Checkpoints September 1983

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“Teamwork is the answer— teamwork and confidence.”

Although they didn’t think of it that way, Col. George Jones and Maj Wendel Brady were nearing the end of a test program in the skies over

Col. George L. Jones, USAF, Korea, March 29th, 1953

From 800 feet Col. Jones opened fire, and was suddenly blinded by a cloud of debris, smoke, and oil from the MiG. At the same time he lost power in his engine, and dived to break the compressor stall. At 20,000 feet he regained power and leveled off. Peering through the few clear spots on his oil-drenched canopy, he found Maj. Brady still with him. By radio he learned that the MiG wingman had made repeated passes at him before breaking off. If not for Maj. Brady’s protection, he would have been a sitting duck.

USAA is honored to serve the insurance needs of more than 9 out of 10 officers on the Air Force team, as well as commissioned and warrant officers of all branches of the U.S. Services, whether on active duty, in the National Guard or Reserves, retired, or if a candidate for commissioning.

For two years they and other pilots had been proving the ability of the United States Air Force, in its First wartime operation as a separate branch of service, to carry out its mission. Also they had been proving and perfecting the jet fighter, never before in action jet-to-jet, and new combat techniques to go with it.

But on that day they were about to fall back on an old, tried-and-true technique, one that would make all the other tests prove positive.

With Maj. Brady as wingman, Col. Jones had no trouble finding a target 43,000 feet up in “MiG Alley,” and began to close for the kill. The MiG had a wingman, too, but each time he tried to shoot Col. Jones off his leader’s tail he found himself in front of Maj. Brady’s guns, and banked away.

Heading for home, Col. Jones thought over and over: “Teamwork is the answer—teamwork and confidence.”

It still is. Today Air Force teamwork and confidence are indispensable contributors to the security of our nation and the entire Western World.

For more information, call toll-free 1-800-531-8080 (in Texas call 1-800292-8080). Members call toll-free 1-800-531-8 plus your area code (in Texas call 1-800-292-8 plus your area code). Or write USAA, USAA Building, San Antonio, TX 78288 (PC-3802). We’ll be proud to serve you.

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Box 8 Colorado Springs, CO 80840

ABOUT OUR COVER

The striking cover photograph of the Space Shuttle Challenger’s liftoff was supplied to us by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). Because all of our covers depict some scene or aspect of the Academy, we felt this shot filled the bill as Karol J. Bobko, ’59, is seated in the Orbiter Challenger’s pilot seat. For Bobko’s personal story on the Challenger’s maiden voyage, see his story which begins on page 10.

CHECKPOINTS is published quarterly by the Association of Graduates, USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, CO 80840 and printed by Graphic Services of Colorado Springs. It is provided as part of an annual membership package which costs $20. Second-class postage paid at the USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, CO. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions, policy or attitude of the Association of Graduates, its officers or the editorial staff. The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement by the Association of Graduates of the products or services advertised. Copyright © Association of Graduates of the United States Air Force Academy, Summer 1983.

ISSN 0274-7391

Members Elect President, Board

Dear Fellow AOG Member:

Jim Spittler, ’65 has been elected president for a two year-term. The following members were elected to the board of directors for four-year terms:

Biancur, A.W. ’60 Silver, B.D. ’82

Blumberg, A.E., Jr. ’68 Schutt, R.C., Jr. ’69

Cubero, R.A. ’61 Schwank, J.C.H. ’60

Giffen, R.B. ’65 Smith, R.L. ’77

Grieshaber, A.W., Jr. ’65 Vreeland, S.J. ’75

Irish, P.A., III ’74 Wheeler, J.F. ’64

Jensen, R.A., Jr. ’74 Yucuis, W.A. ’74

Quinlan, M.J. ’61

J.R. East, ’67, was elected to fill the remaining two years of the term vacated by Jim Spittler.

After these people took office on 1 July 83, the composition of the board of directors, including carryovers, meets or exceeds the composition required by the bylaws as shown:

So that you may be fully informed, the board has asked that I relate in detail the difficulties we faced during this election.

The first involved the election of president. At the close of business on 9 May the unofficial running tally showed Jock Schwank and Jim Spittler within one percent of each other. The official count that evening showed a tie: Schwank 914, Spittler 914, abstentions 33, and illegal ballot (photoelectric copy) 1. An independent recount on 10 May by two other directors yielded the same result. On 11 May the AOG staff found an unopened ballot that had been received with postage due on 23 April among

returned undelivered Checkpoints. On 11 May, with the assent of both candidates, the executive committee voted to open that ballot and let it decide the election. It did, in favor of Jim Spittler.

Just as most accidents are at the end of a chain of mistakes, so was an oversight that complicated the election of directors. In addition to being late, the layout of the ballot for directors gave an unintended advantage to each candidate from the most recent 10 classes. Therefore, in order to give each of the 33 candidates an equal opportunity to be voted on (as if the ballot had simply said, “Vote for 15.”) the executive committee voted to have each candidate’s raw vote scaled. Thus, the vote total for each candidate on the top part of the ballot was multipled by 12/11. The total for each of those on the bottom portion was multiped by 9/11, giving each candidate a 5/11 opportunity to be voted for.

Jeff Schofield, the vice chairman of the board, and I have recommended changes to the bylaws to avoid these problems in the future.

To all of you who ran for office, my thanks for your interest in the association and for your willingness to serve. To those who were elected, congratulations on your selection. You have come to the board in a time of continued growth, great change, and a time of rebuilding: growth, because our primary constituency grows by 900 graduates a year; great change, because of reorganization and personnel turnover; rebuilding, because we have just concluded a troubled year and a half in our relations with the previous administration of the Academy. Fortunately, things are now looking up. You have an opportunity to make a significant contribution—please take advantage of it.

Sincerely,

THOMAS J. ELLER, ’61 President (27 June ’83)

New Executive Director Chosen

as a space systems project officer at SAMSO in Los Angeles. He served also as an infrared systems operator with the 16th Special Operations Squadron at Ubon AB, Thailand from 1971 to 1972, and as a forward air controller navigator on the UC/C-123 with the 606th Special Operations Squadron at Nakhon Phanom AFB, Thailand.

He holds a master of science degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Colorado and has completed graduate courses in flying and ground safety at the University of Southern California at Los Angeles and Arizona State University.

After graduation from the Academy he served as a navigator on the C-124 at Tachikawa AB, Japan and Hickam AFB, Hawaii, and on the C-141 at Travis AFB. He holds an aeronautical rating of master navigator.

Richard M. Coppock has been named the executive director of the Association of Graduates of the United States Air Force Academy. In this position, he will act as the agent of the association’s board of directors, managing association fiscal and personnel assets while carrying out programs recommended by the board.

Coppock, a 1961 graduate of the Academy, retired last month as a lieutenant colonel from his Air Force assignment as deputy commandant of the Ohio Valley Area Air Force Reserve Officer Training Corps at Columbus, Ohio. Prior to his final assignment, he was wing chief of safety and wing chief of flying safety for the 60th Military Airlift Wing at Travis AFB, Calif. His mid-career assignments included duties as a navigator, systems operator on the WB-57C/F at Kirtland AFB, N.M. and

Coppock’s awards and decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross with three oak leaf clusters, the Meritorious Service Medal with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with 29 oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal, and other unit and individual awards.

While at the Academy Coppock was a member of the 11th Cadet Squadron and was on the Superintendent’s List during six semesters. He was a member of the Protestant Cadet Choir, the Class Committee, Professional Ethics Committee and was on the staff of the DoDo. As a first classman he held the positions of squadron operations officer and wing adjutant.

Coppock is married to the former Trelma Anne Kubacak of Santa Monica, Calif. They have three children: James, 19; Lori, 16; and Carole, 15.

THE AOG BOARDROOM

James E. Spittler, ’65, President/Board Chairman

I would like to take this opportunity to tell the membership that I will do my best to fill the very large shoes left by Tom Eller, ’61, as president of the AOG. If you go back in Checkpoints for many years you will be hard pressed to find the year that Tom was not either an officer or member of the board. His contributions were above and beyond the call of duty, and there were a number of times when he stuck his neck out on AOG-related problems about which we the general membership knew nothing. In my opinion, as much corporate memory rests with Tom Eller as in any other one location. You may rest assured that 1 intend to tap that source and the other good sources that are available to us.

Elsewhere in this publication are published the results of the election. The new board of directors met for the first time on July 12. It was a working session, as well as an effort to bring the new members up to speed on our current projects. I’m pleased to report that Jeff Schofield, ’67, was reelected as vice chairman. Jeff did an excellent job in heading our long range planning committee and then as vice chairman. The board recognizes a number of areas we need to work on in the year ahead, and will proceed diligently.

NEW SUPERINTENDENT—Lt. Gen. Winfield S. Scott, Jr. took over the command on June 15. The AOG is looking forward to working very closely with General Scott and his staff on items of interest and benefit to the Academy, the graduates and the Air Force. He has publicly stated, that in his opinion he has the best job in the Air Force. With that attitude I think we can look for good things for the Academy in the near future.

NEW EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR—The board of directors has completed its task of finding a new executive director to replace Jim Wheeler and his interim, part-time replacement, Jock Schwank. The new executive director is Richard M. Coppock, Class of ’61. Dick’s background and experience should stand us in good stead as he grows into the job. We look forward to a long and beneficial relationship with Dick, and welcome him and his family to Colorado. He will officially take over on August 1. I have previously thanked Jim Wheeler in this magazine for his outstanding service to the AOG. I would like to take this opportunity to thank Jock Schwank for the work he has done in filling in as executive director since Jim’s departure. In addition to his responsibilities as commander of the Prep School, he took the additional duty of keeping things going during this interim period. We look forward to his continuing service on the board.

JOINT SERVICES ALUMNI CONFERENCE—Recently Jeff Schofield, Jock Schwank and I attended the Joint Services Alumni Conference at West Point. It was both an interesting and enlightening experience for all of us. The attendees represented the U.S. Military Academy, the U.S. Naval Academy, the U.S. Coast Guard Academy, the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy, and ourselves. It certainly gave us an appreciation for how the other institutions work with their alumni, their administrations, and with the rest of their constituencies. Despite our relatively young age as an institution, our previous leadership provided some of the best ideas that have been carried forward with substantial suecess. Two dramatic examples are the Commander in Chief’s Trophy, and annual funds. Ten or so years ago our leadership suggested the idea of annual fund giving. Neither USMA or USNA had these set up. They admitted that it was a great idea for the old Academies, but that it was probably premature for the new kid on the block. Their annual fund drives are now highly successful, and bring in large sums of money which greatly

enhance the Academy missions. As you’re aware, we just completed our first annual fund drive. While our dollar total doesn’t approach theirs, the amount of money we raised, versus the amount it cost to raise it, indicates that our initial effort was highly successful. You will see the fruits of your donations elsewhere in the magazine. We certainly hope you will continue to support our collective efforts to enhance the Academy mission.

FALCON FOUNDATION—As

most of you are aware, in the past we have sponsored a Falcon Foundation Scholarship, sometimes out of our own funds, and lately by finding donors who fund the scholarship in our behalf. Currently the scholarship is being funded in honor of our deceased graduate Thunderbirds by Mr. and Mrs. John Dean of Fort Worth, Texas. We are pleased to announce that with the Falcon Foundation’s expansion of their board of trustees, Tom Eller is now on the board, Mr. Dean has just accepted a board position, and as the senior nonactive duty AOG official, I have been appointed to their board also. In addition, John Olive, ’67, a major Colorado Springs developer who houses the Falcon Foundation in one of his buildings, is a member of the board. Under the leadership of Lt. Gen. Ben Beilis, USAF (Ret), the previously strong bonds between the graduate community and the Falcon Foundation have grown even stronger. We look forward to our ongoing relationship with the Falcon Foundation. The list of trustees for the Falcon Foundation reads like a “Who’s Who” of USAF history. It is a humbling experience to be in the midst of so many Air Force legends.

Coppock Ready for New Job Challenge

By the time this issue hits your mailboxes, I’ll have been aboard as the newest and first nonactive duty executive director only a few short months. I must admit I approached the job with some trepidation over the magnitude of the responsibilities, but also with great anticipation of the challenges which lie ahead. I accepted this position with great humility and a deep sense ofpride at having been chosen to follow in the footsteps of those who so ably guided the association since its inception big shoes to fill!

The AOG has been on the move since thatfirst day, and I see no reason to stop now. We’re clearly in a period of transition and change, and I’m fully committed to carrying out the will of the membership as efficiently as possible during this dynamic time. I have no preconceived notions about the directions in which we should be moving. Ideas yes, you ’ll hear them from time to time after I get my feet on the ground. In the meantime, I’ll concentrate on carrying out the management responsibilities articulated by the board of directors.

It’s a big job, but fortunately I’m blessed with an expert, knowledgeable staff who are totally committed to the objectives of the AOG. I’m dedicated to serving you 100 percent and wide open to your comments and suggestions at any time. I’ll be here as long as Ifeel, and you agree, that I’m managing the daily affairs of the association in the way you have a right to expect. I’ll need your help often and I won’t hesitate to ask! My wife, Trel, and I are thrilled with this opportunity to continue to serve the Academy, the Air Force and especially you, the membership. Come see us the door will always be open! (Dick Coppock, ’61)

ATTENTION IN THE AREA

MAGAZINE DEADLINE CHANGES. Checkpoints will, in the future, be mailed in early February (winter issue), May (spring issue), August (summer issue), and November (fall issue). The deadlines for these issues are approximately six weeks prior to mailings, or 10 December, 10 March, 10 June, and 10 September. Publication of a quarterly magazine is very unlike a weekly newsletter or even a monthly magazine, in that the time required to gather articles, prepare the copy for the printer, and then have it printed and mailed, totals almost two months. Many members who send letters to their Class News representatives wonder why their information is not printed in the next magazine. The reason most often is that it did not get to the class scribe in time. A good rule of thumb if you want to see your news in the next issue is to send it to your Class News representative right after you receive the last magazine. In other words, now would be a good time to write that letter you’ve been thinking about if you want to see in the next (fall) issue.

