Checkpoints December 2010

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Developing leaders of character has never been more important...

Your Sabre Society level gift to the Air Force Academy Fund will provide the best possible resources in support of the Academy, its cadets, and the graduate community. The Academy's mission-developing leaders of character for our nation-is simply too important to leave to federal funding alone. The bridge between sufficiency and excellence is built by private funding. Generous contributions from graduates, parents and friends enable the AOG and USAFA Endowment to fulfill their missions of supporting the Academy.

CEO UPDATE CHAIRMAN'S JOURNAL STAFF DIRECTORY SUPERINTENDENT LETTERS NEWS

CROWNING THE HERITAGE TRAIL 14

The Class of 1970 proudly dedicates the Southeast Asia Memorial Pavilion.

COMMANDER IN CHIEF'S TROPHY 18

After nearly a decade at Navy, the Falcon football team brings home the coveted trophy.

GOING THE DISTANCE

24

One cadet's struggle to fight for his life.

INSIDE THE FALCON MEWS 28

Cadet falconers train the birds who serve and perform as the Academy's living mascots.

SHARP SHOOTERS

42

The Cadet Rifle Team strives for perfection on the range.

ON THE COVER

Falcon football coach Troy Calhoun, 89 / and the Cadet Wing bring the Commander in Chief's Trophy home to USAFA. Photo by Lewis Carlyle

A closer look at the new Center for Character and Leadership Development.

One grad goes on to compete in the Warrior Games after losing a leg in a boating accident.

ATTITUDES AREN'T FREE 34

The new book, authored by USAFA grads, explores the complex issue of diversity in the military. OPERATION

Jim Knott, 70, takes charge of the organization which helps veterans in need.

BEYOND

A guide to surviving the Air Force after graduation.

An Academy professor takes home the award for his work in Afghanistan.

Losing one's class ring can be devastating. Getting it back is simply fantastic. THE

50

A history of the cadet publication. KNIGHTS

The Academy Chapel Knights take home a top international award.

Brig. Gen. Rich Clark, '84, discusses the Cadet Wing and his return to the Academy.

The Falcons sport a new uniform commemorating the beloved Thunderbirds aerial team.

Lt. Gen. Benjamin Beilis takes home the award for his service to the Academy and the nation.

2011—Opportunity

Ihad the true pleasure ofgoing down to San Antonio, TX last month to attend a Change of Command and retirement ceremony for my classmate and friend, Steve Lorenz. Steve served as Commander ofAir Education and Training Command (AETC) and devoted 37 years of service to our great country. He has been a strong supporter of the AOG and it felt good to support him at this transition point in his life. AETC will be in good hands as another grad, Ed Rice ’79, steps forward to take the Command to even greater heights.

As several of my classmates and I enjoyed the revelry at Randolph AFB, one of them opined that the AOG was moving in the right direction and for the first time in awhile he was feeling good about the Association. I told him it was the result ofstrong leadership from a committed graduate Board of Directors and the efforts of a talented and dedicated staff. Indeed, we have improved over the past twelve months and as we come to the end of another year, it’s natural to reflect on some of the progress we have made.

We began the year having recently signed the agreement with the USAFA Endowment. After years of confusion, misunderstandings, and quite frankly strong disagreements among some of our graduates, we were able to begin to move forward in a collaborative effort for the benefit of the Academy and the graduate community. Over the past year, we have “moved the ball down the field” to use a football analogy and have made some good “first downs.” One of the strongest confirmations of this positive movement was the funding and ground breaking for the Holaday

Athletic Center. Bart and Lynn Holaday stepped forward and made a $5 million gift to assist in the construction of the indoor practice facility. Their contribution was the single largest gift to the Academy ever made by a graduate. The AOG assisted in this effort by providing both administrative support to the Endowment’s fundraising efforts and with a $5 million contribution received through the Moller Trust which earmarks its gift for the benefit ofthe Academy.

The AOG also instituted an aggressive Chapter Development Program this past spring. As a point of reference, West Point has over 120 Societies (their name for chapters) and Navy has over 100 chapters. In contrast, our AOG had 31 chapters when we rolled this initiative out in earlyApril of 2010. Borrowing heavily from the best of the West Point and Annapolis programs (with their permission, I should add) we totally revamped our program to better meet AFA needs. We also devoted appropriate resources to the endeavor including hiring a ’99 graduate, Stella Grayson, to drive the effort. The results have been extremely positive. Our goal was a 30% increase for the year which would have taken us to 40 chapters. As of this writing, we have reached 54 chapters, a 75% increase, and are in active discussions with 18 other graduate groups. This success demonstrates the great interest and outstanding support from our graduate community.

This past summer we also took on the tough problem ofAOG membership. The West Point model is different from both ours and Navy’s which is quite similar. Nonetheless, accounting for

the differences, we are still far behind both of our sister service academies in alumni participation. The membership rate at West Point is 100% and at Navy approaches 90%. Conversely, our membership rate was at 58% when we instituted some major changes to the program. We began by introducing a new “tiered” dues structure based on the number ofyears after graduation. We also put in place a different dues structure for married graduates. Finally we segmented the marketing message to the graduate community based on years after graduation. The results have been encouraging. We have picked up over 2,000 new members with about 15% ofthat total becoming life members. We have also seen a significant rise in the number ofparents who are opting for affiliate membership. Finally, we have been able to reinstate the Life Membership At Graduation (LMAG) program for cadets, which will bode well for future membership participation. Since Navy instituted this program in 1980 they have enjoyed a 95% participation rate and, in recent years, a 99% participation rate of incoming midshipmen in the Naval Academy Alumni Association.

There have been numerous other indices of progress for the AOG over the past year, including a revision of our By-laws (see page 81), adoption ofboth Board Committee and Operations Strategic Plans, further expansion ofthe Fleritage Trail with the dedication of the Southeast Asia Memorial Pavilion and the development ofthe Falcon Alliance/True Blue program, our local business outreach effort, just to mention a few. But we can’t rest on our laurels. In truth, there is much more work to be done if we are to play on the same level as our service academy counterparts. While the challenges are significant, they also present tremendous opportunities to move our collective organizations to a new zenith in our growing history.

The relationship with the USAFA Endowment will need to be refined, strengthened and improved. Our agreement was a great first step and sorely needed. Yet it was only the beginning of a journey, not a destination. There are significant steps that can be taken to provide the Academy and the graduate community with a more cost effective and efficient enterprise. We must take these steps because our grads and donors deserve the very best we can offer. There is a Joint Coordinating Committee comprised of representatives from both organizations which is beginning to address these issues.

We’ll need to continue to grow and strengthen our Chapter network. The grassroots infrastructure is one of the key components to providing connection, services and support to the graduate community while simultaneously providing graduate support for the institution we all love. To be honest, much ofthe “low hanging fruit” has been picked and I expect the growth to be more challenging going forward. Yet we have a great program in place and talented and motivated staff to lead the effort. I’m confident we’ll continue to make steady progress.

Membership will be especially challenging. The importance of establishing a strong connection to the Academy, and with fellow graduates, through membership in the alumni association has not been a part of our culture as it is at the other military institutions around the country. I have mentioned the strong levels of support at Army and Navy but it also exists at schools such as the Citadel, VMI and Texas A & M, as well. Gary Howe, my second

in command here at the AOG, was talking with an A & M grad and asked whether she was a member of their alumni association. She said that she most definitely was and ifshe were not, would be embarrassed ifher fellow alumni discovered that fact. I am from South Carolina, had a scholarship to the Citadel and can personally speak to the strong alumni network and support of Citadel graduates in the state. The truth of the matter is that it will be easier to shape the attitudes of our current and future cadets than it will be to change the attitudes of many of our older grads. This is why the LMAG program for the cadets will be an important part of our efforts going forward. Yet we will continue to make the case for membership to the graduates who are not members by ensuring a strong membership plan, using innovative marketing programs and, most importantly, continuing to build a strong and vibrant AOG. Our goal is to continue to make the Association an organization that all grads can be proud ofand will want to join. This is a good segue to discuss the final issue I’ll mention in this letter to you; our connection to the Academy and to each other as members of the Long Blue Line.

It is certainly true that we are the youngest of the service academies and the major military colleges across the country. Yet we have graduated 52 classes and our older grads are well into retirement. While longevity as an institution may be a factor as to why we are not as ‘connected’ as the other military institutions, in my view, it is not the determining factor. I believe the issue is one of focus and action. Simply stated, institutionally, we have never focused on the importance ofcadet/graduate connection to the institution and each other or taken action in a systematic way to inculcate those values. Additionally, while this issue primarily evidences itself in the graduate community, it is a problem that cannot be solved by the AOG alone. Both the Air Force and the Academy have important roles to play.

Earlier this year, I penned a paper I call “The Connection Project” and sent it to both the Superintendent andthe Air Force Chief of Staff. In the piece I outlined some of the issues affecting loyalty and connection to the Academy that I have noticed and experienced during my tenure as AOG President and CEO. Additionally, I offered a suggested approach to begin to address those issues. Let me pause and emphasize two points; first, I was clear that this was just “T” Thompson’s opinion from where I sit and based on the information available to me. Second, I acknowledged that my suggested approach was certainly one of many, and at the least might serve as a starting point for further discussion. I believe it fair to say that the paper was generally well received. I’ll also note and thank both the Chiefand the Superintendent for taking immediate steps to address some issues that were raised. The Chief has also agreed that the piece should get wide distribution among our graduate community. You can go to the following link on the AOG web site to read the piece (connection.usafa.org).

In summary, it has been a productive year for your AOG and we are making progress on a number of fronts. Yet great opportunities lie ahead disguised as challenges. We will meet those challenges because as General George S. Patton stated; Accept challenges, so that you may feel the exhilaration ofvictory.”

I wish you and your families a happy, joyous and safe holiday season. S

Chairman’s

The cusp of September and October was an extremely significant week of events for USAFA and the Association of Graduates.

CORONA, the leadership of our Air Force, came here to the Academy for their annual meeting. The Class of 1960 held their 50th Reunion, a frank reminder that my class will do the same next year. The Class of 1960 has completed their gift of upgrading the Heritage Trail, and the classes of 1965 and 1970 also held their reunions.

For the Class of 1970, this year marked a very special reunion. In conjunction with our AOG and the USAFA Endowment, they dedicated the newly-built Southeast Asia Memorial Pavilion at the northwest corner of our Heritage Trail. This new Memorial Pavilion, along with the Heritage Trail, should be a focus of any visit our graduates make to USAFA. The magnificent view through the floor-to-ceiling windows in the Pavilion’s map room spans across the golf course to the Cadet Area. The spectacle is a truly poignant salute to the sacrifices made by our brave graduates during the Southeast Asia conflict.

Just across the campus to the north, the Endowment facilitated a groundbreaking ceremony for the Lynn and Bart Holaday Athletic Center, the long-awaited Indoor Practice Facility adjacent to the Cadet Field House. The master of ceremonies and Endowment CEO, Dr. Erv

Rokke, ’62, read an eloquent letter from Bart, ’65, whose wife Lynn so very sadly passed away that same morning after a two-year battle with Lou Gehrig’s Disease. Our Superintendent, Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, ’76, and Athletic Director, Dr. Hans Meuh, ’66, were laudatory speakers who manned the groundbreaking shovels, wearing hardhats, with Dr. Rokke, our AOG President and CEO, “T” Thompson, ’73, and myself. I was honored to participate, recognizing that the AOG was a significant partner in the process to provide USAFA with this very necessary facility. I know we all remember the extremes of Colorado weather.

The week was capped off in perfect style by the football team’s scintillating wire-to-wire victory over the Navy Midshipmen, an outcome that hadn’t happened in seven long years. As usual, the game was a hard-fought, close contest that had the sellout crowd glued to our seats to the final whistle. By the time you read this, we will have regained the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy, which will be subsequently followed by a long-awaited visit to the White House by the team. The win in the previous game against BYU on the anniversary of September 11 was wonderful as well. I know I will see many of my fellow graduates at our end-of-theyear bowl game. GO FALCONS!

We are getting closer to the early 2011 AOG Board of Directors’ election and hopeful approval of the significant reorganization of our AOG Bylaws. The Bylaws Task Force has made a most commendable effort to upgrade the document, taking into careful consideration the recommendations for adjustment submitted by several of our graduates and Blue Ribbon Commission members. The great majority of the proposed changes are for clarification and subject consolidation and to meet Colorado non-profit statute requirements; we will even have a Table of Contents! A provision that the Task Force and BOD have not proposed changing is the significant requirement that 25 percent of our members vote on any Bylaws change; please help us to exceed that goal by voting. Additionally, your election of several Directors will help facilitate the AOG to continue to move forward in meeting our mission: support for USAFA, our graduates and our heritage. Again, I am honored to serve.

STAFF DIRECTORY

3116

ACADEMY DRIVE, USAF ACADEMY, CO 80840-4475 (719) 472-0300

THE ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES

To e-mail a staff member, please use the first and last name. Example: Gary Howe gary.howe@aogusafa.org

AOG EXECUTIVE OFFICE

PRESIDENT & CEO William "T" Thompson, 73,Ext. 101

EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT Gary Howe, '69, Ext. 107

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT Marty Marcolongo, '88, Ext. 146

SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT FOR FINANCE & CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Alton Parrish, Ext. 123

EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT Ruth Reichert, Ext. 106

FINANCE

ACCOUNTANT Joyce Love, Ext. 110

ACCOUNTING CLERK Janice Baca, Ext. 111

COMMUNICATIONS

VICE PRESIDENT FOR COMMUNICATIONS Bob McAllister, Ext. 142

EDITOR/PHOTOGRAPHER Lewis Carlyle, Ext. 140

SENIOR DESIGNER Sarah Larrabee, Ext. 144

CLASS NEWS & OBITUARY EDITOR Tom Kroboth, Ext. 133

DIRECTOR OF WEB COMMUNICATIONS Troy Surratt, Ext. 125

SYSTEMS ADMINISTRATOR Jason Finkle, Ext. 124

PROGRAMMER/WEB DEVELOPER Gayatri Parepalli, Ext. 118

PROGRAMMER/WEB DEVELOPER Toby Lortz, Ext. 141 DIRECTOR, INFORMATION SYSTEMS Jack Mueller, 70, Ext. 122

ALUMNI RELATIONS

MANAGING DIRECTOR, ALUMNI RELATIONS Corrie Grubbs, Ext. 105

DIRECTOR, PROGRAMS Wayne Taylor, Ext. 150 DIRECTOR, CONSTITUENT RELATIONS Raz Doherty, Ext. 104

MEMBERSHIP SERVICES SPECIALIST Don McCarthy, Ext. 139

ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER

Jan Howard, Ext. 153

THE ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES BOARD OF DIRECTORS

BOARD CHAIR Terry Storm, '61

VICE CHAIR Brian Binn 72

SECRETARY Bob Munsen, 73

TREASURER Jack Fry '67

Rip Blaisdell, '62

Jim Wheeler, '64

Vic Andrews, '66

Roger Carleton, '67

George Van Wagenen, '67 Wild Bill Stealey, 70

Pat Rosenow, 76

Tom Lockie, 79

Frank Schmuck, '88

Steve Beasley, '93

Mark Rosenow, '03

THE USAFA ENDOWMENT

To e-mail a staff member, please use the first and last name. Example: Mark Hille mark.hille@usafaendowment.org

STAFF

PRESIDENT Erv Rokke, '62

VICE PRESIDENT, DEVELOPMENT Mark Hille, '97, Ext. 202

CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER Dennis Scruggs, Ext. 203

ASSOCIATE VICE PRESIDENT OF DEVELOPMENT Greg Knedler, Ext. 224

Patricia DeSimone, Ext. 204

From the Superintendent

Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, 76

GREETINGS FROM YOUR AIR FORCE ACADEMY! BY THE TIME YOU READ THIS ARTICLE, THE CADETS WILL BE WINDING DOWN THE SEMESTER AND GETTING READY FOR FINALS AND A WELL-DESERVED WINTER BREAK. IN THE LAST ISSUE OF CHECKPOINTS, WROTE ABOUT MY PHILOSOPHY FOR THE UPCOMING YEAR AND BEYOND-A FOCUS ON BUILDING FANATICAL INSTITUTIONAL PRIDE. I ASSERTED THAT "PRIDE IS ROOTED IN EXCELLENCE, AND EXCELLENCE IS ENHANCED THROUGH COMMON AND CHALLENGING EXPERIENCES." AS SHARE WITH YOUSOME EARLY SIGNS OF SUCCESS, I THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONTINUED SUPPORT

Our cadets continue to shine athletically. On October 30th, our men’s gymnastics team received their USGA Championship rings for theirfirst national title, which they won in March. Their accomplishment was recognized during the first quarter of the AF-Utah game, in front of a sell-out homecrowd. Leading the team was C1C Nash Mills who collected the title for “best all-around.” Men’s headcoach Kip Simmons earned “National Coach of the Year” honors and was inducted into the USA Gymnastics Hall of Fame.

Continuing the trend of excellence, the Wings of Blue captured their first national title at the US Parachute Association National Skydiving Championships. Some of our fiercest competition came from our second team, who captured third place. The Wings of Blue continue to be fantastic ambassadors of our Air Force and its Academy.

Cadets are also excelling academically. At mid-semester, our 4-degrees (Class of2014) had the highest percentage of cadets over a 3.0 out ofall four classes. That is the first time this has happened in at least 25 years! Our Prep School cadet candidates have an average GPA of over 3.0.

Our cadets have some tremendous role models to emulate such as Coach Troy Calhoun. He has been selected as a semifinalist for the Joseph V Paterno Award for Coach ofthe Year. The award is based on success on the football held, in the classroom and in the community. Coach Calhoun is in an elite group ofsemifinalists that includes Bob Stoops, Jim Tressel and Jim Harbaugh. Ifyou’ve heard Coach Calhoun speak about our cadets, you would know why he has been selected to compete for this award. His passion for developing officers ofcharacter is unparalleled. Congratulations, Coach Calhoun!

Other Academy staff members continue to demonstrate our core values on and offduty. English instructor Capt

Brian Dumm, ’05, won the USAF Marathon! As an officer representative to the Cross Country team, he serves as an outstanding example for the cadets he mentors. Congratulations are also in order for Capt Anne Marie Sibal, a USAFA JAG; she was the top active duty female in the same race (her first marathon). Finally, Maj Scott Poteet, AOC for CS-02, was the AF representative in the Ironman World Championship in Kona, HI. He placed 225th out of 1,778 participants and was the number two military finisher, after enduring over nine hours of grueling competition.

The fall semester is reunion time at USAFA. We welcomed eight reunions, including the Class of I960, our second class to celebrate their 50th year reunion. We aligned the Class of 1980 reunion with our Fall Falcon Heritage Forum, themed “Architects ofTransformation.” Cadets benefit tremendously from interacting with our graduates and connecting with our heritage. It is a reminder that reunions aren’t just about seeing the Academy and classmates, but also offer a chance to fertilize the next crop.

On 9/11, we paused to reflect on our nations loss with a packed stadium here for the BYU game. On display was a six-foot twisted I-beam from the World Trade Center, a poignant reminder ofthe violence ofthat day. We honored a number ofheroes, including 9/11 first-responders Detective Steve Hayden (NYPD) and Firefighter Ken Haskill (FDNY); and Army Capt. Mark Wise, a 2007 USAFA grad who was seriously injured in an attack in Afghanistan last year. It was an inspirational day for cadets, staff, alumni and community.

On October 1st, we celebrated two events that captured the generous spirit of our supporters. That morning, the Class of 1970 dedicated a stunning memorial to our fallen comrades in Southeast Asia. Next time you’re in the area, I encourage all ofyou to visit the Southeast Asia Memorial Pavilion, just northwest of Doolittle Hall on the Heritage Trail—it is truly a touching and reflective place.

Also on October 1st, we broke ground on the IndoorTraining Facility, soon to be named the HoladayAthletic Center. This was a great step forward for USAFA, as it will bring our athletic facilities on par with our Mountain West Conference and service academy competitors. As you know, this building was made possible by an extremely generous donation from Bart Holaday, ’65, and his wife Lynn. Sadly, Lynn passed away that morning, but we were extremelyproud to honor her memory with that groundbreaking. The Class of 1965, here for their class reunion, represented Bart and Lynn. Construction has begun and we are on target for a June 2011 completion date.

On November 1st, we broke ground on another great project, a six megawatt solar array (enough power to run 1400 households for a year). This is a huge step for the 10th Air Base Wing “Falcon Green” program and reflects a strong partnership with Colorado Springs Utilities. The array will be producing power in spring of 2011, and will meet around 11% of our electrical needs.

As we approach the holiday season and have the opportunity to enjoy family and friends, please think of our brothers and sisters in arms who are serving in harm’s way, and those who have given the ultimate sacrifice already. If, while traveling, you run into some cadets, please give them a pat on the back to let them know how proud you are of them. Thanks for your continued support of our Academy. Go Falcons! B

Lett^

Membership Study

In the September 2010 issue of CheckpointsAOG President and CEO “T” Thompson and Board Chair Terry Storm both highlighted the gradual decline in membership over the past 35 years (from 65% in 1975 to 58% in 2010), and lamented the fact that we lag far behind both West Point and Annapolis in membership percentage. Both gentlemen mentioned several fixes, such as a “tiered” dues structure and an aggressive local chapter campaign, but this struck me as proposing solutions prior to actually defining the problem. Until we know exactlywhy 42% of our fellow graduates choose not to be members ofthe AOG, how can we know what to fix?

In thumbing through the class news section of Checkpoints I noticed a definite pattern. Membership for the classes of 19591970 ranged from 68% to 91%; for the classes of 1971-1992 it ranged from 38% to 54%; and for the classes of 1993-2010 it ranged from 56% to 87%. Clearly any AOG study of membership should focus on why such a significant segment of the classes of 1971-1992 do not join.

In conducting a membership study, the AOG Board and staff would do well to consider the following: People join organizations that reflect their values and beliefs, and they leave organizations when they no longer reflect their values and beliefs. I am profoundly disturbed by the AOG’s recent obsession with high stakes fund raising from the privileged elite, and I have reluctantly come to the conclusion that the AOG no longer reflects the values and beliefs that led me to become a life member. As part of any membership study, the AOG might want to consider how its actions may be driving current members away.

Jim Icenhour, Class of1967

Spiritual Satisfaction

In the days ofmandatory chapel, I had a Mormon classmate who could not find spiritual satisfaction in the general Protestant service we were required to attend. He requested, and eventually received, permission to attend a Mormon service offbase. Was this politically correct so as to reflect some new-fangled, religious diversity? Or was it just the right thing to do? Historically, some of our popes have declared one must be Roman Catholic to be Christian. This means Greek Orthodox, Russian Orthodox and all the Protestant sects are outside the true faith. Ifwe were to accept the Popes creed as USAFA policy, does this mean Protestants must give up their place ofworship on the upper level ofthe Cadet Chapel? Is it to be turned into a meeting place for Catholic youth only? No, of course not. So, allowing

cadets to worship as they choose—to include Wiccans—is not, I respectfully submit, turning our backs on God as my fellow graduate and fellow Christian, Roger Smith, honestly and earnestly asserts with words from the Book ofJeremiah (Checkpoints June 2010, Page 10). After all, what is the alternative? Not allowing cadets to worship as they choose? It is not within the authority of our government— legally or morally—to determine when and where we worship? This includes cadets. Besides, ifwe want cadets (and others) to follow our faith, it is best done by setting the example. Desecrating a place of worship, be it Wiccan or otherwise, is not setting the example. Even within theJudeo-Christian tradition there has always been debate over who is ofthe true faith. Let the variety offaiths debate among themselves; don’t have government authorities—USAFA included—make that decision bydenying cadets (ofwhatever faith) a place to worship. I implore my fellow graduates to remember not only the words ofJeremiah, but also those ofthe Book ofHebrews (13:5): “God has said, ‘I will never leave you; I will never forsake you.”

Harold W. Murphree, Class ofl974

More to the Story

The last issue discussed our school’s founding in, “What Might Have Been at Lake Geneva” (Checkpoints Sept 2010, page 52). It stated that “Colorado Springs also stepped in to ensure there would be no resistance over land acquisition.” There’s more to that story. I’m good friends with the granddaughter ofthe land owner who was most effected by the Academy’s creation. Her ancestor is former Colorado Lt. Governor Eugene Higby. In the 1950s, Higby owned both sides ofthe Monument Creek valley, a property he named Cathedral Rock Ranch. His sons were raised where the athletic fields are now. One son became a military and airline pilot. The other died in 1985 among those very few lights that us old farts remember on the other side ofthe valley as we looked into the darkness east ofthe Cadet Area. That whole dark area only became the current sea oflights when the Higby ranch was sold after his death. The land just north ofCathedral Rock Ranch was owned by Mr. Jack, who had recently been evicted from his Los Alamos, N.M. ranch by the Manhattan Project. The little town ofHeusted survived on the railroad line that ran through Higby’s land. One can see a plaque marking the spot if you ride the Sante Fe trail near the Monument Creek bed today. My point is that all ofthose land owners resisted Colorado condemning and taking their land with everything they had. In fact, Colorado still owns the land it took through eminent domain and has shared law enforcement jurisdiction on the Academy. I personally agree with the outcome, the Academy is necessary to our nations security. But those families did not go quietly. Having one’s home taken is horribly destructive and that action was no less painful here than it would have been at Lake Geneva.

Letters Submission Guidelines

Checkpoints welcomes letters from its readers. Please limit your submission to 250 words. For your letter to be considered, you must include your name and graduating year, if you are an Academy graduate.

Letters should be e-mailed to editor@aogusafa.org. Checkpoints reserves the right to edit all submissions.

The four T-38 s roar up from the south, their long sleek fuselages like black arrows against the deep blue Colorado Sky. They pass over the Heritage Trail and break into the Missing Man formation just as they cross over the newlydedicated Southeast Asia Memorial Pavilion. A crowd ofpeople, flush with crimson hats which sit atop members ofthe Class of 1970, cheer as the jets break away, the sound ofafterburners diminishing into the distance. The flag stands at halfstaff, turning gently in the breeze. The deep black granite wall is polished to perfection, its lustrous

surface creating a reflection ofthe dedication attendees. In the distance to the north, a perfect view ofthe Air Force Academy completes the scene.

The flyover concludes the ceremonies of this special event. Graduates and friends alike break into conversation, their memories of combat sorties over Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia coming back to light after so many years. The dedication is a tremendous success; the feeling ofpride permeates the air, tangible and electric.

In the hours preceding the flyover, members ofthe Class of 1970 gathered to tour the newly-finished Southeast Asia Memorial

Pavilion. The structure sits at the edge ofthe mesa on the north end ofthe HeritageTrail, where it overlooks both the golf course and the Academy campus. A long black granite wall forms the eastern perimeter, its polished finish a strong rendition ofthe National Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC. Fourteen bronze plaques—ranging from the Class of 1959 to the Class of 1972—adorn the granite to memorialize the graduates who were killed in action during the Southeast Asia confrontation. During an emotional portion ofthe dedication ceremony, one graduate representative from each class saluted his corresponding plaque, calling out the number

of men who lost their lives serving in the war. Overall, 150 members ofthe graduate community died serving their nation. The Class of 1970 has plans to add yet another plaque indicating the overall sacrifices made by all fourteen classes.

Adjacent to the wall, the map room serves as a place to reflect on the past, present and future. The climate controlled indoor facility is adorned with a large bronze map of the Southeast Asian theater of operations. Sculpted byJim Nance, Class of 1971, the map is said to be one of the world’s most accurate renditions of the Ho Chi Minh Trail. “I felt like sculpting

COMPLETING THE HERITAGE TRAIL

Your Association of Graduates is proud to preserve and promote the heritage of the Air Force Academy. The graduate community has entrusted the AOG with the stewardship of the Heritage Trail. This scenic property which surrounds Doolittle Hall is home to the Challenge Bridge, constructed by the Class of 1959, the new Southeast Asia Memorial Pavilion, courtesy of the Class of 1970, and the Kevin Shea Memorial, provided by the Class of 1989. Each of these classes have immortalized their legacy with these fine memorials. The AOG would like to encourage all other classes to do the same by helping us add to the Heritage Trail. Spaces are still available, and your Air Force history is waiting to be recorded. For more information on how you can contribute, please contact Al Burrell. 719-472-0300, Ext. 11, alan.burrell@aogusafa.org

this map was my destiny,” Nance explains, “and I overwhelmingly embraced the project. As a non-combat C-141 transport pilot flying in Vietnam, I have always respected and admired the crew members who everyday put their lives on the line, and I saw this map as a once in a lifetime opportunity to show that respect in a tangible way.”

Opposite the map, the floor to ceilingglass walls offer a spectacular view ofthe Academy and the surroundinglandscape. The Front Range mountains dominate the western view as they cascade past the Cadet Chapel and give way to the tree laden mesas which

stretch away to the north east. The view is second to none, and may soon be a coveted location for many commissioning ceremonies in the future. As fundraising continues, the Class of 1970 hopes to eventually add a computer kiosk which may offer a chapterized video history ofthe Vietnam conflict, ofthe Air Force at war, and ofkeyAcademy graduates who served.

Scattered throughout the pavilion are nine granite benches, honoring each ofthe nine members ofthe Class of 1970 who gave their lives in the war effort. The blue glass wall which extends across the northern perimeter ofthe pavilion represents the

As the sun rose over the Heritage Trail— creating a beautiful warm day for the dedication ceremony—several key speakers stepped forth to impart their humble offerings to the attending graduates. President and CEO ofthe AOG, William T’ Thompson, ’73, kicked offthe ceremony with a warm welcome. “For our guests, it is a pleasure to host you this morning. For our graduates, it is a pleasure to welcome you back home. I’d like to thank the Class of 1970 for their vision and their fortitude

in doing what was necessary to complete this project and to commit this gift to the Academy and to the graduate community. This memorial pavilion recognizes the contributions ofall our graduates in the Southeast Asia conflict.”

Thompson concluded by offering a philosophical stance on the importance of time, how it should be cherished among friends and never squandered. “As we get older, we realize that time is the most precious commodity we have. You can make more money and you can always go out and buy more stuff; but the one thing that nobody can do—the great equalizer—you cannot buy more time.”

In closing, the AOG President handed the podium over to Gary Dahlen, class giving chairman for the Class of 1970. In his opening remarks Dahlen’s speech reflected on the importance of remembering fallen comrades, and of honoring the sacrifices graduates have made in service to the nation. “Southeast Asia was the first major conflict in which our graduates participated,” Dahlen reminded the crowd somberly. “Now, today is the time to honor them. Those ofyou who were here at the 35 th reunion, we dedicated the replica memorial wall at the head of the Heritage Trail. Our class has a history of giving to the AOG and to the Academy.

During our 35 th reunion, we made a commitment to design, build and dedicate a memorial to honor those graduates who served and died in the Vietnam War.”

USAFA Superintendent, Lt. Gen. Michael Gould, ’76, followed Dahlen with an emotional speech to close the ceremony. “We’ve watched the pavilion go up over the past year,” Gould recalled, “and to see it take shape and finally be complete and to have the Class of 1970 here to dedicate it is truly special. What a gorgeous place—the setting, the design, everything—hats off to the Class of 1970!”

Gould went on to describe a trinity of purposes the memorial pavilion would serve. “Aswe’ve seen today,” he continued, “it will be a lasting tribute to the graduates who have fallen in the Southeast Asia war. It will also be a symbol, forever, ofthe gratitude ofthe Class of 1970, for all those graduates who have died in combat. And perhaps most important, it will be a reminder to our cadets ofthose who came before them, and why the cadets are here to serve in the future.”

The crowd listened intently as the Superintendent bestowed his final message. “I thank the Class of 1970, thank all the graduates who have had this vision, and of course the Association ofGraduates and those who have generously given to make this a reality. Thank you all for being here for your reunion, and please, take the opportunity to give as much as you can to those cadets; because they’re trying to grow up to be just like you.” The Superintendent’s final words were drowned in a din of applause as all ofthe guests celebrated the accomplishments ofthe Class of 1970.

It is with great pride that the Association of Graduates undertakes the stewardship of the Southeast Asia Memorial Pavilion. Thanks to the generous donations of the graduate community, a generation ofAir Force Academy graduates will be immortalized fortheir service, their bravery and their sacrifice. The latest addition to the Academy’s colored heritage, the Southeast Asia Memorial Pavilion stands as a reminder that the Long Blue Line lives to protect the nation, stand against tyranny, and to ensure freedom. Sm

ARTISTIC TOUCHES: CREATING THE B

Standing as the centerpiece for the memorial pavilion's map room, the bronze map depicts the Southeast Asia theater of operations with precise detail. Jim Nance, 71, created the topography by blending art and science. Using digital elevation measurements from NASA, he used a computer numeric controlled mill to produce the a basic landform in foam. Over that, he hand-sculpted every mountain, valley, shoreline andisland in clay. It took four months of overtime sculpting to finish the clay, but when it was completed Nance had created a true work of art; something never before achieved by any artist. Adding a touch of humanity to the experience, Nance turned to 500 year-old nautical charts, which inspired the compass rose and sea monster at the bottom of the map. The compass rose is based on a F-105 Republic Thunder Chief, affectionately called the "Thud." The Dragon was inspired by "Ha Long" which in Vietnamese means "dragon descending from heaven." Ha Long is revered by the people as the bringer of rain and of Yang and is present on the US armed services Vietnam service medal.

Nance also decided to embed a secret message into the map, which he calls the Baldacci Code. The Class of 1970 has already extended a challenge to reward the squadron of the first cadet who can break the code.

After months of research, the artist realized that the famous Ho Chi Minh Trail was not a trail at all, but an elaborate network of rabbit warrens, paths, roads, and hiding places. With considerable help from outside sources, he was eventually able to piece together one of the most comprehensive maps of the trail in existence. The network is painted as a fine white line on the finished sculpture.

For thecolor patina, Nance again relied on ancient maps for inspiration to create a weathered look to give the map more character. Satellite photos were his palette. For the ocean, Nance sculpted a texture to the water and applied a complicated multi layered patina; the result is like looking into the real ocean. The dark purple of deep water gradually lightens through shades of blue until the shoreline, complete with sculpted waves, appears in a light blue green. Visit Jim Nance's website atwww.JamesNanceSculpture.com

The Falcons Take on G ia Tech at the

n Saturday, Nov. 6, 2010 at West Point’s Michie Stadium, the Air Force Falcons took down the Black Knights 42-22 to clinch the Commander in Chief’s trophy for the first time since 2002. After rumbling past Navy earlier in the season, the trophy is at long last back at its rightful home here at the Academy. Flead football coach Troy Calhoun, ’89, has always possessed a very humble spirit when it comes to discussing the accomplishments ofthe Falcon football program. Bringing home the trophy is no exception, and during his interview with Checkpoints he was quick to shift all due credit over to the Academy and the cadets who fought so hard to help Air Force reclaim its title as the nation’s top service academy.

“It’s great for the school,” Calhoun beams, “especiallyconsidering the level ofdedication and commitment it took. Were lucky to have an incredible leadership—just the general staffofficers we have here at the Academy on active duty and all ofthe staffand support personnel are fantastic. Bringing home this trophy is not just a football accomplishment, it’s an Air Force Academyaccomplishment.”

USAFA Athletic Director, Dr. Hans Mueh, ’66, shares similar sentiments with Coach Calhoun. “This is a trophy for the whole Air Force. It gives bragging rights to both airmen and officers around the world. The trophy is a significant symbol for our men and women from the Middle East to the Pacific.”

Mueh recalls the nail-biting tension of facing both Navy and Army. It is the first time in almost a decade that the coveted trophy has changed hands (it has remained at Navy since 2003). Remembering back to the Army game, Mueh recounts his excitement as the Falcons finished offthe Black Knights. “I could hardly hear myselftalk it was so loud! My feelings were a mixture ofrelief and joy. As soon as the clock hit zero on the field at West Point, I called my colleague at Navy and made arrangements to have our truck swing byAnnapolis and pick up the trophy on the way home. There

was certainly no time wasted in getting the trophy back where it belongs.”

The victory was certainly heard around the world. Graduates watching the game everywhere had reason to rejoice as soon as the Falcons clinched the trophy. In a letter written to the Academy Spirit this fall, Capt. Jonathan Hicks, ’03, reminisces about his time as a football player at USAFA. “Going to the White House to be presented the CIC Trophy was a once-ina-lifetime experience. Being in the same room as the most powerful man in the world, being able to shake his hand and have a brief conversation with him was truly inspiring. Sharing that moment with my brothers from the football team made that moment even better.”

Dr. Mueh brings another interesting point to life when he discusses the trophy’s long absence from the Academy. “Today, we have a group ofcadets who have never seen the trophy; many didn’t even know what it looked like in person. This is espedally great for the seniors; for them to have fought through this and have the chance to go to the White House and meet the President, that is very special. It’s like anything in life really; we tend to take certain things for granted sometimes. When things are gone, you tend to appreciate them more, and that was certainly the case with the trophy. We had it for so many years, and then Navy got a lot better and all ofsudden we’re scrambling to get the thing back.”

With the trophy back at the Academy, people can rest assured that no one will be

Senior offensive lineman Tyler Schonsheck celebrates as Air Force defeated Army 42-22. (U.S. Army photo/ Tommy Gilligan) taking it for granted any time soon. Mueh concludes, “We’re very proud of our football team. They fought hard! Navy is a very good team, and beating them gave us the momenturn to go into West Point with a mission. Today, we’re glad to protect it for as long as we can.” Coach Calhouncould not agree more. “It’sanother fine accomplishment by our cadets here at the Academy.”

Captain Hicks leaves us with a unique perspective: that of a former player and a young alumni. He passes along a piece ofwisdom that he and his fellow team members experienced during their time at the Academy, before going on to join the Long Blue Line. “My advice to the Falcon football players is this: Falcon football is about more than just the players on the team. You represent all players, past and present, all Academy grads, and the United States Air Force. When you get tired and start feeling the grind of Academy life, draw strength from all of your brothers (past players) and know that we are cheering our hearts out for you each week because you are building on the legacy all of us have left behind. The last piece of advice is for the seniors. Enjoy the White House trip. It is long overdue and you guys earned it. Congratulations.” H

G CHARACTER

n each of the last six decades, save one, I have had the privilege ofbeing assigned to the Air Force Academy. In that time, I have come to believe that the fundamental dynamic ofthe Academy is the reconciliation ofthree critical factors: the changing nature ofthe profession of arms, the changing nature ofthe cadets themselves, and our unchanging core values. The effective synthesis ofthese three elements has been the hallmark of our institution since day one, and will be vital to our continued relevance in the years to come.

The Profession of Arms in the 21st Century

One look at the headlines proves that we live in an increasingly dynamic and complex world. It is a world subject to the dramatic technological, ideological and economic changes of the 21 st century, one that carries substantial imperatives for the profession of arms. This dynamic movement is heightened by the fact that the profession of arms is changing at a much more rapid pace than in the past—significantly faster than I or any of my Class of ’62 contemporaries experienced during our military careers.

In large part, I think the change we now observe relates to the radically new global political environment in which we find ourselves. In the past, relationships between nations were relatively straightforward, with most lining up behind a few major players. For the last halfofthe last century, it was even simpler—a bipolar world engaged in a zero-sum game between Moscow and Washington. The focus was on maintaining a balance ofpower with traditional, highly destructive instruments ofwarfare. Our hope was that this balance would yield effective deterrence against a major war.

As a 35-year military intelligence officer, I played a modest role in this struggle of traditional military powers. Indeed, I spent most of my operational career dealing with information that was relevant to the fundamental task of “kinetic” conflict—destroying our opponents military and industrial capabilities, and determining the enemy’s capability to hurt us. My fellow intelligence gatherers and I performed our duties by essentially counting the number of ships, planes, missiles and tanks that the enemy could field. Charting the increase in these numbers year over year would quickly determine the overall balance of power. Quite frankly, this method made for reasonably accurate assessments because the Soviet Union, like the United States, was a big, cumbersome bureaucracy. Both sides were predictable.

That world—the one in which I spent my military career—no longer exists. Our troops are actively engaged in conflicts that involve players who, in most cases, are not confined to the tidy boundar-

ies ofnation-states. Instead, we are dealing with tribes and religious fundamentalists ofvarious backgrounds who claim no particular citizenship. We have gone from a finite number ofplayers to an indefinite number, a situation in which a single individual has access to an enormous amount ofinformation that he or she can wield as a weapon. Indeed, the world we now live in is non-linear and far more complex in terms of our national security predicament.

This is the age ofirregular warfare. As our experiences in Iraq and Afghanistan illustrate so clearly, we must deal with these new challenges in ways that go beyond our traditional notions of military power, reaching into the development ofsocial capital and working on attitudes, hearts and minds. If we have learned anything in Iraq, it is that no matter how brilliantly we conduct traditional military operations—and I believe that our military operations in Iraq were spectacular—we can still lose a war if we don’t understand the complicated challenges that remain after we have destroyed an opponent’s military force.

Today’s wars involve the struggle between various “narratives.” Our national security task requires that we effectively articulate our story, that of our values and our purpose, in such a fashion that is supported by our allies and adopted by our opponents. Irregular war has everything to do with the attitudes of our enemies, the attitudes of our allies, andthe attitudes of our citizens in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, or Tulsa, Oklahoma. I believe that we are still learning how to deal with this new challenge, which is dramatically changing what it means to be in the profession of arms.

General Petraeus, whom I consider to be one ofthe most brilliant military leaders since World War II, is effecting sweeping transformations in the organizational culture ofthe United States Army. The young captains, majors andlieutenants who are assigned to places like Afghanistan and Iraq are now being educated and trained to better understand the cultures in which they serve. Once deployed, they are being called upon to demonstrate high levels ofadaptability, confidence, competence and agility.

And when you look at the Air Force, a C-17 loaded with relief supplies may be one of our most effective weapons; possibly even more than an F-16, it communicates something very important about who we are as Americans and has a significant impact on the wide spectrum ofattitudes that we’re hoping to affect. Needless to say, the means to addressthese new challenges will be found not only in the combat zones, but closer to home—specifically, in places like our Academy.

Successive Generations of Young People

And just as the nature ofthe profession of arms has changed, so too has the nature of our young people—our cadets. I have watched, over the past six decades, successive generations ofyoung men and women attend the Academy. The cadets here today, the “Millennials,” are markedly different from their predecessors.

I had my first interaction with this generation while serving as president of a small college in Pennsylvania earlier this decade, and then later at the Academy. On the whole, they demand a far more rigorous experience than previous generations, including my own. My generation showed a tendency to look at our cadet experience as a ride up an escalator, resulting in two things: a commission and an academic degree. And we didn’t want the Academy to hassle us too much on our way up. In contrast, this new generation of cadets wants a commission, a good academic degree and demands a quality experience during cadet years, even if it means more effort on their part. They are very sophisticated, independent and inquisitive, and they are used to having free access to information and determining what is substantive or relevant for themselves. In short, I am really impressed with them.

Our challenge as an institution is to respond to their unique needs. Ifthe current batch ofcadets perceives that Academy rules or programs are lagging or outdated and designed for someone my age, cynicism will naturally arise. The Academy must deal with this effectively, or it will taint and undermine their experience while weakening their commitment. They may ride that escalator to the top, but be counting the days until they can get out ofhere and into the “real world.”

Enduring Core Values

Yet even as many things change, some should not. One thing we have “spot on” at the Academy is our set of core values: Integrity First, Service Before Self, andExcellence in All We Do. Each of these values is absolutely necessary for the development ofleaders of character, the defining mission of the Academy.

No one argues with the importance of integrity. It is vital in a profession like ours that is granted the power and responsibility ofpotentially taking another life. And though inspiring cadets to internalize the primacy of personal integrity has its challenges, the principle is beyond reproach.

We naturally understand the second value, Service BeforeSelf.A military career is defined by the concept. As my wife, Pam, likes to remind me, we moved 21 times during our 35 years ofmilitary life.

And that is the easy stuff—many brave young men and women put themselves in harms way daily, and some make the ultimate sacrifice in service to this nation. They are the true embodiment ofthis concept, the significance ofwhich I think we all instinctively grasp.

However, the third core value, Excellence in All We Do, is a bit more difficult to define. We all have different ideas ofwhat excellence involves and what priorities should drive the conditions ofall that we do. So while we can agree on the necessity ofexcellence to achieve success in our profession, it also requires a good, hard look at how we articulate and effect this core value within the Academy’s culture.

The Future of the Academy - The Center for Character and Leadership Development

I propose that reconciling these three factors—the changing nature ofthe profession of arms, the changing nature ofthe cadets themselves, and our unchanging core values—is at the very heart of our institution. Historically, the Academy has sought to address the issue by offering a curriculum that instills a broad spectrum ofcapabilities in our cadets, preparing them for whatever challenges they may face as officers, ft has effectively done this with its balance ofthe basic sciences, the engineering sciences, the social sciences, and the humanities, in addition to incorporating both military and athletic training in the cadet experience. However, we need to ensure that our approaches, most ofwhich were designed during the Cold War “linear age” remain effective in todays “non-linear” environment.

Fortunately, in response to this critical challenge, the Academy has smartly engaged the issue by expanding the vision and mission ofthe Center for Character and Leadership Development. Through the Center, the Academy will marshal the scholarly, programmatic and personnel resources from all three mission elements under a single comprehensive structure, implementing the total and seamless integration ofcharacter and leadership development into all aspects ofthe cadet experience. The Centers singular aim is the development ofthe whole leader through engaging the cadet in body, mind and spirit. Existing character and leadership programs will be incorporated into the Center and expanded, while the new Scholarship Division will conduct cutting-edge research that advances our understanding ofthe developmental framework and advances our thinking on the future ofthe profession of arms.

Also, for the first time in Academy history, all ofthe elements of character and leadership development will have a single focal point in an iconic architectural structure. The facility itselfis designed to encourage open dialogue and community; it will be a place tailored to meet the challenges ofthis new age. This is not another lecture hall that provides an endpoint for a legion ofcadets to march to for a mandatory formation. Instead, I see it as an exciting place, as a kind ofyeast for this bread-making business that were in at the Academy, where interesting things will attract cadets on a voluntary basis. If we bring in professionally relevant and high quality presentations, we can be successful in transforming the Center into a kind ofcommunity center for cadets who want to increase their knowledge about the profession they are being prepared to join. If we do it right, we will produce a more dynamic, interested group who will come to better understand the relationship between their current lives as cadets and the conditions they will face when theygraduate.

Indeed, ifthe Cadet Chapel is the souloftheAcademy; the Centerfor Character andLeadership Development will become its heart.

I believe the Center is the right response at the right time to address the current challenges for our Academy and the current generation of cadets. It is poised to take an unflinching, in-depth look at the nature of our profession, figure out what it is and how it is evolving, and then set forth the implications ofthese findings for how we teach and develop character and leadership at the Academy. In this expanded Center we have all ofthe elements in place for a perfect storm—a truly effective approach for contributing to the profession of arms as it meets the challenges ofthe new age in which we live. The level of thought, the degree offocus and the commitment to the Academy’s number one mission involved with this effort makes me proud to be one ofits supporters.

The USAFA Endowment has undertaken fundraising for the Center for Character and Leadership Development as its next major project, after the recent success of the Holaday Athletic Center. We invite everyone to learn more about the Center at http://ccld.usafa.org and to expect to see more information on this exciting effort in the near future. S

GOING

On the night ofAugust 17, 2009, C2C Jefferson Sweet awoke from a coma to find himself in a hospital bed.

The room was unfamiliar, as was the landscape which appeared through the window. With no recollection ofhow he had come to be there, Sweet reached back to the last day he could remember. As he would soon learn, his last day of consciousness was halfway across the United States, and more than six weeks into the past.

In the summer of2009, Sweet and his fellow cadets reported for military emersion training at Lackland Air Force Base. The eight-week program paired cadets with the drill instructors conducting basic training for the newly enlisted airmen. The grueling 14-hour days began with revelry at sun up and did not end until the last new airman was secure in his bunk. The cadets were hard-working, and did their best to impart their training from the Academy onto the enlisted.

“After eight weeks in the program,” Sweet recalls, “we were only four days from coming back home. Most of us cadets were all feeling tired, myself included. We all had sore throats from yelling commands all day; and at the time, I simply figured I would tough it out for the next few days until it was time to go home.”

July 4th was a Saturday, and the enlisted who were going through basic training were given a furlough for the holiday. Eager for some much needed rest, the cadets were also granted the night off. “When training resumed on Monday,” Sweet says, “I didn’t show up for work. I wasn’t answering my cell phone, and after a couple ofhours, several of my cadet counterparts came looking for me.”

One cadet's journey from the hospital bed to the terrazzo

Much to their horror, Sweet’s classmates found him unconscious on the floor ofhis room, halfdressed for work, gasping for breath. That day, Sweet was rushed to the intensive care unit at Wilford Hall Medical Center where he was given emergency treatment. He was intubated and placed on a ventilator. Clinging to life, doctors speculated that he would not live through the night.

Yet Sweet beat the odds, skirting his brush with death during those first few critical days. After a multitude of brain scans, he was diagnosed with encephalitis, a virus which causes severe swelling of the cerebellum at the back of the brain. Often transmitted by ticks or mosquitoes, the disease is as rare as it is mysterious. Deep in a coma, the young cadet did not move for six weeks.

Doctors monitored Sweet, placing a feeding tube into his stomach and a breathing tube into his lungs. After the initial weeks, medical personnel removed the intubation tubes, cut a hole in his esophagus, and inserted more permanent tracheotomy ventilator and feeding tubes. Still in a coma, doctors elected to have Sweet airlifted to the Shepherd Center for brain and spinal rehabilitation in Atlanta Georgia. During the first week ofAugust,

his condition improved enough to be taken off the ventilator. And then, during the third week ofAugust, the young cadet emerged from his coma.

“Saturday was about the last day I remember until August 17th,” Sweet explains. “From July 4th up through mid August, the entire six weeks was just one night for me.”

The hospital room was unfamiliar; the tracheotomy tubes were an un-nerving surprise, and the inability to move his limbs was a frightening new reality. “The first thing that I recall,” Sweet says, “was the nurse turning the lights on in my room in the middle of the night. Initially, I thought I was still at Lackland. When I tried to get up, I found I couldn’t move. I remember being pretty angry, to be honest. I thought someone had broken into my room.”

When he attempted to speak, nothing came out. “It’s pretty difficult to articulate words with a tracheotomy hole in your neck. The nurse told me I was in Atlanta. For me, that wasn’t even the right time zone. I thought she was crazy.”

Nothing in the hospital room was recognizable to Sweet except for his cadet picture which his parents had placed on the wall. After several sleepless days, the

cadet finally came to terms with the fact that his situation was no dream. Over the next few weeks, he began a regiment of occupational, physical and speech therapy.

“I had a lot ofslurred speech at first,” Sweet explains. “The cerebellum controls fine motor skills, balance, coordination, and pretty much anything that physically connects your brain to your body. I knew what to say in my mind, but it wasn’t coming out ofmy mouth properly. Learning to communicate was the first big hurdle.”

After the first of October, Sweet was released from Shepherd Center and transitioned to the Pathways outpatient therapy clinic in Atlanta. There, he continued conditioning himself through Novemher. “Occupational therapy encompasses everything from balancing a checkbook to reading a map,” Sweet says.

Ironically, the ordeal helped the young cadet learn just how dependent his generation is on technology. “All this time, we’ve always just plugged coordinates into a GPS and it tells us where to go,” he says with a smile. “I took for granted that reading a map can actually be complicated.”

In November, Sweet returned to his family in North Carolina. There, he continued his rehabilitation part time at the Care Partners YMCA therapy center. “I was running a lot on my own by this

time, with full intentions of returning to the Academy.”

Sweet explains that the Air Force was going to place him on medical retirement status. In December, he was denied the opportunity to return to the Academy in January. Disappointed, yet undeterred, Sweet set a course to re-secure his place among the Cadet Wing. “From then on, I was on workout mode, all day every day. I’m coming back to the Academy, it’s just a question ofwhen.”

In the first week ofAugust, 2010, C2C Jefferson Sweet was re-admitted to the Air Force Academy. Having lost an entire year, he was no longer set to graduate with the Class of 2011. His classmates with whom he had Inprocessed, endured Basic Cadet Training, lived and worked with for two years were now set to join the Air Force as second lieutenants a full year before him.

Fortunately for Sweet, the Class of 2012 has proven an uncommonly accepting brotherhood. “To be honest,” he admits, “it felt like I never really left. The Class of 2012 has been so accommodating. They’ve just brought me into their family like I was one of their own.”

Today, the young cadet stands six foot two inches tall, his blue uniform neatly pressed as he walks across the terrazzo with his classmates. His cheerful optimism is infectious and his demeanor is polished with an ever-present smile. Staying busy with his mechanical engineering major, he keeps a tight schedule. The Academy offers no special treatment, and Sweet wouldn’t have it any other way.

At a glance, there is little remnant of the coma which nearly took his life and left him virtually paralyzed. The only reminder ofhis ordeal comes in the form of a subtle scar across his esophagus, the place where doctorsinserted a tracheotomy tube to sustain his life while his mind lay suspended in darkness for six weeks.

“My Air Officer Commanding, Maj. Nelson, has been fantastic during the whole process,” Sweet says. “I felt like I knew him before I even arrived at the start of the fall semester. We talked on the phone at least once a week during the summer. Eagle 8, my new squadron, has a great family atmosphere.”

Looking back, Sweet realizes that his perspective on life has changed. After

emerging from his coma, the cadet spent several sleepless nights trying to evaluate his life. Unable to move his body and barely able to speak, he found himself turning to God for answers. “There was a time when I felt like giving up. I consider myself to be a pretty religious person. There I was in bed, I couldn’t go anywhere, I couldn’t do anything ...”

Finally, after suffering from total exhaustion, Sweet received the sign he was waiting for. “It wasn’t spoken to me by God; it wasn’t a vision—it’s very hard to explain. All I know is that the sign He gave me was etched into my mind. It said, go the distance.”

After interpreting the omen, Sweet was determined not to stop until he was back to being the person he was before hebecame sick. The hours ofphysical therapy—learning to walk, learning to speak—all proved to be challenges that helped to rebuild not only his body, but his spirit. “That was God’s plan, and there wasn’t going to be any lack ofeffort on my part.”

Facing death is no easy challenge for a young person. After fighting his way out of the hospital bed andback onto the terrazzo, Sweet does not look back on his ordeal with regret. Though he may have lost an entire year ofhis life, he considers the trial ofhis rehabilitation to be a character building experience which has left him a little stronger, and a lot wiser.

“When were in our early twenties,” Sweet says thoughtfully, “we tend to think that we are completely indestructible, that we can do whatever we want and nothing is ever going to happen to us. Today, I’ve learned to appreciate life for what it is, and that it’s not always going to be handed to you on a platter. Life can be easily taken away in the blink of an eye. I try to impart that on people who are a little bit cynical about their time at the Academy, because I too was once one of those people.”

Today, with his new lease on life, Cadet Second Class Jefferson Sweet is looking forward to a bright future. The scar on his neck will forever serve as a reminderthat no challenge is too great for a person who is determined to take charge of his own destiny, to stand up in the face of adversity, to fight, to win, to go the distance. S

RAPTOR

Heavywinds rush across the Academy’s athletic fields as the winter sun disappears behind the Front Range. The air is bitter cold, stinging any skin that is not tucked inside a warm pair ofgloves or hat. Up above, the White-Phase Gyrfalcon comes around for another pass, her eyes set upon the lour spinning in the cadet’s hands. The snow-white raptor charges into the wind, feathers flappingfuriously as she fights the air currents. She makes a low pass, speedingby as the lour is pulled away. The falcon gains altitude, circling, her white body a stark contrast to the shadowy mountains which loom above the Academy. She comes around again, charging faster this time. The cadet releases the lour, sending it high into the air. The falcon pulls out ofher dive, fans her wings wide to slow down and change course as she swoops up to meet the lour, talons outstreched. In one swift movement she latches onto her prey, and drops to the ground. Another successful training exercise concluded, the bird’s handler gathers her up onto his gloved hand and heads back up the hill.

MEWS

C3C Paul McArthur stands in the Falcon Mews at 3:55pm on a Tuesday afternoon. On his arm, a hungry raptor tears bits of meat from the dead quail in McArthur’s gloved hand. She raises up and throws her head back to swallow each piece, her feathers ruffling with delight. All around the room, cadets work with the other falcons—taking careful measure to weigh each bird before feeding time—inspecting wings, tails and talons. The animals posses

a fine balance oftoughness and delicacy. They are able to withstand sub-zero temperatures, fly at speeds of over 180mph, catch and kill a variety ofbirds, rodents and even snakes. Each ofthe cadets falconers on the team considers it a great privilidge to work with such magnificent species.

C1C Calder Goc has always held strong appreciation for animals. She describes the birds not as school mascots, but as colleagues. “I like that all the birds have their own personalities,” she begins. “When I joined the program, I was really looking for something to take care of. These birds aren’t just mindless drones; each one has his or her own personality. They have good days and bad days just like people.”

McArthur agrees on the personality aspect of the falcon program. “My favorite bird right now is probably Ace. His character is actually kind ofgoofy. He’s a lot like a dog. When you come to let him out ofhis room, he’s at the door waiting for you. He’s the best flyer we have right now and he just has a really cool attitude.” Anyone who has been to an Air Force football game has probably seen Ace in action during the halftime show. Ace launches from the top of the press box and speeds his way down to the center of the field, where his handler awaits with a spinning lour. Much like a dog indeed, Ace normally skims the stadium’s crowd between his attack passes on the spinning

lour. The crowds love it, and the birds seems to feed off of their energy.

The falconers have a very extensive travel program during the regular school year. They make appearances at every football game, both home and away. Because of their public lifestyle, the birds have to be constantly acclimated to human presence. Their cadet handlers work with them every day, employing a variety of techniques to keep the animals at peace with their human counterparts. Each bird is only allowed to eat when sitting on the arm of a handler. This is done to ease the vicious independence that each bird is instinctively born with. Connecting with humans through sustenance is an excellent way to establish both trust and rapport. The falcons interact with people every day, making it easy for them to endure large crowds of curious people (all ofwhom want to reach out and touch the elusive birds ofprey). Training the birds to be accepting ofhumans can be a difficult challenge. They are after all, wild animals. “It makes what we do a lot more personable,” says cadet Goc, “because we really have to connect with the birds.”

ClC Jeremiah Baxter is one ofthe senior falconers on the team. He expresses the importance ofbeing able to work not only with animals, but with people as well. “I tried out for the team my freshman year,” Baxter begins, “and a couple of

the guys on the team were from my home state; it turned out to definitely be the team for me. I really love working with the birds, and we get to meet a lot of different people when we travel. Being able to work with people is also very important and the team dynamic here is critical. We’re always being thrown into new situations on trips across the United States which we may not necessarily be prepared for; being able to work through those challenges has been a huge learning experience for us all.”

Like many of the cadet falconers, C3C Cameron Harris agrees that the aspect of travel is a huge perk for the program. “One of the things that drew me to the team was the opportunity to travel. I love to travel and do public relations work. It’s a lot offun getting to meet new people (especially generals). We also get to see the football games from a whole new perspective ofwhat you get from the stands.”

Baxter concurs, adding, “Traveling and meeting new people are definitely among my favorite parts of the job. We encounter people from all walks of life across the United States.” For some of the cadet falconers, the travel experience extends beyond the United States. C3C Paul McArthur and C2C Michael O’Kelley had the opportunity to attend the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition in the United Arab Emirates.

“For me,” McArthur explains, “three of

the Academy’s twelve falconers were in my squadron. When I talked to them, they encouraged me to come and try out for the program. Travel has been a big plus for me. I got to go to Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates for six days. So far, that was the only travel I’ve been on with the team, but it was certainly a unique opportunity for me.”

TECHNOLOGY IN FLIGHT

Throughout history, humans have become very resourceful in our ability to contain and domesticate animals. We have learned how to corral the entire gambit of terrestrial creatures, from the common dog all the way up to giraffes and elephants. We have even learned how to contain whales and dolphins. Yet birds present a different problem. While a cage may keep a bird from escaping, it does not provide adequate space for extended flight. The question then arises, how does one fly a falcon out on the open range without losing her to the call of freedom?

John VanWinkle is Deputy Chief of Media Relations under the Academy’s Public Affairs office. During his tenure at USAFA, he has become a senior mentor to the falcon program. VanWinkle explains that in order to understand why the birds don’t just fly off into the wild, you have to go back and revisit their training. From the day they are hatched, the falcons are

conditioned to have a connection to their human counterparts. Every meal is taken while perched on the gloved-hand of a cadet. It is also important to understand that the Academy’s falcons are not trained to hunt, and thereby only associate food with their human trainers. In short, the birds cannot survive in the wild, and they have come to enjoy the comforts of their lives in the mews.

Despite all of their conditioning, VanWinkle admits, the call of the wild is sometimes too strong for a falcon to ignore. “One day last summer, Ace, our premiere football game flyer, took a three day sabbatical during one ofhis training sessions.” Fortunately, like any good Air Force program, the falcon team has a contingency for such situations. Each bird is fitted with a radio transceiver which can be triangulated and tracked. Going out to retrieve a bird which has gone on flyabout takes coordination and patience. In the case ofAce, the falconers tracked his signal to find him perched in a tree not far from the mews. “Once you find a falcon,” VanWinkle says, “it’s just a matter ofholding out your hand with food. Once he sees that pheasant, he comes right back.”

