBEELER to a new Charleston AFB, SC address; Greg SHUEY from Lenexa, KS to Overland Park, KS; Jim TERRY from Springfield, VA to Albuquerque, NM; Mike THROWER from Decatur, GA to Dunwoody, GA; and Bob WILLIAMS (Ret) from Great Falls, MT to Livingston, MT.

A special personal thanks to Charlie HOLLAND for being my retiring official and for many of you who came to the ceremony and celebration. That’s it for now. Mind the flak! Keep ’em flying! Keep those cards, letters, and photos (reunion, old ones, new ones, ones with or without Ed Eberhart in them) coming in. Also let me know about the spouse recognition column. I’ve only had one letter to date concerning this proposal from the spring column.

Lindsey Parris

5926 Colfax Ave.

Alexandria, VA 22311

Home: (703) 998-0488

Percent Members: 65

Summer’s greetings. This marks the issue on the eve of the reunion hope you’re making plans to be there.

Scott SONNENBERG has relocated from Alexandria, VA to Sweden. Ber REITER has relocated from Hanscom AFB, MA to Springfield, VA. Terry LUMME has returned from Dhahran to reside in Tionesta, PA.

Ran into Jim WILLIAMS at Andrews recently. You’ll be glad to know that Jim, unlike me, is still recognizable from his grey tag days. He and Gail live in Springfield, VA.

Steve KOLET lives in Grand Rapids, MI and commutes to Pittsburgh daily where he teaches U.S. Air’s pilots how the F100 systems operate. Steve quips that it’s just like living in California, catching flights to and from work Monday through Friday. He ran into Ron SCHRECK, in training on the 737-200, a couple of months back. Steve and his wife, Adrian, a pediatrician, had a baby girl a year ago (picture accompanying), no doubt the youngest ’69er offspring. Don’t kid anyone about having kids late until you’ve spoken with Steve and Adrian!

The Kolet Family

In the patriotism department, please see the picture of the KECKs, with Karen flying the world’s greatest colors. Tom, you’ll recall, is one of our brigadiers, now stationed at Offutt. He just completed his Capstone course, given at Fort McNair’s National Defense University.

The Keck Family

In the political arena, Mike ROSE is running for one of South Carolina’s seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, using his sterling record as a state senator there as a springboard for his campaign. Best wishes for Mike’s becoming the first ’69er in Congress!

Jeff TRENTON is taking time off from writing to present seminars in team building to top-echelon executives in companies large and small. His latest work has taken him to Montreal, where his fluent French is paying handsome dividends, unlike in his home of Virginia Beach, where it is only good for ordering in swanky restaurants.

Mike BEEZLEY, Les DYER, Bugs FORSYTHE, Roy COPPINGER and I will be floating the Middle Fork of the Salmon in three days, a welcome relief from summer’s early heat. Roy, by the way, was the prime mover behind the agreement between CNN and Intel, recently recounted in business periodicals and financial pages, that will bring summary news directly onto the screens of desktop computers.

As the reunion committee’s most recent superb update on the upcoming reunion indicated, the 31st Street Exit has agreed to play at the soiree on Friday night. Along with the usual samplings of CCR and Janis Joplin, I hear they’ve also agreed to do a very slow version of Sixteen Candles, providing there’s enough sawdust on the floor!

Though I’ve agreed to emcee Friday’ evening’s festivities, I (and others) still believe it more appropriate if one of our active-duty general officers does it, so don’t be bashful about volunteering.

CLASS OF 1969 25-YEAR REUNION

19-23 OCTOBER 1994

USAFA versus Fresno State

In the meantime, to echo the “25 Years of Service,” it would be helpful if you could share with me examples of ’69ers who have served in and out of uniform, to organizations that have social, medical, educational, or religious emphases, to groups that assist the disadvantaged, or in direct public service at the community, state, or national levels. In addition, I would appreciate any vignettes from USAFA days or since that capture our class essence (still in the evolutionary stages). From the zesty and irreverent to the more serious, any anecdotes you’d care to share. For example, the “real” story of “Exit 69” will be told!

Hope you have a great summer. Looking forward to October.

Tony Marietta

1070 Knollwood Circle

Monument, CO 80132

Home: (719) 488-3201

Work: (719) 593-8888

Percent members: 63

Lots of info this issue, so let’s jump in.

Brian graduated from Notre Dame with a physics degree, is currently completing Navy Nuclear School in Orlando, and is a newlywed (Ed ineluded a photo). After school, Brian will supervise the nuclear propulsion units in New York. (Ed, could you even spell nuclear propulsion when you were at AFA?)

yj,- ^

PiAClOAy fV

Got a note and picture from Dick RAUSCHKOLB. Dick is the commander of the AF Historical Research Agency, or at least that’s what he prints on his letterhead. I have reported previously on most of these guys in the picture, but some additional info is in order. Dick RAUSCHKOLB wanted me to make sure that the entire Class of ’70 plus anyone reading this article knows that: Chip TERRILL works for him (Wait a minute Chip is in the Reserves. Are you trying to slip one past me, Dick?); Tim SHARKEY’s son Ryan received an AFA appointment and an AFROTC scholarship to Notre Dame; Chuck WEIR should have an article in the AF Times', Jay BARRY’s son Matt is returning to AFA after a year medical absence, and, yes, sports fans, he does have to complete BCT again have fun Matt; Mike HUBER’s son Charles survived doolie year; Dick RAUSCHKOLB’s daughter Kristen was accepted to Mt Holyoke and Emory. Dick and wife, Marilyn, are requesting donations, giving blood, accepting odd jobs 24 hours a day to pay for Kristen’s million dollar tuition. Dick’s photo has been untouched by human or mechanical means. This is what Dick RAUSCHKOLB, Phil MEILINGER, Chip TERRILL, and Tim SHARKEY really look like.

The Eppings finally dressed up with somewhere to go.

Sorry I missed dinner with George RAYL and Bill PORTER when George was in town for a short stay. Of course, they did call me at 7:45 p.m. for a 5:30 p.m. dinner maybe they were trying to tell me something.

Got a note from Jim DEORIO with a picture that was too dark, so I sent him on a spirit mission to take another one. (As an aside, Dick RAUSCHKOLB earned important points by using a label instead of ink to identify his picture as I had earnestly requested in a previous issue you guys are a quick learn and my editor loves you.) Jim and Rita are doing great in Jacksonville, FL. Jim still enjoys his successful orthopedic practice which I reported on in a previous issue, and Rita is involved with tons of community activities along with keeping up with the children. Their daughter Marie enjoys piano and tennis, and son Mark excels in high school football. Pictured is Jim and Rita with their son Matt. Matt was featured in Sports Illustrated’s “Faces in the Crowd” when his football team won the state title and he ran for 168 yards and scored four touchdowns. The College Football Hall of Fame recognized him as the Top Scholar Athlete for his area and he was named the Top High School Athlete for the city of Jacksonville. While the AFA pursued him for his athletic abilities and a 4.2 grade point, Matt decided to accept a full scholarship to Duke University and pursue football and medicine. Sounds like the AFA lost out big time.

Trying to look young, wild, and crazy.

News from Chip TERRILL that Morris Eugene (Greg) SHELKOFSKY is a lawyer with the Power & Light Company in West Palm Beach, and that Greg WOODHEAD is an economist with the AFL-CIO. As I mentioned last article, Chip is an administrative law judge with the Federal Regulatory Energy Commission, and has completed a book on outer space law that should be published soon. Apparently Chip was putting the final editing touches on intergallactic tort reform when Frank Vanick, a Prep Schooler, came to mind. Chip wasn’t real specific about the connection, and we probably don’t want to know, but he would really like to contact Larry anyone know his whereabouts?

Received a 150 page letter from Ed (Eppo) EPPING. I will try to summarize in a 1,000 words or less. Ed is currently a plant manager for the Lehigh Portland Cement Company in New York, but will be going to Pula, Croatia (yes, I believe that is near Bosnia, and I believe Ed volunteered for this six-month scenic tour) to help organize a plant for Lehigh’s European owners, and then return to corporate headquarters in Allentown, PA. Wife, Marilyn, works for a nursing home and tries to keep up with daughter Kristen, a straight-A high school sophomore who plays piano and lettered in track, volleyball and basketball. Daughter Melissa was “Young Woman of the Year” for their Indiana county and did super in state. She also is a straight-A student, plays the piano, and graduated with honors from St. Mary’s College in South Bend, IN. Son

If Jim were any prouder, he’d burst.

Got a Christmas card from Bill and Marie OLDENBURG. Actually, it arrived on time, but I wasn’t able to print their info last column due to space limitations. Bill is now a full colonel and the chief of staff for the Defense Language Institute (DLI), as well as chairman of the DLI Reaccreditation Steering Committee. In her position with the Labor Relations Division of Dole Fresh Vegetables, Marie negotiates labor-management contracts with the Teamsters Union and has wisely changed her name to Marie Hoffa Oldenburg. Daughter Monique is in 8th grade, on student council, selected to the softball all-star team, plays baritone in the school band plus maintains a 3.8 GPA. Daughter Minette just graduated from high school where she excelled in student government and an awardwinning band program. Thanks for the info, Bill. Sorry for the delay.

Received a great letter and picture from Dick (Oker) O’CONNOR. Dick is the director of the Center for Treaty Implementation on the CINC’s staff, and is in charge of planning for the reversion of all U.S. Forces property in Panama and the departure of all U.S. Forces from Panama by 31 Dec 1999, an awesome job with a very short fuse. If he can’t pull all this off, he’s been directed to simply repossess the Panama Canal and leave everything and everybody where they are. Wife, Monica, when she isn’t cheering at the kids’ soccer games, volunteers her time with the military TV station. Previously she had worked for several years in Hollywood TV shows, “Alice” being one. But Dick told her that if she married him, he could help launch her career in international TV. Unfortunately, Monica didn’t know the initials SCN stood for Southern Command Network and was a military TV station. Dick and Monica have four beautiful kids: Maureen (10), Rory (8), Brian (5), and Nikkie (2). Their picture was taken in southern Chile, where Dick’s parents have retired. Dick says he works with Steve RASMUSSEN and that Eric MANN lives in Colorado and flies for a major airline. He said Greg WOODHEAD could provide details so call or write me with those details, Greg.

The O’Connors vacationing near Valdivia in southern Chile.

Got a note from Jack MUELLER, who now serves as the chairman of our 25-year reunion. Jack finds this strange as he was absent from the meeting when the vote was taken. Here are the highlights of the first meeting, and this is important stuff, so pay attention: The dates for the reunion are 6-10 Sept 1995. We’ll play Wyoming. The reunion will be held at the Marriott, and the rooms will be $69 flat rate. We have tentatively scheduled a memorial service in the Cadet Chapel and need a volunteer to lead this service. Jock Schwank (’60) of the AOG coordinates all class reunions and has always been extremely helpful, and, after much duress, even agreed to help the Class of ’70. If you want to volunteer or need info about the planning stages, please write: Jack MUELLER, 18205 Woodhaven Place, Colorado Springs, CO 80908-1367, or call him 24 hours a day (Jack won’t be sleeping until this reunion is over) at 719-488-3642. We should be having a second meeting sometime in August. Thanks, Jack, for taking on this mammoth project.

Ken and Kadee HASSEN included a photo with their Christmas letter, which they mailed to me this spring. This is understandable since they live in California where it’s difficult to tell when Christmas arrives. While Ken claims they hiked up into the Sierra Nevadas for their Christmas tree, they appear to be posing at the local tree lot. Ken and Kadee are busy putting the finishing touches on a new home they built, affectionately christened “the home from hell.” Daughter Chelsea enjoys dancing, performing in kindergarten plays and will have one of her drawings published in Humpty Dumpty magazine. Ken spent some quality time with the orthopedic surgeon and plans to donate his knees to the Football Hall of Fame.

Talked with Joe BURKE the other day and he’d recently hosted a gettogether at his home with the second generation ’70 grads, which spawned a great idea (which Joe admits is news in and of itself). If you or any ’70 grad you know has a child entering the Academy, contact Joe at 719-472-2740 or 719-481-4931, or you can contact me. Once Joe has the names, he will work to line them up with sponsors (the goal is ’70 sponsors); or, if you know people who want to sponsor, he will help coordinate that. Joe thinks that Jim and Marilyn MORRISON’S son Brian (’94) is the first second generation grad, but we don’t have any records to confirm that. Give me a call if you know of anyone who graduated earlier. Joe really is doing a super job thanks!

Last column I wrote of Bruce GORDON’S death. His memorial service was held at the AFA on April 22. Numerous ’70 grads attended, offering condolences to his wife, Karlene, and children Shannon, Ryder and Tanner. Maj. Gen. Kenneth P. Miles, Bruce’s supervisor, gave a beautiful

The Hassens hidingfrom bears.

eulogy, remembering Bruce as a loving husband and father. He spoke of Bruce’s outgoing personality, generosity, and friendship. We’ll miss you, Bruce.

Somehow the change-of-address forms forwarded to me from the AOG never arrived, so I have no info on any moves. Give me a call if you have moved, or if you sent info for this column directly to the AOG and did not see it noted here.

As of yet, no one has identified the mystery guest from the previous issue. Before Joe BURKE treats himself to lunch, someone better call me to identify the bearded beauty in last quarter’s column. As always, thanks for your great support and input!

D. Knott

8941 Bellcove Circle

Colorado Springs, CO 80920 (719) 282-1402

Percent members: 52

Here we are in sunny Colorado, where our alma mater has loosed yet another herd of bright young second lieutenants upon an unsuspecting Air Force. (Memories of two decades ago!)

This column’s award for the quickest response to questions in a former column goes to Dawn RENSEMA. I had just walked in from getting the mail and was looking through the spring issue when Dawn called to let me know that they were in town. Pete is chief of Protocol at NORAD/SPACECOM. With General Horner’s retirement from and General Ashy’s promotion to CINCNORAD (etc.), Pete has lots of protocol to churn out in a short period of time. Dawn let me know that Steve and Jan SANDS are the parents of a daughter and have moved back to Sacramento. If my memory serves, Dawn said that Steve works for the state, which may be the only growth industry in California these days.

A small apology to Margo ULMER, who took me at my word as when was the best time to write other than any time, of course. Her letter reached me two days after the spring column went to the editor. The dates

for the graduation issue get moved up two or three weeks so that ’94 can get a copy as they graduate. Anyhow, they were out here for son Scott’s graduation, and Margo was nice enough to send a photo of the Ulmer men. I guess that if you want to know where Scott’s first assignment is, turn to the back of this issue; he should be at UPT by the time you read this. Congratulations to you on winning the flying lottery Scott, and continuing in the “family business.” Danny flies for United out of O’Hare, which means “a certain amount of time commuting, but it works,” to quote Margo. They keep in touch with Joe KREIMBORG, John BIERIE, Gene KRAAY, and occasionally hear from (about?) Steve TILLER. Thanks for the nice letter, Margo, and thanks doubly for being a good example to the class. Hope that you enjoyed Spike’s place and all the festivities from the parents’ point of view.

The AOG mailbox spit out three change-of-address cards and an article from the Air Force Times. Nate BARD moved around in his zip code in Honolulu; Steve WAISS left Plattsburgh AFB, NY for the slightly warmer climes of Del Rio, TX; and Jim SANDSTROM took his star from Hill to Pope AFB, NC. Now for the article. John WAHLQUIST may have had the dubious “honor” of being the last Air Force person to leave Somalia. John was the air attache to Mogadishu, which must have been interesting. According to this article, John got this assignment after two years in the Pentagon as the JCS Somalia expert. (Might his hand be seen in the earlier phase of our involvement there?)

Due to work I didn’t get to the AFA Society bash on June 10th with Colorado’s Governor Roy Romer, but Jeff FARSCHMAN and Dave FROSTMAN called to invite me. Dave is still working for Bell Aerospace in Boulder. (Jeff talked to my son).

I heard through the grapevine that D. ALLEN and Skip PEPE were expected in town this spring, but neither of them checked by here, so rumors are all I have. I love writing this column, but perhaps someone who gets out more may be more what the class needs to stay in touch. If you do see classmates on business, in airport bars, or in the BX (it could happen!) and you want to take over writing for the class, let me know. Otherwise, when you do run into other classmates or get kudos on your own, drop me a line. Hope to hear from you soon!

Bob Bell

13 Pacific Ave

Sinking Spring, PA 19608

Home: (610) 678-3182

Percent Members: 52

SSHWl

WAs the mid-June temperatures in eastern Pennsylvania heat up, it must again be time for the latest updates on goings-on of you guys otherwise known as the “best in blue”, at least the few who have answered the call for correspondence. A more positive response in that regard would make for a much fuller column, yet we will strive to meet the constraints of the editor’s knife...

The change-of-address cards list only five recent moves must be the stable lifestyles we all live as the aging runs its course. Bob HINDELANG leaves Alexandria, VA for a return to the always-welcoming Colorado Springs, CO. Leaving Nellis and Las Vegas, NV behind, Jim DONLEY takes up residence at Beale AFB, CA. My old BCT element-mate Sandy LEWIS just made a move across town in Lawton, OK, while Gary BLANK did the same in Las Vegas, NV. John TYRRELL has left Yongsan, Korea and currently resides in Norfolk, VA. An additional short note from Mike LYNCH reports his status as squadron commander of the 303 Fighter Squadron at Richards-Gebaur and his current home being in Kansas City, MO where he is also a Continental 727 captain.

Well, on to the two letters received this go-around. First one to come in was from Marv (Wedge) VANDERWEG confessing not only that he’d never heard of Sinking Spring, PA but also of the fact that a previous letter-writer, Dan (Scro) SKOTTE, prompted his own first effort. Wedge and Susan keep house out Denver way where he’s in the contracts organization with Martin-Marietta. Wedge says there are quite a few other grads (Academy North)? Just a few ’72ers he makes mention of are A1 PANDOLFO in the finance department and Steve O’NEILL at the MSLS program (Multi Service Launch System).

On the home front, Marv reports on the innate athletic skills of his (and Susan’s) three kids. Freshman Matt took his mom to Australia for TEAM USA baseball, and is also a blossoming basketball star at Cherry Creek HS. Next son, Scott, played on the Colorado state champ baseball team last year, following that up with a “Super Bowl” football season as well. Only Daughter Kiki holds her own with her big brothers in her own special realm of soccer and gymnastics. Sounds like the Academy might have some possible sports recruits to look up in the Denver area... Marv’s

gang was said to be in the Orlando area and later on with the Jack DILEO family for some tourist fun out Tampa way. Jack is still commuting by air to Newark, NJ for Continental, making driving look easy. Thanks for a nice letter and I hope you will repeat your literary efforts with some more great input, Wedge.

A mere two weeks ago comes a letter from Miami, signed by one Andrew CHIN whom you might all note has a very short entry in the Register of Graduates, 1993 edition. Like a voice out of the blue, he certainly adds to this “memorable record” with his comments. Andy reports surviving Hurricane Andrew with his bride, Marilyn, and also claims three natural-born tax exemptions with one about to leave for college doesn’t it seem to be that way for quite a few of us right about now? His current occupation is what he defines as “one of a mass of overtitled analysts for a national insurance company”in Miami.

Andy sends his greetings to all his old roommates, Steve BERENDT, Bob CHAPMAN, Harv SARSFIELD and Rich SIRMONS and asks anyone who knows the whereabouts of Rich to get in touch with him for that information. Thanks, Andy, for the timely letter, and please keep in touch. (By the way, I do have a fax on this phone but you need to call ahead for it to be activated first.)

That about does it for this quarter’s newsletter. And just to remind the rest of you, if I get it in my mail, it WILL be posted to this column, so please take that few minutes to write the note that may stir another classmate to action and we may get this to be a true editors’ delight...Fortitudo Per Aspera.