THE AOG MEMBERSHIP YEAR. The association’s membership year in the past ran from March of the current year through February of the next year and was tied to the magazine mailing. That is, membership started with the spring issue of Checkpoints which is mailed in May (this is also the first issue for the graduating class) and ended with the next winter edition which is mailed in February. This is still true in most cases and we send out the bulk of our annual membership reminder cards normally in early February. If your membership expires in February and you send in your dues prior to publication of the spring magazine in mid May, you receive that magazine plus three more and the Register. If you send your renewal in after mid May, you will not receive the spring magazine but your membership will begin with the summer magazine and end with next year’s spring issue. What has happened is that our new computer system can now handle annual memberships by quarter so that renewals are now entered into the system as they arrive. This means that a membership begins with the next magazine mailed after the renewal is received at the AOG. The membership then runs for four magazines total and the annual Register of Graduates. Because of this streamlining of the system, some members missed the most recent spring magazine because their renewal did not arrive until after mid May when that issue was mailed. In this case, while they did not receive the spring issue, they will be carried as members through next year’s spring, rather than winter, issue. Renewals will automatically be mailed to all graduate and associate members shortly after their final membership magazine is mailed. Back copies of most magazines are available for $2 for members and $2.50 for non members.

ADDRESS CHANGES. We recognize that our membership is highly mobile, especially in the early years of a member’s career. Because of this and our experience that change-of-address cards are sometimes overlooked or sent to us late, our policy is to revert to a member’s parent’s address whenever a publication or mailing is returned to us by the Post Office. Therefore, if your parents are receiving mail from the association with your name on it, please send us a new address. We do, on occasion, send mailings to member’s parents, but this would have the parents’ name on the envelope.

WELCOME ABOARD. We welcome to the association staff Dick Coppock, who has taken over the reins as the association’s executive director. Dick is a Class of 1961 graduate of the Academy and has just recently retired from the Air Force. We

know that he, his wife Trel, and their children James, Lori, and Carole, will enjoy this challenging assignment. Another newcomer to your association staff is Mrs. Linda Glaza, wife of Jim Glaza, Class of 1960. Linda’s title is “administrative assistant,” which like “associate director,” means doing any and everything necessary to keep the association running smoothly. We know that Linda will become a great asset to the organization. Finally, while we can’t welcome them aboard because they’ve been working here for quite some time (and we won’t say how long), thanks and appreciation are due Freida Weber (known to us as “Mrs. Corporate AOG Memory,” and whose first name I misspelled in the 1928 Register), Mrs. Kathy McCann (our computer specialist who tracks and updates not only our members but the entire 16,000-plus graduate population), and Leslie Weber (computer inputter, mail room operator, and associate membership manager). In addition to their primary jobs, these three folks and myself (editor, memorials, annual fund, mail answerer), assisted ably by Jock Schwank, ’60, were the AOG staff during this year of transition. We all heartily welcome Dick and Linda aboard and look forward to working with them on your behalf.

WEDDING SABRES.

The association’s wedding sabre rental program was drastically curtailed in recent years due to extreme wear and tear to the sabres and frequent occurances of sabres arriving late to their next destination. (Sabres are usually shipped on a “round-robin” basis, with the last user responsible for mailing them on to the next wedding on time.) Considering the increased cost of new sabres and the administrative time necessary for making arrangements, packaging, and mailing, a new rental system was required if the AOG was going to continue this popular service. Effective 1 September, the new rental system will require a $75 fee, $30 of which will be refunded to the user if the sabres arrive on time to the next renter without damage. The rental program is for graduate members of the association only and can only be provided for stateside weddings. Each sabre rental set will consist of six sabres, balderics and breastplates. Sets will not be broken up and if a graduate wants more than six sabres, two sets will need to be rented at the full fee. While we recognize that $45 ($35 rental and $10 average shipping fee) is a considerable increase from our present rates, these costs are necessary if we are to continue the program by replacing sabres worn out or broken through normal wear and tear. Arrangements may be made by calling the AOG office.

JOB OPPORTUNITIES. The AOG often receives information on job opportunities for graduates who are out of the service. Often, this information comes to us from graduates who are looking to fill vacancies within their corporations, or who work in the personnel recruiting field. While it is current board policy not to accept civilian recruitment advertising, information on these potential jobs is available by writing to the association and enclosing a stamped and addressed return evelope. Some of the jobs involve considerable international travel and most are in the $20 thousand to low $30 thousand annual salary range. While job opportunity information is not available at all times, when it is, the AOG will provide it.

RADFORD

HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES.

Any Academy graduates who attended Arthur W. Radford High School in Honolulu, Hawaii, are asked to keep the school current on their addresses. The school is planning regular reunions in upcoming years and would like to invite all graduates of Radford to attend. The school’s address is: Arthur W. Radford High School, 4361 Salt Lake Boulevard, Honolulu, Hawaii 96818.

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Pilot Qualification Requirement Stirs Responses

Dear Sir,

This letter is in reference to the article on page 8 of the Winter 1982-83 Checkpoints magazine. The subject of the article was the future changes in Academy admissions policy in an effort to improve cadet retention rates. As I read the article, I found two areas that I feel should be pointed out to the association for comment and further consideration.

My first comment deals with the closing sentence of the fourth paragraph which reads, in part, “... standards for navigator’s non-rated commissioning.” I would like to point out the fact that navigators are, indeed, rated officers. As a senior navigator and instructor weapon systems officer in the F-4E, I was personally offended by this failure to properly recognize the Air Force navigator force as rated officers.

The second and more important issue is the proposed change to Academy admission standards to require 20/20 vision of all Air Force Academy cadets. I was amazed and, indeed alarmed to find that, under future rules, I would not have been eligible for admission to my alma mater. Although 1 agree that improved retention rates are a desirable goal, I feel that restricting the Academy to pilot-qualified candidates only is not an acceptable means to this end. I further submit that since the purpose of the Academy is to produce the future leaders of the United States Air Force, a more valid goal for the Academy would be to improve graduate retention for Air Force careers beyond their initial service commitment. Would this goal be realized by sending all graduates to UPT? I contend that it most certainly would not. I will support my argument with data from my own experience.

On June 5, 1974, 19 members of Cadet Squadron 19 were commissioned. Of these, 11 completed UPT, three completed UNT, and five received non-rated commissions. In the nine years since graduation, five of the pilots and at least one of the non-rated officers have separated from the Air Force. This equates to a retention rate of 55 percent for pilots and 80 percent for non-rated. All three of the navigators remain on active duty for a retention rate of 100 percent. From this evidence, it would seem that the most effective way to accomplish the Academy’s mission would be to send

all graduates to UNT. (I do not have any data for the Class of 1974 as a whole regarding retention rates for various career fields, but I would venture to say that my squadron was fairly representative.)

Before I have every Academy graduate pilot come looking for me with their guns armed, let me assure you that I am not seriously proposing that all Academy graduates be sent to UNT exclusively. This makes no more sense than restricting all graduates to selection only for UPT. My point is that while guarantees of pilot training may increase cadet retention, it does nothing to increase graduate officer retention, regardless of career field. The inner desire and dedication to an Air Force career are formed by other factors than pilot training.

Today’s Air Force needs career officers in all areas: pilot, navigator, and nonrated. To properly meet these needs, the Academy cannot afford to eliminate highly qualified and dedicated potential career officers simply because they are not pilot qualified. It is a disservice to the Air Force and is not in keeping with the Academy’s long-range mission.

Brian W. McLean, Captain, USAF Class of 1974

(Editor’s note: The reference in the original article to “non-rated” navigators was an editing error for which we apologize. The issue raised concerning entry requirements is addressed in this section by Col. Thomas C. Wilkinson, the Academy’s director of admissions and registrar, in answer to the letter from Capt. McLean which we forwarded to the registrar’s office. We have received numerous letters on this particular subject, most of which present arguments along the same lines, so in the interest of saving space, we published a representative sample. Sincere thanks and apologies to those who wrote and were not printed.)

REGISTRAR RESPONDS

Colonel Jock Schwank

Acting Executive Director

Association of Graduates USAF Academy, CO 80840

Dear Jock,

Thanks for referring Captain McLean’s letter to me. His concern over the requirement for all new cadets to be pilot

qualified is understandable. What was missing from the original article was the concept that we would waive in highly qualified nonpilots. If the Air Force goal continues to be 70 percent pilots, we would waive in up to 30 percent nonpilots.

There is an advantage to the institution by making pilot qualification a requirement. First, it is the only way we can be sure of meeting the goals. Second, we can choose the nonpilots we want. As things stand now, we frequently have to take barely qualified nonpilots simply because they meet academic and leadership minimums. But if we have a published requirement for pilot qualification, we can disqualify these high risk people and replace them with some super candidates.

This year we had over 1,300 nonpilots on the qualified/no vacancy list. Three hundred of them had composite scores above the average of the entering class. It would have been better for the Academy and the Air Force if we could have replaced the bottom 50 nonpilots we did appoint with the top 50 from this group.

Most of the graduates know that the goal for pilots in each entering class has been 65 - 70 percent, except for the first four years when it was 100 percent. So we are not changing the goal, just the way we manage to achieve it.

Sincerely,

Thomas C. Wilkinson, Colonel, USAF Director of Admissions and Registrar

ANOTHER OPINION

Dear Sirs:

Cooler heads than I would likely have left their pens unsheathed, but the recent Admissions Office pronouncement on cadet entrance requirements prompts me to voice my surprise and disagreement. The demand in the field for skilled and motivated USAF officers has never been greater, and will continue to increase as our force grows in size and sophistication.

Moving from 51 percent to 70 and on to 100 percent “true” pilot qualified cadets seems to have been chosen as an optimum policy both for USAFA retention statistics and for meeting Air Force needs. It may well be that such an approach is flawed in both respects. First, it is not evident that USAFA is suffering from any major inability to recruit pilot training candidates. Retention of that same group (Continued on Page 48.)

Tenth Superintendent: Lt. Gen. Scott Assumes Command

“Thank you all for giving Sally and me such a warm Air Force Academy welcome. As you know, the Scott family feels very much at home at both the Academy and in the community of Colorado Springs. Two of our sons are Air Force Academy graduates and a third is a member of the present Cadet Wing. We’re delighted to be here.

“For me the honor of serving as superintendent is a singular one. I’ve had a long association with the Academy, both as a parent and as a professional Air Force officer. I have witnessed the quality of our officer graduates first hand, and I have been very pleased with what I have seen. In my view, the mission of graduating career officers who will be motivated toward a 30-year career is a crucial one, especially in these times.

Welcome Aboard

New Academy superintendent, Lt. Gen. and Mrs. Winfield W. Scott, Jr., are greeted by the Academy’s sixth superintendent, retired Lt. Gen. Albert P. Clark, at the reception following the change-of-command ceremony. (U.S. Air Force photo by SSgt. Guido Locati)

The tenth superintendent took command of the U.S. Air Force Academy on June 16, as Lt. Gen. Winfield W. Scott, Jr. replaced Maj. Gen. Robert E. Kelley as superintendent.

Coming to the Academy from the post of deputy commander, U.S. Forces Korea, General Scott gave this account of his feelings on being named superintendent: “I want you to know how very pleased I am to have been selected to be the superintendent of the United States Air Force Academy. It is my judgement that this is the most important position in the Air Force...this is where it all starts!”

General Scott went on to say, “Cadets attending the Air Force Academy today will be our leaders in the Air Force for the next 20 to 30 years. Providing deterrence so this nation can prosper and remain free by being prepared to fly, fight and win, if necessary and called upon is the mission of the United States Air Force. The most important element in that mission is people. Professional, dedicated, well motivated leaders determine success or failure. The graduates of the United States Air Force Academy have met that challenge. I look forward to meeting and working with all of you at the Academy in order to meet that challenge.”

The departing superintendent, lieutenant general-selectee (now lieutenant general) Robert E. Kelley, has assumed the position of vice commander of Tactical Air Command at Langley AFB, Va. In his words of farewell at the ceremony in Arnold Hall Theater, he said, “I will leave you with one single reminder, that the mission of the United States Air Force Academy will remain the same as it was the day that we opened in 1955. And that is to produce the best officers for our Air Force. I’ve said it before and I’d like to say it one last time, the two most important words in the Air Force Academy are ‘Air Force.’ I hope that you never forget that the security of this nation may depend upon our graduates.”

The new superintendent is a 1950 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. and has served in the Air Force for 33 years. In addition to being deputy commander of U.S. Forces, Korea, he was also deputy commander-in-chief, United Nations Command, Korea; chief of staff, Combined Forces Command; and commander of the Air Component Command. Before that he was commander, Alaskan Air Command at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska.

In his first editorial published in the Academy’s weekly newspaper, The Falcon Flyer, General Scott, gave some additional thoughts on his new assignment:

“Thus, I’m excited about the opportunity I’ll have to join with you in the shaping of these leaders of tomorrow. It will be their responsibility to maintain an Air Force that will represent the most powerful deterrent force in the world. To prepare them for that role, we must instill in them both a sense of the proud tradition of military aviation and the ability to grasp the leading edge of the new technology. I’m counting on you to continue to do your part in this important professional education process.

“Again, thanks for the welcome. I look forward to meeting and working with each of you and taking part in our way of life both at the Academy and in the magnificent Colorado Springs area.”

General Scott has served during his career at numerous bases throughout the United States and in the United Kingdom, Japan and Southeast Asia. He is a command pilot with more than 5,300 flying hours in 32 different aircraft and flew operationally in the F-4, F-15 and F-16 in his previous assignment.

Married to the former Sally Ann Walker of Dayton, Ohio, General and Mrs. Scott have six children. Three are serving in the Air Force and a fourth is presently at the Academy. Winfield W. Ill is a C-141 instructor pilot; Michael W. is an F-4G pilot and a 1976 Academy graduate; David, a 1978 Academy graduate, is an F-4E pilot; and John is currently a member of the Class of 1985.