BIRDS OF A FEATHER

Back at the mews, life goes on as usual. The hungry birds sit atop cadets’ arms, tearing happily at their feasts ofpheasant.

The holding pens are cleaned and sterilized and each bird is carefully weighed and measured to ensure a healthy life. The cadets inspect feathers and whisper soothing remarks to their winged counterparts. Outside, the winter chill is setting in as the winds billowing down from the Front Range become stronger each day.

C1C Calder Goc eases back in her chair, another full day of classes, formations and lectures behind her. As each of the cadets reveal their thoughts on the falcons they care for, Goc shares a paternal thought about her favorite bird. “That would have to be Cody,” she says thoughtfully. “He’s 17 years old. In the wild—due to the hardships of every day life—falcons may only live to be eight or nine years old. So Cody’s pretty much just the old sweet grandpa who’s really nice. Right now, I’m very interested in seeing to it that he has a good quality oflife as he carries out the rest of his days.”

As the lively birds enjoy their meals, the sun sets on the Academy. Eventually, the cadets make their way back to the dormitories and mews once again becomes quiet. As night falls, the birds settle in against the cold, ruffling feathers and calling to one another through the screened fences of their stalls. Tomorrow will be another day for wings to spread wide and for eyes to stay sharp. Tomorrow will start a new adventure. Tomorrow will bring the

Laughlin lieutenant loses leg, returns to pilot training

1st Lt. Ryan McGuire, ’08, lost a leg in a boating accident 13 months ago. Since then, he has completed rehabilitation using his prosthetics, finished the Air Force Marathon and competed in The Warrior Games. Fie has been back on duty at Laughlin Air Force Base since July 2010, but not in pilot training. On Oct. 29, he received word that he would soon return to pilot training at the 47th Flying TrainingWing.

“When I first lost my leg, I never dreamed this day would come,” McGuire said. “But leadership here has supported me every step of the way, and honestly, they’re the ones who gave me this dream to come back.”

Col. Michael Frankel, wing commander for the 47th FlyingTrainingWing, said it was a no-brainer to support McGuire in his efforts. “When I first met Lieutenant McGuire, it was obvious that this young man is somethingspecial. He has always had a positive attitude. I’ve never seen him down, never see him upset; he’s always been pressing forward trying to achieve his goals. I look forward to the day when he graduates from pilot training, and I can hand him a set ofsilver wings.”

McGuire was injured Sept. 6, 2009, when he was yanked from a boat while jetting across a lake at 40 mph. He was lifted out ofthe boat by a rope tied to an inner tube when the wind caught the tube, pulling him out. As a result ofthe accident, his hip was dislocated, his pelvis was fractured, and his right foot was mangled. He was rescued from the lake and then taken by ambulance to Val Verde Regional Medical Center in Del Rio, Texas. Ten hours after the accident, he arrived byhelicopter at Brooke Army Medical Center in San Antonio. Initially, doctors attempted to repair the foot, but five weeks later, he lost much ofhis right leg below the knee.

“It was so surreal,” McGuire recalled. “It probably really didn’t hit home until I woke up after the surgery. I woke up after and my mom started crying. I pretty much knew then it wasn’t just a bad dream.”

As a child, McGuire wanted to be an Air Force pilot. His dream eventually led him to the U.S. Air Force Academy. “I never wanted to give up my dream,” he said. That burning passion led him through months of sometimes painful rehabilitation, as he re-learned to walk and then run. In August, he went before a medical board where he was found fit for duty. Two days later, a waiver was submitted to return him to pilot training, which was approved Oct. 29. Fhere are a active-duty pilots with prosthetics. McGuire however, is the first student to be returned to training status.

The young lieutenant said he’s learned a lot through the whole ordeal, especially the meaning ofAir Force family. “I went to the Academy and such, and it was a great time and we experienced a lot ofcamaraderie,” he said. “However, throughout this, my Air Force family, and my real family, has been by my side throughout. The day ofthe accident, I had commanders at the hospital with me, helping take care ofmy real family and ever since, they’ve been in my corner helping and pushing me as needed.” S

A collection of Academy graduates come together to co-author a new book about diversity

A conversation with Dave Levy, '88, and Jim Parco, '91, co-authors of Attitudes Aren't Free

Sex, money, race and religion.

No, these aren’t just topics were taught to avoid in professional conversations, they are also the guiding themes embraced in a new book published by Air University Press. In just six months, 8,000 copies ofthe book have been printed to meet an extraordinary demand. The book, Attitudes Aren’t Free: ThinkingDeeply about Diversity in the USArmedForces, has quickly become one ofthe most popular and successful titles in the 57-year history ofthe Air Force publisher.

Especially noteworthy of this project is that 22 USAFA grads were involved with its creation; furthermore, they are as diverse as the subjects they showcase. Coming from the Class of 1963 to the Class of 2006, these contributors are white, Hispanic, black, male, female, active-duty, reservists, career officers, civilians, rated, non-rated, religious, nonreligious, lieutenants, majors and generals. Attitudes Aren’t Free is a book about diversity, built on diversity and the critical diversity ofperspectives.

Attitudes Aren’t Free emerged as the vision of two USAFA grads: Jim Parco, ’91, and Dave Levy, ’88. After publishing their first book in 2009, The 52nd Floor: ThinkingDeeply About Leadership, they discovered that their new approach to diversity resonated with people. Checkpoints sat down with the co-authors to reflect

on how the project began, and what it contributes to the on-going debate on diversity in the military.

Parco recalls, “Dave and I recognized the importance that diversity played in the work place, and we decided to write a bookthat would begin to foster a more critical dialogue. Diversity is such a complex topic, and what we really needed to do was span a spectrum oftopics. We began to ask ourselves, who out there has the best arguments?’ The answer is activists. So we reached out to some ofthe brightest voices in the United States. We went to the far right and the far left.”

The two authors sought input from both sides of the sociopolitical spectrum, asking each polarizing party to write chapters for the book. All of the varying authors make their arguments, provide data to support their claims and, most important, provide recommendations for new legislation to address needed changes.

Speaking on the topics that these varying authors submitted, Parco exclaims, “Our results varied in everything from religious expression, homosexuality, race, gender, ethics, and other critical military issues.”

The authors surmise that for the longest time, whenever one talked about diversity in a class or seminar, one could watch peoples’ eyes collectively roll back in boredom.This was a tragedy because all the literature shows that complexity will continue to increase in a system as long as one condition is met: excess energy on which to grow. As

complexity increases, diversity also increases. Looking at nature, ecosystems that embrace diversity flourish. Those that don’t, stagnate and die. Organizational diversity is no different. Diversity isn’t a leadership program, it has become a national security imperative. Yet, few people see it as such; so the authors decided to write a book about it. Their first challenge was evident almost immediately: what could two white, male USAFAgradsoffer on diversity?

Last fall, Parco and Levy reached out to some ofthe brightest voices on the topics ofreligious expression, sexual orientation, race, gender ethics and other social policy topics ofcurrent interest. Included as authors are several nationally-known activists, both right-wing and left-wing, alongside a variety ofother experts from across the services. Initially, they had a lot ofinterest from academics, but eventually decided that they wanted the book to have a more practical focus. In their dialogue with the contributing authors, Levy and Parco asked people specifically not to write a fair and balanced piece. “Instead,” Parco explains, “we wanted them to tell us what they believed, provide the evidence and arguments supporting their position, then, make specific policy recommendations on what they believe senior leaders and policy makers should do to improve the lives of men and women serving in the armed forces.”

The result was a 29-chapter volume authored by a variety of experts, each coming from a different perspective. Each chapter had its biases, which is precisely what the authors wanted. Across each section, just about every conceivable argument appears on both sides ofthe more contentious issues. In the end, there are two perspectives captured in the book, explains Parco. “The right andthe wrong, and it’s up to each reader to decide for him or herself.”

Once the authors had the chapters, they set up a peer-review process to ensure that the quality of each submission was sufflciently high to warrant publication. They reached out to a variety of experts to referee chapters in a blind-review process. Not all of the chapters made it, but those that did made it not because someone agreed with the argument, but because the arguments stood on their own and were worthy of discussion.

Lieutenant General Bill Lord, ’77, authored the Foreword to the book. In it, he articulated the importance of fostering a robust conversation centered around ideas that can continually improve the strength and effectiveness of today’s military. General Lord writes, “We hope this monograph can open our collective apertures to look at some very thorny issues in an open-minded manner. We’ve tried to present many sides of each issue by using some authoritative sources. For many decades the AF has been a change agent—Attitudes Aren't Free provides additional thought provoking leadership, as is our heritage.”

The book is arranged into four primary sections by theme (Religious Expression, Homosexuality, Race and Gender, and Social Policy Perspectives 2010). Within each section, there are several chapters which embrace a different perspective surrounding the section’s theme. Parco and Levy point out that because of the unbalanced nature of many of the individual chapters, it is critically important that readers focus on the entire spectrum of perspectives presented within a section to ensure they have the context necessary to frame any single perspective.

Parco also explains, “The book is also very useful in a variety of different situations. Context matters. Ifyou have a room of full

bird colonels talking about religious diversity, their conversation is going to be dramatically different from the dialogue which happens between a Major and his enlisted.”

One ofthe best ways to illustrate this method ofpitting opposing viewpoints is examined in the current debate on the military’s ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ policy. “When you look at this specific case,” Parco says, “the two voices which come to mind are Elaine Donnelly, President for the Center ofMilitary Readiness, and Dr. Aaron Belkin, director of the Palm Center at the University ofCalifornia.”

Parco explains that Donley routinely testifies before congress in support ofthe current law which originated in the Clinton administration. In the chapter she wrote for the book, Elaine lAAiilin makes all the arguments for ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell.’ Dr. Belkin, on the other hand, writes in support of allowing homosexuals to serve openly in the military. “These are complex issues,” Parco says, “and we need to be opening a dialogue that puts these issues on the table. As organizations become more complex, it takes complex solutions to resolve conflict.”

Levy chimes in, “The discussions you see on television or hear about on the radio are little more than sound bites. In order to understand these issues, you have to examine both sides of the coin in order to make an informed decision.” Levy touches on another sensitive topic. “Religious expression is another example of a very emotional issue for most people. The key to resolution is getting beyond the emotions and listening to the arguments on both sides.”

varied in everything from religious expression, homosexuality, race, gender, ethics, and other critical military issues”

Parco says that the book is designed to show people both sides of the argument, to spark a dialogue, and to show people the merits from each perspective. “Our hope,” he says, “is to help people become better analytical thinkers. This book was initially designed for students, but when you think about the emphasis the military places on education, the practical applications for the book span all the way from Airmanship Academy, to Senior Service School, to Air War College. Any place where you have people together in an academic environment, this book is profoundly useful.”

Although attitudes aren’t free, the books actually are. Electronic copies are available through the Google Book Project or by visiting the AU Press website. Any current employee of Air Force— military or civilian—can request a free hardcover copy of the book directly from the publisher.

For more information, visit www.dodpolicy.org. H

Operation Homexront

Helping families in need during deployment

Jim Knotts, Class of 1990, is passionate about helping others. In early 2009, he accepted the position ofCEO for a non-profit organization called Operation Homefront, a military support non profit which provides emergency financial assistance to the families ofservice members and wounded warriors. As a veteran ofoperations Desert Shield and Desert Storm, Knotts has a strong understanding ofthe challenges families face when their loved ones are serving on deployment.

“Operation Homefront began in the spring of 2002,” Knotts begins, “shortly after the deployments to Afghanistan started in the wake of the September 11 attacks. Things actually started off as an online support group for Navy spouses in the San Diego area. Within a year, we joined forces with another organization that was focused on emergency financial assistance around the nation. Together, the two organizations had both the family support and financial components; today, financial assistance is our primary focus.”

In a time ofwar, it is the families ofmilitary service personnel who are the first to make sacrifices. Knotts explains that his organization focuses on families in the rank range ofE-l to E-6. “These are essentially our junior enlisted. They’re the lowest paid, and they’re also the most at risk for financial hardship.”

The CEO says that he first became aware of Operation Homefront several years back when he was running the corporate philanthropy program for Lockheed Martin. “At the time,” Knotts recalls, “I had the privilege ofgetting to know a lot of really great military support non-profits. I was drawn to Operation Homefront because ofits focus on supporting the service members who were deployed, by helping take care of their families back home.”

While serving for two years on Operation Homefront’s national board of directors, he chaired the fundraising committee, which raised more than $30 million in support of the organization’s efforts on behalf of military families. “This gave me a solid understanding of the remarkable things this organization was able to do for military families on a day to day basis.”

In early 2009, the then chairman ofthe board asked Knotts ifwould consider taking the reins ofthe non-profit as its new CEO. “I did the thing that most of us do,” he says. “I went home and spoke to my wife about the opportunity. After that, I finally decided that doing this kind ofwork on behalfof our military families was something I wanted to do on a daily basis.”

Knotts said farewell to Lockheed Martin, took a significant pay cut, left corporate America and joined the cause. As it turned out, the new CEO has his work cut out for him. Homefront sets up cash grants to help families with rent, utilities and food assistance. “Between 2008 and 2009,” Knotts recounts, “we saw a 190 percent increase in the number ofrequests for food assistance; and these are by military families. Much ofthis is due to the tough economic times. Spouses on the home front are losing their jobs, not to mention, some of the situations military families encounter put them into financial hardship.”

Another of the programs Operation Homefront supports is Wounded Warriors. By providing shortterm transitional family housing for wounded veterans, the organization is able give a select few a free place to live while they make the transition from military to civilian life.

Knotts points out, “People often ask me, what are you going to do when the deployment to Afghanistan and Iraq end?’ To answer that question, I always point out two things—even though the President says were turning the page on Iraq, we still have 50,000 service members deployed there; and they will be there through the end of2011. Furthermore, there are 150,000 in Afghanistan with no end in sight.”

Two wars keep staffers at Operation Homefront busy. Despite the promise of draw-downs in the future, the organization knows there are still going to be injuries in Iraq and Afghanistan. Typically, the average recovery time for a wounded vet is anywhere from 18 to 24 months. “These people have made tremendous sacrifices,” says Knotts passionately, “and our country owes it to them to assist with a successful transition back to civilian life.”

Giving people hope at home and abroad are among the many rewards the a philanthropic organization can provide. “All of us in the military know that there are tremendous sacrifices made by our families when it comes to deployments,” Knotts explains. “We give our deployed war-fighters peace of mind by ensuring that their families are being taken care of back home.”

Back at Lockheed Martin, working in corporate philanthropy, Knotts was exposed to the entire spectrum of Navy, Marines, Army and Air Force. Now at Operation Homefront, he feels right at home serving the military in yet another capacity, by helping to strengthen the families who really are the foundation of our military service members. To this day, he still draws upon lessons he learned at USAFA. “One of the things that the Air Force Academy taught me is there are lots ofways to serve and that we can always help change peoples’ lives for the better.”

In addition to helping families who are enduring deployments today, Knotts has his eye on the future. “We’ve grown to have a national footprint,” he explains, “with 23 active chapters serving 32 states. We’ve expanded beyond the original concept and I see that expansion continuing.”

Between the dwindling economy and the tough resolve of Islamic militants in the Middle East, it is clear that service members and their families will continue to need help all across the United States. As the wars continue, Knotts hopes that his organization will be able to touch the lives of those who bear the burden ofcasualty and hardship. “We who wear the uniform know that no matter what happens in the future, we will always be needed. There will always be service members away from home and families on the home front who need help. I expect Operation Homefront to be there every step of the way.” S

Need help finding a ,job?

Lookin to advance your career?

JSAJE is an exclusive site specifically designed for service academy alumni. Whether you are looking for a new job or different career, JSAJE is the place for you to make it happen. Log on to JSAJE to browse job listings and contact employers.

Not actively lookingfor a job? Sign up for Job Retriever and let it alert you when jobs according to your search criteria become available. JSAJE also contains a resume database through which companies can search for promising candidates.

A guide to surviving your first years in the Air Force

ost Air Force Academy graduates can reach back into their history as cadets and come up with a fond memory of good food and great friends at the Mitchell Hall dining facility. Granted, there were probably some tough days during Basic Cadet Training when the new doolies spent more time staring at the eagle emblem on their plates than actually eating; but, for the most part, the Academy is widely considered to have fed its students quite well, and this is what presents a minor problem in the lives of many freshly commissioned second lieutenants—when did anyone at USAFA ever have time to learn how to cook?

Let’s face it, with barely enough time to march in formation, finish Aero homework, cram for tests and go toe-to-toe on the athletic fields, no cadet was ever afforded the time or resources to learn how to whisk up a fluffy batch ofscrambled eggs or saute a balsamic chicken stir-fry. Our fierce graduates—for all oftheir war fighting skills- -are probably more terrified of an empty kitchen than any battlefield they could ever encounter. Fortunately, the Association ofGraduates has a solution.

Beyond Mitch’s is a cookbook designed specially for the beginner chef. Its culmination ofrecipes have been created by experienced culinary artists to be easy, fun and rewarding. Just to be clear though, we’re not talking about peanut butter and jelly and hamburger helper. Although the book is written with the new cook in mind, there are still plenty ofrecipes that seasoned chefs will find well worth while. The book is the brainchild ofDonna Rosa, who is the consultant for Cadet Social Decorum at the Academy. In her many interactions with cadets who were on the cusp ofgraduating, she identified a need that many new officers were coming up against upon receiving their commission. Rosa explains, “We had an Air Officer Commanding of one of our squadrons who had collected a couple ofrecipes the previous year to send along with her cadets. Students at the Air Force Academy have a unique experience here; they don’t live offcampus, they don’t have cooking facilities, and everything is taken care offor them during their four years here. Then they’re out the door and on their own. Beyond Mitch’s is not a gourmet cook book. Instead, it focuses on how to get started.”

Rosa and her colleagues conceived, created and produced Beyond Mitch’s in just four shortmonths. The project began in February of2010, and was published and placed into the hands ofthe graduating class before theywalked across the stage in Falcon Stadium in May. “It was a monumental project,” Rosa recalls. “We collected recipes from permanent professors, staff and even family members ofcadets.” Beyond Mitch’s was designed by Heather Buchman to have a fresh and youthful appearance. The layout is easy to navigate, with color-coded tabs to separate each chapter.

The book also offers guidance on cooking techniques by showcasing an easy to use index of terms, set to define the more advanced kitchen lingo. To name a few

Julienne: to cut or slice vegetables, fruits or cheeses into match-shaped slivers.

Au gratin: topped with crumbs and/or cheese and browned in an oven or broiler.

Meuniere: dredged with flour and sauteed in butter (this author’s personal favorite).

The index ofherbs and spices is also a fantastic resource for anyone who is looking educate him or herselfabout the culinary arts. Like any good cookbook, Mitch’s provides the necessary alternative information for new kitchen creations to take place. Using the spice index, curious chefs can easily embellish the recipes in the book by adding their own flavors.

Some favorites include

Saffron: an aromatic, slightly bitter tasting spice used to flavor and color dishes such as bouillabaisse, chicken soup, rice, paella, bunsand cakes. And Coriander: a mild, sweet, orangey flavor which is available whole or ground. It is common in curry powders and pickling spice and is also used in chutney, meat dishes, casseroles and Greek style dishes.

In addition to the myriad of easy to make recipes, Mitch’s goes beyond the kitchen and into the fundamentals ofAir Force life. Some helpful hints include the importance of being on time, how to set up a formal receiving line for an honored guest, formal and informal activity decorum (how to dress for any dinner occasion), dining etiquette when at someone’s home, and avoiding unsavory social faux pas. In other words, it’s a great way to brush up on your manners, impress superior officers and always make a good impression through social etiquette.

Donna Rosa elaborates on the book’s multi-faceted uses. “Beyond Mitch’s was designed for active duty members and their spouses. For instance, the rank insignia glossary in the back of the book is common knowledge for our graduates, but it’s very handy for non-military spouses.”

Additionally, for anyone who struggles with the seemingly endless supply ofAir Force acronyms, the book has a solution for this as well. These aren’t just the basics either, Mitch’s digs in deep for the esoteric terms and even slang that seasoned airmen and officers throw around in front ofnewbies. Some of our favorites include OCONUS: Outside the Continental United States. RNLTD: Report No Later Than Date. And finally, NKAWTG: Nobody Kicks Ass Without Tanker Gas.

Rosa concludes, “We’ve received a lot ofthank-you notes from cadets who have used the cookbook.” She fondly recalls a letter sent from a group of2010 graduates attending pilot training who use recipes from the book to form a dinner club. “It’s very reassuring to know that these kids are using the book and that they’re having fun with it. It’s also a great resource for young couples who are just getting started in the kitchen.”

A new version ofthe cookbook is currently in the works, and will be available in 2012. Rosa has high hopes for the next edition and therole that it will play in the future generations offreshly commissioned officers. “We’ll have a lot more time to plan,” Rosa recounts, “and there will be some great new recipes to come. I’m definitelylooking forward to the next evolution ofthe book.”

As of2010, Beyond Mitch’s is being issued to every cadet who graduates from the Academy. For anyone else who would like to pick up a copy ofthe book, the Association ofGraduates is happy to accommodate. They make great holidaygifts, especially for young people just starting out. Books can be ordered from the AOG’s online store, but copies are limited, so don’t wait until it’s LSSO (Long Since Sold Out).

To order your copy, please visit SHOP.USAFA.ORG

Perfection

1C Tom Chandler balances the rifle on his left hand, the stock tucked neatly into his right

into shoulder. He clears his mind, lowers his head and peers through the sights at the target, a small black ring standing 50 feet down range. Chandler slows his pulse and the entire world dissolves, leaving only his objective. He waits for the right moment, holding out for the spit second lag between heart beats to squeeze the trigger. His focus sharp, his breathing even, hetakes the shot, sending a round through a hole the size of the period at the end of this sentence. The electronic targeting system sends

lne memefers team are among the campus. They thrive amid one ofthe world s most demanding sports. Baseball players get three strikes to connect with a pitch; football teams get four downs to travel ten yards; and soccer teams have ninety minutes to put the ball into the back ofthe net. Yet all challenges are relative, and while each ofthe aforementioned sports are demanding, none require the absolute perfection ofshooting.

Launi Meili is the head coach for the Falcon rifle team. A member of the U.S. Shooting Team for ten years, she has participated in two Olympics, two Pan American Games and a World Championship. She is also the only American woman to ever win gold in smallbore (Barcelona 1992). The assistant coach, Michael Anti, is an Olympic silver medalist. D>

“For the NCAA Rifle,” Meili explains, “there are two different events. First, you have air rifle, which is a .177 caliber, and then there’s smallbore, or .22 caliber rifle.” While the air rifle competitions require shooters to be in standing position, the smallbore events require three positions: prone, in which the shooter is laying on the ground, and also kneeling, and standing.

“This sport deals with a lot of concentration and endurance,” Meili continues. “It’s very mental, much like golf. Everything has to be exact. A shooter may lay his or her rifle down two or three times before taking a shot. This is done in order to be as precise as possible.” Meili explains that to be competitive, an athlete must be able to perform in each of the prone, standing and kneeling positions. “We shoot five days a week, normally two to three hours a day, because the physical and mental demands of these competitions require perfect performance on each shot.”

There are approximately 100,000 junior ROTC shooters in the nation, a group which makes up a very competitive recruitment pool for NCAA coaches to draw from. “The Junior ROTC National Championships are something that we look at very closely for our recruiting needs here at the Academy,” says Meili.

At the varsity rifle range in the north end of the cadet gym, shooters line up with their smallbores and air rifles, taking careful aim at the targets in the distance. Each athlete uses a state of the art gun and wears special stiff clothing to help keep involuntary body motion to a minimum.

In recent years, electronic targeting systems have replaced the traditional paper bulls eyes. The system uses an array of microphones which detect the sound waves created by the bullet or pellet hitting the target. The accuracy of each shot is then electronically triangulated down to a fraction of a millimeter; the results are then sent back to the display by the shooter’s position. During competition, each shot is recorded and scored in real time, turning up the pressure to strive for perfection with each shot.

ClC Tom Chandler is the rifle team captain. Having been competitively involved in the sport for ten years now, he plays a strong mentorship role to the junior shooters. Chandler reflects, “When those of us on the team ask ourselves what it is we love about this sport, it all comes down to passion. We get to come down here day after day and shoot for hours on end. You can easily get pretty tired of it ifyou’re not addicted to it.”

Chandler, like the others on the team, finds that the discipline they strive for on the range is a natural segue into their lives on the terrazzo. “Taking the aspects of this sport up to the hill have helped me to place that same passion into the academic world,” Chandler says. “With my major, political science, I try to invest myself in order to get as much as possible out of it. One of the greatest aspects of this discipline is patience. That translates nicely into taking tests. Everyone else in the classroom may be just as well prepared, but when the heart rate starts going, andthe blood starts pumping, controlling those anxieties is something that shooters

have an upper hand in. And you can apply that mentality anywhere in life.”

C4C Alexis Todaro echoes Chandler’s sentiments on patience as one ofthe sports most vital character traits. “When you’re standing there with the rifle,” she says, “it’s easy to become frustrated in a hurry. You have to have the patience to put the gun down and start over. You have to recognize when things are not going well, and it’s time to stop and regroup. A lot ofthis applies to cadet life as well, because things can get pretty stressful here. We get a lot ofthings piled on us all at once, between briefings and class and formations.”

“Shooting teaches these kids to be absolutely perfect,” Coach Meili says. “Performing under pressure is what they do every time they enter a match.” She explains that this level of concentration translates onto the battlefield, the cockpit, and virtually any other challenge that they may face as officers. “This is a sport you can take all the way to Olympics. Going through the Academy can be a tough road to the Olympics though, because of the academic demands and the years of service required for commission.”

Yet despite the rigors ofconstantly striving for perfection, the members of the cadet rifle team all find great enjoyment in their chosen sport. Todaro explains, “I love being able to go to the range, hold my rifle, and not have to think about anything except for the shot that I’m about to take. It’s a wonderful stress reliever in my day to day life. If I have something on my mind, or ifsomething is bothering me, I can go shooting and it releases all that tension.”

Training the body and mind to block out the rest of the world and to bring one’s focus down to such a finite level is not something these cadets take lightly. Learning to control stress and deal with pressure are among the chieflessons that these young shooters must master. Their efforts give them not only mental fortitude, but also a strong clarity for the future of their careers. “I have my pilot’s slot right now,” says Chandler, “and I’m hoping to go down to Pensacola, because I grew up as a Navy brat. My goal is to start cross-training with the Navy and get the best of both worlds in

joint command. My long term goal within my political science major is to aim for a masters, and maybe even a Ph. D, then come back and be a part of the faculty here at USAFA.” A fan ofheavy lifters, Chandler recalls that his father was raised with the air crew mentality in the Navy. He was around surveillance aircraft, where they revered a strong team effort.

The rifle team’s unity is among its strongest assets. As team leaders excel in the national rankings, their younger, less experienced counterparts are driven to do better. The phenomenon promotes a ring of challengers, constantly nipping at their teammates’ heels. “Last year,” Coach Meili recalls, “we had one cadet, Mike Sirie, make the Junior World Prone Team. They won bronze in Munich Germany, and Mike had the highest score on the team. So we’re starting to move up in the national ranks.”

“Shooting is a major component ofwhy I came to the Academy,” cadet Todaro says. “The coaches are gold and silver medalists, and that’s not something you’re going to find anywhere else. I definitely hope to take shooting somewhere in the future.”

Cadet captain Chandler points out that the OlympicTraining Center is right downtown. “I’m very motivated to get involved with the Air Force’s World Class Athlete Program.” Chandler’s stature as an All American, along with his rank among the top three on the national collegiate scene, is sure to play a part in his bid for the program. Having a shot at the Olympics is a dream that every athlete aspires to; with the arsenal ofcharacter traits instilled by the Falcon shooting program, Chandler is setting his sights high.

“Every shooter deals with an internal struggle to be the best that he or she can be,” Coach Meili concludes thoughtfully. “At the highest level, shooting is really more of an art form than a practice of war. The sport teaches these cadets to trust in themselves and to build the confidence that they can use to handle any situation which comes their way.”

ROAD TO Academy Professor Receives

Lt. Col. Patrick Donley, an instructor with the Department ofMilitary and Strategic Studies, was awarded the Bronze Star following his deployment to Kabul, Afghanistan. Donley was assigned to the Afghan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development.

“Primarily I was an adviser to the minister,” Donley said. “I helped with everything from strategic planning to writing speeches to organizing trips to liaising with the International SecurityAssistance Force (ISAF). However, on the ISAF side they often looked to me as the Afghan representative, because I was one ofthe only (military) people in a civilian Afghan ministry.”

Donleys position within the ministry played a key role in many aspects ofAfghan and coalition relations. Due to his relationship with the minister, he had a unique view ofthe needs and views ofthe Afghans. The position allowed Donley to see another side ofAfghanistan than what a typical airman would see. He also saw a different Afghan people than what is portrayed by the media. “I was one ofthe few people to actually see Afghanistan and the Afghan people,” he recalled. “As a result, my optimism for the

Bronze Star

Afghan future was dramatically different from others. Afghans are some ofthe hardest working people I’ve ever seen.”

Donley explained that one of ISAF’s concerns is corruption. “I was fortunate to work for an incorruptible minister. His heart was for the Afghan people, and that came across in everything he did. So I learned a lot about leadership from him.” As a former security forces commander, it took a little while to get used to a position requiring him to wear civilian clothes and drive “outside the wire” in an unarmored vehicle without a weapon.

“When I first got there, I kept driving around the city thinking, ‘That’s a soft target. That needs to change. This needs to be addressed,’” he explained. “It took a while for me to adjust and accept that force protection wasn’t necessarily my role.”

Donley also realized his effectiveness and safety in both the Ministry and the rural areas where he frequently traveled were contingent on his ability to blend in with his Afghan colleagues and be accepted as one ofthem. In a sense, camouflage was his greatest force protection measure. “That was a key to success in the idea behind the position,” he explained. “Had the Afghan

minister seen me as simply an agent for ISAF who was there to listen in and watch what they did, he never would have trusted me and allowed me into his circle of trust. But because of our relationship and my role as his subordinate on a day to day basis, he knew I was working for him. If I had been wearing a uniform and been a constant reminder of my position in the American military, I think my experience would have been different. I was truly thought of as a member ofhis staff, even representing the minister among other Afghans.”

These experiences gave Donley an inside look at Afghan life. He could identifythings needing to be addressed that hadn’t been conveyed properlyprior to his arrival. One ofthose things was the way money was aliocated for Afghanistan rural development.

Financial allocation in most countries is not consistent with the models occurring in Afghanistan, especially considering the complications brought on by the growing construction boom. With such harsh winters, donor governments and aid agencies were providing money, but not seeing it spent in a timely fashion because it came at a time when the weather was prohibitive. In many cases, contributions had

to be held until the next construction season, frustrating donors looking for quick results.

“It wasn’t until I was able to see this and hear it firsthand from the Afghan people that I could fully explain it and try to get the funding problem fixed,” Donley said.

Situations like this allowed him to realize how important his position was. And nearing the end ofhis deployment, Donley was asked by then ISAF Commander Army Gen. Stanley McChrystal for a favor.

“I was asked to extend another six months during my sixth month in country by the ISAF commander,” Donley remembers. “And it wasn’t until that point in my deployment that I felt I was actually fulfilling my role as an adviser. A new minister came in who didn’t have the experience of the old minister, so I felt very comfortable in my advising capacity.”

That still didn’t erase the hardship ofhaving to stay an additional six months, but he knew it was the right decision. “It’s difficult to find out on your sixth month that you will be staying another six months,” Donley recounts. “However, I firmly believe that jobs like these are very important, and I honestly believe they require a full year incountry to be able to actually grasp the scope ofwhat that job entails.”

Now stateside and teaching at USAFA, being an Academy instructor gives Donley the opportunity to pass his unique experience on to cadets. “As a Military and Strategic Studies instructor, we discuss challenges like this all the time,” he said. “This deployment lets me give the cadets another view ofAfghan relations and challenges to coalition and counterinsurgency warfare. It doesn’t always require a weapon to get things done in war.” B

THE LIFE, DEATH, AND RESURRECTION OF ONE CADET’S CLASS RING

C1C Charlie Ford is a pretty happy guy. For the most part, things tend to go his way. He plays water polo, has a bright future in the Air Force, and likes to spend time amid the sunny sights ofSan Jose, California. Yet one day this past summer, things seemed to take a turn for the worse.

Ford was with his girlfriend riding shotgun on the freeway in San Jose one afternoonwhen an unpleasant series of events began to unfold. Things started offsimply enough—a nice afternoon drive with the windows down. Little did Ford know where the day would soon take him. It all began when his girlfriend decided to switch on the air conditioning. When she rolled up the car’s windows, she failed to notice that Ford’s arm was still out the window, his hand clinging to the top ofthe passenger door. Somewhat instinctively, the cadet quickly pulled his hand back into the car as the window sealed shut. Much to Ford’s surprise, the closing window had just enough bad timing to clamp down on his freshly minted Class of2011 ring; as he pulled his hand into the car, the ring was torn from his finger, where it met with the busy panorama ofthe interstate highway.

“When I looked out the rearview mirror,” Ford recalls, “I saw the ring bouncing in the freeway, shimmering perfectly in the sunlight! This was a Friday afternoon in downtown San Jose; we were looking at six lanes of rush hour traffic going 70 miles per hour.”

Still in shock as the ring disappeared from view, Ford elected to do what any graduate would have done: go back and reclaim his prized memento. The couple exited the freeway and

backtracked their progress. After a painstaking search, For spotted his ring amid the angry din of traffic. “When I first spotted the ring, it was still intact. I finally decided to call the San Jose police department and gave them the situation.”

He was transferred to the California Highway Patrol, who agreed to send an officer to their position. “As we were waiting for the patrol car,” Ford continues, “the ring got run-over at least 20 times. It was just bouncing around from lane to lane as cars ran over it. After a while, I couldn’t even look any more—that’s when the semi hit it, and the stone just shattered.”

They waited, watching painfully as the ring continued to endure the savage onslaught ofCalifornia motorists. At long last, the highway patrol came through. “Sure enough,” Ford recounts, “I check the rear view mirror, and here’s this police car stopping six lanes ofrush hour traffic.” The cadet wasted no time in running out to retrieve his lost possession; safely back in his car, the ring in hand, it had been sadly reduced to a shadow of its former splendor. “The ring looked like it had been placed into a garbage disposal and ground up for about two hours. The stone was completely crushedand the whole thing hadtaken on an egg-shaped form.”

Not to be deterred, Ford called the Association of Graduates upon his return to the Academy. Don McCarthy, Membership Services Specialist and liaison to the Jostens class ring program, was able to offer some good news on the situation. “Jostens was able to replace the ring free of charge,” beams Ford. “The AOG provided an excellent customer service experience.”

The old ring was sent back to Jostens to be melted down, and within a few weeks, Ford was provided a fresh new ring. “I definitely got the new ring a half size smaller,” he says, “so it fits nice and snug now. Jostens is such a professional company. They really made my experience enjoyable. They took care ofeverything perfectly. I’m totally satisfied.”

In 2004 The Dodo became extinct. Unlike its mentally challenged distant cousin, raphus cucullatus, which disappeared from the island Mauritius is 1693, the modern dodo usafagus was literate. These unfortunate creatures became victims ofclimate change.

The publication Dodo was born on October 19, 1957 at the Lowry Air Force Base campus, a four-page mimeographed handout proudly displaying the subcaption “A cadet publication for cadets.”

Early Dodos were mostly updates on athletic teams, biosketches, and notices about trips, visits from dignitaries and social events. Monitoredby a lone officer, it containedpretty harmless and routine stuff sprinkled with a few jokes and locallyproduced cartoons.

Dodo Changes

After the USAFA move to Colorado Springs, Dodo was given a small operatingbudget and

Frederick V. Malmstrom ‘64

accordinglychanged its title to a snootier The Dodo, simultaneously decreasing the narrative on athletic teams and upping its humor count. As could be expected of any campus publication with an excess of men, favorite items of satire were mystifying academic courses (economics was a favorite target), beer, and women. Additional locally topical items were the weather, the infamous Cadet Food Acceptability Report Form 0-96, and the cadet area terrazzo a sagging civil engineering boo-boo which has been (and still is) under repair since the day it was laid.

By 1961, TheDodo had shifted into almost total humor. Cadet Mike Ditmore, ’65, was an accomplished amateur artist who contributed gentle but sharp-eyed humor at the USAFA architecture.

By 1962, under the editorship of David Samuel, ’64, The Dodo began including photos of departmental secretaries and cadet girlfriends. Appealing PR photos of female celebrities such as Ann-Margret and Mary

Tyler Moore appeared regularly. Against all expectations, the Commandant, Brig. Gen. Robert Strong emphatically endorsed The Dodo as a great morale builder. His only broad advice to the editors was (1) Don’t publish anything contrary to Air Force policy, (2) No nudity, and (3) Don’t do anythingstupid. The publication went through a remarkably abbreviated chain ofreview with little censorship. Volunteers contributed scores of hours to this weekly outlet. Dave Samuel said he considered his editorship a rewarding duty to contribute to Wing morale.

So enraptured with morale was the Wing that cadets went on midnight ventures placing banners, airplanes, and automobiles in unlikely USAFA locales. David Westhorp ’62, and his Austin-HealeySprite were headlined in a 1962 issue posing in their newfound parking spot under the display F-100 in the cadet area.

The locally Xeroxed The Dodo became an unofficial cadet humor and satire pub rank-

ing decidedly below the traditional national campus humor publications as the glossy Alabama Mahout and Stanford Chaparral. Cadets were constantly reminded that The Dodo was onlyfor cadet readership. So, quite naturally I and others passed on copies to friends and parents who nevertheless found most ofthe publication pretty clever.

Everyone, Even Generals Participate

The Dodo marched on for several decades as a weekly hard copy. It continued to track and satirize public fads such as lurking, stuffing telephone booths, single unmarried parents (and, yes, there were some such cadets), streaking, Batman (reified as the regulation-loving Stractman), andThe Simpsons. In the late 1980s, the top leadership oftheAcademy was so impressed, they actually posed for humorously captioned photos.Amemorable 1991 finalpageandtribute to thepopularCommandant, Brigadier General Joseph Redden, pictured him as a proudfamily patriarch. (I am told he enjoyed thejoke.)

L to R: Dave Westhorp ’62 finds his Austin-Healey creatively parked. Cadet salute to commitment.

The 40th anniversary The Dodo cover.

TheAcademy was never viewed as a normal institution. Touching on the policy of“Commitmenf whereby2nd Class cadets committed themselves to an Air Force career, The Dodo suggested changing the aluminum imperative above the “Bring Me Men” ramp to a chilling clause from Dantes Inferno.

By 1997 it was time to pop the champagne corks, and The Dodo celebrated its longevity with a splashy 26-page color 40th anniversary edition. Like Superman, The Dodo was apparently bulletproof.

Clouds on the Horizon

Naively unaware, The Dodo had its vulnerability to kryptonite. That vulnerability was the dreaded phrase Political Correctness. Cadets and staff were well aware of sexual harassment policies, and so references to gender differences were to be avoided. The Dodo gained a shyness to gender-specific humor. Pinups were out, as were, apparently, mother-in-lawjokes.

Sometime about 2002 the Superintendent and staff, with guidance from the Pentagon, began cracking down on underage cadet drinking, so The Dodo references to beer began disappearing. The list of taboo items kept growing. In 2002, an unsigned email was posted to Public Affairs Advisor, to wit: The Dodo “... did not meet the standards of Air Force Publications as discussed by Training Wing Senior Leadership.” Henceforth, The Dodo would have to go through five levels of official review with censorship ending at the Commandant’s desk. TheDodo was also passed up to both The Department of Behavioral Sciences and the Center for Character Development and was promptly labeled “cynical.” Mysteriously, the publication was not passed instead to the Eng- lish Department. Mark Twain without his insightful cynicism and satire would still be piloting steamboats. Cartoons like the 1991 gibe against late-lights policy were also history. t>

L to R: A nod to USAFA female cadet equality. USAFA late lights policy.

The Commandant, Brig. Gen. Gilbert remained in favor of rescripting The Dodo and he and his shop spent countless hours trying to reach a middle ground, but the search for middle ground was derailed.

The Tempest Breaks Loose

The Superintendent continued his efforts to curtail and discipline cadet alleged alcohol and drug abuse, but in 2003 he and the Commandant were blindsided by anonymous accusations they had ignored warning signs of sexual harassment and assault on female cadets. Congressmen and senators demanded quick action, so both the Superintendent and Commandant were relieved of their duties and admonished. A new policy, kindly named Agenda for Change, was brought into action by the new Academyleadership.

The Agenda for Change

The Agenda for Change was a blunt “fix-it” documentdirectingpolicychanges at USAFA. Of the 19 mandated items on cadet life, 14 items specifically dealt with sexual assault issues. The other five items dealt indirectly with the same issue. Rightly or wrongly, the controversial “Bring Me Men” logo over the Cadet Ramp had to go, and it was replacedby the Core Values logos.

The Dodo of course, was necessarily implicated as a villain, and The Dodo staffdevoted supranumery hours attempting to read the Commandants mind. Cadets were admonished and disciplined for their efforts in trying to publish, what was by 1961 standards, a pretty bland document. The final break was contained in another anonymous email to

Public Affairs stating, “The Dodo is being used by the media to misrepresent cadet activities and is counterproductive to what the Academy is trying to accomplish in a culture charged with the Agenda for Change.” In other words, blame the media.

By mid 2004, Cadets made more unsuccessful efforts to restart The Dodo, but it was already dead on arrival. Editor Terrence Mitchell, ’05, and staff put together a lengthy 32-page scrubbed-down issue with a pleading letter to the new Commandant for approval.Approval never arrived. In a final act of2003 desperation, cadets tried publishing a Dodo calendar, something similar to the old Contrails calendar. This time, another blunt anonymous email came down from the 34th TrainingWing, “No Dodo anything.” And that was the end ofthat.

Will The Dodo Rise Again?

The Dodo survived as the electronic eDodo, first published in 1998 by unnamed graduates. Having transmogrified into a sometime ugly, sometime insightful, platform for complaints from disgruntled cadets and graduates, the publication was firewalled, un-firewalled, and then re-firewalled from the cadet internet. Although eDodo continues today, it is obviously no longer “A cadet publication for cadets.”

In early 1945, Sergeant Bill Mauldin, a cartoonist for the European Stars andStripes was called in on General George S. Pattons carpet. Patton had accused Mauldin of breaching good order and discipline by reputedly satirizing officers, thus giving aid and comfort to the enemy. General Eisenhower, a great fan of

Mauldins enormously popular works, intervened and told Patton to back off. Eisenhower believed Mauldin was a great morale booster for the common soldier. For his services to country, the witty 23-year old Mauldin was awarded the Purple Heart, the Legion of Merit, and—by the way—the Pulitzer Prize.

Alas, in 2004 there was no Eisenhower to run interference for The Dodo. There were certainly no Pulitzers or Legion of Merits awarded to The Dodo editors just some dubious Purple Hearts. The Dodo had fallen victim to climate change in a hard rock reality that ultimately nothing trumps politics. There is local talk of resurrecting The Dodo as a Phoenix, but it has never gone beyond talk. There is a saying that resurrection is a whole lot harder than giving birth. SB

FredMalmstrom ’64 can befound at fred.malmstrom@usafa.edu

Selected References

Do, James (2010). [USAFA ’00] Personal Communication.

Hutchinson, Amanda (2010). [USAFA ’01] Personal Communication.

Mauldin, Bill (1971). The brass ring. New

York: W.W. Norton Company.

Samuel, David (2010). [USAFA ’64]

Personal Communication.

Tindell, Stephen (2010). Personal Communication

Welch, Maureen (2010). Personal Communication.

Knights of Columbus

USAF Academy Chapel Knights win top international award

Courtesy of the Air Force Academy Knights of Columbus

Despite busy academic, military and athletic schedules, cadets at the Air Force Academy often find time to participate in extra-curricular activities like club sports or community service. Recently, the Air Force Academy Chapel’s Catholic cadet council of the Knights of Columbus traveled to New Haven, CT, for the annual College Conference along with other service academy cadets and midshipmen. The Knights of Columbus is the world’s largest Catholic and fraternal service organization with over 1.8 million members. Out ofthe over 21,000 college students enrolled in the charitable program in six countries and over 250 colleges, the Air Force Academy received the 200910 Outstanding College Council Award.

The cadets in Council 8200 received this “exceptional distinction” which required “exemplary achievement across the spectrum of program categories.” They demonstrated community involvement by cutting ten cords of firewood and saving thousands of dollars in heating for the helping hand program Mary’s Choice in Bailey, CO. Cadets and staff organized several annual retreats, assisted with SPIRE, and hosted a dinner to honor the women in their community. Among several social activities were mountaineering expeditions and outdoor, sporting activities. When a cadet’s younger brother died suddenly, the Knights raised funds to pay for her airfare home and to help with funeral costs. Grand Knight and Cadet-in-Charge C2C Julian Gluck, CS-09, and Past Grand Knight C1C Patrick Tracy, CS-20, led many of the projects with the chapel staff and pastor including Dave DiNuzzo, Lt. Col. David Bell, Lt. Col. Kevin Gibbons, and Chaplain Captain Chad Zielinski.

Cadet Gluck was elected to the position ofChairman for the international college committee program after previously serving as the Vice-Chairman. In this capacity, Cadet Gluck has the opportunity to work with the international leadership of the Knights of Columbus, and represent and work with the over 21,000 college students around the world. Other awards given were the Double Star Award for doubling all goals and distinctions for membership and service. The Air Force Academy cadet group is excited for this year and hopes to grow and further contribute to the school and community through service, fraternity, and goodwill. SS

Honoring our past and planning for our future

n August 24, 2010, 23 retiredAcademy Permanent Professors (PPs) and Deans of the Faculty returned home for the biennial Heritage to Horizons Education Assembly. First held in 2006, Heritage to Horizons seeks to honor the past accomplishments of USAFA’s distinguished professors by employing their corporate knowledge toward new horizons for the institution.

USAFA’s Permanent Professor community is a distinguished and select group. Only through Presidential nomination and subsequent Senate confirmation does an Air Force Academy educator garner the title “Permanent Professor.” Permanent Professors include the Academic Dean and chairs of the Academy’s twenty academic departments. The Academy’s second Dean of the Faculty, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Robert F. McDermott, also became the institution’s first Permanent Professor in 1958. Since 1958, Congress has appointed eighty-nine Permanent Professors over the institution’s fifty-six year history. This year’s assembly marked the largest gathering of retired Permanent Professors in the Academy’s history— representing 335 combined years of service, with several professors serving the Academy during its formative years in the late 1950s and early 1960s. In her opening comments, Brig. Gen. Dana Born, ’83, Dean of the Faculty, highlighted the significance ofthe assembly and the contribution ofthe returningprofessors bystating, “We are trying to build upon your great legacy.”

returning Permanent Professors gathered in Harmon Hall and Fairchild Hall for panel discussions concerning recent Academy endeavors. Between these panel discussions, the retired professors visited their former classrooms, departments, and laboratories. Additionally, they conversed with current faculty members and cadets to assess curricula, core requirements, and the challenges facing future expeditionary Air Force officers. Reflecting upon Thursday’s events, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Malham Wakin, former Philosophy Department Head and Permanent Professor commented, “The zest and enthusiasm for USAFA and our country is apparent at each level ofthe Academy.”

This year’s assembly coincided with the presentation of USAFA’s prestigious Thomas D. White National Defense Award. Awarded annually since 1962, the T.D. White Award recognizes a U.S. citizen who has contributed significantly to the national defense of the United States. This year’s recipient was the 66th United States Secretary of State, Dr. Condoleezza Rice. Permanent Professors viewed theaward presentation and the ensuing Cadet Wing parade as distinguished guests. Following the parade, they joined the cadet wing for lunch in Mitchell Hall, where they received a warm welcome.

Made possible by the generous support of the Academy Research and Development Institute (ARDI), the two-day conference commenced with an initial welcome by Academy Superintendent, Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, ’76, and other Academy Senior Leaders representing all six mission elements—Dean ofFaculty, Cadet Wing, 10th Air Base Wing, USAFA Preparatory School, Athletic Department, and the 306th Flying Training Group. During the conference,

On Thursday evening, the retired professors caught up with former colleagues and current faculty at a back-toschool reception hosted by the Dean at the Heritage House. The reception provided the perfect venue to celebrate each former professor’s outstanding service and unique contribution to the Academy. A highlight of the reception was Colonel (Ret.) Richard Hughes’ promotion to Brig. Gen. (Ret.) in recognition of his long and distinguished service as a Permanent Professor. Newlypromoted General Hughes continues to contribute to the Academy’s mission by serving as USAFA’s Transformation Chair. Following Hughes’ promotion, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Jesse Gatlin, former English Department Head and Permanent Professor, entertained the guests by reciting an ode to the PPs.

OnFriday, thegroup ofeducatorsaddressedtheAcademy’s recent pursuit, F.A.L.C.O.N. Flight (a USAFA-wide initia- tive to “fortify and align learning capacity for our nation”), and offered their valuable insight and expertise. At the Assembly’s concluding session Brig. Gen. Born challenged the former professors to “think big” concerning the future oftheAcademy, and theyrespondedwith insightful counsel.

Collecting and honoring the corporate knowledge ofthese distinguished educators is a deliberate effort by the current Dean, and this effort is certainlynoticed by the former pro- fessors. Former Dean ofthe Faculty and Permanent Professor, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Ruben Cubero expressed the retired PPs’ appreciation for the “deep concern shown towards the retired PP corps, and DF’s continuous efforts to keep us [PPs] informed and engaged.” Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Orwyn Sampson echoed this sentiment and called the entire Heritage to Horizons experience “Excellent.”

At the end of the final day, past and present Permanent Professors welcomed the Academy’s newest and 89th Per- manent Professor, ColonelJosephSanders, at his Investiture ceremony at Doolittle Hall. This ceremony serves as the offi- cial public recognition of the Presidential nomination and Senate confirmation ofthe esteemedposition ofPermanent Professor. ColonelJoseph Sanders began his military career in 1991, after earning a commission from Central Wash- ington University. He received a PhD from Colorado State University in 2003 and has been a member ofthe USAFA facultysince 2007. Col Sanders’ Investituremarked the clos- ing ofa full and excitingtwo-dayassembly.

This gathering of former and current Academy Per- manent Professors fulfills the vision USAFA leadership expressed four years ago-that this Assembly becomes a recurring biennial gathering for the betterment of the cadets, the faculty, USAFA, and ultimately our USAF and nation! S

FREE COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIPS

The Board of Directors of the Association of Graduates is pleased to once again offer Graduate Dependent Scholarships. To be eligible, the applicant must be the natural child or legally adopted child of a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy. However, the applicant does not have to be financially dependent upon the graduate or his/her surviving spouse.

These scholarships are annual awards and range from $500 - $2000. Scholarships are intended to directly support postsecondary education for the children ofAOG graduate members.

For complete eligibility requirements and the Academic Year 2011-2012 application form, visit http://www.usafa.org/membership/GDS.aspx. The application deadline is March 1,2011.

hen asked to name the most important courses he took as an Academy cadet, Major General (Ret.) John Borling, Class of 1963 and former POW, immediately responded: “Humanities courses—art, history, music appreciation, literature, introductory philosophy”

The Air Force Academy’s Department ofEnglish and Fine Arts (DFENG) hosted the largest and most prestigious conference in its history, September 16th-18th, as 1,326 scholars, artists, writers, and cadets attended the first-ever War, Literature & the Arts Conference. The conference focused on the “Reporting and Representation of Americas Wars since 1990,” and featured presentations from world-

Hall housed 34 panels, five keynote speakers, and two war-art exhibits.

Professor Donald Anderson, conference co-director and War, Literature & the Arts (WLA) Editor, shared his impressions of the experience. “We brought scholars and artists together so that we might better see beyond plans and spreadsheets to the human dimensions ofglobal conflict.”

The Department of English and Fine Arts has charted a strong and steady course to make the study of the Humanities matter. From the growth of its literaryjournal (over two decades), to the hosting of a Humanities Summit (2008), and the relatively recent revision ofthe Departments capstone English 411 course (Language, Literature, and Leadership: Advanced Writing and Speaking), the conference both dovetailed and extended on-going work to raise cadets’ consciousness and intellectual preparation for war.

Made possible by the generous support of David L. Jannetta, ’75, and the USAFA Endowment, the conference’s plenary speakers were Mark Boal, Academy-Award-winning screenwriter and producer ofThe Hurt Locker; Dexter Filkins, journalist and author ofThe Forever War; Brian Turner, critically acclaimed soldier-poet and author of Phantom Noise; and Benjamin Busch, photographer, actor, filmmaker, and essayist.

Cadet Second Class Bryan Maynard was one of the many cadets who attended the event. “I didn’t just meet some of my artistic heroes, but was able to speak to them and spend time with them,” he said. “Benjamin Busch and Dexter Filkins spoke to me about their work and asked me questions about what I wanted to do and how I felt about current events. I’ll never forget it.”

The War, Literature & the Arts Conference took over a year and a half ofplanning with the invaluable support DFENG’s entire faculty and seven additional base agencies. From its conception, conference planners sought to maximize cadet participation.

Cadets witnessed USAFA’s own instructors present their professional work with titles as varied as “Learning to Discern and Teach True War Stories and Poems” (conference co-director Lt. Col. Tom McGuire), “Iraq War Photography” (Lt. Col. Tony Franz), and “An Exploration of Female Service Members, Deployment, and Afghanistan’s New Wild West” (Capt. Sonja Pasquantonio).

“It was inspiring to see our own professors and others from around the world present their own work,” said Cadet Second Class Tranay Tanner. “This conference opened my eyes to the human side of conflict, and the characterand leadership aspects of officership more than anything else I’ve been to.”

DFENG’s professors are quick to point out that these intense and vital discussions do not stop with the conclusion ofthe conference. “Character, leadership, truth, and the challenging personal morality of conflict are all cornerstones ofthe on-going discussion of our capstone English 411 course,” said Course Director Lt. Col. Dave Lawrence. “This conference served as an outstanding tool to showcase the varied and international perspectives ofart and war to our cadets.”

“The conference was incredible because it invited us to consider the consequences ofwar, not just the execution oforders,” said Cadet

Second Class Katie Bogan. “I saw so many important presentations on everything from PTSD to a film on Afghanistan to poetry and fiction. This definitelyhelped us [cadets] better understand and appreciate the world around us, and the world ofconflict we are about to enter.”

Many non-USAFA participants couldn’t agree more. Not only did having cadets in the audience change the stakes of the conversation, but it left many conference attendees with a new appreciation of USAFA’s mission to create introspective and articulate leaders of character.

“While conferences are a wonderful chance to share research with colleagues and to get feedback, the majority ofthe presenters at this conference were educators, and the ability ofUSAFA’s cadets to attend made it an incredibly fulfilling experience for presenters,” said Brian Johnsrud of Stanford University. “USAFA was, hands down, the most open, friendly, and welcoming group of intellectuals I’ve ever hadthe opportunity to visit.”

Poet Presenter J. Daniel Beaudry ofThe College of Saint Rose said, “I know that I, personally, came away with not only a deeper understanding ofthe complex intersection of war, the arts, society, and the individual, but also with a sense that I have more to do than teach the writing and literature course for returning soldiers that I currently offer—I now feel the imperative to write.”

While the conference welcomed individuals from countries across the world, including Poland, Mexico, and Australia, a large number oflocaland regional artists also participated, including 2010 PulitzerPrize-winningphotographer Craig Walker from The Denver Post, who delivered a complete presentation on his photo-essay Ian Fisher:American Soldier which follows 18-year-old Ian Fisher as he finishes high school and joins the Army at the height ofinsurgent violence in Iraq.

Today’s cadet is just four years removed from an “Ian Fisher” and over four decades removed from Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Borling— yet, the lives which have and will continue to span their spectrum of service stem from one thing: character. We believe humanistic study directly feeds the development of character; therefore, those in USAFA’s Long Blue Line as well as their families and friends can take stock in the success of this year’s WLA Conference. S

The current issue ofWar, Literature & the Arts showcases Craig Walkers Pulitzerphotographs as well as stunningly craftedfiction, poetry, essay, andpersonal commentary. You can findand read the current edition ofWar, Literature & the Arts at www.wlajournal.com.

Nominate Your Candidate for the Prep School Hall of Fame

THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY PREPARATORY SCHOOL’S Hall of Fame began on 30 January 2002 to recognize the distinctive accomplishments of Preparatory School graduates who have gone on to make significant contributions to our great nation throughout their military or civilian careers. Hall of Fame members exemplify the USAFA Honor Code and the Air Force Core Values serving as a lasting legacy to the heritage of the Preparatory School.

All Prep School graduates share in the nomination and selection process that leads to induction into the Hall of Fame. Members include decorated combat veterans, astronauts, Rhodes scholars, all-American athletes, distinguished businessmen, judges, politicians and entrepreneurs. Each inductee represents the epitome of character and leadership and a great source ofinspiration to direct future Cadet Candidates.

The wall offame display in the High Country Inn dining facility provides Cadet Candidates a daily reminder ofthe achievements ofthose who have gone before them. Each graduating class since 2003 has selected a member ofthe Hall of Fame to be their Exemplar and guide them towards developing into officers ofcharacter in the United States Air Force.

It is again time to solicit nominees for this important honor.Listed below in alphabetical order are the current members ofthe Prep School Hall of Fame. Ifyou would like to nominate a Prep School graduate to join this distinguished cadre, please visit the following website to submit your nominee: http://www.surveymonkey.eom/s/35CXZJ7. Nominations must be received no later than 15 February 2011. Ifyou have any questions or would prefer to submit your nominations via email, please contact Lt Col Eric Rokke eric.rokke@usafa.edu or call (719) 333-9332 (DSN 333).

The United States Air Force Academy Preparatory School Hall of Fame

Lt Gen Richard C. Bethurem, PL Class of 1962, USAFA Class of 1966

Mr. Thomas D. Boettcher, PL Class of 1963, USAFA Class of 1967

Mr. William T. Coleman III, PL Class of 1967, USAFA Class of 1971

Mr. LarryJ. Funk, PL Class of 1964, USAFA Class of 1968

Maj Gen Daniel J. Gibson, PL Class of 1963, USAFA Class of 1967

Maj Gen Michael C. Gould, PL Class 1972, USAFA Class 1976

Col Thomas E. Griffith, Jr., PL Class of 1975, USAFA Class of 1979

Lt Gen John D. Hopper, Jr., PL Class of 1965, USAFA Class of 1969

Lt Gen Daniel James III, PL Class of 1964

Lt Gen Frank G. Klotz, PL Class of 1969, USAFA Class of 1973

Dr. Fred Milanovich, PL Class of 1963, USAFA Class of 1967

Dr. Orderia F. Mitchell, PL Class of 1969, USAFA Class of 1973

Lt Col Gilbert D. Mook, PL Class of 1963, USAFA Class of 1967

Lt Gen Glen W. Moorhead III, PL Class of 1965, USAFA Class of 1969

Maj Gen Anthony F. Przybyslawski, PL Class of 1972, USAFA Class of 1976

Judge Gerald J. Rafferty, PL Class of 1963, USAFA Class of 1967

Lt Col Keven Shea USMC, PL Class or 1985, USAFA Class of 1989

Col Loren J. Shriver, PL Class of 1963, USAFA Class of 1967

Col Randall Spetman, PL Class of 1972, USAFA Class of 1976

Maj Gen Richard E. Spooner, PL Class of 1965, USAFA Class of 1969

Brig Gen Dale E. Stovall, PL Class of 1962, USAFA Class of 1967

Mayor Anthony A. Williams, PL Class of 1973

Breaking Ground

The new Holaday Athletic Center is officially under construction

Courtesy ofthe USAFA Endowment

The dream became a reality as the USAFA Endowment, on behalf of the United States Air Force Academy and the Association of Graduates, hosted a groundbreaking ceremony for the new Holaday Athletic Center on October 1, 2010.

The project was made possible by a generous lead gift of $5 million from Bart and Lynn Holaday, Class of 1965,—the largest gift from a graduate to the Academy in the institutions history. The Holaday Athletic Center, an indoor athletic training facility, is also unique in that it is the largest privately funded capital project in Academy history. Construction began in October and is scheduled to be completed by the start of the 2011 academic year. The 94,000 square-foot center will house a regulation-sized field that can accommodate lacrosse, soccer and football, in addition to many other cadet activities.

“The HoladayAthletic Center is a landmark that heralds a new era ofprivate philanthropy at the Academy,” said Dr. Erv Rokke, ’62,

President ofthe USAFA Endowment. “Current and future generations ofcadets will benefit from this critically-needed facility, initiated by two exemplary individuals who truly embody Air Force Academy core values.”

The facility will have an immediate and lasting impact on the Academy. First, cadet athletic development will be significantly enhanced as players and coaches have greater flexibility in preparing for competition. Benefits include reduced weather delays, increased practice time, fewer injuries, and better replication of game conditions. Second, this marquee venue will further elevate the reputation of the Academy as a premier institution for amateur athletics. The competition for Americas best studentathletes has never been more intense. The Academy needs every advantage to encourage these individuals to attend. And finally, the facility will host scores of events throughout the year, including intramural championships, summer sports camps, basic cadet training functions, and community amateur athletic events. This visionary effort will serve the needs ofall cadets and the Academy for decades to come.