Thomas D. Bailey, M.D 1221 New Crest Lane Shelby, NC 28150-9782

Home: (704) 482-3110

1-800-776-1054

Percent Members: 48

I’m going to open this edition of the class news with a letter from Col Jack HUDSON. He sent along pictures in the article for this month. In the picture with Jack is his first semester roommate, Col John MANN. John is attending Air War College as we have reported previously and Jack is at the Pentagon as exec to the Vice Chief. In the photo each is with one of their three children apiece. Jack also reported on a few other classmates at the Pentagon. These include Frank KLOTZ (Operations Group), Nortie SACWARTZ (Deputy of XOF), Chuck BRAMMIER (in OSD OT&E/guess I’ve been out too long, I’ve got no idea what any of that stands for) and Gordie BENDICK, who’s in legislative liaison.

I had several change-of-address cards to work with and was pleasantly surprised to find out that Sunday evening seems to be a pretty good time to get people at home. I had a lengthy and pleasant conversation with Allan CALOMINO. First of all, he had a little news for our classmate who thought he was having the last baby in the class. Allan and his wife are expecting in early July and, coincidentally, my wife and I are also expecting another one in late July. The poor kid hasn’t been born yet but nearly everyone in Shelby’s already seen a picture of his equipment! Allan and his wife live in Fullerton, CA and he has recently finished law school. Allan gives me a lot of names and locations which I’ll try to pass on correctly. These are guys from 10th Squadron. Carl BAILLIE is reported to be filling an airline job in Hawaii. Charlie FELTON is working in the nuclear energy field in Liverpool, NY. Tim COOPER is specializing in infectious diseases at Wright-Patterson AFB; news I believe I have reported after the reunion. Kent MAGNUSSEN is in Aerospace Physiology at Kirtland AFB. Jeff KOHLER is at Randolph AFB and Rick RYDER is a

musician with his own band! Thomas BUTLER is retired from the AF and is currently flying with Atlas Airlines and lives in Woodbridge, VA.

Ivan J. KARNEZIS is a civil engineer, designing bridges, and lives in Sacramento, CA. Finally, Allan reports that the guy who knows the whereabouts of everybody in 10th Sq. is Mike WENGER who is on the faculty in the management department at USAFA. Thanks Allan, for all the good information!

John L. CHRISTENSEN is currently the deputy and is scheduled to become the acting ops group commander of the 99th Wing at Ellsworth. He is flying B-ls and lives up there with his wife, Norma, and two children; David (16) and Julie (14). Michael J. HUBERT is the commander of a Defense Plant Representatives Office in Rowlett, TX. He and his “18-year-old wife” Julie, who he married the day after we all graduated, also have a 16-year-old son. Mike also reports that John COTTON and Bill GOETZ are both civil engineers in Denver. (I wonder if they’re also working on that new airport?) Spencer WAY may be located at Fort Meade in an intelligence job. Stan OSBORNE is still in the AF in Lubbock, TX, and Ron IVERSON is reportedly in Cleveland, OH, doing who knows what.

Thomas H. LARNED lives with his wife, Sandy, and their two children Drew (9) and Christy (7) on their own, self-described, “Golden Pond” in the rural Maine town of Kennebunk. He flies for Continental. They’ve been up there for about a year and actually prefer the “cooler” weather after spending the previous seven or eight years in our neck of the woods in Charleston, SC.

William F. (Bill) RITTER and his wife, Margaret, are at WrightPatterson where he plans to retire at the end of June and possibly pursue some advanced teaching credentials before embarking on a new career. He reports that Gregg KRAFT is deputy director of the F-15 SPO, Dave BARCUS works somewhere in area B and the “Fly Wright” is still there for some good times while the Rathskellar in the “O” Club has been replaced. David RICKER has been out of the AF for several years and has a management position with UPS in Roswell, GA where he lives with his wife, Sue, and three children.

The final classmate I talked to was David P. SHANAHAN. He is commander of a contract management detachment with Link. They are responsible for aircrew training on the KC-10 which he still gets to fly. He has two boys ages 19 and 17. Dave also reports that Dave STONEHOUSE is currently flying for American. I have one other change of address: Robert A. MUNSON has moved from an APO to an FPO address. That’s all I’ve got for this issue. I hope everything is accurate. Please call or write if you have any news, either personal or about a classmate that you’d like to see in this space. Your calls or letters make my job a lot easier!

Joe Brezovic

P.O. Box 154

Raymondville, NY 13678

Home: (315) 384-4623

Office: (315) 268-6662

Percent members: 48 ir

Greetings to all! Hope all is well with everyone. It has been a busy quarter, and I’m sure many of you have a to-do list that is still quite long. A number of us are changing a full-time blue suit to a different type. That in itself is stressful. And with no infamous “lights on the ceiling” for the minute callers to announce uniform of the day! The count of incoming mail is seven cards, two letters, some e-mail, and a few personal visits. Profuse thanks!

Thomas K. GREEN e-mails that he’s enroute from Montgomery to Key West as a retiree. He completed an Hq Allied Air Forces Southern Europe (AIRSOUTH) tour at Naples, prior to Montgomery. While at Naples, he met Rick BOYD who had just completed NATO Defense College at Rome (country, not a city in the states!). Greg STEINHILPERT is active on the e-mail net. April was a bad month for him: truck stolen and wife’s car stripped in the driveway and both while Greg was doing Reserve duty at the Pentagon. He’s hung up the G-suit, his final flight was with F-16s. See next to last paragraph herein for his e-mail info. Greg has met a few of us in his travels: Jim BEAM is flying for U.S. Air (PIT); Mike GIESE, U.S. Air, out of BOS. Robin SCOTT was at Mtn Home flying “Mudhens” and Mike FUEYO is flying for Delta out of ATL, although

CLASS OF 1974 20-YEAR REUNION

he lives in Sarasota, FL. John PALANICA flies for Northwest out of Minneapolis. Dennis STOCKERT is in NASA in Cleveland and retiring this summer. Rob LOWERY is an ambulance chaser and county (part time) judge in Colorado Springs. (This may come in handy during one of our visits!)

From Air War College, posing in several types ofuniformsfor ’74 Today, are from left, Mark Gehri, Charlie Bryant, Steve Malutich, Steve Bozarth, and Jim Skalko.

Charlie BRYANT sent a photo from the Air War College class. The photo reflects what they’re doing for the final big exercise (he says). Charlie (Barb, sons Andy and Mike) is going back to Malmstrom to be deputy ops group CC. He’s invited any one to visit them while passing thru enroute to Yellowstone and Glacier Parks. I bet he’s thinking summertime visits at least the odds will go up for a visitor! Mark GEHRI (Vicky, son Chris) will be flying ’141s out of Travis, CA as a deputy ops group CC. Steve MALUTICH (Sandy plus four) will be staying at Maxwell, chief of professional education branch. For all those in the area or goin’-to-be’s, call him at commercial 205-953-5377! Steve BOZARTH (Gretchen, son Mark) had deactivated two MacDill squadrons before AWC! They’re probably already in D.C. where Boz is in the joint ops division. Charlie adds that one of the squadrons deactivated at MacDill was reactivated at Luke by Mike ROZNOVSKY (’75). Jim SKALKO (Debbie, son Ryan) will also be staying at Maxwell where Jim is CC of an SOS squadron. If memory serves, Jim used to be an AOC. Won’t it be interesting to work with some of the same people! “Oh, Great” will resound in many differing tones and accents! Another note on Jim: Jim served as the coach of a soccer team that beat all the other senior service school’s soccer teams at Jim Thorpe Days at Carlisle Barracks, PA. It gives me a thrill to hear about “wins”.

Eli COLOTTA (Doris) retired. He’s at Fayetteville State U for accounting and business. Does anyone wonder how he ever managed his budget before this? Also, I question if there is a connection between his competition shooting and bookkeeping. Doris is back at Ft Bragg elementary school and enjoying it. I should hasten to add that she’s teaching.

Gary KIRSTEATTER (Maureen) still has the ’73 Camaro, with only 130,000 miles. Gary writes from Burke, VA, but Florida gives him a discount because licensing folks consider the car an antique. The car still gets him around the D.C. beltway well enough! Gary is at ICAF where he adds that he’s seen Jim BALL and Dave “Sparky” OLSEN also at ICAF.

Joe TRAFICANTI is a travelling troubadour touting the truth (literary license). You may have seen him operate as a lawyer in Chicago, Los Angeles, or at home in Richmond, VA. Family still recognizes him.

JJ ROMANO sent out another Dirty Dozen newsletter, from which I glean the following: Kevin COURT is in Dallas, TX, working with Microsoft where he’s been since ’91. Denny LYONS (Pam plus three) is in Martinsville, VA, doing well and having fun. Denny is VP of Human Resources at American (airlines?).

My apologies to Craig ANDERSON (Rite plus three). He wasn’t yet retired when I wrote the Winter ’93-’94 version. He did it only this summer and will move back to their first home which has been on the rent-out program. They haven’t had a new child, I just wrote bad data. So very sorry. Those in the know will ding me for other stuff but lemme know something, OK?

Post card updates include: Steve RITZ in Fayetteville, NY. Ran POWERS seems to have left active duty at Valdosta, GA for Clarksville, TN. Bruce SMITH left Hawaii for Byron, GA. Maybe Bruce should’ve asked why Ran left Georgia before he moved there? Deane HARIMOTO has the shortest bag-drag this issue: from Rochester Hills, MI to Rochester Hills, MI. Experts tell us that one can’t fool bill collectors for long that-a-way. James L. BRICKELL left South Carolina for Jacksonville, FL. Ron FLY came back from FPO AE to Tampa, FL.

As for overseas: James C. WILLIAMS left APO AE for APO AP. (C’mon guys, I guess my old copy of zip codes needs updating! As a reservist, I don’t get to know what’s classified anymore so I guess these addresses come under the “need to know”. If any of you can accept Christmas cards at your APO/FPO/AE,AP or AA, can you drop a hint as to where you are? It helps those who put push-pins where ya’ll are so we can send cards or stop in.)

I found Joe DORRIS at the Academy. Well, I should write I found his e-mail address. The ed tech I asked to help me find it wrote that she saw Joe on his way to Arnie’s. And then wrote back within an hour that there was an invite for all to attend Joe’s retirement. Now I have a bogus address. Ah well. Since the Academy can be reached by e-mail, I recommend finding grad friends stationed there. I also recommend those liaison officers in the field to find their cadet and e-mail them! I’m doing that with my cadets. Interesting news and lots of deja vus!

I visited with Steve STERNE and Mark RADER for a great breakfast visit one day this April. Mark said that he had sworn his brother into the AF and now his brother will (did) swear him out at his retirement on May 6. Steve is still doing well in the Pentagon area. A waitress did take a picture of us around the table. But that picture and one of Lincoln in his Memorial didn’t come out. My daughter asked, “Dad, what does this button do & Oops!” as the film rolled out! Well, isn’t curiousity great, we can learn so much! That same weekend brought Dave RUSK and Mike HATHAWAY wisking thru town, searching for civilian jobs.

NASA news: Mark LEE is to do a spacewalk on STS-64 from Discovery around September. Don MCMONAGLE is to be the commander of STS-66, Atlantis, due to fly in October. Ron SEGA successfully returned from a February mission aboard STS-60, Discovery, with his experiment, and another I had worked on.

E-mail updates: Greg STEINHILPERT is starting a bulletin board system called WinCrew BBS. Greg hopes it to be a forum for grads. For particulars for hook-up call him at voice #305-238-1233 and e-mail 70774.272@CompuServe.COM. I’m still trying to develop an e-mail directory for ’74 and other interested grads. Use Greg or Bill CASEMENT at PCO#u#CASEMENT@CIDSS.AF.MIL. The possibilities are endless with a comm network so readily available! Other CompuServe addresses: JJ ROMANO: 71564,1426. Kevin COURT: 73163,2575. Mike CRANFORD: 76627,1027. Frank BREWER: 71663,502. Tracy

CHEATHAM: 70224,1771.

Frank still has the motorcycle after 22 years. Cranny has the oldest stereo, a 1971 Marents and a ’72 reel-to-reel Teac.

If this beats the Homecoming see you there! If this is later, I bet we had a grand time! May you live long and prosper.

Make your tax-deductible donation now to The Air Force Academy Fund. Your Support Helps Develop Leaders With Vision For Tomorrow.

Jeff Hackett

1825 E. Jeanine Drive

Tempe, AZ 85284

Home: (602) 831-9439

Office: (602) 891-2734

Percent members: 40

DATELINE: HILL AFB. It’s the annual road-show version of the class article and I’ll have to tell you the porter darn near threw out his back carrying the bag that held all the material I have for this article! Not only was there ample input, y’all also managed to exercise every medium of communication available with the possible exception of telepathy... or maybe one of you did try it and that wasn ’t a case of indigestion I had the other day!

IN YOUR FACE! Fortuitous timing brought me to Salt Lake City just in time to have a face-to-face talk with Air War College graduate Dave WALLACE. Dave was “passing through” to visit his family and home on his way to Izmir, Turkey where he’ll be working at 6ATAF. Belle will be taking a hiatus from teaching at Weber State so that she and the boys can join Dave for his two-year assignment beginning in July.

’75ers at Air War College.

Dave had many good stories and lots of info on his AWC classmates; to save space (and relieve a little anxiety), I’ll only pass along the news and let you see the “FOR THE RECORD” picture. As you read the text you’ll have to imagine you can connect names with faces since, by the time you get to AWC, you obviously no longer have to stand in straight lines! Working roughly from left then: Jim CORRIGAN, going to Joint Staff (J8); Mr ViperGooch himself (Dave), Bob LYNN, also to Joint Staff (J3); Dave EHRHART, EUCOM deputy Legal “dude” (Dave’s words) at Stuttgart, Germany; Phil MARTIN, USCINCPAC Staff at Camp HM Smith in Hawaii; John CHARLTON, Guard advisor for the A-10 unit at Battle Creek, MI; Andy DICHTER, also to Air Staff (XOOC); Kurt BOCK, OG/CD at Andrews AFB; Bill DALSON and just in front and next to him, Steve FARNHAM, to Joint and Air Staff (J5 and XORC, respectively); Steve DURESKY, T-38 squadron commander at Randolph; Clay MCFARLAND, HQ Allied Forces Northwest, Stavangar, Norway; and Gary CRAIG, NORAD Staff. Not pictured: Carl VANPELY, also to Joint Staff (J36); and Ted HILBUN, 2nd Group AOC at USAFA. Just before Dave left L.A. (Lower Alabama) he went bug-smash flying with Bill DAVIS who was up from Tyndall AFB where he had been requaling in the F-15 enroute to being deputy operations group commander at Langley AFB.

Since I last wrote, Debby and I also had the chance to have Mark FANTASIA over for dinner. Mark, the sage instructor, was in Phoenix riding herd on a Defense Systems Management College class that was visiting my employer, McDonnell Douglas Helicopters. Mark’s been teaching at DSMC for a couple of years; likes the work and he/family enjoy the area. (If that all sounds a bit ambiguous it’s because I can’t locate the notes I made the night Mark was over and am running on (im)pure memory!)

NEXT BEST THING TO BEING THERE. Four telephone calls came in. Let me be the first to acknowledge that Chuck HOLLAND is not a shameless human being; he took the hint from the last article and called me the very day he got the magazine! He filled in some details by letting us know that he’s a branch chief in STRATCOM (has two Zoomies and two Canoe-U boys in his office), he and Roxanne bought a house, and daughter (Leah) has just finished seventh grade. Chuck ran into fellow CS-14 grad Frank DUBUISSON at the local shopping center the other

day and discovered that they’ve been living fairly close to one another for the past year. Frank’s flying for FedEx. Chuck also ran into Duane JONES in June when Duane was on a visit to Offutt from Joint Staff (Staffing). He apparently likes the work and says that the very best part is that he does not work within the confines of the Pentagon.

One of my other calls was from Kent TRAYLOR. Although I’ve kept y’all pretty much up to date on Kent, Carol, and Megan, I did want to pass along that Kent’s squadron (71FIS at Langley AFB) won the Hughes Trophy for the outstanding Fighter Squadron worldwide in 1993. Guess there was a big write-up in the 16 May Air Force Times. Kent’s reward?... the “opportunity” to take his squadron on an overseas deployment for 120 days!

Did I really say Tom BYERS in the last article? My apologies! Don must have had a sixth sense as he called to chat with me before the magazine hit the street. Most everything else I’ve said is correct,. Don’s living in Fresno, flying Metroliners for the California ANG and 737s for U.S. Air. Don has three girls (freshman, 6th and 2nd grade). Don passes along the rumor that Duane LODRIGE has remarried (either way, this should be good for a letter from Mrs. Lodrige!).

Jim BURLING gave me a wonderful break from the grind at work with a call in late March. He, Micci, and the three kids were down for a Rockies spring training game. They had to hurry and get their baseball-fix in as they have by now arrived at RAF Feltwell where Jim will be commander of a space surveillance unit. Jim was his typical font of knowledge: brother-in-law (married Jim’s sister Becky), John GAUGHN, has been a KC-135 squadron commander at Mountain Home AFB, but was getting ready to go to Naval War College (Newport, RI) this summer. When he gets there he might run into one of the token (USAF) blue-suit instructors, Kevin DONOVAN. Bruce and Nancy FRITZSCHE and their three children are in the Springs where Bruce is the Head-Guy-Whats-inCharge of USAFA athletic facilities. Mark HOWES is working for Honeywell (in Minneapolis?). And another guy to add to the Northwest Airlines list Jack STORER. Jack, who’s married to another NWA pilot (Theresa), and their three children live in Wisconsin.

SPRINGTIME SCRIBE SNIVELING BRINGS SUMMERTIME LETTERS. If not for the previous photo, I was prepared to submit the couple that Terry YOUNG had just passed along from ACSC circa 1990! Seems Terry had inadvertently packed them away before moving from Montgomery to Grand Forks AFB now, as he prepared to move to Scott AFB, he found them! Terry’s going to Scott to be commander of the 375 Services Squadron. Peg and the two kids will join him after summer activities in North Dakota are complete. Terry catches us up on Todd ZEJDLIK who is flying for NWA out of Minneapolis, but more importantly, is the father of a one-year-old daughter, Anjoli. Terry heard a second-or-third-hand story about Jack SHINE in a Sushi Bar in Japan and asks that anyone who knows of Jack’s location or exploits, call Terry at Scott AFB.

Got a belated invitation to the 492 FS (F-15E) change-of-command ceremony in March where Buck ROGERS took the reigns. He had a good excuse for being a little late right after he took over, he took the squadron on a deployment to patrol the skies in Southeast Europe. Said he kept things calm at night and that Tom POPP’s A-10 squadron held the line during the day. Buck said he couldn’t wait for Mark BEESLEY to get to RAF Lakenheath and get checked out in the F-15E so that he could start to learn to “be the bomb”. Buck also noted that Bob TURNER recently gave up his F-15C squadron when Bitburg AB closed down and is patiently waiting for assignment as 31st Operations Group Deputy Commander (at ?).

Told you in the last article that Dean COX was in the middle of the Indian Ocean; no more! Dean wrote to say he was on his way to the Pentagon for a year of training and then it’s off to Copenhagen where he’ll be the air attache to Denmark. Dean’s been on an island for too long... all he had to say about this assignment is what a bummer it is that he’ll have to miss our 20-year reunion!

OH YEA?! WELL THEN, &%$#@ YOU! I CANCEL! That’s pretty much a quote from my “discussion” with the customer service folks at PRODIGY the night I discovered their new, “improved” software update made it impossible for me to retrieve E-Mail off my old Macintosh. A few days before this unfortunate turn of events I was able to grab a note from Steve VARGO’s wife, Ann. Seems I caught Ann’s eye in a previous article when I cast (only the very slightest) aspersion on some Airbus pilot. Well,

DON’T MISS A MAGAZINE.

SEND US YOUR NEW ADDRESS NOW.

GET A FRIEND TO JOIN THE AOG!

it turns out that wasn’t our only classmate wandering the skies with a hand firmly on the joystick! Steve flies the “Bus” for NWA out of Detroit also and Ann is a supervisory air traffic controller there. (“Steve gets sent around at least once a month whether he needs it or not!”) Steve occasionally returns to real flying with the Reserve C-5 unit at Kelly AFB. Other than that the “Vargo Flying Squadron” just tends to life with daughter Shawn, three dogs, two cats, frog, fish, hamster, etc.