Among those in attendance at the change-of-command ceremony was Maj. Gen. Theodore G. Jenes, Jr., commander of Fort Carson and the 4th Infantry Division (M). He is a close friend of General Scott and the two were stationed together in Alaska. While General Scott was a commander of the air forces there, General Jenes was the Army commander.

Hosed Down

Lt. Gen. Winfield W. Scott, Jr., the Academy’s new superintendent, gets the traditional hosing down by his son, Capt. David Scott, a 1978 Academy graduate, following the general’s last operational flight in the Pacific Theater. (U.S. Air Force photo by SrA. H.H. Deffner)

The Pilot’s Perspective: Flight of the Space Shuttle Challenger

By Colonel Karol J. Bobko, ’59

Three minutes after launch the solid rocket boosters have dropped off, the guidance solution has converged, the shuttle is 35 miles above the earth, stable on the main engines, and with a glass-smooth push is accelerating toward orbit. At that time, I feel we have made it past most of the launch wickets and that we are really on our way. From my pilot’s perspective, this point in the flight is very similar to having picked up the climb mach and having been pointed on course after a jet aircraft take-off. There are still many items that must go right before a safe orbit is achieved and, or course, a large number of items that must go right before the flight ends. But as we fly the vehicle above the atmosphere, it is good to know that a dream I had at the Academy was being realized.

For me, as for two of the other three Sixth Space Transportation System (STS-6) crewmembers, there had been a long wait for that shuttle launch. 1 had originally prepared to fly in space flight with an Air Force project called the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) Program which, in 1969, was unfortunately cancelled. However, NASA has expressed a strong interest in the younger of the MOL astronauts and, in 1970,1 joined the Astronaut Corps at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. During my first few years at NASA, I anticipated an early flight in space, but NASA’s budget cutbacks resulted in the cancellation of Apollo 18, 19 and 20, and plans for Skylab were scaled down from two workshops on which seven crews were to be assigned, to one workshop for three crews and so I waited.

The Space Shuttle was being developed by NASA and so I decided to stick with my dream to fly in space while hoping the shuttle would fly soon. Unfortunately, as is the case with many large technical projects, the first shuttle flight was much later than originally planned. Fortunately, while waiting for a flight assignment, my other job responsibilities as an astronaut were interesting and challenging, and I believe I contributed to the U.S. capability in space.

Of the many technical, operational, training and development responsibilities required of me as an astronaut, one of the most fascinating tasks I was given included support of the crew of the

Apollo-Soyuz (ASTP) mission. During the joint phases of the ASTP mission, I served as the communications link between the two orbiting spacecraft and the U.S. Mission Control. At NASA, that communications position is referred to as CAPCOM. As ASTP CAPCOM, I was required to have intensive knowledge of the Apollo and the Soyuz spacecraft, the American and Soviet Mission Control Centers, and all the plans, constraints and dynamics pertinent to the mission. In an effort to prepare for my responsibilities as support crew member, I trained for the mission for about a year, traveling four times to the Soviet Union on mission-related tasks.

Included as one of my respnsibilities before the ASTP flight was the coordination of communications procedures between the U.S. and Soviet spacecraft. This responsibility entailed developing key words and phrases to be included in both the U.S. and the Soviet flight checklists. These words and phrases would be used to indicate either the completion of normal procedures or would convey information on the nature of a potential problem. Since I had been trained to speak to the Soviets in Russian, and the Soviets were trained to speak to us in English, the joint checklists were in both languages. (I might add that during the entire year, the study of Russian was one of my continuing tasks.) Through direct and extended interaction with the Soviets, I came to respect the Soviet determination to further develop a space technology which, quite frankly, by our standards, was still quite rudimentary and cumbersome. In retrospect, I might also add that after observing the Soviet system and society for a year I hope never to be stationed in Moscow!

Another fascinating assignment for me as a NASA astronaut occurred during the two years preceeding the first flight of Columbia. I led a small team of astronauts participating in the development and execution of tests at the Kennedy Space Center. In an effort to test the shuttle as completely as possible before its first flight, we developed tests that required all the shuttle systems to work in an interactive fashion while the vehicle was still on the ground. For example, in the entry phase, simulated air data and TACAN information were fed to the shuttle computers and the shuttle acted as if it were flying. The engineers could then check shuttle response to insure that the control surfaces, the reaction control jets, the electrical system, and all the other systems were working properly.

As part of the countdown team, we also developed the crew compartment procedures used during the shuttle countdown. In fact, Loren Shriver (USAFA ’67), a fellow astronaut and team member scheduled to fly on STS-10, actually strapped John Young and Robert Crippen into their seats for STS-I and set the last few flight switches before launch.

Then, finally, it happened! I was assigned to a flight! Soon, I was training as a crew member of STS-6! Suddenly, my NASA responsibilities took on new meaning and my work focus changed. No longer in support crew status, I was getting ready to fly the shuttle!

I discovered early that training for a shuttle flight is far from routine, for new items are still characteristic of each shuttle flight and, consequently, training plans vary with each mission. For example, our crew trained together for about 18 months before we flew the first flight on the Challenger, which carried a new payload. Although postponements, or “slips,” in the flight schedule caused by the problem with the Challenger’s main engines added about three months to our expected training time, we worked hard for the entire period.

The crew ofSTS-6 (Sixth Space Transportation System), whoflew on the maiden voyage of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Challenger, are from left, Donald H. Peterson, flight mission specialist; Paul J. Weitz, commander; F. Story Musgrave, mission specialist; and Karol J. Bobko, pilot. (NASA photo)

The shuttle is a complicated vehicle with many redundant systems, and to get the most flexibility and capability out of its design, the mission crew needs a great deal of experience with the vehicle’s operation. During extensive simulation exercises in conjunction with Mission Control, it is not unusual for six or more major problems to be injected into, for example, an ascent simulation that lasts only eight and a half minutes. It would take us then 30 or 40 minutes to debrief the run and discuss the simulated failures.

The training devices we use are quite varied and each device contributes its own dimension and unique characteristics to the training problem. Among our most important training devices is the Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) which realistically models almost all of the vehicle systems and systems interactions. The SMS is equipped with a motion system and computer generated visual display for the front, top, and rear windows. It can also be tied to Mission Control and provides Mission Control with all the telemetry information that center would normally receive from an orbiting shuttle. We also have less sophisticated trainers such as the Single System Trainers (SST) which, as the name implies, deal only with particular systems of the shuttle vehicle.

One of the best trainers for teaching a crew member to land the shuttle is the Shuttle Training Aircraft (STA), which is a Gulfstream executive jet modified to fly like a shuttle orbiter in the landing phase. In the STA, a computer takes the pilot stick inputs and calculates how those commands would cause the shuttle to respond. The computer then issues commands to the Gulfstream aircraft that will make the aircraft respond as the shuttle would. Interestingly, for the Gulfstream aircraft to have the correct glide ratio during a simulated shuttle approach, the engines are run in reverse.

For all of you who have flown the T-38, a rather good shuttle approach can be simulated by putting the T-38 gear down (the gear can go to 300 KTS once it is down), by adjusting the jet’s flaps to 45 percent, by putting its speedbrakes down, and by placing the T-38 engines to idle. Between the STA and the T-38, I have done well over 1,000 such simulated shuttle approaches.

Of course, training facilities assume importance proportionate to peculiar flight mission tasks. Because on our flight we had scheduled an extra-vehicular activity (EVA), we spent a great deal of time in the “underwater” Weightless Environmental Training Facility (WETF), which was designed to simulate a zero-g environment. Other crews, with different flight objectives, will train in other special training devices.

The Space Shuttle “Enterprise”flew over the Academy on a May ajternoon bolted to the top of a specially-modified 747. The day after the flight the shuttle was placed on display at Peterson Air Force Base where it attracted nearly 100,000 visitors. The shuttle was enroute to the Paris Air Show. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Although I trained in a number of facilities, the majority of training for me as a pilot occurred in the Shuttle Mission Simulator. I had accrued just under 800 hours of SMS time during my formal crew training period. For a pilot, the SMS training time probably represents half of all formal flight training accomplished.

Furthermore, for pilot and mission specialists alike, astronaut flight preparation also involves a large amount of informal training. Usually informal training is accomplished by identifying a specialist and asking questions about procedure rationale, system limitations, or operation of system instrument signatures. This type of training, though more informal, requires commitment and energy, too.

But all the training paid off! During our flight, there were very, very few technical surprises, and even the few problems encountered were dealt with in a “matter of fact” manner. However, the lack of technical surprises did not mean that we had a “ho-hum” flight. Although I had learned the instrument signatures for all the equipment prior to actual launch, I do not think it is possible to keep from being amazed at the sensation of the rocket engines lighting, and being pushed above the atmosphere and into orbit.

From launch to touchdown, our flight progressed smoothly. Our first day in flight was devoted to the check-out and launch of a large telecommunication satellite called the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRS), and the Air Force supplied Inertial Upper Stage (IUS). The IUS was designed to boost the TDRS, a 5,000-pound special purpose communications satellite, to a geosynchonous orbit of 22,300 miles above the earth.

The TDRS and the IUS were our major payload components, and together weighed approximately 37,000 pounds. (Of course, when we released it into orbit, the payload has mass, but weighed nothing!) When our other smaller payloads were considered along with the orbiter-carried support equipment for the IUS and TDRS, we had 44,000 pounds of weight charged to the Challenger payload. That is quite a bit of cargo for the first flight of a new space shuttle vehicle! But the deployment of the TDRS and the IUS went according to schedule.

The firing of the first stage of the IUS also went according to plan; however, there was a problem with the second stage of the IUS. Because the ground assumed command of the payload once the payload was deployed, we on the Challenger were not made aware of a problem until the following day. Then Mission Control informed us that the TDRS had been boosted into an elliptical orbit with parameters of 13,000 x 22,000 miles, instead of the planned 22,000 mile circular orbit.

Naturally, the unintended orbit of the TDRS caused quite a few tense moments back at NASA. However, the TDRS engineers were able to use the fuel on that communications satellite to boost it up to the required geosynchonous orbit.

Prior to an earlier space shuttleflight in 1981, Astronaut Karol Bobko, at left, briefs STS-2 Commander Joe Engle, at center, and Astronaut John Young, who commanded the first space shuttle flight, prior to their boarding the Shuttle Training Aircraft to practice landing approaches. The approaches areflown in Gulfstreamjets which have been modified to perform like the shuttle orbiter. (NASA photo)

During the second day of the flight, we dedicated our attention to a few smaller experiments on the Challenger. One of these experiments just happened to be the Air Force Academy Get Away Special (GAS) project which I was privileged to activate. We had a television pass over Hawaii about the time of the GAS activation, and so I was able to initiate the GAS experiment on “live” television. As I activated the Air Force Academy experiment, I felt pride in my alma mater. I realized that the cadets who envisioned, designed, and built the GAS experiment were gaining crucial experience in the utilization of the space environment. It is my belief that Air Force officers of the future must be knowledgeable about space to be effective military professionals. Space systems today provide the communications, intelligence, and weather data vital to military operations, and in the future, space systems will be even more important to the military commander.

The third day continued with further experiments and orbiter tests. We also completed all necessary preparations and check-out for our scheduled extra-vehicular activity which was to occur the next day.

On the fourth day of our flight, I helped Don Peterson and Story Musgrave into their spacesuits in preparation for the principal event of the day our STS-6 spacewalk! For approximately four hours, Don and Story performed a number of detailed activities designated to test space suit operation outside the orbiter.

As you probably saw on television, the suits performed extemely well and while those moments of EVA activity were an exciting experience for all of us, I think Don and Story were particularly thrilled to have the opportunity, quite literally, to float in space, and to view the earth from an altitude of 170 miles. Successfully demonstrated, the spacesuits can now be planned to be used on later shuttle flights which require an EVA.

Since there were so few problems during the entire mission, and because mission activities proceeded so smoothly, Mission Control in Houston actually had enough time to calculate that our crew had the oldest average crewman age of any crew yet to fly in space. Our STS-6 commander, Paul Weitz, then promptly referred to us as the “Geritol Crew!” During the next two days, along with all the technical “mumbo jumbo” that went up and down on the air-to-ground, one could often hear the words “GERITOL BUNCH!”

On the fifth day, during a live TV interview with Vice President George Bush, we decided the interview needed to take a lighter turn. We used our label as the “Geritol Crew,” and we all pulled out our reading glasses and showed Vice President Bush a sign we had made proclaiming that among the four of us shuttle crewmen, we had “111 years of aviation experience!” Somehow the reading glasses and sign posting struck us as just the right dose of levity to show our high spirits throughout the flight.

The remainder of the fifth day was filled with more experiments and orbiter tests. We were also involved in getting the vehicle ready for its return home.

The flight was nearing its end. We all felt good about the performance of the Challenger, and good about the way the mission had gone. We were confident about the scheduled entry of the next day. As you know, our flight did end with the Challenger in great shape. STS-6 had completed its mission with fewer problems than any of the other previous flights.

My wife and kids have all repeatedly told me that for weeks after I returned from flight, I was always smiling, as I even now smile when I start to talk about STS-6. My flight was quite an experience! Exciting, fascinating, awe inspiring, challenging and fulfilling all this wrapped up in 120 hours I will never forget.

Now, with the flight reports and mission debriefings complete, I am back working those myriad tasks that must be done in an ongoing space program. But I am looking forward again to those exhilarating moments which occur about three minutes past launch, when the shuttle’s solid rocket boosters have dropped off, the guidance solution has converged, and the shuttle vehicle is above the atmosphere stable on the main engines...then, I will know I am once again on my way to another unforgettable flight!