The Endowment is still actively seeking funding to help complete this monumental project. There are still many naming and recognition opportunities available for contributors. Your support helps future generations of cadets reach their true potential. To find out how you can help, please visit hac.usafa.org. S

Conversation with the New Commandant

Brig. Gen. Richard Clark, ’84, talks about returning to the Academy

BRIG. GEN. RICHARD CLARK is happy to be back at USAFA. A member ofthe Class of 1984, its been 26 years since he walked the terrazzo as a cadet and played football in Falcon Stadium. In the two and a halfdecades since, he has logged over 4,000 hours as a command pilot, flown the B-l Bomber, served as an instructor pilot and headed the Joint InteragencyTask Force in Baghdad, Iraq. In his latest assignment before coming back to the Academy to take over as Commandant ofCadets, Clark was Vice Commander, 8th Air Force (Air Forces Strategic), at Barksdale AFB, La. Today, he inhabits a plush office on the fifth floor ofFairchild Hall. The view overlooks the cadet parade fields before sweeping majestically into the distance ofColorado’s eastern plains. Checkpointsmagazine sat down to get to know the new Commandant and to share his ideas for the Cadet Wing.

“When I found out that I was coming to the Academy,” says Clark, “the thing that excited me the most was having the opportunity to give back to the institution which has given me so much. I have great pride in not only what the Academy did for me but in what it does for our country. Getting the chance to come back and serve is really a dream job for me.”

Despite a colorful resume ofpiloting supersonic bombers and leading joint task forces, Clark fully admits that coming back to USAFA is a definite career highlight for him. When asked what his favorite part ofthe job was, the general responds without hesitation. “The cadets, that’s easy. The energy that these students have—the

men and women who are selected to come here—they’re already a cut above. There’s just something about the cadets; they exude this energy that’s infectious. It keeps me going all day long, keeps me fired up from the time I walk in the door in the morning to the time I go home at night. I’m just honored to be here and to be a part ofwhat they’re achieving.”

Just head down to the sidelines of any Falcon football game and you’ll find the new Commandant in the cadet cheering section, bustling down to the north end zone to do pushups for every point that Air Force puts up on the board. His undaunted institutional pride is evident in the broad smile he wears to work each day. When reflecting back upon his own Academy experiences, Clark is quick to point out the mosaic ofattributes the school held for him. “Everything from athletics to academics to the second lieutenants I got to work with upon my commission has been fantastic.”

While his pride in the Academy has remained unwavering, Clark admits that USAFA has undergone some profound changes in the two and a halfdecades since he was a cadet. “At its core, I think the basics ofthe institution are the same. The Honor Code, the goal ofdeveloping leaders ofcharacter and the high standards—these things haven’t changed. I think that academically, the school is now much more difficult than when I attended. The caliber ofstudents we have now has gone up as well (I don’t think I would have gotten in using today’s standards),” Clark admits sheepishly.

The Commandant explains that technologically, the Academy is drastically different. “Todays cadets are so well connected, so well informed; information flows so quickly around here. This is a sign that the Academy is evolving with our society. The core fundamentals stay the same, while the technology and academic aspects are progressing forward. We are keeping up with the demands that society and the world are asking of our new graduates.”

Like all graduates, Clark often reflects back to the lessons he learned as a cadet for guidance in his professional life. Applying the character traits he tookfrom the Academy still helps him face the challenges that come with being a career officer. “I think the notion ofperseverance is the one ofthe main character traits that the Academy instilled in me during my time as a cadet. We come here under the premise ofexcellence, and that leaves us wanting to give it our best all the time. The question then becomes, can you really sustain that?’ Do you have what it takes to give it your best every single time you set out to accomplish something? I think that my time here taught me to give it my best no matter what.”

Clark reflects that running into hurdles and meeting with adversity is simply a way oflife for officers, just as they are for cadets. “You just have to push through and keep on fighting,” he advises. “You can never give up until you achieve your goal.”

These days, helping the cadets achieve their goals is chiefamong the Commandants priorities, ffe has great faith in the institution and in the Cadet Wing, ensuring that the Academy is on a great

trajectory to that effect. “A lot ofgreat things are happening right now,” says Clark. “What I really want to see is cadets reaching their full, unfettered potential. I want to see every one ofthem succeed— not just academically, athletically and militarily—but also to live life honorably and to its fullest.” Clark understands that enjoying your life at the Air Force Academy may sound contradictory, but people can work hard, give it their best every day and still have fun. “Ifs all about your perspective and your level ofoptimism that you’re willing to carry with you. I just want to see every cadet herereach his or her full potential and enjoy their lives.”

Commandant Clark is optimistic about the future ofthe Air Force Academy, and about the officers it commissions each year. The excitement he feels when talking about the institution is almost palpable, and his ability to convey his faith is a reassuring breath offresh air. Amid this pride, he leaves us with a final message. “My comment to the graduate community is that our future is secure in the kinds ofleaders we have here today. The people here now are every bit as patriotic and dedicated to doing great things for our country as any class who has been through here. These new cadets are entering the Academy in a time ofwar, and they know the chances ofgoing to war upon graduation are very significant. Despite all that, they’re still here and they want to be great military officers and they want to serve, even ifit means shipping over seas to defend our freedom. We are in good hands, and our future is bright in the hands oftoday’s cadets.” S

The Internal Revenue Service allows certain kinds of trusts to benefit you (and/or a loved one) with income for life (that often can be more than what you currently receive), and when the trust matures, it benefits cadets’ educational experiences at the United States Air Force Academy

A simple summary ofthe most popular types of charitable trusts is listed below. If you would like to learn how this dual benefit can help you and the Academy, please contact Dale Zschoche at the USAFA Endowment office: 719.472.0300 Ext. 212 or dale.zschoche@usafaendowment.org.

► Charitable gift annuity-providing you above-market fixed rate income for life.

► Charitable remainder trust-income for you which can be a fixed rate or from a trust invested for growth.

► Charitable lead trust-gives the income to the Academy for a certain period oftime, then returns the assets back to you or directly to your heirs. The USAFA Endowment

39759546

The Secret Life of

C4C Waldo F. Dumbsquat made his bed for airing. Stripping the sheets from the mattress was so much more fun than making the bed for AMI—folding hospital corners could be a real chore. Waldo arranged the blue blankets and pillow per regulation at the end ofthe bed. His roommate, Regs Buch, inspected the doolie’s handiwork and nodded with satisfaction.

“I think were ready to ask the CQ to check off our room,” Regs announced with confidence. “I’ll go find him—I think I saw him opening the trunk room.”

“I can’t wait to start Christmas Leave!” exclaimed the third member of the three man room, Warren Heels. “All I have left to do is mail my letter to Santa.”

“I can hand deliver it for you save you some postage,” Waldo offered.

“Are you taking leave at the North Pole?”

“Sort of. I’m riding home with a firstie and we will be passing through Manitou Springs,” explained Waldo. “I understand Santa has an alternate command post there.”

Warren handed his friend an envelope addressed to Mr. S. Claus and Kris Kringle in care ofJolly Old St. Nick. Waldo looked quizzically at the freshman.

“Got to cover all your bases,” said Warren with a shrug.

“What did you ask Santa to bring you, Warren?” queried Regs as he made sure the hangers in his closet were evenly spaced.

“I’m not asking for much this year just a Partridge in a pear tree. Hopefully, Laurie.”

“All I want for Christmas are my two front teeth,” decided Waldo, stuffing Warren’s letter into his back pocket.

“You already have two front teeth!” Regs informed his friend.

“In that case, I want an X-Box.”

“And the new Halo video game ...” added Warren.

“That goes without saying, Master Chief!”

“Ifyou want to go anywhere, you better hurry,” advised Regs. “The snow is really coming down. Pretty soon you’ll need Rudolph the Red-nosed Reindeer to get around.”

“Let it snow!” exclaimed Warren. “It will be a White Christmas!”

“Well, we definitely need a little Christmas right now!” replied Regs.

“Oh, Jingles Bells! I still have to deliver a message to Harmon Hall,” Waldo fretted as he pulled on his athletic jacket, pointed parka, low quarter overshoes, scarf, and gray leather gloves.

‘Well, fly like the down of a thistle,” urged Regs.

Waldo left the squadron and bounded out onto the terrazzo. The freshman double-timed up the ramp, past the Chapel, over the river and through the woods—until he reached Harmon Hall. The administrative building was already decked with boughs

ofholly. In the stairwell, the doolie mumbled the magic words “Joy to the World.” Instantly, if not sooner, Waldo transformed into the massive and military Colonel Waldo F. Dumbsquat, a man who put in some time with the Drum and Bugle Corps and whose tactical call sign was “little drummer boy.” Riding the ‘vator up to the Superintendent’s Office, the officer reported to the general in a military fashion.

“Welcome home from your Iraq deployment, Colonel,” said the Superintendent.

“Thank you, Sir. I always said ‘I’ll be home for Christmas.’ Is something roasting on an open fire?”

“Yes, chestnuts. Care for some?”

“Negative, Sir—trying to quit.”

“Do you have your after action report ready for me?”

“Yes, Sir. During my time down range, I found that the war is not over in Iraq and certainly not in Afghanistan. Freedom isn’t free and that’s no cliche for our troops and allies in the region. Our country still has soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines in Harm’s Way-protecting our way of life and helping others achieve it. The stresses ofhazardous duty, ops tempo, and family separations pose a threat every bit as real as the enemy. Every American needs to support the troops, particularly during this holiday season. Organizations like the USO and the Wounded Warrior Project provide services and assistance to the men and women of our Armed Forces worldwide, but they need our help. It’s time that Americans seriously acknowledge and honor the past, present and future sacrifices made by their fellow Americans.”

“Message received. We’ll get the word out ASAP.”

“Merry Christmas, Sir.”

“Merry Christmas, Colonel Dumbsquat.”

Saluting, Waldo did an about face and strode purposefully from the room. His magical time ended with his transformation back into his puny freshman form. He hurried back to his room, slipping only twice on the icy marble strips.

“Hey, Waldo. Your ride is waiting down at the bottom of the stairwell. You need to speed out, mister,” Regs informed him.

Bidding goodbye to his friends, Waldo grabbed his B-4 bag and raced to meet his transport home. When, what to his wondering eyes should appear, but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer. Cadet First Class Pere Noel, the driver so lively and quick, waved to the doolie.

“Climb aboard, Dumbsquat. Hope you signed out. We’ve got quite a ride ahead ofus!”

Waldo smiled, fil

Academy Instructor Receives Bronze Star

Lt. Col. Patrick Donley, an instructor with the Department of Military and Strategic Studies, was honored following his deployment to Kabul, Afghanistan. Donley was assigned to the Afghan Ministry of Rural Rehabilitation and Development where he helped with strategic planning, speech writing, organizing trips and liaising with the International Security Assistance Force. As an Academy instructor, Donley has the opportunity to pass his unique experiences on to cadets. (Academy PublicAffairs)

Wings of Blue Wins NationalTitle

The Wings of Blue Air Force Parachute Team soared to vietory September 11-12 at the U.S. Parachute Association National Skydiving Championships in Ottawa, Ill. This is the first victory for Wings of Blue at a USPA competition, said Lt. Col. Mike Love, commander of the 98th FlyingTraining Squadron. Wings of Blue fielded two teams, Air Force Impulse and Air Force Eminence. Impulse took first place and Eminence took third in the four-way formation skydiving intermediate competition. Team Air Force Impulse dominated the 10 rounds ofjumps with a final score of 146, finishing 20 points ahead ofthe second-place team Spaceland Mamba. Team Air Force Eminence was close behind, only three points out ofsecond place. (Academy PublicAffairs)

Graduate Wins Citation for Bravery

Steve McGregor, ’04, was awarded the Commander’s Commendation from Scotland Yard for running down an armed assailant after the man discharged a firearm outside a storefront in

London. The award was presented by Detective Chief Superintendent Stuart Cundy of the Metropolitan Police Service, Scotland Yard. The citation reads, ‘for bravery in chasing an armed man involved in a non fatal shooting and contribution towards the conviction of the suspect.’

Solar Array Groundbreaking

The Air Force Academy broke ground Nov. 1 for a new solar photovoltaic power system. The 30-acre, 5.2 megawatt system will be designed, built and operated via a partnership between the Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs Utilities, and SunPower Corporation. Colorado Springs Utilities has contracted with SunPower to design, build, own, operate and maintain the plant. SunPower will sell the power generated at the plant to Colorado Springs Utilitiesfor delivery to the Academy under a 25-year power purchase agreement. This $18.3 million project is funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, as a result ofgovernment mandates for federal facilities to use increasing amounts of renewable energy. The solar array is expected to be operational by the summer of 2011, and is the latest step in the Air Force Academy’s Net-Zero Initiative. This initiative sets a goal for the Academy to generate 100 percent of the electricity it needs via on-base renewable energy sources by the year 2015. H

Service Academy

What

is SACC?

The SACC is the Service Academy Career Conference supported by the Associations of Graduates from the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Military Academy, and Alumni Associations from the U.S. Naval Academy, U.S. Coast Guard Academy, and U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. Previous conferences have been attended by hundreds of companies and thousands of alumni. Go to www.sacc-jobfair.com for a list of companies attending, the complete schedule, and the online registration form

Where will the SACC be held?

The next SACC will be held at the Hyatt Regency Savannah, Two West Bay Street, Savannah, Ga. Call (912) 238-1234 for reservations and ask for the SACC rate.

SACC Schedule of Events

Thursday, March 3

How to Work the SACC Job Fair 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Candidate Career Seminar 6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Friday, March 4

Registration

9:30 a.m. - All day

SACC 9:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m

Lunch ...12:30 p.m. - 1:45 p.m.

SACC 1:45 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Saturday, March 5

Interviews only if directly scheduled between company recruiters and candidates; Companies will contact you directly regarding any on-site interviews during the SACC.

The SACC candidate registration fee is $40. Register online and upload your resume at www.sacc-jobfair.com. Resumes must be one page/one sided. Do not fax your resume. Registration deadline is February 18, 2011.

Walk-in registrations will also be accepted on the day of the conference. Walk-in registration fee is $40 and may be paid by check or cash.

Next Scheduled SACC

Washington D.C., May 26-27, 2011

For more information, contact Wayne Taylor at (719) 472-0300 or go online at www.sacc-jobfair.com.

Lieutenant General Ben Beilis wins 2010 Distinguished Service Award

Lieutenant General Benjamin N. Beilis has been awarded the Academy’s 2010 Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes his outstanding service and unfailing support to the Academy. Lieutenant General Mike Gould, Academy Superintendent, presented the award during the Parents’ Weekend Parade on September third.

“The selection is a true testament to your exemplary support throughout the years,” wrote General Gould in his July 2010 congratulatory letter to General Beilis announcing the selection.

General Beilis served as Vice Commander in Chief, United States Air Forces in Europe, before retiring from active duty in 1981. The following year, he became President ofthe Falcon Foundation, a non-profit organization that provides deserving young men and women one-year scholarships at civilian preparatory schools to enhance their qualifications for admission to the Air Force Academy. General Beilis served as Falcon Foundation President from 1982 until 2000.

During his eighteen-year tenure, he worked assiduously to raise sufficient endowment funds so that all 100 scholarships can be provided in perpetuity. In doing so, he carried forward a tradition whereby each scholarship is awarded in honor of a legendary individual associated with air power.

General Beilis mentored many Falcon Scholars and took a personal interest in having all Falcon Scholars graduate from the Academy and become career officers. He instituted many programs that ensured

Falcon Scholars would perform to their full potential, and provided feedback to the preparatory schools on how their graduates were performing at the Academy. He also ensured that the Falcon Foundation Trustees passionately supported the Air Force Academy and its mission ofdeveloping leaders ofcharacter.

General Beilis also was instrumental in raising funds for the General Hap Arnold statue that now stands at the entrance to Arnold Hall, and donated personal funds to construct one of the majestic staircases in Doolittle Hall.

Retired Brigadier General Randy Cubero, Falcon Foundation President, spoke about General Beilis’ value to the Foundation and the Academy: “Gen Ben Beilis’ most astonishing accomplishment as the President oftheFalcon Foundation was organizing a long term fund-raising effortthat created an endowment allowing the Falcon Foundation to offer these 100 annual scholarships in perpetuity. No other contribution to the Foundation, in my estimation, can ever match the significance ofthat effort.”

The Academy established the Distinguished Service Award in February 1999. Each year the award is presented by the Superintendent to an individual or organization whose contributions have had a distinct impact on the morale or well-being of the Academy. The Distinguished Service Award is intended to recognize those who contribute not as part of their official duty, but through their personal generosity and dedication to the institution.

General Beilis said he was honored and humbled by his selection. “Only in our great country could a young man from the plains ofSoutheastern Wyoming expect to be able to graduate from West Point (as an Air Cadet) and spend 38 years of active military duty in highly responsible positions supporting our country’s ideals,” he said, adding, “After retiring, it was a pleasure to be able to help our very respected Air Force Academy in a number ofways. The receipt ofthe Distinguished Service Award was a significant pinnacle in our very exciting life. Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, 76, and his staffmade the presentation ceremony an outstanding and memorable event.”

General Beilis’ inspirational leadership and selfless support have greadyhelped the United States Air Force Academy remain one ofthe nation’s foremost institutions ofhigherlearning. He is the richly deserving recipient ofthe United States Air Force Academy’s 2010 Distinguished Service Award. Il

Lt Col (retired) Steven A. Simon is the Academy’s graduate liaison, working in the Development and Alumni Programs office. In addition to his extensive non-fiction writing, he is the author of two novels, On The Dead Run and Service Before Self.

You save money. The Association gets a donation. And someone you care about gets a great holiday

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“Northwestern Prepprovided me with an academicfoundation that raised my SAT scores by 200 points, as well as an ability to focus on the essential preparation to succeed at the Academy. As a result ofthe self-confidence I gained there, I became Outstanding Student in CST, Outstanding 2nd Class Cadet in 3rd Group, Team Captain of Women s Fencing, and Outstanding Squadron Commander ofthe #1 ranked squadron ofthe wing!

2002 USAFA Graduate

The 52nd Floor: Thinking Deeply About Leadership

Dave Levy, Ph.D., ’88, Jim Parco, Ph.D., ’91, Randy Blass, Ph.D.

Any meaningful attempt to understand the complexities of organizational life requires considerablereflection. Through a collection ofstories, The 52ndFloor takesreaders on a reflective journey to crack through the veneer and discover new possibilities in becoming a better leader.

See what others are saying about The 52nd Floor:

“It takes courage and imagination to write such a book. I like the way the questions have beenposed, how myths have been shattered, and the emphasis on thinkingdeeply ratherthan repeating trivialities. Very well done.

—Professor Amnon Rapoport, University ofCalifornia-Riverside “Levy, Parco and Blass havefullygrasped the entirepicture andspectrum ofleadership that has taken me a lifetime to discern. This book will makeyou think.

—Michael J.C. Roth, President Emeritus, USAA Investment Management

“Bravo! This is a brilliant and wholly unique leadership book! Its inclusiveness andparticipatory nature will inspire anyone who is interested in management. Onceyou get started, you wont be able to put it down!”

—Rob Mishev, General Manager, LivingSocial.com

“Unquestionably the most effective leadership book I’ve ever read. An absolute must-readfor leaders at every level.

Available online and in bookstores everywhere. For more information, visit www.thinkingdeeplyabout.org.

ISBN-13: 978-098201850-7 (hardcover); 978-098201853-8 (paperback)

Fly To The Sound of Battle Don L. Brooks

Over forty years ago, Don Brooks was assigned as a Forward Air Controller in Vietnam. This book is a collection of memoirs from his tour of duty as a FAC in South East Asia, during which he flew 357 combat missions. It begins with brief accounts ofhis early days as a youth growing up in East Texas, graduating as a member of the first class at the USAF Academy, flying as a B-52 pilot during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and serving as a junior officer at Strategic Air Command Headquarters during the Cold War. It also relates some ofhis experiences during his FAC training prior to arrival in Vietnam. The book is filled with many interesting tales of events in SEA, both funny and sad, and of the day-to-day challenges and frustrations faced by Air Force flyers working and living with the Army. The climax of the book is the narrative of the day he was shot down over Cambodia and subsequently rescued. This book is highly recommended for anyone wanting to learn more about what it was “really like” to fly daily combat sorties as a FAC, down low and slow over the jungles of SEA.

Available at www.amazon.com, ISBN Number: 0557512751

“Marathon Fit To Lead. 26.2 Transformational Ideas That Will Help You To Live Your Best Life NOW!” Mike Matte

Living a successful life doesn’t happen by accident. People become successful because they set goals, make a plan and build a route They’re on a marathon. Mike Matte’s book, “Marathon Fit To Lead. 26.2 Transformational Ideas That Will Help You To Live Your Best Life NOW!” will inspire readers as it takes them along on Matte’s marathon through life. He helps readers get their marathons started-to visualize and make a plan—and encourages them to keep going when they encounter problems and hit the “wall.” This is not a dry step-by-step self-help manual. Instead, the author shares his own personal journey, the ups and downs of his marathon. You will find humor, humility and victory as you read the pages ofMatte’s book. Matte, president and owner ofMarathon CEO, is an international keynote speaker who inspires his audiences to make conscious choices that improve their personal lives as well as their job performance. He uses the sport of running both literally and metaphorically as he explores the root causes of soaring health costs and mediocrity in the workPiace, while promoting mental, emotional, physical and spiritual fitness. The author has completed more than 400 road races, including seven marathons.

Available at www.amazon.com and www.marathonceo.com, ISBN Number: 978-0-9843106-9-2

The new AOG USAA Rewards™ World MasterCard ® is now available! Applying is a simple process. Use the link below and, if you are already a member of USAA, simply log on to your USAA account. After answering a few quick questions, you will have your answer. Remember: you MUST be logged in to USAA to apply for this card.

If you are not a current USAA member, click the "Get Started" button to begin the process. You'll have a few more questions to answer but you, too, can soon have your new AOG USAA Rewards™ World MasterCard ®.

Get started at www.usaa.com/afaog!

Al A Baseball Alumni Weekend

Falcon baseball players return to the Academy for alumni game

beautiful September fall welcomed back alumni to the cozy confines ofFalcon Field for a very memorable weekend ofrenewing old friendships and reawakening stories from past seasons. Fifty-six members ofthe past baseball teams from 1959 to 2010 returned to the Academy to play again and show support for the current Falcons under the leadership of new Head Coach Mike Kazlausky, ’91.

The event started with an icebreaker Thursday evening at the Colorado Mountain Brewery, golf tournament Friday morning on the Blue Course and batting practice at Falcon Field which included an address by the Superintendent, Lt. Gen. Mike Gould, ’76, and the Athletic Director, Dr. Hans Mueh, ’66. Fridays events culminated with a pizza party hosted by Coach and Mrs. Danny Litwhiler with most ofthe cadet team in attendance. Saturdays alumni game could not have been more perfect. Playing on a cloudless fall day on the new artificial surface ofFalcon Field, the alums recorded an errorless and injury free game.

Fred Olmstead, ’64, started and pitched an inning to old battery mate Allan McArtor, ’64. It was wonderful to see that we

can still play and have fun. A Burger Burn was provided both at Friday’s practice and during the game on Saturday. The weekend culminated with a banquet held at the press box at Falcon Stadium. A slide show highlighted the teams ofthe 60s, which included many post-season appearances and the only no hitter in AcademyhistorybyJim Hogarty, ’67. Brig. Gen. Richard Clark, ’86, Commandant ofCadets, was our keynote speaker, driving down from the Wyoming football game to meet with us. His message of core values resonated for both alums and current cadet players. It was a wonderful weekend thanks to the hard work ofDeacon Winters,’ 80 and his planning committee, which put all ofthis together in fewer than four months. We hope to have another reunion in two or three years, and will put the word out to all former players ofAFA baseball. We encourage you to support Falcon Baseball by attending their games across the country and visiting their website at www.goairforcefalcons.com. Most importantly, contributions can now be earmarked for baseball byjoining the Falcon Pride Club:Baseball. Keep your contact information up to date by e-mailing Deke Winters, at dekewinters@aol.com. S

2010 AF Baseball Reunion Planning Team

Deke Winters, ’80 Jim Passaro, ’86

Flip Keck, ’69

Bill Maggio, ’71

Jim Dahlmann, ’82

Mike Manor, ’94

Derek Keck, ’96

Tony Shockley, 03

JACK QUINN’S

n November ofthis year, Checkpoints magazine paid a return visit to an old favorite in downtown Colorado Springs. Situated in the heart ofthe city, Jack Quinns Irish Pub is a staple ofthe local community’s dining and social scene. Owned and operated by four Academygrads—Bill Sasz, ’68, Bob Denny, ’68, JoeJohnston, ’68, and Eric Howell, ’71—the restaurant is a long-standing favorite for miles around.

We sat down with owner Bill Sasz to talk about the famous hand-crafted decore which gives traditional Irish pubs their legendary welcoming atmosphere. Bill looks back to the days ofhis travels abroud as the backstory for the restaurant unfolds. “The inspiration for this Irish pub originally came about when my wife and I were travelingthrough Ireland back in the 1990’s. We became very interested in the pubs and their cultural significance. In 1996,1 read an article in the Wall Street Journal which described the trend ofexporting pubs from Ireland to the United States. Jack Quinn’s, like many pubs ofits kind, was build on the Irish concept.”’

Bill explains that there are a number of companies which come from Ireland to the United States to design and build Irish pubs. Bill had only to aquire the space in downtown Colorado Springs, and the rest began to take shape at the hands of seasoned craftsmen from across the Atlantic. “On the first floor,” Bill describes, “everything from the furniture, to the light fixtures, to the custom carpentry all came from Ireland.” In fact, the only thing that wasn’t imported from the Emerald Isle was the antique tin ceiling, an ornate and beautiful reminder of the building’s mid 1800s construction. “We had a crew of about ten Irish carpenters and construe-

tion crew who came over and spent two weeks creating what you see now.”

Though the pub is only 12 years old, the hand-crafted furniture and custom mohogany carpentry easily transports customers back a hundred years, and looks as though it has been enjoyed by many generations of thirsty patrons. The classic design is timeless, with a cozy fireplace and plenty ofplaces to socialize. Yet another feature which is unique to the traditional Irish design are the sectional tables at the front ofthe restaurant. “We have private tables with enclosed spaces called snugs,”’ Bill explains. “They’re very popular for people coming in on business lunches.” One such snug has doors which can be closed for full privacy. “In Ireland, the snug with doors was traditionally refered to as the bishop’s snug. When we were traveling, we were told that this was typically where the local catholic bishop would come in to have a beer so as not to be disturbed by members of the community.”

While the snugs in the downstairs venue cater to a more private social arrangement, the upstairs banquet hall offers a grand open space which is perfect for large social gatherings of up to 120 people. “We’ve had a lot ofAir Force Academy graduation parties here,” Bill recounts. “The local Rampart Chapter of the Association

of Graduates had its holiday party here last year. We did a roast pig and a whole poached salmon set out on a nice buffet. They’ll be back again this year and we’re looking forward to having them.”

The upstairs banquet hall is not just exclusive to private parties. The bar is open to the public Thursday through Saturday, starting at 6pm. There are two pool tables and a commanding view ofTejon Street below; but the center piece is the exotic, hand-carved wooden bar which dominates the room. “It supposedly came from Liverpool at the turn ofthe 19th Century,” says Bill, “and was used in a restaurant in Aspen for some time. It ended up in an auction house here in the Springs where I bought it. It now serves as the center piece for the upstairs venue.”

Whether you are looking for a quiet place to have lunch or a banquet hall to socialize with friends and family, Jack Quinn’s is the ideal location for just about any social event. The assortment ofimported beers are always fresh on tap and the food is guaranteed to leave you satisfied. One way or another, it’s the best way to get a taste ofIreland right here in Colorado.

VOTED 2010 BEST NEW RESTAURANT IN COLORADO SPRINGS BY THE COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE

Grad-owned. Rasta Pasta offers creative Caribbean pasta, fresh and funky salads, and ridiculouslygood desserts. We are open daily at 1 lam for healthy and affordable lunch and dinner. Come in for a lively atmosphere with reggae music, outdoor dining, great service, and positive people. Daily happy hour from 4-6pm featuring Red Stripe and Appleton Rum specials. We also feature live reggae every first Friday ofthe month.

Rasta Pasta, 405 N. Tejon St., Colorado Springs, CO 80903, (719) 481-6888, www.rastapastacs.com

e Famous

The Mason Jar

BEST STEAK 2008 - Gazette

BEST FINE DINING 2008 - Independent Serving PRIME Steaks, Fresh Fish and Classic Cocktails in a Chicago-Style atmosphere in downtown Colorado Springs. The best Midwestern corn-fed PRIME Strip Steaks and Honolulu Fresh Fish flown in daily. Sit in large curved ox-blood booths or an intimate horseshoe bar. Ice-cold martinis, creative mixeddrinks and an extensive wine list. Live piano music Tuesday through Saturday. Open Monday-Friday at 11:00 for lunch daily and for dinner at 4:00. Two blocks from the Bijou exit east of1-25 Downtown. Reservations appreciated. 31 N. Tejon. 719227-7333. www.famoussteaks.com

Outback

«»« mao; 5TEAKHOUSE®

For over 20 years, Outback has been supporting our troops.

Outback employee volunteers have traveled to Iraq, Afghanistan, Turkey, Kuwait and aboard naval vessels to serve over 150,000 deployed men and women.

This year we are increasing our efforts in support of the troops and their families. And now we invite you to join us. Throughout the month of March 2011 order off our Red, White & Bloomin’ menu and help us donate $ 1 Million to Operation Homefront.

Operation Homefront provides assistance for our troops, their families, and wounded warriors when they return home.

North Colorado Springs Outback Steakhouse, 7065 Commerce Center Drive, Colorado Springs, CO, 80919, 719-590-6283

American comfort food served in a casual Colorado lodge atmosphere. Famous chicken fried steak, slow roasted prime rib, seafood, plus soups, salads, sandwiches, and homemade cobblers. Full service bar. A Colorado tradition for twenty-five years. Serving lunch and dinner from 11 am daily. 5905 Corporate Dr. and 1-25, 719260-6555. MasonJarColorado.com.

Specializing in traditional Irish fare and delicious American cuisine, this beautiful pub is owned by 4 USAFA Grads! The owners invite you to step into the comfortable and welcoming surroundings enhanced by mahogany, stained glass and an antique tin ceiling. The pub was created and installed by Irish craftsmen using authentic materials from Ireland, including a cozy fireplace opposite the main bar. Join us for live Irish music four days a week, and enjoy feasting on the best fish and chips in town or a tasty Irish Boxty. Sip on a perfectlypoured import draft beer or ale or choose from our fine selection ofIrish whiskeys and Scotches. Happy hour daily from 3-6 pm. Open at 11 am weekdays and noon on weekends; closing at 2 am. Sunday Brunch served from 12-3 pm. Banquet/party facilities will accommodate 120 dining and 160 for cocktails. Visit us at 21 South Tejon in beautiful downtown Colorado Springs. Call (719) 385-0766 or visit www.jackquinnspub.com.

Association of Graduates

UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY

2011 ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION

The Board of Directors election will be conducted from March 31, 2011 through noon, April 30, 2011. The election will be conducted primarily by electronic voting. Members with an e-mail address on file will receive electronic notification with instructions on how to vote electronically. Members without an e-mail address will receive a notice by mail on how to vote electronically. Members who have not received an e-mail or notice by March 31, 2011 should contact the AOG. The election is being run by Survey & Ballot Systems, Inc. in Minnesota. Members may request a paper ballot from them.

JOHNNY WHITAKER CLASS OF 1973

Johnny Whitaker is a 1973 USAFA graduate with a BS in Management, and a Master’s in Communications from the University of Oklahoma. He served nearly 30 years on active duty, primarily as a public affairs officer, including tours as PA director for ACC and AETC, and in the Pentagon as deputy director ofall Air Force PA operations. He also served as a support group commander. Retiring in 2003, hebecame the first Director of Academy Communications and official liaison with the AOG. He is currently Director of Program and International Communications for Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Fort Worth, Texas.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

I am a candidate for the AOG Board of Directors because serving on the Board is myway ofgiving back to our Academy that manyyears ago helped set the foundation upon which much of my success in life was built. It instilled or reinforced in me the importance ofvalues, integrity, character, perseverance and service. Coming full circle back to USAFA, I can bring my professional and personal life experiences to the AOG boardroom to helpprovide the strategic insight and tactical planning for programs to benefit current and future graduates of our alma mater.

KATHLEEN ROCK CLASS OF 1998

There is a faded photograph on my refrigerator that always brings a smile to my face. It is a picture of me and my little brother overlooking the Academy Chapel in 1982—four years before the Visitor Center and its related landmarks were built. I was only seven years old at the time, but this earlyvisit, alongwith my fathers service in the Air Force, inspired me to attend the Academy. After six and a halfyears on active duty, I separated from the Air Force, but have continued to serve the military as a defense consultant ever since.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

It would be an honor to serve on the board of directors for the United States Air Force Academy. My professional and personal experiences have prepared me for this role.

I am ready to address the recommendations that havebeen raised among fellow graduates regarding areas wherethe AOG can be more supportive. One example is by building and fostering influential networks for graduates to leverage. Forums that offer business and mentoring opportunities are critical for this type of outreach. We share a common bond as graduates-let’s embrace this foundation and together meet the challenges for tomorrow.

HOWARD J. FRY CLASS OF 1967

Jack Fry is retired from paid employment but serving in multiple volunteer capacities in the Tri-Lakes region of northern El Paso County, Colorado. Jack served in the US Air Force for 29 years retiring as a Colonel in 1996. He earned a Master’s degree in Applied Mathematics from North Carolina State University prior to entering pilot training. He has accumulated over 3,000 flying hours (330 Combat in South Vietnam and Northern Iraq) in A-37, T-38, F-4, F-15 and F-16 aircraft. His key AF assignments were as Deputy Commandant for the Cadet Wing USAFA, 53rd TFS Squadron Commander (F-15, Bitburg, Germany), 52nd TFW Commander (F16/F-4, Spangdahlem, Germany), and Commander USAF Space Warfare Center. In addition to the degree in Applied Math, he holds a Master ofArts in National Security and Strategic Studies from the US Naval War College. Following retirement from the Air Force he worked in the defense industry with Lockheed Martin and Averitech, Inc for six years and then spent five years as a Financial Advisor with Edward Jones Investments (office in Palmer Lake, Co.). He retired completely to concentrate on family and do volunteer work in the community in Jan. 2008. He and his wife Molly have three children and three grandchildren and have lived in Colorado since 1994.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

My experience includes being my Class Senator, a volunteer member of the BOD Finance and Investment Committee, Treasurer of the AOG since July 2009, and a Director in Nov. 2009. I am a Sabre Society member and Life Member of the AOG. I continue to be involved with Cadets through individual Cadet Sponsorship and participation in Cadet Leadership Enrichment programs. I feel our AOG Board is making significant improvements in support to our Members andthe Academy and ask for your vote to continue to serve our membership as a Director on the BOD for another four years.

ROBERT MUNSON CLASS OF 1973

Dr. Robert (Bob) Munson retired from the Air Force in the rank of Colonel with ratings as Command Pilot, Senior Flight Surgeon, and Pilot-Physician. He is on staff at the USAFA hospital, is assistant medical director at Evercare Hospice in Colorado Springs and occasionally does consultant work. He received his medical degree from Loyola University andhad various assignments as pilot-physician within the Air Force. Bob is currently an elected AOG Director and Board Secretary, president ofhis class and served as secretary to the AOG Class Advisory Senate.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

With this statement I am submitting my name to the AOG Nominating Committee as a candidate for the 2011 Director elections. I am familiar with the Bylaws’ requirements of Directors:

- I am prepared to serve the AOG as Director iaw AOG Bylaws and Coloradolaw as outlined in the posted Director requirements

- I have no conflicting interests

- I am prepared to attend all meetings, to bear any costs associated with attendance, and to devote such time as required to effectively serve as a Director.

BRUCE WRIGHT CLASS OF 1973

Bruce Wright completed 34 years of service in the USAF, retired as a Lieutenant General, and commanded joint and coalition combat operations, including 65 combat missions. He is currently the Vice President, C4ISR, Lockheed Martin, Washington Operations. A 1973 USAFA graduate, he holds a masters degree in public affairs from Golden Gate University. He is also a graduate ofthe Syracuse University Senior Executives in National Security course, Air War College, and the USAF FighterWeapons School.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

My motivation to seek nomination for the USAFA AOG Board of Directors and, ifelected, serve our Association ofGraduates, is founded on three beliefs. First, our United States Air Force and all our Airmen are increasingly important to the security of our Nation. Second, our Association ofGraduates has unlimited potential to provide leadership

and support for our Air Force Academy in its mission ofbuilding leaders of character so that our Air Force will continue to grow stronger. Third, our Association of Graduates has wide-ranging capabilities to further support and empower the commitment of our total membership and all graduates.

MARK ROSENOW CLASS OF 2003

Mark Rosenow is the Area Defense Counsel assigned to HollomanAFB, NM. After graduating from the Academy, he was awarded a Presidential Scholarship to the Harvard Kennedy School and there accomplished a Master in Public Policy focused in political advocacy and leadership. He was next admitted to the Funded Legal Education Program and the University ofTexas Law School. He was elected to theBoard ofDirectors in 2009 for his first two year term and served on the Nominating Committee and Bylaws Task Force. His father and older sister, two uncles and a cousin are also graduates.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

First, I am running again to continue working toward the three goals I stated when elected in 2009: increase graduate membership, secure the financial stability and success ofthe AOG through expanded donations and more intelligent investment and ensure the AOG serves its members as well as it does theCadet Wing. Second, I am running to maintain a recent graduate presence. As part ofthe Nominating Committee I helped recruit and appoint directors from 1979, 1988 and 1993 over the past two years; remaining on theBoard gives me a chance to continue representing the near graduate perspective myself.

MIKE TORREANO CLASS OF 1970

Upongraduation from theAcademy in 1970, I embarked on a support career as I was not pilot eligible. After nine years active duty, the last two years on the Faculty, I separated to begin my career in 1979 with Northwestern Mutual-Colorado Springs. I remained in the Reserves however, retiring in 1996 as a Colonel. For 15 years, I was Managing Director of the Colorado Springs Northwestern Mutual Financial Network office, stepping down from that position in January 2010.1 am involved with the AOG as a Life Member, and was one of the principals ofthe recentlycompleted SEA Memorial Pavilion on the Heritage Trail adjacent to Doolittle Hall.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

I am interested in serving on the AOG Board for several reasons. I now have the time to devote to being an active member, and 1 have an interest in helping the AOG move forward in three key areas. The first is to find more ways to help the AOG connect with and help the graduate community. Second, I would like to help the AOG continue to move forward in further refining the AOG/Endowment Foundation relationship so we can have even more effective future fundraising efforts. Lastly, I would like to see the Board and the AOG

partner together in developing a vision ofwhat we want the organization to look like in 10 years from a networking, fundraising, services and communication perspective.

JOHN GROSS CLASS OF 1965

After graduating from the USAFA in 1965, John spent 3 years as a Base Procurement Officer in SAC before attending AFIT. He received an MS in Astronautical Engineering and entered the AF Directorate of the National Space Program, where he spent 17 years, with a 5 year break in the middle to attend Armed Forces Staff College and a tour on the Air Staff. During the time on the Space Program he served as an engineer in the Program Office, as a Deputy SPO Director, and as a Program Director, beforehis retirement assignment as Commander, Aerospace Data Facility, Buckley AFB, CO. In private industry, he was VP of Timberline Industries, a wholesale distributor and industrial manufacturer in CO. John lives with his wife Kathleen in Castle Pines Village. They have 2 sons, a daughter, and 5 grandchildren.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

After the controversies of the 2006 era (Blue Ribbon Advisory), I think the BOD, AOG, and UE are on the right path. It is now time for all to work together and strive for a smooth, responsive to graduates, organization that makes a better Association for graduates, the USAFA and the US. I want to help in whatever way I can.

KENT

TRAYLOR CLASS OF 1975

Robert ‘Kent’ Traylor, Colonel, USAF (ret), is an executive manager for military satellite communications with Lockheed Martin Information Systems and Global Services. He also served as Director, Flight and Mission Support Services. A Colorado resident, Kents final Air Force assignment was Vice Commander, Space Warfare Center, Schriever AFB. He has flying and command experience in the RF-4, F-15, and U-2. Staff assignments include NATO, Pentagon, and US Embassy, Australia. A 1975 graduate, he holds masters degrees in Systems Management from USC, and National Security Strategy from the National War College. He is an AOG LifeMember and Sabre Society contributor.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

I’m an enthusiastic and engaged AOG Life Member and candidate to serve on the Board of Directors. I have interfaced both professionally and personally with the senior staffofthe Academy including Superintendents, Dean, Commandants, Athletic Directors, and two AOG CEOs since retiring in Colorado Springs in 2003. I’m concerned that the AOG has been greatly distracted in recent years with internal disagreements over governance and fund raising. I believe the AOG focus needs to return to the Cadet Wing and providing a single voice ofleadership and support to the institution and the larger USAFA graduate community.

RON SCOTT CLASS OF 1973

Ron has 37 years of leadership experiencesquadron, group, and wing levels; thinktank strategist; CEO; and board chair and director. Throughout his career, he provided strategic vision and led people to effectively adapt to changing circumstances in dynamic and stressful environments, whether achieving results in combat or advancing new concepts. Recently, he has focused on ways to connect cutting-edge theory with national and international level problems through strategies to thwartWMD proliferation andnuclear terrorism, national conference presentations, journal article publications, and the founding of a 501(c)(3) think-tank focused on international development. He is Chairman and CEO of Leading-Edge Research Institute.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

The AOG is a critical link in the long blue line by providing important support to the Academy mission and our membership. This linkage and support happen through effective board governance, staff leadership, and program management. My credentials in strategic thinking, policy analysis and public management, combined with nonprofit board director and CEO experience, can build upon and contribute to the AOG’s strategic ends and effective board governance. I pledge total commitment to advancing the AOG mission and vision and facilitating its growth and maturity with an uncompromising sense ofstewardship, transparency and accountability.

MICHAELLISCHAK CLASS OF 1975

Mike Lischak (USAFA‘75, CS 04 & 16) is an AOG life member, Sabre Societymember, an active ALO, principle initiator and past president ofboth the Aloha and Badger Alumni Chapters. Dr. Michael Lischak holds degrees from Johns Hopkins University (MPH), the National War College and the University of Wisconsin (MBA). Col. Lischak is a Command Flight Surgeon, commercial/instrument pilot, and senior FAA Aviation Medical Examiner. He is the Medical Director for CorporateWORx at Columbia-St Marys in Milwaukee, past president of the Medical Society of Milwaukee County, board member of the Wisconsin Medical Society and numerous nonprofit organizations.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

Building leaders of character and preserving cherished traditions of integrity, excellence and service to country are more than the mission of USAFA and the vision ofthe AOG, they are the duty ofeach who has participated and benefited so richly from those traditions. I am sincerely grateful for those gifts, proud to be a graduate and would be honored to contribute as a member of the AOG board. Each generation builds upon the contributions of those before. We must support each newly formed class, sustain our graduates during their service and assist our membersafter retirement from honorable service.

TIM WELTER CLASS OF 1997

Tim grew up in Santa Rosa, California and attended pilottraining at Laughlin AFB after graduation from USAFA. He flew the C-5 at Dover and Travis AFBs, joined the AF Reserve in 2005, and has accumulated over 3,000 hours, including over 100 combat hours. After working for Senator Gordon Smith, Tim was hired byCongressman Steve Buyer as a military legislative assistant, later serving as communications director and currendy as legislative director and deputy chief of staff. He is also a professional staff member with the House Veterans’ Affairs Committee. He resides in Washington, DC with his wife and daughter.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

I expect the makeup ofthose charged with providing the strategic vision for our organization to be reflective ofits membership, a feeling I share with many of my fellow members. I will honor that ideal with a fresh perspective, one that encompasses ALL voices of those that have gone before, capitalizing on past successes to move forward with an AOG that all ofits members are proud ofwhile wholly preserving one ofthe few places in the world where countless opportunities exist to expose our nations developing leaders to the enduring values upon which our liberties thrive.

PATRICK K. GARVEY, CLASS OF 1972

Pat serves as a Business Development

Director in The Boeing Company, responsible for growing the Company’s directed energy business. He’s worked now with Boeing for more than 13 years. He graduated from USAFA in 1972, served as an Air Officer Commanding of Cadet Squadron 32, and commanded the 510th Tactical Fighter Squadron. With over 25 years ofAir Force experience, he flew tactical fighters in the Pacific, Europe, and the United States and served as a Division Chief on a MAJCOM staff. He and his wife Jane live in Alexandria, Virginia.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

The Academy provided me the critical foundation that’s enabled me to serve effectively in the military and now in industry. Service on the Board will allow me to more effectivelygive back to the institution that gave me so much. In addition, the AOG must support both the needs of its graduates as well as the institution and the Cadet Wing. Our AOG is moving in the right direction to meet both those needs in a balanced manner, and I would now like to more actively assist the AOG in continuing moving further down that path.

TOM LOCKIE CLASS OF 1979

Tom Lockie is a Captain with American Airlines. During his 25 years at American Airlines, Tom has worked as a Flight Standards Check Airman and served with the Allied Pilots Association’s initial cadre that developed the Union Strike Preparedness Committee. As a small business principal managing partner he participated in the development of two businesses in south Florida. His spends his free time outdoors, and loves boating and sports. He comes from his own long military line where both his grandfathers served in WWI, his father retired from the Air Force Reserves after serving as a B-17 Pilot in WWII, and his sister, a 1985 grad, served 20+ years active duty and in the Reserves. Tom retired from the Air Force Reserve, where he spent his last 13 years as a Liaison Officer for the Academy. He and his wife live in Naples, FL.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

I’ve considered myselflucky to serve as a Board Member for our AOG this past year, serving the balance of a previous member’s term. As we continue to move forward, we must actively search for innovative ways to link graduates together through new communications technologies, affinity group opportunities and chapters in the civilian and active duty arenas. A strong outreach to graduates coupled with an inspired strategic growth plan for our graduate and cadet membership will lead to a strong and prosperous AOG. I respectfully submit my name for consideration as a board member of our AOG.

BEBE O’NEIL CLASS OF 1983

Bebe O’Neil is the Southwest Region Assistant Chief Pilot for United Airlines. Over the past 20 years at United, Bebe worked in the Training Center as a Pilot Instructor and Line Check Airman. She worked with theAirline Pilots Association on theTraining and Professional Standards Committees. Her husband, Jim, flies for American Airlines. Married 23 years, they have four great kids. Her daughter, Megan, a fourth class cadet in CS-30, plays basketball. You’ll often find her cheering at family lacrosse, basketball, and hockey games. Bebe retired from the USAFR after 23 years. The O’Neil family resides in Aurora, CO.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

I feel I represent a large number ofgraduates who are AOG members but infrequent patrons of the services and amenities offered. It was recentlywhen my daughter, a fourth class cadet, received information about signing up for membership. I thought it odd that the AOG would solicit a “doolie”for membership services; I was enlightened. I know many members are unaware of what goods, services, and resources are available. I would like to see that those that approach the AOG as only a ‘reunion year’ asset, be politely reminded that membership has value well beyond the reunion year festivities. t>

KIRK MCDONALD CLASS OF 1990

Kirk McDonald works for Fiduciary Asset Management in St. Louis, MO where he has worked as a portfolio manager for institutional equity portfolios and currently is responsible for all of the company’s quantitative research. Before joining FAMCO, Kirk was a consultant for Arthur Andersen. He spent nine years as a pilot in the United States Air Force. Kirk is a member of the class of 1990 and has an M.B.A. from the University of Oklahoma. Kirk is married to Toni McDonald and has two sons, Andrew (8) and Josh (4).

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

It is my sincere desire to serve you on the AOG Board of Directors. When I separated from Active Duty in 1999 andmoved to St. Louis to start my second career, I was surprised to find that there was no active alumni network in the area. Endeavoring to change this, I recruited other graduates in the area and worked with them to found the St. Louis AOG chapter and haveserved as president for the past three years. We now have a list of over 100 members. I hope to bring the same entrepreneurism, spirit and ability to “get things done”to the AOG board.

STEVE BEASLEY CLASS OF 1993

A 1993 graduate, Lt Col Steve Beasley has served as an air traffic controller, B-l Bomber pilot, and staff officer. He has deployed in support of Operations SOUTHERN WATCH, and recently returned from an ENDURING FREEDOM deployment. Steve spent two years in operational plans at 9th Air Force and US Central Command Air Forces, and two more years in operational plans on the Air Staff before attending ACSC and theSchool for Advanced Air and Space Studies. He’s currently the 34th Bomb Squadron Commander. Steve, his wife, Nicole, and their five children regularly journey back to USAFA.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

My goal is to rejuvenate the AOG to connect old friends and build new relationships upon common experiences. The AOG should continue its service to cadets, while searching for opportunities for graduates to connect. While considering this position, I was stunned by how many graduates were not AOG members but were open to the idea. Many of AOG’s outreach is to current AOG members. I wish to expand this focus to all graduates to expand our membership. I believe my active service in the Air Force provides a unique perspective to our AOG that represents a large unrepresented portion of our membership.

ADAM GRAYSON, CLASS OF 1999

Adam Grayson joined Edward Jones as a financial advisor after serving as an Air Force logistics officer. He earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Baker College and is working on a Doctor of Psychology in Organizational Leadership through the University of the Rockies. Adam is an active community member in the Tri-Lakes region ofEl Paso County, Colorado. He serves as a board member for the Chamber of Commerce, the Tri-Lakes YMCA, and is active in other community organizations. Adam is married to Stella Grayson, Class of 1999, and enjoys spending time outdoors with their two daughters.

CANDIDACY STATEMENT

I respectfully request your support of my nomination to the Board of Directors. I believe in the Academy and the AOG’s key role in supporting the Academy’s mission. I have personally benefited from the AOG’s services and am eager to give back, measuring the suecess of my tenure by the positive outcomes I can effect on behalfof the AOG and our Academy. I consider myself a leader in my community and want to be counted among our nation’s next generation ofoptimists and patriots. As such, it would be an honor to serve on the Board of Directors.

2011 MEMBERSHIP VOTE REVISED BYLAWS

AOG Bylaws call for an election of directors in odd-numbered years and for the Bylaws to be reviewed biennially. The most recent review has lead to recommended amendments which must be put to a vote ofthe membership and will take place in conjunction with director elections in 2011.

This year-long review began in the fall of2009 when Director Rip Blaisdell, ’62, was asked to chair the Bylaw Task Force (BLTF). The BLTF consisted of:

Brian Binn, ’72 Board Vice Chair

Ron Scott, ’73 Class Senator

Dick Sexton, ’60 President, Class Senate

Tom Hayden, ’74 Class Senator

Mark Rosenow, 03 Director

Gary Howe, ’69 AOG Executive Vice President

AOG Board Chair Terry Storm, ’61, and AOG President and CEO William “T” Thompson, ’73, served as advisors.

The current Bylaws were rewritten by the Blue Ribbon Council in 2006 after significant changes to the previous Bylaws had been approved by the membership in 2005. The 2006 Bylaws, while functional, are not easy to read, lack an index or table of contents, contain redundancies, have some glaring omissions and are, generally difficult to use. These were the problems the BLTF set out to correct. The BLTF was committed to conducting a comprehensive, thorough review but was cognizant of the changes made by the membership in 2005 and chose to avoid changing those provisions.

At its May 7, 2010 meeting, the Board approved the first draft which was then sent to the Class Advisory Senate, class presidents, former AOG CEOs, Blue Ribbon Council members and a few other selected graduates. All comments received were considered and several suggestions were adopted. Each person who commented received information on why their suggestion was, or was not, incorporated into the draft.

On October 25, 2010, the task force distributed the updated draft to the Board and the directors submitted additional suggestions which the BLTF reviewed. On December 3, 2010, the Board accepted this draft, with a few additional adjustments, for presentation to the membership as part ofthe 2011 Election. The “final” draft is now being reviewed for format, grammar, spelling and context and will be available for review by the membership in January 2011. THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS STRONGLY RECOMMENDS EACH MEMBER VOTE “YES” TO APPROVE THE BYLAWS AS AMMENDED.

THE CURRENT BYLAWS REQUIRE A 25 PERCENT VOTER TURNOUT FOR A VOTE ON BYLAWS TO BE EFFECTIVE.

Please educate yourself and VOTE! Beginning in January 2011, additional information about the candidates and the Bylaws will be placed on the AOG website and announced in ZoomieNews, the Election Update, and special videos and mailings. The Board encourages questions which will be answered on the Election pages of the AOG website. However, no changes will be made to the document before the election.

Voting will be conducted electronically through a website. For what may be the last time, members may request a paper ballot.

DerryA.Adamson, ’60

Derry Allan Adamson died Oct. 2, 2010, in Marietta, Ga., in the presence of his loving wife and children, after a long battle with Lewy body dementia, a rare neurological disease. Born in Roseburg, Ore., Derry grew up in San Pedro, Calif., where he graduated from San Pedro High School in 1956.

He was appointed to the United States Air Force Academy where he was a proud member of the Class of 1960, the second graduating class. He was elected captain of the swimming team in his 4th class year and remained captain for all four years. Derry had that grace of movement that is the hallmark of a natural athlete. His athletic ability was stunning, but he was known to warm up for swimming competition with his “cannonball,” an ungainlylooking jump that belied what was to come in the performance.

While at the Academy, Derry had a blind date with a lovely young woman from the University of Colorado. When asked the next day how it had gone, he replied, with a huge smile on his face, “Great. We were on a double date and were in theback seat of the car. She knitted the entire time.” Derry was hooked. He married that girl, Faith, who remained his wife for over 50 years.

During 1968-69, he served as a rescue helicopter pilot in Vietnam, flying more than 110 combat rescue missions. Among many awardshe received, he was most proud ofhis Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for his actions during a rescue mission of a pilot in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, conducted under intense enemy fire.

After returning to the United States, he obtained a Master’s Degree from San Diego State University in Asian studies. He used that information to create and teach courses in cross-cultural communication, antiterrorism strategies and crisis management to Special Forces at Hurlburt Field and Eglin Air Force Base in Florida.

Retiring from the Air Force in 1985, he worked as a defense contractor, eventuallyworking for Lockheed-Martin in Marietta, Ga. While there, he was Systems Manager on the C-27J project, which resulted in upgrading the aircraft to one of world-class status. He also served as the Chief Systems Engineer on the C5M Project, which involved upgrading the airframe, engines, flight controls, hydraulic and electrical systems. He retired in 2004 from Lockheed and was able to travel extensively with his wife. He was a member of the Daedalion Society of Military Pilots, The Air Rescue Association, The Pedro Helicopter Association and the Veterans of Foreign Wars.

Derry is survived by his wife of 50 years, Faith Adamson, and three daughters, Kristin Adamson Landau (Jeff), Amy Katnik (Brad), Laura Glancy (Michael), and one son David Adamson (Julie); and twelve grandchildren: Erin and Brett Landau; Kendall and Gunnar Schafers, Nicole Katnik, Grace, Conor, and Maggie Glancy, Hannah, Lily, and Earl Adamson, and Katherine Herrin. He is also survived by his mother, Melba Martin, and his sister Sharon Bethard and her husband, Bill Bethard, and numerous nieces and nephews.

He will be gready missed by all who knew and loved him. He will be remembered for his warm heart, kind spirit and gentle soul. He was one of a kind. A celebration of his life was held in a memorial service in the Sanctuary of First Presbyterian Church, 189 Church Street, Marietta, Ga.

Donations can be made to Cross Roads Hospice, 1957 Lakeside Parkway, Suite 500, Tucker, Ga. 30084, or to the First Presbyterian Church Sanctuary Restoration Fund.

God speed, Derry. NULLI SECUNDUS. (Bob Badger, Class of1960)

Oleg R. Komarnitsky, *61

Oleg R. Komarnitsky, Class of 1961, passed away unexpectedly on Aug. 29, 2010 at age 71. He was a wonderful father and devoted husband and will be sorely missed by his family andfriends.

Oleg was born Sept. 2, 1938 in New Jersey, the son of European immigrants. Oleg spent much of his early years growing up in rural Pittsburgh, Pa., where, foreshadowing his later career, he often snuck through the woods to Pittsburgh Army Airfield to watch P-51, P-47 and F-86 fighter planes take off and land. In 1957, Oleg was accepted to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado, where he met his future wife, Betsy, the love of his life, who he married in 1962 a year after graduation.

After finishing UPT at Willie, Oleg flew the NKC-135 for four years which included flights to both the South and North Poles among various faraway places. He then spent a year at the Air Force Test Pilot School and subsequently flew F-104 test flights. This was followed by a year in Vietnam where he flew 170 sorties in an F-100.

After Vietnam, Oleg was back in the KC-135 flying various special missions, including the Zero-G flights in the “Vomit Comet” for the Apollo 15 astronauts. After getting a Master’s Degree, he spent several years at the Pentagon, and then off to Taiwan as a flying advisor for their F-104 and F-5s. His last Air Force assignment was testing the KC-135 AWACS and, after 20 years of service, Oleg retired in 1981 with the rank of Lt. Colonel.

He then went to work for Boeing as a senior flight instructor, flying every major Boeing aircraft in existence during his tenure: B727, B737, B757, B767, B747, B747-400, and the B777. After 14 years, he grew weary of the world-wide travel, so he retired at age 57 to spend more time with his family.

Oleg was intense, fun-loving and could not be matched as a hard worker. He was always on the go and always ready to lend a hand to help both family and friends no matter how much it might inconvenience him. He was a firm believer in doing a job well and instilling that idea upon his children. He was conservative in his financial philosophy; a strategy that also served him well in many fondly remembered family card games of “Hearts” where he almost never tried to “shootthe moon.”

As a handyman and someone who looked down on wastefulness, he kept many appliances inside and outside the house running far beyond their years and was invaluable to his children on innumerable projects.

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If you know of a graduate’s death, please notify the AOG as soon as possible. There have been cases in which the association was not informed in a timely manner.

Oleg’s expertise at repairing model trains earned him a reputation as “Mr. Fix It” resulting in people from all over the country sending him their broken stuff to restore back to working condition. He loved playing games and was active all the way to the end, whether it was swimming, playing tennis or trying to perfect his golf game. His goal in his later years was to golf his age.

He is survived by his loving wife, Betsy, sister Inna Hays, sons and daughters-in-law Alek and WendyKomarnitsky, Kris and Katherine Komarnitsky, Kurt and Mary Komarnitsky,Myke Komarnitsky and Li-Ming Ueng, and daughter Stephanie Nowers and son-in-law Stephen Nowers. In addition, he is survived by his six grandchildren: Dirk, Kyle, Nick, Kara, Hannah, and Sophia.

A memorial service was held on Saturday, Sept. 11, 2010 at Sacred Heart Church, Bellevue, Wash, and Oleg’s final resting place will be at the Air Force Academy. His children setup a memorial/remembrances website at http://www.komar.org/oleg/. (His Family)

Daniel J. McDonald,Jr., ’63

Daniel James (Jim) McDonald, Jr., 69, ofRaleigh, N.C., died July 8,2010, after a lengthy illness. Jim was born in Henderson, N.C., Dec. 9,1940, and raised in Warrenton, N.C., a son of the late Daniel James McDonald and the late Bettie King McDonald. Jim is survived by his wife, Marcia Dawn Miller McDonald.

After graduation from USAFA and pilot training at Moody AFB he flew C- 124s at KellyAFB before proudlyserving our country inVietnam, where he flew the C-7A Caribou. After resigning in 1969, Jim joined American Airlines, where he flew for 30 years before retiring in 2000 as a captain. During the early airline days when furloughed Jim worked as a freelance photographer and at one time ownedand operated a restaurant.

Jim’s life was shaped by his experiences at USAFA. He was a loyal, ethicalsouthern gentleman always willing to help others. He formed lasting friendships with high school and USAFA classmates, especially those from the 22nd cadet squadron and was a regular attendee or host of annual ’63 22nd mini-reunions. Jim loved flying and all things aeronautical, but his greatest joys were his lasting friendships, a large, loving family, andthe pleasure of a well-enjoyed meal. His family will remember him as a life-long patriot and will remember with particular affection his fondness for trivia, foreign languages, and Carolina basketball. All who knewhim will remember his USA suspenders which he wore every day since 9/11/01.

In addition to his lovingwife, Marcia, Jim is survived by his son Spencer McDonald, and his wife, Caroline, and daughterJordan ofLynchburg,Va.; and daughterAshley McDonald, of Phoenix, Ariz. He was predeceased by his brother Bill McDonald of Lynchburg. His family also includes his sister Jean, his sister-in-law Rosemary McDonald of Lynchburg; his brother Tom McDonald of New Britain, Conn.; his sister Beverly Stables, and her husband, Lou, of Charlotte, N.C.; and his sister Suzi McDonald, ofThomasville, N.C.

His family also includes many nieces and nephews and their children, including David Bumgarner, Shawn McDonald and his wife, Samantha, and their daughter Elise; Colin McDonald; Davis and Emma McDonald; Katie Stables Cuthbertson and her husband, Bart, and their sons Stephen, Brian and Shane; Julie Stables Boudrie and her daughters Hailey and Emma; Drew Stables and his wife, Kristen, and their children Aaron, Allie and Jenna. His family also includes a brother-in-law, Mercer Miller, of Prospect Heights, Ill., his wife, Tina, and their sons Nathan and Evan. (Family and Classmates)

Raymond E. Patterson, ’63

Raymond (Buzz) Patterson passed away quietly on May 22, 2010, after a six-month battle with pancreatic cancer. He died at home in Laguna Beach, Calif., with his wife, Cindy, at his side.