As I just noted, I no longer have a PRODIGY address (and my daughter knows a few more words) but I’m still on INTERNET! Please make a note of the slightly different address routing [hackett^o mickey@sol.mdhc.mdc.com]. I know it still works as I got another E-Mail from Ric LEWALLEN at Kadena AB. Ric said he’s looking forward to getting back to the states in the summer of ’95, in time for the 20-year reunion. Not a whole lot is new over there except for the fact that Chris and Penny BUDINSKY have by now had their sixth (!) child... I thought those AWACS guys went TDY a lot?!

AND THE “WINNER” IS... By the time you read this some “lucky” devil who lives in the Colorado Springs area will have “volunteered” to head up our reunion effort. That individual and (knowing how we middle-managers like to delegate things to those around us with greater skills) his spouse would probably really like to hear from other Colorado residents who could help out somehow. Volunteers should call the AOG.

IMAGINE THAT! With this line I am officially one-paragraph over the editor’s limit... I’m out of inputs (thanks for all you sent and keep ’em coming)... I’m out of ideas... And it’s later than I thought!

Terry Newton

19855 Hidden Springs Glen «J a Wm Monument, CO 80132

Work: (719) 472-4470

Home: (719) 481-9846 'WmM

DSN: 259-4470

Percent members: 39

^fggSp

I was warned that there would be quarters like this, no news or letters, but a deadline for having the newsletter done. This will be rather short due to the lack of information I have received. Please send me information for the next letter so that I can fill my allotted space.

John ANDREW (Sandi) was here for graduation and we had a meal together. He works for Secretary Widnall and is her expert concerning Academy matters. Therefore, he travels with her when she comes to the Academy. Seems that John is busy staffing different problems that come up on a daily basis and his TDY schedule is rather full. He is certainly getting spoiled with the treatment he enjoys while traveling with the Secretary of the Air Force. Just wait until he gets a regular job like the rest of us. He will be forced to make airline reservations and actually wait for aircraft instead of having them wait for him (actually waiting for her). Sandi is enjoying the golf courses around Washington when she can get away from her job as a nurse practitioner.

Bill MORRIS (Janie) was at the Academy to show off the Air Force’s newest addition to the inventory. He is the squadron commander of the 1st Flying Training Squadron at Hondo and therefore is the first commander of a squadron of T-3s. The T-3 is called the Firefly and is made by Slingsby. Bill brought the airplane up to the Academy to give General Hosmer his fini-flight in the T-3 and introduce the 557th to their future aircraft. The Academy is supposed to get the T-3 this fall and start training cadets in the aircraft in January 1995. Bill says the airplane is great to fly, but they are having some maintenance problems.

Several of us at the Academy decided we needed to do Air War College, but we did not want to do it by seminar. So, we formed our own seminarby-correspondence. Rich KING (Mary), Ben DILLA (Sharon), Jim KOGLER (Becky), John AUSINK, Tom BOWIE (Beth), Tom MAZUROWSKI, and Terry NEWTON (Karen) formed a group and gathered on occasion to discuss the stuff (and I use that term intentionally) we were reading about. My initial reaction to doing AWC was that it would be extremely boring. However, we did get something out of it. Rich’s experience with Desert Storm was very helpful and enlightening while we were studying the campaign planning part of the course. The best part of the course, however, was being done. Therefore, we got together to celebrate graduation at the Bowie’s. Maz had already PCSed to Argentina as a military liaison so he did not attend. Rich KING was too busy rubbing elbows with the commandant to attend our party, but the rest of us had a great time. Thanks Beth and Tom for a great time. I have included a photo of the event. I would have had the spouses in the picture, but a few of them were reluctant to stand in front of the camera.

The day before deadline I received a letter from Suzann Darnall, spouse of Pete DARNALL. She included a wealth of information about the family and a few classmates. She explained that Pete has “letteritus in-

abilitus” and is unable to write letters, but he can leap tall buildings with a single bound. The Darnalls are living in Leesburg, VA and Pete is team chief of the On-Site Inspection Agency working out of Dulles Airport. Sounds like he spends lots of time TDY to places unknown while Suzann, Charly (14), and Amanda (13) tend to the homefront and their zoo of four Japanese cats.

Suzann included information about Jim MARG (Sandy). He is stationed at Fairchild AFB, although he seems to spend most of his time TDY to locations unknown. I really appreciate such a well written and informative letter. If any of you spouses out there in Air Force land read this column and your husband also has the writing disease, I would be glad to correspond with you. Thank you Suzann for the great letter and the good words.

I have received the following change-of-address cards. Rick HOLDRIDGE (Sue) has changed addresses in San Pedro, CA. I have no idea what he is doing there. Joe SMITH (Harriet) has left Fairchild AFB for Maxwell AFB. Dan FOSTER (Karen) moved from Sacramento, CA and ended up in Monument., CO... hey, that is right down the street from me. It is amazing the things I learn when I read the mail. Mike SACKLEY

(Valerie) left Las Vegas and landed in Butler, PA. Mark ROBAIDEK moved from Madison, WI to Seattle, WA.

Believe it or .not, that is all the information that I have. If you are passing through the area or if you have the time, please give me a call and pass on any information you have about any of our classmates. I am always glad to take a few notes and spread the word about the many accomplishments of the Class of ’76!

John J. “Lou” Michels, Jr.

9513 Pine Shadow Drive Richmond, VA 23233

Home: (804) 527-1873

Work: (804) 775-1137

Percent members: 42

\*m

Greetings from Richmond, the starting point for Oliver North’s “rise from the political grave” victory tour. I hope the rest of you will be doing more constructive things with your summer than motoring around your state in a bus caravan.

Politics makes strange bedfellows, etc. All of which is a clever segue to talk about the only elected official in our class that I know of, Daryl JONES (Myoushi). Daryl has been getting very favorable press for his efforts as a state senator representing the Homestead area and the air base itself. Daryl’s testimony before the Base Realignment and Closure Commission was instrumental in keeping Homestead open as an Air Force Reserve Base, and not coincidentally, keeping the F-16s there as a Reserve unit. Did I mention Daryl flies the F-16 in his reserve capacity? According to accounts, the 12 Homestead representatives scheduled to speak with the BRACC ended up giving Daryl one-half of their hour of allotted time to make the case for leaving Homestead open. Daryl’s assessment of the military’s need for a fighter wing to counter-balance a potential threat from Mig 23s and 21s in Cuba carried a lot of weight with the commission. Daryl also picked up a nice side bar in the Miami Herald in March. The Herald reported that Daryl spent a Saturday night at the White House as a guest of the Clintons and, after attending church with them, flew back to Miami on Air Force One with the President. I called Daryl to confirm this story and he said that he had a good time in D.C. Right, like he is going to say that Socks clawed his leg and spit a furball on his shoe. Great work Daryl, we’ll be looking for more good reports down the road.

The Big Story II: Last year at about this time, I was reporting on the exploits of Charlie PRECOURT (Lynne), the first ’77er in space. Our second astronaut, Tom JONES (Liz) blasted off successfully in Endeavor in April to run the Space Radar Laboratory. Although Charlie was the first one in space, Tom has got him beat hands down for media visibility prior to launch. I read about and heard Tom everywhere, on CNN, the major networks, in Aviation Week, and in the local paper. This is not too surprising, since Tom was working the most important equipment on the mission, the Space Imaging Radar. Tom also retains his wonderful ability to translate very complicated subjects into plain English so that political science majors like me can understand how the thing is supposed to work. Tom’s interviews were models of clarity and I see he has gotten over that annoying habit of knocking his ring against the side ot the table when he makes a point. Just kidding, Tom. By the way, look for Tom in the role of payload commander on the “Son of Space Radar Laboratory” shuttle flight slated now for December. Tom has promised me some photos from his last mission and I hope to get them into the fall edition. Great job Tom and we look forward to seeing you in orbit again.

News of/from notes: Bruce BURDA (Stacy) wrote me a great letter from Little Rock where he is leaving his squadron commander’s job to head out to the Air War College this fall. As part of the transition from dynamic squadron to faceless AU student (just kidding, Bruce, I seem to recall noses and eyebrows on at least some of the students there), Bruce was made the deputy commander for Special Projects in his Operations Group. He and Stacy are planning a long vacation in June prior to showing up at Maxwell.

Bruce’s letter was full of news and I will try to recount it all here. Dennis BELLAMY (Lorraine) is at Mountain Home flying F-15s as an ops officer in one of the squadrons. As we reported several issues ago, A1 BECKER (Rita) is in Space Command as a duty controller at Cheyenne Mountain in the Springs. Bruce comments that he thinks A1 is putting roots down in that area and probably won’t move again. Bob SOUCY (Beth) is still in the Air Force Element teaching at the Army’s Command and General Staff College, while Beth finishes her degree in pharmacology. Bob MASSEY (Andrea) has left Air Staff for 12th Air Force at Davis-Monthan. Jeff LEEPER (Lori) is the wing weapons officer at Langley and looking for a squadron sometime soon. Bruce notes that Jeff loves flying and “hanging around all the younger folks.” I and the rest of my readership resemble that remark, Bruce. Daran GOOLSBY is an ops officer in the 61st Airlift Squadron at Little Rock. Finally, Bruce notes that Bob DEHNERT (Joy) is cranking out the hours at the ALC at Tinker Air Force Base. Bruce believes Bob will be leaving in ’95 for bigger and better things since he is doing so well at Tinker. Tom DEBOALT (Debbie) is flying for Federal Express out of Memphis. Bruce and Stacy hope to see them on a visit to Memphis this summer. Thanks for the update Bruce, I hope you, Stacy and your boys and girls have a great vacation before setting into those exhausting days at War College.

Armando COSTALES (Wendy) dropped me a line to say that Jeff PERKINS (Leslie) has retired from the Air Force and will be creating mission planning software for a contractor at Eglin Air Force Base. Armando said it sounds like a great opportunity and, at the very least, “Jeff gets to scrunch his toes in the sand at the end of every day.” Sounds pretty inviting, especially for those of us who scrunch our toes into an entirely different sort of material at the end of our days.

Close Out: Once again, not exactly a deluge of mail into the old mail box this time around. I know that it is a busy time of year with everybody moving or thinking about moving, but drop me a quick note when you get a chance so I can keep the rest of the class up to date. Best wishes for a sunburn-free summer. Be seeing you.

Greg “Kais” Kaiser

7420B Salem Drive

Columbus AFB, MS 39701

Home: (601) 434-0078 is great! lpsp|-‘

Work: DSN 742-2754

Percent members: 41 w

Bob “K-Bob” KAY, you are one, sly dog! You see folks, K-Bob and I go back aways. He’s a city boy and knew little about survival until he joined up with the likes of me during SERE ’75 (bring back any memories!). Remember that cute little rabbit we got for part of our “rations?” Well, left to K-Bob, he’d probably still have the darned thing and a million others if he could’ve figured out whether it was a “boy or girl.” However, myself and the rest of the travel team had other ideas for our furry little friend. Much to K-Bob’s dismay, the rabbit met a very quick and painless demise so “we” could eat that night, and I don’t think he’s ever forgiven me for that traumatic event in his life. And, as they say, “Payback’s hell.”

K-Bob and I have crossed paths several times since graduating: fighter lead-in, George AFB, Clark AB, the Academy, and now here. However, I’m convinced he conspired to “hand” this class scribe job to me, and here’s why. K-Bob’s never ben very friendly to me since the rabbit incident... always kind of cool, professional, and matter-of-fact. However, one night in the Columbus O’club, I was approached by “your friend and mine” with a big smile on his face. We exchanged the usual pleasantries and “Hi, how ya doin’s,” and I must admit I was feeling no pain. (I believe in bolstering my Anheuser-Busch stock!) Anyway, good ole’ K-Bob out of the blue, in front of a bunch of people, and right next to my supervisor says, “Hey Kais, how would you like to be our class scribe?” Have you ever heard a pilot three sheets to the wind say no or turn down a challenge? My first thought was “what’s a scribe?”, but not wanting to appear any dumber than I really am, I said, “Sure, I’ll scribe with the best of ’em.”

Now, most of you are thinking that’s the end of the story (or hoping it was), but there’s still a little more. Alcohol seems to kill the cognitive brain cells one uses for decision making and memory storage, because after the dreaded hangover the next morning, I had no recollection of my bar conversation with K-Bob the previous night. That is... until a couple of weeks ago when I got my Spring ’94 issue of Checkpoints! Came home after a couple of T-38 sorties, kissed the wife (Kim, by the way), petted the dog (or is it the other way around?), picked Checkpoints out of the pile of mail, and leafed through to see what’s happening with our class. True to form, K-Bob writes, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, (pictures of classmate(s), BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, (another picture), and on, and on, until... his closing paragraph (Thank God!). Hey, using my superior skills achieved through “Evelyn Woods”, I quickly detected my last name in upper case print and decided to read the paragraph a little closer. It read, “and I’m happy to report that Greg KAISER has volunteered to take over the article for a while”. Having just read that sentence, I heard my front doorbell ring. Who was it? You guessed it! And he had an even bigger smile on his face, and a folder of “goodies” in his hands. Tag, I’m it! Thanks, K-Bob. Just hope I’m half as good as you and Sig Nelson were. So, here goes...

Glenn SPEARS, thanks, you’re my first!... that is contributor to the “Kaiser Sink, Swim, or Tread Water as Long as You Can” Literary Guild. Glenn reports Lyle KOENIG, Pat QUIGLEY, Bob MCMAHON, and himself just finished “10 grueling months in Montgomery at Air War College.” C’mon Glenn, I just left there last year and the only grueling thing I saw guys do was play golf every Wednesday afternoon. Just kidding, although I managed to knock a few strokes off my handicap during my year at the Air Education “Mecca.” Let’s see, Lyle’s going out to PACAF to join the 31st Special Ops Squadron. Pat’s a pinned-on full bird going to Sheppard to be the 82nd Training Group commander. Bob’s going back to the “five-sided puzzle palace” (AF/LGM), and Glenn’s off to Stuttgart, Germany to HQ EUCOM J3 staff.

In the picture, from left we have: Darrell HERRIGES (Cadre at Maxwell), Rita Daniels (seated), Glenn SPEARS, an “unknown soldier” and Glenn’s wife, Kim. Behind him, Kurt DANIELS (ACSC Instructor), Bob MCMAHON, Pat QUIGLEY, wife Rita, Lucille KOENIG, Lyle and a big boy. Not pictured, but observed in the Montgomery area: Gordy STRONG (ACSC Instructor), Dave ESTEP (SAAS?), and a lot of others not letting it be known.

heroes are: of course Rick (piloted “Columbia” STS-58 last fall, the Spacelab Life Sciences II mission); Curt BROWN (thefirst of our class to fly in space, piloted “Endeavor” STS-47 fall of ’92); Jim HALSELL (will pilot STS-65 this summer); and Kevin KREGEL is in training for his first mission assignment. Hats off to you guys and the hard work you do. Who’s going to be number five so we can break the record? We don’t want to be known for “kissing our sister (service that is).”

STS-58 in orbit: Rick, can chimpanzees really do your job?

Finally from the mailbag is a note and a couple of pictures from Lt Col Cele EIFERT. Her husband, Ron (our classmate), is flying MD-80s for Delta and is now home-based out of Atlanta while Cele is “slashing her way through Air War College” (golf implied) or slaving her way through who knows what kind of job at Maxwell. Hopefully, she’ll write again and let us know which it is. Ron, I know why you’ve got the big smile on your face. Delta’s paying you big bucks, you’re still somewhat connected to the Air Force, and Cele does your writing for you. What a deal! Cele also passes along that Mike VALDIVIA is living in Orlando in case any of you have any outstanding debts to collect. Thank you, Cele!

The Eiferts: Carl, Ron (big smile), Cele and Robert.

CHANGE OF ADDRESS: I have about a bazillion change-of-address cards and not enough room in this article to put them all so this is what I propose. If you’ve lost track of somebody and are trying to find out where they’ve gone, give me a call, and I’ll help you locate one of our lost “comrades.” Additionally, the ’94 AOG Register ofGraduates should be in the mail NLT the November time frame.

Well, that about does it for my first article as K-Bob’s successor. Please don’t hesitate to call or write or stop by (Columbus is a “nice” place...to visit!). Take care of yourselves, your families, and your fellow man, except in K-Bob’s case... I’m not sure we “sacrificed” the right animal during the summer of ’75. See Ya!

Bob Edmonds

1906 Cherry Street

Panama City, FL 32401-4022

flj \

Home: (904) 784-1426 m

Work: (904) 238-2658

DSN: 532-2658

Percent members: 39

News from L.A. (Lower Alabama, that is!). As Bob MCGREAL mentioned in the spring issue, I’m down in Panama City, FL at Tyndall AFB.

If I ever write more than two articles from the same location, I’ll probably have to be replaced as the class scribe! I got a short-notice move last November and the family joined me in February. We’re enjoying life near the beach and seeing many friends cycle through Tyndall for F-15 requalification training. Ann is due with our second child in early June (technology says it’s a girl) to go along with our son Gregory who will be six years old on July 16th. It’s great to be flying F-15s again, particularly as a Lt Col in the new AF, and better yet to have the opportunity to be a squadron commander. ’79 followed in the leadership footsteps of ’78 again as I took over the 95th Fighter Squadron from Steve GOLDFIEN.

Bill GREGORY (Mary Beth) was able to fly in for my change of command in his NASA T-38. Our shuttle pilot hero has finally been assigned to a mission. He will be the pilot for STS-67, Astro-2, slated to fly on the Endeavor on 12 Jan 95, launching in the wee hours. They are shooting for a 16-day mission, the longest to date. Bill says that the reason it took so long for this assignment was because “it takes longer to get a window seat.” He’s ready for this since he prepped the Columbia for flight for STS-62. He’ll try to take the class flag up in space General Richards will be so proud... Bill also reported that Mark FISH (Kathy) is back home in the Manhatten Beach area at L.A. Air Station doing his nonflying staff job away from the test-pilot world. Rumor has it that his parents are the lucky ones with his two kids close to the grandparents. Mark ADAMS (Cheryl) works with Bill at NASA Houston. Mark is part of the Vehicle Integration Test Team that oversees the preparation of the shuttle for each mission.

News from the real Alabama. Here is a picture from the hallowed halls of ACSC in Montgomery thanks to John PARDO (Bobbie). John is director of Special Projects on the faculty. The older faces belong to:

Front

Rich TREADWAY (Rebecca), Charles AYALA (Esperanza), Rich PETERS (Lori), Jim ROLLING (Sally), Jim LARSEN, and Elden “Kojack” KOCOUREK (Candace); Second Row: Tom GREEN (Annette), John PARDO, Glenn HANBEY (Shari), Joe FLAZONE (Theresa), Ken BARKER (Debi). and Jeff CHING (Judy); Top Row: Don JUREW1CZ, Joe DENT (Janet), Mark BRUGH, Chuck SMILEY (Denise), Tom STARK, faculty, (Anna), and Mike LEUTZE (Agnes); Not Pictured: Gary BURG, faculty, (Lexi), and Mike GIPSON (Cherie). John PARDO had promised a complete assignment update, but since I haven’t heard from him yet, here’s a few things that I dug up on my own: “Kojack” KOCOUREK is off to a joint assignment with NATO AWACS Geilenkirchen, Germany, but first must do the mandatory stop at Armed Forces Staff College for the “finishing school of jointness.” Chuck AYALA is taking over the 1827th Electronic Instrumentation Squadron (a communications squadron) at Kelly.

Retirement Hotline. It is VERY HARD TO BELIEVE! We have classmates who retire this summer. The guys retiring were always the “old guys,” but so were the SQ CC, Ops officers, etc. and now we are in those positions! To keep us feeling young, remember it’s 15-year retirement! Two of the guys I know are Joe GRISHAM (Gretchen)) and Kip SPURIO (Catherine). I’m sure that there are more, so keep your cards and letters coming!