The STS-6 crew was designated the “F” Crewfor training purposes. “F” Crew was often changed to “F” Troop with the result that the crew posed for this “F” Troop photo. From left are Peterson, Weitz, Musgrave, and Bobko. (NASA photo)

During the “spacewalk”portion ofthe shuttleflight, Dr. Story Musgrave floats in the payload bay on flight day four. In the foreground are the three Get Away Special (GAS) experiment canisters with the middle one being the USAFA canister. (NASA photo)

The crew of STS-6, during their on-orbit interview with Vice President George Bush, display their F-Troop flag, their reading glasses and the sign indicating their “III years of aviation experience. (NASA photo)

First Graduate Selected as Dean

Brig. Gen. Ervin J. Rokke, ’62, has been named the Academy’s dean of faculty by Lt. Gen. Winfield W. Scott Jr., superintendent. General Rokke is the first graduate to serve as dean, and served previously as a permanent professor and head of the Department of Political Science.

General Rokke replaces Brig. Gen. William A. Orth who retired from active Air Force duty recently. The Academy dean assumes the rank of brigadier general and is appointed as an additional permanent professor from among the permanent professors who have served as heads of departments of instruction at the Academy. Permanent professors of the Academy are appointed by the President of the United States with the advice and consent of the U.S. Senate.

General Rokke was born in Warren, Minn, in 1939. After graduating from the Academy, he earned his master’s degree in public administration and a doctorate degree in political science from Harvard University where his academic advisor was Professor Henry Kissinger.

In addition to assignments at Yokota AFB, Japan from 1965-67, and Headquarters Pacific Air Forces, Hickam AFB, Hawaii from 1967-68, General Rokke was an instructor of political science at the Academy from 1968-69 and was assigned to the Bureau of Intelligence and Research, Department of State, Washington, D.C. He returned to the Academy in June 1970 and six months later was named an assistant professor. In July 1972 he became an associate professor and a year later was named chairman of instruction in the Department of Political Science.

In 1973, then Major Rokke was selected for an assignment as a plans officer at the U.S. Mission to North American Treaty Organization Headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. In 1976, he returned to the Academy as an assistant dean and permanent professor of political science. General Rokke was named to his previous position as professor and head of the Department of Political Science in 1977. He was then selected in 1980 to serve a two-year sabbatical as Air Attache to the United Kingdom, London. In August 1982 he resumed his positions at the Academy and since October 1982 also served as acting vice dean.

General Rokke’s decorations include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal with one oak leaf cluster and the Air Force Commandation Medal with one oak leaf cluster.

As dean, General Rokke indicated he would support policies initiated by General Orth. “I would hope at the outset to continue the kind of emphasis that we saw under General Orth. General Orth considered the quality of our teaching in the classroom to be of paramount importance, and I agree with that,” General Rokke said.

The new dean said that the Academy’s curriculum will continue to undergo revisions to keep up with changing technology, however those changes will be subtle. “The important thing to keep in mind is that the core curriculum at the Air Force Academy is one that has evolved over a very lengthy period of time. It was first considered in the late 1940s. We will continue to improve our curriculum but the improvements will be evolutionary rather than revolutionary.”

Dean Rokke’s predictions on the future of the Academy are based on the unchanging Academy mission and the role advancing technology will play in education. “Fundamentally, I think the Academy in 20 years will be quite similar ^o what we have today, because the purpose of the Academy will not change. The purpose is to provide the best Air Force officer we can. The body of knowledge, of course, will have changed enormously in 20 years. The substance of what we teach in the classroom will reflect that change.

“Advancing technology will have an impact on what we teach and to a certain extent, on how we teach. Certainly in 20 years, in fact I would hope far, far sooner, we will have cadets with their own personal computers in their rooms. I would hope that those computers will make cadets more efficient in terms of their study habits and study techniques. And to that extent I would suggest that technology will be altering cadet life in the very near future,” General Rokke said.

In addition to personal computers for cadets, General Rokke thinks computers will begin to play a larger role in the classroom setting. “My own feeling is that computer aided instruction will find its way sooner or later into most of our academic departments,” he said.

The new dean said he has found his Air Force career to be stimulating. “My career in the Air Force, which has been more than 21 years, has been absolutely challenging and very rewarding.”

General Rokke and his wife, Pamela, have two children, Lisa and Eric.

Brig. Gen. and Mrs. William A. Orth

General Orth, dean offaculty since 1978, was awarded the Air Force Distinguished Service Medal upon his retirement in June. The former dean told the audience that, “If I had the opportunity to live my life again, I would certainly choose the same profession, which is, our profession. (Photo by Mary Ellen Spahr)

AFA Fund Drive nets $31,379: Five Academy Projects Approved

Air Force Academy Fund Project

A 150-horsepower Cessna 150 aircraft, such as the one shown here, was the largest offour Academy and Cadet enhancement projects recommended by the superintendent and approved by the association’s board of directors. The funds were provided by generous donors to the first Air Force Academy Fund. Donors included graduates, graduate parents, cadet parents, associate members of the AOG, and otherfriends of the Academy. The Cessna will be used by the Cadet Competition Flying Team, whose members must presently rent a lower powered aircraft with their own funds.

The 1982-83 Air Force Academy Fund drive, the first in the history of the Academy, was most successful ending with a total of $31,379 donated by some 750 graduates, graduate parents, cadet parents, and other friends of the Academy.

The superintendent’s staff provided the association’s board of directors a prioritized list of Academy and Cadet Wing enhancement projects early this summer which recommended items of importance to be funded. The projects, which came from many different Academy agencies, were those for which federal funding was either unavailable or most unlikely.

Two major Academy projects, the purchase of a Cessna 150 aircraft for the Cadet Competition Flying Team, and a Cadet Trophy Room, were approved by the board. Also approved was the establishment of a Humanitarian Fund for families of graduates and cadets who are in need of aid due to an emergency or death, the modification of two of the Academy’s T-4 trainers to provide visual reference, and a Cadet Experience Enhancement Fund to support small cadet generated motivation projects.

The Cesna 150 aircraft for the Cadet Competition Flying Team, will be purchased for approximately $15,000. The aircraft is rated at 150 horsepower and will replace a 100 horsepower aircraft which the flying team has been renting. The cadets presently pay for this rented aircraft out of their own pockets during the summer and fall, with the result that many highly qualified cadets can not afford to try out for the competition flying team because of lack of money.

The new aircraft is compatible with others in the Academy Airfield’s traffic pattern and will be painted to associate it with the Academy and the flying team. The team represents the Academy at regional and national intercollegiate competitions and has placed second and fourth in the last two years. The 1984 national competition will be held at the Academy in April.

The Cadet Trophy Room consists of several lighted trophy cases to properly display awards won by cadet performing groups such as the Cadet Drum and Bugle Corps, the Drill Team, Wings of Blue, and the Honor Guard. Also to be displayed in the trophy room, which will be located in a stairwell of Fairchild hall on the terrazzo level, will be awards won by competitive clubs such as the Rugby Club which recently placed second in the national championships. The estimated cost of this project is approximately $5,000.

The Humanitarian Fund was established due to recent incidents at the Academy such as serious injury or death of a graduate or cadet which resulted in that individual’s family incurring costly expenses related to their travel and stay at the Academy. A total of $8,000 has been earmarked for the AOG Humanitarian Fund to help defray expenses related to these types of emergencies if the family experiences unusually high costs or exhibits a genuine need for the funds.

The AOG Humanitarian Program considers only death and life-threatening situations and is designed to serve the families of either cadets or graduates. The framework for the emergency fund project is an “assistance package’’ which could cover lodging, food, transportation and other services as needed by family members. At present the program will provide assistance only at the Academy and is designed to help alleviate the financial burden of staying at the Academy during a time of sorrow.

The project to modify the two Cadet T-4 trainers will cost approximately $850. All fourthclassmen use the trainers in their Aviation 100 Flying Motivation Course and at present two of the trainers do not have visual displays. This project will provide the capability for the cadets to visually reference flight control changes.

Largest

The Cadet Experience Enhancement Fund was established as a result of numerous requests from the Cadet Wing and other Academy agencies for small items in support of Cadet-related programs and projects. Examples include T-shirts, ascots, and spirit outfits for Basic Cadet Training.

The money remaining in the Air Force Academy fund after the above projects are endowed will be held for future projects or will be added to next year’s fund. Of all the donations which were generally unrestricted gifts to the Academy, $100 was earmarked by a donor to help underwrite a portion of the annual Military History Symposium at the Academy. The Association of Graduates is already a sponsor of the symposium and this gift will be used for its specified purpose.

The largest gift during the 1982-83 Air Force Academy Fund drive was $5,000 from an anonymous donor who was a graduate of the Academy’s Class of 1967. There were 73 gifts in the $100 to $500 category, about twice that many at $50, and in the remaining donations the average gift was between $20 nd $25.

The Association of Graduates and the Academy sincerely thank each donor for their generous gift. The projects chosen to be en

dowed by this year’s fund will greatly improve the Academy experience for all our cadets and will provide some emergency assistance to those families of cadets and graduates who qualify.

The 1983-84 Air Force Academy Fund drive will be launched later this fall and we urge all graduates, graduate and cadet parents, and other friends of the Academy to be as generous as possible. All donations to the fund are kept separate from the association’s operating fund. None of the contributions to the Air Force Academy Fund are used for association expenses, dues, or other association-related costs.

Administered by the Association of Graduates, the Air Force Academy Fund will continue to endow projects prioritized by the superintendent and approved by the association’s board of directors. The fund, created “to provide an extra margin of excellence,” is patterned after alumni gift funds of other colleges and universities to include the service academies.

Contributions will be accepted throughout the year and should be sent to: The Air Force Academy Fund, Association of Graduates, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840.

Donations Continue to Arrive

$250

Mr Robert P. Odenweller

$150

Mr Fred S. Jackson

$102

Maj Larry G. McLaughlin

$100

Col Wayne O. Jefferson

Maj George M. Monroe

1 Lt Gregory S. Nemeth

Mr. Nathon O. Rosenberg

BGen (Ret) & Mrs F. J. Zaniewski

All Others

Mr & Mrs Stephen J. Abbott

Maj Edward H. Allen

Maj Alex M. Archibald Jr.

2Lt Jeffrey K. Beene

Mr Franklin P. Bradstreet

Mrs. Glenn M. Cate

Mr & Mrs Danny L. Chrismer

SMSgt (Ret) & Mrs L. Conway Jr.

Lt Col Richard M. Coppock

Lt Col Anthony Covais

Mr & Mrs Flarry L. Crowe Jr.

Mr & Mrs John R. Cummings

Capt Stephen C. Daniels

Col Bryan L. Davis

Lt Col (Ret) Joseph G. Desantis

Mr & Mrs Alan D. Dillman

Lt Col James A. Eggers

Col (Ret) & Mrs Vern G. Elliot

Mr & Mrs Stanley B. Esbenshade

Mr & Mrs Elmer T. Flurl

Maj Eddie J. Folz

Col Martin E. Fricks

Mr & Mrs Allan B. Fullerton

Capt Mario A. Garza

Capt Richard E. Gausmann

Col (Ret) & Mrs. William Goldfein

Maj Michael F. Guyote

Lt Col Richard H. Hackford, Jr.

Mr & Mrs J. M. Hamed

Mr & Mrs Thomas Hanlon

Mr & Mrs Kenneth Hartle

Mr & Mrs William D. Hickman

Dr & Mrs James Hilsgen

Mr & Mrs Joseph G. Hopkins

Lt Col Howard J. Ingersoll

Capt Bruce B. Johnston

Mr Charles R. Jones

Mr & Mrs Carl A. Keil

Col (Ret) Frank J. Kisner

Maj Peter L. Knepell

Mr & Mrs. George F. Kroehl

Mr & Mrs Robert C. Laird

Capt Charles B. Latham

Mr Robert L. Lippert

Maj Kenneth B. MacAluso

Maj Richard S. Maclsaac

Lt Col Walter O. McCants

Mr Dewey S. McClellan

Lt Col John O. McFalls III

Lt Col (Ret) Joseph L. McNeil

Lt Col Peter S. Miner

Mr Emil Monda

Mr Michael W. Moroze

1 Lt Joseph W. Moschler Jr.

Mrs Anne Murray

Mr Stephen T. O’Neill

Lt Col Gary T. Palmer

1 Lt Timothy J. Payton

Capt Monroe J. Ratchford

Col James M. Rhodes Jr.

Lt Col Daniel L. Ringler

Capt & Mrs. William H. Rohlman

Lt Col Charles W. Seifert

Maj Dwain E. Stephens

Col & Mrs Frederic T. Swan

Mr & Mrs John A. Szulta Jr.

Col Dale C. Tabor

Capt Thomas W. Teigeler

2Lt Preston B. Thompson

Mr & Mrs Joseph B. Thornhill

Mr & Mrs William L. Troy

Mr & Mrs Arie C. Van Kleef

Maj Raymond K. Watts

Lt Col Arnold L. Weinman

Maj Gerald M. Wenner Jr.

Lt Col Timothy O. Westover

Mr Bloise A. Zeigler

-18" DEEP, 18" OVERALL HE16HT ILLUMINATED, WITH GLASS shelvesAHD

SUDINE ElfiSS OOORS WITH LOCHS.

Excellence in Competition to be Displayed

The Cadet Trophy Room was another project approved to be purchased with the first Air Force Academy Fund. At the present time, achievement and competition trophiesfor the many cadet competition teams and clubs are scattered throughout the Academy, some of them remaining in storage due to lack of display cases. This project will allow the team members and the entire Cadet Wing to recognize the outstanding performances of their fellow cadets.

The ranks of the Air Force Academy alumni increased to more than 16,500 with the graduation of 920 members of the Class of 1983 on June 1.

This year’s class is the 25th group of new officers commissioned here beginning with the Class of 1959.

The new second lieutenants will be reporting to a variety of assignments, including 590 to pilot training, 57 to navigator training and 24 to helicopter training.

Eighteen members of this year’s graduating class have received scholarships for graduate study, while another 17 will go to medical school. One graduate will enter the U.S. Army; two will take commissions in the U.S. Navy, and one will be commissioned in the U.S. Marine Corps.