Buzz was born Aug 9,1940 in Long Beach, Calif., and grew up in a fam

ily of three brothers in Carmichael, Calif. His early academic accomplishments resulted in his appointment to the USAFA Class of 1963. At the Academy Buzz was always on the ski slopes and joined the football team as a halfback. He often joked that he would be the Station Manager at PagoPago after his Air Force flying ended.

Buzz graduated from pilottraininghigh in his class. In those days flying assignments were awarded on the basis of pilot wishes and class standing, and Buzz gained a coveted assignment to F-lOOs. Following that checkout, he was assigned to the 77th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 20th Tactical FighterWing at RAF Wethersfield, England, for three years. Buzz suecessfully ejected from an F-100 on takeoff.

As one of the few bachelors in a unit heavily tasked for “Quick Reaction Alert” at home base and two TDY bases, Buzz often found himself “behind the wire” on holidays so that the married squadron mates could be with their families. This “discrimination” would cause griping and complaints from lesser officers, but just brought forth Buzz’ ever present trademark grin, and occasional jokes. He made the most of the travel opportunities in Europe, and had grand adventures during the somewhat limited time offfrom a unit in the middle of the Cold War.

Buzz thenflew the F-100 inVietnam, and finished out his tour there on the 7th Air Force staff.

Next, Buzz decided to try a different path and signed on with Continental Airlines, before long ending up at their Air Micronesia subsidiary, based in Guam. This was nirvana for Buzz - shuttling betweenthe islands of the South Pacific, exotic destinations in Japan, China, Australia, and elsewhere, the attraction of countless beaches for this California surfer boy, and taking people where they need or want to go. As always, his grin and engaging personality touched many lives. The “Air Mike”staff on Guam and throughout the South Pacific loved Buzz, as I found out first hand on my own Guam stopovers. He continued there until forced into retirement at age 60 by an FAA rule (since changed), living next in Hawaii, and then returning to the California shore at Laguna Beach.

Buzz is greatly missed and always remembered by his many friends, and particularly by Cindy, step children Steven, Terri, and Chris, and grandchildren Adam, Lauren, Zacary andMaxwell.

Tailwinds to you always, Buzz. (Dave Skilling with Dean Hess, Class of 1963)

Robin G. Tornow, ’64

Robin Tornow passionately served his God, country, family and community. Rob lost a courageous battle with cancer on Aug. 22, 2010, in Newnan, Ga. He left behind a legend.

Rob was born April 30, 1942 in Monroe, Wis. From pilot training at Reese AFB, Texas, he went to Dover AFB, Del., before serving in Vietnam 1967 to 1968, supporting the 101 st Airborne and 5 th Special Forces. After an assignment in RAF Lakenheath, England, Rob earned a master’s degree in Engineering Meehanics from the University ofTexas, and later taught at the Air Force Academy. He was an Operations Officer in South Korea and an F-4 Squadron Commander at Seymour-Johnson AFB, N.C.

After completing Air War College in 1983, Rob was stationed at the Pentagon. In 1985 he flew the F-16 at MacDill AFB, Fla. and moved to Luke AFB, Ariz. where he was Wing Commander of an F-15 unit. Rob became commander of the AF Southern Air Division and was promoted to Brigadier General in 1989 while serving in Panama. His final assignment was as

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Commandant of Air Force ROTC in Alabama. Rob retired in 1993 with more than 4,000 flying hours in a variety of aircraft and received a numher of medals and commendations including the Silver Star.

Upon retirement Rob moved to Newnan, Ga. where he served his community. For 11 years Rob was director of the satellite campus of the University of West Georgia. During this time, student population grew ten-fold and a number of degrees, including graduate, were added to the curriculum. He served on a variety of education boards and commissions. He was chair of the local United Way and later joined the Atlanta Metro board. He was active in Rotary and served as president. His dedication to his church was evidenced by faithful attendanceand untiring service as he headed a successful building campaign. Rob led the way in developing a Veterans Memorial Park in Newnan. For all his community service and accomplishments, General Tornow was recognized as “Citizen of the Year” in 2008.

His wife, Barbara, was by his side and a strong supporter for 45 years. They have two children, Kelli of Dallas, Texas, and Brett of Roswell, Ga. and four grandchildren: Jordan, David, Ryan and Jackson. (Walt Thompson and Barb Tornow, Robin's wife)

Darrell D. Giffin, ’65

Darrell Davis Giffin was born on Feb. 24,1943 in MountVernon, Ohio to Charles Maurice and Ruth Davis Giffin. He died on July 10, 2010. He grew up in Bucyrus, Ohio, graduating from Bucyrus High School in 1961. He was the first person from his hometown to attend the Air Force Academywhere he graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science degree in 1965.

After the Academy, Darrell entered into USAF Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base, and was then a USAF Instructor Pilot at Vance and Columbus Air Force Base until 1971. Darrell was with the first group to be assigned to the C-130 for tactical airlifts out of Taiwan until 1973, where he would meet his wife, Suki Chang. They married on August 21, 1973 in Taichung, Taiwan.

Darrell and Suki then moved to the U.S. so that Darrellcould pursue a Master of Science Degree in Industrial Engineering from the University of Illinois in 1974 as a Distinguished Graduate and a member of Phi Kappa Phi.

Darrell earned a missile badge after serving as the Titan Launch Facilities Manager forVandenbergAFB and Cape Canaveral until 1977 and was then transferred to Hurlburt Field in Florida as an instructor pilot for the AC- 130H Gunship. He was the first to train for air-to-air refueling for the AC-130.

Darrell and Suki became parents on May 19,1977 with the birth oftheir daughter, Lani Mei Giffin.

In 1980, Darrell was assigned to 13th Air Force at Clark Air Base in the Philippines where he was an instructor pilot for C-12 aircraft flying support for U.S. Embassies and MilitaryAdvisory Groups in the Philippines, Thailand, Indonesia, Australia and Pakistan.

Darrell retired from the Air Force in July 1985, concluding over 20 years of honorable service to his country, receiving numerous awards including a Meritorious Service Medal, Armed Forces ExpeditionaryMedal, National Defense Service Medal, and a Vietnam Service Medal.

After spending 18 months attending graduate school in Arizona and working for Northrop Worldwide Aerospace Services in Oklahoma, Darrell moved to San Diego and joined PacificSouthwest Airlines in June 1986, which eventually became U.S. Airways. For the next 16 and a half years, Darrell flew the MD-80, DC-9,737,757,767, Airbus 330 and 320. He retired as Captain on the Airbus 320 in February 2003.

Over his 37 year career with the USAF and PSA/US Airways, Darrell logged over 14,700 hours of total flight time. In retirement, he enjoyed traveling, motorcycling, hiking, photography, financial management and computer flight simulation.

On March 3, 2010, Darrell became the grandfather of Jennica Mei Lin Ho. Just a few months later, Darrell was diagnosed with stage four Mantle Cell Lymphoma, a rare form of Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. He passed away on July 10,2010 from complications during his treatment while un

derthe care of the Naval Medical Center in San Diego, Calif.

He is survived by his wife of 37 years, Suki, daughter and son-in-law Lani and Michael Ho, granddaughter Jennica Ho, brotherWalt Giffin, sister Vicki Kidd, and countless nephews, nieces, cousins and close friends. (Lani Giffin Ho and the Giffin Family)

PhilipW. Bruce, '66

Philip Warren Bruce passed away quietly in September 2010, with loving family at his side. He had battled a neurological condition for five years. Phil faced the challenges of those years with patience and perseverance, with unwavering faith in the Lord, and with the love and prayers of many.

Phil was born to Sid and Jeanne Bruce on Sept. 19, 1943, in Trinidad, Colo.; he was the eldest of five children. Theirs was an Air Force family, experiencing life in many settings. Phil graduated from high school in Virginia; he was active in Civil Air Patrol, and developed a strong desire to be a pilot. In 1961, Phil enlisted in the Air Force to attend the USAFA Prep School. The next year he enteredthe Academy, where he studied engineering sciences, and graduated in June 1966.

Having met in 1965, Phil and Patty (Creighton) developed a friendship which continued to deepen. In September 1966, they were married, and would be blessed with 44 years of loving and learning together with their children. These years began with pilot training in Valdosta, Ga. Phil greatly enjoyed flying, and was a distinguished graduate. In September 1967, their first child, Cheryl, was born. Phil flew the C-7 Caribou in Vietnam, then the KC-135 in Oklahoma. He spent several years in SAC, on alert in Altus and Labrador, and on YoungTiger tours in Southeast Asia.

In October 1969, daughter Karen joined the family. At Wright-Patterson, Phil completed AFIT in Aeronautical Engineering, and worked as a propulsion engineer on the A-7D. In 1976, Phil was selected for Test Pilot School at Edwards. Given his love of flying, he gratefully enjoyed this opportunity. Afterward he served as a test pilot at Edwards, then as an instructor at the Test Pilot School. During his teaching tour, students honored him with outstanding flight-instructor awards.

These years in the Air Force were busy ones, but Phil madehis family a priority,helping the girls with schoolwork and attending activities. Returning to Wright-Patterson, Phil managed the X-29 experimental aircraft program, and served as executive officer to the ASD commander. A welcome event in March 1985 was the birth of son Jonathan. The family then moved to Washington DC where Phil served in staff positions as chief of the fighter division at headquarters, and as a senior military assistant. While there, son Daniel was born on 8-8-88. The family was also blessed with sons-in-law Darren and Tim. Moving again to Wright-Patterson in 1991, Philworked as deputy program director for NASP. In July 1993, Col. Philip Bruce marked the completion ofhis Air Force career, having served 27 years.

Phil’s subsequent years of “retirement” were filled with major building projects building on a homestead acreage in the Georgia mountains, and building into the home educational lives of his sons. He instructed in academics, guided in learning life skills, and helped in establishing businesses. Phil set an example of growing dedication to the Lord, seek-

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If you know of a graduate’s death, please notify the AOG as soon as possible. There have been cases in which the association was not informed in a timely manner.

ing to trust Him wholeheartedly and apply His wisdom in all of life. The family continued to grow, adding four precious grandchildren, Julie, Bea, Dustin, and Kate, and special daughter-in-law Bethany.

Phil’s life on this earth demonstrated loving service; he is now eternally present with the Lord. As was stated in his eulogy, the Air Force has lost one of its finestretired officers, but Phil has been given the best promotion of all.

The family is grateful for the encouraging expressions ofsympathy and remembrances of Phil. (Thefamily)

Thomas A. Draper, '68

Thomas A. Draper, known as Tad to his friends, suffered a heart attack, resulting in hissudden passing, and slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God on Tuesday, Sept. 28, 2010.

Tad was born on April 19,1946 inWashington DC and following graduation from the Air Force Academy in 1968 spent 22 years and 5 months on active duty with worldwide assignments before retiring in the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. After his Air Force career, Tad and his family settied near Omaha, Neb.

Tad was a good friend and trusted mentor. He lived a life of character and honor, daily living out the values of the Air Force and USAFA. Tad had great love and admiration for the Academy and was very active in the USAFA community. He worked with Academy liaison officers helping to recruit the best candidates for USAFA, founded the Heartland-LeMay Chapter of the USAFA Association of Graduates near his home in Papillion, Neb., and sponsored socials that included cadets during summer programs. Tad also establishedthe Heartland-LeMay Leader of Character award, presented to local high schoolstudents who best exemplify the values of the US Air Force Academy. He worked tirelessly in furthering the ideals of USAFA in the Omaha community.

Tad worked for Northrop Grumman as a software developer team lead for the SSC Omaha Space Intelligence Applications branch. He will be sorely missed by his friends and colleagues who admired his character and exemplary work ethic.

Tad’s survivors include his wife, Becky, daughter Belise, son Jim, and son Rob. One ofTad’s favorite activities was skiing. He started skiing as a cadet and never lost his love for the slopes of Colorado. Skiing became a favorite activity for Tad’s family. Tad also enjoyed golf and was particularly fond of the time he was able to spend with his sons on the golf course.

Funeral services forTad were held on Oct. 3,2010 at Kahler-Dolce Mortuary in Papillion. His ashes will be interred at USAFA at a date to be determined a fitting resting place for a man who cared deeply about his alma mater and its people.

Condolences may be sent to his family in care of his wife, Becky: Mrs Rebecca A Draper; 1003 Shady Tree Lane; Papillion NE 68046-6193. (Tim Davidson, Class of1968)

Julius Clifford Parsons, ’69

CliffParsons passed away on July 20,2010 in the Anne Arundel Medical Center, Annapolis, Md. Mr. Parsons was born and raised in Monroeville, Pa. where he attended primary, middle and high school. He graduated from Gateway High School in 1965. He once scored 56 points in a high schoolbasketball game and was inducted into the Gateway Athletic Hall of Fame in 1999.

He attendedthe Air Force Academy from 1965-1969 where he set several records as the center for the Academy basketball team. He is still the only academy player to average a career double-double in scoring and rebounding at 19.4 points and 10.1 rebounds per game. In 1968, he was selected as a Helms Foundation All American and a Division 1 Academic All American.

After graduation, he fulfilled his active duty commitment at WrightPatterson AFB, Ohio from 1969-1974 where held jobs as an industrial engineer, the base Athletic Director, and Commander of the base Civil Engineering Squadron. During his Air Force tenure, he played on several

championship Logistics Command, Air Force and Armed Forces Basketball All Star teams. In 1972, he helped lead the Armed Forces All Stars to the National AAU Championship and received AAU All American honors. Gregg Popovich, coach of the San Antonio Spurs, was a teammate of Cliff’s on the Air Force Academy, WrightPatterson, and Air Force, Armed Forees All Star basketball teams.

On separation from the Air Force, Cliff first played professional ball in Holland before migrating to Australia where he played for the Dandenong Rangers in Australia’s Premier league. Cliff returned to Australia in October 2009 for one last time on the court at the World Masters Games in Sydney. His Australian Myths and Legends team took the bronze medal in the very competitive 60+ group.

He was employed as an industrial engineer by Brown and Williamson in Australia until he returned to the Dayton area in 1979. He held industrial engineering jobs at Hobart and Copeland before taking a position in the Engineering Department for Rexarc International. His last job in the Dayton area was with the consulting and services firm, Aerotek. For the last four years heserved as the Production Manager for the Optical Ceramics Division ofTechnology Assessment and Transfer, Inc. in Annapolis, Md. Cliff was a history buffwho took great pleasure visiting all the Civil War battlefields in the Mid-Atlantic region.

“Cliff”Parsons

He is survived by his wife, Beatrice Parsons, her extended family and his sister, Margaret “Gie” Parsons, the woman’s basketball coach at Clarion University, Pa. The gentle giant will be sorely missed by his family and all his friends, especially those that loved his “Shaggy Dog” jokes humor. (LarryFehrenhacher,former coach andfriend)

James E. Sandstrom, ’71

Major General James Sandstrom passed into Eternal Life on Aug. 18, 2010 leaving behind a loving wife, daughter, and son, a sister, and scores of stricken friends who remember him for a remarkable blend oftraits homely and sophisticated, serious and sly; an educated everyman who arrived at the pinnacle ofachievement unscathed by the journey. Family and friends spoke of him lovingly as a completegentleman and a true friend. He was interred after a ceremony with full military honors in the Arlington Veterans Administration (VA) Cemetery near his home in Ft. Worth, Texas.

Jim grew up in Ft. Atkinson, Wis. - a classic piece of small-town America. He and his sister Pat were raised in a large frame house that backed up on the Rock River in a familywonderfully at ease in their relationships with one another. He made friendships there that remained meaningful and current throughout hislife. Jim excelled academically and his appointment to the Academy surprised no one.

Jim “Sandy”Sandstrom

A man of many names, Bags managed to give and get the maximum at the Academy. Fie enjoyed late nights at the Kachina shooting pool and kept his calendar clear for the occasional, remarkable foray into the Cotton Club. His white Corvette sported a bumper sticker from the Fabulous Intimate Lounge. Despite this healthy appetite for life’s easy diversions he never fell from the dean’s list. A core of strength and virtue determined his course - and was only thinly disguised by a suggestive smile that made you feel accomplice to something more. It didn’t hurt that he was a bit of a genius.

Dirtbag never understood how it was that a pilot training slot opened for him. He’d always worn glasses and hadn’t ever been pilot qualified. Nonetheless, as so often happens in the military, the opportunity knocked and he answered decisively. It was a bold stroke by the Air Force - this guy was made to fly.

GONE BUT MOT FORGOTTEN

Sandy’s curriculum vitae fills out smartly after graduation from the Academy - a master’s degree inAero and Astro from Purdue, Flight School at Sheppard AFB, stints as a fighter weapons instructor and Deputy Commander for Operations. He commanded fighter squadrons, a fighter wing, and two composite wings. Jim held staff positions up to Secretary of the Air Force level. He was Director of Operations and later Chief of Staff for Operation Enduring Freedom at Headquarters Central Command. He finished his career as Commander 19th Air Force, Air Education and Training Command. Through it all, he remained first and foremost a fighter pilot, dedicated family man, and loyal friend.

Early in his career while stationed at Luke AFB, Jim was forced to eject from his F-104 over the desert in Arizona; he landed in the hospital with a broken back. One attending nurse had such a professional bedside manner he asked her to marry him. Jeannie said “yes” and on Nov. 22, 1980 they began their story together, making their home in locations around the world and raising two wonderful children.

Jim retired from the AF in 2004 after a remarkable 37-year career. In his retirement speech he attributed his success to having married way over his head. He remarked upon his love for Jeannie and his pride in Kelly and Brett with unselfconscious emotion. Jim also spoke of the enduring things that provide context for life he counted five of them, and they all began with “F”: your Faith, your Freedom, your Family, your Flag, and your Friends. Jim claimed that he had received much more than he had given, but here, many would argue, he was simply too modest. Gone far too soon at 61. RIP. (RayNiemiec,friend and classmate)

MichaelV. Nelson, ’72

Michael V. Nelson, Class of 1972, passed away July 22, 2010 in Aurora, Colo. He had been battling various cancers since being diagnosed with bladder cancer in 2006. Graveside services were held at USAFA on July 30, 2010.

Michael Vincent Nelson was born in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was the eldest son of 1 st Sgt. Bishop William Nelson, Jr. and Louise Hayes. In high school, Mike was a member of Squadron 60 of the Civil Air Patrol where he served as Cadet Flight Commander. Graduating from Hoover High School in 1967, he won an Air Force Falcon Scholarship, and went to Millard Preparatory School in Bandon, Ore. He was nominated to the USAF Academy Class of 1972. But his dream offlying started when he was very young. His mother said “Michael told me when he was just a little boy he was going to go to the Air Force Academy. I thought it was just small-boy talk but he really meant it.” His father knew that Mike was “the one whowanted to get up in the air.”

Mike flew T-37s as his first flying assignment, includingbeing a Stan/ Eval pilot even though he was a First Assignment Instructor Pilot (FAIP). The plane Mike flew for most of his Air Force career was the C-141. He served in the Teheran Airlift Operation, Grenada, Desert Shield/Storm and was the Chief Pilot for his squadron. Mike flew over 300 hours in support of Desert Storm and retired as a Command Pilot with more than 5,000 flying hours.

He also served as a Political Science instructor at USAFA after receiving his MS in Political Science - American Foreign and DefensePolicies. Even while teaching he was fully involved in the Academy as an Associate AOC and pilot of the UV-18 jump plane.

For more current information about graduate deaths, please visit the AOG web site, www.usafa.org.

If you know of a graduate’s death, please notify the AOG as soon as possible. There have been cases in which the association was not informed in a timely manner.

Upon retiring from the Air Force, Mike joined United Airlines and started his second career. Mike flew five different airplanes ending his 17 years with United as a Captain in the Airbus 319/320.

Mike married Charlene Gertrude Mattingly on June 17, 1972. During their 38-year marriage, Mike andCharlene had two daughters, Tara Lynn and Ashley Michele. Tara carries on Mike’s political science interests as a legal assistant, and Ashley carries on his flying tradition as a flight attendant with United.

In addition to spending time with family and friends, and flying, Mike enjoyed video games, driving his Porsche 911 Turbo, traveling and jazz. Well-known jazz artist Nelson Rangell performed at Mike’s memorial reception at Doolittle Hall.

I was a classmate ofMike’s but we really did not “meet” until just before C-141 upgrade training. We were returning U-Haul trailers to the same place in Altus, Okla., started talking, anddecided to team up. From the very first flight I thought the Air Force was wasting training time on Mike - he already knewhow to fly. But in addition to great flying skills, he had a calmness and presence in a plane that was clear to passengers and fellow pilots. On our first C-141 pattern ride to practice landings, Mike was on base and joked about doing a formation landing with the C-5 on short final. (He had been the first person in our plane to notice the conflict and of course went around inside and let the C-5 land.)

It was fitting tribute to Mike that the USAF honored him by authorizing a militaryfly-over at his funeral. (Unfortunately, there was not one due to scheduling difficulties.)

Mike was a rare and lucky person to have had it all - a loving and supportive family as a child, a dream while still a child that he pursued so successfully for his entire life, and his own wonderful family during his entire adult life. We miss him.

Mike’s memory can be honored with donations to the Rocky Mountain Cancer Center, 1700 S. Potomac St., Aurora, Colo. 80012-5405. (Steve Hoyle classmate and bestfriendfor more than 30 years)

Gordon L. Duey, ’74

Gordon L. Duey passed away Aug. 14, 2010 after a long battle with cancer. Through this struggle he maintained his dignity, optimism, and sense of humor and never lost his love for life.

Born in Nelson, Neb. March 1, 1952, Gordon grew up in Wahoo, Neb. where his interests were Boy Scouts, baseball, football, wrestling, and most of all reading. When he was in the6th grade a librarian gave him the book “The Falcons”, the story of the Air Force Academy, which sparked his interest in attending the Academy. He graduated from Wahoo High School in 1970 and entered the AFA that fall as a member of the 38th Squadron.

Gordon loved the mountains at the Academy and especially enjoyed the Fall when the air was crisp and the aspen leaves changed color. As an active ski club memher he helped plan and participate in many trips. He also earnedhis Jump Wings as a cadet and graduated from the Academy in 1974.

He met his wife, Janet, while attending navigator training in Sacramento, Calif. They were married May 15, 1977 and began their first assignment at Nellis AFB, Nev. that June. Gordon served as a WSO on an F-4D in the 428th Tactical Fighter Squadron. In October of 1978 he was sent remote to the 35th TFS at Kunsan AB, South Korea. Upon his return in 1979 he was assigned to the 512th TFS Ramstein AB, Germany on an F-4E. This was his favorite assignment as the countryside was beautiful, the flying was excellentand the travelling opportunities were abundant. In November of 1982 he was assigned to Seymour JohnsonAFB, N.C. in the 337th TFS where he served as a Flight Commander, Wing FlyingTraining Officer and F4-E IWSO. Ft. Bragg, N.C. was Gordon’s next assignment from March of 1986 to April of 1988. Here his JumpWings came into play as he served as a Corps Fighter Liaison Officer for Det 1, 507TAIRCW. He made 23 parachute jumps with the XVIII Airborne Corps/82nd Airborne Division during this time. His

final assignment in April of 1988 was to TAC headquarters at LangleyAFB, Va. Here he served as a Section Chief, restructuring Tactical Air Control Parties for the Tactical Air Force. He retired in June of 1994 after 20 years of service. Among his awards and decorations are the Meritorious Service Medal, AF Commendation Medal, AF Achievement Medal, AF Unit Excellence Award, AF Outstanding Unit Award, Jump Wings and Master NavigatorWings.

After retirement from the Air Force Gordon started his own business working as a certified residential real estate appraiser. For 16 years this work gave him many opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and explore the local area. His other interests continued to be reading, working with the Boy Scouts-Order of the Arrow, NebraskaHuskers and UVA football games and studying history. He was a Christian and served the Lord in many capacities, his favorite being a Sunday School teacher.

He was the proud and loving father of Jonathan M. Duey (1982) and Capt. Sarah L. Duey (1984). He was a loving and supportive husband to Janet for 33 years. He is also survived by his mother, Dorothy Duey, his sister Margaret Chisholm and husband, Rich, and his brother Gregory Duey and wife, Cheryl. A celebration of Gordon’s life was held August 20th at Bethel Baptist Church, Yorktown. Burialfollowed at the Air Force Academy on Aug. 24,2010. He always wanted to return to Colorado. Now he is home. (JanetDuey, his wife)

Donald F. Pickett, Jr. '76

“Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends.” This passage from the Gospel ofJohn exemplified Donald Frederick Pickett’s life, including Don’s ultimate sacrifice on Sept. 7, 2009 when he died helping a friend.

Don was born on May 2, 1953 in Evansville, Ind., graduating from North High School in 1971 prior to attending Millard Prep School in Bandon, Ore. Don entered the Air Force Academy in 1972 and graduated in 1976 with a degree in General Studies. His passion to be a career Air Force officer and for flying led him to pursue Navigator training at Mather Air Force Base, followed by a distinguished career thatincluded serving as an Electronic Warfare Officer and EWO instructor in B-52s at Castle and Ellsworth AFBs.

His later assignments took him to Systems Command at Andrews AFB, the Test Wing at Wright-Patterson AFB and his final Air Force assignment in the F-22 SPO at Wright-Pat. Don highly valued educational opportunities, receiving an Electrical Engineering degree from the University of South Dakota and a master’s degree in Aeronautical Science from Embry-Riddle University. After he retired from the Air Force in 1996, Don worked for the National Air Intelligence Center at Wright-Pat, followed by a move to Colorado Springs to work for NASA in the space business. Don always took his jobs seriously and had a passion for excellence in everything that he did.

Don met the love of his life, Cindy, during his junior year at the Academy, having just made a personal commitment to accept Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior. Don and Cindy were married on June 4, 1976 and began their journey of 33 faithful years together as they grew in their love for the Lord and for each other.

Don was a devoted husband and father, pouring countless hours into participating in Elizabeth and Matthew’s activities including helping to lead the AWANA training for them through their church, taking Matthew on backpacking and other father-son events, and religiously escorting Elizabeth to father-daughter dances as she became a teenager. Don was a ham radio operator, a relentless weight lifter, an avid Falcon football fan, a lover of opera, classical music and Shakespeare, and a man who loved to study God’s Word.

I knew Don as a loyal friend who always thought of othersbefore himself, was extremely humble, had a wonderfully endearing sense of humor, never said a bad word about anybody, and deeply loved Cindy and his kids. He was a man of his word and demonstrated his deep love for Cindy during her serious battle with life-threatening cancer. The Labor

Day morning of his death, Don asked Cindy if they could delay departing for their friends until he could read more in his Bible because he was enjoying his reading so muchthat morning.

I deeply miss Don and his cheerful smile and but rejoice to know that he was welcomed into his heavenly home with thewords “Well done, thou good and faithful servant”. (Mark Rader, Class of 74 and a friend of Don and Cindy’sfor 20 years)

Thomas E. Sawner, III, '76

Thomas E. Sawner, longtime community leader in Arlington, Va., died peacefully in his home on Sunday, July 11. Tom was born in Savannah, Tenn. in 1954. He graduated from the United States Air Force Academy in 1976.

He received the 1985 Lt. Col. Anthony C. Shine award for his outstanding performance as a USAF flight commander and instructor pilot with the 307th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron at Homestead AFB, Fla. He received a doctorate from the George Washington University in Human Resource Management with a focus on organizational culture.

Tom retired from military duty in 1999 and turned his expertise to private enterprise. He successfully led an award-winning company that provides Web-based educational options for students in need of high school education. The accomplishments of the company are highlighted by its continual recognition as one of the leading educational software companies in the country.

In the community, Tom was a member of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Council on Small Business and was very vocal in supporting small business best practices. His company, Educational Options, Inc., was selected in 2006 as the U.S. Chamber of Commerce best small business ofthe year. Tom was also active with the Boy Scouts ofAmerica, and ran the Aviation Merit Badge at the National Scout Jamboree for over 20 years.

Tom is survived by his wife, Bettina; his children Ann and TJ and their mother, Cynthia Terriberry; his parents, Tom and Doris Sawner; his brother Jeff; his sisters Jan Robertson and Elizabeth Kowalski; his stepdaughter Tamara Preiss; her husband, Jeremy Preiss, and their two children, Madeleine and Ben.

A memorial service was held July 26 at the Clarendon United Methodist Church in Arlington, Va. Donations may be made to the Educational Options Foundation, a non-profit foundation Tom and Bettina established dedicated to providing access to online education and promoting innovation in the classroom. Donations may be sent to the Educational Options Foundation, Thomas Sawner Memorial, 3440 N. Fairfax Drive, Arlington, Va. 22201. (Bettina Callaway Sawner, Tom’s wife)

Jasper S.Woodward,Jr., '82

Sam Woodward was a force of nature. He was strong, confident and brash. He entered the hallowed halls of USAFA with a severe attitude and a University of FloridaVarsity Swimming letter he had earned as a freshman. He was “Woody” to us back then and he was one hell of a friend and one fierce competitor.

We alllearned about the Gators and competitive college swimming his passions. Man could this boy talk; it was laughingly and fondly ever present and nonstop! Jasper’s energy seemed infinite and it was definitely contagious. He was constantly smiling and always had a “hard” slap on the back for all ofhis friends. He was an awesome athlete and pound for pound he was as tough as nails a member ofAFA’s famed 500 Club only studs need apply.

Our Class is tight - 46 percent attrition rate, thank you very much and Woody was especially close to his squadron mates and of course to hisbeloved AFA Swim Team. There was no bigger proponent. Sam was crazy fun to be around and we all loved him dearly. Sam graduated from the Academy with a degree in Finance Management, subsequentlytaking graduate courses at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. Graduation also led Sam to pilot training where, of course, more hijinks ensued.

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

As an Air Force pilot, Sam’s many accomplishments included serving as a B-52G Aircraft Commander, a T-38 Instructor Pilot/Flight Examiner, an Assistant Operations Officer, Flight Commander, Chief of T-38 Standardization and Evaluation, Supervisor of Flying, Wing Stall Pilot, Chief of Aircrew Training Division for Operational Flight testing at HQ Air Education and Training Command, Chief of Flight Safety, and a T-39 Pilot.

After leaving the Air Force as a Lieutenant Colonel, Sam continued to flyprofessionally as a Continental Airlines pilot for 12 years, earning the rank of Captain. Sam will forever be remembered by his loving wife, Sheral; stepchildren Meghan and Dawson Belota; his sons Trey, Brandon, Connor andAustinWoodward by former wife, Brenda; Sam’s mother, Eva Woodward; brothers Tom, Stephen, Robert, Charles and Walter Woodward; and sister Sharon Jackson, along with countless other family members, friends, neighbors and fellow Gator fans.

Sam became the pilot, husband and father he always wanted to be. Woody and his friends always pushed the envelope and always hadthe most fun while getting the mission done! He knew no other way. He will be missed. (Alfredo Sandoval, ’82)

Steven P.Wallender, ’83

Lt. Col. (Retired AF) Steven “Banger” Wallender flewWest on the 4th of September at 0900 hours, after a long and difficult struggle with cancer. Steve passed away peacefully in his sleep at his home after a courageous 13-month-long battle with cancer.

Steve is survived by his loving wife of23 years, Valerie FosterWallender; his daughter MadisonWallender; father, ThomasWallender; mother, Janice FischerWallender; and his brother Tim Wallender.

Steve was born in Manitowoc, Wis. and grew up in Chandler, Ariz. He was the Valedictorian of hisChandler High School Class of 1979 and the Captain of his High School swim team. FollowingHigh School, Steve attended the United States Air Force Academy where he excelled at parachuting. He was a member of the Nation Championship Wings of Blue, while accumulating more than 800 freefall jumps.

Steve graduated from the Air Force Academy in June 1983 and attended Pilot Training at Vance Air Force Base in Enid, Okla. Upon graduation, due to his superior flying skills, Steve was selected to be a T-37 Instructor Pilot teaching fledgling pilots how to fly. After serving his tour in the T-37, Steve went on to fly the F-15 Eagle. During his multiple tours in the F-15, Steve served in Operation Desert Shield, Desert Storm, and Iraqi Freedom, where he flew multiple combat missions in hostile airspace.

Steve was then assigned to the United States House of Representatives as a Congressional Liaison. He thenreturned to the F-15. His F-15 tours were located at BitburgAB, Germany; Kadena AB, Okinawa, Japan; Langley AFB, Va.; and Tyndall AFB, Fla. He served as the Commander of the 325th OSS until he retired in 2003. Steve was a highly decorated combat pilot with over 2000 hours in the F-15.

Following retirement, Steve flew the B757 as a First Officer with ATA airlines for one year until he was hired by Federal Express. While at FedEx, Steve flew the B727 as a Second Officer andthe MD11 as a First Officer until he was diagnosed with cancer.

Steve loved aviation as well as having a tremendous passion for golf. He was a member of the River Crossing Golf Course in Spring Branch,

Texas. He passed on his passion for golf to his daughter Madison, who is playing on the golf team while attending Trinity University in San Antonio, Texas.

Blue skies, tail winds, and stay in the fairways until we meet again.

The family would like to thank the staff at Canthera and Methodist Stone Oak Hospital for the wonderful care and support during these last 13 months oftherapy and medical care. Funeral services with full Military Honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery, San Antonio, Texas occurred on Sept. 10, 2010.

You are invited to sign the Guestbook at www.porterloring.com and a tribute website has been established at www.stevewallender.weebly.com showing a video of Steve’s life and accomplishments. The family asks that any donations be made to the American Cancer Society in honor of Steve Wallender. (Maj. [Ret] Tim Wallender, Steve’s brother, Class of1981)

Michael C. Kallai, Jr., ’98

Major Mike Kallai, Jr. passed away unexpectedly on Sept. 12,2010 at his home in Okinawa, Japan. Mike was born in Barberton, Ohio on July 31, 1976, where he was the oldest offour children. His family moved to Wadsworth where he was a 1994 graduate ofWadsworth High School and an accomplished wrestler havingplaced third in the State his senior year.

He was appointed to the U.S. Air Force Academy where he continued wrestling and qualified for an NCAA Tournament. It was in Colorado that his love for outdoor adventures began. Mike was an avid snowboarder, mountain climber, and cyclist. He graduated from the Academy in 1998. After the Academy he was stationed at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base in North Carolina where he was an F-15E Programmer. From there, Mike continued pursuing his lifetime goal ofbecoming an Air Force Pilot. In 1999, he went to undergraduate pilot training in Laughlin Air Force Base in Texas.

After Texas, he spent the next four years as a C-5 Aircraft Commander in the 21 st Airlift Squadron at Travis AFB in California. In California, he was promoted to Captain in 2002. Through the Air Force he was able to travel to many places around the world. He loved to learn the customs and enjoy the cuisines of many cultures. His next assignment was atVance AFB in Oklahoma. There he was an instructor pilot for the 32nd Flight Training Squadron. While in Oklahoma he became a home owner and spent his free time fixing up his house.

Mike ended up meeting his future wife, Meredith, in Oklahoma through mutual friends. She shared his love of food and made him a dinner ofpolenta that he would never forget. She was also an adventurer and enjoyed outdoor activities like hiking, mountain climbing and skydiving. They were a perfect match.

Mike’s next assignment lead him to Okinawa, Japan, and Meredith decided to follow him there. He was promoted to Major in 2007 at Kadena AFB and became the director of staff for the 18th Operations Group. Mike and Meredith then added their two loveable dogs, Billie Jean and Lancelot, to their family. Mike and Meredith were married in Marin, Calif, on September 19th 2009 in a beautifuloutdoor ceremony surrounded by their family and friends. In Japan, they made many friendswho became like family to them.

Mike loved making friends and always made sure that everyone was having a great time. Mike was a born leader and always lived his motto: Be Strong, Be Confident, and Be Thankful. Mike was preceded in death

For more current information about graduate deaths, please visit the AOG web site, www.usafa.org.

If you know of a graduate’s death, please notify the AOG as soon as possible. There have been cases in which the association was not informed in a timely manner.

by his father, Michael Sr., in June of this year. He is survived by his loving wife, Meredith; mother, Jennifer; brothers Joe and Zak (Mary); sister Vanessa (Patrick) Williams; grandmothers RuthKallaiand Irene McCartt; niece EleanorWilliams; numerous aunts and uncles; mother-in-law, Susan Lindsey; sister-in-law Deven Lindsey-Ater; and many cousins. (The Family)

Michael R. Tufte, ’01

Michael Randall Tufte died unexpectedly at his home in Parker, Colo, on June 19th 2010. He is survived by his wife,Elizabeth, and daughters Madelyn and Charlotte Tufte, his parents, Randall and Leanne, brothers Steve and David and sister Brenda. Mike was a proud graduate of the class of 2001. No words can adequately express the loss we feel for him in our hearts.

Michael was born in Lafayette, Ind. on Oct. 7, 1978. He spent most of his early childhood participating and excelling in sports. He moved to Colorado in 1994 and graduated from Highlands Ranch High School in 1997. Michael graduated with honors and received the Army Scholar award for academic athletic excellence. He was the captain of the football andbaseball team and still holds many school records. Lriends from high school describe Mike as one of the best teammates, captain, leader, mentor and friend on and off the ball field.

Mike was recruited to the Air Lorce Academy to play football and baseball but chose to play baseball during his four years at the Academy. Mike was one of the most competitive baseball players teammates had ever met. He was a co-team captain his senior year and was also voted Most Valuable Player 2000-2001. He won MountainWest Player ofthe week four times, MWC and All Tournament team in 2000. He pitched the Lalcons into the most Division One wins in the Academy’s history and brought the team to the Mountain West Championship game his junior year. He holds the school’s record for career innings pitched and finished third in career strikeouts. He had a 93 MPH majorleague fastball! His friends and teammates describe him as a winner all around and that he was pretty much good at everything he did, except for maybe golf.

After Michael graduated in 2001 he went on to Vance APB to UPT in January of 2002. In November 2002 Mike was honorably discharged from the Air Lorce due to a medical discharge. Michael married Elizabeth Kronberg on Sept. 9, 2002.

After being discharged from the Air Lorce Mike went on to use his Civil Engineering Degree from the Academy and pursued the last eight years of his life working as an engineer. He completed his PE license in 2008. In November of 2009 he joined Jacob’s Engineering as a Utility Engineer where he worked with RTD on the FasTracks commuter rail projects. He was considered “big time” and irreplaceableby his boss and co-workers and is remembered as one of the best employees his boss has ever had. Mike will be remembered for the great family man he was. He always put his family first. He was simply a good guy. He was a responsible, loving, humble, dedicated husband and father. He was easy to be with and made everyone around him feel better. His smile and laugh will live forever with all who knew him. Mike and Liz had two daughters, Madelyn Grace (November, 2004) and Charlotte Elizabeth (April, 2010). “Daddy” will forever be missed but his spirit and legacy live on with his children and all whoknew him. He was laid to rest on June 24/ 2010 at Littleton Cemetery. As Believers we know we will be reunited with him again. John 3:16. That is our onlyhope and peace during this time.

Contributions can be made to UGift College Invest Direct Portfolio College Savings Plan, PO Box 55355, Boston MA 02205. Please note on your check the following information: Madelyn’s Acct 519044668-01; Charlotte’s Acct 519044668-02. Attn: Elizabeth Tufte. (Elizabeth Tufte, Mike’s wife)

SamuelA. Robertson, ’06

It is with heavy hearts and deep sadness that we mourn the recent loss of our great friend, Capt. Samuel Adam Robertson. Sam was called home

to Heaven on the evening of July 7, 2010 in Cambridge, England, passing from natural causes with his wife, Jen, at his side. While Sam’s passing has struck a tragic chord in the many people whoknew and loved him, we can take small comfort in knowing that he lived a life of faith and substance, married the woman of his dreams, and realizedhis lifelong aspiration of serving his country as an Air Force fighter pilot.

Sam was born in Columbia, Mo. Nov. 15, 1983, though claiming home in the nearby town ofFulton. While encountering the adventures ofyouth alongside his brother Jeff, Sam began to dream of flying at a young age, earning his private pilot’s license at 16, while also excelling at football, baseball, and basketball in between his studies for school. These successes were made possible by the values of discipline and hard work instilled from life on his family’s farm. Sam is remembered by his coaches and teachers at Fulton High School for his persistence and skill in all ofthese areas, demonstrating natural leadership, a supreme sense ofloyalty and a quiet, knowing confidence.

Sam’s qualities of character served him well at the Air Force Academy, as he continued to prove his abilities as a leader in his squadrons (CS-04 and CS-25) and as a soaring instructor pilot. Following graduation, Sam was one of the first in our class to take on the challenge of undergraduate pilot training at LaughlinAFB, Texas, earning a well-deserved assignment flying the F-15C. However, Sam would find not only his wings in Texas, but also his futurewife and love ofhis life, Jennifer Rains Robertson, who was waiting for him in Jacksonville, Ore.

Sam and Jen were married on June 27, 2008, shortly before embarking on their first assignmenttogether at TyndallAFB, Fla. Sam was nominated the Distinguished Graduate of his F-15C Formal Training Unit class, and was assigned to the 493rd Fighter Squadron at RAF Lakenheath, England, in June 2009. Sam quickly established a reputation as a solid wingman in and out of the cockpit, proving his flying skills on the Grim Reapers’ deployments to Bulgaria, the Canary Islands, and Turkey. Having earned the call sign “Keyser” from his squadron mates, Sam accrued 530 total hours in the Eagle, andachieved his status as a Combat Mission Ready pilot.

Though his number ofyears on this earth were short, Sam accomplished much and touched the lives of many during his lifetime. The impacts of his depth of character, and its impact on our country were no more evident than at his memorial service at RAF Lakenheath, Celebration of Life in Fulton, Mo., and funeral with military honors in Medford, Ore. The large attendance at each occasion showed the tremendous and lasting impact that Sam had in each phase ofhis life, with mourners gathering to honor a respected brother officer, treasured son, and devoted husband.

Sam is survived by his best friend and loving wife of two years, Jennifer Rains Robertson, of Jacksonville, Ore.; parents Bruce and Carol Robertson of Fulton, Mo.; brother Jeffrey Robertson and wife, Emily, of Church Hill, Tenn.; grandmother Sydney Jumper of Chesterfield, Mo.; and many other aunts, uncles, and cousins. As for all of his other brothers and sisters in the Class of2006, may we all strive to live with his same wholeness of character, spirit of service, and genuine goodness. Well done, Sam we will miss you greatly. (TreyDarnell, Class of2006)

C1C Marc E. Henning to Graduate Postumously

Marc Edward Henning, 22, a Cadet First Class at the United States Air Force Academy, Class of 2011, passed away at Penrose Hospital in Colorado Springs, Colo, on Sept. 16, 2010. He was born Jan. 22, 1988 in Evansville, Ind. and was raised on his family’s farm in Crossville, Ill. He graduated from the Preparatory School in May of 2007 and enteredthe Academy the same year.

His parents, Van and Linda (Gibson) Henning of Crossville, two brothers, 1st Lt. Alex Henning, Arnold AFB, Tenn., and his twin, Eric Henning of Kansas City, Mo., survive him.

Pete Todd

1250 Big Valley Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80919-1015

H: (719) 531-5874

E-mail: petetodd59@comcast.net

Tom Stack led off the reports on a series of recent mini-reunions, large and small. He writes, “The East Coast Gang got together in Savannah in early May for golf, touring and exaggerations. The gang included Dave and Jean Archino, Dick and Jean Carr, Joe DeSantis, Jimmie and JudyJay,Wayne and Bonnie Jefferson, Lou and Ann Kingsland, Kozy and Bev Kozelka, Lorin and Stacie Krueger, Ed and Pat Lankenau, CV and Sandy Miller, Kent Montavon, Denny and Trude See, Tom and Karen Stack, Bill and Anna Telford, Fred and Brenda Wynn plus erstwhile ATOs Ray and Sally Battle and George and Barbara Garey.

“One of the low-lights of the event was the award of the Cream of America’s Youth trophy to T Stack - the arcane rules for this award having been dreamed up by Fred Wynn. Kent Montavon gracefully relinquished possession in a touching ceremony held in the Hospitality Room of the Hampton Inn surrounded by friends and on-lookers and in the midst of bottles ofvarious types, having both screw-on and corked tops”

In lieu of candid group photos (it seems no one had thought to bring a camera, or take a picture), Tom provided a full color photograph ofthe prized trophy. Now, who wouldn’t want a treasure like this adorning his mantel?

day ‘Sully’ took the Canterburys fishing while the Shafers remained in Hypoluxo. In the afternoon, after three “where are you” telephone calls, the Shafers arrived at the Sullivans’ for the July 4th picnic, lie swapping and eating contest. We all enjoyed this wonderful time together. Incidentally, the Sullivans look great and are still going strong.”

Later in the summer, Jon Shafer wrote of a smaller but equally memorable gathering. “We recently had a mini, mini reunion here in Florida with our gymnastics coach, Bob Sullivan, and his wife, Jan.

“After retiring from the Air Force ‘Sully’ and Jan fell off the radar. At our 50th Reunion, a number of former gymnasts were talking about Bob and Jan, but no one seemed to know where they were. I got to work and discovered that they were living in Lighthouse Point, FL, about 20 minutes south of me and had been there for thelast 18 years! We were neighbors and didn’t even know it. TheSullivans planned to attend the Savannah mini reunion, but Jan became ill so they scrubbed those plans.

The Canterburys, Shafers and Sullivans got together during the weekend of July 3rdand 4th in Hypoluxo, Boca and Lighthouse Point, all in South Florida. Hank and Lyn flew in to Pompano Beach in his converted F-16 Bonanza from their summer home in Tennessee. They then proceeded with the Sullivans to have liquid refreshment at the Shafers’ while performing SAMI. We then proceeded to Seasons 52 (a local eatery) in Boca Raton where we continued to swap lies and talk about the dead. The next

Last but not least, I learned via a very circuitous route, that Mike Cams had been the guest speaker at a 322nd Fighter Interceptor Squadron reunion in September. Former ATO George Greaves was also in attendance.

Mike Cams chats with Bev Peloquin, widow ofATO Dale Peloquin, after the speech.

Mike Bender (He-Who-Has-Run-Around-The-Earth) and Arohanui have set a new standard for parental devotion. As part of a fundraiser for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (a disease that afflicts their son), they bicycled through Death Valley! 109 miles? How do you train for that? Pedal on, guys, and pray for an early cure.

I have just finished reading the fourth book by a ’59er, this one by Don Brooks. Fly to the Sound ofBattle is a well-told account of events leading up to and during Don’s Vietnam tour as an OV-10 Forward Air Controller. See “The Author’s Corner” in this issue of Checkpoints for more information. The book can be ordered on-line at Lulu.com, Amazon.com or BarnesandNoble.com. The list price is $35, but discounts may be available from the three sources, depending on their marketing on the day of the order. In any case, just his harrowing account of how he became the only FAC who was shot down in Cambodia and lived to tell about it is worth every penny of list price.

Finally, Ed Montgomery represented the Class at a solemn dedication on 1 October. His account: “The Class of ’59 was privileged to support the Class of 1970’s 40th Reunion gift to the Academy of a large pavilion on the Heritage Trail near Doolittle Hall which memorialized the participation of our graduates in the Southeast Asia conflict. One wall of the pavilion displays plaques from each Class (1959 through 1972) that lost members in that conflict. Each plaque displays the Class crest and the names ofthoselost.

“As each plaque was unveiled, the number of those now ‘absent’ was reported by a member of that Class to the several hundred in attendance. A huge topographic map of Southand North Viet Nam, Cambodia and Laos occupies another wall in the pavilion, and it shows every major city, base, battle and supply trail ofthat conflict and is well worth your visit the next time you are back at our Alma Mater.”

Wendy and I wish you and yours the happiest and healthiest holiday seasons and a MUCH better NewYear.

Thoughtfor the Quarter: A clearconscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.

AJ. (Rosie) Cler, Jr.

5423 Myrtle Wood

Sarasota, FL 34235-4624

Phone: (941) 371-4843

E-mail: RCtherose@aol.com

Class Web Site: www.usafa.net/1960

Our 50th Reunion startedWednesday, Sept. 29th 2010, with HQ at the Embassy Suites; after filling 100 rooms, overflow went to the nearby Hampton Inn. The theme was “Reconnect with the Academy,” and the weather was simplygrand throughout this important milestone.

Wednesday midday, the Mayberrys hosted a luncheon at Colorado Mountain Brewery across from the Academy as a “celebration ofmarriage,” with special recognition for those having their 50th Wedding Anniversary this year. Thirty-eight classmates and wives attended. Registration followed later that day at the hotel.

On Thursday, wives gathered for lunch in the Margaritas at Pine Creek Restaurant. “Barb Kendall thanked everyone, and mentioned that we are all sisters over the 50-year period, or those others who found our darlings later in life. Forty-five ladies attended and the food was great; this was a well-organized luncheon planned by Diana Pupich, Hope Schwank and Deanne McCullough,” wrote Carole Biancur.

Events on Thursday and Friday included Cadet-ledlectures on the Academy’s academic program, lunch at Mitchell Hall, Academy Windshield Tour on buses (guided by Ron Yates and Andi Biancur), Memorial Service at the Chapel, Class Photo, Class Meeting, Senior Staff Briefingsby the Superintendent LtGen Mike Gould, Dean of Faculty BGen Dana Born and Commandant BGen Richard Clark, Heritage Trail Dedication, Friday night Banquet, Tailgate and AFA-Navy football game Saturday. Our 50th Reunion Yearbook was distributed, an accomplishment solely the concept ofGeorge Luck, andits’ successful completion a tribute to his leadership. We salute you, George!

Friday evening’s Banquet opened with a rousing speech by Falcons’ Coach Troy Calhoun (AFA ’89) it was so motivationalthat aging gridiron stalwarts “Moorhead MudCat” Johnson, “Triple Threat” Pupich, “Bear”

Bronson and “Herb” Kuenzel had to be restrained from sucking-in their stomachs, donning football unies and racing to Falcon Field for warm-ups. Emcee David Sweigart gracefully modulated the evening’s “light program,” introducing Walt Sweeney for the Invocation (who handled this same task last year for the ’59er’s 50th). We respectfully mentioned those classmates who were physically unable to attend our 50th: Tony Burshnick, Tony Jones, Gary Karschnick, and Charlie (Ace) Holman. The program ended with Gary Sheets providing an inspiring Benediction over the evening’s enjoyments.

Saturday’s activities began at GlazaGate near the FalconMobile, then lunch at the Academy-Tailgate. We played Navy tough, and the final score was 14-6 the singular distractions were periodic cellophane-wrapped Kraft singles tossed into the air cadets have dubbedthis “Spirit Cheese,” and although the derivation of this “tradition” was explained to us, the meaning eluded our elderly minds. We were not amused. But, we hadbeaten Navy.

Later, at Saturday night’s buffet, we had a surprise visit bySuperintendent LtGen Mike Gould and his lovely wife, Paula.

One hundred twenty five classmate/graduates attended our Reunion: Jim and Martha Alexander; Norm and Debbie Alexander; Ken and Judy Alnwick; Fuller and Judy Atkinson; Andi and Carole Biancur; Ken and Carol Biehle; Tony and Carol Bilello; Steve Bishop; Greg Boyington with June Colgan; Dean Bristow; Howie and Judy Bronson; JP and Carole Browning; Jack andElaine Brush; Jim Bujalski and Judy Rodriguez; Tom and Mary Ellen Burke; Bill and Anne Carnegie; Jim Clark and Jean Walbridge; Mike J and Emma Clarke; Rosie and Karen Cler; Jerry and Betty de la Cruz; Ron and Carolyn Deep; Nels Delisanti; Billy Delony; Chuck and Edie Diver; George and Evelyn Elsea; Jerry and Dotty Farquhar; Bob and Lutzi Fischer; Gordy Flygare; George and Becky Fries; Ben Furuta; Walt andElaine Futch; John Giffen; Bill Gillis; Jim and Jenny Glaza; Leon and Maryn Goodson; Bill Goodyear and Norwood Gay, George Van Houten, Jim Gifford; Frank and Faye Gorham; Gary and Susan Gulbransen; Sid and Ann Gurley; Ed and Nancy Haerter; Bill andBarbara Hales; Norm and Liz Haller and Liz’ sister KathyTocher; Denis and Liz Haney; Charlie and Linda Hart, son Bret with sons James and Madison, Grandson Aaron Wheeler, Daugh-

Class News

ter Lisa Mortenson and husband Jeff; RG Head and Carole Hoover Head; Joe and Sue Higgins; Rich and Midge Hillman; Les Hobgood and Cindy Clements; Bill and Fran Hodson; Nick Holly; Ted and Dawn Hopkins; A1 and Gale Johnson; Deke and Sally Johnson; Roy Jolly and Pearl; Brian and Carol Kaley and Sue Woodward; Miles and Charlotte Kaspar; Wayne and Barbara Kendall; Pete and Linda King; Bill and Linda Kornitzer; John and Mimi Kuenzel; Ralph and Darlene Lalime; Roger Lent; and Ed and Suzanne Leonard (Ed on Segway).

Also, Art and Pat Lewis; Charlie and Kathy Liggett; Mike Loh; Tony Long (titanium knees and hip); George and Carolyn Luck; Russ Macdonald; Frank and Eve Mayberry; Dale Mayo; Mike McCall and Deborah Streiber; Jon McClure; John and Deanne McCullough and Elaine Eklund (Jim Mills’ sister); Phil and Veronica Meinhardt with Libby and Jonathan Evans; Dick and Marilynn Meyer; Ralph and Loretta Miller; Bruce and Caryl Mosier; Sid and Marvann Newcomb; Ed Nogar; Dennis and Linda O’Keefe; Jim O’Rourke; Bob Odenweller; Ron and Elaine Patchett; John and Barbara Peebles; Fred and Mary Lou Porter with Ed Osborne; George and Diana Pupich; Neal and Niki Reavely; Dave Reed; Charlie Sands; Gordy and Carol Savage; Dick and Sharon Schehr; Jack Schira with daughter Christine; Jock and Hope Schwank; Tom and Carole Seebode; Dick and Sally Sexton; Gary and Sylvia Sheets; Cres Shields and daughter; and JT and Diane Smith.

Also, Jerry and Hildburg Stack; Don and Joan Stevens; Paul Sullivan; Walt and Mary Sweeney; Dave and Camille Sweigart with Don and Marjorie Richard; Bill and Kitty Taylor; Vic and Sandra Thomas; Jim Thomasson; Charlie and Mercedes Thompson; Dale and Ina Thompson; Aaron Thrush, daughter Lara and husband Brian Long, daughter Melissa Thrush and husband Chris Reid and children Hannah, Emily, Marie, Richard; Johnnie Townsend; Paul and Kay Vallerie; Earl and Pat Van Inwegen; Gary Van Singel; Dean Vikan with son-in-law Jeff Sheets; Jim and MaryWaddle; Denis Walsh; Bob Weinaug; Howie Whitfield; Ed and Mary Whitman; Don and Ronnie Wolfswinkel; Ron and Connie Yates; Vic Yoakum and Suzanne Foselius-Yoakum; Bill Zersen with son Todd; and Alex and Pam Zimmerman. (125 ofl 79 livinggraduates-70 %!)

Three classmates were recently married: Vic Yoakum married Suzanne Forselius, 12 Sept 2010; RG Head married Carole Hoover in July; Dennis O’Keefe marriedLinda Jameson on 17 Sept 2010.

Four classmates-not-graduating also attended: Dick Doyle (left 31 May 60), Bill Hockenberry (17 Oct 56), Les Querry (23 Sep 59) and wife Marty Hiatt, and Dean (5 Feb 57) and Denise Phelps. Other guests included Rich Carter’s son Rock; Barbara Crew and Bob Dunn; Bert Croft’s widow Jacque Croft with John Croft, Suzanne Hagen, Dave Hagen, and Lauren; Charlie Georgi’s widow Sandra Juarez and husband Fernando Juarez; Eddie Morton’s family, including Eddie’s brother Fred, Eddie’s wife Elaine Morton, son James Edward III Morton, daughter Ann Morton; MaryAnn Powers, widow of Sam Waters, with nine family members; and Linda Glaza with son Doug and wife. (In all, we had a total of 279 125 classmates, 89 wives, 35 family, four classmates-not-graduating, 26 widows and family.)

Pete King’s wife, Linda, a sculptor, donated one of her marvelous onethird life size limited edition bronze sculptures of an AFA Falconer and Gyrfalcon to the AOG, a nd that transfer was made Saturday night whenLinda presented her statue to “T” Thompson and Gary Howe of the AOG this statue will be displayed at Doolittle Hall.

Our 50th Reunion ended Sundaymorning, but Jack andElaine Brush had invited everyone to an Open House starting at 10 a.m. October 3rd Jack related that “Bill Gillis was first to arrive; not quite last to leave. Maybe 100 people showed up, nicely spaced from 1000 to 1700 hours. Momma deer and two Bambis posed near the driveway all day. Ed Leonard swooped up the driveway and bounded into the elevator on his Segway two-wheeled self-balancing electric vehicle. All the food was consumed (except for fruit). We had to roust out a few couples whowanted to move in.” The Brush’ lovely hillside home is 20 minutes from COS airport, making departures easy and Jack and Elaine very happy.

Comments on our 50th: “A splendid weekend,” wrote John Giffen. “It was amazing how so many of us scattered all over the country gathered in one place after so many years; and, for a brief few wonderful days, we seemed as young as our original gathering at Lowry. Camille and I rate this reunion as the best ever,” wrote Dave Sweigart... Jerry de la Cruz: “There will be larger reunions at the Academy in the future, but never a better one than 1960’s 50th”...“Great reunion. Best to date,” wrote Mike Loh. “Great blast!” said RG Head... Charlie Hart wrote: “I was proud of the Academy,

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my classmates and Cadets. They treated my family as honored guests. We plan to attend a football game each fall as a family trip. I recommend it to all the Class”... Chuck & Edie Diver: “We continually think about the wonderful time of fellowship, fun and festivities.Thanks for making the Reunion happen!”... Gale and A1 Johnson: “Thanks for the enormous work updating Class of 1960’s web, and the 50th Reunion Yearbook]’’... “Thanks for the fabulous reunion! Vic had the time of his life he thought he was still a schoolboy or cadet!” (Suzanne Foselius-Yoakum)... “Thanks to our emeritus class officers for a great 50th!” (Dean Bristow).

During these moments, we truly were “We Few, We Happy Few, We Band ofBrothers.” (Bill Shakespeare, HenryV).

Final Roll Call: This sad message was received in the midst of our 50th Reunion. Derry Allan Adamson died of Lewy Body Dementia at 1:30 a.m. on Oct. 2, 2010, at Brittany House Assisted Living in Marietta, GA. Condolences may be sent to Faith Adamson, 1109 Cockrell Drive, Kennesaw GA 30152.

Earl N. “Nelson” O’Rear

50582 Stonington Drive Granger, IN 46530-8243

H: (574) 273-2597

E-mail: enoandtjo@gmail.com

Class Web Site: www.usafal961.org

We were all saddened by Oleg Komarnitsky’s passing on 29 August. His many accomplishments are detailed in the Gone But Not Forgotten section of this issue. Jack Taylor and the other members of our class and their wives who reside in Washington (Corky Cochrane, Gene Hopp, Art Kerr, and Dick McMonigal), plus Paul Hinton from Colorado, joined several hundred family members and other friends to bid Oleg goodbye at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Bellevue. Oleg’s memorial Mass was followed by a reception where many shared their recollections ofhim and learned of the love his children and grandchildren had for him. Interment will be at the Air Force Academy.

The Unveiling/Yartzeit Ceremony for Sylvia Marion Fairlamb - Sara Miriam bat Aaron v’ Rasca - was held on the morning of 24 August. Although the weather at the Air Force Academy Cemetery was rather poor, the warmth of the ceremony made up for the cold. Sylvia andRichard “Dick” Fairlamb were honored by a number of his ’61 classmates who attended and thank the entire class, represented at the ceremony by Mike Quinlan, Terry Storm, Charlie Neel, and John May.

Ronald Muller was interred at the Arlington National Cemetery on the afternoon of 4 October. Eight classmates represented our class at the ceremony: Bill Stackhouse, Twy Williams, Charley Dixon, Jack McDonough, Roger Woodbury, Art Kerr, Dick Fairlamb, and John Kohout.

Wayne Haring and Robert Apodaca represented our class at the unveiling of the 1961 plaque at the Southeast Asia Memorial pavilion’s dedication at 1000 on Friday, 1 October. The Class of 1970 funded the pavilion, built overlooking the Silver Golf Course northwest ofDoolittle Hall and facing the Cadet Area. Each of the 14 classes (1959-1972) funded the plaque that lists the KIAs from its class during that war.

The Falcon Foundation Trustees praised Randy Cubero’s leadership for thelast 10 years as its president and honored him with a retirement gift at their fall banquet. Randy enjoyed helping award annually 100 deserving pilot-qualified cadet-candidates a one-year scholarship to a preparatory school to help them earn admission to the Academy. Also in the Foundation is Tom Eller, Chair ofthe Nominating and Governance Committee, which is responsible for finding highly qualified Trustees. Marcus Anderson chairs the Superintendent’s Honor Advisory Group, which reviewedthe current honor system and presented the Group’s findings to the Superintendent in a private session and to all Foundation Trustees at their fall meeting. Mike Quinlan is also active as a member of the Audit Committee.