News from the Mailman. Paul HOUGH (Sandy), a CS-22 alumni, wrote me a postcard with a career update. The good news is that he’s the commander of the 347th Comptroller Squadron at Moody; the bad news is that he’s not an AOG member and had to get the latest Checkpoints from a lieutenant in his squadron! Whatever happened to leadership by example? He’s been at Moody for about a year now having moved down from the Pentagon. While he was fighting the Washington, DC rat-race,

Paul was also busy getting his PhD in public policy from George Mason University! Quite impressive, Doctor! It seems he and his wife are Panama City natives and graduated from rival high schools!

Also in the mail bag was a USAF news release about Steve MERRIAM (Minnie). Steve is a C-130 aircraft commander with the 934th Airlift Group, a Reserve unit based out of Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport, and flies for Northwest Airlines. He has two daughters, Leilani and Kimberly, and lives in Eagan, MN. The news release announced Steve’s third AFAM for his participation in Operation Provide Promise, the U.N. humanitarian relief effort in Bosnia-Herzegovina. He airlifted food, clothing, equipment, and medical supplies during his stay in early ’94 and is due to rotate back to that area this summer.

The change-of-adress cards gave me some clues about moves. Jeff FRANKLIN (Gerry) moved from Great Falls, MT to Fairchild AFB and another northern tier SAC (sorry, now ACC) base. Charles BUCKLEY (Patricia) moved from one house to another in Lexington, KY. Not on active duty anymore, he’s making the big bucks and has moved up into a mansion. He has his CFP and peddles financial deals with Merrill Lynch.

Guy WILLIS (Judy) in his last few days at HQ ACC, sent me some great info, as usual, on the guys from the “last class.” He was selected to return to fly and will requal in the E-3 at Tinker before heading up to Elmendorf. They have a baby boy, Stephen, born on 30 Oct 93. Mike LEGGETT(Wendy) is now flying weasels at Nellis. Keith TROUBORST (Karen) was picked up on the return-to-fly and will also be going to weasels at Nellis soon. Glenn WEAVER (Debbie) is leaving Langley this summer to be an A-10 IP at Tucson. Bob TETTLEBACH (Sherin) moved from the exec job at ACC/SC to the Air Staff in SCXB and left Steve ALSTON holding up the fort in ACC/SC. As reported in the last issue, John BINGAMAN is back flying A-lOs at Shaw. Joe RENIS (Carol) is the AF Advisor for the F-15 unit at Otis and loving life in Cape Cod. Pete O’CONNELL (Peggy) is working C-130 issues at ACC/XPPC and should be moving within the year since he was picked up on the last RTFB. Wayne PEPIN (Barbara) is the exec to the XP at Langley and will leave in September for an A-10 requal at Davis-Monthan. “Boone” BODNER is going to Seymour-Johnson to fly the F-15E in the new FTU there after completing some initial requal at Luke this summer. David SMITH (LouAnn) is at Osan on the 7 AF staff in Plans. Scott ADAMS (Pamela) is working in ACC/XP in what he calls “Concepts R US.” He was also picked on the last RTFB. Bruce REMBER (Sarah) is working roles and missions on the Air Staff and has pinned on Lt Col. Finally, Phil KELLERHALS (Mary) is also at the Pentagon doing the Checkmate thing.

Pete BUNCE (Paulette) came through Tyndall with his squadron to shoot missiles through WSEP. He’s been at Mountain Home without his family since they are trying to sell their house in the Langley AFB area. Paulette broke her foot which slowed the pace of showing the house. They should be reunited in late June. Paul DIAMOND (Bonnie) is the local hero in Castle Rock since he opened the “fancy bar” which is actually an expresso bar, part of their coffee business. Pete is a silent partner in the business as is another ’79 celebrity who will remain “unnamed.” In May I was out at Nellis with my squadron flying against the F-16 Weapons School and Robin RAND, the operations officer. Robin’s new boss is Bill REW (Christy), the new commander there. I also saw Archie RIPPETTO while at Nellis. He’s flying F-15s at Elmendorf and his squadron had come south to also fly against the F-16s while their runway was being repaired. He just took over as an operations officer up there.

In the winter ’93-94 issue Mike DONATELLI took a stab at the ’79ers who work for Delta. Someone needs to update that list, I’ll bet there’s at least three times that number. The 1994 “Ten Most Wanted *79ers” are ASHBY, BIMMERMAN, BRIDGES, CERISE, ENGLEBRECHT, HARGROVE, KEESE, MCKINNEY, NEEDS, and VILOT. The last time I listed the Ten Most Wanted, I did not get a single response. Let’s try it this time...

That’s all the time we have for this episode folks. Until next time, fly smart. The next article will be written by Bud VAZQUEZ, 12668 Catawba Dr, Woodbridge, VA 22192; home phone, 703-680-7346 and office phone, DSN 227-9400 or 703-697-9400. He needs your info by midSeptember. Cheers!

Make your tax-deductible donation now to The Air Force Academy Fund. Your Support Helps Develop Leaders With Vision For Tomorrow.

Don Myers

110-B Tree Point Alley

Kodiak, AK 99615-6813

Home: (907) 487-2598

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Percent members: 46

REFLECTION: I’m writing this on the 50th anniversary of D-Day, a week after Memorial Day. Gang, most of us won’t be standing near the terrazzo this autumn to salute those who have fallen before us, so I would like to pause to pass on the contents of a letter just given to me by the AOG. It lists all our classmates who have made their last roll call.

2Lt

ANOTHER FIRST FOR THE BIG EIGHT OH: My friendly competition of a couple of issues ago prompted an unsolicited reply from Lisa (LAMBERT) (Dave) UNDERWOOD. She’s claiming to be the first grad to give birth to four (that’s 4) children in five minutes! The quadruplets (about 4.5 lbs. each) were born via C-section six weeks early at Keesler AFB after Lisa was hospitalized for three months. These four, added to the two they adopted in Turkey, makes a large family by any standards! Dave’s a comm officer (Eglin AFB?) and Lisa got out under the VSI program to become a D/W (dependent wife). She says being a homemaker is ‘‘fairly comparable to being an AF officer in many ways. The big difference is that I do lots of butt wiping instead of butt kissing. I find the former less distasteful.” Lisa related Steve and Sue (HENKE) LAUSHINE just had their third child. Sue also got out under VSI: Steve’s in AFSOC at Hurlburt. Plus, Nancy (NEWBERRY) (George) BETTIS is at Misawa AB, Japan. Thanks, Lisa.

Lisa (Lambert) Underwood with quadruplets George, Blaine, Troy and Gloria at five months old.

IN COMMAND. Got my hands on a page of a National Guard magazine via Peggy (DENNIS) CARNAHAN. Seems Sandra DARULA is squadron commander at MNANG’s 109th Aeromedical Evac Squadron. They won the Theodore C. Marrs Award as the outstanding medical unit in the Total Air Force.

FROM THE PRESIDENT (of the class, that is). Matt NEUENSWANDER called from lovely MON-gum-ry, AL. He got back from Korea in January and they sent him to staff the nonresident side of ACSC until his class this fall (kind of backward, huh?). He said ‘‘tensions were high” in Korea as he was the first chief of Inspections for the Wolfpack fighter wing, then assistant OPS at the 80th FS. He mentioned the place is crawling with ’80-types, as the picture should confirm.

“J.C.” Cherniga, at left, and Norm Sweet ACSC’s infamous Karaoke-singing buddies, who weekly entertained fans at the O’Club “Pit. (Be lookingfor their new CD release, “Will the Five-Rings Model Be Unbroken, at stores... everywhere!)

BETHEL, ALASKA, is a small town in the interior of the state. In the summer, it’s a hub of activity small planes all over the airport going to fishing/hunting lodges and native villages. There’s not much to this town on the Kuskokwim River. However, I had a trash-hauling mission there and parked at the Army National Guard hangar. They have one Twin Otter (like the Academy jump plane), a Huey, with around 15 folks. I didn’t expect any of YOU to be there, but Dave (Carla) EISBERG gave me that “Don’t I know you from somewhere?” look and a mini-reunion ensued. Seems Dave is now a full-time NG type, normally out of Anchorage, and is finishing a two-year remote tour in Bethel as the CC. Conditions are pretty rough, but Carla gets out from Anchorage once in a while. A classmate in Bethel go figure!

ANOTHER BUY OUT, George (Rox Ann) RYAN wrote to tell me he also took the VSI option in September. He was in the OSI and went to Wright-Pat as a civilian OSI agent. He kept his clock going in the Reserves as an admissions liaison officer. I think he watched the last Clint Eastwood movie, “In the Line of Fire,” too many times as George left the OSI and is now an agent with the Secret Service in Indianapolis. Next stop the White House?

STAYING PUT. That’s what it seems like from the COA cards. Steve (Joline) SWAUGER to Chandler, AZ; Joe (Jeanne) FERNANDES to Oceanside, CA; Marge (CLARK) VARUSKA on base at Bolling AFB; Richard TRASTER to Lansing, KS. I’m sure PCS season will change the size of this list.

PUTTING IT IN PERSPECTIVE. Tom (Ann) WILLIAMS, our missionary in Australia, wrote how one of his acquaintances is a student from Burma who has spent the last five years as a political refugee fighting the Burmese Army in the mountains.

Somehow, after reading through this article, it’s hard to complain about a lumpy bed when I’m on the road. Send me some good/happy news. See ya, Don.

Greetings. In my last column I mentioned that classmates with prior service might soon take advantage of the 15-year retirement. Before that remark was even published, Cliff PERRENOD called to say he was retiring. Cliff worked on space programs throughout his career including two stints in L.A. on the Titan IV and Milstar systems and a tour in Woomera, Australia. Woomera, as most of you know, is home to about 200 folks way out in the outback the warm weather version of Thule, Greenland but Cliff liked it just fine. His affection for the southern hemisphere extends to his personal life as well because his wife, Marlise, is a native Brazilian. When they tied the knot in 1992, Jim ZILLY, former squadron-mate and current Delta pilot, was in attendance. The only other classmate Cliff has seen recently is Kathy DURST who was the copilot on one of his recent American flights into San Jose.

John GRIFFIN wrote with some inputs despite his fear of being labeled a Checkpoints stooge. John and his wife, Aileen, live in Park City where John flies 737s for Delta. During the winter, he skis almost every day because even when he works, he’s on call. He’s only away from the slopes when flying C-130s for the Reserves in Colorado Springs. John regularly sees Joe AIMO and Gary OCHENKOSKI who also fly for Delta out of Salt Lake City and Ryan ORIAN who flies out of L.A. when he’s not in an F-16 cockpit for the Guard at Fresno. John also keeps track of several of his old friends from Seagram’s 7. Lt Col Brooks BASH, for example, is a general’s exec at Scott. Rick BURRUS flies 727s for American out of Raleigh-Durham, and Ray CANNON and Leona FLORES moved from the Academy to Wright-Pat about two years ago. Larry CONNELL is on the wing staff and flies F-15s at Mountain Home when he’s not playing with his four boys. Jamie (KLEMME) and Bob Gambrell bought a ranch in Florida where they raise cattle when Jamie is not flying 767s on international routes out of Miami for American. As I mentioned several issues ago, Doug and Julie (GRIMMIG) GIER also have some cattle at their place in Klamath Falls where Doug flies F-16s full time for the Guard. Finally, Barry JOHNSON flies for TWA out of St Louis, Mike REAGAN is at Wright-Pat, Jim SCHWINDT flies B-ls at Ellsworth, and Gary MAUPIN flies L-lOlls for TWA when he’s not in F-15s for the Virginia Guard. Thanks for the updates, John.

Mike ROSS, a fee-based investment advisor for Smith-Barney in Bakersfield, called with information on several classmates: Zane SHANKLIN is a civilian civil engineer in Anchorage, Tim MCCLAIN flies cargo for World Airways out of Philadelphia, Blane “Doc” HOOK flies C-130s out of Hurlburt, Dan LAIRD is an engineer for LORAL in Ohio, and Mike BRUSUELAS is at Kirtland.

Now for the people I called out of the blue. Keith and Roseanna (GARCIA) PEDERZANI were out celebrating their wedding anniversary when I called, but Roseanna’s father convinced her to call me back. Both Pederzanis fly C-130s for the Guard in Rhode Island, but they have fulltime jobs as well: Keith flies for American out of Boston and Roseanna takes care of their two children we all know which job is harder. They see Larry GALLOGLY all the time because he flies for the Rhode Island Guard full time. His most recent duty was organizing the Guard’s annual air show. The Pederzanis also keep in touch with Dave KING who flies for Delta out of Atlanta and J.J. JACKSON who is at Tyndall flying F-15s.

I tracked down Karl CHRISTEN to Memphis where he is a DC-9 first officer for Northwest. During his time off Karl helps Dana take care of their toddler, Grant. Karl also reports that Marty HUHMANN flies for Northwest out of Memphis as well but may be relocating to Minneapolis.

I found Candy (PAINTER) LANE in Louisville where she is an

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engineering sales rep for General Electric, a job that builds on her Air Force experience in communications electronics. Before landing that position, she managed Nature Company stores in Salt Lake City and Louisville. Her husband, Grant (’83), was furloughed by Delta but flies C-130s part-time in the Kentucky Guard up to 25 days a month. Lousiville is apparently the inland capital for beach volleyball, and Candy plays in several leagues each week. She has also taken up golf, having apparently overcome the trauma of her P.E. course at the Academy. Now she can more knowledgeably host her clients in G.E.’s corporate tent at Jack Nicklaus’s Memorial Tournament in Columbus each spring. Candy says she follows the PGA tour with a keen eye and particular appreciation for Greg Norman’s taste in paisley. She also keeps in touch with Cindy (FAIRES) HAMM, a full-time Mom, who splits her year between homes in Park City and Las Vegas. Finally, Candy reports that A1 GREGORY is a Delta pilot based in Phoenix who does most of his Reserve flying in Hawaii and Orlando.

Regrettably, it is not unusual for classmates to take umbrage at something I have written. Fortunately, however, many of them are not bashful about telling me so. I welcome your constructive criticism because I sincerely want to be a good scribe. My most disgruntled victim was Mike “Jake” JAKOBI who was unhappy with me characterizing his Christmas letter as a sales pitch for his investment firm. His heartfelt response convinced me otherwise: he is not a salesman at all. He is a certified financial planner who helps the 8,000 companies in the National Tooling and Machining Association reduce their health care and insurance costs. Jake owns his own firm in Cincinnati and invites his old friends to look him up. I hope this retraction is good enough for Jake to refrain from smacking me up side the head with his lacrosse stick as he had threatened. By way of updates, Jake reports that he recently had dinner with Lanse CONLEY who was briefly stateside from his embassy post in Cairo. I guess it’s no secret that Lanse had a bout with cancer when we were cadets. Although he had an additional episode 10 years ago, Jake reports that Lanse is once again healthy as a horse if is appettite is any indication.

As usual, I could not find some of the classmates that I randomly selected for exploitation either because their addresses were out of date or because their phone numbers were unlisted. These temporarily lost classmates include Kurt ANDERS, Bobby SINGER, Tom SHIRCLIFF, Russ HERNDON, Jim CLIFFORD, Bob VINESKI, and Paul RAINES. Until next time.

Jim Ratti

6329 Pheasant Valley Road : l Dayton, OH 45424-7100

Home: (513) 235-1750

Work: (513) 255-4776

DSN: 785-4776

Percent members: 44

Well, the mailbag (and e-mailbag) is pretty heavy this time around, so I’ll get right to it. Andy PARRISH checked in from Luke to tell us that ’82 is well-represented out there. He’s been there for over four years, having first been a T-37 First Assignment Instructor Pilot (FAIP), then flying F-16s at Shaw. About two years ago, he transitioned to the F-15E, and has been enjoying his role as an IP in that jet. Andy intends to move with his squadron (461st Fighter Squadron, the Deadly Jesters) to SeymourJohnson in October. Other Redtags at Luke include Mike FRITZ, Rick WHITE, Randy O’CONNOR, Preston THOMPSON, T.K. MOORE, and Dan SANDKAMP, all flying the F-16. The Eagle jet community at Luke claims Bradd DODD, Nick SANDWICK and Paul THOMPSON as brethren, in addition to Andy. As you’d suspect though, change is in the air. Here’s a few Andy knows about. Randy O’CONNOR will go to the Pentagon; Dave CARROLL is a Delta pilot based in Atlanta; and Dennis DELANEY and Art CRAIN are F-15 IPs at Tyndall.

Mike SINISI (sinisim@acchost.acc.af.mil) was cruisin’ the Information Superhighway and made a pit stop at my terminal long enough to tell me that his job as a comm squadron commander at Castle keeps him hopping. And, since he’s been to USAFA, SOS and ACSC, he got the honor of orchestrating the wing commander’s change of command, complete with a pass-in-review. He managed to fill most of the key positions with grads from various classes. I’ll let you decide if that’s good news or bad news... Mike told me that Jan (GRONERT) ROSKO and Carla GAMMON (both ACSC candidates) have recently pinned on out there, and Steve WEST is at Castle too, working in transportation. Steve was a Buff radar nav, but like a lot of other folks at closing bases, has gained new perspective from temporary assignments while awaiting PCS orders.

Dake VAHOVICH (vahovicd@emh.kadena.af.mil) surfed the Internet all the way from Kadena to ask me if there is any compilation of e-mail addresses for grads. He was hoping the AOG kept track of such things.

Not to my knowledge, Dake, but it does sound like a good idea. I’ll bring up the subject with the AOG and see what happens. Dake suggested making it an entry on the update form in the Register. E-mail addresses tend to be volatile, but no more so than phone numbers or street addresses, I suppose. Dake said he’d like to work on a listing himself in the interim. So if you’d like to be included, send him mail at the above address.

Ellen and I got a letter from Jon and Trish KIMMINAU, with an update on their new daughter, Rebekah. She’s doing well, and mom and dad are the typical doting parents. Jon pinned on as of 1 June, and escaped ACSC on the supplemental board this spring, so they’ll be staying in San Antonio for at least another year. Pat LEMMERS and Randy LANE have stopped by to visit, but Trish had no news on what they’ve been up to lately. She did mention that Donna (GLANCEY) LESHO is working at Kelly with Jon, though.

Chris KEDZIE (kedzie@rand.org) checked in for the first time to fill us in on his rather unusual career path. After being on active duty long enough to pick up a couple of master’s degrees, survive some medical difficulties, and teach at the Zoo, he punched and, among other things (like riding a bike from Vancouver to Tijuana along the Pacific Coast Highway) founded some organizations to provide economic trechnical assistance in a couple of the former Soviet Republics. While on one of those trips, he met a pretty young lady named Ira (pronounced “Eera”) and brought her back to the U.S. with him. Ira is from Irkutsk, which is in Siberia. Ira and Chris recently celebrated the birth of their “Baby of the New World Order,” a girl who they named Sasha Diana. In Chris’ words, “...this young entrant on the stage of geopolitical cooperation is approaching her pivotal role with dignity and humor. Her first wise decision was to observe and learn as much as possible before uttering meaningful pronouncements or making judgments.” Sounds like an example more of us should follow! Anyway, Chris is now enrolled in a doctoral program in public policy at Rand in Santa Monica. He and Ira sent this picture of their family on the beach in Southern California.

The Kedzies adjusting to the self-imposed exile from Siberian winters!

Once again, the Internet was alive as (soon to be Lt Col) Tim COLLINS surfed by to fill me in on the latest ’82 Power Lunch at the Pentagon. Participants included Ray PHILLIPS, J-3; Mike SOBY, a civilian defense contractor; Mike ISHERWOOD, recently announced as the XO Company Grade Officer of the Year; Chris HAAVE, SAF/IA; A1 JARRELL, Health Corps; Vic LOFTON, XO; and Bob OTTO and Tim, out of the CSAF Ops Group. Tim also told me that Sharon (GREIMAN) DUNBAR is in the “puzzle palace” too, working in SAF/LL. Her husband, Doug, is an airline pilot.