Another 266 graduatess will go to various non-rated assignments within the Air Force immediately following graduation.

Since 1959 approximately 653 graduates have been recipients of scholarships, including 25 Rhodes, 62 Guggenheim, 53 National Science Foundation, 25 Fulbright-Hays, 21 NCAA, 21 Hertz Foundation and 7 National Football Hall of Fame scholarships.

Through the Class of 1982, 9,768 graduates commissioned in the Air Force entered pilot training; 949 entered navigation training, and 304 entered helicopter training.

Of the more than 15,600 graduates from the previous 24 classes, 10,641 are still on active duty with the Air Force.

Four hundred sixty-eight graduates are listed as deceased and of that number 125 were killed in Southeast Asia.

Other losses between the first graduation and present active duty totals are attributed to retirements, medical separations, voluntary resignations and graduates who selected commissioning in other services and those foreign graduates returning to their countries.

Among the graduates who have earned military honors is Capt. Lance Sijan, Class of 1965, who received the Medal of Honor posthumously for his actions in Southeast Asia and for whom one of the two cadet dormitories is named. Fifteen graduates have been presented the Air Force Cross. Two were declared “aces” in Southeast Asia. Awards presented to graduates also include 197 Silver Stars and 2,048 Distinguished Flying Crosses.

To date, 17 Academy graduates have been promoted to or selected for general officer rank. Included is the commandant of cadets, Brig. Gen. Anthony J. Burshnick, Class of 1960.

Four graduates are members of the astronaut program. Four others have been chosen for the space shuttle program. Just recently, Col. Karol Bobko, Class of 1959, piloted the Space Shuttle Challenger on its maiden voyage. William Clohan, Class of 1970, was an undersecretary for the Department of Education. Another Academy alumni, John Hewitt, Class of 1965, was an assistant secretary of the Air Force and still another, Edward Jayne, Class of 1966, was the associate director for national security and international affairs with the Office of Management and Budget. One graduate, Terrence O’Donnell, Class of 1966, is a member of the Academy’s Board of Visitors, the first to serve in such a capacity. Additionally, 10 graduates have received White House fellowships. At present, there are 310 graduates assigned to

the Academy’s faculty and staff.

Past graduates from each class prior to 1980 are currently represented on the Academy staff and faculty. Heading this list is Brig. Gen. Anthony J. Burshnick, Class of 1960, who is commandant of cadets.

Other key staff officers who are graduates include Col. Jock C. H. Schwank, Class of 1960, commander of the USAFA Preparatory School, and Col. Michael J. Quinlan, Class of 1961, assistant director of athletics. Colonel Quinlan starred with the Falcon football team as a cadet. Other graduates in 1961 were Col. Wayne F. Kendall Jr., chief of the cadet clinic, and Col. John T. May, head of the department of physics.

Brig. Gen. Ervin J. Rokke, Class of 1962, was recently named dean of the faculty, previously serving as vice dean and head of the department of political science. Three graduates of the Class of 1963 serving in key staff positions are Col. Ralph R. Rohatsch, deputy commandant for operations; Col. Michael J. O’Connell, director of institutional research, registrar’s office, and Lt. Col. Victor L. Thacker, director of cadet admissions.

Lt. Col. James D. Manning Jr., Class of 1964, commands the 557th Flying Training Squadron.

Col. Robert B. Giffen, Class of 1965, heads the department of astronautics. Two other ’65 graduates are Lt. Col. Robert G. Lambert, who heads the aviation science division under the deputy commandant for military instruction; and Lt. Col. Francis X. McCann, director of current operations and plans, on the Academy’s special staff. Col. James R. Woody, Class of 1966, is vice commandant of cadets, while Lt. Col. Jeffrey Schofield, Class of 1967, until recently served as the Academy inspector general. (The Falcon Flyer)

CAP Award

Brig. Gen. Anthony J. Burshnick, commandant ofcadets, helps new 2nd Lt. Andrew E. Sizemore place his nameplate on the Civil Air Patrol 25-Year Honor Roll. Lieutenant Sizemore was named the winner of the CAP 25-Year Honor Roll award. (U.S. Air Force photo by SSgt. Guido Locati)

Graduating Class Hears Sen Goldwater

The importance of leadership and honesty in life was the theme of Arizona Sen. Barry M. Goldwater’s address to 920 graduates during commencement ceremonies in Falcon Stadium June 1.

Speaking before a crowd of more than 20,000, Senator Goldwater, who is currently serving his second consecutive term as chairman of the Academy’s Board of Visitors, stressed that qualities of respect, kindness, patience and discipline are vital to effective leadership.

Also essential to those in command positions is a supportive noncommissioned officer, according to Senator Goldwater. “When you first go on duty, find yourself the best sergeant you can. Latch on to him and keep him, because that man or woman, as you will learn, the noncommissioned officer, will make your outfit.’’

Equally important, Senator Goldwater said, is the quality of honesty. “Never forget what the honor code taught you here at school. Even above that, remember what your mothers and fathers have taught you and what your church has taught you about being honest. A sense of honor is what sets the Air Force Academy graduate apart. It is the focal point, the hallmark of excellence,” Senator Goldwater said.

Turning to the subject of the public’s opinion of the military, Senator Goldwater noted an improvement in the image of the Armed Forces. “The latest indications are in fact that the military is among the most highly regarded institutions in America,” Senator Goldwater said. “Don’t start your military careers thinking that the American people do not appreciate you, they do.”

The Senator next touched on what he envisions for the future of America and the world. “You will live in a world where we will understand our differences with people in other parts of the world. Eventually, and in turn, we will understand why differences exist between them and us, and why those differences are never so dramatic nor unsolvable that solution need be sought on the battlefield.”

He also alluded to the possibility that expanding technology may one day make war obsolete. “I think most of you will see the day when war will be done away with,” Senator Goldwater said. “A major reason for the end of what will be this country’s great technological ability, particularly in space,” he added.

Concluding his speech, Senator Goldwater told cadets, “You in your wisdom and in your love of your country have decided to

dedicate your lives to the cause of protecting our country, and, if need be to fight for our country. I pray that will never be required of you and, I fervently hope and pray that your lives will continue to be productive and profitable ones by your dedication and devotion.” (The Falcon Flyer)

Skies Clear for 25th Graduation Day

By A1C Daniel S. Wise Public Affairs Office

Heavy fog over the Academy on Graduation Day, June 1, burned off just as the Class of 1983 marched down the ramp and onto Falcon Stadium field during the 25th Air Force Academy Graduation Ceremony.

The event marked the end of a long, hard, four years for 920 firstclass cadets and the beginning of a new life as second lieutenants in the Air Force.

“I feel that I’ve had a lot of opportunities here and it’s helped me to mature and put my life into perspective,” said new 2nd Lt. Robert E. Cruz who will be attending the University of California on a scholarship.

Graduation events began at 9:30 a.m. with approximately 22,000 people in attendance and were highlighted by guest speaker, Arizona Sen. Barry M. Goldwater. He addressed the Class of 1983 on the importance of leadership and the possibility of peace throughout the world.

Following the address, the Class of 1983 received diplomas and commissions. The diplomas were presented by Sen. Goldwater, Verne Orr, secretary of the Air Force; Generals Jerome F. O’Malley, vice chief of staff, and James V. Hartinger, com

mander of the Space Command and commander-in-chief of the North American Aerospace Defense Command. Academy Generals Robert E. Kelley, Anthony J. Burshnick and William A. Orth also presented diplomas to the class.

As each name was read, family members and friends sitting in the stadium reacted with joy for their sons and daughters. Several parents shouted their happiness while others had assorted noise makers to give them a sense of recognition.

And that final moment of satisfaction came with the reading of the last graduates’ name, the playing of the Air Force song and the reciting of the oath of office.

“Ladies and gentlemen, Class of 1983, you are dismissed,” said General Burshnick. Suddenly the air was filled with hundreds of white hats as the new second lieutenants looked overhead to see the Air Force Thunderbirds perform in their honor.

The Thunderbirds precision flying team performed a 20-minute show. Maj. Lawrence Stellmon, a 1969 Academy graduate, was flying the number four aircraft slot position.

Shortly after the hat toss, hundreds of children ran out to take a hat home as a lasting memory. To his surprise, one child who picked up a hat found that a dollar bill had been placed inside. (The Falcon Flyer)

Cannon dedication

Sen. Barry M. Goldwater, Academy Board of Visitors chairman and this year’s graduation speaker, dedicates a 75-mm Howitzer cannon during a cadet retreat ceremony May 31. The cannon was donated by the senator to the Cadet Wing. (U.S. Air Force photo)

Organizational Awards Presented

Organizational awards presented each year during “June Week” activities leading up to and including graduation of the first class, are designed to recognize Air Force Academy cadet units for outstanding achievement in the fields of academics, military training, athletics and extracurricular endeavor.

The Association of Graduates Trophy, engraved plaque, and blue streamers for each squadron were awarded to 4th Group as the Outstanding Group of 1983 for achievement in all areas of unit endeavor. Individual plaques were presented to the group commanders for the fall and spring semesters respectively, CICs Paul J. Mejasich of Carlisle, Pa., and Gregory W. Wheeler of Gaithersburg, Md. Lt. Col. Edward D. Huber is the air officer commanding of the group, composed of Cadet Squadrons 30-39, winning the award sponsored by the Association of Graduates of the United States Air Force Academy.

The Space Command Trophy, engraved plaque and purple streamer were awarded to Cadet Squadron 12 for standing first in military proficiency. Cadets Firstclass John P. Dismukes of Somerville, N.J., and Quinn B. Newhall of Cincinnati, commanded the squadron during the fall and spring semesters, respectively. Air Officer Commanding for the squadron is Capt. Robert

GRADUATES SELECTED FOR MAJOR

1973

Erik C. Anderson Robert J. Finnegan Jr.

John L. Barry Charles B. Hand

Russell L. Gilbert Charles E. Lambert Jr.

Steven A. Harman

Michael B. Maughan

Michael G. Hub Richard A. Mentemeyer

John L. Hudson David L. Moody

John E. Kuconis Melvin M. Reeves Jr.

Kevin M. McNellis Barry S. Wilson

John C. Pemberton 1975

James N. Soligan William K. Davis

Harry C. Walker 111

Richard B. Wallace

William M. Wilson Jr.

1974

Richard J. Casey

Peter J. Hennessey

John W. Jenson

Branford J. McAllister

Dale W. Meyerrose

Bentley B. Rayburn

Carrol H. Chandler David Tillotson 111

Kelvin R. Coppock

Mario K. Diprimo

Robert S. Walden

Richard E. Webber

Dixon. The Space Command sponsors this award in memory of Col. John H. Fowler.

The Air Force Association Trophy, engraved plaque and blue streamer were awarded to Cadet Squadron 31 as the outstanding squadron for achievement in all areas of unit endeavor. Lifetime memberships in the AFA were awarded to Cadets Firstclass Gregory Wheeler, fall semester commander, and James D. Roy of Wolf Point, Mont., spring commander. The squadron commanders served under the direction of Air Officer Commanding Capt. Kimberly J. Dalrymple. Pewter mugs are awarded to each member of the squadron which garners the award sponsored by the Air Force Association.

The Air Training Command Trophy, engraved plaque and white streamer were awarded to Cadet Squadron 33 which ranks first in overall academic achievement. Cadets Firstclass Garrett Harencak of Elmwood Park, N.J., and Curtis L. Sheldon of Park Falls, Wis., served as commanders of the squadron in the fall and spring, respectively. Marine Corps Maj. William A. Whitlow serves as air officer commanding. The award is sponsored by Air Training Command.

The Gillen-Slezak memorial Trophy, engraved plaque and red streamer were awarded to Cadet Squadron 25 which stands first in intercollegiate athletic participation. The squadron was commanded by C1C Stephen T. Huskins of Brewer, Maine, during the fall, and C1C Richard J. Ragaller of Vail, Iowa, during the spring. Capt. John T. Tyrrell is air officer commanding of the squadron winning the award sponsored by Mrs. Fredrick R. Gillen and Mrs. Margurite Osborne.

The Ambassador Laurence A. Steinhardt and Squadron Leader Allan A. Sherlock, Royal Canadian Air Force, memorial Trophy, engraved plaque and gold streamer was awarded to Cadet Squadron 36 for standing first in drill and ceremonies. Commanding the squadron during the fall and spring, respectively, were CICs Jeffrey L. Stevens of Ft. Beavers, Utah, and Ronald O. Klatt of Balsam Lake, Wis. Air officer commanding for the squadron is Maj. John E. Hayden. Mrs. Allan A. Sherlock and friends sponsor this award.

The 1st Lt. John J. Malanaphy Trophy, engraved plaque and gold streamer was awarded to Cadet Squadron 21 for taking first overall in intramural athletic competition. The squadron was under the command of CICs David R. Ross of Kingston, N.Y., fall semester, and Timothy J. Ward of Mount Prospect, Ill., spring semester, with air officer commanding Maj. Lawrence R. Verrochi. The Colorado National Bank-Exchange sponsors this award.

The Superintendent’s Athletic Excellence Trophy, engraved plaque, and cardinal streamer went to Cadet Squadron 29 for standing first in the balanced combination of athletic achievement in both the intramural and intercollegiate participation. CICs Thomas R. Duda of Auburn, Mass., and Scott A. Hagen of Menomonie, Wis., commanded the squardon during the fall and spring semesters, respectively. Army Maj. Samuel L. Murphy serves as air officer commanding of 29th squadron. The award is sponsored by the Association of Graduates of the United States Air Force Academy.

The Air Force Academy Foundation Trophy for Excellence in Leadership and Scholarship, engraved plaque and blue streamer was awarded to Cadet Squadron 31 for standing first in squadrons with the highest percentage of cadets on the Superintendent’s List for maintaining a 3.0 or higher grade point average in academics and military performance. CICs Mark E. Moyer of Medford Lakes, N.J., and Patrick R. Veillette of Salt Lake City, commanded the squadron during the fall and spring semesters, respectively. The newly established award is sponsored by the Air Force Academy Foundation. (The Falcon Flyer)

THE SECRET LIFE OF WALDO F. DUMBSQUA T

By Don Hall, ’76

C/4C Waldo F. Dumbsquat stood at the sink. He put the finishing touches on his spit-shined low-quarter black shoes.