Mark and Ginger Anderson witnessed our big win over Navy and planned to join many classmates and spouses to witness the same at the AF-Army game. Many others also indicated they planned to attend, but it is acknowledged only here to meet our print space allotment.

Pat Buckley’s first prostate post-op progress report was very positive. In late July he and Marilyn visited Bill and Rhoda Stackhouse, where Pat helped Bill finish the kayak-launching addition to his dock. InWashington, DC, they stayed with Bill and Theda Foster. After visiting family in Massachusetts, they flew to England to visit family and friends. The Imperial War Museum/American Air Force Museum in Duxford is well worth the visit. They also found the house they want in Spain.

Doug Cairns and Jimmy Poolejoin Steve Ho and Ron (Reb) Jones for golf monthly in Alabama. In December they expect to be back in Italy visiting their son Rob andhis family for the Christmas Holidays.

Several ’61ers in Class 63B at Williams AFB for UPT attended a 63B reunion in Albuquerque during the Balloon Fiesta, along with a large number of their IPs. Byron and Pat Theurer, Hanson and Laraine Scott, Phil and

Nancy Lane, and Tom and Anne Eller attended. At the end of May, Tom again retired (for the fourth time), having taught as a Professor of Physics for five semesters as a civil servant at USAFA. Just before leaving the faculty, while the A, B, and C rings ofVandenberg Hall were being gutted and rebuilt, Tom visited the rooms he had occupied 50 years earlier.

Sandy and Lowell Jones ended their annual fall trip the end of October with two weeks in Florida. Although Lowell is recovering well, he reminds us that we still need to keep the prayers going for Bill Foster, Hector Negroni, Tom Skilling, and Roger Woodbury as they deal with heir medical problems.

Dean, Jo, Mary and Wayne Jones met in Sedona for golf and R&R in September. Dean and Wayne drove to the Grand Canyon and took the mule trip to the bottom of the canyon, staying overnight at Phantom Ranch. It was a lot like flying: a little scary at times, sort of physical, and provided some ofthe most incredible views on earth. The four of them planned to meet again in late October/early November in Riverside, CA, for the Distinguished Flying Cross Society National Convention, followed by a stay in Palm Desert.

Bob Kellock still works at Boeing and volunteers with yacht clubs and professional organizations. The Southern California Yachting Association of the US Sailing Association honored him with an Exalted Order of the Old Salts Award for 62 years of yachting. He and Samantha Carlson plan to be at the finish line in Honolulu, HI, for the 2011 Transpac sailboat race again. Bob is still homing in on a retirement date and a light sport aircraft (Dova Skylark?) to go back and forth to Patagonia, AZ, and tour the country.

Sabre Society Donors

12

John and Joan Kohout, Bill Sanzenbacher, Jack and Linda Taylor, and Pete and Patti Lane attended the reunion of Craig AB UPT Class 63A in Kansas City. All present expressed fond memories ofVic Apodaca, who had been the fifth Gray Tag in Craig 63A. A great time was had by all.

Hector Negroni had successful right knee replacement surgery on 24 August. After three days in the hospital and one month of home physical therapy, he was able to walk with a cane and started out-of-home physical therapy for a minimum of two months. He can drive but spends most of his time exercising his leg. It is a long and painful process. Don’t use up all the miles on your knees!

En route to Hot Springs, AR, to visit relatives in September, Jimmy and Susan Poole briefly visited with John and Mary Payne in the Payne’s new hometown: Oxford, MS. Their brief stop included breakfast with the Paynes and a driving tour of the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) campus. A trip down memory lane recalled that John and Jimmy had grown up within 50 miles of each other. Also, Jimmy and Mary Thigpen Payne had graduated together at the old Murphy High School in Mobile, AL. It’s still a small world.

Earl Saunders’ life over the past several months has been chaotic. After owning a Florida home for a short time, he is settled (kind of) in his home town of Edgewater Park, NJ population about 8,000. His wife, Sondra (a friend since grade school), and he hooked up after Lillie died a few years ago. All oftheir relatives are from this town, and many of the offspring still live there. Ninety percent of his graduating class of 150 or so still live within 15 miles oftheir old high school. Sondra grew homesick and missed her “roots” so much that Earl decided that they should return. They moved back, into an historic community of colonials and Victorians. Their house is 150 years old. They are getting settled and looked forward to seeing friends at the Army game.

Sarah and Charlie Stebbins drove to Colorado Springs where they visited son Charlie (’87), his wife, Michelle, and their four children. (Charlie thinks they’ve convinced themselves to never drive anywhere again that takes three days each way.) He played golf with Jim Wilhelm twice, and they watched AFA soundly defeat CSU. Tailgating at the game, they got to see Terry Storm, Jim Hinkle, Dean Jones, Wayne Haring, and, of course Jim Wilhelm and their better halves. Charlie finally retired last June and is thinking about writing a tell-all book about life in the slow lane.

Carleen Storm had her second hip replacement surgery in June and then promptly got shingles in that hip and leg. She still has pain in that leg and foot. Get a shingles shot if you have not already. Another driver caused Terry to total Carleen’s car, using his head to shatter the windshield in the process. Fortunately, the AOG has madehis head harder than ever, and they replaced Carleen’s car, so all is well. They are planning a New Zealand/Australia cruise in February and hope Carleen is well by then. Please vote in the AOG election in early 2011, for Board Director candidates and to approve our updated Bylaws.

The “Traveling Thomases,” Gina and Charlie, spent two weeks in France in October: one in Paris, and one in the Champagne Region to celebrate their 45th anniversary. In November, they will spend a week on the north shore of Kauai. During the holiday season, they will be in Nevada, Texas, and Massachusetts to visit children and grandchildren. Charlie said the highlight of the class tailgates this football season was AFA saying goodbye to BYU with a pounding.

Bob and Winnie Wagner visited Doug and Dee Cairns in Montgomery in June. While there, Neal and Gwen Westbrook joined the four of them to celebrate youngster Jimmy Poole’s birthday. In August the Wagners were in Northern California and LakeTahoe to see old high school friends and escape the Florida humidity.

Twy and Nancy Williams said that a storm in late September brought enough rain (17 inches reported by some) to end a long, hot summer drought but flooded their basement despite the efforts of the sump pump. No real damage though. Twy joined a group of classmates at Ron Muller’s interment and was reminded of how much he looks forward to next year’s 50th reunion. He and Nancy are excited about another Christmas baby by son Robert and Holly, whose daughter Leah was born Christmas Eve 2008.

Classmates and widows not on the GTN: If we currently don’t have your e-mail address, please share it with us. You will then receive a greatly expanded version of this the Final Draft of this quarterly is nearly twice as long and other news in a much more timely fashion. Send it to Nelson at his e-mail address at the top of this column.

John W. “Jack” Jamba

4 Judy Court

Satellite Beach, FL 32937

H: (321) 777-5520 0: (321) 861-6279

Cell: (321) 432-1370

E-Mail: jwjamba@aol.com

“The Air National Guard unveiled the newest addition to its readiness center during a ribbon-cutting and dedication ceremony on September 24th

The new addition is named “Shepperd Hall” in honor of retired Air Force Maj. Gen. Donald W. Shepperd, a former director of the Air National Guard.” (USAFA Class of ’62)

“I accept this building for what it stands for, not me, not the name, but you, and all of you that made this possible,” said Shepperd. “I am not wealthy, but because of what I’ve done, I am around the richest people on the planet.”

The $52 million project, which broke ground in late 2007, includes administrative offices and a fitness center for 1,200 military members and civilians.

Also got this reply from Don: “Jack, many thanks for your kind words. I was both surprised and humbled and as my 100-year-old mother would remind me any humility on my part is well deserved. There is actually a funny story that goes with your question about the “ERD” vs. “ARD” spelling of my name long ago I got a young kid into the Guard. He was an architect who went into Guard Civil Engineering. He has since retired as a colonel and was invited to the building dedication (they kept it a secret from me). He called at the last minute to remind them to check the spelling of my name sure enough they hadordered “ARD” which led to a last minute scramble. Here’s the good news a picture to confirm they finally got it right - I am still humbled - Shep”. Great story, Don.

Got this from Dan Donovan: “Don, you are an amazing classmate! Besides being a successful cadet, officer, author, and leader, you have now had a major facility named for you. I believe this is a first for an RTB. (Unlike some naming requirements that require the named person to have deceased, you are still with us and will be at the 50th in a couple of years.) Again, congratulations. Dan, 1001K.” Thanks, Dan. Excellent tribute for Don.

I had an email exchange with Mike “Jack, congrats on your retirement (I guess)... my whole family bemoans the fate of our space program... espedally my 9- and 12-year-old granddaughters... their visit to the space center was somewhat made less exciting when we shared it’s future... they’re ready to take Obama on... I was retired for about 3 years when some folks

Class News

at FEMA Region IV called from Atlanta and made me ‘an offer I couldn’t refuse.’ I’ll probably be there about 6 more months and then ‘hang it up’ for good... our home address is 8310 Bowden Way, Windermere 34786. If you ever get over to Orlando, please give me a call... would love to see you. Mike.” I’ll do it soon.

Email from John Flanagan. He was in Las Vegas in September for the annual Special Operations and Project Delta reunion. He was a FAC for Delta and SOG. John wrote “There were guys I hadn’t seen in 44 years, some slowed by age but same indomitable spirit.” Thanks, John.

Next, I had an update from Gary Baughman. “Jim Whitted visited Jeannie and me on 6 September. Jim was in Atlanta to attend a high school reunion. We spent the afternoon lunching, reminiscing, and visiting various civil war sites around the Kennesaw National Battlefield. It was great to see my third class roomie after fifty years. Jim has never attended a class reunion but he promised me that he would be in C Springs for the Redtag 50th.” Good work, Gary. I think it would be great to see Jim again.

Received a missive from Don Hallager. “Hello Jack: Congratulations on your retirement and well-deserved. Ginny and I have finally retired-retired at Air Force Village II in San Antonio. I am the first Air Force Academy graduate to live there so I guess I will need to keep an eye on those Hudson High and Canoe U graduates. We have a lovely 1400 square foot apartment and are in the towers which house about 220 residents. It is like being on a cruise ship with some of your best friends. Now, I don’t have to shovel any more snow, rake any more leaves, or cut any more grass. I look out the window and say: ‘Oh look, the lawn people are here.’ It is 50% cheaper to live here than in D.C. Also, they golfyear round here and Ginny and I play three times a week. I also bike 40 miles a week with the Bike Club, the oldest member being about 87. Ginny sings with a couple of choirs and we are dusting off our bridge skills.

“We hope to see some of our classmates in San Antonio. We highly recommend that the Village be considered for lifetime care and the freedom to be as active as you want. The Village has guest rooms and cottages and will provide a couple offree nights to look around. Call us at 210-233-8116. Thanks, Don.” We spent five years in San Antonio and enjoyed it very much. Real hardship tour!

Got an email from Charlie Hale. “Stan Patrie, his wife, Mary Anne, my wife, Pat, and I attended the Reno National Air Races, Sep 15-19,2010. This was my second year and Stan’s first time. We hadthe opportunity to briefly visit with Mike Major. Mike is an executive director for the Air Races and was quite busy at the time of our get-together (as you can imagine). Even so, it was terrific to see him. Mike said that Don Shepperd (and, as I recall, Lanny Lancaster) were also there. The original Red Tags were well represented. Hopefully, Stan will forward a picture ofhimself, Mike, and me taken in the stands. Hope all is well with you, Caroline, and family.” Thanks, Charlie. That’s one air show I would sure like to see.

Got an email from Jack Swonson: “We celebrated Heidi Lubke’s life (John and PollyAnn’s daughter) in a very beautiful memorial. There were 650 plus in attendance. One of her neighbors had blown up and displayed about 20 photos and another made a DVD of over a hundred photos covering her whole life, accompaniedby music selected by her kids. I gave theeulogy, and the head of the Seventh Day Adventist Church for Alaska gave the Message of Comfort. On behalf of all Heidi’s family, we’d like to once again thank you all for your prayers and kind words of comfort andcondolence. The outpouring of sympathy and support has been just overwhelming and deeplyappreciated. Sincerely, Jack and Polly Ann.” (See photo.)

Harmon, Will Holbrow, Roger Smith, Bob Connolly, Jim Whitted, R. K. Johnson, and Mike Quinton.” Thanks, Mike.

And finally, this input: “A group of distinguished members of the Class of 1962 and their ladies got together on October 16, 2010, at Mike and Judy Quinton’s house for pre-game festivities before the Air Force-San Diego State football game. Attending, and pictured are: Dave Bockelman, Larry

Visit the AOGWeb Site: www.usafa.org

That’s it for now. Go Redtags!

Norman I. (Skip) Lee

63119 E. Cat Claw Lane

Tucson, AZ 85739-2058

Home: (520) 825-7980

Cell: (520) 241-3498

E-mail: 54wrs@msn.com

The Association of Graduates recently learned of the death of Maj (Ret) Jerry K. Bowers, Class of 1963. Jerrypassed away Oct. 3,2010 as the result of a fall fromVail Pass in Colorado. Services were held on the 29th ofOctober at the USAFA Cadet Protestant Chapel followed by a graveside service at the USAFA Cemetery and a reception at Doolittle Hall. A memorial fund is being set up and the information will be posted on the AOG website in the “Gone But Not Forgotten” notice for Jerry. Condolences may be sent to his family in care of his wife, Mrs. Leslie Bowers; 6226 Pike Circle; Larkspur, CO 80118-9710

Typical of the mini-reunions there are many things going on at one time. This time was no different. When we arrived at the Tailgate site the party was in full swing. A good sized crowd was in attendance and there was much food and drink to be hadthanks to the local Colorado crowd organized by Bob and Charlie Ann Hayes. The yearly Tailgate picture testifies to the large group of attendees and the great weather.

From left in thefront row are Gaston, Boeclc, Merlcle, Bender, Thomas, Olson Heide, Zoeller, McClellan, Butler, and Hayes. Back row: Matjasko, Hoffman, Schuchter, DeBerry, Steinbrink, Maywald, Bredvik, Diffendorfer, Lee, Denend, Borling, Verdier,Johnson, Reynolds, Ball, and Winzell.

Not all reunion attendees are pictured but I was able to note some names of classmates not in the photograph. Dave Boeck, Ron Fogleman, John Gavin, John Helinski, Denny King, Jim Lang, Bob Mazet, Dave Nuss, and Phil Tate were also present but not pictured. If anyone was left out please accept my apologies. Many thanks to those who supplied copies of the group photo. The one here was provided by Gary Bender.

The football game was a rousing success as the Falcons defeated Navy for the first time in 7 years! I definitely sensed my Dad (USNA ’40) turning over in his grave. A great game; from initial kickoff to the game’s final seconds, the contest was close as expected no one quit! An overtime contest was possible if Navy, on theirfinal drive, could score a touchdown and convert a two-point play. A Falcon interception ended the game and after exhaling we all headed for Arnold Hall feeling very relieved.

The festivities got underway about an hour after the game as everyone gathered at the A-Hall north mezzanine in front of the Class Cups case.

This year we recognized our Classmates who passed away since the last Class gathering in October 2009: Joe Johnson, Roger Sorensen, Bill Flanagan, Ray “Buzz” Patterson and Jim McDonald. It was particularly nice to have Joe Johnson’s widow, Carole, turn Joe’s cup. Joe’s son was also there with his mother.

We then did a practice dedication ofPat Wynne’s ring. TheWynne family could be at our 50th when the Ring is formally dedicated. Denny King has worked hard on the cup display case. His latest effort was to design a presentation display for Pat’s ring in the middle ofthe case as well as replace all theodd sized cups with new ones obtained by Lou Matjasko. Great work! The 500th cup (the JFK Cup) was also added to the case and will be dedicated at the 50th The JFK cup is located in the final slot at the bottom right side of the case.

Pat’s Ring in the Class Cup Case.

The Class Gift Committee met at the Academy on Friday and stayed over for the Tailgate, football game and the A-Hall events. We were all interested in learning more about the planning of our 50th Reunion Gift and we weren’t disappointed. During dinner committee members demonstrated a robust ‘beta’ version of the proposed USAFA CLASS HISTORIES website and kiosk presentations. It looked great! Denny’s “counting coup” storyjust has to be heard. We don’t have room in this column to tell the whole story but I expect you will be able to see more at the Class of 1963 Web Site soon.

Joining us for the Cup-Turning Ceremony and dinner at A-Hall were members ofthe Navy Class of 1963 football team. OrganizedbyJohn Gavin, a number of 1963 Air Force and Navy football team members met in the Springs this weekend for the game. I had a great time with John at Dave and Carol Nuss’ home on Thursday evening. A lotof stories were exchanged especially about the Nuss’ and John’s travels to Africa earlier this year.

Also during the Navy football game weekend the USAFA Class of 1970, celebrating their 40th Reunion, dedicated their gift to the Academy, the Southeast Asia Memorial Pavilion. The Pavilion is located near the AOG building, along the Heritage Trail, overlooking the CadetArea and the Academy’s golflinks. Several of our Classmates participated in the ceremony. If you are a Facebook ‘Friend’ of Jimmie Butler, he posted a full report and photo album about the Pavilion on his Facebook page. A plaque for those 18 members of the Class of 1963 who lost their lives in the SEA conflict is part of thePavilion see the Website version of this Class News. The Memorial Pavilion is a first class facility and the sculpture map of Southeast Asia is absolutely spectacular. Make it a mandatory stop on your next trip to Colorado Springs.

Our Classmate Tony Hoskins sent an update a few weeks ago. Tony is the Chief Pilot for Sierra Nevada Corporation in Sparks, NV. He has been flying the Polish M-28 including ferrying three ofthe airplanes from Poland to Denver (“low and slow kindof fun”) and will be flying several tests at Eglin. Tony also ran M-28 flight training classes for USAF pilots last year. “Even the 0-5s look like kids now!” he says. In the photo below, Tony is obviously the old guy in the middle.

Turns out the Air Force Special Operation Command (AFSOC) purchased ten of these airplanes thatlook a little like the 1980s C-23 Sherpa or its predecessor the Shorts SkyVan. The M-28 started life as the Antonov 28 (AN-28).

Got a short update from Steve Savonen via Facebook. Reports he left orthopedic surgery after 26 years, April 2008 and moved to Albuquerque. After driving 18-wheelers for a year he ended up driving school buses in Albuquerque and Rio Rancho. Unable to handle sitting around in retirement Steve says he is much more alive driving his bus at Mach 0.03 and pulling 1.5 g’s on the corners (safely, of course).

That’s it for this time. Hope everyone is doing well out there and taking care of themselves. Linda and I send our best wishes to all for a great holiday season and a bountiful NewYear!

Bob Hovde

206 Walker Ave. Huntsville, AL 35801

(H) (256) 532-3923

(M) (256) 348-9794

bob@hovde.us

AgingAviators PlusTwo- TerryIssacson reported on the “AgingAviators” annual golfgathering: “Max [James], Fredo [Olmsted], Jim [Ingram] and I played in a member-guest golf tournament at the Pinetop Country Club. We bought our cabin because of the address: 6464 Bucksprings Road!

“Jerry King and John Hoffman, also summer residents in the White Mountains ofArizona, joined us fordinner on Saturday and Sunday night. As a highlight, Jerry and John performed a legal fly-over in Jerry’s Cessna 182 at precisely 8:50 on Sunday morning to inspire the Aging Aviators just prior to the final round ofthe golf tournament. The flyby was great; the golf marginal; the camaraderie outstanding!”

’64 Grads in Arizona: Jerry, Jim, Terry, John, Max and Fredo meet in the mountains.

AgingTrooper in New Mexico - John Denko reports that he’s finally retiring after 35 years in the job: “I’m finallyretiring as Cabinet Secretary for the New Mexico Department ofPublic Safety in December. This caps a 35-year career in law enforcement that has been exciting and interesting. Shirley couldn’t be happier and is counting the days. We have a new grandson that we have waited a long time for and Shirley and I look forward to spending a lotofquality time with him. We are also looking forward to seeing everyone again at the big ‘50’.”

John and Shirley Denko as John (finally!) retires.

Not Aging in France? - Al McArtor sent some pictures of himself and the A-380 test pilot after flying a test flight and shooting some landings: 95

Class News

“I had a great day yesterday. I flew 2+10 in the left seat of the A380 on a test flight in Toulouse. We flew the entire performance envelope. I was on Cloud Nine (no pun). Then shot two landings to demonstrate the “brake to vacate” system.”

Al McArtor aftershowing the test pilot how to REALLYfly theA-380.

Aging Traveler in Texas/Virginia - The Bluetags in Virginia know that Paul Belmont lives there. Do the Bluetags near Dallas/Fort Worth know that he lives there also? Paul sent an email saying: “We have established a second home in Colleyville, Texas (DFW area) that is two doors away from our two grandchildren. We pop-in and out for three weeks or so at a time (plus all of Jan and Feb to miss the worst of the Northern Virginia winter). Have been there 17 weeks so far this year. I make the trip with only a carry-on bag as everything is in place at both places. Hoping to link up with our classmates in the Dallas-Fort Worth area.” [Sounds like a promise to me.]

Old (Aging?) Trolls in Colorado - I’m out of picture space in this article, but when Doug Jenkins sent our pictures ofthe Old Trolls monthlyluncheon, he reported that Lois came home from the physical therapy rehab hospital in August. She had to keep weight off her leg for eight weeks and do physical therapy at home for two months. This would have been hard enough, but her dementia also took a turn for the worse, making it doubly difficult. Doug says, “We are grateful for your prayers in the midst ofthis latest trial. Your caring has been a great encouragement.”

Sad News - For those who don’t have an updated email with the AOG, we were notified of the passing of Rob Tornow in August after a fight with cancer.

A Challenge for the 50th - Dave LaCroix sent the following challenge/invitation: “In May, Phil Roberts and I were on a backpacking trip on the Appalachian Trail, and Phil had a great idea - Why don’t a number of our class backpack into the Academy for our 50th reunion - starting where we were dropped off in the Ramparts for our survival training and our hike back to USAFA during basic training summer.

“I know that’s still four years away, but for some folks I know, it might take them that long to get in shape for the hike! Actually, Phil and I will probably be doing at least one backpacking trip a year together and maybe some others individually, and we’ like to be in touch with any classmates interested in joining us at times. Feel free to pass on our e-mail addresses as contact points, (davidlac@tampabay.rr.com or phil.roberts@partraveltech. com.”

Memories - For those ofyou who didn’t get the emailed copy of Bill Garrett’s memoirs, I’ll provide it in installments over the next several articles. This story will answer many of the questions you’ve had for 50 years, like, “Who did that?”

Installment 1: My Life as a Cadet: Billy Blaine Garrett aka The Midnight Skulker. “My father had been a career navy man my whole life. I outranked him the day I entered the Academy. I liked that. Actually, he did too.

“I was a little disappointed the first day as I waited in line for my inoculations and witnessed several of my new classmates woozy and unconscious

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from needle shock. An alert nurse noticed I had a high temperature and dedared I had mononucleosis and sent me straight to the hospital. I had not yet seen an upperclassman. Ten days later, unbeknownst to me, the powers that be determined that any further interment would preclude me from being in the Class of ’64. It was make it or break it. They decided that they would release me to the Cadet Wing and if I made it - fine; if not, I could go home and reenter the next year with the class of ’65.1 was evicted from the hospital with a 102° temperature. Of course I was physically shot. I felt much better after I got my own personal upperclassman to harass me and then bonded with my classmates the next day with PE and the 5-mile run.

“The next 30 days was a grim blur. I remember eagerly anticipating the military history movies we got daily. I would be asleep before the lights went out. I still don’t know who won the war. I still fall asleep just scrolling through the military channel.

“The Cadet Chapel was under construction our whole Doolie year. Somehow, Dave Neal and I got together, made a huge ‘CLASS OF ’64’ flag and endeavored to hang it from the tallest steeple. Logistically it looked fairly simple. There was lots of scaffolding and ladders. At least until the last 30 feet. Reality was a little starker. Everything was covered with frozen dew. We couldn’t climb with our parkas on. We couldn’t use any lights. Our hands were frozen to the point that we couldn’t tie a simple knot. It took us hours, but the class of ’64 got the first and last flag tied to the steeple ofthe Cadet Chapel.”

Next: Billy is assigned to 2nd Squadron.

Bruce Wood

7610 Sonatta Court Lincoln, NE 68516

Cell: (402) 470-7152

Home: (402) 420-7394

Brucewood@gmail.com

Hello Silver Tags! As you obviously see above (unless you forgot to put on your glasses), you have a new scribe to replace RickZurbrugg after his extensive excellent service in this capacity. Hopefully, I can do the job half as well. Thanks Rick - we all appreciate your dedication, wit and medical advice. I had no excuse for not stepping up to this task - I’m retired but don’t want to play golf every day (“It took me seventeen years to get 3,000 hits in baseball. I did it in one afternoon on the golfcourse.” -Hank Aaron) and I have a computer {“They have computers, and they may have other weapons ofmass destruction.” -Janet Reno, U.S. Attorney General, 1992-2000).

To bone up for this job, I did some research at Academy and AOG web sites and, with our 45th reunion in mind, refreshed my memory statistically. We graduated 517 (eight took commissions in other services and two were not commissioned); no one is still on active duty; 38 died while on active duty and 61 in other venues; 270 retired from the military and 209 separated. Our class was well represented with outstanding individuals - Heroes, Generals, Astronauts, Venture Capitalists, Managers, Corporate Heads and countless other demanding roles and careers. I feel a strong sense of responsibility to gather and communicate virtually any type of information about what is currently happening in our lives - except for, maybe, the names of your pets {“Cats are smarter than dogs. You can’t get eight cat s to pull a sled through snow.” -JeffValdez) and what you had for lunch today.

Now that you have my contact info, please send news. Otherwise, I’ll be forced to continue to inflict upon you comments about life, age, current events, and quotes from Contrails and other sources to meet my quota of WPI (words per issue). For this issue, since the Checkpoints Staff received no input and you didn’t know who your scribe was, I’m using my recent experience at our 45th reunion and some information I have gathered. {“A newspaper consists ofjust the same number ofwords, whether there be any news in it or not.” -Henry Fielding)

First off, we received saddening news during our 45th reunion. The morning of the dedication (1 October) for the Lynn Holaday Indoor Training Facility, Bart Holaday’s wife, Lynn, passed away. Bart was unable to attend the ground-breaking ceremony or reunion. We mourn the loss of Lynn and convey our deepest sympathy to Bart.

I believe we had the highest attendance yet at this reunion - almost 200 of our 517 graduates. My Squadron, 22nd had 11 attendeesup from 7 at our 40th It was a very busy 4 days which included AOG social gatherings; the ground-breaking dedication of the Lynn Holaday Indoor Training Facility; individual squadron activities; and a very moving Memorial Service. The gathering was capped off by a much needed victory over the Canoe U football team {“Never interrupt your enemy when he is making a mistake.” -Napoleon Bonaparte).

The photo is of22nd Squadron attendees at dinner at the CliffHouse after the football game: From left in the front row are Jim Page, Ron Bailey, Wes Dixon and Gary Corbin; middle row - Chals Price, Ed Farrell, Jim Lipham and Howie Sierer; back row - Bruce Wood, Dick Husemann, and the forehead and left ear of Steve Sheehan.

Jim Page is retired and does safety consulting from his home in Albuquerque, NM; Ron Bailey is retired and lives in Beaufort, SC; Wes Dixon works for IBM from his home in Colorado Springs; Gary Corbin lives in Washington and works for BoeingAerospace; Chals (Chas, Chuck, Charley, Dumsquat, et al) Price is retired in Clinton, TN; Ed Farrell works forAmerican Airlines in Dallas, TX; Jim Lipham is retired and lives in Lake Toxaway, NC; Howie Sierer lives in St. George, UT; Bruce Wood is retired and lives in Lincoln, NE; Dick Husemann is retired but works part-time as a math/ physics instructor for local colleges in Wilmington, NC; and Steve Sheehan retired recently as Airport Manager at Baltimore-Washington International Airport and works for Homeland Security evaluatingairport security issues. Steve related to us that his boss is a USNA grad and he has taken extreme grief about USNA consistentlybeating USAFA - for some reason, Steve was extremely eager to get back to work! (“Some daysyou are the bug; some days you are the windshield.”-Anonymous)

At the formal dinner Friday night, Flash Wiley joined the band to sing “Mustang Sally” and several others until his voice finally gave out. (I remember Doolie summer when some Squadron ahead of us marched to the noon meal singing, under Flash’s tutelage, “Peanut Butter”.) 24th Squadron won 6 free nights at the Antler’s Hilton for bringing the most squadron members (20) to the reunion. They were Lee Allgood, John Blaha, Roy Bridges, Brian Cullen, Ron Flake, Bob Foerster, Bob Giffen, Mike Higgins, John Hutter, Bill Mangum, Jim McGorry, Mike Nolan, Bill Peavy, John Rademacher, Larry Rank, Gary Robison, Scott Schafer, Joe Smith, Steve Wallach and Tim Wolfe. 22nd Squadron received no recognition for being the last group to leave the party!

In the back row of the photo are Mike Higgins, Lee Allgood, Bob Foerster, Mike Nolan, Ron Flake, Joe Smith, Steve Wallach, and Roy Bridges.

fer, John Blaha, and John Rademacher (Gary Robison was MIA for the picture).

’65 - Best Alive’s John Gross has been nominated to serve on the AOG Board of Directors. John is a retired Colonel and currently Vice President for Quality and Human Relations at Timberline Industries in Commerce City, CO. He earned a Master’s degree in Astronaudcal Engineering at AFIT and an MBA from the University of Santa Clara. He held militarypositions as: Plant Representative with Lockheed; Procurement Officer; Program Manager; Engineer; Intelligence Officer in the Pentagon; and Commander. His breadth of knowledge, intensive work ethic and desire to improve the Academy and the Association of Graduates make him a superior candidate for this position. Your votes can help assure “Brown Shoe” grads are capablyrepresented. John and his wife, Kathleen, live in Castle Rock.

That’s all I have for now. I hope to get humongous input from you for the next issue but, as “Dancing with the Stars” Judge Len Goodman told David Hasselhoff after his first competitive dance this season, “It’s never too early to panic”.

’65-Best Alive

Ryan Denny 1635 Mary Todd Lane

O’Fallon, IL 62269

H: (618) 624-4255

W: (314) 232-5117

E-mail: ryanden@aol.com

Greetings Redtags! Again, we start with some sad news. Classmate and friend Phil Bruce passed away on 11 Sept. A funeral service was held on 17 Sept 2010 in Phoenix. Al Strzemieczny attended the funeral and said that it was a small, intimate service attended by Phil’s immediate family and members of their church. There was an honor guard and flag folding ceremony, and taps with a rifle salute. Stretch also attended a familyreception afterwards, which he said was enjoyable because it was a celebration of Phil’s life. Phil will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery on 22 Nov 2010. I remember Phil trying to teach me to ski on that little hill in the middle of the quadrangle our Doolie year, before they cut it down and built Sijan Hall. We will miss him. There is more information in the “Gone but Not Forgotten” section ofthis Checkpoints.

Believe it or not, it’s time to start thinking about our 45th Reunion. Dick Oliver sent in a great photo of the Reunion Planning Committee that met at Bill and Barb Riley’s house recently. Mike Heenan is the committee chairperson, Bill Riley is the secretary. Others include Vic Andrews and Marty Daack, and theusual suspects from the C-Springs-Denver area. The “Colorado Mafia” all met at Bill’s to go over what the “Gang of Four” Planning Committee had come up with, and to start getting some consensus on all the particulars, such as the date, hotel, golf, class gift, etc. The group has not pinned down the exact date yet, but they are aiming for a home football weekend in Sep 2011.

Class News

from his home in Tucson and back, he rode 11,500 miles in 14 days. But, if you consider that this is only 5% of the distance to the Moon, it doesn’t seem that far. Shortly after completing this marathon, he took off on an Iron Butt Association jaunt that required him to ride the roads around the edges ofTexas, without leaving the state. This 3200 mile trip had to be completed in less than 70 hours. My body (back, butt, kidneys, etc) hurts just thinking about this kind of trip, but I envy his ability to spend weeks looking at the world without a keyboard in the picture.

Larry Wilson

13100 Pinehurst Ave. NE

Albuquerque, NM 87111

H: (505) 291-8949

E-mail: Lwilsn628@aol.com

Greetings, one and all. I hope you are enjoying beautiful Indian Summer weather, as I have experienced both locally and in some recent travels. In the olden days we would have been enjoying (?) standing, cheering the Falcons on in football and other sports. As I compose this, even after the SDSU loss, the afterglow from defeating Navy in football remains. Oooooooo sa sa sa!

I have a fair amount of input for this edition, in part because I have unearthed, sometimes with assistance, some past inputs. Here is info from input from Gary Koldyke, describing a not-so-recent “...six-day, 180-mile raft trip down the Colorado River through theGrand Canyon. An unbelievable experience that everyone should have on their bucket list. The girls were a little concerned about camping for six nights besides the river. But after the first night, going to sleep while looking at the millions of stars overhead life is good!!”

From the eastern halfof the US, Dan Larson writes that he was going to postpone his move from the DC area to New York. He had plans to fill in the swimming pool, stay in Rockville MD, and not try to sell his house until the market improved. Dan says that he got part way through the pool-filling and landscaping when his wife, Karen, found just the right property for her massage therapy business in Fair Haven, NY. So he bought the house in New York and put the Maryland house back on the market. After he finishes rehabilitating the “new” 1880 Victorian house he bought in New York, Dan says that he will have plenty of room for visitors. He also recently reinstated his flight instructor certificate and hopes to teach on thethree or four ice-free days on Lake Ontario. So come visit and take a flight!

Meanwhile, back in the Rockies, an intrepid group of Redtags join ed up for a tailgate party prior to the BYU football game. Tom Guenther forwarded this picture, and said that it was courtesy ofEd and Janet Bailey. I’m not sure who got the group to hold still (or wake up) long enough to take the picture; but was probably Tom, because he is not in the shot—at least not where we can see him.

More from Gary: “...a few weeks ago I completed my second Ride the Rockies. The route changes each year. Turns out this year’s route was the longest and said to be the most difficult one of all. Seven days and 532 miles... started in Grand Junction and ended in Salida. We covered the Colorado Monument, Grand Mesa, and five passes. The overnights were in Grand Junction, Delta, Ouray, Durango, Pagosa Springs, and Alamosa... Three of the seven days were survival biking due the wind, cold, rain and hail. BUT it had to be done!!”

Sabre Society Donors

about that 45th

OK, Retags,

The new BG Hughes.

to waive the guidelines and have Rich promoted to the honorary rank of Brigadier General. The effort was successful. On August 26, during a reception at the academy, Rich was surprised with the announcement and then sworn into the rank by General Born...” Welldone General Hughes!

And another too- long delayed input, this from LarryThai, who traveled a while back to Egypt with Jerry Fee and their wives, Cheryl and Esther. Always thinking of the AFA, Larry & Jerry had their picture taken “.. .with the Falcon god Horus (who)... was worshipped all over Egypt and was regarded as the prince of all the gods... their god of war but also the protector and guide to the pharaoh. Horus was also the patron of young men and the ideal of the dutiful son who grows up to become a just man...”

LarryThai, Jerry Fee and Egyption friend

Just another day on the golf course: Ralph shot a 67 at the AFA Eisenhower course last summer - “...his first 18 without a single bogie.” Well done, Ralph it is rare that I shoot that on 9 holes...

From Gordon Mulch: “...As one of my more pleasant duties as 1st Vice Commander of the Aviators Post 743, American Legion, I was privileged to present the sabers to the Class of 2010’s Summer, Fall, and SpringWing Commanders, during the Awards Ceremony. Two things: 1. All three were wonderful gentlemen to meet and talk with. 2. With my GPA and confinements served, standing close to these gentlemen was the closest I ever got to the Superintendant’s List...”

For any who may be visiting the Academy, here is some info from Bob Muldrow about the SEA Pavilion, a donation from the Class of ’70, to which ’67 contributed: “.. .situated on an absolutely gorgeous piece of property a short walk from Doolittle Hall, (the) pavilion faces the southeast corner of the Academy from a ridge line high over a portion of the golf course... there are 14 plaques in the SEA Pavilion one for each class that suffered a loss during that conflict... All have too many names on them; our ’67 plaque is one with close to the most.

The AOG is looking hard at graduate issues, including stewardship and connectivity. “T” Thompson, the AOG CEO, has written a perceptive article entitled “THE “CONNECTION” PROJECT Ideas to Increase Graduate Cohesion, Loyalty and Supportfor the Academy and Each Other” This is available (maybe in this Checkpoints) and I encourage you to read and consider its content. Additionally, Dan “DT” Taylor, an ’07 grad, has created “The Dive,” “...to sustain connectivity with the USAFA graduate community via social networking strategies, ‘The Dive’ database will allow you to find classmates based on geographical location, AFSC, or class year...” If you are interested visit the website at dothedive.com and/ or the Facebook® group page from the dothedive.cornwebsite.

Roy Miller reviewed the movie “The Till m an Story” and has recommended it as a teaching tool for the Academy’s Center for Character & Leadership Development.

Gary Green had a “near miss” recently a life- threatening cardiac event, brought about when he suffered “.. .sticker shock at the projected total cost of the washer, dryer, dishwasher, and microwave..” while shopping with wife. He is now sporting the latest model pacemaker, and is “... pretty much back to my normal routine, minus any strenuous activity that could potentially affect the wound in my left shoulder where the pacemaker was implanted...” He will soon travel “... to visit my son and his new daughter, “Whitney Green” born Sept 10th, up in the Seattle area. That makes 6 grandchildren now.”

A non-grad loss, reported by Rick Lesch ’70, who “...was a doolie in 9th sq. when you guys were firsties. Our AOC that year was Col. Francis R. Nealon, whose picture you find in the dictionary next to the definition ofwhat it means to be an ‘officer and a gentleman.’ He died in Colorado Springs last fall at the age of 83...at (his) funeral... I was very surprised (although, in retrospect, I shouldn’t have been) to see six of your classmates in attendance, only a few of whom lived in the area: Robin “Ringo” DeTurk, Jim

Hastedt, Dale Stoval, Jim Peterson, Eddie Ennis and Jerry Fee... It was an impressive turnout and show of loyaltyby your classmates; it was a real tribute to Col. Nealon and it was much appreciated by Mrs. Nealon. Finally, it was a bit of inspiration for usex ‘niners’ and members of the class of ’70. Kudos to them and your class.” Thank you, Rick, for passing that on.

If any others of you have sent me inputs that I have not used - please send me a “reminder.” I may not be able to use all pics, but I will try to acknowledge the input.

I am out ofwords - adios, God bless the troops and God bless the United States ofAmerica.

Tim Davidson

9712 Hidden Valley Road Vienna, VA 22181-6094

(703) 255-5313

Fax: (703) 255-5377

E-mail: timd@erots.com

Class Website: wwwl.usafa68.org

HELLO ’68! It’s “Slash 'em with a beak” time again! As I write this column, our Falcons have posted impressive victories over BYU, CSU, Wyoming, and the Squids and were ranked as high as 23 ofthe top 25 football teams in both the AP and Coaches Polls. Could life get any better than a gorgeous fall day, a cool beverage, and winning Falcon football? How sweet it is!!

SCOTTSDALE REUNION: In April 2010, as Marty and Claudia Cole were making one of their storied trips around the US, they stopped in at Chez Langley in Scottsdale, AZ to visit Mike and Evelyn and to link up with John Roulston, who lives in the area, and Bruce Gerrity, who was visiting from Arlington, VA. Mike retired from Southwest Airlines about four years ago and Evelyn said he gets in sets of tennis when not underfoot at home. The Langley’s informed me that John Roulston was having a rough time with health issues lately and asked classmates and friends to keep John in their thoughts and prayers. I told them we would do just that.

INAUGURAL BLACK SERVICE ACADEMY GRADUATES SUPER REUNION: Thanks to a timely telephone call from Tony Marshall, 1 was able to link up with Maurice and Antonia Ecung and Tony the night before the kickoff of the Inaugural Black Service Academy Graduates Super Reunion at the Gaylord National Harbor Hotel, DC from 26-28 August. The event

Class News

was principallyorganized by members ofUSAFA and USMA to provide networking opportunities for Black service academy graduates and to honor the legacy of the first Black graduates from the respective institutions. So, history buffs, here is the list of the first Black graduates from each of the academies: USMA: Henry O. Flipper, Class of 1877; USMMA: Joseph B.Williams, Class of 1944; USNA:WilliamA. Brown, Class of 1949; USAFA: Charles V. Bush, Isaac Sanders, Roger B. Sims, Class of 1963; and USCGA: Merle J. Smith, Class of 1966. Maurice is putting a video diary of the event together to use as a recruiting tool for future cadets and midshipmen. Many thanks to Tony and Maurice for including me in this important inaugural event!

’68 MINI-REUNION AT LINDA URRUTIA-VARIIALL’S PROMOTION TO BG: On 19 July, The Honorable James R. Clapper, Jr., thenUnder Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, presided over the promotion of Greg Varhall’s better half,Linda, to the rank of brigadier general in the Pentagon’s Hall of Heroes room. Bill Gauntt participated in the ceremony by serving as chaplain and Greg and his familyhelped Linda pin on her new stars and pose for photos. Joining our merry band was Bill’s wife, Nancy, and Toby Sullivan, whom I had not seen in a number of years. Using my standard guilt trip phrases that it would be really nice, moral, and important to the future of mankind for Toby to provide me with a few words for the class column, he caved in and pasted a few sentences together to help us all catch up on what he has been doing. So, from the official Pentagon files, here is a quick review ofhis recent activities:

Toby received a Meritorious Defense Intelligence Executive Presidential Rank Award for his accomplishments during the past five years as the Director, Counterintelligence, Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence, Office of the Secretary of Defense. During that period he also served as the Acting Deputy Under Secretary of Defense for Counterintelligence and Security for approximately one year. Toby was also honored at the annual Air Force Office of Special Investigations (AFOSI) Awards Banquet in 2010, when was inducted into the AFOSI Hall of Fame for his accomplishments during his 29-year military career. That evening his son, Lt Col Troy L. Sullivan (USAFA ’92) received AFOSI command awards for being selected as the AFOSI Field Grade Officer of the Year and for the AFOSI unit he commanded at Nellis AFB, NV winning the Verne Orr Award, the AFOSI Team Award (his narcotics team) and for the second consecutive year, the AFOSI Large Detachment of the Year. Troy was reassigned to Andrews AFB, MD where he now commands AFOSI’s 7th Field Investigations Squadron. His wife, Cherryl, also an AFOSI agent, is assigned to the Pentagon. Thankfully, this puts Toby and Sharyn’s two grandchildren much closer to home than the trip theyformerly made to see them when they lived in Nevada.

’68 MINI-REUNION AT 2010 AFA AIR & SPACE CONFERENCE: The Air Force Association put on another great conference this year at the Gaylord NationalHarbor Hotel in DC from 13-15 September. This year’s event featured presentations from all of the major commands and a series of fea-

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tured presentations by luminaries such as Charles Krauthammer on American foreign policy in the Middle East.As this conference tends to draw in a few of our clan from time-to-time, I had my camera at the ready and captured a photo with Charlie Coolidge, Jim Neu, Bill Begert, and me as we joined up withWomen’s Air ServiceWorldWar II Pilot Elaine S. Harmon and Amy Goodpaster Strebe at a book-signing of Amy’s new book Flying For Her Country. Our classmate Bill Drennan was also at the conference and participated as one of the special lecturers on North Korea. I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with Mrs. Harmon and listening to what the world was like back in her day.

REESE AFB 70-01 REUNION: Due to popular request from pilot training classmates, the next Reese AFB 70-01 UPT reunion will be in October 2011 in San Diego. More information to follow!

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN: As I was preparing the class column, I learned of our classmate Tad Draper’s passing in Papillion, NE on 28 September. Our heartfelt thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Becky, sons Jim and Rob, and daughter Beth, during their time of sorrow. As this column was beingcompleted, I was informed of Carl Knopke’s death in October. Garry Dudley reported that Carl was on a hiking trip in Oregon with friends and suffered a massive heart attack. Our thoughts and prayers go out to the Knopke family and their friends, as well.

THAT’S A WRAP: Mind the flak; keep ’em flying, and keep those cards, letters, e-mails, and photos coming in to Pat Russell and me. Please go to the Class Website to see photos included in this column in full size by clicking on Scribe’s Page. In addition, please see the feature on our website under “Bulletins” about the new Southeast Asia Memorial Pavilion sponsored by the Class of 1970 that includes a plaque from our class. If you are visiting USAFA, it is really worth a few moments of your time for thought and reflection. Ciao for now. Tim

Lindsey Parris

616 King’s Cloister Circle

Alexandria, VA 22302

Home: (703) 836-3604

102177.1033@compuserve.com

Greetings, ’69ers. And top of The Season to you all. Let us hope when you read this that the Falconshave defeated both TCU and Utah and are big-bowl bound. See you there.

Strangely, after having to concoct Checkpoints from the ether oflate, this edition finds me with more than enough to report on, and with three times more pictures in the queue than I have permission from the Checkpoints overseers to use. Usualrules will apply: shots with the most ’69ers, shots with those who have not (or not recently) been presented in these columns, shots with massivelyimportant Class import, or FIFO in the queue. Even then, the tradeoffs are difficult. Off we go.

Congrats to John Buckner (who else?) for winning a new car with his hole-in-one during the Pumpkin Ridge member-guest tournament. Because John did not offer his winning vehicle to his host, Roy Coppinger (on break from his Ireland andScotland golf tour this summer), he is figuring out how to justify his brand-new Smart Car to his neighbors in Fort Collins. Bride Anne told him that next time he should play at a club that offers a better car (we love Anne!). With this win, John takes over position number 1,969,969 on this year’s PGA money list, trailing Elin Nordegren by several hundred million dollars.

Also on the coursewere Flip Keck, Tom Baumgartner, Brother Buckner, and Mike Goode, representing the Class at the Wounded Warrior Project Charity event (recall ’69 made a donation to this worthy project in honor of Cliff Parsons). Thoughshooting a 59 in the no-handicap scramble format, they finished out of the money, behind the winning score of 55. Amazing. Picture deferred to future edition.

Recall comments in previous edition regarding the 41 st reunion gathering for ’69ers in Texas. At the top of the next column is the picture of this group, with all centering on Doug Fitzpatrick andhis primo ’71 LeMans. Quite a party. Need Joe Hasek’s original ’68 GTO next.

In July, Mike Chipman and Vince Santillo embarked on a two-month trek on the Pacific Rim Trail. In late July, CS-20 squadron mates Ziggy Orzechowski and Bob Hart journeyed up to the Cascades’ Willamette Pass to pick up the hikers, coming in for provisioning, and the foursome headed to the Pfeiffer Winery in Junction City to meet Judy O and Linda H and swap tales, drink beer, taste wines, and reconnect. On a later trip, Bob, who continues as steward of the museum Eugene (current exhibit: “Tie Dye and Tofu”), and Ziggy, who substitutes for a doctor in McMinnville on occasion, met up with Jim Brau, who continues at the Univ. of Oregon and works at times at the Hadron Collider (Switzerland), for drinks and dissection of

SurroundingDoug in the back row are Ray and Gloria Malinovsky, Ken Macaluso, the original Wild Bill Haney, Ron McCracken, Mark (Tex) Enger, Nhey and Dick Downes, Jim Hewitt, Doug and Mary DeGroot, and Mike Howe. In the back row: Dick Moore, Judi and Malcolm Ward, Ann and Tom Solomon, Bobby Bennett (kneeling), Bob Paine, Rocky Van Zelfden, and Betty Howe.

cosmology. After a martini and left turn through the asteroid belt, they discovered the missing WMD.

which sound mouth-watering. We now know whereWally is hiding himself before games these days!

Received a nice note from John Hopper, who with roommate Tricia joined Jim Love and Rich Spooner and their roomies, Becky and Tess, for an evening of reminiscing and Allman’s terrific BBQ in Fredericksburg, VA.

Bob and Linda, Mike, Vince, and Ziggy at PfeifferWinery.

Chip Wood spent time sailing this summer, and he continues his work in executive coaching. He is now working primarily with Navy Admirals, helping them think about next assignments and what they need to do to make the right things happen, and what skills they need to develop to be most effective.

As promised last time, here are Steve and Rochelle Edelman kayaking in frontofAlaska’s Columbia glacier last June.

Three

’69ers and brides

judge Virginia BBQ. Pass the sauce.

After an on-site trip to Provence to join CS-27 mates Ron & Nanci Olds, Randy & Judy Percy, and Tom & Karen Fleming at Bob & Vibeke Bell’s country home in the middle of Peter Mayle country, I can finally report (accurately!) on Bob’s new position as the“Senior Civilian Representative in Europe of the Secretary of Defense” (SECDEFREPEUR). This is an Ambassador/Chief of Mission slot overseeing about 50-60 US military and civilians from DoD, State, Intel, FEMA, Homeland Security, etc. in Brussels at the Office of Defense Advisor (ODA), US Mission to NATO. Dual-hatted as Defense Advisor to the US PermRep to the NAC, he is focused normally on NATO business, but the SECDEFREPEUR responsibilities mean he undertakes assignments for SecDef on bilateral issues across Europe. Happily, theslot did not require Senate confirmation. We are lucky to have him there, serving the Nation’s interests in such a visible and central position. None of that impeded our collective consumption of copious quantities of fine wine and cuisine as only theFrench can do it, and the view to the Luberon Mountains over their 3-hectare grapevine plot was majestic. The extraordinary hospitality of the Bells, the price of a biodynamically proper chicken, other escapades, and pictorial documentation will be chronicled in a future edition.

The class officers voted to devote $4,000 of the Class Fund to support a Class plaque on the Memorial Wall of the Southeast Asia Pavilion on the Heritage Walk nextto Doolittle Hall. The Pavilion itself was a gift from the Class of 1970, and the Memorial Wall showcases plaques from every class that lost classmates in-theater (twelve classes in all, including ’69). Mike Goode represented the Class, and unveiled the ’69 plaque with the names of the nine ’69ers who made the ultimate sacrifice during that conflict. Kudos to ’70 for a terrific gift and the moving dedication.

Rusty Spradling continues his exemplary dogfight against cancer. He is still undergoing radiation treatments; his condition varies, but on a slow uptick in that he is enjoying the football and baseball on TV, and texting and enjoying short telecoms. There is no 'quit’ in this man, and he refuses to regard himself as a “victim.” He continues to inspire us all with his courage and strength in face of a horrible situation. Thanks especially to Roger Hartman, Gerry Brown, Butch Hinkelman, and Craig Collins for their updates and continued liaison with Rusty. Dr. Brian Nelson has been generous and on-point with his medical analyses. Please remember Sprad in your thoughts and prayers.

A blessed Holiday to you and yours. Keep the cards, letters, e-mails and photos coming. Will work the photos in, eventually. Salute to all, Lindsey.

Dick Rauschkolb

130 Luxur y Lane

Colorado Springs, CO 80921

H: (719) 761-5764

Cell: (719) 310-6928

Email: AOG70@comcast.net

Richard Rauschkolb@usafa.edu

Team Edelman in Alaska

The C-Springs Gazette carried an article in October about the wine and fine-cocktail tailgate party hosted by Denise Richardson before each Falcons home game, each one themed cleverly (“My Big Far Greek Tailgate,” for example), and replete with overflowing tables of great cuisine, and the ever-popular “Falcon-Tini.” “Have party, enter 69,” and so it is no surprise to learn that Wally and Debbie Moorhead are players. The Gazette included two of Debbie’s recipes, White Cheddar Grits with and without shrimp,

WOW—the members of the Class of 1970 and their significant others enjoyed an absolutely great Reunion in early October. Over 300 classmates returned to enjoy the camaraderie oflong past times and remembrances of their youth at the Academy. This was the largest 40th Reunion the AOG has ever hosted. Many thanks to Jennifer Ganzler of the AOG for working with the Reunion Committee to make it a first rate affair.

Special kudos to Dave Gaw for providing superb leadership in organizing and planning the entire Reunion. Hats off to all the classmates who ar-

Class News

ranged everything from meals and the tailgate to dancing music and the flyover. I won’t attempt to list everyone I would leave someone out. Just know a lot of men spent a lotoftime making sure everyone had a great time.

The ’70 Golf Tournament kicked things off on Thursday morning. By all accounts everyone had a good time. Bob Julsonnett, Tommy Thompson, Darryl Lundgren, and late addition Jack Trimble won with eight under par. Mike Kelley,Vince Puglisi, Dan MacFadden, and George Cato took second at six under. Bob McBride, Pat MeBride, '68, Mike Hanzel, and Jason Hanzel shot 14 under to win the guest division. The highlight of the tournament was Gus Sorenson getting his first hole-in-one on #13 on the Blue. But wait there is more Jason Hanzel, Mike’s son, aced the same hole a few groups later! Absolutely amazing! Both men owe me a drink next time I see them as well as others who did not get the word a tab was being run in the bar!

Sabre Society Donors

46

Where is Harry “The Bear” Wakefield, ’67 when you need him? Ray McKelvy, Don Mills, John Harvey, Jim Andrews, Jerry McKee, Bill Clohan, Skip Penny (way in back), Tome Walters, Dave Smith, Bob Chadwick, George Crow, Dick O’Connor, Gary Reed, Don Rushing (hidden), DarrylMassey, Jim O’Neal, Mike Torreano, Greg Woodhead, and Bob White. All from Doolie squad Rocketship 14!

Thursday afternoon saw many Preppies converge on the Prep School for a mini-reunion. It was good to Ken Nobleand Othe Kendrick at several functions. Thursday night we enjoyed a buffet at the Marriott and the war stories started to flow. It was pretty obvious the older we get, the better we were. BjnBRfidtgM dSgSgb,

Seventy Men Celebrate Getting Jim Nance’s SEA Map Raised in the Pavilion: Chris Dunbar, Rich Downing, Tooey Emery, Dave Gaw, Jack Mueller, Gary Dahlen, Jim Nance, Mike Torreano, Mick Davey, Bob Mack, and Al Burrell (Our GREATAOG man on the scene).

George Crowe andMartyMartin superblyled our Memorial Ceremonyhonoring all our deceasedclassmates. The list is gettinglonger every Reunion.

A special thanks to Rich Downing for organizing allthe events surrounding the dedication and memorial ceremony. Great job Rich! Al Burrell ofthe AOG alsodeserves mega-kudos for working with us and the contractors to make the project a reality. I hope all of you are enjoying the great musical CD that Yogi Royce put together for all of us. It brings back lots of great memories of days long in the rearview mirror.

Friday night found the Class of ’70 enjoying lots of adult beverages, a great dinner, and a super DJ in preparation for the big game on Saturday.

I am sure the major glitch in the Reunion occurred Saturday morning when over 47,000 people tried to converge on the Falcon Stadium. It took me over an hour to get there and I live five minutes from the stadium. It was an absolute nightmare and I am sure some people missed the tailgate and start of the game. The Academy has apologized to everyone affected by the fiasco and introduced new and better procedures the following week. John Pomeroy was so mad; he sent a detailed plan to the base commander to improve the system.

The highlight ofthe Reunion was Fridaymorningwhen we dedicated the Southeast Memorial Pavilion in a very moving ceremony. I don’t think there were too many dry eyes in the house during the unveiling of class plaques listing graduates killed in SEA. I know it wasan honorfor John Russ to unveil the Class of 1970 plaque. Many thanks to all the classes (except 1963) that donated funds for their plaque. Gary Dahlen, the man who worked his tail off to make the Pavilion a reality, made a superb presentation and Lt Gen Mike Gould, ’76, the Academy superintendent, made very emotional remarks. It was great that we had representatives from almost all the families ofthe nine classmates we lost in the war. They were deeply appreciative of all our efforts to includethem on this great occasion and other events surrounding the Reunion. It was indeed a great day for the Class of 1970. Many thanks to the almost 250 classmates who donated funds. A special thanks to our keystone donors, Gregg and Erin Popovich, Mike and Jenny Lambert, BJ and Cathy Bjorkland, and John Martinson.

The Falcons finally beat Navy after seven years of frustration! It was a hard fought game and Doolie Jamil Cooks made a crucial punt block to save the game for us. Let’s hope when you read this we have beaten a much improvedArmy team to take the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy back to its rightful home at our alma mater.

Vote! Mike Torreano is running for the AOG Board. His many talents and skills will be a great benefit to the Boardand our AOG. Many thanks to Wild Bill Stealey for his superb service on theBoard during a very difficult time.

As I mentioned at our class meeting, we are looking for your ideas for the interiorofthe pavilion. I have heard several suggestions from keeping it simpie to having some large murals and a book display. The kiosk will be a critical element in keeping the Pavilion a living part of the Academy and a great resource for our cadets. Please email me your ideas. Our goal is raise $250K in the next 18 months to finish the interior. We hope all ofyou will contribute to this lasting memorial for our alma mater. All of us on the gift committee appreciate the kind words we received at the Reunion and in letters and emails,

Gary Dahlen Presents “T” Thompson (AOG) and Erv Rokke (USAFA Endowment) with a checkfor$lMfor the SEA Pavilion. Way to go Seventy! but we all agreed that we were very proud of our class and its willingness to support this project and make it a reality. The Class of 1970 has left a lasting a legacy that will stand the tests of time. We should all be very proud!

They say a picture is worth a thousand words so I included some of the manyphotos I have received. Please postyour pictures on Class of 1970 web site which can be found off the AOG web site (www.usafa.org).

Marilyn and I want to wish all of you a very Happy Holiday Season and a Healthy NewYear. Let’s hope we can all be together for our 45th! Keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers.

Paul D. Knott

5565 Lantana Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80915

H: (719) 570-9162

E-mail: pk71knott@gmail.com

Well, gang, we’ve lost another friend. Jim “Sandy” Sanderson lost his battle with leukemia in August. Bob Lowe tried to let the class know, but a lot of his “e-dresses” are out of date. A good New Year’s resolution this year would be to make sure that the AOG at the very least (and your scribe - Hint!) know where you are. Reunion information will be flowing before you know it.

I mentioned that Jim Nance was the featured sculptor for the Class of ’70's Reunion this fall. Jim was kind enough to forward me a photo of the finished bronze, and it is spectacular. It is a relief map of Southeast Asia with a dragon in one corner and a compass rose decorated with an F-105. If you are at the Academy in the near future, you will find it in the Air ForceVietnam memorial, which was dedicated during Navy week. If either Checkpoints or ’70 doesn’t mention the Memorial, I’ll include a photo in the next issue.

Sabre Society Donors 30

In keeping with my “Prince of Segues” theme, how 'bout them Falcons! They crushed BYU, kept pace with Oklahoma, ranked nationally for a week or two, and finally got the goat off our back with a win over Navy! Troy Calhoun is doing a masterful job with the talent he has to work with. Hope that the rest ofthe season is as exciting.

Andrea and I had the pleasure of spending an evening at a local Italian restaurant with Harry & Cindy Davis. Harry is fighting back from the series of strokes he suffered last year, and it was a real inspiration to see what progress he’s made.

I don’t know how many of you remember Jon Camp, who started with us until a pretty terrible auto accident about killed him. His path and mine crossed recently on Facebook. He’d be interested in catching up with the

JOIN THE SABRE SOCIETY!

YOUR MONEY HELPS FUND CADETWING PROGRAMS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNFUNDED. CALL THE AOG FOR INFO.

class, so, ifyou’re interested in his contact info, please let me know.

Fred Strauss and a few classmates got together after the Navy game. There is photographic evidence of the meet.

While we’re on the subject of photos, we love them! A big challenge is getting them into the magazine. Our esteemed editor has only one request—the more detail in the photo file, the better! Minimum resolution to make publication is 266 dots per inch (dpi). Lots of stuff goes on theWeb at about 72 dpi, but without a lot ofPhotoshop tricks, your once-in-a-lifetime snapshot looks like my granddaughter’s finger paints if I try to use it as is. I can do a lot, gang, but not even I am magic!

b -S'or X

One more service academy mention: I mentioned that Gene Kraay’s daughter Stef Golan is the women’s soccer coach at West Point. (11-3-1 as of deadline). Not only are they ranked #3 in the Mid-Atlantic Region, they recently shut out Navy. Dad and Mom are justifiably proud of this young lady! By the way, Gene’s latest novel, The Hamsa, is available on Amazon, com. (Home for a limited time to Andy Ceroni’s first best-seller, Meridian!) I don’t know if this particular book will be available by the time you check it out, but perhaps one of you missed reading it when Meridian came out. There are at press time two copies available for a “reasonable” price.

Speaking of authors, I understand that Darryl Wimberley’s latest tome will be out in early 2011.

In our “Just-under-theWire” department, Mike Smithjust sent me a note on USAFA’s own In-Circle. He lives in Tallahassee, FL on the FSU Colllege of Medicine faculty. His and Elizabeth’s first grandson is two and a half; they love every second with him. I can certainly relate!

GBA

Bob Bell

13 Pacific Ave. Sinking Spring, PA 19608 (610) 678-3182/Fax: 678-4513

E-mail: rabell767@aol.com

Greetings...Well hello again from the rolling hills of eastern Pennsylvania. Hopes are that as I write this, you have been enjoying the victories of Falcon football this season. There have been some really great ones as well as just a few downers.

Right off the bat I have a quick update from Pete McCarthy saying that he took early retirement from a 16-year career as a Captain with Southwest

Class News

Airlines to become CEO of AHI Productions in Austin, TX. This fall AHI is launching the NHNWeb TV network. Natural Health Network is a 12 virtual channel network devoted to natural health and green living news, education, entertainment and infomercial-style product sales.