I got a letter from the Law Offices of Honigan, Miller, Schwartz, and Cohn announcing that Kate SMITH had joined the firm after finishing her law degree at Notre Dame in 1993. Kate will be working in the firm’s Detroit office.

I was returning from a TDY to Seoul in May when I ran into Jerome JONES. He was the first officer on my United flight from Tokyo to Honolulu, and I saw him as we were deplaning in Hawaii. We rode the bus to customs together and tried really hard to come up with some news for each other, but our brains were just too tired from having flown all night. Anyway, he seems to be doing well.

Dave SNYDER called me from New York a couple of months ago to tell me that he had resigned his job as a Buff pilot to join up with Lehman Brothers in New York as one of those high-powered brokers. I asked him for a hot tip, but all I could get was “buy low, sell high.” It worked for Hillary, so that’s good enough for me!

As for me, I’m still in the F-16 SPO, enjoying life as a new major, and trying to keep our various avionics programs moving along through the bureaucracy maze. One thing I’ve learned in the acquisition world is to appreciate any new hardware in an operational airplane. After seeing what it takes to field a new capability, I’m amazed we get anything!

Keep those cards, letters, and data packets streaming in. Send your e-mail to rattijm@asdyp2.asdyp.wpafb.af.mil. or to CompuServe at 72477, 1255. Until next time, congratulations to all the new majors, and whatever you do to keep this world turning, do it safely. RATMAN.

Stu Pope MW

340 The Village #315

Redondo Beach, CA 90277

Percent members: 44

wWell, you lucked out. I was going to do this column in a “stream of consciousness style” random, loosely-interconnected thoughts interspersed with various names. Not necessarily names of ’83 grads just names from the phone book or made-up names like “Glenlivet LAPHROIG.” Later there could be a sort of “Cliff’s Notes” to decipher it all.

But not this time. This time I’ll tell it to you straight, and we’ll save that weird stuff for another issue. If you’re interested in how it was coming along, though, here’s a brief sample:

“They said you must get a new type photo taken torso length showing hands and the ring was in Thailand a new black sapphire inserted into its metal heart. Errol LEWIS in the front office with an ’83 ring said yes you can borrow mine or try Glenlivet LAPHROIG and not knowing the aperture of the lens nor the resolution of the photo I accepted.” And so on. Like I said, you lucked out.

But speaking of Errol LEWIS, he is indeed residing just down the hall from me here at Los Angeles AFB, where he’s the exec for the Developmental Planning Division. As an exec, Errol has the opportunity to send out vast numbers of “e-mails,” and he puts exclamation marks at the end of every sentence! Every sentence! Oh, yes, and it gets your attention! Every sentence and every phrase!

Errol reports that my old UPT table mate, Dan “Number Three’ SMITH, is flying C-whatevers for the ANG in New York, is married and has a tot. He also says Chuck JONES is here in L.A., flying for both United and the Air Force Reserve (C-5s out of Dover). Nice commute. Chuck’s girlfriend is a lawyer for CBS, so Chuck gets honorary status of sorts in the “lawyer” section of the Checkpoints file, next to Charlie GARCIA, Mark HAGEMAN, Kevin CARRENO, Dave “Cumulus” KLAUDT, “Passed the” Barr YOUNKER, and Steve “Ex-’83” Benz. And as if the world needed another lawyer, Steve DICKMAN will soon be joining the ranks of the barristers. He recently finished law school and is now studying for the bar, or maybe that’s “at the bar.” I’ll have to ask Errol.

Saw Wade “A Minute” LUJAN a couple of weeks ago when he stopped in Redondo Beach for a layover. Wade’s flying for United out of San Francisco, but is still living in the high desert near George (the former Air Force Base, not George CESPEDES). Wade. Amy and Skylar take such perfect pictures that I’m considering sending out photos of the Lujan family with my Christmas cards this year.

Rumor has it Gary HOPPER is in the state of Washington getting a master’s degree in physics. Strangely enough, when 1 see the words “hopper” and “master” in the same sentence, those lost days in the squadron assembly room watching reruns of “Kung-Fu” come rushing back. Inspired by the show we would always go on a rampage down the hall, sometimes stopping to chop the CQ desk to splinters with our bare hands and feet. Fond memories that Gary, lucky lad, will soon have the opportunity to relive when he returns to USAFA as a physics instructor.

I occasionally spot Larry COCCIA at sundry meeting around the country. Larry’s a Space Commando in the Springs and casts a wary eye for his command when guys like me try to sell ’em a new space system. Also acting as an AFSPC rep is Lani SMITH, who’s a liaison to the GPS program office here in L.A.

Heard from my “Beast” roommate Mike “Base of the” RAMPINO recently after a long period of mysterious silence. Mike and Lisa now have two boys not exactly a Cecil GRANT-like effort, but impressive nonetheless. Mike sent me what has to be the world’s smallest family photo, which I accidentally affixed to a letter and sent to some distant locale, thinking it was a stamp. Fortunately, that address turned out to be the AOG Building, Checkpoints Division, so the photo should appear below. Major Rampino is currently residing in Satellite Beach, FL.

Los Rampinos

Coincidentally, long-lost former roommate Rob HUGULEY also contacted me relatively recently, while at his brother’s house reading his brother’s Checkpoints. It was as if we’d talked the day before, only with more “news” involved, of course. Rob’s flying F-15s with the Louisiana ANG and is also flying for American. He and LuAnne and baby Nicole have settled down, to the extent Rob can “settle down,” not far from New Orleans.

I know a couple of people have already covered it, but hey, I feel obliged to write a few words about the 10-Year Reunion last fall. For me, it was like stepping into another dimension, sort of surreal, sort of like being underwater, but most excellent overall. Of course, I got there late, straight from London en route to L.A., and the shift in time zones undoubtedly added to the strangeness. People kept materializing from behind the trees and bushes which populate the vast interior courtyard of the Embassy Suites. Ray BLUST handed me a mug. Empty, but what the hell it was a cool mug. Brain “Mac” MCINTOSH was taking photos like some mad paparazzo. Prototypical wild man Drew WACKER hauled me back to a beer bash brewing in his room that felt like Cache Le Poudre circa 1981 all over again.

Brian “The Death” HARRIETT woke up long enough to make a molelike appearance. Charlie GARCIA was typing cryptic inputs into his notebook computer while recording the weirdness on videocam for missing comrade Mark HAGEMAN. A long-haired Ted ZWIJACZ won the award for the most thorough transition to civilainhood. Tom KING plowed through the crowd like a manic avenger, forcing Budweisers on yupsters grown accustomed to hand-crafted microbrews. Scott KORBIN even made a rare guest appearance, making a valiant attempt to wrest the “Civilian of the Decade” crown away from Ted. If you missed this reunion, be sure and make the next one. It was everything that was good about the Zoo with all the bad stuff left out.

In fact, things were so weirdly nostalgic that Colin MOFFAT, Rick SCHOLZ and I decided that going to the Garden of the Gods was probably more in keeping with the weekend’s neo-cadetism than going to the football game. I mean, we were reliving the cadet experience and everything, so why not do it the way we always did, but with no threat of a Form 10? We had our significant others in tow, it was a perfect day,

were sandwiches and Fosters “oil cans”. We weren’t “in formation” but there were rock formations. We cheered on the Falcons from the craggy heights and a “good time was had by all.”

O.K., enough reminiscing. After watching scores if not hundreds of ’83ers file into the ranks of Delta and American and United, I’ve always wondered if any Bohicans would end up flying Alaska Airlines, and sure enough, Glenn ALLTON is with the company consistently rated as the traveler’s favorite by all the magazines I read on airplanes. And no less an authority than Errol himself tells me Glenn and Lisa recently had an instant family twin girls.

Ed PHILIPS and his intriguingly-named wife, Gypsy, also have two kids. I’m starting to feel left out. Ed’s PCSing to the reunited Germany this summer in search for a beer garden that serves three-liter mugs of Hefeweisse. There really is such a thing, he insists, and I, for one, would like to believe him.

Aforementioned Rick SCHOLZ and Jeanette will be boogie-ing to the Wedding March in the Bay Area this fall. Rick has returned to the land of his youth, Palo Alto, CA and is flying for American out of San Francisco. He also flies with the Guard on the weekends: C-130s out of Moffett Field.

All right, you asked for it. Here we go with the “where are they now” paragraphs. Diane ELWER is in Woodland Park, CO. Michael “National” PARKS is touring the South, moving from Prattville, AL to Shreveport, LA. Toni (FLORES) MANN moved from one part of Tennessee to another. Steve “Gimme Some” MORITZ “Pretty Good” left Hawaii for Aurora, CO.

James “Batman and” ROBINSON left Springfield, VA for Fairfax, VA. Robert “Tangerine Infringement” BEEKS is at Luke AFB, AZ. Konda “Minimum” SULLIVAN PCSed to Vandenberg AFB, CA, and Bruce LEPLEY just couldn’t take it in the world’s largest brick house community anymore and moved from Huber Heights, OH into base housing at Wright-Patterson AFB.

And what Checkpoints article would be complete without mentioning Pete “Eddie Haskell” BARTOS, whom I refuse to call by his more frequently-used, but far less imaginative nickname, “Toes.” C’mon, who thought that one up? Anyway, I’m sort of bummed that since Pete’s wife,

Brandie, is at least 21 or so now, I can no longer legitimately call her “Pete’s childbride Brandie,” one of the few true joys, for me, of writing Checkpoints articles. But like the song says, All Things Must Pass. Pete and crew are now in Okinawa, contentedly snorkeling in the warm shallows of the Kadena Marina. And that’s as good a place as any to leave off. Send your cards, letters, photos, and newspaper clippings of people who look remarkably like Ray to: Ray Blust, 149 W. Park St., Wheeling, WV 26003. He’ll cut them up into little strips and paste them together again, in a different order. Trust me, it’s good therapy.

Mike Jensen y

12035 Milam Road

Colorado Springs, CO 80908

Home: (719) 495-9289

Work: (719) 481-4646/FAX (719) 481-8221

1-800-GO-AFA-GO

Percent members: 41

commander.

Changes of Address: Maureen MOSLOW-BENWAY from Colorado Springs to Powhatan, VA, Steve ERDMANN from Arlington Heights, IL to Palatine, IL; Carol WARD to Elisabeth, CO; Rob LANGSTAFF to Germany; Duane FORCADE from Goldsboro, NC to Dover, DE; Rick PUES from Dover, DE to Garden City, NY; Jay NEUHARTH to Portland, OR; Tom EANNARINO from USAFA to Europe; and John QUINN from Cumberland, RI to Lancaster, PA.

I am trying to make this easy: We all have our agenda, the day-to-day items we need to take care of. Time is a very valuable commodity. BUT I NEED INFORMATION! So keep in touch! If you have any information on our class, old or recent pictures, or you just want to brag a bit, you can fax it, or call my “800” number. I want to get as much information about you as possible to the rest of our class. Don’t be shy Herman BAKER isn’t.

tipBy the time this hits the mail, the gala event called our 10-Year Reunion should be happening. If there is still time, make plans to be at Homecoming ’94 from 14-18 Sept 1994. More on what happened in our next issue. Look for some interesting happenings at USAFA, a new superintendent has been appointed, and we will see if they can make it any more easy. Looks more like UCLA every day.

“Correction Please Sir and Ma’am”: I missed several below-the-zone selectees for the major’s board from our class. In case you missed their names in the last issue, they are Mark BAGGETT, Anthony DOMINICE, Terry FEEHAN, Judy GRAFFIS, David PETERSEN, Tim SAKULICH, John THOMPSON, and Linda URRUTIA-VARHALL. Congratulations to all of you. Where’s the party?

A word from the fellas: Sorry Herman “Big Gun” BAKER, but you’re all fellas in these politically-correct ’90s. And where did the selfproclaimed nickname come from? Herman has gotten over his shyness which plagued him as a cadet. He reminded me that he is also a major in the Reserves, and was (in his mind) the first to achieve the rank of 0-4 from ’84. When he is not protecting America, he works as a corporate environmental auditor for International Paper. Once Herman stopped talking about his favorite topic himself he enlightened me with the following: Andre BILLUPS is flying HC-130s, John PRINCE has moved to Altus, Malcome PETTYWAY is an ROTC instructor at Grambling, both John and Malcome were at Castle AFB previously. Marvin JONES called from Offutt AFB, where he and his wife, Patricia, are currently stationed. Marie GOMES is working on her doctorate at WrightPatterson. Keith DULANEY has been very busy, taking care of his wife, Carmen, and their five children.

’84 is going strong: Matt JOHNSON is working for a German bank in project finance, and will be relocating to Frankfurt. He is still single and, in fact, was chatting with a couple of women while talking to me. I definitely took a back seat in his concentration. Steve WACKER is working for Alabama Power in Anniston, AL, marketing electrical power to industrial customers. Mike KUCEJ is going to Holloman. Steve HEALY is working as an SP and we believe he and his wife are stationed at Edwards AFB.

Monica (SCHWEITZ) SMITH called to dispute the “rich airline pilot system,” and to let me know that she is doing well as is husband, Tim. She is flying for United as well as flying the C-130 for the Baltimore Guard. Pete EUNICE wrote to tell us he is living in Panama flying the C-130, and will become a SOS instructor at Maxwell AFB. He and his wife of nine years, Robin, have three children with number four due in October. Looks to me that he has been keeping almost as busy as Keith. He also let us know that Dan SWEENEY is getting ready to head north from Hill AFB to Alaska, where he will be a backseater in the Strike Eagle. Brooks LIESKE is flying the mighty BUFF at Griffiss AFB.

Doug APPLEGATE is going to fly E-3s at Geilenkirchen. He was serving as an instructor at USAFA in the Athletic Department. Chris ERICKSON is also leaving the Athletic Department and is going down to Holloman. I received an official-looking FAX from Rick PUES. He is assigned to the United Nations in New York, and is tasked by the Department of Peacekeeping Operations to provide budgetary, personnel and logistical support to peacekeeping operations worldwide. He was previously at Dover AFB flying the C-5 as a flight examiner and flight

CLASS OF 1984 10-YEAR REUNION

At

USAFA

Hello, from Pennsylvania! We got quite a few newsy Christmas cards, ones I never had time to read. (Some of them weren’t even opened, if that gives you an idea of how busy we were at Christmas time!) My excuse for being so busy is the latest model Grady! Hannah arrived 1 Dec 93, right in time for Rod’s finals. That makes four of us. We all survived, barely, and things have finally settled down enough that I remembered I needed to write this article!

Sara (HELLWIG) ELLERT-BECK is looking for you! Just kidding, Sara. After retiring from the Air Force, she has moved out to Edwards and volunteered for every job on base! Besides working, she and Dan have traveled extensively up and down California and everywhere in between. Sara also asked for an APB put out on Bruce ROWE.

Steve and Heidi SUTHERLAND are still at USAFA where he is the weather officer. They have two little tigers, Brian, 5, and Gretchen, 3. Mike and Kelley RITS are still at USAFA where Mike teaches in the Mech Department and is very active with the cadet OCF group. They are due for #3 in August. Del and Beth CHRISTMAN live right around the corner from them. Del transferred to the Academy from lovely Tinker AFB, OK. Bet it was hard to leave that garden spot! Del teaches dinks to fly gliders, a hazardous job, but somebody has to do it! They have two dear little ones, Sarah, 4, Joshua, 2.

Mike and Brenda PIIRTO had a new addition this year. Now they have Joy to add to their Hope! Mike is still doing Marine things in South Carolina, but from the P.S. at the end of his letter, it sounds like they will be heading to Okinawa soon.

John and Kim MARSELUS are still up in Alaska where John is the Wing SEFE for F-15s. They are very busy with their family, three and counting. We were in a race to see who can have the most kidlets the fastest, but John said he would let me win!

I get to hear news of Louise MCKNIGHT, Ivan MCKNIGHT’s widow. Joshua, Ivan’s son, is four now and a very handsome young man. They came to the States to visit Ken TINGMAN (’83) and I got to talk to her for a minute. Love that Australian accent!

Amy MUELLER is teaching biology and physics as a missionary in Quito, Ecuador. She is extremely busy coaching the girl’s volleyball team along with her teaching responsibilities, but did find the time to climb El Cotopaxi and visit the Galapagos Islands.

We got Bob and Linda CUMMING’s Christmas card in February! Their motto “Melior Tardus Que Numquam” (Better late than never!) is an inspiration to us all. Bob directs world history at the Academy, and is also very active in the cadet OCF ministry. We got to sample some of their world-famous guacamole before we left, and now I understand why the cadets like to come to their house!

Another dear couple we left behind in CoS is Bill and Carol CASTILLO. Bill works over at Peterson AFB. Steve LAVELL beat us out of CoS by a month and headed for a remote tour to Korea flying A-lOs. I hear rumors about Mike and Lisa MURCHLAND and their two little girls, but have heard nothing from the source. Hint, hint Lisa! August HEIN also came through for a visit in the fall. He brought his sweetheart, Carla, along for our approval. You’ve got it, August. He is currently practicing medicine for the AF at Scott AFB. Ruthann (LUEKEN) THOMPSON had their first child and is stationed at WrightPatterson AFB. Jean (GARVIN) STEPPE is also at W/P and will (finally) be finishing her doctorate degree this May. Way to go, Jeanie Marie!

Jean is the one who introduced me to home birth. She bucked the AF medical system with #3 and had little Siobhan at home with a midwife. After trying it myself with #4, they will have to drag me back to an AF hospital kicking and screaming!

We went down and visited Rodney and Susan SAMPSON when we arrived here. Rodney works for MCI down in D.C. He and Susan are raking in the BIG bucks and have a lovely little estate in Arlington, VA. Rodney has converted to Judaism and is quite active in their local synagogue.

John and Kathy WRIGHT and little Eric are still down in Lubbock, where John flies the new trainer. And last on my list, but definitely not least, George WEATHERSBY has taken up residence at Fayetteville, SC. He got an assignment working with the Army. And George can tell you what’s up with Elsie VANDERVENIT, but all I know is that she’s at Offutt AFB.

If you have any news you’d like to pass along, Wanda (WRIGHT) KERN is next on the scribe list. Her address is 4210 N. Del Ciervo PI, Tucson. AZ 85715. Good talking to you and hope to see you all at the reunion next year.

Hi Fellow Classmates; it’s Jackie CHARSAGUA again. I have to retract my statement in the last issue about not running into anybody at Langley. In the past few months, folks are coming out of the woodwork, or so it seems. That’s why I’ve attached the following blurbs for your reading pleasure!

Talk about “in your own backyard...” I literally almost stumbled over Chris NOLAN at my neighbor’s house before we recognized each other. We were attending a birthday party, and I had no idea who I was rubbing elbows with! Chris is flying F-15s with the 71st Fighter Squadron, and his wonderful wife, Kristen, is an AF nurse. They have a son Nick (1 yr) who was keeping us all busy with his energy. The Nolans are pictured below.

Chris, Nick and Kristen Nolan at Langley AFB.

Jim LOVELL came TDY to Langley, and we bumped into each other at the crowded personnel office. Jim has been stationed at Wright-Pat since ’93, spends 50 percent of his time on the road, and is test manager for the Contingency Airborne Recce System (which brings him to Langley from time to time). Jim reports that Scott RUTHERFORD is stationed at Fayetteville, NC, thoroughly immersed in special operations mysteries so much so that we have a hard time trying to locate him. If you are out there Scott, give us a holler!

Jim also gave an account of his run-in with Lynn STEER, now a fullfledged 747 pilot flying the Pacific Rim. Jim was having a business meeting at the Beale Officers Club with civilian contractors, discussing deadlines and conducting negotiations. Entrance stage right, Lynn in cutoff jean shorts, elated to see Jim after all these years, making a place for herself at their table. Well, Lynn stole the show (the civilians had never met a 747 pilot, much less a statuesque female pilot). She had everyone in tears (I was rolling with laughter just hearing Jim recount this) with her “war stories” and hilarious wit. Needless to say, Jim wrote off business for the rest of the day, and the contractors got the conversation of their life. By the way, if anyone else sees Lynn, tell her Renee (Hanson) Waldrop, original member of our class, says hello.