“Wow, Waldo,” exclaimed his roommate, Warren Heels, “look at this! It’s even better than last Saturday!”

Hurrying to the dorm window, Waldo gazed in the direction indicated by Warren.

“There’s a great crop of touri on the wall today. If you look real hard, you can see a chapel guide or two. Do you want to use my million power telescope?”

“No, thanks,” said Waldo, putting on his uniform. “I’ve got to get ready to march a couple of tours.”

“What sin did you commit?”

“Oh, gee, I got five and two for dust in my terrarium.”

“ATTENTION IN THE AREA, ATTENTION IN THE AREA. CQS PLEASE POST. THIS IS THE FIRST CALL FOR THE FIRST PERIOD TOUR FORMATION. UNIFORM IS SERVICE BRAVO, WHITE GLOVES, UNDER ARMS. COMMAND POST OUT.”

The doolie grabbed his rifle and double-timed across the terrazzo. He only got written up twice for improper rifle manual before reaching the tour pad. Waldo took his place in line with his fellow criminals and stood at attention.

The SOD, humming the theme song from An Officer and a Gentleman stepped in front of the freshman.

“Dumbsquat, only two things come from your Group—hacks and smacks. Now you don’t look like a cabdriver to me, so you must be a smack. Right?”

Waldo hadn’t seen that movie. He could think of only one snappy comeback.

“Sir, I do not understand.”

“Never mind, Dumbsquat, you probably watched Twelve O’Clock High and didn’t memorize any lines.”

The doolie wasn’t sure if he had been insulted or not.

Tour formation was tough.

“Dumbsquat, your National Defense Ribbon is frayed. I shall have to write you up for eight and four—uniform in gross disarray. Inspection arms!”

Waldo snapped the rifle up to port arms and slapped the chamber open. A chapstick cleverly placed there by Warren popped out and bounced on the marble strip.

33 June Week Weddings

Each year, the Cadet Chapel is the scene of intense activity during the days following graduation. New second lieutenants often take advantage of the opportunity to “tie the knot” with that special person in the Chapel.

This year, there were approximately 33 post-graduation weddings in the Cadet Chapel. Nineteen of those weddings were of the protestant faiths, including two weddings between cadets.

Catholic weddings totaled approximately 14, with four weddings between cadets.

There were no Jewish weddings scheduled this year.

The June Week weddings began Wednesday after graduation and continued through June 5ih.(The Falcon Flyer)

“Littering—that’s another eight and four, Dumbsquat. You’re going to be a permanent fixture here on my ramp, mister.”

Waldo knew he had to act fast to save his summer leave. Uttering the magic words “Double Secret Probation,” the fourthclassman transformed into Colonel Waldo F. Dumbsquat, a man who never repeats himself repeats himself. His massive frame dwarfed the SOD.

“Mister,” Colonel Dumbsquat said to the SOD, “I’m initiating a new punishment program. These cadets will spend their tours mingling with the tourists. They will be required to discuss the Academy, promote the Air Force way of life, and get phone numbers for squadron parties.”

“Yes, Sir!”

The colonel disappeared down the dormitory stairwall and degenerated back into Waldo. He ran to his room to drop off his rifle before going to the chapel.

“Hey, Waldo, guess what?” exclaimed his roommate as Waldo opened the door to his room.

“What?”

“Your tours have been converted to academic confinements, so you can get that English paper done! Isn’t that great?”

Waldo sighed.

Prep School Dedication

Brig. Gen. Robinson Risner dedicated the F-100 that he once flew in a ceremony in May at the Prep School parade field. The Prep School graduated 209 this past year and has recently received 240 new Prep School appointees. (U.S. Air Force photo by SSgt. Guido Locati)

FALCON SPORTS

Five Falcon Teams

With five teams finishing in the top six nationally, Air Force Academy athletic teams continued to excel against some of the best competition in the nation.

Over 900 athletes on 41 intercollegiate teams competed in 564 contests and came up with a winning average of 63.7 percent.

During the 1982-83 school year, Falcon varsity athletes competed in 506 contests, winning 326, losing 176 and Lying 4 for a 64.8 percentage.

The overall program that included junior varsity teams completed the year with 356 wins, 202 losses and 6 ties.

Pistol won a national team title in air pistol for the secondstraight year. Women’s swimming was second in the nation in the Division II championships while the men’s fencing team took sixth in the NCAA Division I finals. Women’s cross country finished sixth in the NCAA Division II finals.

And, of course, football brought national attention to the Academy by winning the Hall of Fame Bowl.

Although not a varsity sport, boxing continued to standout nationally, winning its third national team title in the last four years. Eleven boxers earned All-America honors and seven won national individual titles.

Six varsity teams posted undefeated seasons women’s cross country (4-0), men’s indoor track (5-0), men’s swimming (15-0), women’s swimming (21-0), women’s outdoor track (4-0) and pistol (10-0).

Three teams extended long winning streaks. Men’s indoor track has won 40 dual meets in a row while both men’s and women’s swimming teams continued their streaks. The women have won 52-straight dual meets while the men have a streak of 75 meets.

Regional or league titles were claimed by women’s cross country, men’s golf, rifle, women’s outdoor track, pistol, lacrosse and women’s swimming.

The Air Force Academy won the 1983 National Collegiate Boxing Association championship this past spring at the Cadet Field House. This was their third title in four years (they were runnersup in 1982.) Members of the team at the time of the competition are, kneelingfrom left, Mike Simpson, Sean Amuan, Ricky Graham, Mark Randolph, Moses Winston and John Owens.

by Col. John Clune Athletic Director

in National Ratings

Air Force competed in the Western Athletic Conference for the fourth-straight year and eight athletes received WAC honors. In track, Rob Eamon won a WAC track championship in the javelin while seven others were selected to All-WAC teams. Football had six with Dave Schreck, John Kershner and Sean Pavlich earning first-team honors while Marty Louthan, Jeff Kubiak and Chris Funk made second team. Rick Simmons was named all-league second team in basketball and also was named to the all-district first team.

In its 27 years of varsity athletic competition, Air Force has won 5,001 contests, lost 2,502 and tied 60, making an overall percentage of 66.5.

Top Athletes Honored

One of the top offensive linemen in Falcon football history, Dave Schreck was honored as the Most Valuable Athlete at the Air Force Academy’s 28th annual Athletic Awards Banquet in late May.

Schreck, who hails from Coon Rapids, Iowa, combined academic with athletic excellence. A player who developed as his career progressed, many honors came his way last fall. He was an All-Western Athletic Conference first-team choice at offensive guard and he was an All-American third team selection on the Associated Press’s ballot. Schreck won a postgraduate scholarship from the National Football Foundation and Hall of Fame and was the spokesman for athletes at the group’s annual award banquet. He was also honored as the top scholar-athlete in the Western Athletic Conference, winning the prestigious Star Bates Award.

The Scholar Athlete Award that goes to a graduating varsity athlete who has shown excellence in both academics and athletics was won by Linda Telkamp. From Dallas, she has been a top performer four years, earning All-American honors each year. Last winter, she was second and third in her two diving events at the National Collegiate championships. She has been an AllAmerican seven times but those accomplishments didn’t distract her from her classroom work. She compiled a 3.73 cumulative average in an astronautical engineering major.

The Athletic Leadership Award was earned by senior Ricard Smith of Enid, Okla. This award goes to the athlete who, by his or her character in the sports arena, has exemplified outstanding leadership. This year’s winner was always in the center of action on the football field and played a significant role in the Falcons’ outstanding season. A four-year letterman, he was a starter for the last three years at center and his on-the-field leadership helped the Falcon offense to one of the best in the nation.

Besides being selected for the Athletic Leadership Award, Smith also was winner of the Most Valuable Lineman Award, making him the only multiple winner of the evening.

The Athletic Excellence Award goes to the cadet who has demonstrated athletic excellence in one or more intercollegiate sports. The winner this year is Patty Martinez of Chula Vista, Calif. A team captain, Martinez was a member of the women’s swimming team and was an All-American during her four years. She attained a total of 23 All-American certificates, the most ever won by any cadet. She also was a six-time national champion, again the highest total ever gained by a cadet athlete.

1983 National Team Champions

Those in the back row, from left, are Brad Lindsey, Chris Fisher, Mike Jensen, Mark Bethea, Mike Cosley, and Col. Michael J. Quinlan, ’61, assistant director ofAcademy Athletics. (U.S. Air Force photo by Guido Locati)

Graduates Help Spark Kirtland Win

By Lt. Marty France, ’81

Thirteen USAFA graduates contributed to victory earlier this summer as the Kirtland AFB Flyers captured the 1983 New Mexico Corporate Cup Relays Track Meet. A late rally on the second and final day of competition propelled the Flyers to victory over 64 competing teams with more than 900 athletes from the New Mexico and Texas area, including the three-time defending champions, Sandia National Labs. The purpose of the relays is to promote sportsmanship and fitness among employees in the business world. The two-day event included competition in a variety of short and long distance relays, as well as individual races and field events.

Coached by Neal Baumgartner (’81), Air Force Weapons Lab athletic officer, the Flyers were competing in only their second Corporate Cup with 64 athletes compared to favored Sandia’s 125. Though short on numbers, the Kirtland team was led by several quality performers, including Bryan Kelchner (’81), Annetta Weber (’82) and Steve Webb (’80), all of whom ran track and cross-country during their cadet years. Kelchner ran a 4,800 meter leg on the second place Open Relay A Team (4,800-3,200-1,600-1,600) in 15:41 and then set a meet record to win the Open 1,500 Meter Race in 4:03.67. Bryan also had a hand in two other teams, running a 4:21 1,600 on the record-setting President’s Relay A Team (1,600-800-400) and a 51.5 400 on the Equal Opportunity 4x400 A Team.

Annetta Weber, defending interservice champion in 800 and 1,500, set meet records to win those events handily at 2:27.79 and 5:02.19, respectively. She also ran an 800 leg on the winning Women’s Relay A Team (400-800-400) and led off the Equal Opportunity Relay with a 64.6 400. Steve Webb led the Kirtland 10K team to victory with a 33:35 finish, took third in the 1,500 at 4:15.61 and ran a 2:06 800 on the winning President’s Relay Team.

On the Master’s scene, Chris Kopf (’66) took fifth in the 40 + 10K with a 39:02, sprinted to fifth in the 40-49 100 meters in 13.46, placed fifth in the 40-49 1,500 at 4:48.19 and ran a tough 5:20 1,600 on the second place Master’s Relay Team (3,200-1,600-800-400). Gary Butson (’71) ran a 11:02.86 opening 3,200 to give the Executive Relay Team (3,200-1,600-1,600-800) an insurmountable lead, and then came back to run a 4:49.26 1,500, good enough for seventh in the 30-39 age group. San Cusumano (’71) ran a 14.13 100 meters in the 30-39 age group 100 meter dash.

In the Women’s 5K Team race, Karen Lange (’80) and Jill Rider (’82) ran 31:02 and 28:45, respectively. Coach Neal Baumgartner turned in four excellent performances, running a 4:41 1,600 on the fourth place Open Relay B Team, taking sixth in the Open 800 at 2:09.51, fourth in the Open 1,500 at 4:16.83 and leading off the President’s Relay B Team with a 4:43 1,600. In that race, the “all-grad” team of Baumgartner, Ken Barker (’79) and Marty France (’81) took a decisive fourth place finish to put Kirtland in the lead for the first time late on the final day of competition. Barker ran a gutsy 2:05 800, complete with diving finish, to complement his 5:01 1,600 in the Open Relay. France anchored the President’s Relay with a 57.0 400, and also took a pair of fourth place finishes in the long jump (18’7”) and high jump (5’10”). Ed Gjermundsen (’80) jumped 5’8” for seventh in the high jump and Steve Hocking (’78) ran a leg on the 4x100 B Team.

The Kirtland team was down by as many as 90 points early on the second day of competition, but rallied behind a strong showing in the 1,500 races that brought them to within 26 points of Sandia. Strong finishes in the Pyramid Relay (2nd and 4th), President’s Relay (1st and 4th) and the Equal Opportunity Relay (2nd) sewed up the win. The final score read Kirtland 580.5 points to Sandia’s 550.

Though many of the participants work out on a regular basis, it was great fun to hit the track again and face stiff competition. For the grads in the meet it helped prove that we haven’t lost that much from our USAFA days, and in fact many had improved since then thanks to regular training and activity. For coach Neal Baumgartner, who is also working on his master’s in exercise physiology from the University of New Mexico, it was a chance to try out training techniques on a large group of athletes. It was this training that made the difference for the Flyers over this grueling two-day event. (Lt. Marty Grance, ’81)

Military Rugby Title

Captured by USUHS

Four Academy graduates helped the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences School of Medicine’s Rugby Football Club capture the National Military Rugby Tournament at Fort Polk, La., earlier this year. Graduates competing on the championship team were Mike Restey (’74), Craig Bash (’79), Sean Murphy (’81), and Steve Topper (’82).

Known as the USUHS ‘Fightin’ Docs,” the team was seeded sixth in the tournament despite last year’s third place finish. The team won the tournament by beating out 15 other Army, Air Force and Marine teams from all over the country and in the Pacific. In emerging the winner, the “Fightin’ Docs” played without the services of their two injured 1982 All-United States Military Team members, beat the defending champions from the last two years, and won without being scored on in four games.