As a result of that career change, Pete and Nancy now live in Austin, TX and he states that the new hirsute look is intentional - he shaved it all off after retiring from Southwest last July.

Doug “Mush” Brower who has taken on the role of our CAS representative has already passed on quite a lotof news from the AOG to the roughly 100 members of the class that are on his e-mail list. If you are reading this and know that you are one of the other 600 or so folks we don’t have an email address for, you really should try to get on the list to enable you to keep up with what is going on in your association as it relates to our membership as a class.

Additionally Mush passed on a message from Ed Bishop regarding the recent health concerns of our classmate Dave Hindelang of Chesterfield, VA. Edhas been keeping up with the situation Dave and his wife Tyann have been going through since he was diagnosed with a form of Parkinson’s disease. Most recently Dave had a surgical procedure in which he had wires implanted into his brain (while awake) that will allow improvement in his condition and hopefully a return to full activity as a result. (Email address for Dave is: dthindelang@ comcast.net.)

Apparently Ed needed to tell Dave to stop violating nurse’s orders and just answer the emails he has received rather than trying to go out and work in the yard. Dave put it off as a matter of “she is family” (nurse Tyann) but agreed that it was the better path, although as Ed says, Dave probably thinks of it as restrictions or connies. Thanks Ed, for the update. Dave, all good wishes go to you for a continuing successful recovery.

Also reportedby Mush Brower is thefact that a lot ofmessaging has been going backand forth for the past few months about the proposed upgrades to a class website that would streamline our efforts to keep everybody in the loop as a group. A lot has already been accomplished in that there is already a site associated with AOG. A lotofthe work was done years ago by Tom Maddock to lay the foundation for such a structure. He is now joined by John Buchanan in the recent extension of that process along with Phil Hudson and possibly a few more cyber-gurus as they attempt to fine-tune all that will be necessary to make it work.

As Class President Scott Sturman recently said in a letter to the class, “The site can be more than just ‘who is doing what now’ and provide an efficient form of communication among us. This would be particularlyhelpful for reunion planning. The content can be dynamic with pictures, essays and stories about the Academy and the Air Force in addition to the more traditional subjects.” Hopefully the site will be up and running soon with all security requirements and content guidelines in place. Stay tuned....

Gary Grant and his bride of 27 years made an appearance at Parent’s Weekend, September 2010 to celebrate their daughter Samantha surviving the rigors of fourthclass year as she moved into Gary’s old squadron, Frat Five... oops that’s Wolfpack now. Gary convinced her to go to CS-05 because it was closer to the mailroom and the cadet store which seemed like a good idea at the time.

for your Board of Directors

Please visit page 76 to learn about the new candidates for our upcoming Board elections. The election will be conducted from March 31 to April 30 2011.

Your vote counts!

Of all things she could have chosen in the worldof sports, Samantha has taken up rugby and plays on the USAFA ladies club team, causing mom and dad no end of concern... visions of broken noses, chipped teeth or worse.

At the pre-game tailgate for the AFA-Northwestern State game, the Grants ran into Doug and Cheryl Brower, Terry and Rita Schiessler and Kurt and Emily Chamberlin. Gary has kept season tickets for football and now that they have a second home in Monument, CO with their oldest daughter a nurse in Denver, they plan to be in the Colorado Springs area more often this year, and plan to see more of our classmates who seem to be everywhere in Colorado. Finally full retirement, no job, no worries... well, no job anyway.

The Pavilion Project is an effort orchestrated and primarily funded by the Class of 1970 to honor all graduates of USAFA who died in combat in Southeast Asia while serving their country. In all, fourteen classes from the Academy have classmates who were killed in action.Our class contributed the nominal $5000 requested by the Class of 1970 to fund the project on behalf of our only classmate to have earned this distinction, IstLt Larry Froehlich from CS-08.

As part of the ceremony, one member of each of the fourteen affected classes represented his class. Due to the short notice of the request for a classmate member of CS-08 to be the representative for this event, the honor fell to Harvey LeCato to stand for all of us. One by one starting with the Class of 1959, the rep forthat class was called to the wall of 14 bronze plaques, each one covered, until the class rep removedthe cover, saluted the plaque and then turned to salute the master of ceremonies and report (in our case) “The Class of 1972 - one member absent, Sir.”

Harvey also met up with a group of folks to tailgate for the AFA-Navy game where we finally beat Navy! Joining him for the Tailgate Party was Jim Barr who also stayed over for the night. Dave Newill and Sandy Lewis also met them at half-time for the photo op.

Wrapping up for this issue, I just wanted to mention again the Bill Gideon-Scott Sturman website www.fliesinyoureyes.com where they solve the world’s problems and interject some humorous recollections of our Air Force experiences. Take a look at it. Also keep in mind that we are counting down to the Fortieth Class Reunion in 2012, so you will be seeing something else on that soon. In the meantime take care and have a great Holiday Season, everyone.

Joe Kahoe

4140 Saddle Rock Road

Colorado Springs, CO 80918

Cell: (719) 210-5568

joekahoe@gmail.com

http://73.texascomputerhelp.com

Continue sending great pictures and updates. Nearly all news clips below have been abbreviated due to space limitations. I urge you to go to our Class web site at http://usafa73.org for many more pictures and “the rest of the story.” VR, Joe Kahoe, CS-07.

From John and Chong Sun Kuconis: CS-19 had a mini reunion in Biloxi, set up by Smoke Clark, with two days of golf, great memories and a wonderful time. See the photo at the top of the next column. In the front row fromleft are John Kuconis, Chris Black, Jim Mateos, Dave “Bush” Hanson, John Duncan, and Steve McCauley. Back row: Don Kanipe, Denny Maple, John Patchin, Erik Anderson, and Bryan Clark. Missing from the picture are Tom Blase and Leo Aguinaldo.

Johnny Whitaker and Ron Scott are both running for the AOG Board of Directors vacancies.

Tom Kroessig and wife were in New Jersey for her 40th High School Reunion... GREAT time!

AF Global Strike Command first birthday: Lt. Gen. Frank Klotz, AFGSC

CS19 Reunion

Commander: “success... due to tireless, skilled, and dedicated efforts of our airmen,” Frank’s retirement has been announced. Congrats Frank on a truly outstanding career and service to America!

Lt. Gen. Donald Wurster, commander of AF Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field, Fla., selected for 2010 Air Commando Hall ofFame. Donny Wurster is also being inducted into the command’s Order of the Sword, the highest honor that enlisted airmen may bestow.

our church in Clear Lake, TX, building a church on Navajo reservation. Jim Russell visited with Rod Wickers, CS20, and his wife of 37 years, Tricia. Rod has law practice in Torrance, CA, while Tricia is a Professor of Nursing and Project Director of Nursing Grants.

Mike Hay CS-18... (four great pics on web site) While Ted Kammire was out shooting Bambi’s cousins, Bob and Jan Schineller enjoying their ‘new’ AA-retirement motorhome, and Dennis Geesaman tends his vast Texas land holdings; three Zooms met at the Reno Air Races. Kirk Lilly and Michael Hay watched veteran racer Rick Vandam fly three different airplanes (GlassAir, L-29, L-39) in various races, then were treated to a dinner party for all associated with Rick’s racing, at his Reno home, beautifully hosted by his gracious Denise. Kirk has a very special surprise for our next reunion.

Brian Jones: photo on web site latest addition to my family, Adeline Nicole, with her sister, Abigail, and proud parents Aaron and Nicki (my daughter), both Aaron and Nicki are with the DoD School System here in Wiesbaden, Germany.

Gone, but not forgotten. Mr. John S. “Steve” Hessney, CS-37 Class of 1973 passed away on 7 Oct 2010 from pancreatic cancer. Condolences may be sent to his family in care of his wife, Mrs Jill Hessney; 6 Ridgeview Ct; Pittsford, NY 14534-3264. “Take-away” from Steve Hessney’s Memorial Service from Bob Decker: Standing room only. Why would any of us be surprised? As I walked into the crowded reception room adjacent to the chapel (the group filled two rooms, actually), I had no trouble picking out Ben, Steve’s Firstie son, whom I had not met before. (Web site for Bob’s very touching words about memorial service, Steve, his family, and life.)

Paul Motley, Craig McPherson, Steve Hessney and Dale Birch AF Navy Game 2010.

Mike Mosier: “He has simply run ahead of us in our common journey, where he awaits us.” Steve’s time came earlier than we had hoped, but he’s just out in front of the rest of us, just like after graduation when we all took off for different parts of the world. But as my old roommate Bob Munson assured me, “Time and the AF have a way of bringing friends together again.”

Latest news from Fil Thorn, who is recovering from a bone marrow

transplant for leukemia... and doing well a year out from the toughest six months of his life: “Great news! I found out who my donor was last year. For his privacy until we can talk, I will just say that he is a senior at the US Naval Academy. Somehow, he found time during November of his junior year to donate for me. I am overcome with emotion about this and will forward additional info after personal contact.” Our prayers are with you Fil.

Awesome photo and story on website from Bob Fraser’s daughter’s wedding ofhis father, Woodie Fraser, his daughter Joy, her husband, Matt Hoffman, and Bob.

Website for super photo of Mike and Catherine Nishimuta and Wayne and Patty Holum in Kailua-Kona, Hawaii, while visiting Mike’s mom. Wayne is flying for Southwest and commutes to west coast from home in Kona.

Mark Stuckley: Oldest son, Mark Jr., is engaged to his future wife Kristen Andrews. Bad news might have to retire since he was let go again in September and the economy is not good as we all know. mstuckley@comcast. net (215) 295-3364

Mike Patton: third grandchild (baby girl Sasha Helene Patton) from my younger son, Donovan, cute as a button and a blessing. I’m still working in New Orleans, for the Governor’s Office. My wife is burning up the air, traveling from our home in New Jersey to Mexico, Central and South America selling books. Our remaining child, Annabelle (14 going on 35), just started high school.

From Dan Handlin: My daughter Michelle is working at the South Pole, for Raytheon, supporting the NSF. She returned Nov. 1st after a 14th tour. (Website for great photo and URL for you tube video)

Bruce Bennett: Still working for DIA. Great ski trip to Colorado for a week and skied with John & Suzie Wigington; then skied Sun Valley, ID, Spokane, WA, and Big Sky, MT.

(Awesome photo on Web) Bruce Bennett and family at son-in-law’s promotion to LCDR, who earned the Bronze Star for Valor in Iraq as commander of a counter-IED joint unit.

Rick Karvosky had dinner with classmates and fellow 12ers, Larry Nolen and Gene Frodsham in Las Vegas. (Web site for full story and picture!)

John “Row” Rogacki, Ph.D CS-19, left University of Florida to become Associate Director of Florida Institute for Human and Machine Cognition, responsible for IHMC’s Ocala campus.

Monnie Gore: We celebrated our first wedding anniversary in August. I am still working as the Deputy CountyAdministrator for El Paso County here in Colorado Springs. I now have two grand kids and another due this winter. Theresa also works for the county in the Department ofHuman Services.

Maj Gen Brad Young (CS-07) the ReserveAdvisor to theAFMC commander;Jack Hudson (deputy director ofthe Nat’l Museum ofthe USAF); and Maj Gen Dan OHalloren, GuardAdvisor to theAFMC Commander.

Photo on web site ofJack Hudson and good friend, Chuck Jackson, “right after we got thru, on 17 July, riding our bicycles 160 miles across the state of Indiana in one day. In August I went to the wedding in North Carolina of Denny Boyce’s (’73) oldest son. Life is good here as the Museum deputy.

Joe Brezovic

1209 Bayou Oaks Drive

Friendswood, TX 77546

H: (281) 482-6860

E-mail: jbrezovic@comcast.net

Hello Classmates. Wishing you a Merry Christmas Season! Glad tidings come first. Steve (Suki) Lenzi moved to Florida after decades in Hawaii. A bunch of us from CS-33 who missed the 40th reunion visited AFA vs BYU game Sept 11th. He took #2 son, Andrew, to see ifhe can get him interested in applying for AFA or Prep School. Rick (Gayle) Cleaveland sent in “Seen here, members of CWDS-33 for an event called a ‘Non-Reunion/Reunion’”.

Rick and Gayle live on Hilton Head Island. They moved there full time in 2007. As some folks, they are finding lots to do in the volunteer world. Their son andhis wife live close so the two grandchildren can visit often! Sam (Rachel) Shutt are well. Sam is a Captain for Southwest, living just north ofPhoenix. They are alternatively tearing their hair out while adjusting to their new home. “Ah the joys of moving to a new-build...you get to pay for everything. We really love the new views and are ‘fixing’ a few things the architects usually miss. The bonus is a large lot and cooler temps than downtown, especially at night.” Their daughter lives close by so they get to have fun with the grandson. Their son Matthew ’06 is a captain in San Antonio as the Stan-Evil guy on the internet warfare squadron. Sterne flies for Southwest and is living in Alexandria, VA.

Craig (Rite) Anderson is striving as a lawyer in Virginia. Some results shown above! Paul Sherry is a practicing doctor in Colorado Springs. Mike Cranford heads up T-28 parts out of Black Forest (COS). Dave (Rai-Lee) Daley still in D.C. arena and did practice to do the half-marathon over Columbus Day weekend. His goal was to finish under two and a half hours and did it in 2:20. Dave ran with a 41-year-old AF flight surgeon from San Antonio, and they paced each other to 10-minute miles...until the last 3. The doc finished in 2:15 and. wants to join me at the DC Cherry Blossom 10-miler next April. .As a health note, it was on the fourth post race day that Dave could walk normal! [Better than this writer could do!] Tom (Renee) Kane retired from the Air Force almost 4 years ago. Tom is currently the VP for Government and Military Programs for Atlas Worldwide Holdings. They recently moved to Mill Spring, NC on beautiful Lake Adger. They are 45 min south of Asheville near the SC border. They have lots of room for friends to come visit. They live right on the lake.

On sadder note, I learned from Rick Cleaveland that a classmate passed years earlier unrecognized. Thank you Rick for sending this eulogy to us: Thomas D. Kolessar, 51, of Florida, died 27 August 2003. He was married to Deanie Kolessar. He was assigned to the Air Force 720th Special Tactics Group and other Special Operations units at Hurlburt Field, Florida, before retiring as a lieutenant colonel. During his 26 years of service in the Air Force, he piloted F-4 and OV-10 aircraft during assignments at RAF Lakenheath, England, Eglin Air Force Base, Florida, and Osan Air Base, Korea. He was awarded a Bronze Star and Air Force meritorious service, commendation, and achievement medals. He also served as a combat controller and was an exchange officer and Army Ranger with the 75th RangerRegiment, Fort Benning, Ga. He was a 1974 graduate ofthe Air Force Academy and also had a master’s degree in electrical engineering. Born in Bethlehem, he was a son of the late Thomas A. and Belva S. Kolessar. He was a pilot, owning and flying a Navy SNJ World War II trainer, and was a member of several organizations and museums that restore, preserve and

fly World War II and other vintage aircraft. Survivor of his family: Deanie. Services were graveside in Arlington (Va.) National Cemetery. Another sad note is that I just found news of Kevin court, and learned why no emails were returning. I received this note: The AOG has recently learned of the death of Mr. Kevin Court, CS-12 class of 1974. Mr. Court passed away on 24 Aug 2010 ofunknown causes. His last years were marked with some ailments that hurt his walking. Kevin’s sister in Alaska is working with the arrangements for service and cremation. [Which may not have happened yet.] I will notify the classmates that I know ofin the USAFA area ofthe service should I learn from the AOG. From two of Kevin’s classmates come some thoughts: ...his best memories were of flying the A-10...I remember how much Kevin enjoyed snow skiing and how I admired his advanced skill and top-of-the-line skiing gear... (we) were Computer Science majors, totally hooked by the state-of-the-art technology in the academy’s computer lab: the new Burroughs B5500 computer, along with the teletype terminals that made it faster and easier to program than using the IBM card punch machines. We shared many hours in the computer lab over the years...Kevin’s insight and patience, like many of Kevin’s other personality traits and accomplishments, were virtues that made him stand out. [Thank you James and Tom for writing.] Would you spend a moment of silence to honor them and their service? May each of you have good memories as you grow older, too. I wish all ofyou a Merry Christmas and that you will be blessed in this season. May you live long and prosper.

Jeff Chappell

14729 Birken St. Herriman, UT 84096 (801) 878-HOWDY jtmjbda@sbcglobal.net

Corrections and apologies department: Somehow thelast names of Bill Lyerly and Mark Shope were left out of the previous Checkpoints. Sorry guys, I’ll keep a better eye on that.

Reunion Recap: Thanks to an incredible bunch of teamwork, over 230 classmates, Junior College alumni, and many other guests enjoyed a great weekend of camaraderie, war stories, reflection on our GBNF, and a victory over Colorado State. We should take this time to publicly thank the Reunion Committee: Chairman Bruce Mitchell, registration honchos Mark Beesley and Bill Hughes, merchandise man Dean Cox, videographer Bill Estelle and chief assistant Larry Bryant (and too many contributors to mention, so just watch the DVD), banquet MC Bill “Still a Renegade” Murray (We hear Lt Gen Gould ordered a special Goon Squad for insubordination. Interesting twist: But for his year at P-School, the Supt would have been our classmate.) I know there were others behind the scenes, ineluding many at AOG; please forgive me and know that we all appreciate your work. Thanks to all who contributed photos it was tough whittling down to five look for moreon ZoomieNation; I’m sure most of you have shared them already.

Several squadrons held events of their own. A few highlights:

CS35: Appropriately for our 35-year reunion, the Party Squadron tied for the most attendees (15), and the current CS35 carried our Class Guidon during the march-on, the gold standing out among allthe blue. Pictured are Mike Dennis, Tom Kemp, Randy Roberts, Gunnar Ohgren, Ted Thompson, Stan Schoener, Scott Swanson, Dan McCorry, Rich Wilson, Dick Duesing, Rex Hoey, Dave Dyche, Bill O’Keefe, Bob Hickcox, and Paul Lotakis.

CS-15 War Eagles tied with 15 alumni at a party hosted by Clint and Stephanie Waltman. John Kearns, Charlie Wintermeyer, Clint Waltman, Doug Fraser, Mike Crider, Mark Masters, John Venable, Dave Williamson, Hugo Gray, Terry Duncan, Mike Straight, Jim Eken, Jim Dill, Gary Whitfield, Tom Kocian.

CS20 Trolls: Of the 19 grads, ten made it over to Mike (Vito) and Jan Goyden’s house on Sat night: Paul Kent, Brad Lindsey, Tom Peterson, Dave White, Steve Vargo, Steve Eickelman, Charlie Buck, Dave McDaniel, Mike Goyden, and John Santner. Steve Keen canceled at the last minute due to medical reasons; his prognosis is good. Paul Kent had both his 19 and 16 year olds along; John Santner had his 16 and 13 year olds. Brad Lindsey had all 4 ofhis kids, aged 23,3, and his 1-year-old twins. Charlie Buck, widowed a fewyears back, brought his new bride. Dave McDaniel, wrappingup his PhD in History at Texas Tech, took the opportunity to visit the Academy History Department, where our own Mark Wells is the Head Professor. Follow-up from Dave White: Ronnie, my “current significant other’’ is now my fiance... asked her during the reunion, and she said yes! You guys must have really impressed her! Or maybe her standards are even lower than I thought...

ThirstyThird was represented by Mark Lenci, Ralph Paul, Jim Marburger, Don Lewis, Bob Awtrey, Tom McKee, and Mike Ruth. Nooky Niners (can I say that in a family magazine?) had a good showing, starring Dale Meyerrose, Jeff Hackett, Mike Buckley, Kent Traylor, Dave Haugen, Dave Commons, and Ollie Lorenz. Ric Lewallen, Don Byers, Rudy Roth, and Dean Cox had a mini-Baptist Student Union reunion. The biggest downside of the reunion was not enough time to connect with everyone.”

Roy Rice: Debbie and I made the 30th and promised I’d never miss another. The experience was amazing. Debbie has now met all of my former roommates, including my first roommate in BCT, Mark Holmes, who hugs me and calls me “Brother! The opportunity to assemble with all of our friends/brothers (and their spouses) who shared those experiences from ’71-’75 (and beyond graduation) made me realize how wonderfully fortunate we were to have lived, worked, played, succeeded, failed, accomplished together. Without sounding too “sappy,” every member ofthe Class of ’75 (especially CS-33) holds special meaning for me and I feel blessed to call you all my friends. Please, let’s gather again while we still can and renew those bonds we forged 35 years ago that are lasting a lifetime.

Larry Fariss: Our class dedicated a plaque in Falcon Stadium with the names of 30 of our football-playing classmates names engraved for posterity. Among those attending the dedication: Bo Montgomery, Rod Hennek, Bill Murray, Tug McGraw, Dick Webber, TerryYoung, Julius Hargrove, Bob Thompson, Bruce Fritzsche, and Russ Trinter.

’75 Football Players’

Cheerleaders Russ Trinter and Ollie Lorenz could give remedial training to the current classes, who seem to underappreciate having a team that’s better than 6-4. Terry Young was selected from over 3000 lettermen to be an honorary captain for the football game. TJ looked stunning in his class football jersey. “The class jerseys looked great from the field level at Falcon Stadium. Several folks commented on our obvious class unity during the game. The jerseys and reunion hats created a stir.” Thanks to Ben Bosma- we hope the exposure is good for business! Any other classes reading this; go to aerovation.com and try to look as good as us.

Doctors, lawyers, Indian chiefs: Phil Saenger summarized the reunion best: “From talking to fellow ’75 grads I realized everyone follows a different path to success. Great stories. Great fellowship.” Lots of doctors, dentists, lawyers, generals, engineers, professors, visionary leaders, assorted government and industry big shots, elected officials at various levels, and of course all the worker bees who make the other guys look good bydoing ordinary things in an extraordinary manner. A few examples of the amazing things the members of our class, both graduates and junior college members, have accomplished personally and professionally: Maj. Gen. Dick Webber is the first commander of 24th Air Force, which provides combatready forces trained and equipped to conduct sustained cyber operations, integrated within air and space operations. Dave Shoup (USAFA JC) still gets to meet The Bad Guys on a personal level: “Making Afghanistan safe, one Taliban funeral at a time.” Lance Grace represented his company in receiving the Clean Air Excellence Award from the EPA for developing the cleanest wood-burningfireplaces in the world: “...the amusing point is that the basis of the design comes from the defense world with work that I’ve done with IR signature control on land combat vehicles and naval combatants. A year and a half ago, I stated that I could figure out how to present our material in a fireplace ifI had three things located in my outdoor kitchen (temporarily converted into my mad scientist lab). Those key items were an instrumented fireplace, a TV remote in one hand and a beer in the other. After three months, lots offires and loads ofbeer, I figured it out. So for those of us who have always caught grief from our parents for being a firebug as a child and from our wives for drinking beer through the years, there really was a method to our madness.” I could go on for pages, but this gives a broad view of the range oftalents in our class, truly the Best Alive!

Intrepid hikers Chip Kerby, Mark Schoning, and Jeff Chappell carried the Class Guidon to the top ofPike’s Peak in what we hope will be a continuing tradition. It would be fun to have more classmates join us, even just to

Class News

Barr Camp or up to timberline (the easy part the last 3 miles/2600 feet are pretty challenging). The experience and views are incredible, and the company makes it even better.

Too close or comfort: Kip Fong had a visit from the Big C and is now in remission; Dean Cox thought his heart attack was just heartburn; Doug Miller’s gall bladder decided to erupt just before the reunion; and Mark Holmes is getting really good at recovering from motorcycle accidents. We are glad you’re all still with us and wish each ofyou a speedy and complete recovery!

Future reunion planning: Records indicate that 10-year reunions are better attended than 5-year events, so let’s bang the drum really hard and get those who have yet to share a reunion with us to start planning now for the 40th. Everyone I’ve talked to who was hesitant about coming but finally attended enjoyed the experience far beyond their expectations. Paul Narzinski perhaps best reflects some feelings ofthose who have yet to share a reunion with us: “This reunion (my one and only) erased 35 years of pent-up resentment and bitterness towardsthe old Alma Mater...now I have nothing but fond memories of a group of Great Guys from a Great Class 75 and Still Alive!” Bonus inducement: Mark Volcheff will release his secret to maintaining dark hair.

In closing, here’s a plugfor our 40-yearLegacyProgram (Classof75Legacy@ google.com) which has a goal of$50,000 that will connect the Best Alive with the Class of 2015. More news to follow from the Class Gift Committee.

Thebest to all the Best, until next quarter keep those emails and pictures coming!

Dan Beatty 12196 Stanley Canyon Road

Colorado Springs, CO 80921

H: (719) 488-1962

E-Mail: whrlybrd76@aol.com

Dan.Beatty@usafa.af.mil

http://www.AFAcademy.com/76

Fellow ’76ers, The Commander-in-Chief’s trophy is backwhere it belongs!!!! Go Falcons!

35th Reunion update: Our 2011 35th reunion planning has started. Class leadership encourages y’all to join Zoomienation/inCircle (https:// zoomienation.usafa.org). This site will be our primary connection to get the word out but there will alsobe email blasts from the AOG, snail mail notes (so make sure the AOG has current contact info!), and you can also contact me with questions No date is set yet; it depends on the home football schedule which won’t be out until spring. I appreciate the input from Enrique Saa, Jeff Larsen, Ray Fortner, Charlie Morgan, Monty Lee, Chris Reamy, Ed Morley, Harry DeBruhl, Lance Christian, Bill Clifford, Jim Boma, Ben Thomson, Marc Felman, Stan Correia, TerryWilliams, Win Macklin, Russ Laney, Mike McGinty, Doug Knox, and Jerry McFarlane on dates, merchandise, hotels, class gift, and Prep-school reunion. The full committee is being formed and we are in contact with the AOG reunion POCs. Ifyou would like to help (especially C-Springs locals!) or ifyou have suggestions let me know.

Sad News: Henry Kelly’s wife, Gale, passed away several months ago (I received the word from Mike Fricano, Gale’s brother-in-law). Please keep Henry and family in your thoughts and prayers.

Moving up/moving on: Kevin ‘Chili’ Chilton will retire soon. Willie Shelton confirmed for his 4th star and will be Commander, AFSPC. Bryon Hepburn, MG(S) to Commander, 59th Medical Wing, Wilford Hall Medical Center. Bill Hobart to Director, C2BMC Knowledge Center. Congrats to you Chili, Willie, Bryon, and Bill!

General Class Stuff: Denny Shupe was featured in For The Defense, the national monthlymagazine for DRI Mike Fricano saw Bill Carolan recentlywhen Bill was in Hawaii on Boeing business. Thanks to Kim Weber for his kind note on my articles. Mike Ely stopped by my seats at the Navy game; good to see you Mike! Mike still flying for Southwest. Ed Morley asked me to forward a nice note to Chili on his service to our Nation, USAF, and USAFA. GREAT note Ed! Am sure Chili appreciated it. Greg Boomgaard was through the area a while back; says he had not planned to stop by the ‘Blue Zoo’ but “As I passed Monument I felt a ‘blue magnet’ or something overpowering me which made me exit at the North Gate. Not planned at

for your Board of Directors

Please visit page 76 to learn about the new candidates for our upcoming Board elections. The election will be conducted from March 31 to April 30 2011.

Your vote counts!

all. It was like my car or I was possessed by a curfew or something”.

Mike Walsh saw Dave Clary at a recent retirement ceremony. Mike’s taking tax classes to become an enrolled agent and Dave is working for BoozAllen. Buddy Lott says he attended the AFA-TCU game because his wife “is a Frog twice over”. Chuck Ohms is a USTRANSCOM contractor working in Portfolio Management. Says he took up P90X recently and is now within 5 lbs of his USAFA weight, has graduated and married off the 3 kids, had 2 grandkids and one on the way. Current hobbies include paying off college debt and sailing; still connects occasionally with Larry Weaver and Charlie Morgan. T. S. Kelso was part ofAGI’s Global Technology tour and presented the keynote in 10 cities in 8 countries. Marc Felman saw old roomie Bill Franklin at O’Hare. Says it was too early for lunch so they had the breakfast of champions... French toast and beer!

Charlie Vono and Nita still in Ogden, UT where he is Northrop Grumman ICBM guidance manager and she is an officer in Women’s Council of Realtors; they have 3 kids, 2 grandkids and one on the way. Les Garrison just finished his first year with State Department in Afghanistan and is at a small combat outpost in Paktya Province, sent a long detailed sitrep; wish I could add it, but space prohibits. Keep your head down Les! Denny Damiens says he will be here next year. Dave Berg reports nothing to report... again! Lee Cuevas married off his eldest in Aug and youngest is in Afghanistan thru November. Tim Cantwell was at a recent game and saw Mike Gould, Jack Catton, and Tony Przybyslawski. Pat Ashenfelter (Bob’s widow) posted an attendance challenge on ZoomieNation. Mick Erdle sent a good story about a Thud driver in ‘Nam. Jim Dolan reminded me of the ‘Heros on the Water’ article in the September Checkpoints, pg 50 and asks that you check it out.

Sabre Society Donors 36

Well classmates, again time to stick a fork in it. No one sent photos this time so I will exercise writer’s prerogative and insert one of me and my granddaughter taken last fall by my current ‘steed’. One of my favorites!

Beatty and granddaughterElaina discussflying helos.

#3 daughter (Elaina’s Mom) returned safely from her deployment. She and hubby hoping to be assigned together early next year when she DEROSes and he gets his aircraft after finishing UPT.

I and my familyhope you and yours have safe and blessed holidays. Send me your notes, inputs, address updates, suggestion, junk mail, etc and I will do my best to keep all ofyou in the loop. As always, ifyou are headed to the Springs, let me and the other locals know. Keep flying your flags and let our deployed troops know you have them in your thoughts and prayers. The Spirit of 76 is STILL alive and well! Until next time, Beatty.

John “Lou” Michels, Jr.

4107 Harvey Ave.

Western Springs, IL 60558

Office: (312) 861-7975

John.J.Michels@Bakernet.com

By the time you read this, Election Day will be long gone, and the Windy City will have become a little less Windy. The same for the country, I suppose. There’s nothing like a midterm election when the bloom has come almost completely off the rose. Certainly there’s plenty of activity here in Cook County, where the motto has always been “vote early, vote often.”

The polls open: As I mentioned in the last column, the mail bag is pretty slender this time around. I want to thank the folks who wrote in and sent their pictures. I would appreciate you all copying me on your Christmas letters and photos, assuming they are not too embarrassing. You can spare me the ones where you guys dress up as Santa Claus too many of us don’t

need any extra padding or makeup to pull off the effect, and that’s simply too depressing. Thanks.

Fortunately, I did have a couple of detailed missives come in from other than the usual suspects. Jim Antisdel (Sharon) wrote me long letter a couple of months ago that I somehow managed to overlook when I was writing the last column. Anti lives in what he refers to as a “tax-dodging Washington pilot ghetto” across the river from Portland and commutes to LAX for Alaska Airlines. He notes that Sharon is still doing her tax lawyer thing, but breaks away forwildlife and gardening, as well as some volunteer tax preparation. I assume by this that Anti means that Sharon is watching wildlife, rather than participating in it, although the tax preparation stuff might indicate otherwise. Anti’s flying routes have changed dramatically over the years, as he’s moved from the Arctic/Aleutian routes, to going in and out of Mexico, and now flies almost exclusively to Hawaii. Would that my career had taken a similar track.

Metaphorically speaking, I’mstill flying into Nome.

Sabre Society Donors

Anti’s taken up biking; which will probably be of interest to a number of other readers. One of the things I’ve noticed is that as we are getting older, the bikers are starting to outnumber the joggers. Following a short ride of 10 miles or so, in which he avoided falling into the Columbia River, Anti worked up to the Seattle to Portland (200 miles) twoday ride, with Sharon backstopping him all the way. All this pedaling culminated in a small tour down the coast (1650 miles) from Portland to San Diego. For some reason-I’m guessing Anti simply did not want to see the same scenery on the way back he decided to take the train home to Portland; probably a wise choice. He sent along some great pictures, but the one I’m choosing to publish puts him outside a restaurant in Portland with Paul Guidry (Ann) who stopped in to see Anti on a layover from United.

damentalism at the Academy and in the line force. Monty Montgomery (Neana) looks over the Northwest/Delta merger from the left seat of a 767, and appears to be fully recovered from his terrible illness this spring. PR Helm is Lockheed’s C-130 international chief pilot out ofAtlanta, traveling the world in support of turboprops, and also happens to be engaged as I write this (congratulations, PR).

All of these folks managed to squeeze into a picture, as indicated here:

Anti and Sharon were headed out to some terrific place for their annual vacation this year (previous stops included Bhutan, Laos, Ethiopia and Zanzibar wait a minute, these aren’t vacations, these are Bob Hope/Bing Crosby movies). I’m guessing wherever they ended up it was a fun trip. Thanks a lot for all the kind words, too, Anti, which make this whole scribe thing worthwhile.

Jim Maskowitz (Rita) provided the CS-33 input for this quarter. In case you hadn’t noticed, it has been 33 years since we tossed our hats and the Cellar Ratz threw an appropriate celebration via tailgate at the CSU game this fall. Ever the thoughtful one, Jim even included a sample text block for insertion by the scribe to make my life easier. And it did.

Here’s the lowdown on one of our most active alumni squadrons (and by using the phrase “here’s the lowdown”, I hereby nominate myself for the Jitterbug Phone Geezer Hall of Shame):

Matt Coatsworth (Elizabeth) doctors for the VA in Las Vegas (Liz used to write regularly, but I completely understand the drop off in communications following a move to Las Vegas). Rich Luena (Mayette) manages Harbor Freight, a terrific tool store chain in Albuquerque (and is recently married; congrats, Rich). Randy Schaefer (Susan) manages an orthopod practice in Sacramento while working with the U.S. ski team. Masko is a left seat driver in 767s on international routes for American out of Miami. Horst Roehler (Mary) is the Engineering Tech Lead with Lockheed Martin in the Springs (and currently slugging it out with leukemia the reports are good so far; hang in there Horst). Don Coondog McCume (Bernie) is on the way to becoming an assistant U.S. Attorney in lovely Del Rio, where he will get to deal with all those second lieutenant misconduct issues at pilot training lead-in. Wayne Erwin manages tech support for Deltek in Los Angeles. Rob Staponski (Connie) runs Earth Tech in Denver. Mike Weinstein (Bonnie) lives in Albuquerque and is continuing his legal and very public battles with the Department ofDefense over the influence of religious fun

The tailgate was a Viking-themed party and although the group does not appear to bedressed as Vikings, they nonetheless won the outstanding tailgate award for the day.

Pictured across are Matt, Rich, Randy, Masko, Dave Maher (’78), Don, Wayne, Rod, Mike, Monty, Horst, and PR.

Finally, as Masko noted, this get-together proved to be much safer than the last one at our 30th, which involved a fainting spouse, a head-on collision, and a trip to the emergency room. Everyone managed to get back home safely from this event. Thanks Masko for the great effort and congrats to the Ratz for another outstanding submission.

I got a quick email from Jon Katona, who is retired from Northwest/Delta and lives in the Springs. Jon took his five-year-old Konnor up to the BYU game, where I managed to miss him.

I got a nice message fromVal Maier with a photo ofTex and their son Kyle, USAFA class of2010, taken at the Academy during graduation week. Tex and Val have been in Houston for ten years where Tex works as a contractor for NASA, and Kyle is now on his first semester of med school at UT Huston.

A nice shot with the 2010 and 1977 crests up on the wall by the chapel. Congrats to all ofyou.

Polling place is closed: So that’s it from Chi Town. My thanks to everyone who wrote, and I appreciate allthe detailed information. Check out our Facebook page, and shoot me some more updates from your Christmas mail so that I don’t have to make things up for the winter column. Until then, be seeing you.

Bob Kay

40411 Tesoro Lane Palmdale, CA 93551

Home:(661) 274-2201

Work: (661) 824-6426

Email: president@f4phantom.com

Greetings 78ers...

I regret having to start this quarter’s installment with the sad news of Mark Kargul’s passing on 22 Sep 2010 in San Clemente, CA as the result of cancer. Services were held on 10 Oct 2010 in San Clemente with Mark’s fi-

nal restingplace planned for USAFA. Our hearts and prayers certainly go to Susan where condolences can be sent to 3819 Vista Blanca; San Clemente, CA 92672-4545.

Ron Eifert’s bride, Cele, sent a great message with several pictures and lots of info. They took their oldest son, Carl, to Camp USAFA in June and he is now a proud, accepted member of 2014 (has it been that long?!). Cele continues that Carl graduated with honors at the end of May with fellow ’78er Mike Valdivia in attendance. Turns out that Mike was best man at Ron and Cele’s wedding back in Oct 1987. Not only did Carl receive his nomination from Georgia Senator Saxby Chambliss but he got a call from Sen. Chambliss personally to inform him of the appointment! His (Carl that is, not Sen. Chambliss) Doolie squadron is CS 18 but will move to Ron’s old squadron of CS-9 after the “Doolie Shuffle” next year. Carl is majoring in Civil Engineering, runs on Varsity Cross Country, is set to run steeplechase/ distance events for the Track team and (of course!) wantsto become a pilot like his dad. ’78 is taking care of its own with Carl’s sponsor family being Joe and Anna Marie Mudd.

Ron is an MD-88 Captain with Delta Air Lines based out of Atlanta and the Eiferts live in Peachtree City, GA. They have another son, Robert, who is a high school junior andavid golfer... no info on whether young Robert has designs to follow in both his dad’s and brother’s footsteps. Cele mentioned that two other Viking-9 ’78ers living nearby are Brian/Debbie Scott and Don/Kathy Harper, both ofwhom fly for Delta.

Cele sent a couple of great pix. First one is Ron and Carl on Acceptance Day.

absolutely beautiful daughters and keeps busywith their many activities. Was really great to see him and catch up after all of this time. He mentioned a few days later that he went toVandenberg to see LarryJames (going from 14AFICC back to the Air Staff as Deputy chief of staff, intelligence, surveillance, and reconnaissance or the A2) before his PCS back to the Pentagon.

Back in October, we had the chance to escape the Joshua Trees of Palmdale and get back to the Academy for the Navy game. Our Squid son (now a senior working towards USMC Special Ops) was able to travel out on the contingent for some “family time” watching AF squash the other Squids. We ended up sittingby the Navygaggle and noticed a couple of senior Navy officers in frontof the group. Sure enough, Mad Al was there sitting with the Navy Supt, this time with Judy. Got a chance to finally meet her and yak for a couple of minutes before the game started. Unfortunately he had to get back to California immediately after the game so didn’t get a chance to talk or attempt another photo.

Sabre Society Donors

This was an amazing quarter to see some classmates that I haven’t seen in decades. What truly struck me was the special nature of our class in that it seemed like a year or two since meeting last. Seems to be the standard with any ’78er that one meets. First event was dinnerwith former BulldawgerVice Admiral A1 “Mad Al” Myers. As was mentioned in the last article, A1 is now ChiefofNavalAir Forces in San Diego. I erroneouslymentioned that he owns everything that flies in the Navy... Al mentioned thathe also is responsible for all aircraft in the Coast Guard! Now that’s a tremendous amount ofresponsibility. My bride, Elbe, and I had a great 4-hourdinner with Al (his bride Judy was back inVirginia packing up the house) at an exceptional Mexican haunt in Coronado. Ofcourse, my old camera didn’twork so you all are spared having to look at my mug (uh... not so lucky later on though) but trust me when I say that Navy life has been very very good to Mad Al! He really didn’t look muchdifferent than our cadet days... maybe it’s that salt air.

Another very cool meeting was during a trip to Panama City, FL this past September. Remembering that UPT Classmate Garry Dean is the commander of 1 st AF (AFNORTH) I called his office and rolled the bones on his actuallybeing in town. Fortunately he was and had somerare space on his calendar. We had a great chat for the better part of an hour as we got up to speed on family andwhat we’ve been up to for these manyyears. He has some

no

From left are Dave, Fred,Scribe, Wayne and Ernie.

Dave mentioned that this tailgate has been going on for nearly 15 years (might even be more than that but senility is taking over) and they have it EVERY home game. So... you guys living on the front-range who go to home games would do well to check it out. The food was superb and all they ask for are donations to cover the drinks and bring an entree to share.

Some very significant GO moves this quarter. I’ve already mentioned Larry, but Hawk Carlisle is also leaving his NAF gig (7AF/CC) at Hickam and joining Larry on the Air Staff as the A3/5 (Deputy chief of staff, operations, plans and requirements). Dick Newton is leaving the Al slot (Deputy chief of staff, manpower and personnel) to become the Assistant Vice Chief of staff and Air Staff director whichI’m guessing means that Hawk and Larry will sort ofworkfor him... dotted line anyway. Two cool things about these moves: first of all, most of the guys that they replace went on to four-star jobs; secondly, in about a month or so, depending on confirmation and PCS timing, when you go to the US AF senior leader page there will be no less than four ’78ers (along with Bill Chambers as the A10) on the page when Ed Rice moves into the AETC/CC job. Finally, Rick Devereaux will be pinning on his second star and moving from being the commander of the Expeditionary Center at Fort Dix, N.J. to becoming Hawk’s director of operational planning, policy and strategy.

Run out of room again...many thanks for all the great news. See you in the winter article.

God Bless. ’78 is Great!

JOIN THE SABRE SOCIETY!

Donald “Bud" Vazquez

25 Hayden Lane

Bedford, MA 01730

budvazquez@msn.com

Work: 781-862-6800

Cell: 571-236-1304

Greetings classmates! Is it just me or does our 30th seem like eons ago, rather than only a year ago? Well, it has been a pretty good Fall - the Yankees are in the playoffs, the Falcons beat Navy - what else could be better for me? How about the news that our very own C.R. Davis (Susan) will join me up here in New England!

CONGRATS on your 3rd star nomination CR (hopefully confirmed by publication time), and in coming North! CR’s decision could not have been easy - he gets to leave dolphins cavorting in the canal behind his home at Eglin and the keys to an F-16, all for a Commander’s home that is equipped with an Ariens snowblower, and a free pass to an Aero Club Cessna!

CR laments that he also will miss seeing our brethren at Eglin... Rich Walley, Dale Bridges and Bill Boyington. Rich is the program manager for a little 30,0001b weapon known as the Massive Ordinance Penetrator (MOP). Dale runs plans and programs for the 46th Test Wing, and Bill / “Pappy” has his wife, Marya, helping Rich as the Deputy for MOP. The only solace is that CR will get to see me, Greg Doran, Carl Reichl, and when they are up here (which they are frequently) - Greg Smith and Paul Besson. Brother Doran, works for MCR Technologies, and is a fixture in the local AFA scene. Greg D is often caught helping set up the golf tournaments, and was finally caught by the woman of his dreams, Michele, on July 2nd. Paul B is a VP for General Dynamics IT, and while stationed in DC is often up here. Here is a motley threesome, caught at one of our Fall events:

I got my usual good report from the Brian Koechel DC connection - scribes like me are especially appreciative ofthe irrepressible Mr Koechel, now working for Deloitte, who organizes mini-reunions every Saturday as they go for a run and quaff mass quantities of... coffee. One of the Sat AM running minions Tom Griffith - and I did connect. Tom runs the DoD National Security studies program for GeorgeWashington University. Tom’s wife, Liz, is working for the State Department, and they are fast approaching empty nesters. Griff tells me that Mike Roller is with Goodrich Aerospace, and Jim Armington was with Raytheon, but is now in Japan as the lead Boeing rep). Dan Baumgartner has been known tomeet the pack

on Saturday - taking a few minutes off from leading the DoD POW/MLA office - but there are “conflicting reports” about whether Dan arrives to run or drink java!

Our Lt Generals are all doing well - Frank Gorenc over at 3rd AF in Ramstein, Bill “Kanga” Rew as the ACC Vice, as well as Burt Field who has the 5th AF in Japan... Proud ofyou guys!

I have switched jobs lately myself - leaving IBM in late June for a corporate BD job with the “Big Red” of Raytheon. While I had a great run with “the other Big Blue” (the USAF being my first Big Blue), I got one of those “no brainer” offers that kept me closer to home, with more help and more money - even a lacrosse player could figure out this one! One of the great surprises of Raytheon (and I would guess other large defense firms) is how many former AF associates - and even former ’79ers - one runs across. My former C-17 PEM cohort, Scott Grunwald (Debbie), works for the Space and Airborne Systems business in California. Recently, Scott was dealt a blowwhen his Dad passed on recently, but his strong faith is sustaining him and his family and helping them focus on things like son James heading off to college. While only younger brother Ken works for Raytheon, I was able to locate and speak with his brother, our formerWing Open champion, Bill Murphy the other day. Bill works for BAH in DC, and commutes to Williamsburg on the weekends to stay close to the kids... He sounded great!

Mike Booen leads a very interesting team of personalities in the Tuscon Raytheon facility. Mike is one of the leads for Raytheon’s Missile Systems Division... now get this... Randy Gricius, Chris King and Don Palandech all work for him... I can imagine the staff meetings as I type - where do we sign up! To make it all the more fun, when they need to travel, they call local Southwest airlines pilot Eddie Schumacher and he takes a 737 “party liner” wherever they want to go... (Well, that was true up through 737...) Another Southwest pilot is Capt Eddie Zanowicz, who is home based out of the Maryland area.

Local to Massachusetts again, the illustrious Ken Mattern is the Deputy for Raytheon’s Contracting functional staff here in Waltham, MA. Ken and wife, Pam, just married off their youngest Bonnie in a stunning setting on Lake Winnapausaukee, in New Hampshire... Legend has it that “Winnapausaukee” in the original native tongue means “Beat Army”. (Again, ifthat ain’t true, it should be.)

I want to end with a quick addendum about the great win at Army. What a great win, but even better - what a great mini-reunion! I ran into Bill Huff and Kurt Johnson on the way into the game, and got to warm up at the tailgate with BGen (ret) Bob/Bubba Edmonds and his wife, Ann. Stumbled into Fred Jacobsen and his wife in the bus lines, who then got me connected with the Delta Airlines crew... Make a mental picture of al these guys in one room Chip Taylor, Mark Kleinhexel, Gary Rower (Gwen), Steve Barnes, John Fago and Bobby Ennis (the artist formerly known as Kluttz)... And last but certainly not least - fellow Weasel Bruce Holbrook and his wife and my favorite actress, Anna. Here’s a candid shot of “the boys” from the Thayer Hotel!

Don Myers

401 Chambray Hill

Peachtree City, GA 30269-4247 (770) 631-1429

E-mail: DMyers80@hotmail.com

ZoomieNation.usafa.org

FB group: “USAFA Class of 1980"

A great time! Indeed, our 30th reunion was wonderful. Another thanks to Jeff Mielke, Gene Mitchell, Steve Gonzales, Steve Prileszky and, of course, the AOG. During one of the evening gatherings at the hotel—with the music and slides as a backdrop, and all the talking raising the volume to a dull roar—I paused to take it all in: Without a doubt, we’re a heck of

Class News

a good-looking group! It was wonderful to take a breather from all we’re experiencing in our lives (some of it wonderful; some a bit painful) to celebrate with those we shared life in that crucible called USAFA.

During the Class Meeting, I was humbled by the warmth of your applause when Matt Neuenswander acknowledged my efforts in Checkpoints over the last couple of decades. However, that does not let you off the hook for sending me great photos you took at our 30th nor for sending me the annual updates you give to others this time ofyear—and for providing me constant dribbles. Let’s make it easy; how about sendingjust one thing you learned from talking with a classmate that was unique, such as:

Greg Harstad was a North Dakota State Trooper for a while after he retired from the AF. After a decade at Oracle, Bill Lyons played piano on cruise ships for two years. Eric Janssen likes flying Delta’s B777 and particularly likes the programmed naps he gets in the upstairs crew rest facility. Ross and Kym (’85) Roley met while instructing at the Zoo; Ross retired and is a contractor at PACOM. Phil Heidmous just moved to Las Vegas from Phoenix and has been with Southwest Airlines for 17 years.

Doug (Kathy+3) Hager is a 13th AF (Hickam AFB) civilian in Studies and Analysis. Bob (Susan) Allardice took three weeks and drove their RV from McChord AFB to the east coast during one of their PCSs; all three of their girls are AF captains. Keith and Jan Maresca have provided a loving home for their seven adopted children (ages 9-24); Keithworks on the DOD side of Dell in Austin. Greg (Linda) Brown retired from the AF to a lake home, then decided to do something totally new; he’s in charge of support and structural services for a college in Milledgeville, GA. Phil Prosseda retired from the AF, now USAFA Admissions, has lived in the same house near the North Gate since 1994. Matt Seitz, another AF retiree in Hawaii, is a comms/engr civilian with the Army at Wheeler AAF. Mike/Spike (Shirley, the angel) Jones made the trek from Virginia—with his sense of humor intact! Jerry (Vicki) Lawrence took the early retirement, worked himself out of a job in West Virginia getting the largest radio astronomy observatory online, then got into the coffee house and restaurant business. Jerry (Mel) Sirote and John Owens, both Qantas pilots, came in from Sydney, probably winning our “They Came from Afar’’ award. Mike Prusz still lifts weights and manages the Applied Physics Lab for Johns Hopkins. Fred Origel went from the Star Wars office in the Pentagon to contacting for the Los Angeles Metro.

Kurt Bullard is just as fun to be around as always, and he’s a director for the largest software company in the UK (but still lives north ofthe Springs).

Fred and Kathy(Utley) Kornahrens own a medical devices company in Minneapolis; Kathy also coordinates area churches to reach out to the area’s many homeless. John Ward began with the class of '79 and fought to join ’80 after recovering from an illness; he now manages 60 folks to support various gov’t space agencies. Ginny (Caine) and Larry Tonneson live close to Colonial Williamsburg and they own a DOD consulting business. Ernie Muller retired from AFRES, stayed at WPAFB, and manages the Airborne Radar facility. Brian Robinson has been able to stay in mostly pure engineering jobs, including his current one with Northrop Grumman near DC. Marty Meyer holds records in rowing, continues to love this grueling sport, and is a director for technology at Customs after being “the AFUAV guy” just prior to retirement; his daughter also excels at crewing for ODU. Mark (Connie) Perusse got a job as a senior engineer (can you spell B-O-MB-S) in Alamagordo after furlough from American Airlines. Energetic Rudy Blazicko retired in San Antonio and is now a contracted project manager to the AF for crypto stuff. Steve (Dina) Webb retired from Hanscom, goes to the same church as my sister (small world), and works from home for General Dynamics. Fred (Sheryl) Cheney retired from Hickham and moved into a condo in the Gas Lamp District of San Diego, where he works for Northrop Grumman.

Zen Goc’s daughter (a Firstie) and Jim Crump’s wife were both in attendance and you treated them just like family—which they are. Don Neal retired from Security Forces and is an attorney for Texas (tax lawsuits). Although I didn’t see her at the reunion, I know Joanne Guretsky has volunteered for seven years in Trenton’s gang-ridden school system; she also attempts to get safer, private school scholarships for some ofthese kids. Judd Kelley couldn’t be torn out of the Seattle area after retiring at Ft. Lewis; he’s a JROTC instructor at a local high school. Karen (Novak) Love retired from flying ANG LC-130s to Antarctica and is now a high school math teacher. Dave Brown not only owns several business ventures in Las Vegas and just

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retired from the Reserves, but his son is a grad and his daughter will soon be. Kenny (Robin) Dressel retired at Moody, adopted two children, and is involved in a maximum security prison ministry program that has a high post-prison success rate; he states, “As men, we need to step to the plate.”

Marianne (Owens) and Dave LaRivee’s daughter, a Firstie, is in Austria on exchange at a civilian university (times have changed!). Tom (Alise) Heemstra is a city water permit away from opening a lakeside retreat on their property for wounded warriors and missionaries. Bill Campbell is back on active duty as a senior duty officer at Hurlburt after selling his mobile X-ray company to a large firm. Al Wallace’s son, Eric (first-ever Gold at USPA 4-Way Team Nationals), parachuted into the football game with our class flag—then promptly proposed to his girlfriend on the 50-yard line. What did she say?

She said, “Yes!

Gift Fund. As part ofthe Class Meeting during the reunion, Ed Herlik presented us with an excellent briefing, complete with very articulate, appreciative guests from each ofthe groups that receive parts of our class gift. Due to space, I will highlight Ed’s Final Report, but will also post the entire text at our ZN and Facebook class pages (see our class box at the top for address info). It is deserving ofyour attention. Long quotes are Ed’s direct words.

This was a five-year process, beginning with listening to the class wishes at the 25th reunion. The result was to fund programs dealing with character issues, rather than “brick and mortar” type of projects. With the exception of two displays memorializing our ATOs (as ’59 did), the funds are going towards annual expenses of three groups through our 50th reunion. “We were very stingy with your money and refused to give unrestricted donations. That attitude led to a lot of work with USAFA organizations and vetting on our part.” You’dbe surprised how hard it is to give away money when you want accountability. We also broke new ground with the AOG in the way we designed the giving: Rather than a one-time gift or an endowment (which takes a lot of money and goes forever)—the only two choices available at the time—we designed a modified structure to use the largebut-not-that-large amount of money we had. Again, this modified endowment provides funding through our 50th.

There are three USAFA recipients our funds. The first are the USAFA Personal Ethics Education Representatives (PEER), a nationwide program that trains two cadets per squadron to counsel others.The second is the History Department’s Center for Oral History, in conjunction with the Center for Character and Leadership Development (CCLD). The History/CCLD part is specifically to fund, through a fulltime PhD, moral courage stories from all walks of life. (They were originally going to simply to record oral histories of USAFA.) Within CCLD is the cadet arm, Character and Leadership Development (CaLD), which is thelast USAFA organization receiving our funds. They have an extensive reach, not the least of which is the Wing Character Officer and the associated cadet staff. They will be using the moral courage oralhistories that will soon be posted.

On that note, “Finally, we hope you’ll take advantage of our class’ sponsorship to contact the Center for Oral History and tell your story, or refer them to someone who has something interesting to say. Please dive in on either focus—USAFA history or moral courage. The Zoo’s history is exactly how it sounds; what you witnessed. The moral courage bit is trickier, since it usually involves a boss or organization drifting into unethical waters and some brave soul standing against that direction. In either case, classmates can write to Dr. Bob Wettemann at Robert.Wettemann.ctr@usafa.edu or to me at Herlik@aol.com to get started.”

AF moves and promos: Don Ralph to MGen as Mobilization Assistant to the Commander of U.S. STRATCOM, Offutt AFB; Janet (Libby) Wolfenbarger to LGen as Vice Commander of AF Material Command, WPAFB; MGen Sue Mashiko to Deputy Director, National Reconnaissance Office / Commander, Air Force Space Element; and Frank Kisner to LGen and Commander, NATO Special Ops, SHAPE Headquarters.

FHF. Just before the reunion, as part of the Falcon Heritage Forum (FHF), I had the opportunity to spend three days on the Hill with the current crop of cadets. The place is maturing and is better than when we were there (except, perhaps, for the food!). And ifyou don’t think cadets are focused on what they are getting into: Just before taking seats at one of the noon meals, the StaffTower generated a slideshow with each of the troops, from all services, that had given their last measure in battle over the previous ten days. With each slide, the Staff announcer stated the person’s rank, name, and date they died. Quite sobering.

I’ve added a blurb about this year’s session of the FHF on ZN and our class Facebook page. The topic was, Class of 1980: Architects ofTransformation.

A taste ofwhat’s to come. CS-02 had a small showing at the reunion but got together twice, once for breakfast before the game and once fordinner after the game. I’d like to think there were many other shots of folks taken during the reunion. So... send them this way!

I mentioned to someone at the reunion how I’ve rarely lost any class info or photos,especially in the days ofpaper (remember?). Well, I had two notepads at the reunion and “misplaced” the first one between COS and home. So, you’ll have to fill in the gaps for me. Looking forward to it. My best to all. Don

Rich Trentman

11102 Asbee St.

Falcon, CO 80831-8170

Home: (719) 494-8438

Work: (719) 234-0754

rtrentman@falconbroadband.net

Class Website: www.usafa81.com

It is a beautiful Fall in sunny Colorado with only some snow on the Peak. I wish all of you a Merry Christmas! Thankfully, I got some updates from some in the last couple weeks. Our Facebook and ZoomieNation groups help with this every quarter. I was thrilled that our Falcons finally beat Navy. It was exciting to watch the cadets storm the field after the game.

Class News: Rick Duchene and several other classmates have emailed asking whether a date has been set for our 30th No date has been set, but Bob Bledsoe and Scott Schafer are our reunion committee chairs. Randy Worrall has contactedthe AOG. If we want our reunion tied to a home football weekend, the date is usually set following the release of the football schedule in February or March. If anything comes out, I’ll post it on our ZoomieNation class group or our Facebook group. Lauri Cross is busy with her non-profit, Wild Blue Animal Rescue, saving lots oflittle cats and dogs. Marty France and I have kept in touch via email which is funny and sad since we live in the same area and go to all the AF football games, but basketball is just around the corner and we sit near each other. Marty owes me a Clune Arena healthy heart hotdog lunch.

Phil Swanson came up to my football seats during Parents’ Weekend to chat. Phil was visiting his son David ’14. Phil also came out for the exciting AF-Navy game. Phil and I flew at Castle AFB back in the day. John Farris is another proud parent of ’81 second generation daughter, Kellee ’14. John works at Ft Belvoir, VA supporting the Army as part of PEO Soldier. While out for Parent’s Weekend, he stocked up on plenty of AFA stuff to torment co-workers duringAF-Army week. Way to go, John!

Randy and Josh Stedman, 2010

Amy Markert sent me great update. Amy met up with Randy and Julie Stedman at a USAFA water polo match in the Bay Area. Randy and Julie’s son, Josh ’14, plays for AF. Amy sent in a good picture of Randy and Josh at the Cheesecake Factory after thematch. Amy got together with Bob and Silvi Steigerwald to take in some wine tasting. Amy and Silvi went kayaking together while Bob was at AF-Navy! Amy still works for Cisco, travels quite a bit, and loves her job. Amy had a week in DC and a tough business trip to Hawaii - lucky!! Joe Lepanto is working at TRANSCOM for some boss that has a familiar name... BGen Michelle Johnson. Joe is going to get me a picture of him and Michelle. John Marlin was telling me in an email that he was taking his fourteen-year old-daughter to an amusement park where he would be forced to do some roller coasters. John was not looking forward to it... funny, how that has lost a bit of its appeal for us now. What happened? John, Kelvin Manning and I were reminiscing about our young days at Eglin AFB when we could stay out on Friday or Saturday nights until 3 or 4 in the morning almost every week. Now, I struggle to write this article past 10 at night. We are very fortunate to have our son Patrick ’14 come home on sponsor passes. He said he was shocked to see a giant Yeti roaming the halls ofVandenburg Hall this week. Halloween... some things never change.

Rich and Patrick Trentman, 2010

I get information from many places, but a special “thank you” to Don Myers, Class of ’80 scribe. Don found a great 2-page interview with Dyke Weatherington inAviation Week and Space Technology. Dyke is the Deputy Director, UnmannedWarfare, Portfolio SystemsAcquisition in the Office of the Under Secretary ofDefense for Acquisition. I am sure Dyke is very busy with the tremendous demand for unmanned aircraft systems. Dyke has come a long way from his Doolie year in Loose Deuce.

Again, thank you for your inputs and kind words. I am working on a classmate to take over my Class Senate duties. Enjoy the Holidays. I’m ready for snow! Send updates. Go Air Force!

Visit the AOGWeb Site. Merchandise, Gone But Not Forgotten and more! www.usafa.org

2860 Arbor Pointe Drive

Middletown, OH 45042

(937) 760-2333

rattijm@mindspring.com

Greetings Redtags!

Well, thanks mainly to Mike Sinisi’s e-mail list, there’s lots of news. But unfortunately, we begin on a sad note. By now this is dated news, but Sam “Woody” Woodward passed away unexpectedly on the 7th of July of a brain aneurism. Apparently Sam had no idea about the condition and was at home simply working on his computer when it happened. I’m sure that I speak for all of us when I way our thoughts and prayers are with Sam’s family.

And as reported earlier, Lockheed test pilot Dave “Cools” Cooleylost his life in an F-22 crash backin March of 2009. Friendsand co-workers at Lockheed have established the David Cooley Manorial Scholarship Fund in his memory. The scholarship will be set up at the AntelopeValleyCollege in the Palmdale area. Cools spent a considerable amount ofhis time mentoring and motivating students at the college. If you’d like to contribute, please contact Steve DeLeon at either steve.deleon@lmco.com or (817) 763-1214. I also learned that Society of Experimental Test Pilots (SETP) has taken on the responsibility of the college education of Cool’s children.

Col Jan Rosko carried through on her “threat” to retire, and had a great ceremony at USAFA in June. She sent this picture of a bunch of grads who attended.

Dean and Deena Mills - Life’s a Beach!

Rick Burgess (Air Attache to Israel) is planning a retirement in 2012. Rick’s oldest son, Justin (26), graduated from West Point in 2006 and is an Infantry Officer with the 10th Mountain Division, Fort Drum, NY. In his four years in service, he’s deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan, and he’s now preparing for a PCS move to Fort Benning, GA where he’ll go through some training and then he’s hoping to get a company command. Rick’s other son Josh (24) finished his four years as a Recon Marine with 3rd Recon Bn at Camp Schwab, Okinawa, Japan, and also had a tour to Iraq. He is now a civilian living in Phoenix and waiting for a call from the Navy as he wants to try out for the Navy SEALs.