Also at the Langley personnel office, I had to turn around and stop Reid REASOR in his tracks as he zipped by me during his out-processing. He stopped long enough to give me an update on his life. He is married to Joellen and has two children, Chase (2 years) and Halston (14 months at publication time). What beautiful names! Reid is going to Pheonix, Armstrong Labs, to be one of the few pilots working with engineers to design better cockpits. He says he’ll be a guinea pig, but I’m sure he’s going to always say what’s on his mind.

Other grads in the tidewater are Ian DIKINSON and Joe SIMPSON.

Ian transferred to the First Comm Sq after doing his time as an ACC staff officer. He was running a base-wide bone marrow blood testing drive when I ran into him (the program was an astounding success). Joe and I were both attending an AFCEA-sponsored C41 symposium in downtown Hampton. Presently, Joe is working at the 1912th Comm Group. He is still a man of few words but did mention he is married and (quite humbly) that he was optimistic about BTZ to major. Certainly his phenomenal track record of rewriting personnel software at MPC has something to do with it. Jeff GOSE approached me as we were waiting in line at the dry cleaners. He is with ACC/DP working personnel taskings; Jeff lives a relatively peaceful life and has no other “happenings” to pass on.

A few months ago, I received the ROUTHIER traditional Easter greeting with a birth announcement of Luke Jedidiah, born 7 Feb 94. This is #4, yes 4! Their other children are Josiah, Jordan, and Caleb. Kevin and Wendy (LINK) ROUTHIER (Hill AFB, UT) are very busy with the children and stay active in their church’s Adult Bible Fellowship and Disciple Making Group. In fact, Kevin has been elected an Elder in his church (a very young congregation). Congratulations and continued blessings.

MOVED TO: Joyce WASHINGTON from California to APO AE; Tim CORNELL from APO AE to Vienna, VA; Scott SCHAEFFLER from New Mexico to Hurlburt Field, FL; and Eric PAUL from New Mexico to Columbus AFB, MS.

If you have any news, please pass to Wanda (WRIGHT) KERN (address above) or to me at 1701B 9th St., Langley AFB, VA 26335-1720. My DSN is 574-5954. Until next time, God Bless all of you. See Ya! Jackie C.

Gary L. Burg 461 FS TDY

P.O. Box 24634 Luke AFB, AZ 85309-4634 (602) 935-2641 (billeting)

Percent members: 34

If?

Better late than not! Hope all is well with everyone and that your summer has been enjoyable. Just found out yesterday that the deadline for this article was last week. Due to my TDY status at Luke AFB, I missed the deadline notice and the change-of-address notices. If anyone sent an input ot my home, I’ll get it in the next Checkpoints.

I did receive a letter from Kim HAWTHORNE prior to coming to Luke so here goes. Kim is flying the EF-111 these days out of Cannon AFB (when he is not deployed). He finished his checkout a year ago last spring and has already participated in Operation Southern Watch on a 90-day rotation. While he was in Saudi, he had the opportunity to visit the USS Independence while it patrolled the Persian Gulf waters. The flight deck was a beehive of activity as he had the opportunity to do a night catapult in an EA-6B. The catapult and “trap” were like a wild amusement park ride. At last word, Kim was back at Cannon working as the assistant chief of Combat Plans, Mobility, and Exercises in the 429 ECS. The Hawthorne family sounds like it is doing well at Cannon and expanding to a family of four. Kim passed on some info about some of our classmates. Brent BREIDENTHAL is flying the F-111F and did a 90-day TDY to Riyadh in a non-flying assignment. Tim INGLE is flying the EF-111 with Kim. Jim WERTZ, also an EF-111 type, has been selected to go to test pilot school.

Although this is the only letter I have to pass on, my travels have encountered many grads since I last wrote. During spring break I ran into T.K. SMITH and Mark FLANDER (’91) at base ops at Travis AFB. They are both flying C-5s and seemed to be enjoying the flying. I ran into John KRAFT at Hickham AFB flying VC-135 for CINCPAC. He was the POC during the 50 ATS spring break deployment and making the best out of his hardship tour at Hickham. While passing through Kunsan AB, S. Korea, I ran into Scott MARTIN. Scott is flying F-16s and will have rotated to the states by the time this article hits the press.

While at Luke, I ran into many people. Pete YORK is assigned to the 461 FS as an F-15E IP. He had just finished a tour at Elmendorf prior to this assignment. Rich BASAK is also with the 461 FS as an IWSO upgrader. Rich came from Cannon and the F-lllFs prior to his assignment to a TX/I course at Luke. Also in the 461 FS is Jamie BOYD, a Strike Eagle maintenance officer. Jamie is an acquisitions officer by profession and is looking at getting back into that field before this fall. Another grad in the 461 FS is Mark MOUW (’84), who has been flying F-15Es for five years and is a flight commander now.

Those of us going through FTU with the 461 FS are Rich ARNOLD (’83), Terry ROTERING (’85), Jay HUMELBAUGH (’86), Bill DEMASO (’87) and myself. Rich and Bill will be going to Lakenheath after training and Jay will be going to Seymour-Johnson. Jay is just com-

ing off a humanitarian assignment at Travis AFB following complications with his daughter at birth. All is going well now and he is looking forward to getting back to the flying profession. John KENNY (’84) is going through the IP upgrade course before heading back to Lakenheath. Sean COOK (’86) is going through FTU with the 550 FS here at Luke before heading to Mt. Home for his follow-on assignment. Scott BISHOP is an F-16 IP at Luke and Kevin AUNAPU (former ’86 before taking a year stop-out) is going through F-16 FTU at Luke with a follow-on assignment to Kunsan AB this fall.

The only others I recall hearing about are Scott MCCLEAN who did a second COT to RAF Lakenheath and is flying F-15Es, and I ran into Paul MCGILLACUDDY (’84) at the Luke O’Club who is still flying AT-38s out of Holloman. That is about it this time around. I’ll be at Luke AFB until about 15 October so please drop me a line at the above address up to that time. Hope to hear from some of you soon!

Glenn L. Strebe

3030 Commodore Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Home: (719) 260-8315

Office: (719) 592-1002

Percent members: 39

The last Hoorah! It has been seven years since we graduated and this will be my last article. I have outlived my usefulness and have been overtaken by events and my schedule is too filled. I have at least 100 other excuses if you ever want to hear them. Therefore, Bob CAVELLO will be the new scribe for our class starting with the next article.

I got a letter from our most loyal writer, Nigel SIMPSON. Nigel writes us from Offutt where he has been for almost one year. He almost got sent to AFIT but the “needs of the Air Force” came first. Also, the Astro Dept at the zoo is interested in him and wants him to go to the school of his choice. Another “the needs of the Air Force” intervenes and Nigel cannot get released from his current flying assignment. On the brighter side of life, Nigel and his wife, Dee Dee, were blessed with the birth of their son Mitchell. He is doing great and will be six months old by the time you read this. As far as our classmates, Jamie WHITLEY is stationed at Eglin, Steve MILLER and Jeff KAMASAKI are stationed at Offutt. Steve has been there about two years and Jeff has been there since nav training and is looking forward to an assignment in the fall. Jeff NAVIAUX just PCSed in he is getting checked out in the ’135. Brian TINGSTAD has been at Offutt for about a year. Bob WILLOUGHBY is at Offutt and is married with two children. Steve TURNER is flying C-21s at Offutt. Ken WESSELS is still stationed at Kadena, as is Sue KESLER (don’t know her married name). Paul (Taco) GARCIA went to KI Sawyer after Carswell but is now going to an HC-130 in England with K.I. closing.

Tidbits: I got a call from Wayne FISHER in Japan one day. Wayne is married and had one child (I think it is a girl). Mike TOLIVER passed through COS flying with the Reserves. Mike is stationed at Griffiss flying with the Reserves and going to school. Bob CAVELLO wrote a nice letter with plenty of information; however, in my futile attempt to clean my office at home, I must have misplaced it in the circular file (Bob will get a chance to tell you all about it next time).

Bob Cavello’s address and phone are as follows: Bob Cavello, 15370 Holbein Drive, Colorado Springs, CO 80921. Home phone: (719) 481-9181. Office: DSN 259-2020/Commercial (719) 472-2020.

In parting, I would like to thank you all for the support over the past seven years. It is hard to believe that we have been graduated that long and I have never left Colorado Springs. Good luck to everybody and I hope to hear from you anyway.

Mark Peters

22779 Mesa Springs Way

Moreno Valley, CA 92557-2628

Home: (909) 242-3442

DSN: 947-2646

Percent members: 39

I only received one letter so I’m really glad the telephone was invented! Frank SCHMUCK called from Tempe, AZ, where he and his wife, Andrea, live now that they both work for Southwest Airlines. Frank’s been a right seater in the 737 since earlier this year while Andrea is a flight attendant. Frank used to fly ’141s at Norton, along with Derrick DOYLE, Mark BATES, and James KELLY, but was offered the opportunity to leave with Norton’s closure over a year ago. Derrick was recently married

(Flo) and has entered 737 training with Aloha Airlines in Hawaii where he’s been living since June of 1993. Mark BATES is now flying C-12s in Elmendorf, AK, and loves the skiing, while James KELLY is a flight engineer with United as of September, 1993. Kip and Maria TURAIN (and child) are now at Scott doing something for HQ AMC. He was formerly at Travis in the ’141, as was Fran WHITING. Fran is in Little Rock, AR, but we’re not sure what he’s doing. Hazel SYNCO is flying the C-130 at Davis-Monthan in Tucson, AZ. Tram and Mary KINCAID are now living in Abilene, TX, where Tram is flying the C-130 at Dyess after formerly FAIPing in the T-38. Steve and Valerie HALL used to be at Hill AFB in Utah, but they’re now moving to Kadena where Steve will be a “backender” in the E-3A AWACS. John BERQUIST (CS-02) formerly at the Arnold Air Engineering Center in Tennessee, is out of the Air Force and doing something in Colorado. And, lastly, Neil ROBINSON is at AFIT getting his master’s.

Speaking of AFIT, Anne CHINNERY and Joe TEGTMEYER were recently on the phone discussing the various ’88ers who have graduated from various schools lately. That list includes both of them since Joe just graduated from Ohio State University with a “master of science in aeronautical and astronautical engineering with an emphasis in quantum mechanics with a specialization in plasma dynamics and a minor in mathematics,” and I’ve heard that he also took piano lessons while he was there! Anne, John DAVIS, Janet (LARUE) GOODER and Neil HUBER graduated earlier from AFIT with aeronautical engineering degrees. John was recently married to Deborah (EDWARDS) DAVIS, who was also stationed at AFIT. Russell and Marilee (LAURSEN) WARNER were also there with Russell getting his master’s in computer engineering. By the time this appears in print, they should be the proud parents of a new baby. Mike MILLER was in the area going through AFIT’s Logistics course.

I was lamenting to Wayne COCHRAN (KC-10 AC here at March) about my shortage of material for this quarter’s column so he added a few things. O.P. and Karen MORGAN are adding to their family with a new baby at McGuire AFB in New Jersey. Of course, that was in your last issue, but I’m just testing all of you to see who remembered. Doc HOLLIDAY, formerly an SP in Turkey, is going to Ramstein.

I caught Kim GREEN just as she was finishing her KC-135 tour at Fairchild. By the time you read this she will have completed her move back to Colorado Springs. She’ll be teaching tennis at the Academy, and possibly instructing in the new T-41 replacement, the T-3A Slingsby.

COAs: Rich GANNON from Fairchild to Ellsworth. Billiana (OWENS) and John HARDY from Beavercreek, OH (Wright-Pat?) to Cannon AFB in Clovis, NM. Lawerence OTTO from Soesterberg Air Base, Netherlands, to Lakenheath, UK. David and Kate SMITH have ended up with a truly stellar assignment in England where Dave is a Tornado F-3 instructor pilot at RAF Conningsby. Since he’s a lieutenant in the U.S. Navy I can’t help but think of John Stuart Mill’s other quote, “Being in the Navy is like being in jail, but with the chance of being drowned.”

On the day before deadline I got a note from yet another grad who left the Air Force at graduation: Nathan WATANABE. I’ll quote directly.

I’m in the midst of my sixth PCS in as many years out of the Academy so I’ll keep this short. After a 20-month tour at Fort Wainwright, I’ll be heading out of Alaska for the UH-60 Blackhawk transition at Fort Rucker enroute to another assignment in Korea. Alaska’s been a blast, nothing quite like hovering in snow clouds at -50° F! Finishing up a good tour as company commander, although I did deactivate my unit as part of the Army downsizing and the deactivation of the 6th ID. Truly a sad experience.

Ran into Rob RENNER the other week down at Eielson AFB. He’s flying F-15Cs out of Elmendorf and the wing down there is rotating through Eielson while their ramp is under repair. Also heard from my roommate Tony WILLIS he’s reclassed into Intelligence and is in training at Goodfellow AFB enroute to an assignment at Eglin. He and Jennifer and their two kids are doing fine.

As for me, the Army is all I’ve hoped for! You AF types just really can’t imagine what it’s all about. After flying Hueys for three years, the Blackhawk will be a joy, but make sure you all get a proper ID on

Send your donation now to

The Air Force Academy Fund

Association of Graduates

Doolittle Hall

3116 Academy Drive, Suite 100

U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840-4475

your targets in the future! Hope all is well. P.S. By the time you get this published I’ll be with the 2-2 AVN, 2 ID, in Korea.

In closing, has anyone else noticed that the Class of ’93 is at 84 percent membership in the AOG? If all of us (the 39 percent that are members) got someone else to join we’d have 78 percent... the AOG is OUR organization so let’s get some more membership from ’88! And don’t forget to write!

Paul W. Tibbets IV

5303 Solitaire Drive

Rapid City, SD 57701

Home: (605) 393-2842

wC^ljifpM,

WTw7)Ii

DSN: 675-4951 Yrfer

Percent members: 41

Welcome everyone! I hope you have had an enjoyable and memorable summer thus far. Life has been good at Ellsworth, and Mother Nature has blessed us with great weather. Unfortunately, my mailbox has been rather empty the last few months. Since the last issue, I have received only one letter (yes, ONE letter) to pass on. Let me hear what’s going on with you. Just take that first step pick up a pencil (or pen) and write!

Dave BANKO dropped me a line for an update on his post-Air Force career. With the help of Military Recruiting Institute, Dave will be leaving Holloman and Alamogordo soon to work as an engineer on the investment systems team for SEI Corporation. SEI is in Wayne, PA, where Dave will provide computer hardware/software packages to banks to better handle their accounts. Also at Holloman is John RAQUET, who is heading up a new development effort. He and his wife, Cindy, just had their second child. Tony NASH has joined the 46th Guidance Test Squadron and immediately went to work with John. Thanks for writing, Dave!

I just spoke with Ken THIELE on the phone, and he is preparing to PCS from Beale AFB to Fairchild AFB in July. All of his squadron is leaving Beale and going to one of the super-tanker bases this summer. Ken says that they are still flying the Q-model tankers, but all of them will be converted to T-model (the equivalent of the R-model upgrade for the A-model) in another year to 18 months. Leaving Beale and going to MeConnell include Larry HANTLA (AC), Greg PROBST (Nav), and Steve MCQUIRK (CP). Those leaving and PCSing to Grand Forks include Roger PLEIMANN (AC) and Eric ARMSTRONG (AC).

I ran into a few people this summer both at Ellsworth and while I was out cross-country. Doug MALONE was here recently for JETS. Doug is stationed at Cannon in the F-lll. His wife, Jackie, and son Thomas also came along, and they are all doing well. While at McConnell for gas I saw Mark DOUGLAS, who is a FAIP at Vance. In our squadron here the other day I spoke with Greg BOERWINKLE, who is an IP at Reese. Greg said Troy PORTER, who was stationed at Loring flying B-52s, is now at Reese also.

Here at Ellsworth we have begun the B-1B Operational Readiness Assessment that will continue through November. Congress mandated that a test be done that evaluates the B-l’s mission capable (MC) rate over a period of about six months. This is to show that the Bone is capable of sustaining a 75 percent MC rate given adequate parts and support are available. Once we pass the test, we will continue to upgrade and improve the B-l.

From the change-of-address info: Lev PRICHARD PCSed from Altus to Tinker; Robert KRAUSE moved from Alexandria, VA to Cannon; Kevin DURDEN from Anchorage to Chapin, SC; Stephen THOMPSON from Mt. Pleasant, SC to overseas; Holly CAMPBELL from Columbus AFB to overseas; Stephen WILLIAMS from Carmel, IN to Layton, UT; and Brian MACLAUCHLAN from Tacoma, WA to Riverview, FL. Scott SCHAEFER received the 1993 Lt. Gen. William H. Tunner Award for AMC Aircrew of the Year for a mission flown in Somalia last year.

Well, that about wraps up this issue. On a side note, I am finally upgrading to aircraft commander in the B-l. If you’re planning on flying on any given day, don’t forget to check the NOTAMS! Take care and God bless.

Joseph C. Richardson

906 Hackberry Court, Suite #2311

Bellevue, NE 68005-2046

Home: (402) 292-9373

DSN: 271-3431

Percent members: 37

Greetings Most Glorious and Mighty Class.

I hope those captain bars aren’t weighing everybody down too much (smile). Now that the pay has kicked in it’s even more of a good deal. Things my way are going well. I’m writing this input as I attend CFIC to become an instructor navigator. So by the time you all read this I ought to be checked out and good. The big news of my life, however, is the fact that I am engaged to be married to the lovely Ms. Felicia L. Kimes on 3 June 1995. We will be married in Omaha, NE on that blessed day next summer so get the gifts flowing. She is a lovely person and I’m sure you all will get to meet her sometime in the near future. Now on with the class news.

I hung out with Mike CARTER down at McConnell AFB for a while in May. He just moved there from Dyess and is still flying the KC-135. Life is doing right by him and he sends his greetings. Dave COLEY gave me a buzz from Dover to announce his engagement and soon marriage. He and Sharron KEELS (’91) will be married on 8 Oct 1994 in Maryland. Come one, come all and enjoy the union of this lovely couple. If they ask, tell them I sent you. Best wishes to you two from the exalted class.

Oliver WASHINGTON dropped me a line from Panama recently. His next assignment will be to Turkey after spending two “great years in Panama.” He advises everyone that he will be going to Murted, Turkey for 12 months after making a pit stop to do some SOS at Maxwell from 29 Aug to 24 Oct. If anyone is going over there, or is already there, let me know so that I can give Ollie “the hook” before he gets there. Good luck to you dude. Always remember that truly “in the darkness rides the KNIGHT”.

John DEANDRADE sends greetings from Laughlin AFB, TX where he was a member of Class 94-07 (requal). He sends a message to the most glorious class to step up and get our AOG membership out of the 37 percent enrollment hole. I second that motion John. This picture from John consists of, from left, Wes HALLAMAN (F-15), Kevin TOLLEY (F-15), Mark SCHMOYER (C-141/Charleston), Craig DYE (F-15), Van DESHAYES (C-141/Charleston), Erik ANDERSON (C-130/Little Rock), and John himself (B-l/Dyess). John also reports that Kevin SUAREZ got a F-15 as well as married while in requal. He also adds that Steve EIKEN is down there in 94-09 and that Steve said he would join the AOG if his name appeared in Checkpoints... whoo there it is Steve... so STEP UP! Thanks for the update John and best wishes to you all.