Competitive combination

Graduating seniors Rich Stephenson, right, and Norm Rennspies, center, were named All-American at the NCAA Division I fencing championships earlier this year. Senior Bill Spacy, at left, missed All-American selection by only two points. Stephenson and Rennspies became the ninth and 10th Academy swordsmen to be named All-American at the NCAA meet. (U.S. Air Force photo by SSgt. Guido Locati)

Aviator's Accomplishments Recognized

By SrA. Karen Duke Public Affairs Office

The blue sky over the Rockies was the training ground for the Academy’s selection into the 1983 National Congress on Aerospace Education CROWN CIRCLE and 1982 inductee to the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame. Mr. William D. Madsen, a public affairs specialist in the Media Division of the Directorate of Public Affairs at the Academy, was selected for the CROWN CIRCLE award because of his superior contributions and outstanding leadership in aerospace education. The recognition is the highest honor the sponsors of the National Congress on Aerospace Education can bestow for aerospace education leadership.

Mr. Madsen’s excellent photography has often graced this magazine’s cover and he is a strong supporter of the Association of Graduates and its goals. Included in his many volunteer efforts on behalf of the Academy and the cadets are his excellent presentations to the Cadet History Club and Professional Military Studies classes on World War I aviation. According to a letter from previous commandant, Maj. Gen. Robert D. Beckel, ’59, “His (Madsen’s) topics, the air battle of the Red Baron and World War I aircraft, were perfect lead-ins to the course topic, air warfare origins. He combined an expert knowledge and insight with a teacher’s ability to communicate with cadets. The best praise for his presentations came straight from a cadet who said, ‘He made World War I come alive!’

A former barnstormer and aerial mapping pilot, Mr. Madsen joined the Civil Air Patrol within a month of the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor. Now a CAP lieutenant colonel, he was named last year’s Senior Member of the Year.

Mr. Madsen’s obsession with flying was sparked in 1927 by two events—Charles A. Lindburgh’s pioneer solo flight across the Atlantic and his own pioneer airplane ride.

“After Lindburgh made his flight over the Atlantic, he became an international aviation hero overnight. He’s been my idol all my life,’’ explained Mr. Madsen, who was 14-years-old when his idol was logged in the history annals.

Within a year of the “Lone Eagle’s” famed solo flight, Mr. Madsen’s curiosity earned him a first-hand flying experience which heightened his determination to become a pilot.

“I was living in the Denver area at that time and used to ride my bike to the original Lowry Field to watch mail planes land,” he recalled. “I was out there one Sunday when Putt Humphries had invited a number of his friends to the airstrip for rides in his six-seat Fokker cabin monoplane.

“After the plane landed following one flight and the passengers were discharged, I walked over to the craft and stuck in my head for a peek at the interior,” he continued. “Mr. Humphries evidently figured I was the son of one of his guests, because he came up behind me and said, ‘Come on, son, get on board; other passengers are waiting and we haven’t got all day!’ A pair of hands propelled me inside, so I took a seat and took a ride. That ride convinced me I wanted to fly a plane myself someday.”

Learning to fly required sacrifices: “I used to save up my lunch money five days per week so I could take a 30-minute lesson on Saturday. It took me about a year to qualify.”

Now, with single- and multi-engine commercial ratings plus 4,450 flying hours under his belt, Mr. Madsen’s love of airplanes burns as strong as ever. He has flown 198 CAP missions, served as director of that organization’s emergency services and developed the CAP’S first written air search and rescue plan.

Beginning his 41-year CAP career as an operations officer for the 2nd Air Force-CAP Courier Service based at what was then Peterson Army Airfield, he has held several command and staff positions at squadron, wing and regional levels. In addition to his

uses during presentations to cadets and civilian

on tacdeal air warfare during World War I. As a member of the Academy speaker’s bureau, Mr. Madsen speaks to a variety of cadet classes and civic groups on WWI aviation and decks out in “early ace”fashionsfor the younger crowds. (U.S. Air Force photo)

1982 Senior Member of the Year acclaim, Mr. Madsen received the Brewer Memorial Aerospace Award, a national award sponsored by the CAP.

Of the many CAP missions Mr. Madsen has flown, one particular search and recovery flight stands out, because of the perseverance of the three survivors CAP rescuers recovered from the mountains.

“One winter night in 1966, a pilot and two passengers departed Denver enroute to Alamosa. Intermittent snow showers were reported along the front range and continental divide of the Rockies, and the pilot misjudged his position and altitude in a snowstorm. The plane crashed in a tree-lined canyon,” Mr. Madsen related.

“The trio struggled for two days in six feet of loose-packed snow and, with only their hands to dig their way up, managed to top a flat mesa and stamp out the word ‘HELP.’ They returned to their fallen plane for shelter until they were rescued,” he continued. “It was the afternoon of the third day following the crash when I spotted the message in the snow from the AT-6 I was flying and reported the coordinates of their location via the CAP radio net.”

Mr. Madsen’s accomplishments haven’t been totally confined to the CAP, however. His writing and photography have been published in several newspapers and aviation magazines and he co-authored the Aircraft Bluebook used by banks and finance companies. The book, which is similar to the wholesale price guide on autombiles used by financial institutions, was written in partnership with the late Don Vest, president of Vest Aircraft Company.

Mr. Madsen was one of only four Colorado residents to be inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame last year. The others were retired Air Force Lt. Col. William R. Dunn of Colorado Springs, and Denver residents, retired airline Capt. C. A. “Chick” Stevens and Francis L. Gallagher.

Baron von Madsen

William D. Madsen, public affairs specialist at the Academy, displays the model ofRittmeister Manfred von Richthofen’s (The Red Baron) Fokker triplane he

groups

The AOG and the Classes of 1963 and 1973 present.

HOMECOMING ’83

22-25 September 1983

16th JABARA AWARD

USAFA vs BYU

CLASS REUNIONS

1963 20-YEAR 1973 10-YEAR

IMPORTANT

Friday afternoon and Saturday morning schedules may change due to a possibility of the football game beginning at 11 a.m. for televising. Should this occur, the memorial ceremony will either be Friday afternoon or earlier Saturday morning. Because the decision will not be made until Sept. 19, notification of any changes will be included in graduate registration packages.

Preliminary Schedule

1800-?

SUNDAY 25 Sep

*Cosponsored by the

SPECIAL EVENTS

THURSDAY:

Class of 1973 Reunion Reception. This will be ’73’s first chance to get together and discuss the “good old days” at our ten-year reunion. We’re planning the best reunion reception ever! Plan to arrive at the Holiday Inn Central at 1900 for cocktails, heavy hors d’oeuvres, slides, swapping war stories, and renewing old friendships.

Class of 1963 Reunion Reception. Totally unstructured evening centered around Hospitality Suite at the Four Seasons.

FRIDAY:

Open House. Take your wife and family on a tour of the Cadet Area. The chapel and dormitories will be open, so drop by your old squadron and reminisce. Check out the waterless Air Gardens, the casual first-class rooms, the new-improved “CQ Shack,” and the newly renovated rooms in Vandenberg Hall. (More details at registration).

Lunch at Mitchell Hall. Join the cadets for one of Mitch’s famous lunches. Watch cadets march to their only formation of the day. Currently this function is limited to 200 grads, who will eat on the Staff Tower. (Wives and others will eat at Arnold Hall.)

Golf Tournament. If golf is your game, you’ll probably want to play in this exciting tournament (with real prizes). Limited clubs and carts will be available. If you choose the tournament, you will, of course, miss lunch with the cadets and some of the other morning and afternoon activities. (Wives are invited.)

Afternoon Activities. Attend those classes you slept through when you were a cadet (tentative). Talk to the modern-day cadets (some of them wear skirts!) and count how many times they put “sir” into a sentence. After class there is a strong possibility of an Alumni vs USAFA “B” Team Rugby Game.

(Continued on Page 26.)

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

REGISTRATION:

Send the completed registration form and your check to the Association of Graduates. Remember that this payment should include all activities you plan to attend, beyond those included in the registration fee.

The registration fee for AOG members is only $24 a person. For non-members, the fee is $26 a person. This includes hors d’oeuvres at the cocktail hour, the banquet and dance on Friday; the Saturday morning coffee; and drinks at the pre-game tailgate party.

Registration Packets, Tickets, and Name Tags:

For the Class of 1963, may be picked up at the Four Seasons on Thursday from 1600 to 2000.

For the Class of 1973, may be picked up at the Holiday Inn Central on Thursday from 1400 to 1900. Or those who have not picked up their registration packet on Thursday may do so on Friday at the registration desk in the lobby of Arnold Hall from 0900 to 1500 or at the Four Seasons from 1600 to 1900. Registration packets will not be mailed to you. Registration packets may also be picked up from 0830 to 1100 in Arnold Hall on Saturday morning. Football tickets not picked up at registration will be given to the main ticket office near the flagpole of Falcon Stadium where they may be picked up on Saturday.

ACCOMMODATIONS:

Class of ’63: Headquarters is the Four Seasons, located 14 miles south of the Academy at Exit 138 just off 1-25. Reservations can be made by writing the Four Seasons Motor Inn, 2886 S. Circle Drive, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80906 or by calling (303) 576-5900. The charges are $38 a night for a single and $48 a night for a double. The deposit is refundable with no penalty if you cancel not later than two weeks in advance. Be sure to tell them that you are with the Class of ’63 to get these special rates.

Class of ’73: Headquarters is the Holiday Inn Central, located 11 miles south of the Academy on Highway 24 (Exit 141 off 1-25). Reservations can be made by writing the Holiday Inn Central, 8th and Cimarron, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80905 or by calling (800) 238-8000. The charges are $25 a night for a single and $30 a night for a double. The deposit is refundable with no penalty if you cancel not later than two weeks in advance. Be sure to tell them that you are with the Class of ’73 to get these special rates.

For both classes, room reservations should be made not later than 1 September to ensure availability. One night’s deposit or a credit card number is required to guarantee reservations.

For those people not from the reunion classes: We have obtained a block of rooms at the Raintree Inn, 314 West Bijou, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80905. When making reservations, identify yourself as being with the Academy Homecoming to get the special rates of $40 a night for a single or $50 a night for a double. Reservations may be made by phone by talking to Kelly at (303) 471-8680. No deposit is required for those arriving prior to 1800 on 22 September. (If you live in Colorado, these accommodations will allow you to attend all of the Friday and Saturday activities without having to do a lot of extra driving.)

RENTAL CARS:

Rental car arrangements will be left up the individual. However, Thrifty Rent-A-Car of Colorado Springs and Denver has agreed to offer special rates for homecoming attendees. Please make your own reservations as early as possible by contacting either: Thrifty Rent-A-Car, 421 E. Pikes Peak, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80903, (303) 633-7707; or for those flying into Denver: Thrifty Rent-A-Car, 6900 Smith Rd., Denver, Colo. 80207, (303) 388-4634. Please tell them that you are with the USAFA Homecoming group to get the special rates.

Full size cars, wagons, and vans are also available at special rates, and there are also special rates for unlimited mileage.

CANCELLATIONS;

To ensure a refund for registration fees paid in advance, cancellations must be received by the AOG office before 1500, Monday, 19 September. Cancellations received after that deadline cannot be guaranteed. Cancellations may be made by mail or phone: autovon 259-2067, or commercial (303) 472-2067. Cancellations for room reservations or car rentals should be accomplished directly through the agency with which you made them.

(Continued on next page.)

PLEASE NOTE:

DRESS:

Thursday night activities: Casual!

Friday

Saturday night: Casual.

All other activities (Friday-Sunday): Service Dress (wheel hat)

for active duty. Comparable attire for civilians.

DON’T FORGET WHAT COLORADO WEATHER CAN BE LIKE!

NURSERY SERVICES:

The base nursery will be made

and

for children between the ages of six weeks and 11 years. Indicate your requirements on the back of the registration form. Remember, you must bring your child's shot records. Nursery service may also be available at the Holiday Inn Central on Thursday night and at the Four Seasons on Friday night.

REGISTRATION REMINDERS

1. All attendees must register and pay the registration fee. Guests of AOG members may pay the member fee.

2. Individuals playing golf will not be able to attend lunch with the Cadet Wing.

3. Room arrangements must be made directly with the hotel/motel of your choice.

4. Car rental arrangements must be made directly with the rental agency.

5. Football tickets will be in a block in the west stands. Tickets will be in registration packets.

6. Registration packets will not be mailed.

7. Cancellations must be made to the AOG by 19 September to guarantee a refund. Cancellation of hotel/motel accommodations or rental car must be made directly with those agencies.

AOG Coffee, Saturday ( ) ( ) ( )

Memorial Ceremony, Saturday ( ) ( ) ( )

Tailgate, Saturday (Free beer and pop) ( ) ( ) ( )

Lunch at Arnold Hall, Saturday ( ) ( ) ( )

NURSERY: (Base Nursery requires immunization record for each child.)

I will be bringing (#) children, ages and will need nursery/babysitter services: (Check appropriate boxes.) NA not available at these times.

LOST SOULS: The following members of the classes of 1963 and 1973 have no current mailing address with the AOG. If anyone knows of their whereabouts, please notify the AOG, so that they can receive information about Homecoming ’83.

Jerry K. Bowers

Michael L. Freeland

Henry L. Lavender

Joseph W. Palazzolo

Edward L. Smith

Kenneth C. Adams

Chester T. Crank

Thomas G. Grayson

Howard T. Luther

Paul R. Mazurowski

Milton J.P. Miller

Terrell J. Powell

Scott L. Simpson

Gary M. Triplett

Grant D. Callin

John L. Greenfield

Wayne H. Lefors

Robert J. Parra Jr.

Stephen R. Sutton

Bruce E. Adriance

Jimmie E. Dean

Robert C. Homburg

David H. Manning

William D. McClain

Kevin J. Nehring

Charles E. Pulham

Victor H. Singleton

Marc Vanells

SPECIAL EVENTS (Continuedfrom page 23.)