Greg Masters sent a bunch of news. He’s still a 737 Captain for AirTran flying out of Atlanta. Greg’s oldest, Parks, graduated from USAFA in May (2010) and is starting grad school in Computer Science and Cyber Warfare at AFIT, Wright-Pat. Greg was able to swear Parks in, and here’s a picture of the event. Parks’ sister (left) and his girlfriend are pinning on the bars while a proud Dad observes.

From left are Unidentified, Mary K. Dauenhauer (’82), Jay Moody (’83), Maj Gen Randy Fullhart (’79, officiating), Jon Gregor (’04), Col (Ret) Jan Rosko (’82), Unidentified, Chaplain Greg Tate (’82), and Bev Plosa-Bowser (’80). Other recent retirements include Bob Guessferd and Rob Peterson. Bob retired from the Reserves up in Hudson, NH, and his daughter sang the National Anthem. Rob’s ceremony was in the Peterson AFB museum, and to me that sure seems like the right kind of place to do a retirement! I did mine in the Hill AFB museum, and it just felt very fitting. Rob retired following 28 years of active, ANG and Reserve service. Classmate Kevin Perry was the Master of Ceremonies. Rob noted that since 9/11, he’s averaged 204 days of Reserve duty per year. Paraphrasing the old Buick commercial “it is not your father’s reserve component anymore”! A1 Zelenak retired in July and is planning on spending a few years in the Springs, going back to school to learn automobile restoration under the GI Bill, then heading to Wyoming for some ranching. Chip Dorman is a 777 First Officer for FedEx and will retire from the Reserves in January 2011. Chip says Teddy (Burr) Zeleznik rides with FedEx frequently in her job at the State Department. She and Chip have ridden several times together taking jumpseats going into Dulles.

Col Mark Baker relinquished command of the 515th Air Mobility Operations Group atYokota in July and made his “final” Air Force move to Colorado Springs where he joined the Joint Functional Component Command for Integrated Missile Defense at Schriever AFB as a part of US STRATCOM.

Dean Mills had a busy summer traveling and getting all four ofhis adult kids together at once for a visit. The whole gang converged in C-Springs in June. Deano’s youngest son was on his 2nd period leave from USAFA, and the rest traveled in from as far away as Hawaii. Deano sent this picture of himself andhis wife enjoying life at Kaneohe Bay Beach in Hawaii during their summer travels.

GregMasters’son Parks gets pinned.

Greg says several Redtags are working at AirTran: Floy “Why did I take this Job?” Ponder is Director of Flying (ChiefPilot). Other Redtags include Greg “Tank” Sherman, Brian “How do you like my Moustache?” McLean, Doug “This isn’t the Air Force, is it?” Bissell, and Bruce “Some folks call me Marty” Haley. Greg says that Danny “Flash” Hargrove is the head of the aviation department at Rocky Mountain College in Billings, MT. BGen Bob “Mattie” Otto is the Wing Commander at Beale (unless he’s moved again, already). Matt “Crash but don’t call me that at work” Copp took a LOA from Delta to go back on active duty, was promoted to 0-6, retired from the Air Force, and is now back at Delta in the Atlanta area. Matt Hanifen and Kevin Powell are also living near Atlanta and flying for Delta. Tom “Vegas” Dietz is in Virginia flying for American. Bob “Snooter” Sneath is living in Virginia also and flying for Southwest. Mike France is flying for Southwest and living in Phoenix. Tim Kramer is our token conservative in Napa Valley, CA. Bob Nissen offers retirement planning and investment services in Colorado. Don “BoBo” Schilpp represents Lockheed on Capitol Hill for all of their Air Force programs.

Paul Ackerley is progged to return early from his deployment (October 2010 vs. February 2011), much to Dianna’s (Angeline) delight. Bryan Branby returned from a 4-month deployment to A1 Udied where he ran into Barb Faulkenberry, then the DIRMOBFOR. Barb has since moved on to be the Deputy Director for Operations and Logistics, U.S. Africa Command, Stuttgart, Germany. Bryan’s now enjoying some much needed time with the family. Tom LaValley wrote to say that he had the honor of swear-

ing Chaplain Paul Franz into the Colorado National Guard awhile back. Paul separated about 20 years ago, but was called back into service. Tom and Mike Sinisi have been trading trash talk about organizing a fun run at our 30th coming up in under two years! We’ll see what happens, and who runs!

And speaking of reunions, Ellen (’80) and I just returned from her 30th! We had a great time, as always, connecting with friends and classmates. On top of that, USAFA just pounded on CSU, beating them 49-27. The sun was shining, it was warm, and USAFA won - SO unlike our cadet days! As always, be safe. Ratman

Wade Wheeler

Retiring and moving to San Antonio, TX March 2011

Cell: 703-474-4735

DSN: 314-373-5600

wwade83@me.com

I want to thank all the unsung heroes in our class who reach out to all of us. They coordinate get-togethers in Atlanta and Washington DC. They keep us up to date on bright news and ‘in the know’ during sad times. I list no names; they want to remain unsung heroes. But when you see them next, give them a huge hug!

On a bright note, Tom and Gay Solomon celebrated their 27th anniversary 9 Oct! Tom is making strong recovery following stem cell transplant. Please go to www.caringbridge.org/visit/tomsolomon to see Tom’s journal and leave him a message in his guestbook. Does anyone know where Paul Dimech is? Share it with Gay and Tom. (Email me)

On a sad note, Steven “Banger” Wallender flew West on the 4th of September after a long and difficult struggle with cancer. From one of our classmates I share. “’83ers made a strong showing for Steve’s memorial and funeral. The event(s) were a fitting tribute ofhis contribution to his profession, passion (golf) and family”

I sing a hymn on most Memorial days. It is taken from a poem by Sir John Stanhope Arkwright (1919). I share a few verses here:

O valiant hearts who to your glory came

Through dust of conflict and through battle flame; Tranquil you lie, your knightly virtue proved, Your memory hallowed in the land you loved.

Splendid you passed, the great surrender made; Into the light that nevermore shall fade;

Deep your contentment in that blest abode, Who wait the last clear trumpet call of God.

Cindy Fujimoto Norman finally stepped out from behind the camera and shared a familyphoto. You can see where the kids get their smile... Jim Norman (aka dad). Cindy picked up Ron Graves, during a boring layover at Dulles and gave him a tour of the NASA Udvar-Hazy Center. She heard Sue Roth Hirst and Bebe Cronin O’Neil had a mini ’83 reunion over the weekend of USAFA Navy Game.

Newsflash - Mike Shanahan’s son Sean is going to ARMY OCS. HOOAH! His son Kyle is getting married 31 Dec. He is proud of them both, but has told Sean to call him “Colonel” from here on out!

BG Dana Lindsley Born hosted a tailgater on 8 Oct. Mike and Gisela Shanahan, Tammy Rank, Susan Roth Hirst and a few others were planning to attend. I saved a place to put a photo in. They got so excited about AF football, picture never made it. Mike also missed it because his son threw him a surprise birthday party.

Jeff Ingalls rode in the Seagull Century Ride again this year. He proudly wore his Air Force jersey, but with all the Navy supporters he could only mutter this year! He sees Matt McKeon often; he is working for a contractor in DC supporting DHS and TSA. He heard Mike has gotten married and

just completed his 777 upgrade. He saw Beatty Oeschle Cox who is an IG either for the NRO or the Intelligence Community. Finally, John Stizza is working for Stellar Solutions and his annual Octoberfest is one we should all crash next year.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY to allthe 50ish ones. Karol Welling and TomKasson dance in this photo with Steve Knoblock visible behind them. They were joined by Chris and Beth (Henkener ’84) Austin, Dan Brunskole, Iris Childress, Vince and Mavis Thorpe Compagno, Beth Arvin Iliff, Kathy Strand Johnson, Jack Polo, Dave Specht and Terry Sullivan Kelly. The day after the party Karol took her cousin to “The Great Georgia Airshow” in Peachtree City and ran into George Cespedes who was there with his crew manning the static display of the rescue helicopter he flies with the guard (or is it the reserve?) in Miami. He was even staying at same hotel where they had the party, but was completely unaware. Get with the program George.

The ’83 no-host social hours are still a go at Sine’s Tavern in Pentagon Row. I put Eric Pohland, who just moved to DC from Cape Canaveral and is waiting for his wife, Kristi, and the twins to join him, in touch with Cheryl Phillips so he can participate. I found out Cheryl works in Pentagon office with two ofmy old roommates: Tom Buckner (2 degree year) and Jim Sheppard (KC-135 NAV at Pease AFB).

Identify our classmate in this photo and win a prize! While Stu Pope and Jon Duresky are in a tight competition for who has most pictures ofhimself in Checkpoints since graduation, this classmate has the honor ofhaving his photo in the ’71, ’73 and ’78 checkpoints articles at the same time. The five above rode 325 miles from Boston, PA to Washington DC. He lives in Jon’s hometown (Warner Robbins). What is the prize... name and photo in my next article! Another hint... Between the five bikers they have 11 USAF stars. Our classmate probably made the coffee in the morning as he was junior man on totem pole.

While I haven’treached the BIG 50 like some ofyou, a few experiences this year have made me feel old. First, I called an AF Lt Col on USAFE staff to work an issue, surprise... he had been a cadet glider instructor for me back in ’93. Second, I see a familiar face (AF Major) walking to the chow hall at Camp Victory, Iraq. I stop and ask if he was in CS-16 as a SMACK? Why “YES” he replies, surprised an Army LTC would know this small fact. I was his AOC back in ’96. But the one that takes the cake in making me feel old this year walking to my transient tent at A1 Udeid, Qatar, I see a young lady in her USAFA T-shirt. I assume a Lt or Capt; I askwhat year did she graduate? She replies. “Sir, I am a two degree, class of T2, here on summer program.” Hope that makes you feel old too!

Well I am off to pick up my RETIREMENT orders. Countdown to 1 May 2011 is started. I will head to San Antonio to join my wife, Cherri, who is Deputy Command Chaplain at HQ

Sabre Society Donors 12 JD 1 v_>. 10W ilOV 'lie I will be in

San Antonio. The dogs and I are hoping Cherri gets orders to PACAF (not likely). But there is a good chance she will PCS next summer. Job Prospects: house husband andWorld Series of Poker.

I look forward to seeing everyone at our 30th reunion fall 2013! Start planning now! You too George.

Ray Blust has the next checkpoints article. Reach him at rjmablust@ comcast.net or (304) 242-7182.

As I finish this article, I look forward to being in Afghanistan for this years’ Army - Air Force football game. Go Army beat Air Force! [Editor’s note: obviously written before thegame (smile).]

Mike Jensen

12035 Milam Road

Colorado Springs, CO 80908

1-(800)-G0-AFA-G0

michaeljensen@remax.net

www.usafa84.com

www.twitter.com/usafa84

I hope this note finds you well. The AFA is having a great fall season. In football, we finally got the monkey off our back and beat Navy for the first leg of the Commander-in-Chief Trophy. By the time you read this, we will know if the Trophy is coming back to Colorado Springs. Army has become a very formidable opponent, and Michie Stadium is a difficult place to win in November. I ran into Jon Wikstrom, whose son Wylie is on the team, but had a season ending injury very early in the year.

Generally speaking: On July 10th Amid ominous clouds, thunder and lightening on the outskirts of Buckley Air Force Base, Col. Michael A Loh, 140th Operations Group (OG) Commander, completed his final F-16 Fighting Falcon flight before being promoted to Brig. Gen. Read more here: http://www.140wg.ang.af.mil/news/story_print.asp?id=123213036. Mike is now the Air National Guard special assistant to the Chief of Staff, United States Air Force. Speaking of those Buckley pilots, I ran into Sean Pavlich before the TCU game. He was the honorary alumni Captain for the game, and was tailgating with one ofthe cadets theysponsored (and mentored) along with Sandy McFarlane and son Dillon. I was able to sit with my old roomie Tommy Wilson and his young son, TommyWilson. Tom (theelder) is still flying at AA, while the younger is flying all over softball and football fields in North Texas. Tommy also has 3 daughters, one ofwhom is a 3-degree at USAFA.

Sabre Society Donors 12

Running thorough the Springs: As I am late for the deadline (again), I am rummaging through my head of all the ’84 grads that I see often, who don’t send me info. Two BIG offenders are Doug Applegate and Pete Edgar. I should watch how I use the word “BIG” because the truth be known, Sir Douglas, has become an aerobics machine and is tipping the scale at a weight much under that your humble scribe. To add insult to injury, the twosome of Doug and Pete put a hurt on yours truly on the basketball court on a weekly basis. I also speak with Marv Jones who works here, and financial and accounting guru Jeff Burum-CPA. Jeff Hays is back in the Springs working for Booz-Allen. Bill Neveu was at the Navy game along with his wife, Leslie, as was the UltimateWoman, Monica (Schweitz) Smith, who was in town visiting from the DC area. Bob Perry is living the good life, FULLY RETIRED, with his 6.7 golfhandicap. I know, I saw Gay (Weaver) and Scott Harrison too, but that brain cell is not reminding me ofwhere that was. Also saw Bob Chapman (UAL) at the local neighborhood Starbucks as we got our morning “fix”.

I Visit the AOGWeb Site, www.usafa.org I

Frank “Q." Williams

13209 Topsfield Court Herndon, VA 20171

(703) 657-3227

USAFA1985@aol.com

(Editor’s note: There was an obvious miscommunication between “Q”and the editorfor this column. Only two ofthefivephotos which were to appear in his column arrived at theAOG. Also, the qualityofthose two leaves much to be desired. Hopefully the rest of the photos will be included in the next column with much more resolution and clarity.)

Hi everyone!

I want to start out by saying thanks to our 25th Reunion Committee members for all of their hard work and dedication to make our USAFA Class of 1985 25th Reunion a huge success by all accounts! I could only make it to town for the Friday night dinner and Saturday activities (morning tailgate, afternoon football game, and evening social) but I’m glad I was fortunate enough to make it. It was a real pleasure to see everyone I came in contact with. Like many of you I got reconnected with lots of classmates, face-to-face, who I had not seen in years. I tried to take as many pictures as my iPhone would let me before it ran out of power and that turned out to be about 34, not counting duplicates and poor quality ones.

So it sort of goes without saying (although I’m saying it) that I can’t show all of the pictures in this article. But I promise to keep them handy and go back to the well for more pictures over the next several Checkpoints until the supply is exhausted. And anyone else who took pictures should feel free to send me some pictures to use in Checkpoints too because I know I couldn’t get around to personally seeing and snapping a picture of everyone. But the first picture I want to share this time is the one I took of our 25th Reunion Committee during the Friday night Class Dinner at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort: Tish Norman, Joyce Washington, Lynn Steer and Debbie Harris. Please join me in passing along hearty thanks for a job well done to our reunion committee!

25th Reunion Committee members from left seated: Lynn Steer and Tish Norman, and standing: Debbie Harris andJoyceWashington.

At the risk of losing privacy beyond the level which we set our privacy filters on social media web sites, many of us (me included) have already posted pictures from our 25th reunion on our individual web pages on www. facebook.com. And Tish Norman asked me to include a request in the next Checkpoints for everyone to use the Facebook “group web page” that she had her husband set up for our class. In addition to posting the pictures I took at our reunion to my personal web page, I have also posted the pictures on our class “group web page” per Tish’s request. It just takes a few minutes to upload pictures and you can also use the “tag” feature to help identify everyone in the pictures too. It’s not hard to do. Tish also wanted me to pass along a plug for us to use the web site http://www.ZoomieNation.com which the AOG set up for us to stay in touch for the whole academy community. In addition to regular e-mail and Facebook, I also have a ZoomieNation account but I do not check it as often as I check e-mail or Facebook. In fact, here are a couple more pictures I have posted on Facebook from our class dinner on Fridaynight during the 25th reunion.

And on a related note about web sites, I have to apologize to all of you who have e-mailed me and/or Ray Harris to give you access to our official Class of 1985 web site which is located at http://www.softwrsolutions. com/usafa85 and is linked to the USAF Academy web site in the alumni section under the AOG Services web page for class web sites. All I can do is ask for your patience. I am not the web master; Ray Harris is. I just help Ray vet people by using our yearbook from our senior year to make sure

25th Reunion Class Dinner people asking for access are really our classmates. I have been trying, albeit unsuccessfully, to reach Ray Harris in order to vet people and to have updates made to our class web site. Ray created this web site for our class several years ago and he maintains it on his company web site at no charge to our class.

Carlos Mateos set up a little tailgate in the parking lot ofFalcon Stadium before and after the game. And Air Force beat CSU! A fun time was had by all.

I got an e-mail from Jim Green via his BlackBerry with an update to go with a picture I took of him and wife, Michelle, during the football game during our 25th reunion. Jim told me that he retired in June 2009 and now he is working as a Financial Advisor with Morgan Stanley Smith Barney.

Until the next time... Best regards, Quintel.

Lawrence Cooper

2806 Erics Court

Crofton, MD 21114

410-451-6505

Cooper@astroguy.net

Hi everyone, this is your friendly neighborhood assistant scriber-man with the latest news of our fellow ’86ers. First off, I want to thank all the wives... er... spouses for keeping us all connected. Many of our Facebook members are the indispensible spouses who keep track of things for their very busy lesser halves. Unfortunately everyone’s been so busy that we don’t have much of an update this time... <awkward silence>... hey how ’bout them Falcons! They’re looking to be the best team since we graduated. I’m especially enjoying it because I live near Annapolis and work with several USNA grads, but I’m going to stop there so I don’t jinx anything... <more awkward silence>... okay and now for the update.

Sabre Society Donors 8

We are unfortunately one fewer as of this writing. Classmate Michael Burklund, age 46 and originally from Milford, MI, passed away tragically on Sunday, October 3, 2010 at his home in Kintnersville, PA. The memorial service was held in Milford on 12 Oct. Notes of condolences can still be left at http://lynchfuneraldirectors.com/death_notice.aspx?Operation=previe w&noticeid=1880..

Got a note from Rob Rickert (actuallyhis wife, Anne, is the reporter): Rob retired three years ago after flying for 21 years. He is now the operations manager of Lovell Engineering Associates in Valdosta, GA where he lives

with his wife, Anne, and daughters Callie and Sadie. He still manages to fly some for the company and privately, though not as much as he’d like to. The picture shows Rob Rickert with his lovely wife, Anne, at the pin-on ceremony for another ’86er BGen. Jon “Stormn” Norman at Davis-Monthan AFB last August.

Jim Shoff (a proud 20 Troll) dropped a quick note that he’s now living in Reston, VA as Director of Consulting for Adobe Software. We also have a note from Sharon (Smith) Owen that her husband, Mark 79, recently retired from the AF. According to her ZoomieNation page Sharon’s a Nature Educator at Fontanelle Forest. She reports that, “We are now back in COS for good. I have a daughter, Kate, at Seattle University and a son, Karl, a Jr at Cheyenne Mtn High School. I am currently doing multiple volunteer stints around town with outdoor rec programs, Race for the Cure, and other sorts ofthings. Starting to settle in... again.” Great to hear from you, Sharon - have you gotten all the boxes unpacked yet?

Our Facebook membership is picking up and just reached 130, but you’re all being to voyeuristic - we need you to share so I don’t look so bad when it’s my turn to scribe. Ifyou can’t get updates to me and Bob Colella, just update the USAFA Class of 1986 group on Facebook. Hopefully the group will become a good place to share info on our upcoming big 25th reunion... Yes! We. Are. Getting. Old. But still looking good. So find us on Facebook; update us. Reunion 2011 is upcoming, so look to the Facebook group for updates on that and we’ll be drinking some beer (or other beverage of choice) together in about a year. Next time, Bob Colella is up as the scribe. Write to him at rkascolella@verison.net or (you can surely guess what comes next) update us on Facebook. Until next time and next year in Colorado Springs... Lawrence

John & Carolyn Sammartino

3107 Woods Cove Lane Woodbridge, VA 22192

H: (703) 492-5492

W: (703) 808-6234

jsammar@verizon.net

Welcome back ’87 to another fine edition of Checkpoints—lot of good info this month, our football team is back in the top 25, so without further ado... Dave Hollenbach sent me an input earlier this summer, and when he got the September edition of Checkpoints, wondered if I missedhis input for the “August issue?!” I was like dude, if I had to do this every month it would be madness—pulling words and pictures out of our classmates quarterly is hard enough! Anyway, Dave said that he and “David Bachler see each other regularly around Colorado Springs. Our kids go to the same high school. David’s a PhD candidate and teaching History at USAFA and I own and manage two information technology companies here in town. I’m also on the board of directors at the local chapter of the AOG. David Bachler is also a glider instructor at the Black Forest Soaring Society and was kind enough to take my oldest son, Ethan, up for an hour ride on his 16th birthday. Ethan did a great job in his stalls and general flying abilities.”

Todd Pospisil, never before mentioned in Checkpoints, now getting’ some pub in two issues in a row, sent in the following link regarding Patrick Olson’s legacy http://www.facebook.com/pages/Rename-the-new-Runyon-Creek-Bridge-the-Capt-Patrick-B-OlsonBridge/140509569309409? v=app_2373072738&ref= search #!/pages/Rename-the-new-Runyon-Creek-Bridge-the-Capt-Patrick-B-01son-Bridge/140509569309409?v=wall&ref=search

The page is dedicated to the effort to rename the new Runyon Creek Bridge (Beaufort County, SC) linking Washington to Washington Park in honor of Captain Patrick B. Olson, who perished being shot down over the skies ofIraq 27 Feb 1991 in the first GulfWar. Take a look and sign the petition ifyou get a chance.

Heard from Hal McAlduff recently, I was surprised that he settled in the Northern Virginia area, being such the Bostonian that he is. Hal and I worked in Contractingtogether while on active duty—he is now retired and working for Price Waterhouse Coopers, and reports that it is a “grind” on the other side of the government. I will withhold comment on that one!

Ran into Dan O’Connell in the gym the other day, not sure what he does exactly at the NRO—I either see him in the cafeteria, on the racquetball court, or in the gym! He promises some updates on other classmates for the next issue.

RickyYoder, a long lost Chickenhawk, is a full-time Guardsmanback in Illinois, but says he travels more now than when he was a pilot! He was recently at Tyndall AFB, helping out the bubbas during Deep Water Horizon, being a temp Chief, Combat Operations (CCO), at 1AF/AFNORTH CAOC. He was getting ready to leave in a few weeks (in the summer) and then had to go to Davis-Monthan and play Deputy CAOC Director for a 12AF/AFSOUTH exercise. He is getting around it seems.

Jack Coulahan and Denis Steele on the sidelines at Falcon Stadium after the thrashing of CSU 49-27 (You can see the score on the board if you squint). Denis is flying the U2 for NASA and Jack is Assoc. Athletic Director at USAFA. Where’s the “spirit cheese” gentlemen!

I’ll be bringing plenty of cheese to our 25th don’t worry! They were also trying to get San Diego St. to allow Denis to do a flyby in a NASA U2 out of Edwards. Pretty cool ifthey were able to get all the clearances done in time ’87 is doing cool things these days. We’re old - but we ain’t dead yet! Jack also reported that his daughter Morgan is doing great and going to BYU if you can believe that!

Mark Arriola promised an input for several months, so here it is! He wrote that he “took over as the Liaison Officer Director (LOD) for Area 200 which includes Maryland and Delaware. I have about 32 officers in my unit and wecoverover 560 primary schools in MD/DE. Believe it or not, my 0-6 promotion board meets on October 25th we’ll see! I have been flying with Southwest Airlines since 1996 and my family and I currently live in central Maryland. My wife, Melissa, grew up in NorthernVirginia so we have her close to home and the kids have a set of grandparents close by. I have included a summer vacation picture of my family at Stanley Park in Vancouver, British Columbia. (See photo at the top ofthe next column.)We spent 3 nights and 4 days all over Vancouver and took the train to and from Seattle. We were up in the great Pacific Northwest near the end ofJuly and the weather was phenomenal. We have 3 children: Lindsey (13 and in the 8th grade), Blair (12 and in the 7th grade) and Daniel (8 in the 3rd grade). We are a travel soccer family and spend most weekends watching, coaching or playing soccer. I have quite a few of our classmates with us at SWA. Might be fun to actually find out how many of us are here I bet the number is pretty big.” Hear that all you SWA pilots—expect to hear from you soon for some more great updates!”

That’s about it for this edition. Once again thanks for all the great inputs; get other classmates that we haven’t heard from in years to send something in. It is fun to hear and share all the accomplishments of our class. Fly safe...

for your Board of Directors

Please visit page 76 to learn about the new candidates for our upcoming Board elections. The election will be conductedfrom March 31 to April 30 2011.

Your vote counts!

The Arriola Family

Craig McCurdy

46992 SmithwoodCourt

Potomac Falls, VA 20165

Cell: (202) 570-3058

ccicdjmccurdy@yahoo.com

The first article is from Col Chris Pike, 609-353-1546.

The attached photo was taken 9 July 2010 at Bagram Airfield in Afghanistan, just a few minutes before the change of command of the455th Expeditionary Mission Support Group. After a full year tour, I relinquished command to Col Jeff Hunt. Col Emily (Whitaker) Buckman recently graduated as commander of the 21st Mission Support Group at Peterson and currently serving as an advisor to the Afghanistan Minister of the Interior at Kabul; came up to Bagram for the day as a special guest. Meanwhile, Col Scott Long is the 455th Expeditionary Operations Group Commander at Bagram, and he would have been at the ceremony and in the picture too, except that the combat mission he was flying that day was extended by a couple of hours so he was busy raining Air Power on the bad guys elsewhere in the country. Following the change of command, I moved to McGuire AFB, NJ, where I am now the Vice Commander of the 21st Expeditionary Mobility Task Force (AMC), an organization that includes the 521st Air Mobility OperationsWing at Ramstein, under the command of Col Kip Turain who also just returned from the theater after serving for a year as the Vice Wing Commander at al Dhafra. My neighbor two doors down here at McGuire is Col Johnny Roscoe, the 305th Operations Group Commander.

The second article is from both Brenda and Michael Miller.

DCMA LOGCAPIV Site 331

Attn Lt Col Michael A Miller

APO AE 09355

(Brenda) Update on Michael - he is doing great! No really, he’s thriving in his role ofleadership over there - surprise, surprise! Theyjust completed a major contracting department review since being ramped up over there and his organization did very well! He’d been working very hard and long hours (12-16-hour days) to be ready for this review and it paid off greatly. He was told that he brings a “higher level of professionalism to the organ!zation”. A Colonel made a recent comment to him that he wishes he could

take Michael ‘up north’ to his base to work. That’s Michael! We’ve been able to talk on the phone daily which is very nice - we’re coming to common ground on how much is enough!

He was thrilled to find the Yankees being represented by the Kabob house in the ‘boardwalk’ area of the base. In this area, the troops relax and have fun. They play sand volleyball, salsa dance, and eat. Since it’s a NATO installation, Michael says they are not lacking any food over there - there’s more than enough! Funny thing, the Canadians have created a mini ice rinkguess they cannot live without hockey - be it broom hockey or the real thing! Midwesterners will also understand this need.

Yankeefan in Afghanistan.

An excerpt from an 8/30/10 email from Michael (since this email, he’s received 2 more boxes): This weekend I discovered that there is an informal and unspoken competition involving care packages. I found this out because I received 5 boxes at the end oflast week 3 on Thursday and 2 more on Saturday. Immediately, I became the topic of much discussion. I guess I’m at the top of the leader-board for “most boxes in the shortest time span” thanks to Ken and Cathy, Deb from Aerojet, John Longo, and Eva and the kids!! During the time ofreceipt, I was preoccupied with preparation for the Award Fee Evaluation Board, so I decided not to open my boxes until I had time to open them without rushing. This decision was frowned upon universally and created quite a stir. Oh my goodness, you would have thought I was plotting to cancel opening gifts at Christmas! In fact, someone accused me of “being opposed to opening gifts prior to Christmas” I had to laugh! Throughout the building, I’ve heard, “have you opened your boxes yet?” so manytimes. In fact, someone stuck a note on the top boxyesterday that said, “OPEN ME!” How funny... after a while, I delayed the grand opening to egg on some ofthe “heightened anxiety” cruel I know, but fun!

Everyone has been so kind and generous... lots oftreats being shared and traded. It’s kind oflike lunch time in grade school when boxes arrive at the office. “What did you get?” “Ooohh, those are my favorite... I’ll trade ya’”. Because of everyone’s generosity, I have sooo much to share with others and enjoy for myself at the same time!!

Please send my love and my thanks for the kindness shown to me through word, thoughts, prayers and care packages!! Care packages are fun theyhelp break up the monotony! LOL”

The third article is from Joe Mazur.

I recently left Orbital Sciences Corporation in Dulles, VA where I had been a Business Development Director and Program Manager for the past 2 years. I worked with Kevin Missar who remains a Senior Director in the Advanced Programs Group, and Larry Mauch (’86) who was the Chief Systerns Engineer on the main effort that I supported - a project to host an Air Force infrared sensor on a satellite scheduled for launch next year. It was a challenging position - but I jumped on an opportunity to move back to the Government as the Director ofthe Contract Management Office at the De-

fense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA) in Arlington, VA. As the CMO Director I’m the principal business/acquisition advisor to the DARPA Director for research, development and demonstration of high-risk, highpayoffprojects for the current and future combat force. As a member ofthe Senior Executive Service (SES) my position is a DoD civilian equivalent to a General Officer (GO). I’m reallylooking forward to the many challenges in the future as I lead DARPA contracting in acquiring the military technology of the future. One of my first office visits was from Don Raines (’86) who recently became a Director of Business Development at ManTech.

On the home front, I enclosed a picture ofmyself, my wife, Ives, who is a Captain in the Navy Reserve, and our 9-month-old daughter Emma.

Paul W. Tibbets, IV

379 AEW/CV

DPO AE 09309

Home: 011-39-065-422-1922

E-mail: p2a2tibbets@gmail.com

Class web site: http://www. usafaclasses.org/1989/

Greetings everyone! Hope the winter is treating you well. I asked our class president, Don Simpson, for some updates...and did he come through! Here we go.

Scott Gierat: “Hey, Fine’89ers! It’s an honor to be asked to throw some words down on parchment... even if it’s electronic. I can honestly say it’s been a whirlwind 22 years (yep, extra one for me as a preppie). As for me, I left the cockpit in 2008 and am currently sitting at a desk in the European theater at HQ EUCOM. I’m working in Joint Training Readiness and Exercises (JTRE) and am responsible for all Joint Force Headquarters Training. It has been a decent job at times, but then again, it’s a staffjob. I was fortunate enough to fly for 19 of 22 years in the mightyViper, but after command (310 FS/CC, Luke AFB) I was destined for a longer stint on the staff. I figured Joint and Germany... how bad can that be you might ask? Well... no comment. As for family, I’ve been married to my bride now for 16.5 years and we have three beautiful children: Natalie (10), John (8), and Sammy (6). For those that know me, no, we did not name our third afterthe “Red Rocker”, but now that you mention it.... These kids have lived in 5 places, and their dad remote one time during their lifetime, but they’ve hung in there and we’ve had a blast these last 2.5 here in Germany. Lots of fun.

“Have I seen other ’89ers? Well, I recently ran into my old roommate, Eric Casler, up at USAFE. When I saw him, I said, “Dude, I didn’t even know you were still in.” He said, “Me neither.” Evidently he and I have been burning it up in the AF. I also heard that “Ladtka” Czupka is up at USAFE as well, but have not run into him, and my otherold roommate (4 degree year), “Shaps” Shapland is now the 603rd AOC/CC at Ramstein. During my time as an FS/CC at Luke, there were many a time classmates rolled through Luke... “Troll” Hoepfner, “Gunz” Gersten to name a couple... but I served with other classmates as fellow commanders... “Fish” Sturgeon and “Max” Maixner. I will say, though, the coolest thing I got to do as a commander was to give one of our classmates an incentive ride in the F-16. It was during his inaugural year as the USAF Academy head football coach... none other than Troy “Duck” Calhoun. We were able to work it out during a recruiting trip to Arizona. He spent the day with the TopHats and logged 1.7 hours in the Viper. His first time in a fighter. So, to me that was when I realized we have kinda grown up... me, F-16 Squadron Commander, and Duck, USAFA head football coach in the back seat. Needless to say, he did great... as he’s doing now on the field.

Class News

“Well, classmates, that’s a quick wrap up of what “G-Rat” is up to. Take care of you and yours; I look forward to seeing you at the 25- or 30-year... whichever we have.”

Scott Birkhead: “I attended the USAFA Prep School and the Academy in 1989 (CS-15). I finished my USAF career at Los Angeles AFB in 1993.1 currently live in Arvada, CO with my wife, Pearl, of 19 years. We have three children ages 18, 15 and 11. The oldest is a student at University of Northern Colorado learning to be a special needs teacher, and the others are in high school and elementary school. I have been a technology recruiter since moving to the Denver area in 1994, working in corporate, staffing and contract roles. I also run several ventures solo-preneur that train job seekers and small service businesses how to find their voice and use direct marketing skills to land work that is financially and personally fulfilling.

“I bump into all kinds ofMilitaryAcademygraduates in the area, including my room mate Mike Burtley, Richard Lewis and Don Simpson from’89, Craig Ward ’87, Dan Rojas ’84 and Don Van Gilder (’89 USNA) who recently drove down to Colorado Springs to see Navy lose to Air Force. (Hey, he teased me about it before the game, so now look whose turn it is!)

Bill Follin: “Hello everyone! I live in a suburb west of Chicago (I know, the winters are very cold!) and I am married with two great children, Connor and Kate. I have been lucky enough to be with United Airlines and Iven Rosheim (’89 grad, 7th squadron) and I fly a bunch on the side also. Anyonevisiting or living in the area, please call me at 630-460-3625. Take care everyone!”

John Birk: “I live in Fort Worth with my June Week wedding bride (Michelle) and three great kids (Marcus 16, Gabrielle 13, and Natasha 5). I’m in my 11th year at Southwest and fly from the left seat out ofeither Houston or Chicago. I recently left the Guard, but still stay involved with the Air Force as an Academy Liaison Officer.”

Richard Lewis: “RTL Networks, Inc., founded and operated by our very own Rich Lewis, has been receiving quite a bit of attention over the years, for its impressive growth and ‘over the top’ customer service. Based in Denver, RTL Networks Inc. is a technology solutions and sales company, delivering a full range of products and services to help customers leverage technology to meet business objectives. RTL Networks was formed in 2002, after Rich served 10 years as an Air Force Communications Officer, followed by a successful corporate career, working for firms such as Cisco Systems, Avaya and Qwest.

“Most recently, RTL was named to Inc. magazine’s esteemed ‘Inc. 500’ list, as the 331st fastest-growing privately held company in the United States, with over 900% growth from 2007 to 2009. In 2010, RTL Networks, Inc. was awarded a competitive contract for 1 year and 4 option years, valued at $15M, by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), Animal and Plant Inspection Service (APHIS). RTL continues to look for opportunities to continue providing its technology products and services to the DoD, the Federal Government and corporate sector. For more information, please visit www.rtl-networks.com.

Joe Matchette: “I am currently at Reserve Command Headquartersworking in the Stan-Eval division and still flying F-16s. As far as I know, I am the only ’89er here lots of grads, but no other Mighty Fine! I do, however, see Brian Abeyta at local triathlons every year. The family picture was taken last year at Ironman Arizona (myfirst: 12:07:31). While I was in Phoenix, I did get a chance to see Scott Kirby (who has a ‘sweet’ office, by the way). I also just finished IronmanWisconsin in September; I was invited to go with the USAFA Tri team and I couldn’t pass up the opportunity. Lastly, I am planning on doing the Ironman in Louisville next year so if there are any classmates who will be there, please give me a shout out (joseph.matchette@gmail.com).

Joe and his beautifulfamily!

Many thanks guys! If there are any more retirement stories, please drop me a note so I can pass them along. Also, let me hear from all of you who are either deployed or recently returned from deployment. Best wishes to you and your families. Take care and God bless!

Mike Shepherd

3801 Derby Circle

Quartz Hill, CA 93536 (661) 266-2133

michael.shepherd@edwards.af.mil

Class Web Site: www.usafa90.com

Ikf

Let’s begin by thanking Scott “DeTom” DeThomas for an absolutely fantastic 20-year bash! The SPIRIT CHEESE was flying, and the football team could not have defeated BYU in any grander fashion! DeTom secured an ideal venue as the Cheyenne Mountain Resort offered some breath-taking Rocky Mountain views, and easily accommodated our spectacular attendance mark of nearly 500 persons. The reunion committee was led by DeTom and included Steve Senn, Steve and Liz (Grupe) Orie, Bryan Ossolinski, and Paul Szostak. The squadron POCs were outstanding... special shout out to CS-Ol’s Ruthann Fischer who was the first rep to have 100% success on updating her squadron’s roster. Bret Krumrey took the lead on the golf tournament—word had it the groundskeeper gave everyone a built in-excuse for not measuring up to their handicaps...Finally, the committee would like to extend a special thanks to the AOG’s Reunion liaison, Ms. Tiffani Lusson. For our class, this year’s reunion was bittersweet, as we paid respect to our classmate and scribe James Sanchez at the Friday memorial retreat formation. Taps and the missing-man four-ship of Eagles and F-4s were touching tributes to our Academy brethren.

Sabre Society Donors 4

I spent Sunday morning with pad and paper to get an update on some of our classmates as we went to and from the buffet line. Kurt Rohloff is coaching youth hockey in Chicago for 9-year-old son Mark, as well as keeping up with 13year-old daughter Sarah and wife, Julie, and works as an IMA at TACC while on leave from American Airlines. Joining him across the way at Scott AFB is Cal Mercer working for the A3 at TRANSCOM and who, as usual, was the life of the party at the class mixer! Also in the area is Mike Hollman with wife, Michelle, where Mike is still flying C-130s. Boyd PARKER is a Reservist flying KC-lOs and works as the deputy OG as a graduated squadron commander while he waits for the summer moves at Travis AFB. Also flying KC-lOs as a Reservist is Doug Carmann, but on the opposite coast flying out of McGuire AFB when not working his dayjob for American out of Philadelphia.

Mike Carter, Cindy (Delacruz) Aspden, Trevor Schaefer and Don Moses Jr. are all smiles!

There was quite a contingent from the Northwest at the reunion. Bill Gregory and wife, Kirsten, now call Gig Harbor, WA home after a recent move, and Bill continues on the 767 for Delta. GeoffGeness Grizzard is now Dr. Grizz, and is busy working on an acupuncture degree while operating his own chiropractor practice. Grizz is married to Maryann, also a chiropraetor, and they enjoy their daughter Sophia, age 3. He is also working on a long-term project to heal injured vets returning from OIF and OEF. Tony Lind and Heidi left the kids at home for the reunion at their newlyfinished dream home on lakefront property in Seattle. Tony still flies for Alaska and continues to serve as an ALO for the Academy. Also in Seattle is Ted Grady who has the enviable position of initial cadre for Boeing’s new 787 Dreamliner.

Some of us didn’t have to travel too far to attend the reunion. Charlie MacIntyre recentlyjoined our growing retired ranks, retiring on 1 Jun from his position as a professor in the Philosophy department at USAFA. Charlie plans on staying in the local area to begin his second career. John Shaw andTonia are stationed at Schriever AFB where John is the 50th Operations Group Commander, charged with the flight of 170 DoD satellites including the GPS constellations. Recently completing a tour in C-Springs as an

instructor in the Academy’s management department, Kent Halverson and family, including sons ages 10 and 8, are thrilled to return to the Dayton area and Wright-Patterson AFB. It’s likely ski season in the mountains by the time this issue hits the streets, and if so, Nikki Blatt should be retired and skiing Park City, Utah while on terminal leave before she begins working as an aerospace engineer in the spring.

The ’90 class banner andspirit cheese wereflyinghigh atFalcon Stadium!

The commercial pilots were at the reunion in full force. Rick Weston is a corporate pilot for L-3. Jon Shankland will begin flying the MD-11 in January out of Ontario, CA where he lives with bride, Carol, and son Cam. Brett Krumreyflies MD-88s for Delta, and has his hands full with children aged 16, 12, 10 and 6. Steve Arbetman lives with wife, Trish, in central Pennsylvania and flies out of Baltimore. Nearby Baltimore in the DC area is Kevin Roots who is busy developing RFID technology applications for Lockheed Martin. Teri Scwartz is also in DC, where she works as a speech writer, having left the flying game. Nearby are classmates Mike Saunders and Chuck Nesemeier who are studying hard at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces at Fort McNair. Speaking of studying, Phil Wielhouwer was able to get a reprieve from the powers that be at Maxwell allowing 1990 classmates the option to miss Friday classes to attend the reunion. Attending Air War College with Phil are KyleVoight, Jill Singleton, Mike “Zulu” Contratto, Paul Kasuda, Carl Brenner, Mark Brown, John Bunnell, TJ Goulter, and Scott Arcuri.

Thanks to Cindy (Delacruz) Aspden who sent some great photos from the reunion! Cindy’s husband Don (’88) was in OEF flying MC-130s and couldn’t join us for the reunion. Cindy is a pilot for JetBlue on A320s, and recently completed her IMA tour working on the ABL at Kirtland AFB. Also at Kirtland is Karen Madsen who is the IG and is raising her 9-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter. The next state over finds Keith Watts working in the air ops center for Global Hawk and other ISR platforms at Davis-MonthanAFB. Over in Phoenix Beach “Slap” Curtis checked in from his position as the ACC TRSS detachment commander at Luke AFB. Also at Luke are Brian Elliott, soon to be 56 FW/IG, and Mike Wang flying as an IP with the Reserves.

Well, I’m sure I didn’t get to everybody, but that’s your invitation to send me an update for next quarter—excerpts from Christmas cards are great. Before I close there are a few announcements: The first is our Facebook site has migrated to http://www.facebook.eom/#l/group. php?gid=151944851507033 since we lost the admin rights to the original site. Second, the Center for Character Development and Leadership (CCLD) center was chosen for our class gift with a goal to raise $100K spread over the next 3-5 years; donation info may be found at https://giving.usafa.org/ give/90ccld. If you would like to join the gift committee, please send an email to DeTom at Sdethomasl7@gmail.com or Ozz bryan.ossoll@gmail. com. Finally, photos from the reunion are available for purchase or as free download from myusafa.com. Check out the site—there are literally hundreds ofgreat shots ofthe reunion. Thanks again to everyone who made the reunion such a great success. Enjoy the holiday season and fly safe! Mighty Ninety! Flash

Carson Tavenner

6828 Raccoon Court

Waldorf, MD 20603 (202) 231-2484

DSN: (312) 428-2484

Home: (301) 374-2752

Ca rso n_wendy@co m cast, n et

Bold Gold, I’m writing you from the wonderful land of Washington...but not the beltway! Yahoo! But this is just a visit; not my permanent move yet. Can you believe how many fellow grads live here?! I had no idea.. .wow! I suppose over the years I’ve heard of folks living here that I’d neglected to realize most are not in the active duty service, and therefore not moving away every three years. To hear this crowd talk, you’d think most of the Class of 1991 ended up in Air Mobility Command, and certainly a great number have. Yesterday I had the great pleasure ofwatching the mighty and beautiful C-17s flying low overhead while alongside the golf course on Joint Base McChord-Lewis.

(I know it’s technically Lewis-McChord, but this is our column and I have to listen to Army/Navy slams on the USAF every week at work so today it’s McChord-Lewis!)

We were a happy little crowd of nine (!), clearly beating out in attendance all the Pentagon lunch attempts this past year. Yet another example of the strength of the “other Washington”; also, I suppose, the tyranny of the urgent that plagues the five-sided prison.

I joined Julie (Rickert) and Chad Marien, Joe Nauman, Ben Morley, Hans Bley, Tom Jensen, Tim Greminger, and Rod Lewis. Julie helped me put all the various states of duty into words (thanks again, Julie!) Joe, Ben, and Hans are all ARTs (full time Reservists) in the 446 Reserve Wing - flying C-17s. Tom and Tim fly for Alaska Airlines and fly C-17s as traditional (part time) Reservists in the 446th. Rod is an active duty C-17 squadron commander in the 62 AW at McChord. Chad was flying forAlaska Airlines, but took the return to active duty program and is now an active duty C-17 pilot in the 62nd AW at McChord. After he earns his retirement, he’ll return to Alaska Airlines. Julie is a USAFA ALO and stays home with their two kids.

Let’s wrap up with some one-liners. Tasha Pravacek is the Medical Support Squadron Commander at Minot ND where she is raising her 9-year-old son Sahar. Joe Shahid and wife, Michelle, are busy with 6 children (3 made the reunion!) and is the current record holder for the youngest child in our class at 6 months of age. Herb Ehresman lives in Nashville. Dawn Molzen works for a Christian ministry. Parker Shipley is an FBI agent in Milwaukee, married with two children, and Brenda Pippel is now living in Omaha.

From left are Ben, Hans,Joe, Tom, Rod, Carson, Tim,Julie, and Chad enjoying a small miracle: eating lunch outside in Washington State in October!

Julie continued, “David and Belinda Zeitouni are ALOs with me and have 2 kids now. Bryan Rau flies for Alaska and is also an ALO. Scott Ryan is an airline pilot and also a C-17 Reserve pilot at McChord. Gregg Pointon lives out here as well and works for Boeing. Keith McMinn (who designed our class crest) flies C-17s in the 446th Reserve Squadron at McChord and lives out in Sequim. Other 446th C-17 Reserve pilots that fly out of McChord include: Kevin Cronk, Colin Keen, Mike Stevens and Diego Wendt. Kim (Basham) Wendt works for the Western Air Defense Sector at McChord.

Class News

Sara (Sposato) Sexton lives out here as well. I’m sure there are others I’ve left off, but that’s a start!

Julie and Chad recently traveled to USAFA for the Navy game. “We stayed with Carlene (Perry) Jacobus who is an instructor at USAFA as well as the mother of twin boys. We met up with Marta (Bertoglio) Chapman and her family who drove over from Montana. Jim Beierschmitt and his new wife, Becky (married this summer), flew up from San Diego for the weekend as well. We heard that Toby Zyroll, Rich Fogle and Tom Anderson were also in town for the AF/Navy game, but we did not get to see them. As we mentioned at lunch, Tim Runnette was in Seattle for some training at Boeing. We had fun meeting him for a soccer game when he was in town. Tim is stationed at Scott AFB. Another “random” one is that Dave Corby stopped by a few months ago with his wife and baby. Dave lives in Albuquerque, NM and is still in the AF active duty.” Thank you, Julie!

I also just discovered Lisa (Degenhart) Bukata also lives out here, in Gig Harbor. Sweet! In September I attended Pat Rhatigan’s promotion to Colonel in the Pentagon. He did a great job with his speech and managed to fool everyone, pretty much. Ryan Farmer visited me while TDY from his systems analysis research job at Wright Patterson AFB, and a bit of cool news is that he sang the Star Spangled Banner at a local baseball game after winning a selection competition. Ryan used to sing “God Bless the USA” in the Cadet Chorale, so clearly he still has what it takes!

OR. They are both attorneys. She’s an assistant DA and Josh is an intellectual property lawyer and Repify’s attorney. Sully is an 0-5 and still in. He PCSd from Hickam (PACAF HQ) last year and is back at Scott working at TACC. He started skydiving a few years ago and just took his son Jack, who’s about 5 or 6, into the wind tunnel for his first freefall experience last month. His wife and daughter, Callie, just looked on! Mike is doing hi-tech civilian work in northernVirginia, which apparently doesn’t keep him busyenough as he and his wife, Nan, just had their ninth child. That has to be a class record. (Tav Note: Mike! Picture ofyou eleven, please!) Zub is still with the Reserves, but also flies for Jet Blue. He lives in Charleston with his wife, Amy, and daughter. Big news there, major house remodeling. They are very happy and content in South Carolina. Zub’s sorry he didn’t run for governor this year.

“I work with Tom Jahn at ACSC. He and I are both holding out for next summer to retire. Tom plans to stay in Montgomery and become a certified financial planner. He just took the test last week. He still plays tennis and is the undisputed local champion here.

“I taught at USAFA off and on teaching management and parachuting, spent some time on the National Security Council at the White House and the American Embassy in Tel Aviv, and am finishing my career next year. With another grad (Dave Levy, ‘88) I’ve founded a company and written two books recently: The 52nd Floor: Thinking Deeply About Leadership, and Attitudes Aren’t Free: ThinkingDeeply About Diversity in the US Armed Forces. Our publishing company is called Enso Books; the consulting firm is Ensos.”

I have not printed everything everyone sent me, but please keep it coming!

James S. Mehta

PSC 3, Box 1515

APO AE 09021

DSN: 314-489-6077

jamesmehta@us.af.mil

jamesmehta@earthlink.net

Is it that time already? They say that time seems to speed up as you get older and I definitely think it’s true. Remember when you were a kid and summer vacation seemed to last for “years?” I told my 4-year-old daughter, Sarah, that we would be in Germany until she was 6 and she said, “That’s forever!” Yeah, the four years at USAFA felt as long as forever too and now it goes by in less than two assignments! Anyway, that brings me to my point... I’m not ready for another column, but here goes.

Last time I wrote that we had just arrived in Germany and by the time this column rolled around, I hoped to be living in a quaint village nearby. Well, I’m happy to say that we are settled in that quaint little village—by “quaint,” I mean we have cows living nearby and no high-speed Internet. Anyway, we are enjoying the assignment and squadron command is great. Since we’ll only be here two years, we have been working hard to get out andtravel. We’ve already made weekend trips to Paris and Brussels.

First, e-mail. I got an e-mail from Ross Sauter who was pictured and mentioned in thelast column. He separated from active duty in 2002, and has been full-time in the Arkansas Air National Guard in Fort Smith, AR ever since. After years of flying F-16s, his unit converted to A-10s under BRAC in 2006/2007. He just recently re-

Can you pick out the USAFAcademygraduate in this picture?

For the rest of the column, I’m going to repeat as much of Jim Parco’s update as I can. Jim hasn’t written to us since graduation.

[A group of other grads and I] are about to launch a company that provides portable reputations systems. The company is called Repify (www. repify.com). We’re really excited about the prospects.

“I ran into Dave Garcia and Luis Villanueva today at USAFA at a conference... [and] I keep up regularly with Josh Smith, Chris Sullivan, Mike Gingras and Dan Zubryd. Josh - married a few years ago and just had their first child a little girl named Quinn. He andhis wife, Zoe, live in Portland,

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turned from his first combat deployment to Afghanistan in the A-10. It was his fourth AEF rotation with all the rest being to Iraq and Saudi. He mentioned all the same people Steve Martinez did in the last column as being in Kandahar. He also sent a photo taken after his 100th total career combat mission. This was probably his busiest AEF of them all, and he “got to help some Taliban reach martyrdom.” One of the highlights of his deployment was doing a night CAS mission on the Af-Pak border and seeing good friend Jim Dutton (’91) flying past in the Space Shuttle in the early morning sky on his way to dock the shuttle with the International Space Station (also visible) the next day. He saw Jim fly directly over Afghanistan a few nights after that as well.

Old Tarantulas. Bob Seifert deployed in September andhad an overnight at Ramstein on the way out. I was able to meet him for lunch and visit for a while. He followed up with an e-mail from the AOR where he and five other ’92ers watched the Mighty Falcons sink the Navy midshipmen. According to Bob, “Six of us ’92 guys got together to watch the Air Force beat up on Navy at an ‘undisclosed location’ in the Middle East.” Dave Durbin is the 8 EAMS/DO; Bill Spangenthal is the TRANSCOM FNO to CENTCOM/ SOCO; Rich Rosa is the Commander of the 763 ERS; John Kubenic is the Commander of the 379th Expeditionary Maintenance Group; Billy Lawson didn’t chime in to let me know what he was doing on his deployment; and, Bob is flying C-21s in the 379 EOG.

Bill, Rich, Dave, John, and Bob gathered to watch the Falcons sink the Middies.

Bill Spangenthal also sent me some additional information. Bill and I were in the same pilot training flight a long time ago. Anyway, Bill just happened to be passing through Afghanistan for a conference—he’s normally at CENTCOM in Tampa, FL and watched the game with the rest ofthe guys. He and his wife, Alisa, moved there this past June with their 8-year-old son Cody, and 12-year-old daughter Emma. According to Bill, “I am the TRANSCOM LNO to CENTCOM/SOCOM...which doesn’t mean much other than I travel a lot and attend meetings all day. Honestly...not too bad of a mid-life crisis job...except I would rather be flying!” He also filled me in on some others. Next summer, Mike Honma is taking command of the 48AS, Tony Schenk is taking the 76 AS, and Ken Moss is taking the 908 EARS. I ran into Tonywhile I was staying at a hotel for the first several weeks after we arrived here and were looking for a house. Tony had to move out of his house and was in-between houses when he stopped me at breakfast one morning.

Local Ramsteiners. A few months back, I saw that Mike Florio arrived here to take command of the 86th Security Forces Squadron at Ramstein. Rich’s wife, Cindy Harris (’91), is stationed at Landstuhl in the Emergency Room and they have two sons. It is always great to know the local SF Squadron commander as an OSI guy, so I appreciate having a classmate to reach out to. Unfortunately, Rich arrived just weeks before Ramstein’s big ORI, so he jumped right into the fire.

True Blue ’92. That same familiarity continued when I got a phone call from the 855th Aerospace Expeditionary Squadron commander—a Lt Col Joe Hall. Yep, that Joe Hall. Joe was calling to find out the background and the situation on one of my guys who had to redeployjust a few weeks after arriving in theater for a medical issue. It was nice to know the guy on the other end of the phone and I’m sure Joe felt the same. We knew we could count on and trust one another. The phone call might have been very different otherwise.

Joe is half-way through a 365-day deployment commanding the largest squadron in the AF—over 1000 personnel fulfilling Joint Expeditionary Taskings at Bagram. He’s got two kids, Patrick (12) and Megan (9), at home with his wife atWhiteman. He’ll PCS when he gets back and should find out to where in the next month or two.

See you next time. Hope you all continue to do great things out there both in and out ofthe Air Force. It is pretty cool to see what great contributions you all are making. I look forward to hearing from all of you in the future. Until then, True Blue ’92. God Bless, James.

Joe on Mount Ghar with some ofhisAirmen.

Michael D. Sundsted

1805 Macadams Place

Alexandria, VA 22308 (240) 338-9839

Michael.sundsted@afncr.af.mil

Class Website: www.highflight.com

Class of 1993 Scribe Letter, Winter 2010

Greetings ’93! Welcome to the wonderful worldof winter unless you are below the equator like I was in November—then it’s summer! I hope this finds you well after a great AF football season. A couple of touch losses to some really good teams—we beat BYU and Navy! The last Checkpoints submission had a mistake on my email—should be Michael.sunsted@afncr.af.mil. If you tried to send an email to me the past quarter—please resend! As 2010 comes to an endand 2011 is ushered in—Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and a Blessed NewYear!

Got a brief email from Dave Graffwho finally succumbed to the gravitational pull of the Pentagon. Dave is muddling through the roads of traffic here in DC and enjoys his time being the Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force! Prior to that he was up at Elmendorf AB, AK as the 19th Fighter Squadron Commander.

Jason Mills is having fun in South Texas at Del Rio protecting the border by leading America’s newest pilots! Ahhhhhh...it seems like only yesterday that Millsy and I were at Sheppard doing the same thing—except we patrolled the border of Oklahoma and Texas! Jason is doing well, but headed on a deployment down range in January—one of those safety things you must do as a base chiefofsafety! Jason ran into Brad Bird at the Safety Board President’s course at Kirtland AFB in October. Glad to hear the Bird-man hasn’t changed a bit! AndyTravnicek is also in the picture at Del Rio and promises to organize a picture from the fellas at Del Rio.

Phil Tucker checked in from Ramstein, Germany as the Operational Support Squadron (OSS) Squadron Commander. He says life is busier than ever. The OSS is an interesting animal and he is enjoying his time as a commander there. The young-uns are all over the place with Scouts, soccer and every other activity the base and Germany has to offer. Amy, Phillips better half, is enjoying her life teaching. Thanks for the update Phil!

Brendan Harris sent an update from scenic Kandahar, Afghanistan. He will be there running some sweet intel operations through April. His numher one priority was to learn to speak “Army” because he is typically the only Airman wherever he goes—unless it’s thechow hall of course! Brendan leads a multinational team that manages the ISR assets each day that supports the US Army Brigade-level task forces—a lot of hardware, software and headaches I am sure.. .the Predator is a great asset to have. Life is busy and good—Brendan says we are doing some great things over there. He says Brian “Rug” Burns is working a sweet gig over there, but I need him to send an email to update! Thanks Brendan—be safe!

I pulled an update off of USAFA InCircle from Greg Bendinger. Greg has lived in Des Moines, IA for the past 10 years. He is married to his beautiful wife, Robyn, for seven years. They have 3 sons (Matt 6, Jack 5, and Sean 3). Greg started his own business as a financial advisor a little over a year ago and absolutely loves it. Prior to that he worked as a pharmaceutical rep for Pfizer. Greg recently runs into Benji Cunningham about once a quarter. Benji works for Amgen and has 3 adorable kids with his wife, Jill. He also ran into Dave Turner at a burrito restaurant in Des Moines (small world—especially at a burrito restaurant!). Dave lives in Omaha, NE with his wife and works for Conceptus selling medical devices in Nebraska and

Iowa. Occasionally, Greg bumps into Troy Havenner in Des Moines. He flies F-16s with the Des Moines ANG. Jon Dotter and his wife, Jennifer, are still at Offutt AFB where Jon flies the E-4B. Thanks for the great update Greg and if I am ever though Des Moines I will look you up!

Another pitch for USAFA InCircle—it’s a great way to stay connected with Academy graduates classmates. Currently the “Class of 1993” has 82 members out of 959 who graduated (we can do betterthan this!)—log on (https://zoomienation.usafa.org) and get connected. Currently we have the following members Brian Allen, Rob Balzano, Chuck Bartenfeld, John Bauer, Steve Beasley, Greg Bendinger, Billy Bowman, Jon Boyd, Ben Bradley, Liesl (Raderer) Carter, Elizabeth (Stark) Chamberlain, Dane Christensen, Don Cloud, Barry Coggins, Brian Copes, Jason Couisine, Benji Cunningham, Wayne Dahlke, Rob Dam, Joel Dunham, Jo Dunn, Frank Flietas, Lance Gill, Dag Grantham, Baron Greenhouse, Dave Grover, Casey Hackathorn, Scott Harbort, Kevin Hash, Cliff Hicks, Marc Holloway, Dale Hoover, Heather Hosea, Randy Huiss, Michelle Idle, Jeff Janey, Andrew Johns, Norm Johnsen, Ace Kirk, Cindy Klahn, Darren Kraabeljeff Kubik, Tim Luce, Timothy Martinez, Trevor Matsuo, Neil McCafferty, James MeCartney, Frank McClung, John Morales, Troy Niehaus, Chris Nolin, Steve Odum, Erik Olness, Lance Orr, Rich Parrotte, Mike Phan, Fred Phalen, Charlene Purtee, Craig Releford, Lance Reynolds, Rob Ricks, Bryon Rodriguez, Judd Sanchez, Jerrold Scholz, Dennis Snelling, Tom Stevens, Russ Strasser, John Svoboda, Alice Trevino, Paul Trujillo, Travis Tucker, Donna Turner, Kevin Virts, Lee Walker, John Webster, Kevin Williams, James Woodhead, Pat Yankeand Dean Goehring. Whew—I think I got everyone!

Thanks for the emails ’93! Don’t let Facebook, Twitter, Linkedln, and USAFA InCircle slow this article down! Please give me your updates—especially during the holidays. As I mentioned in thelast Checkpoints, let me know if and how you would like to participate in the planning or execution of our 20th Reunion! Proud to be ’93—Mike.

Craig Allen 440 Willow Court Warrensburg, MO 64093

H: (660) 747-8088

C: (660) 864-5374

keggerallen@embarqnnail.com

Air Force Beats Navy! I found myself on a T-38 cross country for some valuable navigation training during Navy weekend. One of the bases at which we conducted practice approaches happened to be Pete Field in COS. It seemed like a good place to get some crew rest, so we stayed overnight (and took in the game at Falcon Stadiumthe next day). It was a great sight to see AF close out the win after seven straight losses to Navy. The cadets won the “Most Un-Clown-Act-Like, Rushing-of-the-Field” Award after the final seconds ticked off. It was quite orderly and respectful of the opponent. There were no goal post tear-downs or buffoonery; just a few chest bumps with the players and both team songs...probably how comedian StephenWright would have reacted had he won an Oscar for his small part in Reservoir Dogs, “thaanks...” Here is a camera phone pic I got at the end.

Good times at Falcon Stadium.

First up, I heard from Mark Mitchell, who is living in Michigan with wife, Vicki, their babygirl and another on theway. Mark flies forJetBlue and serves as the Liaison Officer Director (LOD) for the State of Michigan. He said he regularly works with Jennifer (Russ) Morrison and Scott Taylor who are also LODs. They’ll all be at an LOD conference at USAFA in Jan 11. Look them up ifyou’re there. Flying for JetBlue, Mark said he has run into Sean Routier and Dr. Brett Anderson recently. Here is a picture ofMark (on right) and ‘91 grad Kurt Schuster on a recent redeye flight from San Fran to Boston. Don’t worry, these modern jets have great autopilot features...Check 12!