Ryan CECIL checks in from Wilmington, DE. He is just finishing up his assignment working in International Affairs on the Air Staff (SAF/IAS) at the Pentagon. He is still doing the banked thing and managed to knock out his master’s in economics from Florida State University while waiting. He was due to start requal at Vance on 8 April and then go to Castle for KC-135 training looking for a final destination of Fairchild AFB, WA. Ryan reports that Wes HALLMAN got his master’s at Ohio State, got engaged to a wonderful girl named Sylvana while at the Pentagon, and is currently in requal with an F-15 assignment. Tim PATTERSON got his master’s at FSU, got married to Peggy while at the Pentagon, and just finished requal at Vance enroute to C-141s at Travis. Sean PEDERSON went to the University of Texas, got engaged while at the Pentagon, and is waiting on his banked fighter assignment. Rick TERRELL went to Indiana and got a C-130 to Little Rock. Ian BRYAN went to Ohio State and got a B-l to Ellsworth. Scott LAVIGNE went to Arizona State and is waiting on a banked transport. Thanks for the nice update Ryan. I couldn’t close out Ryan’s contribution to the mighty class without including this picture of him and his wonderful baby girl named Roxanne. She was born on 8 Nov at Andrews AFB. There they both are in their Pentagon outfits. Ya’ll take care and God Bless. My final letter comes from Chris WHITMIRE via Plattsburgh, NY. Chris’s big news is that on 10 Sep 94 he and Shannon Greene will be married in their hometown church in Brevard, NC. They plan on taking a nice

Ryan Cecil and Roxanne romantic cruise for their honeymoon before returning back to Plattsburgh AFB sometime this fall where he will continue to fly the KC-135. Best wishes to you and Shannon, Chris, and Mighty ’90 sends blessings that you will enjoy your new life together.

The AOG sent me change-of-address cards indicating that Daniel HAUK has relocated to Redondo Beach, CA from Rapid City, SD. I’m thinking that’s a good move. Robert GORDY has moved from Richmond, GA to Tucson, AZ. Finally I have Francis MAGGIO resigning as a lLt on 29 May 1993 to pursue his Juris Doctorate (JD) at the University of Houston Law Center in Houston, TX.

Peace to you all and I’ll see you next issue. Pals!

Amy McLean

RR tn, Box 31C Larimore, ND 58251 (701) 343-2596

Percent members: 42

more adjusting to do because a tax-deductible New Year’s Eve wedding is being planned for the near future! The wedding will be in Wichita, KS to Sarah Boyle who is currently working on her Ph.D. in psychology at the University of Arizona. Mike BALDINI (AKA Baldi) is going to be the best man, Jeff GAST a groomsman, and Kim JULINE and Jenny MITCHA are going to read scripture. So if anyone finds themselves in Wichita on New Year’s Eve you now know what the big party is all about.

Here’s the latest scoop on the rest of the Buddies of CS-25. Jeff GAST is a C-130 pilot at Little Rock, Inga LUNDY is a KC-135 navigator at Kadena, Nick KOOTSIKAS is a C-5 pilot at Dover, John HACKETHORN is a C-5 pilot at Travis, Vern PENDLEY is a C-141 pilot at McChord, Todd GLADDEN is a KC-135 navigator at Malmstrom, Steve MORAES is a KC-135 pilot at McConnell, John VAUGHN is in Acquisitions at Edwards, Steve FOWLER is in Acquisitions at Patrick, Ray BARROWS is in Acquisitions at Wright-Patterson, Mike CALLENDER is working Command Post at Kadena, Rob BOYER is in Intelligence at the Pentagon, Meg CUNDIFF is in Intelligence at Hickam, Ed BLACK is a Maintenance officer at Dover, and Brigham BRIGGS is a Maintenance officer at Davis-Monthan. Also, John RAU is in Acquisitions at Edwards, Matt MCGEE is a C-21 pilot at Randolph, Bill WOSILIUS is a Maintenance officer at Elmendorf, Max ‘‘Miss Bucksin ’94” TORRENS is Public Relations at Peterson, Coleen MCCRARY is working Space Operations at Falcon, Brian HEAGY is an F-15 pilot at Tyndall, Kevin THERRIEN is a KC-135 pilot at Yokota; Mike LENHARDT is working Maintenance at Minot, Wayne COOPER is a KC-135 pilot at Robins, Todd KINROSS is now a squid Surface Warfare officer in San Diego, and finally, Redeye’s resident grunt Shannon CURRY is flying helicopters SOMEWHERE. Stay tuned for the hopefully even more scandalous BUDDYHOOK ’97!

WBf

Greetings Class of ’91’

Summer is once again winding down so I’d like to take a few moments of your day to inform everyone of the whereabouts and doings of a few of our classmates. I should start out by saying a word of thanks to all who took the time in their busy schedules to jot down a few tidbits of information for this article. I have the easy part of writing this column.

Hank GRIFFITHS sent a letter to inform us all of what the Redeyes of CS-25 have been up to. Over Memorial Day weekend, “BUDDYHOOK ’94” occurred, consisting of a four-day, three-night stay at the Riveria Hotel on the Las Vegas Strip. The Redeyes had a great turnout of Buddies with about two thirds of their graduates attending, some from as far as Okinawa, Japan. The weekend was such a big hit that the Redeyes plan to have a reunion every three years. BUDDYHOOK ’97 SKI COLORADO. Here’s what the Buddies of 25 are doing. Hank GRIFFITHS is serving his banked fighter tour as a flight test engineer for the Air National Guard Air Force Reserve Test Center in Tucson, AZ. Hank, being known for his military bearing, as all of Bold Gold, is having a hard time adjusting to the relaxed military life found in the Guard. But he has lots

Andy Hird and Alicia

I received an informative letter from Andy HIRD. Andy and Alicia were married on Sept. 19th, 1992 in New Hampshire. They met while Andy was in pilot training at Willy. Andy banked a transport out of UPT, and he, Alicia, and their cat Aristotle moved to North Carolina where they both attended school at UNC-Chapel Hill. Andy graduated in May with a master’s in physics. From there they moved to Dover AFB where Andy will serve out the remainder of his banked tour as a logistics planning officer. Also attending school at UNC was Kevin BLANCHARD who graduated from Euro NATO and also banked a transport. Kevin graduated in May with a master’s in chemistry. Tom MOHR (CS-33) was married in December and is currently living in Colorado Springs. Gus ANDREWS is also in Colorado Springs working for Space Command, where it is rumored that he is actually using his Academy education in computer science. Andy and Gus were roommates in Mesa, AZ for six months while attending UPT. Gus also banked a transport. Andy’s zoomie roommate, Marcus SMITH, is currently at Scott AFB flying C-21s, where his TDYs have taken him worldwide. Greg HARDISON is in Florida enjoying a banked fighter tour flying in the back seat of F-16s in his ‘‘spare” time. Greg is engaged to be married, and by the time this is published, he may have already lost his bachelorhood. We all want to see a picture of the wedding, so if you have time drop us a line with at least your fiance/wife’s name. Ok, that’s enough harassment. What I really meant to say was congratulations! Thanks for the letter Andy, and congratulations to you also!

James and Beth (DUNN) KWANSNY recently took a trip to visit ‘‘the zoo” for Beth’s brother’s graduation. They were both feeling a little bit nostalgic about the Academy, and so decided to drop us a line. Here are just a few of the many grads that James and Beth have crossed paths with recently. In April, Jim CLARK, Kathy (KENNEDY) CLARK, Paul KIR-

Squid Wanna-Bees!

CHHOFFER ’92, Jen (STREBECK ’92) KIRCHHOFFER and James and Beth chartered a sailboat out of Fort Lauderdale (equipped with a cook and captain since none of them chose to be a squid)) for a week and sailed to the Bahamas. James and Beth are stationed at Barksdale AFB, where James is flying KC-lOs along with Brian BENNETT, Rick STOFFEL and Eric PATTEN. Banked pilot Blair HORTON, Terry MUELLER and Stacey HAWKINS are working maintenance on the KC-lOs. Beth is working in the new 608th Air Intelligence Squadron along with Jennifer (MIRAZ) COS. Jennifer PCSed from K.I. Sawyer a couple of months ago. Jim and Kathy CLARK are up at Little Rock. Jim flies C-130s and Kathy is a Transportation officer. Jim CLUFF just recently began UPT at Columbus. He and his wife, Trish (Dan FLYNN’s sister), just had a baby girl, Peyton, in February. James and Beth stopped to visit with Steve and Leslie (BEAVERS) BRENNAN enroute to Colorado. They are stationed at Altus, OK where Steve is flying the KC-135 and Leslie is an Intel officer. They will soon be moving along with the KC-135s to Fairchild. Jim GRIESER and his wife, Julie, are at Brooks AFB in San Antonio. Last fall they also had a baby girl named Miranda Cate. James and Beth had the opportunity, while in the Springs, to talk to Jeff WARD. Jeff is doing Acquisition for USSPACECOM. Jeff is married to Cindy and is looking forward to returning to his banked tanker. Maybe we’ll see you in Grand Forks in the near future! Tim COGER is getting ready to move to Iceland from Mt. Home for a remote maintenance assignment. He should get there about mid-July. James has run into Tim GREMINGER multiple times all over the world. Tim is at McChord flying C-141s. Kurt BULLER is down at Hurlburt as a CCT officer. Geff GAUSER and Gina are at Shaw AFB where Geff is a maintenance officer. James also ran into Hank CORMIER at McGuire where Hank is flying C-141s. Andy FOLTZ was married this spring to Julie after finishing Intel school. He and Julie are now at Ft. Walton Beach. Stacey SMITH is at the Pentagon. Christy LEADER is banked and currently working at the Air Force Information Warfare Center (AFIWC) located at Kelly AFB. Sandy DUNLOW is also banked, and is serving her time at Wright-Patterson.

Beth recently was TDY to Wright-Patterson at NAIC. While there, she ran into Nate BRAUNER (banked), Pete FRYN (banked), and Eric ZEEK who are all three working for NAIC. Diane (ROMAGLIA) and Gary HIGGENBOTHEM are at Little Rock with a daughter. Laurie (MAHER) SVITENKO married Sam (’90) last summer. They’re at Dover where Sam is waiting for his banked assignment. Liane (BREWER) WARCUP married Brian (’89) last year and they are in Germany where Liane is a finance officer. Jon SHERECK is finishing up med school and was married last year to Pauline. They’re living at Andrews while Jon is going to school at Bethesda. Nancy WEISS and Angie WALLACE are both at Eglin. WHEW! That’s a lot of info to take in, and a lot of typing. Thanks so much for the letter Beth, and if there are any mistakes, I’ll take the blame, and we will call them typos.

This quarter my travels have taken me deep into the heart of the South. The first stop was Louisiana, where I spent a few days visiting with Sue HENKE who is working Bioenvironmental Engineering at Barksdale. From there I attended Contingency Warfare Planning Course (CWPC) at Maxwell AFB, AL. My daughter Megan and I drove the entire way from Grand Forks to Maxwell. That was the first time I used all of my travel days to actually travel. While at Maxwell, we stayed at Scott and Kim MCLEAN’s brand new house in the country. Their daughter is now almost two years old and is keeping her parents quite busy. CWPC was an excellent course, and it was sure nice to have the opportunity to visit family. Sean MCKENNA drove up to visit Scott and Kim from Florida. Sean

pursued other means of obtaining his commission after two years of the Academy and is now working in PA at Hurlburt Field. Over an excellent plate of lasagna, we discussed the whereabouts of the following individuals. Sean ran into Max TORRENS at a Public Affairs conference recently. Greg HARDISON is at Eglin, Earl MCMURRIS is working in Civil Engineering/Red Horse at Hurlburt Field. Chris YATES is working PA at Eglin, and Tim COULON is awaiting his banked fighter at Eglin. Dave DEAMES is currently flying C-141s at Travis. Dave’s brother also happens to be there! Discussions outside of the CONUS touched upon Chris CORTES who is an environmental engineer at Kadena, and Tim WALLS who is stationed at Elmendorf as a transportation officer. Tim is married and has a son named Branden. It’s good to know that not everyone in our class is having daughters.

Megan and I also traveled with our frequent flyer miles to Roseburg, OR to attend Callie (CALHOUN) MALLOY’s wedding to a grunt named Joe. Callie and Joe spent the morning after their wedding running a good hour and a half. Seems they have their priorities a little mixed up. Joe left the same weekend for a remote tour to Korea. Also in attendance at the wedding were Callie’s brother Troy CALHOUN, ’89, who is once again coaching football at the zoo. Sue HENKE and Shannen KARPEL were also in attendance. Due to limited space, I will have to include a wedding photo, against Callie’s wishes, in the next article.

Adam received a phone call from Jeff HARRISON (Harry) who is flying C-130s out of Dyess, TX. Jeff has been staying on his toes hanging around with a much younger crowd than generation X. While in Italy, Adam came across K.C. CRONK who is flying KC-135s out of Fairchild. Rob FAUBER is stationed at Grand Forks and is in the same squadron as Adam. That is the entire input for this article from my husband. It makes for a rather short paragraph, and so I think I will go home and harass him!

To end this article, I will run a few address changes by you that have come through the AOG office. Dave BLOCK is residing at Tyndall AFB, FL as the 325th Support Group executive officer while he waits for his time in the “bank”. Pete FRY is located at Wright-Patterson; Mark BRUNWORTH is at Davis, CA; Michael PROCHKO is in Sunnyvale, CA; and Brian LINDSEY is flying EC-135s out of Offutt AFB. Brian was married on Oct. 30, 1993 to Colorado Springs native Connie L. Hess who is a graduate of UCCS in accounting.

Thanks to all for the informative letters and words of support for this article. Adam and I wish the remainder of your summer to be packed with lots of sunshine and exciting activities, and we look forward to reading the next round of letters. Take Care and God Bless, Adam and Amy McLean.

James S. Mehta

3430 Amber St.

Rosamond, CA 93560

Home: (805) 256-1423

Work: (805) 277-2208

DSN: 527-2208

Percent members: 33

Greetings True Blue ’92! Unfortunately, I have to start this column on a sad note. lLt Laura PIPER was among 15 Americans who died in a helicopter accident on 14 Apr 94 in Iraq while on a U.N. relief mission. She was buried at the USAFA cemetery on 23 April and her fiance, Dan MURRAY, shared his memories of her during a ceremony in the Cadet Chapel. I am dedicating this column to Laura ’92 will always be with you. Here’s a toast...

I guess all of my complaining worked, because the mail bag is heavily laden. Here’s the recap starting with one from Melissa (JONES) ROSS’ sponsor, Col (Ret) and Mrs Chuck Denham, who attended her marriage to Andy ROSS on 31 Dec 93 in the Cadet Chapel. Melissa had Amy (AUKEMA) MCCALLUM as one of her bridesmaids (Amy married Dave MCCALLUM, ’93). Andy had Tim MARTIN as best man and Barry BLANCHARD and Roman ISAJIW as groomsmen. Saber bearers: Shawn FAIRHURST (’90), Gene CASSINGHAM, Steve SMITH, Chuck HOWARD, Steve BRODERICK, and Walt ALLEN. Both Andy and Melissa are flying C-141s at McGuire.

Johnnie DEYARMON wrote from Hill and is working as a quality programs director while awaiting a banked tanker and rooming with Sheldon WHITE. Dean BOERRIGTER visited in February; he’s at Ft. Ritchie, MD. Others at Hill: Matthew BECKLEY (married), in CE with Mike JASON waiting on a banked fighter; and Jim and Gretchen (BARRY) LEE. Other news: Mike GRUB (Eve) got married at Vance and is at UHT with Mike HARPER. Also, Bret HAUK is flying fighters somewhere. Karen JACKSON bought a house at Minot and is working missiles. Shane HAMILTON is at Osan (Intel) and J. ROLLINS is an Army Intel officer with the 1st of the 10th Infantry in Alaska. Nate ALLERHEILIGEN wrote that he and his wife, Susan, are expecting their first in July and enjoying their new house at Davis-Monthan (DM) where Nate is upgrading (EC-130-Compass Call). Mike FREIMUTH is also flying EC-130s. Rob ZERBE will be there soon. Tom FINNERAN is working at the command post and Brad BALL is also at DM. Joe ACCARDO, another of my Vance neighbors, is mission ready with the 7th ACCS (EC-130s) at Keesler and set for a three-month TDY overseas. Through the grapevine, Chris LEVY will marry in June.

John LANCE listed assignments for Laughlin Class 94-07; James FOY, C-17 and Scott GLAZA, C-141, Charleston; Scott WARD, C-21, Maxwell; Mike DEAN, T-37, Laughlin; Ken SHUGART, KC-135, Fairchild (FCD); John LANCE, UH-N, Langley; R.J.NELSON, UH-1H, and Kelly KIMSEY, KC-135, Grand Forks (GF); Shelly MCCOMBS, C-130, Dyess; John RADCLIFFE, KC-135, Malmstrom; Jake MILLER, C-21, Wright-Pat; Pete VEHLOW, C-141, McGuire; and Dennis LOH, F-5, Singapore. Thanks for the list, John.

Next, a letter from an old Tarantula, Bob “Turbo” SEIFERT, who was TDY in Saudi and ran into Mike BARG, Log officer and Tony BAMSEY, wing PA officer. Bob is a section commander and taking master’s classes (that must be a misprint!) with Michelle LAMONTAGNE. Bob was at the Zoo for an ops project officer’s meeting and says the Smacks are getting away with murder. But we know Bob. He ate lunch with Brock OAKS who was a firstie after returning from his twoyear mission. Kette DORNBUSH is also at Shaw in finance and Meredith MOORE got accepted to med school in Columbia, SC. See ya, Bob.

And then a novel-like letter from Tony SIMPSON on fine green engineering paper. Tony is at the U of Washington on an AFIT scholarship awaiting a banked fighter. Other ’92ers there: Paul SCOTT and his wife, Heather; Michael BRUZZINI, and Ron JAMES. Steve WHYTE, David SWANKE, and Joel JACKSON have graduated. Tony is enjoying the college lifestyle. While skiing, he saw John KUBENIC who is in Maintenance at Shaw, and Brian WARREN who is at Falcon and skied 60 days last winter. From Tony’s old squad, the Bulldogs, Johann VERRET, C-130s, Little Rock; Leonard “Woody” HAYNES, C-130, Elmendorf; and D. Koby ZAHN, finance officer, Dyess waiting for UPT. Christopher DILLIS is in intel and will be married in June in Denver. Other news: Erik RYDBERG is married to Jackie (MONGEON) and is in F-16 training at Luke and Jackie’s at Barksdale.

Tony’s other information was covered by the next letter (Tony’s e-mail write him: simpson@aa.washington.edu). Matt HARPER sent a copy of the Bulldogs newsletter: Rick BAILEY is at Scott and sharing a house with Andy CRUM and Ken MOSS. Matt CARROLL is at USUHS and may become a doctor yet. Brandon DOAN is in San Antonio playing golf and sometimes doing an Air Force job. Dave GARCIA is an intel officer at Beale and is married (Gina). Matt took a third pilot slot to FCD, but due to some general, has ended up at GF and has yet to fly. Tom MAURER (Jill) is at GF too and is doing the copilot thing. He spent two months flying from Italy supporting Operation Deny Flight over Bosnia. He flew 18 missions and earned an Aerial Achievement Medal. Terri (POULTON) ELBERT is a third pilot at McConnell where Andy is a copilot. Regan RITCHIE took a UH-1 to Langley. Finally, Kevin WESTBURG is at Falcon where he and Scott BOUSHELL have a cool pad off of Powers Blvd. That’s it for the guys Tony didn’t cover from the Bulldogs.

SEND US YOUR NEW ADDRESS NOW.

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Jeff ORR (Elizabeth) wanted to be famous too, so he wrote to me. Jeff has an F-16 to Luke with Jason CLEMENTS. Other 94-07 assignments: A few C-26s for Jake BUSS, Willow Grove NAS, PA; Michelle CARSON, Portland IAP; and Steph RADFORD, McGuire. Others: Matt CICCARELLO, C-27, Howard; Mike CONNOLLY, C-21, Scott; Jason KRINSKY, KC-135, McConnell; John MAJEWSKI, T-37, Columbus; Leibo RAIBSTEIN, C-5, Dover; Ned SANDLIN, KC-10, Barksdale; and Matt YETISHEFSKY, KC-135, FCD.