“Where’d WHOOO GO!”

In my short time in the B-2, I’ve discovered there are a lot of ‘94 guys in the Stealth Bomber community, as people return to Whiteman from staff and school tours. In addition to Steve “Swis” Sims and Michael “Dash” Wittrock, who I’ve been here with for a little while, several other guys showed up in recent months. Brian “Pico”Gallo is back to the B-2 now and is currently the 509th Operations Support Squadron Ops Officer. Another Ops Officer here is Mark “Gin” Seng, who is in the world famous 393rd Bomb Squadron Tigers. Mark “Zulu” Pye is the Commander of the 13th Bomb Squadron Reapers. Finally, Craig “Bones” Stefan is back to the B-2 and currently going through re-qual training. We’ve got a pretty good ‘94 contingent here now no pic this time though; will try to get us all in one place at the same time.

Todd Hudgins sent me another good update from his continuing Hong Kong experience. Recently, Steve Goodman and his family were in Hong Kong for a vacation and visit with Toddand his family. Todd said they had a great time and that they hit up all the local attractions. Here is a photo collage from the event. I also saw a picture from Todd at the Yokota OctoberFest. There with Todd were Wade Rawlins, Rocky Favorito and Michael Black. I didn’t get many other details from that near real-time update, but it looked like the Sapporo was flowing there with a good crew of ’94 guys in attendance.

Colleenand I have had a busy fall and we’ve managed to see a lotof people. On a trip to the DC area for our high school reunion, we met up with Dr. Rob “Berto” Calderon andhis wife, Laura. Rob and Laura live in Old Town Alexandria. We had a couple great nights there with them, Mike and Tiffany (Reitnauer) Morgan and Erik Ringelberg (’95). Rob has an impressive wine cellar and was a great host. We’ve also seen Mike and Tara (Dubilo) Traw a couple times recently. The Traws brought their family over from KC to theWhiteman Airshow late this summer and stayed with us. We then saw the Traws on our third annual KC marathon weekend in Oct. Colleen blitzed through the half; I had a nice 5K, and then we spent the rest of the weekend downtown. We watched the AFA vs SDSU game at McFaddens in the KC Power and Light District with the Traws, John Griffiths (’95) and wife, Brooke, and two ’06 Whiteman pilots Jason Boman, Dan St Clair and wife, Andrea. It was a great showing for an AFA game here in the heart ofBig-12 country, but the result was a bummer. Regardless, it was nice to see everyone. Tara is pregnant with her sixth and she says this will probably be her last. She and Mike are doing great and it’s been nice to see them so often. So, it’s been a great Fall so far. I hope this issue finds you and your family in good health and ready for a nice Holiday Season. Merry Christmas Kegger.

R. Travis Koch

100 Trieste Blvd.

Panama City Beach, FL 32407

W:(850) 283-4231 DSN 523

Home: 850.249.8820

Cell: (850) 499-8242

richard.koch@tyndall.af.mil

traviskoch@yahoo.com

How‘BoutThem Falcons: O.K., as I write this, AF Football is on a current three-game losing skid, started by that powerhouse SDSU.. .but who cares. The streak is over; we sunkthe seamen. Rex Ballinger was at the game and sent in the update below:

“Went to USAFA for the Navy game weekend. Stayed with Ruth (Rumfeldt) and George German (’93). Our boys had a great time with their kids, Gigi and Gus. Gus is taller than one of his teachers he’s in fourth grade. Look for Gus the ballboy when you watch Falcon hoops this winter; he’ll be the kid on the bench that’s bigger than our point guard. We met up with Ruth; the Gjones, Ken and Meghan (McCann, ’96); and my parents, Mike (’70) and Ronda, for noon meal. Ken and I gave our sons some wire cutters to play with and taught them how to camouflage the hole (HINT: it’s due east ofthe old roach clip site). My dad was disgusted by the lack of discipline in the kids, so we took the opportunity to teach them how to sneak out of formation and score some lunch at A-Hall. You just have to act like you bought the place c’mon, you liked it too, gazer. Friday evening, Nikki (Gumina) and Ruth ventured down to the soccer stadium for the First Annual Women’s Soccer Alumni Tailgate. Boy, that place is big. Nikki relived the glory days with Jennifer Wrynn (Van Tiem, ’92) and coaches Buckley and Friend (’85). If Larry has his way, Nikki will soon become the team psychiatrist. I took the boys up to Denver for the AF-Navy rugby match at Infinity Park. We were joined by Brian MacDonald (Varney), James Manu and Colby Hoefar and their families. Manu’s beautiful preteen daughter recited the family motto for me “Boys are dirty Til you’re thirty.” I don’t think he’s gonna join the sponsor program anytime soon. Does the AOG have a sponsor program? They should, and they should have Danny D’s lawyer on retainer. The Zoomies played a great game in a great venue, but Navy came out victorious. It was really cool to see 1500 fans and a flyby for a rugby match. At the game we ran into Chris Eden (’94) and his sis Jen. Chris is flyingVIPs in DC and recently flew Chad Balettie back to Korea. Chad is an aide for the USFK commander and makes it back to DC fairly often. I usually get a call from a mysterious number every couple months claiming that he is hanging out with Ken Butler or Jonathan Hamby. Secretly, I think he works for Sang Park and is active in fantasy baseball subterfuge.

Rex, Ken, and Colby withfuture Zoomies Zane andJude Ballinger, Simon Gjone, and Brannock Hoefar.

“At the football tailgate, we ran into a ton of folks. I watched Ty Little turn some brats into charcoal (his wife was inWisconsin and was appalled). Pete Sheridan was reluctant to cross the barrier to the AH tailgate due to a previous encounter with the anti-terrorism unit, but we snuck him in anyway. Ran into Chris Mills, Johnny Harrison and Kevin Williams, as well. They all are more fit than I am and certainly funnier. Gjone and I resisted the temptation to skip the game for a rock climbing adventure, and I am glad we did. The kids did great and I actually liked the T-bird uniforms. After the game, we waited for the traffic to die down. Three days later, we arrived at O’Malley’s to celebrate the win and introduce our kids to the unrestricted glory ofthe upstairs section. It was great to see Stacy, and I was validated in my theory that ten kids can cause just as much trouble as 50 naked rugbyplayers.”

Finless BrownTrout: First off, thanks Rex for the update. Rex also sent in pic of a 45” monster pike he hooked inWisconsin that was bigger than Cecil Lara. Searcy sent one of his 5-year-old son John ‘jackin’ some jaws” near

Key West (sorry but I can’t publish a picture without a grad in it!). Searcy and Jennifer are well, and their son James is 3 and Mary Ellen is 1. Toner [who with Cheri (Cobb) just had their first girl, Alice] paid a visit down there and single-handedly led the fishing team to a 47-pound Kingfish in last January’s KeyWest Hog’s Breath King Mackerel tournament...good enough for 5th place and $2K. Please keep sending some pics of the fish that you’re catching. Capotosto sent in one of a beast that Rocky Thurston landed off Topsail Island. The two boys on the right are two of Capo’s three Zachary and Jack. The two on the left are Fuzz and Katherine’s Hilary and Tucker. Fuzz tried so hard to catch a fish when Capo told him he had never seen anyone catch something out of the ocean from the beach.

Is thatfish small or does Rocky have HUGE hands?

Random Updates: Derek “Gabby” Gabbard went to the AF/CSU game and was looking to hook up with some of the AOCs. He asked me for their e-mails (it’s still first.last@airforcebase.af.mil) and wanted to know where their picture was last issue so here it is:

Whoops, that’s the O’Rielly family, living in Idaho and hosting me for a delicious green chili and egg casserole. Yummy. By the way, who reads The Secret Life ofWaldo F. Dumbsquat? Beau Bilek is engaged to a beautiful young woman. Mike Thompson, administered the Oath of Office to Gabriel Griess and Kevin Sellers (great pics, but we’re only allowed three). Mark Holbrook narrated and Maj Gen Jay Lindell (‘78) officiated. Mike is on the way to be the CoS at Aviano, Gabe is in SAF/LA and Kevin is now the DCMA Sq/CC for all of General Electric Military Aircraft Engines. Mark is on his way back to Wright Pat AFB. Tom Murphy and Richae had a baby boy on September 2, 2010 (90210) and Millsy recommended naming him Dillon, Brandon, or Steve.

Now for the Jon Hamby section of the update. Bone is boycotting Fantasy Football. Instead, he is in a Fantasy British Premier Soccer League this fall. Riveting. My son’s first soccer tournament was a fewweeks ago; he lost both games. I was hoping the “sting” of defeat would start the “Dad, I’m tired of Soccer, I want to quit” conversation. Instead, he got a “Champion” medal, like the team that actually won both games and now he wants to play next year. Brutal. Till then,

Keep the Faith, T.Koch

Melissa S. Cunningham

5785 Ft. Wright Oval Fairchild AFB, WA 99011

W: (509) 247-1138/DSN: 657-1138

H: (509) 244-9775

Melissa.cunningham@fairchild.af.mil fchdrider@msn.com

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year Bricks! I hope all is well with you as we celebrate the holidays and ring in the New Year! For those that are away from home this season supporting the defense of our nation, we are keeping you in our thoughts and prayers.

Hall Sebren andAudi Vinyard in a “retired”Mig 23.

The first update comes from Hall Sebren and Andi Vinyard. They are both deployed to Joint Base Balad as squadron commanders. During their tour, they explored the “retired” MiG yard one day and saw the planes and tanks from previous engagements. Hall is the EAMXS/CC and Andi is the EMDSS/CC. Hall deployed on a 365-TDY from the USAFA AOC program and Andi deployed from Elmendorf for 6 months. When they have down time you can catch them watching AF football, playing darts, and watching movies. They both had a chance to catch a little hospitality from Jennifer Hammerstedt during our transition through Al Udeid. Hammer’s the EAMXS/CC there and Hall and Andi are looking forward to enjoying their 3 beers with her on their way home. Andi also ran into Sara Beth Deaver, deployed as the 732 EPBS/DO (Prime Beef). Sara’s current job takes her around Iraq checking on construction projects at different FOBs.

Oakland, MegMartin,

What’s on tap for these recent SAASS grads: PK Carlton is headed to Hill AFB via LukeAFB for re-qual, ParkerWright is going toWright-Patt as an Intel Sq/CC, Bill “Small” Fry is rocketing to the Puzzle Palace, Brent “Two Cows” Borchers is in the Reserves off to AF Space Command or Peterson AFB/CSprings area, Yiotula Shilland (Chiligris) will followher husband to Barksdale AFB, Reid “Raz” Rasmussen is going tol AF at Tyndall, Lori hopes for a follow on assignment there as well, Randy “Nomad” Oakland picked up a 1 -year gig to Iraq, the ever studious Meg Martin is banging out a PhD at UNC, and Steve ’’Munch” Fino will be joining the CSAF direct staff at the Pentagon Piotr “Zeus” Blaszeusz just completed his second large, brigade level CPX/Livex exercise this year. The first one was in May, nicknamed Wild Boar 10 and it was conducted by his division commander. This second one, nicknamed Anakonda 10, the largest one in Poland this year, was conducted by the Operational Command of the Polish Armed Forces. Piotr’s brigade played the main role in the Livex part. He said, “It was challenging

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Piotr “Zeus”Blaszeusz is headed back to support the effort in Afghanistan. and wore my troops down, but the tankers, mechanized infantry, artillery, mortars, anti-armor and antiaircraft troops performed well.” As if it wasn’t enough stress to lead the major exercise, the Livex portion was observed by the President of Poland, the Minister of National Defense and the Chief of Staff, Land Forces and Operational Commander. They seemed to be content with Piotr’s brigade’s performance. Soon Piotr will start the predeployment training for the Xth (winter 2011) rotation to Afghanistan. All is well on the family front, but Mariola and his girls do not appreciate his absence. Our thoughts will be with Piotr andhis family as he prepares for this next deployment. If you happen to be on your way out to Afghanistan, keep a look out for Zeus.

Other news: There have been at least 3 new arrivals in the TAB family that I know of including, Samuel Caballero born to Jen (Spindle) and Tom Caballero, Molly Phillips born to Melissa (Baumann) and Ben Phillips, and Matisse Meffre born to Kerre (Ellis) and Ludo Meffre. Hopefully there are some future Falcons in the bunch!

Again, enjoy a safe Holiday Season and please send me your most recent family photos! I’m always looking for news and great photos to include in the class article!

Here’s to a Happy 2011! All the best! Mel

Melvin E. Maxwell, Jr.

14109 Kelly Drive Bellevue, NE 68123

mel_maxwell97@hotmail.com

melvin.maxwell@offutt.af.mil

Greetings '97!

Hope this update finds you well. It’s mid-October as I write this update, about halfway through the Air Force football season. Despite being at Offutt AFB, I’ve been able to travel and see the Falcons beat up on BYU, Colorado State, and give Oklahoma all they could handle. At the BYU game, I got to see Chris Gizzi lead the team out ofthe tunnel commemorating Sept 11 th

and the 2001 game when he led the Green Bay Packers out onto the field. During that same game, recently deployedAcademy faculty and staff were introduced to the crowd and our very own Mark Clifford was celebrated for being awarded the Bronze Star prior to coming back to USAFA in the Physical Education department. At the Oklahoma game, I got to catch up with some ’97ers and we got a pre-game photo. From left are “OJ” Johnson (VMI, 97) and current CS-28 AOC, Matt Anderson (CS04 AOC), Mike Bailey (ACSC), Mel Maxwell (Offutt AFB, NE), Josie and her dad John Kruczynski (Altus AFB, OK), and Kate (Meyer) Bailey (ACSC Instructor).

By the way, if there is an AOC of the year award, Matt Anderson has to be in running. He took 25 cadets to Nellis AFB in September with the women’s volleyball team in concert with a sponsor base trip and took the cadets to the Nellis/Creech Air Force Ball at the Bellagio that weekend. He followed that up with taking 36 cadets to the Ironman Triathlon in Kona, Hawaii in October. The cadets were official volunteers and worked security for the Cadet Service Learning project for the semester. The contingent got to fly via C-17 and KC-135. I wish Matt Anderson was my AOC—nice work!

Jason Ausdemore passed on some news. Jason is at March ARB and passed on some news about cohorts in California. He ran in Craig Thomas at the March gym. Craig is in CE at 4AF living in Southern California; “Big Daddy” Adam Burks is in Jason’s squadron, flying quite a bit and working out 8-9 hours a day; Dan Roehlinger is an Air Mobility Liaison Officer at Camp Pendleton; and Pat Ward traded in the blue suit and is a civilian taking graduate courses in Economics in Chicago. Oz also passed on a photo of him, Big Daddy, and Sean Bradleyjust prior to Sean departing for a tour to Afghanistan.

Check out Sean’s reading materialfor his trip to Afghanistan.

Samantha (Glinski) Weeks sent in a photo from the memorial on Omaha Beach taking during her School ofAdvanced Air and Space Studies (SAASS) Staff Ride through Normandy. Pictured are Matt Wynn, Chris Wachter, John Stratton, Samantha (Glinski) Weeks, and Derek Steed.

I made the trip out to C-Springs for the Navy game; it was great to see the team pull out the big win, especially since my in-laws live in Annapolis and are Navy season ticket holders. I stayed at the Marriott, which happened to be the hotel the AFA team was staying in Friday night. On the way up to my room I rode the elevator with a couple of players and we got to talking. When they found out when I graduated, they immediately asked if I knew Jeff Mohr (J Mo) and Chris Gizzi. Applying the advice J Mo gave me years ago of“admit nothing, denyeverything, and always counter-accuse”, I denied knowing either of them. Apparently both J Mo and Giz fired the team up for the BYU game and made quite an impression.

Friday night after having dinner with family friends, I received a text message from Billy Nelson to report to the Dublin House for some drinking...’’the more things change, the more they stay the same”. When I got to the infamous D-House, I found 30-somethings Steve Walden (Waldo), Ben Trautwein, Matt Matocha, and Billy dominating a beer pong table against a bunch of kids barely old enough to get into the bar. They weren’t just playing beer pong, they were “crushing some nerds” according to a completely sober Billy. After another half hour or so, they put the “nerds” out of their misery and finished the game. It turn out that the “nerds” happened to be a bunch of firsties from CS-20.

After the nerds hadhad enough and called TigerTen we spent some good time catching up over a few beers, except for Tocha; he was drinking water, not because he was being responsible, but because he had already been cut off by the bartender. Billy is out of the Air Force and living and working in San Antonio, Waldo is flying B-52s at Barksdale - he’s been there since pilot training and is second in time-on-station to only Brent Weisner ’96. Ben lives in Cheyenne and works in real estate, and Tocha is on active duty stationed at Peterson. The next morning Julie (Thode) Mulloy ’97 and Brian Mulloy ’97were nice enough to invite me to their tailgate. I showed up with nothing and ate all their food and drank all their beervery classy move on my part. I guess it makes up for all the smokers Mulloy would make me bring him freshman year. There was a good crew that showed up for the tailgate - J Mo, Felecia (Bell) Mohr, Jared Hlavaty, Waldo, Billy, Tocha, Mike Zeman ’97, Kevin Hornburg, Jason Sanderson ’99, Mike Boos ’00, Chris Jessop ’01, and others I’m probably forgetting.

After about two hours of googling, I finally found an AFPC listfor the twoyear below-the-zone promotions to Lieutenant Colonel and our class was well represented. The lacrosse alums ledthewaywith three people on the list - Rob Makros, Chris MacAulay, and Shane Vesley. I spent many a nights with those three drinking pitcher after pitcher at O’Malley’s. I can only surmise our conversations and my advice got them to where they are today - congrats fellas. Fellow athletes Erin (Munson) Staine-Pyne and Les “Toro” Hauck were also on the list (Les, notice I didn’t forgetyour call-sign). A couple of our classmates were destined for this success fromtheir days at the Academy including Mel Korsmo - 1 rememberwalkingup from the gymwithWallis Laughreyfirst class year and Mel stopped us and corrected Wally for not having on a “USAFA T” when working out; I knew then that Mel’s attention to detail would serve him well in his career (as a side note, it was also the last time I hung out withWally - his disregard for cadet regulations was unacceptable to me). Additional selectees include: MonaAlexander, Steve Behmer, Travis Clovis, Michael Curry, Beth (Crimmel) Makros (no surprise there), Derek Salmi, Joe Wenckus, Pat Williams, and Clint Zumbrunnen. Congrats to all ofyou.

The big news is Matt has a new baby, Emma Jacqueline Berg, who is 4 months old. That’s all I have for this round. Until next time...Mel

Finally, I sadly report the passing of two of our classmates. Mike Kallai passed away unexpectedly in his sleep on Sept. 12, 2010 in Okinawa Japan, where he was stationed at Kadena Air Base. Mike was a soft spoken and sincere guy, and great friend to many in our class. Mike flew both C-5s and KC-135s in his time in the Air Force. Mike will be deeply missed by his teammates on the wrestling team and many other friends. Marc Lewis passed away on Oct. 10, 2010 after a courageous battle with a rare form of cancer. After serving as an acquisitions officer, Marc separated and received an MBA from MIT and then went to work for Morgan Stanley in New York City. Marc was both a distinguished graduate from our class and a proud member of the Wings of Blue. Marc’s sharp wit, positive attitude, and many talents will be greatly missed. Karin (Klein) McWhorter so eloquently expressed the sadness of losing someone so early in life, “When an old man dies, a library dies with him and when a young man dies, he leaves volumes unwritten.” Mike and Marc, your stories ended much too early. The thoughts and prayers of all your classmates go out to your families.

James W. Busch

(830) 734-2411

DSN: 732-5863

buschfl6@yahoo.com

james.busch@laughlin.af.mil

Hola todos! This isSean Baerman (‘99.5) filling for James so I will admit that this article is very PTWOB and A-10 centric! I would apologize, but it’s tough to keep up with everyone, so please keep sending updates to James Busch, who just deployed for warmer places.

As for me, I recently moved to Buenos Aires as part ofthe Olmsted Scholar program (and the perpetual search for Elvis). I arrived in August and I am still confused because it’s spring here now, the birds fly south for the summer, andthe toilets flush the other direction. I replaced Kevin Webster here he andhis family offive just moved back to Offutt andthe real world.

Sean Baerman and Kevin Webster—Olmsted scholars cleverly disguised as vagrants.

Other ‘99ers currently overseas with the Olmsted program are John and Jamie (Hatch) Blocher where John is finishing his last year at Corvinus University in Budapest. They’ve visited over 20 countries since they’ve been there and are going for the record! Scott Morgan is their neighbor in Romania, where he just finished a year ofincountry language training and started his master’s classes. The rumor is that he watches “Borat” at least once a week as part ofhis cultural immersion.

Sabre Society Donors 5

For the “THE Wings of Blue,” Rob Slanger and his wife, Carrie, added Elbe Charlotte to their family on Oct 14th in Little Rock. Sam Chanoski is still working hard in Pittsburgh for Duquesne Light and also serves with the Army Reserves in their cyber security division. Keith Carson will soon finish a hardship tour in Stuttgart, Germany at EUCOM. Will Reynolds recently transitioned to civilian life where he works for Esri, but he still flies A- 10s for the Baltimore Guard. In his spare time he manages to fully geek-out and write software programs for fighter pilots, like his latest creation HawgView. Tobin McKearin is back at USAFA as an instructor and proved his ticker is fine by running the Pike’s Peak Ascent in August! Shawn Hatch and his wife, Marie (USMA ‘00), are moving back to Marie’s alma mater. Shawn will be transitioning to the Army Reserves and both are going to work for the Navigators as Christian missionaries. Mick Boeing (technically ’00, but he did most of his time with us) and his family offour are in Minneapolis where he works for Proctor & Gamble. The warm winters of Ohio proved too much for them, so they moved farther north and are loving every minute.

Andy Kamataris (transitioned to the AF reserves where he continues to fly as an A-10 IP at DMAFB. He’s been recently sidelined with back problems, hopes to return to the cockpit very soon, and is keeping busy as a single dad during his wife’s deployment.

Jason Jensen sent an update from all ofthe Shiners who are AF Fellows in DC. Jason and Nicole added Ivy Grace to their family on Sept 22nd, but he still found time to do the Nation’s Triathlon in early September. With Jason are Travis Walters, Stephanie Peterson, Amy Nesbitt, Jason Glynn, Bobby Hutt and John Flynn. (See phboto at the top of the next column.)

Christopher Rust and I’m sure a bunch of others just started ACSC at Maxwell. I’ll solicit anyone there for an update since he’s apparently too tasked to write an email.

Brian Healy checked in from USFK staff at Yongson where he will be for the next two or three years. He’s obviously still in the “honeymoon” period of his tour in Korea since he compared Seoul to Manhattan in his email.

’99 representing the various intern programs extremely well.

Charles “Spanky” Gilliam is in his final year ofAMC’s Phoenix Mobility Intern program and is stationed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst. Apparently, he loved the 10-year reunion so much he has volunteered to plan the 20-year. He’s married to his junior high girlfriend Jennifer and they have two kids now. He met up with Mike Barron, former AF Football Coach Fisher DeBerry, current defensive backs’ coach and recruiting coordinator Charleton Warren at the AF vs. Oklahoma game and sent some pictures.

Jason Simmons

3524 Lakeside Drive Shreveport, LA 71119

Simmons@USAFA2000.com

Jason.Simmons@us.af.mil

Classmates, I thought I’d start by thanking everyone that attended the reunion - it was lots of fun and terrific to see so many of you. I also heard from many of our classmates noting that they wished they could be there, but because of circumstances (mostly deployments), could not attend. We hope to see those that could not attend next time and everyone who was able to attend as well. It was great to see AF champion over BYU and havingthe Class of2000 as the 12th Man certainlyhelped as we cheer loudly. Also at the football game was our exciting presentation ofthe USAFA Class of 2000 gift to the USAFA Cadet Wing in the way of a big check of $75,000 for the new indoor training facility. Classes don’t give a gift at the ten-year point, so we are definitely setting the bar high for future classes and more importantly our impact on today’s AF Academy is still making positive improvements. Thanks to everyone that helped with that and more importantly helped make the reunion a huge success. (See photo at the top of the next column).

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Kasey (Fry) Stramblad is still active duty and just tied the knot in Galveston, TX to another AF Officer, Kyle Stramblad. They left Geilenkirchen NATO AB, Germany in October and Kasey enjoyed 3 years of NATO AWACS and traveling Europe. Brooke Rinehart is still AD and teaching ROTC in San Diego. Jayne (Baker) Dobbin is at Ft Leavenworth while her husband finishes Army War College. Carissa (Niemi) Koran is still AD and just mar-

USAFA 2000 GiftPresenters: Eli Bremer,Jon Friedman, Eric Hansen, Natalie (Grove) Hansen, Erin Elarton, and Brent Kruel. ried our classmate Nate Koran; they are both flying out ofCalifornia. Alissa Ochoa joined the Coast Guard in Florida and recently went through basic trainingagain. Shelly (Hooten) Zitzlsperger and Matt Zizlsperger have two beautiful children and are living in Minneapolis. Meghann McNiffis loving Bostonian life and has been to Afghanistan many times in support of the Afghan Midwife Association.

cKasey also passed on that Karrie (Braken) Bern recentlypassed the Bar in Colorado and is currentlydeployed to Iraq as a Reserve Contracting officer. Mike and Lindsey (Winter) Keough are also in Denver, have a beautiful daughter and are expecting another blessing soon.

CoryCooper had a good excuse for missing the reunion; he’s at Technical University of Delft in The Netherlands as a PhD student in the USAFA faculty pipeline. Coop is married to Sara (Fortna) Cooper (’99) and has three young kids. They are traveling Europe as much as possible and still keep- ing up with some classmates like bumping in to Carolyn Walkotte at the Brussels, Belgium annual beer festival in September. Kevin Pulliam got out of the AF and has been working for Apple and enjoying California with his family.

I heard MarkVanWeezendonkis having fun andjust had twins withwife, Christine (Love) Van Weezendonk (’01). Daryl Maas is married with three kids; he took the VSP but is in the Washington ANG. Daryl works along the west coast building and operating his own renewable energy businesses, mostly in Redding, CA right now.

Dave Witt is flying the MQ-9 at Holloman and been there since Summer ’09, thus it’s been his longest assignment since becoming a pilot. Dave notes that Charles Richmond, Trey Teasley and Ken DeGon (RPAs) and Jammie (Himsl) Jamieson (F-22s) are also at Holloman. Reggie Jennings is now AFR atVandenberg augmenting the JSpOC when needed. Hans Anker is in the ANG out of Denver, but missed the reunion because he’s back in

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Iraq as a Prime BEEF Squadron Facility Engineer Team Commander. Hans is heavily involved in getting the Iraqi AF up and running; they gave him a couple ofhard charging 2Lt 2009 grads to help lead his team.

Left photo: Hans Anker (center) with two 2009 grads. Right: Edie Pope, Jennifer (Olsen)Jusseaume, andJenn (Shelby) Miller.

Above on the right is also a picture from Jenn (Shelby) Miller with Edie Pope and Jennifer (Olsen) Jusseaume. The two Jennifers were roommates so they had fun going back to their old room, like many others did. Jenn enjoys running the San Diego Harley-Davidson and raising her 3 kids with hubby, Ty Miller (’99).

Blair Watkinson is at Scott on the AMC staff after moving from Grand Forks where he enjoyed flying KC-135s. Before that, he was at Little Rock in C-130s. Blair’s most exciting news is that he just recently found out he will be blessed with child #4 in May.

KristopherMalloyseparated in June and is in the DC area with Booz-Allen-Hamilton; Kris has grown a beard to show his new civilian status. Jeff Brown separated in 2007 and has been working as a Health, Safety and Environmental Engineer for Newfield Exploration. Jeff and his wife recently moved to Littleton, CO with their 3 daughters. Heather (Qualey) Harris is AFR at Schriever and full time with Integral Systems, but still has time for two daughters and several pets.

Cale Bonds is stationed at Travis as an orthopedic surgeon and Marta (Blizniak) Bonds is AFR flying C-17s, also at Travis. They have two daugh- ters, Anna (3) and Kate (10 months). Damelsa White separated in 2008 while at Maxwell-Gunter; now she’s at Scott working as a GS-13 in Logistics Management and is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt for TRANSCOM. Damelsa notes that she still enjoying singing and is working on an International Event and Wedding Planning Certification.

Jason O’Brien got out (VSP) in 2006 and joined the North Carolina National Guard (yup Army) to fly AH-64D Apaches. After two years at Ft Rucker, AL, Jason deployed to Southern Iraq with the 1-130 Attack Recon Battalion. After a year in Iraq, he’s now in Concord, NC working for a civilian technology company and ANG while having fun with his wife and daughter Emily (9).

Peter Crispell got out in July and hasn’t cut his hair since. Pete drove around the country and lived in his car for two months and is planning to be in Guam by Christmas and live on his sailboat. He notes that it was great to close his chapter ofAF life with the same people he started it by having fun at the reunion.

Mike Deaver is at Whiteman with wife Ashley, and three girls (6, 4, and 1). Being in a B-2 was great assignment, but they’re ready for a change of scenery. He’s hoping to go to Edwards next for an Operational Test job.

Amy Riverajust returned from six months at KandaharAirfield, Afghani- stan as Deputy Provost Marshal. After 101 IDF and two large-scale ground attacks, she’s now safe at Ramstein AB serving on USAFE staffuntil summer of 2011 when she’ll head to Ft Leavenworth, KS for school. Ryan Goris just moved to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and is expectingbaby #2 in May; ifyou’re deployed to there, he asks you to look him up.

Jason Williams was in Afghanistan last year as the ISR liaison for RCSouth; he was awarded the Bronze Star for his actions in the Helmand Province. Jason and wife, Tina, are now at Peterson. He met up with Brian Clark and wife, Danielle, at Coach Calhoun’s show before the big AFA-BYU game. Also to prep for the big game, Russ Magaziner and wife, Lauren, ensured

8-month-old daughterVirginia was in shape for knocking out a set of ’00 push-ups get your butt down Ginny!

Katrina Waterman is living in Dallas and Mame (Hutchinson) Leslie got out in 2007 (VSP) and was recruited by Fidelity for a General Management Apprenticeship Program in Boston. However, after 3 years apart from her husband, Coby Leslie (’99), she opted to move to Houston and now works freelance project management consulting and sales.

The football game and all of the reunion events were terrific. I think my favorite part though was just being around old friends with the shared experience ofbeing part of USAFA Class of 2000! I especially enjoyed reuniting with preppies that were also Two Grand grads:

USAFA 2000 classmates that were also Preppies!

Send me your updates! Jason “Cueball” Simmons

Faith (Hitchcock) Dunn 6423 NW 94th Court Johnson, IA 50131

Faithd03@hotmail.com

(4 Sabre SocietyDonors)

(Editor’s note: We did not receive an input from Faith for this issue. Please send her your info and photos for the next issue.)

Amy Kauvar

806 Magnolia Bend San Antonio, TX 78251

215-280-1760

amykauvar@gmail.com

Class Website: www.usafa02.org

Greetings!

Mark Cramer wrote about one of our classmates: “David Wisniewski is now to my knowledge the only member from ’02 to have died in combat. He succumbed to injuries on 2 July 10. He received his injuries flying an HH-60 on a rescue mission over Afghanistan when he was shot down by an enemy RPG on 9 June 10. I read the details of the account and he and his crew were no kidding real American Heroes! They had routinely taken extraordinary risks in their mission and there are a lot of guys who are alive today because of their sacrifice. I didn’t know David well at USAFA but his memory is one we need to really honor and remember. Please ensure that the next issue of Checkpoints has a proper mentioning of who is now our Class’ biggest hero.” Thank you, Mark. Let’s keep David and his family in our prayers. Wisniewski’s obituary was in the last Checkpoints issue.

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Pat McClintock (’01) wrote to announce his crazy and wild clash of ’Olers and other grads who met up at his wedding. Pat married Stacie Anne Eakes on 4 Sept 2010 in Sacramento, CA that ended with a wedding celebration

The McClintockWedding full of merriment and lots ofgood ole’ friends. Thanks for sharing the photo, Pat!

From left in the top row are Ryan Principi ’99, Jeremy Laster ’00, Shane Terry ’01, Craig Anders ’01, Andy Rule, Matt Pommer ’01, Pat McClintock ’01, John Flynn ’99, Nate Bump, Eric Waldo, Tom Murphy ’92, Steve Berger ’01, Nora Cho, Ana Ortega ’01, Jachin Finch '01, Mike Pasquino '01, Brittany Smith, and Matt Joseph.

All the best - Amy.

Susan Lynn (Doyle) Maly (703) 909-3830

USAFA2003@gmail.com

susanlynnl981@yahoo.com

Class Facebook Page: Usafa Zerothree

Hey Bongers, here’s the latest news: Johnny Koegel recently arrived at RAF Lakenheath and is flying F-15Cs in the 493 FS Grim Reapers. He and his wife, Jacie, have a 2 V2 -year-old boy and just welcomed their second son in early July. Maj Damian Schlussel sent a picture from an “Undisclosed Southwest Asia Location” ofhimself (’98), Capt Matthew Nix (’03) and Capt John Hart (’06). Their deployment marks the first time Maj Schlussel has had all Academy grads as the officer leadership of a Security Forces unit.

Southwest Asia Deployment: Maj Damian Schlussel, Capt Matthew Nix and CaptJohn Hart.

Dan Montes shared that his race in China was incredible! He’s headed to another desert for 6 months and will see some ofyou out there. Robert Rouse wrote that he and his wife, Katie, and just had their first baby, Samu-

el Wilson Rouse, who was born on 8-19-2010. Congratulations. Also, exciting news: our classmate Ryan Riley was selected as a Thunderbird for the 2011 Team! Checkoutthearticleathttp://www.f-16.net/news_article4151. htm.

Dan Morales wrote in about a random, mini-Deuce reunion in Dayton, OH. See the picture at the bottom of the previous column for all attendees.

Here’s the latest information on the Service Academy Career Conferences: “Looking for a new job? Transitioning out of the Air Force? Moving around in the civilian sector? Attend the Austin, TX November 11-12, 2010 next Service Academy Career Conference. More than 50 companies are slated to attend the Austin SACC - companies that are interested in meeting, interviewing and potentially hiring Service Academy graduates. No matter where you are in the employment cycle, SACC is a great tool for connecting outstandingjob candidates with hiring companies. This is a powerful hiring event. For all the latest information and to register, please visit www.sacc-jobfair.com and follow the links to the Austin event. If this SACC doesn’t fit into your plans, future SACCs are scheduled for Savannah GA (March 3-4, 2011), Washington DC (May 26-27, 2011), and Seattle WA (August 18-19, 2011).”

Sabre Society Donors

Also, here’s a message from the AOG: “Dear Graduate members, the 2010 on line version of the Register of Graduates (PDF) is now available at https://www.usafa.org/NetCommuinty/Page.aspx?&pid=318.

Please use your user name and password to access the secure portions of thewebsite that display graduate information. Ifyou have difficultylogging in please contact the AOG at jason.finkle@aogusafa.org or call 719472-0300 for assistance.”

Last but not least, I used the complimentary lifetime Jostens Class Ring warrantyrecently after a small stone fell out ofmy ring. Our Jostens Academy representative is Nancy Jones, 1-800-852-9353 and email: aps@jostens. com. Send your ring to the Service Dept address listed on their website (search for United States Air Force Academy on the homepage) using an insured traceable mail method and they will return it within a few months for free. I hope this update finds you happy, healthy, and doing well! Take care, Susan.

Breezy (Long) Heddinger

2217 Republic Ave.

Abilene, TX 79601

Cell: (719) 213-3205

windyshort82@gmail.com

Well, it’s official. We’re old, haha! When our first set of “firsties” from ’01 have line numbers for Major and AFA grads who entered Basic after we tossed our parade caps in the air are deployed alongside us...well, like I said: we’re old! Isn’t it great to see life move forward though? I know at least three families from ’04 who seem to agree:

Juan Lopez-Alvarez andhis wife, Jessica (Perez), are currently stationed at the newly renamed Joint Base Lewis-McChord and living in Tacoma, WA. While recent military news articles suggest joint/superbases may not be everyone’s cup of tea, we should all thank this one for affording members of our ’04 Family the opportunity to continue serving on active duty in sister services while remaining under the same roof.

For Juan and Jessica, Joint Base Lewis-McChord is one of the very few places they can get stationed together since (drum roll please) he crossed out of the Blue and into Green in 2006, and Jessica is flying C-17s for the USAF (thank you for the lift!). Besides the tremendous work they’re doing in uniform, Jessica received her Master’s in English from the College of Charleston in December 2008, and Juan received his MBA from Webster University in March 2010. Juan recently returned from an OIF tour—yes, OIF, as he was out-of-country before the overnight switch to Operation NEW DAWN—and everyone is happy to have him home again. He promised photos, so we’ll have to hold him to it!

Jason and his wife,Amber, are expecting their second child in Decernher—congrats!—and he’s been busy as ever. Jason is now a global compliance manager for AkzoNobel, theworld’s largest paint and coatings company, based out of the Netherlands and making a wide variety of brands that range from Glidden Paint to Liquid Nails. He’s been with the company in Kentucky for almost a year and travels more now thanwhen he was on active duty! Jason hasalso been busy with his Air National Guard career lately. He was the communications commander/mission support group

executive officer for the first-ever Homeland Defense scenario ORI back in May 2010. It was also very historic in that their deployed wing was made up of all three USAF components—Active Duty, Guard and Reserve. All three did well and received “Excellent” ratings. Since the inspection, Jason has been asked by his group commander to retrain into FSS. Kentucky’s National Guard and Air National Guard are standing up a joint team to respond to mass casualty incidents like Katrina and 9/11. The Air Guard is responsible for providing a medical team and also what is called a Fatality Search and Recovery Team (FSRT). He’ll be working with the Army, state, and local governments on the recovery of casualties. Although he thinks it may sound a little like being a glorified undertaker, he is really excited to be part of such an important mission and dynamic team. Best of luck and keep us posted on how it works out!

Virginia (Casillas) Frazier is currently in Phoenix, AZ for ten months where her hubby, Andrew, is working for Intel Corp. for his Education with IndustryAssignment (he’s originally a PM in acquisitions). In March 2011, they’ll find out where their next base will be, and I think her fingers are crossed for somewhere like Japan—hope to see you there next year! Now, Virginia has two big news snippets to share this year. First, she and Andrew (and three-year-old brother Ethan) welcomed a second little boy into the family! John Ryan Frazier, born April 28th, 2010, the youngest handsome fella in the photo attached.Second—and I was overwhelmed when I heard this—Virginia recently published her first young adult novel, “Wavering,” and she is about to publish her second novel/series called “Iron Sights: Dance for Me.” Seriously, how amazing is that?! Sounds like the Fraziers are still living thedream—we wish you all the best!

Last, but not least, I sorelyneglected a very generous submission from this spring, which includes updates on quite a few of our classmates. Thanks, Cat (Ankony) for making sure we could all enjoy the news below:

Shelley (Wesley) Young was expecting her third child May 1, 2010. She isn’t in the Air Force anymore, but her husband, James Young (’01) is flying KC-lOs at McGuire. They already have one son and daughter.

Eddie Ballew andhis wife, Sarah, moved from Ramstein flying C-21s, to McConnnell flying the KC-135.

Jonathan Anderson and his wife, Sarah, recently moved from Fairchild AFB flying the KC-135, to Kadena AB still flying the KC-135.

Tanner Betsinger andhis wife, Ali, were expecting their first child in September 2010. He is stationed at Fairchild flying the KC-135.

Class News

Craig Christ and his wife, Catherine (Ankony), PCS’d from Fairchild to Kadena, where they’re both flying the KC-135. Before they PCS’d, they adopted a newborn girl. Her name is Kamea Rose Christ, and they celebrated her first birthday in October 2010. They also found out she was pregnant two weeks after the adoption so they were expecting another babygirl June 26, 2010! Cat says it’ll be busy with two little ones only eight months apart from each other, but they’re very excited! She sent two beautiful photos this spring, and we look forward to seeing more as the family grows together.

The Christ Family

Keep the updates coming, folks—it’s so good to hear from you!

Paula Delapasse 196 Cambria Drive Beavercreek, OH 45440 (225) 603-4450

jpdelapasse@gmail.com

There has been a ton of great news from classmates, so please enjoy!

Will Guthrie’s Update: Aaron Jones got married on Sept. 4, 2010, at the Cadet Chapel. Sean Mitchell, Robert Barkers and I were in the wedding. He married his beautiful bride, Andria. Aaron just finished his FAIP gig at Laughlin and is currently going through IFF. He should be heading to Seymour Johnson AFB in November for RTU. Robert Barkers also recently got engaged and is expecting a September 2011 wedding date. And as you mentioned in thelast Checkpoints, I recently got engaged and have a wedding date of 19 March 2011.

KatyTenpenny’sUpdate: I figured I would write you and give you an update for some of the people in our class that I have seen and been in contact with. Just to give you background on me, I am stationed at Malmstrom AFB and fly the UH-1N Huey. I am the only one in my squadron who is an ’05 grad. I am stationed here with Amy Cooper Bray and Zac Bray and they have a son Jackson who turned 18 monthsold as of Sept. 14th After deciding flying wasn’t for them, they cross-trained into the Missiles career field. Amy recently separated from the Air Force in June. Amy and I also recently trained for and ran the Missoula Half-Marathon together. I am also stationed with Alex Courtney, David Zesinger, Brian McKnight, and Kyle Davidson. All are doing well and Kyle Davidson is married. I often go TDY and usually see Mary UhlerWoolf every few months. She married Ryan Woolf ’04 in Dec 2005 and separated from the Air Force just before her daughter Raya was born in 2007. Raya will be three years old in November and Mary and Ryanjust had a son, Roen, on June 24th They are stationed at Vance AFB where Ryan is a T-38 IP.

for your Board of Directors

Please visit page 76 to learn about the new candidates for our upcoming Board elections. The election will be conducted from March 31 to April 30 2011.

Your vote counts!

Mary Uhler Woolf, her daughter Raya and son Roen, and Katy Tenpenny during a recent visit in August.

Jessica VanMullekom Graves: First off for me, I got married shortly after Intel school to Nicholas Graves (class of ’03). (See photo at the top of the next column. )My first assignment was at Kirtland AFB, NM working as an intel instructor to AFSOC aircrew and then from there I PCS’d to DavisMonthan, AZ working ISR. After that I was accepted toWeapons School and graduated in June from the Intelligence Weapons Instructor Course. I believe I am the first in our class to graduateWeapons School. I am currently stationed at Hurlburt Field as theWeapons Officer for unit level AFSOC and am loving life! Some news from friends I have been in touch with: Brittany Wright Walter Brittany married Colton Walter in 2006 in San Antonio, TX. They were first stationed in Altus, OKwhere Brittany was working as an Air Traffic Controller. Colton was medically released from the AF, but was able to put his engineering degree to work as a contractor. After Oklahoma, they PCS’d to Spain. Colton was unable to find a job in Spain, but was able to find an amazing job in Oahu, HI and moved out there earlier this year. Unfortunately, the AF is unable to put the two ofthem together, so Brittany is planning on separating in the fall and moving to Hawaii. Krysta Peltzer Doran Kyrsta married Padriac Doran (USN) in San Diego, CA in 2008 after she met him in pilot training in Corpus Christie, TX. The AF and the Navy worked to get them stationed as close as possible after UPT. Krysta is currently stationed at Pope flying the Mighty C-130 and Paddie is stationed in Virginia and is flying helos. That puts them roughly 4 hours driving distance apart. Krysta is set to attend aircraftcommander (AC) school soon and loves flying. Erin Richardson Erin also flies C-130s and is currently on her first deployment as an AC. She is stationed at Dyess, TX and is deployed non-stop. Erin is hoping to cross train to MC-130 H/E Talons after she returns from her deployment. Sarah Deisher Sarah is also a C-130 pilot stationed at Dyess. She is current deployed to OEF and hasalso had the opportunity to deploy to Colombia. Sarah is hoping to cross train to CV-22s in the near future. Camber Governski Camber is currently a FAIP at Columbus and is hoping to get KC- 10s as her next assignment. She is flying her butt off and loves being an instructor pilot. Alvina Cooke Maynard Alvina completed OSI training and during the course met her husband, Rob. Rob works for Alcohol, Tobacco, & Firearms (ATF) and is laying down the law on bad guys. They are currently stationed at Davis Monthan and are renting our house. She just gave birth to a beautiful baby girl named Aidyn.

Will Short Jordan: I’m living in NYC and importing Italian and French wines with my company, Jordan Imports, for exclusive restaurants, private clients, and wine shops throughout the US. I’m excited to report thatWine Enthusiast will feature two of my wines from Chateau Leoube in their September buyer’s guide.

Jessica VanMullekom Graves and her husband, Nick, drinking some local brews in Belize where they went as a graduation present to themselves for JessicafinishingWeapons School.

Bonita Taylor Allen: I’m working in the Admissionsoffice at USAFA as a special duty assignment and Nate Allen is coaching football at the Prep School. We have three babygirls and are so happy to be back in Colorado Springs. It has been a great place for the kids!

A big round of applause to Brain Dumm, winner of the 2010 Air Force Marathon! Brian came in at a phenomenal time of 2 hours 27 minutes 49 seconds. It was awesome to cheer him on down the home stretch andhear his name called as he brokethe tape! I didn’t run, but got the chance to see quite a few classmates out there for the race. Sorry if I missed a few, but the few I saw were Chris Gamble, Joe Adams and Elaine Tatarek Adams, Nick Longo, Rick Fry and his wife, Annie; Nick Brownheim and Veronica Gao Brownheim, andWhit Dailey.

Over Labor Day weekend, Cookie Day celebrated her marriage to George Dorko with a great reception in her hometown of Mansfield, TX. A big silly group of us ’05ers were there on hand to wish the two well and celebrate them getting ‘hitched’! Cookie and George are living in San Antonio where Cookie just finished up her Master’s at Baylor University in conjunction with Ft. Sam HoustonArmy Post. She is still in the AF and working in hospital administration and George is as a consultant for a Washington DC non-profit.

Felisa (Hervey)Dyrud

5434 S. Monrovia Ave. Tucson, AZ 85706

felisa.dyrud@gmail.com

(719) 352-5991

Facebook group:”Feel the Fire”

Classmates,

Greetings from Kabul! I’ve just completed 6 months here in Afghanistan and have agreed to stay for another year, but in a new job: working on an “Afghan Outreach” initiative for the NATO Training Mission out of Camp Eggers. It is very exciting.

Rob Grothe will be joining me here in Kabul for a 6-month NATO assignment. When this went to print, he was not exactly sure what he would be doing, but it will be with the ISAF Regional Command.

Jamie Hart just finished a year-long tour at al Dhafra and is now working as a Security Forces Instructor at Lackland AFB/Camp Bulbs. He was able to buy a brand new car with the money saved on the deployment (below).

Christine KniefFis in Kunsan right now with Greg Balzhiser, Mike Leary, Adam Morgan, JD Hertzel, Matt Ott, Tim Killham, Chris Reichlen, and James Wentzel (who is deployed there from Misawa). In Osan there’s Katie McDowell (Bultemeier), Ryan Allen, Ben Chapman, and Mike Krestyn. They have had plenty of adventures ranging from mudfest, eating weird foods, bungee jumping, hiking, camping on the beaches, and of course plodding through massive and frequent exercises.

Sabre Society Donors

NoneYet

Tohn Haney reported that he and JJ Pavoni took a 2ship of Strike Eagles out to USAFA to do flybys for the Parents’ Weekend parade and football game. They even got one of the 2011 kids to take them around the zoo. It also gave them a chance to visit friend and fellow grad Mark McDowell (’05) on the graduate honor wall—he died in Afghanistan last year when his Strike Eagle went down. It was both tough and sweet to be back.

Casey (Bayne) Whitson

P.0. Box 3005

El Segundo, CA 90245 (310) 343-5969 checkpoints@caseybayne.com

(2 Sabre Society Donors)

Hi Class of 2007, Weddings/Engagements: Our very own class president, Ty Rube, tied the knot! Ty and Megan Harkins (c/o 2008) were married on August 21, 2010 in northern California. Lonnie Schmidt, Willie Lloyd, Dennis Chan, and Jonathan Bergkamp were all present. Ty also received the Bronze Star in September for a recent deployment to Afghanistan. Congrats Ty!

Tommy Steiner was recently engaged to LTJG Michele Dierks, a Navy MI-53 pilot stationed at NAS Norfolk, VA. They met while undergoing pilot training at NAS Whiting Field in Pensacola, FL and have been together for two years.

Other Announcements: I recently saw Jordan Wilhelm and found out that she was selected for the JAG program and is now a Law Student at University of South Carolina School of Law, class of 2013. Congrats Jordan!

Daniel Taylor is busyplanning our five-year reunion in LasVegas. Check out his website at www.dothedive.com and the video he’s posted. “Why wait 10 years for a reunion?”

Please keep your updates coming my way!

married Jennifer Bristol on June 12, 2010 at Offutt AFB in Omaha, NE. Nick’s best man was Clay Ten Eyck. Matt Kohles, Dan Wright, and Trevor Steen (’09) were also in attendance for the festivities. Jen and Nick will be heading to Ramstein in the fall, where Nick will fly C-21s. Coincidently, Nick and Jen hosted their reception in the same Officer’s Club in which they were engaged.

(719) 646-9090

trenton.sandberg@gmail.com

Richter Class,

Cale Reeves recently returned from deployment to Iraq where he suecessfully pulled off a pretty sweet spirit mission during AF-Navy week. I saw the photo on Facebook and asked him about it - here is a copy of his e-mail, with the photo below:

“One of the guys I work with does a college football pickem every week, which includes the USAFA game (it’s the guy in the picture, Andrew Zanotti...his brother was class of ’07 and played football). We were sitting there talking about it being Navy week and I just kind of thought a spirit mission would be fun. As part of myjob here I help the Army DPW (department of public works) review contracts, one of which was the contract for the maintenance of the lakes and canals here on Victory base complex. I knew there was a contractor here that had several boa ts, so I figured ‘liberating’ one wouldn’t be a problem. Turns out all of them were locked up inside the contractor’s compound... so I just went up to the office and asked if I could borrow the boat. Haha. Kind of anticlimactic in that regard, but it worked, and the Bangladeshi contractor told me I could use as many boats as I needed for as long as I needed after I explained that the boat would be used as part of a joke since the Air Force and Navy football teams were playing each other. Andrew and DannyWeeks (class of 2007) helped me with the painting and placing ofthe boat.

NoneYet

“Andrewhadthe idea to put the boat in one of the Admirals’ offices at the Palace. The A1 Faw Palace where we placed it is the command and control hub of the United States Forces-Iraq command staff. There’s a whole host of generals and 2 admirals that work out of there, along with their whole staffs, and TONS of foot traffic in and out throughout the day. Perfect place for the boat. Not wanting only one office to enjoy it, I thought the middle of the rotunda would be the best place for it! We enlisted the help of a SMSgt on the Chief of Staff’s staff to clear the way for us to get the boat to stay in the rotunda (we placed it once and it got hauled off, so we went back, replaced it in the rotunda, but this time with an O6’s blessing to keep the First Sergeant Army guy from having it hauled off again!)

“Turned out it was a huge hit, and stayed all day in the rotunda. Some Navy dudes came along and put funny spoof Air Force pictures on it (I’m sure you’ve seen them all, the FAIL pics, and stuff like that). But it turned out that people were taking pictures with the boat all day long and the Senior said that people were talking about it all over the palace. I ended up getting my picture with the 0-6, (an Academy grad, Col McCrea) andhis staff when I went back to make sure nothing had happened, around mid day.

“We left it there until after the game was over, and then went to remove it before any sore-loser Navy types had a chance to destroy it. We were going to paint the score on it and put it back in the palace, but the boat had to be returned to the contractor, so we just took one last round of pictures and hauled it out.

Bob Whitney became engaged to Shawna Hale this summer in San Angelo, TX. Bob and Shawna met in San Angelo in the fall of2009, during Bob’s Intel techschool at Goodfellow. Bob proposed on August 11 th (fittingly) on a golf course. For the rest of this year, Bob will be busy on his deployment in Southwest Asia while Shawna completes her final semester at Angelo State University where she will graduate this December. Bob and Shawna will be married on 29 January in San Angelo. From there, the couple will head to Travis AFB, CA where Bob will work as an Intelligence officer.

Here are some pilot assignments I missed in previous issues (sorry guys): Remington Barnes: KC-135 to Fairchild; Seth Hutcheson: RPA to Creech; Sean Jacobson: C- 130H to Little Rock; Matthew Kohles: RPA to Creech; Don Lewis: E-8 to Robins; Marc Nichols: C-130J to Ramstein; Matthew Onxley: C-17 to Dover; Chris Szabolcs: C-17 to Elmendorf; Colby Colter: C-17 to Dover; Jason Garrish: KC-135 to McConnell; Roger Gates: C-17 to Charleston; Tobias Henderson: RPA to Creech; Casey McKenzie: C-5 to Dover; Tom Nolta: KC-135 to Seymour-Johnson; Dan Wright: C-130J to Ramstein: Devin Camp: C-17 to McChord; Rebecca Gerton: KC-10 to Travis; Jaime Martinez: KC-10 to McGuire; Ben Mattalino: KC-135 to McConnell; Adam Terns: C130 to Pope; Brian Vos: RPA to Creech; Ryan Weaver: RPA to Creech; David Rodriguez: MC-130 to Mildenhall; Caitlin Curran: C-130J to Ramstein; Cory Pilinko: HC-130 to Davis-Monthan; Calen Pope: C-130 to Little Rock; Eric Duncan: C-130 to Cheyenne; Tyler Sickles: RPA to Cannon. That’s it for this issue. Send me good news!

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YOUR MONEY HELPS FUND CADET WING PROGRAMS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNFUNDED.

CALL THE AOG FOR INFO.

Forrest Underwood

9220B Carlson St.

Del Rio, TX 78840

forrestu nderwood@gma I.co m

Facebook: Forrest J. Underwood

Maic Mayor and his wife, Kamaya, just had their first son, Elijah Gabriel! John Yates is now a married man! Casey Allen is now married to Emily (Schaffer) Allen! Leandros Fugate is getting married to Ms. Julie French in December! Alex Rizkowsky just got engaged to Naomi Johnson, sister of classmate Erin (Johnson) Reddis! Dave Brown just got engaged to Ms. Natalie Thomas, a local from Oklahoma! John Harveyjust got engaged to Ms. Jenn Wagner!

Drop: Kyle Klein (C-5 to Travis)...He’s the first one (that I know of) in our class to get his pilot wings! T-ls: Tyler McMillan, Sean Shay, John Harvey, Rob Consiglio, and Dave Brown. T-38s: Zach Shapiro, Tyler Clark, Ian Hurdle, Robbie Glenn, Mike Mangano, Maverick Lewis, Drew Jaszcak, Matt Gilbert, Dan Bevers, Kurt Rommel, Zach Thompson, and Grant Smith. UH-ls: Pat Mount, Ryan Springer, and BobbyArcand. T-44s: Marie Barrett, Trent Atwood, and Derek Hoxie.

Danny Duck is going to be a Nav on AC-130s at Hurlbert Field. Sid Maru will be a Nav on the EC-130 at Davis-Monthan, AZ. Ryan Whitehead has cross-trained from being an LRO at Shaw AFB to CSO training at NAS Pensacola. Alex Provenghi has PCS’d to Los Angeles and Shannon (Reichert) Williams has started UPT at Laughlin AFB after a tour ofRecruiting at our alma mater.

Sabre Society Donors 1

Meredith Kirchoff finished her first marathon this month! Kurt (is) Cloutier has actually managed to convince a member of the opposite sex to commit to a relationship with him. When JEFF! Randolph is not flyingT38s he’s barely making it out of any city within driving distance alive. Derek Andeweg continues to make below average life decisions.

Drew Hauffe and Miles McMullan are having entirely too much fun in Germany. Cameron Unterberger is still pure and innocent...barely. John Wilhelm is the proud owner of, not one but TWO, Yorkshire Terriers.. .con-

(Gone But Not Fotgotten: C1C Marc E. Henning

Continuedfrom page 89.)

Marc’s life was short, but wide. His time at the Academy offered him the opportunity to travel across the country and around the world, to test his mettle by parachuting from a plane, learning to fly, developing the confidence to set and achieve altruistic goals, and to nurture his humanitarian spirit. He volunteered for Habitat for Humanity and traveled into the mountains ofBolivia with an Engineers without Borders team to help an impoverished village develop a water system.

His love for college football earned him the position of Head Football Manager ofthe Falcon Football Team this year. Henning was president of the Academy’s Engineers without Borders chapter. He recently assisted in the funding and organization of a Subject Matter Expert Exchange with cadets and engineering officers from five Pacific Rim countries at Hickam AFB’s EmergencyOperations Center and TsunamiWarning Center, focusing on maintaining and coordinating command and control during a crisis. He was also Executive Officer of CS-20.

Although Marc’s accomplishments were many, he is most remembered for his easy-going southern drawl, his impeccable character and integrity, and his compassion for others. At Marc’s funeral at the non-denominational Roofless Church in New Harmony, Ind., his twin brother, Eric, shared touching stories from Marc’s fellow cadets, and big brother, Alex, provided the essence of Marc’s character in his eulogy:

“In my short career at Arnold AFB, I have had the pleasure of testing numerous systems for our country to ensurewe can deliver aid across the world, explore distant bodies in the universe, and defend our skies and beyond. However, the most important thing I have learned is that respecting, understanding, and embracing the diversity of people plays the biggest role in the success of these ventures. Education, work ethic, and morals are important, but they pale in comparison to having compassion for others.

“Marc definitely understood that, and I fully understand it because of my brother. The presence and support of our Air Force family, CS-20, the Academy officersand cadets, and our community at home has made our family feel incredibly honored during this distressing event. If there

grats buddy. Leighton Bagby is the proud owner of, not one but TWO boats...not sure who made the better decision, John. Cathy Karl is living in Hawaii and just wanted everyone to know.. .thanks Cathy. Andrew West has been quoted saying, “Hawaii is not as cool as it’s made out to be”. Food for thought.

Todd Gamiles

2010checkpoints@gmail.com

(503) 367-0717

(No Sabre Society DonorsYet)

Not a whole lot to report this go-round for 2010. The 60-Day Reunion otherwise known as ASBC has come and gone and by now the majority of us have reported either to our training school location or at least our first base. One exciting piece of news: Joram Smith and Katelyn Hunter got married, so ifyou see and/or know them make sure to pass along your congratulations! As we finish up our tech schools, (especiallytalking to you, pilots!) please make sure to pass along a note with your new assignment and what airframe you got so wecan keep the class informed. Best of luck through the holidays, and I’ll you see around the Air Force!

For more current information about graduate deaths, please visit the AOG web site, www.usafa.org.

If you know of a graduate’s death, please notify the AOG as soon as possible. There have been cases in which the association was not informed in a timely manner.

is one thing we can learn from Marc’s life, it is the incredible power and importance of genuinely caring for people from all walks of life.”

Marc’s generous and giving spirit continues to live on in others with the donation ofhis organs through Donor Alliance.

Marc will graduate from the Academy posthumously in May 2011. (The HenningFamily)

(Editor’s note: The AOG does not always have all the information, such as placeofdeath, concerningthedeath ofa graduate. Weonlypublish the information we haveavailable on each deceasedgraduate.)

At press time we learned ofthe deaths ofthe followinggraduates:

Lt. Col. (Ret) Roger C.Woodbury, Class of 1961, who died on Nov. 7, 2010 at Southampton, N.J.

Maj. (Ret) Jerry K. Bowers, Class of 1963, who died on Oct. 3,2010 atVail Pass, Colo.

Mr. William R Sweetay, Class of 1964, who died on Oct. 25,2010 at Traveler’s Rest, N.C.

Mr. Robert W. Reynolds, III, Class of 1967, who died on Dec. 29, 2009 at Lake Zurich, Ill.

Mr. Glen L. Gillette, Class of 1968, who died on Nov. 1,2010 in Centennial, Colo.

Mr. Carl G. Knopke, Class of 1968, who died on Oct. 16,2010 near Mt. Lassen, Calif.

Capt. (Ret) Fred L. Matthews, Class of 1971, who died on Nov. 2, 2010 at Eatonville, Wash.

Mr. John S. “Steve” Hessney, Class of 1973, who died on Oct. 7,2010 in Denver, Colo.

Mr. Kevin Court, Class of 1974, who died on Aug. 22,2010.

Lt. Col. (Ret) Thomas D. Kolessar, Class of 1974, who died on Aug. 27,2010.

Maj. (Ret) Marc C. Kargul, Class of 1978, who died on Sept. 22,2010 at San Clemente, Calif.

Mr. Daniel L. Reinhart, Class of 1980, who died on Nov. 7,2010 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Mr. Michael A. Burklund, Class of 1986, who died on Oct. 3, 2010 in Kintersville, Pa.

Oursincere condolences to thefamilyandfriends ofthesegraduates.

FINAL THOUGHT

September 11 is a day that will live in our memories forever. Under a blanket of stars and stripes at the BYU football game, Air Force cadets show their pride and appreciation for the daring service members who have given so much to this nation.

December 22, 2010

I m often asked: “Howis our housingmarket?5 To which I respond: “It depends on whetheryou are interested in buying or selling a home?”!8 comments

December 20. 2020

Whatdo buyers and sellers want most from theirreal estate agent?

December 16,

Howlongdoesittake to sell a homein this housingmarket?

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