Jeff was at Tyndall for a TDY and saw Lance MCCUISTON (F-15), Ed LEABO, Pete GUBSER, and Mark Hayes in RTU. In water survival Jeff saw Kip WILKOWSKI (EC-130, DM), Jeff HANDY (A-10, Eielson), Jim MEGER (OA-10, Osan) and Mark “Pokum” SLOCUM (F-lll, Cannon); and Chuck DURFEE, Chris ROBERT, Pat MCATEE, Jason ARMAGOST, and Todd EMMONS all F-16s. While in Little Rock (LR) to visit Brian SANFORD (C-130), Jeff ran into Joe DELAPP (Ramstein), Rick MURPHY and numerous others he can’t remember. And with a final note, a former 22 dude, Brian NEAL, is going to F-16s. Brook LEONARD sent me a cool letter and said he is getting married to Maria in C-Springs on 2 July and Tim ANDERSON (UH-1, FCD) and John KUBINEC will be there. Brook is starting F-16 RTU at Luke. Thanks for the pumped up letter Brook and no, I have no special typewriter to uppercase everyone’s last name...

Ted ANDERSON wrote and said he is flying C-26s for the Massachusetts Air Guard with Timrek HEISLER. He and seven other guys were at C-26 training in San Antonio: Tom BURTSCHI (Fargo, ND), Kevin LANDER (Rickenbacker, OH), Dave RADEMACHER (Dobbins), and Clint FARRAR (Oklahoma). Assignments from UPT: Tony SCHENK (Julie), C-17 to Charleston; Mark BOYD, KC-10 to Seymour Johnson; Steve PEEPLES (Larene), C-12 to Elmendorf; Tim PHILLIPS C-130 to LR; Lee SMITH, C-130 to Pope; Branden BAKER, third pilot to FCD, Brad SPOMER, KC-135 to FCD; Lee COTTRELL, third pilot to GF, and Steve AMMONS (Gretchen) and Jon KIM, UH-ls to Minot. Others: Rick MOORE, KC-135 to FCD; Jon THOMPSON (Elise) in Intel at DM; and Chris MARCUS is stationed at a finance center in Tennessee. That was all Ted wrote, because he was about to go fishing.

Kristine (Bergeman) Marlow’s wedding, May ’94. From left are Steve Broderick, Rob Dittman, British ENJJPT student, Kristine and Garth Marlow, Joe Ward (’93), Jade Beam (’93), and Joe Rizzuto.

The last letter is from Steve BRODERICK (E-3 at Tinker). D’Ron LONGINO is finishing E-3 training and Tracy SAILOR is a weapons director aboard AWACS. Karen BLAINE was in protocol at Tinker, but has PCSed to WP. Doug BLACKLEDGE and Godfrey GUERON are at Tinker. Old Vance assignments when Steve went to visit: Shane PRUITT (KC-135), Ross SAUTER (F-16) and Eric UJFALUSY (KC-135). Other news: John GLASS (C-27) to Howard), and Rich BROWN and Jason FROMM (KC-135, GF). Frank SCHORZMAN and Stacey MILINSKI (KC-135, FCD), Greg BIGLEY (F-16), John GURRIERI (FAIP at Vance). Down at Sheppard, Kristine (BERGEMAN) MARLOW got married to Garth MARLOW (non-zoomie IP type). Kristine is the wing physiological officer, but Garth is going to a HC-130 at Hurlburt. Several grads at the wedding: Cory BOWER (F-15, Tyndall), Bob DITTMAN (C-5, Travis), Joe RIZZUTO (C-130, Elmendorf) and others.

It’s been said, “Be careful what you ask for, ’cause you might get it” well I did. Many letters and so little space; sorry about editing your letters so much and being brief, but don’t stop writing. The beach promotion party at L.A. was excellent 40 kegs, hundreds of people, and too many ’92ers to remember. I did see Fred TAYLOR and must mention him ’cause last time I screwed up his name. Had lunch with Michele MEYER (KC-10, March) who told me what a lot of you were doing, but I’ll report on that next time. Troy SIMON called me today from McClellan and says he’s doing well. Gotta go, my space is full. Take care ’92, James.

Michael D. Sundsted 4

4201 Taft Blvd. #A207

Wichita Falls, TX 76308 (817) 692-4212

DSN: 736-2783

Percent members: 85

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Yooo...Hooo! Hey ’93, it’s that time of year again! I’m glad you found this article. In case you didn’t notice, we’re in a different spot. In the past four months, I’ve accumulated about 20 letters updating me on many of our fellow graduates. Thanks, and keep the letters coming!

First, we will look into the old AOG mailsack! I received change-ofaddress cards from Ron STUEWE (Columbus AFB), Dayne FENTRESS (Alamogordo, NM), Russ WOLFE (Cheyenne, WY), Will HASTINGS, Fernando MOLINA, Mark MOODY, Johnny WALKER (Sheppard AFB), and Sarah SAXLER-SULLIVAN (Burlington, MA). Now, on to the letters!

I received a letter from Glenn GUYTON at Langley AFB. He works as a computer analyst doing logistics composite modeling and simulation. He designs Excel spreadsheets that dance the moon and do loop de loops in an F-117. Adrienne BYRDSONG and Patrice JORDAN stayed with Glenn when they attended the wedding of Tiffany JORDAN (’92) and Ray ROBINSON (’91). Glenn says Adrienne and Patrice ate him out of house and home and used all his hot water! George JOYCE and Joe CARTHARN are also at Langley.

While taking a course at Wright-Pat, Glenn ran into Tuan NGUYEN, Jay WILLIAMS, and Akin DORSETT. At the USAFA Gospel Choir concert in Washington, DC, he ran into Amon MARTIN, Kareem MOORE, and Larry RILEY.

My next letter comes from Kevin SUTTON at Vance AFB. He’s in UPT with Darec LIEBEL, Joe COLLINS, Dave POPE, and Matt LACEY. Kevin informs us that Chris FRANKLIN, Rob POWELL, Brian GIENAPP, Eric KNIGHT, Jeff SALSBURY, Huss SADDIQUI, Aaron GITTNER, Kim KLIEN, Chris LARSON, Aaron KERKMAN, Gerard LAMBE, John PRICE, Steve NELSON, and Chris BENNET are in 95-02 at Vance. Also at Vance, but in 95-04 are Ted LAYNE, Jason BOWERS, Aaron RAREY, Dane CHRISTENSEN, Jim MARTIN, Joanna HARTLEY, Phil TUCKER, Julia ANDERSON, Dave ROSZMAN, and Mike BIORN. Liesl RADERER, Julianne STULL, and Jason BREEDEN are in 95-06.

While on a cross-country flight to Kelly AFB, Kevin ran into Steve HORTON, Clif HICKS, Ron PETERSON, Mike RUDDY, and Joel DUNHAM. Steve is an executive officer at Randolph AFB. He married his wife, Heather, shortly after graduation. Clif is a logistics officer at Moody AFB. Mike is at Whiteman AFB while Joel is at Minot AFB. Ron is at Nellis AFB.

Dale HOOVER is a naval ensign undergoing SCUBA training in Panama City! (Must be nice!) OH, here’s a tough assignment! Get this, Alex GRYNKEWICH is at the University of Geogia for graduate school! I hope you enjoy your summer vacation Grynk! Jenn BROWN is a maintenance officer for KC-135s at Castle AFB. Jon NAPIER is stationed at Tinker AFB, and Brad BOUSQUET is currently at Altus AFB. Thanks for the info Kevin!

Development course. Congratulations to all of you!

Jeff MABRY sends us a letter from sunny California. He informs us that he, Kelly MCJOYNT, Sean AMUTAN, and Mari BRENNEMAN completed their space training at Vandenberg AFB. They are currently stationed at Onizuka Air Station, CA.

Jeff VEYERA writes from supply school at Lackland AFB. He informs us on several graduates. Mike MEYER is an adjutant for the new B-2 squadron at Whiteman AFB, while Tommy DOYL is a missilier in Cheyenne, WY. Jason FOGEL and T.J. COURTNEY made it through Air Weapons Controller School at Tyndall AFB. Jason is headed to Kadena AFB. Also at Tyndall are Jeff, Brian STUART (Maint), Curt VELASQUEZ (Air Weapons Cont), Rob HARRIS (Hosp Admin), and Mark BUTLER.

Janelle Viera

Now for the uddates from the Air Force and the Marines! From Brooks AFB, I received a press release about Janelle VIERA. She was chosen as a base ambassador for the next year! Her primary involvement was during the Fiesta San Antonio. From the Marine Corps I received letters about the following: Marine 2Lts Tom ROSA, Chris GALFANO, Tim WATTS, and Brian LEICH graduated from their Marine Corps Combat

Jason Fogel’s Wedding Party

While at school, Jeff bumped into James NEY, Bryan DUNN, Tony MEYERS, Tanya KOBBERDAHL, Melissa WHITESTONE, and Carl KOHNTOPP. Also, Chris GRAY worked at USAFA as an assistant football coach. He and Rebecca CURRIE (’94) were supposed to be married in June! Congrats! Glenn ROETTGER completed Space Cadet training at Vandenberg AFB. While there, Glenn took SCUBA lessons, rented a harpoon, and is said to look like a cross between Jacques Cousteau and Orville Redenbacker.

Rich LUCE dropped me a note from Los Angeles AFB where he works in the Ballistic Missile Defense office. Also in L.A. are Ben RATCLIFFE, Gregg GARCIA, Eric BUHR, Lee BOSCH, and Phil HENDRIX. Scott BELL works on launch vehicles at Vandenberg AFB and Ken GERMANN works as a flight test engineer at Edwards AFB. Mike MATTHEWS stopped to see Rich on his way to Beale AFB. Allen MAXWELL (Space Operation) and his wife, Tracy, are in Colorado Springs. A final note from Rich, he is engaged to be married next April! Congratulations from all of us!

Let’s discuss some weddings, shall we? First, Jennifer JOYCE informed me that she wed Bruce Homann in San Angelo, TX. Also getting married were Sean AMUTAN and his wife, Ethel. Dave POPE married Lynnae after graduation. Steve NELSON and his wife, Robin, are currently at Vance AFB.

I received a letter from Jim “Woody” WOODHEAD. He sent me a picture of Jason FOGEL’s wedding party. Jason married his girlfriend from Denver, Naomi. Attending the wedding were Tommy DOYLE, Scott KOONS, John BAUER, Brian COPES, John MEIER, and T.J. COURTNEY. Jim also updates us on several members of CS-29. John BAUER is doing secret James Bond stuff somewhere in Columbia. He doesn’t have to wear a uniform and he drives an armored vehicle to work! Hank BUCK is doing Combat Comm at Tinker AFB. Jen VANHEERTUM is heading to one of the Carolinas. Scott KOONS is in San Antonio for some type of research. Brian TURNER, Scott HUFFORD, and Paul TRUJILLO are at Reese AFB in UPT.

Jim says rumor has it that Jeff VEYERA has done a 180. Mr I-hateUSAFA now has a room totally devoted to our alma mater. If you know Jeff it’s a definite change! Also, Woody ran into Leif ECKHOLM who was cruising through UPT. Jason CANADA is at Del Rio with wife, Jennifer, and their baby Jessica.

Over the Memorial Day weekend Larry TRITTSCHUH married his wife, Christy. Their honeymoon was spent in a car driving from Ohio to Texas! Lovely! Larry informs me the bachelor party was out of this world and that the “real” honeymoon will come after UPT at Sheppard AFB. In attendance at the wedding were Sean RIVERA, Mike TAMBURO, Lance REYNOLDS, and Kelly HARSHBARGER.

Barry COGGINS recently married Teresa. Attending their wedding were fellow Lts Todd SEGER, Paul COVER, Dave BENSON, Dave WRIGHT, Wispy SPEROS, Ron NGUYEN, Pete GBELIA, Brian

Barry and Teresa at their reception.

BURNS, Joe WARD, Andy TRAVNICEK, Dave MORISEY, and Mike YOUNG. Our newlyweds plan to attack the Caribbean after Barry is done with UPT. We wish you well!

Congratulations from our entire class on those of you who were married.

Others I have heard from include Lee SPECHLER, who is at Moody AFB controlling the F-16 bomb dump. He recently attended a course on building munitions. Lee says building bombs is cool! While at Beale, Lee ran into Adam OLSHEFSKY and Molly LITTLE. Adam is working in the combat munitions squadron and Molly works in the hospital.

Brendan HARRIS in still in Maryland where he has the summer off. It must be rough! He went down to Lamar SETTLEMIRES’ wedding at Columbus. Lamar give us more information when you can!

Chris NOLAN is at Kunsan AB, Korea where he is an intelligence officer for an F-16 squadron. Stephen MCILNAY is in Wichita, KS in charge of a B-l maintenance unit. Kevin KOSEFESKI is doing well at graduate school and expects to be here at Sheppard for maintenance school in October. Rob BALZANO is having a great time in T-38s at Sheppard. (You’re welcome Rob.)

As for myself, I’m still motoring along in the T-37 and trying to enjoy the Texas heat. I appreciate all of you who wrote to make this column more enjoyable. I hope you have/had a great summer! Mike.

C.C. Masotti-Maxwell

PSC Box 4323, 778 N St. Vandenberg AFB, CA 93437-6243

Percent members: 77

wCONGRATS 94! We finally made it after four long years. I was around to see ’98 walk around with those wonderful red hats, and it was a terrific feeling almost as good as getting that first paycheck! I hope you all enjoyed your leave and are starting to settle in at your new bases. So far you’ve probably learned about as much as everyone I’ve talked to the pay is TONS better than cadet pay (especially when you don’t have to do a thing for two months!), the freedom is wonderful, and those little “94” stickers are impossible to get off your car!

Unfortunately, not everyone was able to take advantage of the 60 days of leave a group of folks had to report June 19th to Vandenberg for Space/Missile Ops training, and those going to AFIT (Mike DUNN, Deb NAWROCKI, Brett ROWLAND, and others) had to be in Ohio June 27th. Among the group at Vandenberg are Kathy CLEVELAND, Brian MORRISON, Bill DOUGLAS, Joe BERMEL, Arlene COLLAZO, Kurt SCHENDZIELOS (’93 Vi), Shawn GUNTER, Tim PRICE-WILLIAMS, Guin SOMMERS, Fred FAITHFUL, Wade HAWES, Andy RATLIFF, Paul HERMAN, Wok LY-HUYUH, Reeves BOWER and Heather (ALDRICH) TARBOX. As you can tell, Heather didn’t let that early reporting date interfere with her wedding to Rich TARBOX during June week and Reeves decided to just fly back to Colorado for his July wedding and just let Pam do all the planning. Kathy CLEVELAND didn’t let it change her summer travel plans either she spent a week in Alaska with Wayne FLOYD, Tony RODRIGUEZ, Bryan RICHARDSON, Kurt WENDT, Paula THORSON, Carrie BISCHEL, Lauren SHEHAN, and Jill RYLAARSDAM and still found time to join Ian PHARRIS, Paul HERMAN, James EBY, and Matt PARKER in Monterey, CA to attend Paul and Jenni PERKINS’ wedding.

Of course, those aren’t the only couples that decided to tie the knot after graduation... I don’t have all the names, but thanks to James (Big

Daddy) DAVIS and Kathy, I do have a lot of them!. James is working casual status in the Chaplain’s office for a month and was a real help in the research for this column. June week alone, Ernie HERNANDEZ married Laura; Sean MADOLE married Linda; Dan SWECKER married Teresa; Chris FOLLIN and Lisa HARRIGAN got married; P.J. MENDICKI wed Stephanie; Bryan DILLARD and Lara (Nicole) JAESSING tied the knot; Tyrone JOHNSON married Lynette; Chris DALTON wed Jera; Ashton REYNOLDS and Stephanie were married; Jose BARERRA married Dena and Rod LIBERATO got married as well. Ashton’s fatherin-law, Col Daack, was reportedly thrilled that Stephanie had married another Red Tag!

If you know Jack ANTEDOMINECO and Mark TORREANO, you know how inseparable the pair has been for the past four years. Well, now they’re both married AND they’re related! Jack married Mark’s sister Marcy June 3rd and Mark was married to Tonya two days later. Imagine all the work Mrs Torreano did to pull off graduation and TWO weddings in less than a week! Hats off to her and also to Steven FOSTER’S mom. Steven got married on the 3rd, and his good friend Marty EDWARDS married Steve’s sister Stephanie the next day! Other folks that are now married include Preston SCHLACTER, Obasi (John) ONUAHA, Mike MARVICH, Ted GATLIN, Steve OTTO and Jessica; Kurt KEATON and Kim; Brian BERGERON and Kara; Matt JEFSON and Kim; Trace THURLBY and Kristen; John DIPASQUALE and Danella; and Tim WAMHOFF and Melanie. Will BLOCK and Bob (B.O.B.) GOODWIN were able to make it to New Jersey for Jim and Melanie’s wedding and Jeff MERREL and Mike RIDER drove to Arkansas for Ted’s wedding. James DAVIS is marrying Sheryl Sept 3rd in L.A. and has invited everyone to show up Joey SILVERS will be the best man. Finally, Rick WAGEMAN is now engaged to Alicia VALLENI (’95 went stop-out from our class) and will be married next year in L.A. Congrats and best of luck to you all and to everyone else who got married this summer!

Those of us who weren’t getting married or working this summer probably did a lot of traveling. Steve ROERICK and his friend Joe got stuck at Scott AFB (St. Louis) in time to join Robin WASYLIK at a promotion party for ’92ers in the area. The seven-keg party was held at the lakeside house of ’92 grads Rick BAILEY, Andy CRUM, and Ken MOSS and was still the talk of the town two weeks later when I made it to Scott. They said that anyone headed that way is welcome to stay at their place anytime. Robin left there for Myrtle Beach; Steve and Joe headed on to Las Vegas and then to Hawaii with Steve’s girlfriend. Of course, they weren’t the only ones to take advantage of military hops Carolyn FORNER and Kristi KLUCK joined freshman pals Steve MANN and Kori MIIKE at Kori’s Hawaii home. Dave BERG, who was working Sports Camp when I was in Colorado, spent a week in Seattle with Mike DUNN and then a week in Hawaii with Ollie LEEDS and Geoff HICKMAN. Norm SUMMERS, Mike RIDER, and Chad FRAZIER also spent time in Hawaii to do some diving. John GIFFT, John NEWBY, Danny VEAL, and Lou HARRISON spent a month in Europe (along with tons of other people I’m sure) and West STARK and John STOCKWELL hiked through northern France. Danny DIMENTO and Mark RUSS went to New Zealand and Ian PHILLIPS and Shawn MCLAY were seen trying to hop to Australia.

I mentioned that Dave BERG and James DAVIS were here on casual status, but they’re not the only ones. Thanks to Dave, I got a list of those working Sports Camp: Mike BAUTISTA, Dante BIANCCUCI, Leland BOHANNON, Albert BOWER, Dan BUNTS, Dave CHACE, Jon CULP, Dave EAGLIN, Brian GESUALE, Rob GIANNONI, Alex GRACIA, Darren GRAY, Mary HARTMAN, Joe HLYWIAK, Todd HUDGINS, Todd KUSSEROW, Brett MACHOVINA, Mike MANOR, Jeff MERRELL, Vern MULLIS, Chuck PERKINS, Dave PIFFARERIO, Mike RIDER, Michael RITZMAN, Bryan SALMON, Kirk SCHULTZ, Chris STOFFEL, Daymen TIFFANY, Brian TOTH, Matt VILLELLA, and Jason WOLLARD. I saw Norm SUMMERS a few times out on the river because he works with Rob ALFORD for base MWR and the white water rafting program. Finally, Audrey WILLIAMS and Karl ROGERS worked with students going on the French exchange. Luckily, I spent almost two weeks in Colorado rafting and was able to talk to a lot of different people in person. In the future, however, I’ll be dependent on your letters and phone calls since your input is what makes this column work. If you can’t reach me, just call or write the Association of Graduates their numbers are in the front of every issue of Checkpoints.

And if you’re not in the AOG, please join. On behalf the class, I’d like to thank our class officers (Kevin PFEIL, Deb REUTHER, Paul ABAIR, and Chris PILLOW) for all their work over the past four years. Finally, I hope you all enjoyed your summers and enjoy your new assignments even more if you’re ever in the area, give me a call. Best of luck to each of you, and keep in touch. Take Care and God Bless C.C.

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