CLASS of 1963

Robert S. Dotson

Lynn E. Gulick

Robert B. MacFarlane

Norman L. Pfeifer

John R. Taylor

CLASS of 1973

Richard A. Baker

Timothy J. Galvin

Ronald J. Iversen

Stephen J. Marinella

Kenneth E. McKenna

Sherman D. Nelson

Richard V. Robbins

Robert H. Smith

Raymond J. Veatch

Jabara Reception/Banquet/Ball. End Friday with a cocktail party and lavish meal at the Four Seasons, followed by the Jabara Award presentation. After the banquet enjoy dancing to the Academy’s own “Moods in Blue.” Get your class ring cleaned free by Josten’s Jewelers. Also an opportunity to order class jewelry for ’63 and ’73. (Our special thanks to the Air Academy National Bank for cosponsoring the reception.)

SATURDAY:

Coffee. Wake up with coffee and donuts at Arnold Hall. Yet another opportunity to spin yarns.

Memorial Service. Take a little bit of time to share with the Cadet Wing and the Academy community the memory of our lost classmates, friends, and fellow graduates.

Leonard C. Ekman

Gregory W. Halley

Warren E. Manchess

Paul H. Potenzo

Russell M. Turner

Haydn G. Chambers

Don K. Gaylor

Charles F.G. Kuyk

John P. Massey

J. Forman S. Meachem

David A. Ochmanek

Mark G. Romain

David P. Stangl

Johnnie H. Wauchop

William J. Flynn

Henry D. Hoffman 11

Jerry W. McClennan

Cyrus J. Rickards

Robert C. Ward

Norman F. Comtois

Gerald R. Graf

William G. Lauritzen

Raymond E. Matusiak, Jr.

Jeffrey S. Meints

Wayne E. Odell

John E. Roskey

Donald B. Stewart

James R. Western, Jr.

Pre-Game Lunch/Tailgate Party. Arnold Hall will be open for lunch for non-reunion classes. ’73 will have tailgate parties by squadron in the stadium parking lot. ’63 will party across the street at Rohatsch’s. ’73 will have free soft drinks and beer for anyone who wants to stop by prior to the game.

USAFA vs Brigham Young University. Cheer the Falcons on to their second straight victory against BYU. We will sit together as classes on the west side of the stadium. (Good Seats!)

’63 Dinner. A chance for all the old guys to catch their breath and look at old slides after an exhausting weekend. Plan on a delicious dinner at the Four Seasons. This is the focal point of the reunion for the twenty-year class.

’73 Squadron Parties. Party time just like the good old days at individual locations for each squadron.

SUNDAY:

Chapel Service. Optional at 0900 at the Cadet Chapel.

1983 Jabara A ward

SUPERINTENDENT NAMES TWO WINNERS

For only the third time in the 16-year history of the Jabara Award for Airmanship, two winners in a single year have been announced by the superintendent. Lt. Gen. Winfield W. Scott, Jr., the Academy’s new superintendent, named astronaut Colonel Karol J. Bobko, Class of 1959, and Major Neal D. Coyle, a B-52 instructor pilot who graduated from the Academy in 1972, as dual winners of the Jabara Award for 1983.

Colonel Bobko’s recent flight on the maiden space voyage of the space shuttle Challenger, along with his numerous other significant achievements as a U.S. astronaut and Air Force officer, qualified him for the award. He was the nominee of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

Major Coyle’s superior airmanship and ability to perform flawlessly under the stress of a critical B-52G in-flight emergency in which serious flight control inbalance occurred, is credited with saving the lives of his 10-man crew, the aircraft, and also qualified him to win the 1983 award. He was the Strategic Air Command nominee and is assigned to the 93rd Bombardment Wing at Castle AFB, Calif.

The award citations for both individuals will be printed in the next issue of the magazine after award presentations are made to the winners during Homecoming ’83, at the Jabara Award Reception and Banquet. The banquet will be Friday evening, September 23, at the Four Seasons Motor Inn in Colorado Springs.

The Jabara Award winners are selected annually by the Academy and the Association of Graduates on behalf of the Jabara family to honor a “USAFA graduate whose contributions are of such significance as to set them apart from their contemporaries.” Nominees’ actions must be directly associated with an aerospace vehicle or component.

Award winners generally fall into two categories, receiving recognition either for an individual heroic act, or for a sustained superior performance over a period of time. In the latter case, nominations have covered a broad spectrum from crew members of a space vehicle to an engineer or manager involved with the economical development of an aircraft subsystem. The award was established in January of 1967 and first awarded in 1968.

The award is named for Colonel James Jabara, America’s first jet ace and second leading ace in the Korean War. Colonel Jabara’s distinguished military career ended in November 1966 when he died while serving as a commander of the 31st Tactical Fighter Wing at Homestead AFB, Fla. A combat sortie he flew in July of that year in Vietnam made him a combat pilot of three wars.

The award selection process involves a letter from the superintendent to each major air command and separate operating agency in the spring of each year requesting one nomination from each organization. The nominees are then screened by a Jabara Award Selection Committee comprised of graduate members of the Association of Graduates. Their final recommendation is forwarded to the superintendent for approval.

Selection committee members for this year were Dr. (Col.) Wayne Kendall, ’60, (1978 Jabara Award Winner) who served as chairman; Mr. Terry Storm, ’61; Col. Robert Giffen, ’65; Maj. Joseph Burke, ’70, Capt. George Pollard, ’72, and Capt. Roger Smith, ’77.

The other distinguished Jabara Award nominees for 1983 are:

LT. COL. JAMES A. FAIN, JR., ’73, of the Aeronautical Systems Division, who made many significant contributions to aviation for the past two decades as a B-52 aircraft commander and test pilot for the A-10 Night/Adverse Weather Evaluation Project.

HOMECOMING ’83 22-25 Sept. BE THERE!

COL. EVAN J. GRIFFITH, JR., ’64, of Alaskan Air Command, who took command of a tactical fighter wing which had just failed an operational readiness inspection and passed a retake after only six weeks during a period of conversion from two 18-aircraft F-4E squadrons to one 24-aircraft F-15A squadron.

MAJ. GLEN W. MOOREHEAD III, ’69, of Tactical Air Command, for sustained superior performance in the 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing (A-10A pilot) and the 4450th Tactical Group.

CAPT. JAMES L. RUTTLER, JR., ’75, of Pacific Air Forces, for his sustained superior performance as an F-4 pilot and operations inspector for Headquarters, Pacific Air Forces.

MAJ. NORTON A. SCHWARTZ, ’73, of Military Airlift Command, for his unique and sustained superior performance in the development of an advanced aerospace vehicle.

COL. RICHARD D. SMITH, ’61, of the Air Force Logistics Command, for his sustained superior performance in a broad range of responsibilities contributing to the operational readiness of Air Force strategic, tactical and training weapons systems.

CAPT. SCOTT H. TURNER, ’78, of United States Air Forces in Europe, for his innovative efforts in pioneering the communications out launch and recovery procedures at Soesterberg AB, and his sustained superior performance as an F-15C/D instructor pilot, flight lead, tactician and instructor.

Col. Karol J. Bobko

Maj. Neal D. Coyle

CHAPTER NEWS

CAPITAL CHAPTER

The annual Capital Chapter “Wing Ding” in early spring brought together 116 grads, spouses, and friends for an evening of fun, reminiscing and good words about USAFA from the commandant, Brig. Gen. Anthony Burshnick, ’60. By all returns, a splendid time was had by all (and the chapter remained solvent after the bill was paid). The “Wing Ding” also brought news of the election outcome with incoming chapter officers and directors all elected surprisingly by unanimous consent of the voting members.

The officer slate includes Len Vernamonti, ’67, as president; Curt Emery, ’70, as vice president; Scott Duncan, ’65, as secretary; and Jeff Brown, ’77, as treasurer. Directors and their primary areas of responsibility are Tom Burke, ’60, graduate services; Andrea Niezgoda, ’80, programs; Roger Head, ’64, membership; Mike Downie, ’71, class affairs; Kenny Boone, ’66, special projects; and Johnny Whitaker, ’73, publicity.

The term of the new board is two years

or whenever a member is transferred out of the area, whichever comes first. The present board will thus serve until May of 1985.

The Capital Chapter presently boasts more than 300 members and invites all graduates in the area to join. The chapter’s address is Capital Chapter, AOG, P.O. Box 2712, Springfield, Va. 22152.

COLORADO CHAPTER

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.” This phrase from Dickens’ classic, Tale of Two Cities, is most appropriate to the Colorado Chapter this spring.

Our spring dinner in May was an outstanding success. Over 80 members, sponsors, and friends spent a most enjoyable evening listening to Dr. Hans Mark, deputy administrator of NASA, speak on the future of the United States in space. The many successes of our Space Shuttle Program, with Col. Karol Bobko, ’59, being our first graduate in space, made our interest all the more intense. We

are deeply indebted to Dr. Mark, since he made a special trip to Denver for the occasion.

In addition to the dinner, our membership has climbed to over 100. We are looking, however, not only for new membership, but also for new participation. How about it? The chapter needs everyone to participate.

Finally, it was also our “worst of times.” A truly impressive former member, and two-term CCAOG president, Bob Shumway, ’68, died suddenly on June 29th. Everyone who knew him knew how much he meant to the CCAOG and AOG. (He was also a national director.) We will miss him terribly and our hearts go out to Melissa, Bryan and Suzanne.

NORTHEAST ARKANSAS CHAPTER

The Northeast Arkansas Chapter of the Association of Graduates is presently in its formation stage and will be sending mailings to graduates in the area shortly. Any graduates interested in joining the chapter who live in northeast Arkansas, southern Missouri, western Tennessee and Kentucky, southwest Illinois, or northern Mississippi, are asked to contact Captain D.K. Freeman at 148 Richmond Avenue, Gosnell, Ark. 72318. His telephone numbers are (501) 532-5780, and autovon 637-7301.

ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER

The Orange County, California, Chapter of the Association of Graduates held its organizational meeting in early May in Newport Beach and elected their initial slate of officers. Eighteen members attended the meeting, although many others joined but could not attend.

Elected for two-year terms were Eric Thorson, ’67, president; Ken Wentzel, ’64, treasurer; and Scott Jackson, ’67, secretary. To serve one-year terms are Ken Needham, ’62, first vice president; Ramon Najera, ’67, second vice president; and Craig Johnson, ’70, third vice president.

The members discussed several possible goals and objectives for the chapter. The following standing committees were formed: programs, candidate advisory, membership-communications, and athletic recruiting. At the ensuing board meeting, the chapter agreed to plan a bus trip to the San Diego State football game in November.

Chapter sponsors memorial

Col. Richard L. Uppstrom, director of the Air Force Museum near Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio, joins Jerry Westerbeck, ’63, and By Theurer, ’61, for the final inspection of the dedicatory plaque installed west of the museum along the Memorial Tree Walk. Funds for the lasting tribute to USAFA graduates were provided by the Southwest Ohio Chapter of the Association of Graduates.

AFA Grads Claim Third Tri-Service Softball Win

MULES 15 FALCONS 17 FALCONS 16 GOATS 8 GOATS 2 MULES 12

Let the scores speak for themselves!

Yes sportsfans, for the third consecutive year the Fighting Falcons of the North Texas Association of AFA Graduates sunk the Navy alums and marched over the Army grads in suecessful defense of the revered Tri-Service Academy Softball Trophy.

Managed by Rick Cree, assisted by Tom Stites, with beer arrangements by Ron Hale and the support of wild and enthusiastic fans, the ex-AFAers were unbeatable. In both games the cagey Falcons seemingly sparred with their opponents through the initial innings. However, in the middle and late innings the superb conditioning and welllubricated mental attitude paid dividends in the July Texas heat.

The key play of the day may well have been executed against Army in the championship game when Steve Muller (ss) to Dale Williams (2b) to Tom Richardson (lb), looking as smooth as Loni Anderson in a plastic bikini, turned a double play that changed the momentum of the game. Air Force, known in softball circles simply as “The Force,” then went on to take an unrelinquished lead and wrapped up its third annual championship. Just another day at the office!

The 1983 NTAAFAG team, which was also the best-dressed (in new blue/silver/white shirts purchased especially for this tournament), included the following graduates: Paul Dean ’61, Bill Reemtsma ’63, Mike Gibbons ’63, Jerry Ahmann ’63, Steve Muller ’64, Ed Jordan ’65, Rick Cree ’66, Bill Boisture ’67, Carl Janssen ’68, Bill McGrath ’69, Blair Stephenson ’69, B.J. Bjorklund ’70, Paul Bickle ’70, Joe Kreimborg ’71, Rick Barton ’71, Tom Stites ’72, Mike Young ’73, Dale Williams ’73, Charles Stewert ’74, Tom Richardson, ’74, Ro Evans ’74, Jim Struble ’74, and Basil Rathbun ’74.

The annual softball tourney has proven so popular that an additional event, the first Tri-Service Academy Golf Tournament, has been scheduled for October 15. Further information will be furnished well in advance; however, the old pro furnishes this advice, “If you drink, don’t drive don’t even putt!”

A joint North Texas AFA Grads and West Point Society trip to the Academy for the Air Force vs Army football game is also being organized. We’re looking forward to getting together with our Colo

rado counterparts after the game and toasting another Air Force victory.

“Italian Night,” an informal adult party, is planned for this fall at the home of Bob (’62) and Marianne Staib.

It’s been a great year for the North Texas Chapter. We have more than 130 members at this time and we’ve only just begun. Join us if you’re in the area. Call Bill Reemtsma ’63, 1983 President, (214) 357-5502 for information.

ANNUAL PICNIC

The North Texas Chapter of the Association of Graduates had its annual picnic at Carswell AFB, Texas, on April 30th. Because of good planning and foresight on the part of our president, Bill Reemtsma ’63, the picnic was held in conjunction with Carswell’s open house and the first F-16 Thunderbird show. This annual family affair was well attended, as always with more that 100 people. A good amount of beer, soft drinks, hot dogs, and humburgers were consumed. We missed our usual family softball game, but seeing the Thunderbirds in their new F-16s made up for it.

Several guests came to our picnic which made it even more enjoyable. Dale Clements and Paul Holder from the Thunderbird Team Public Affairs Office attended, answered questions, and passed out pictures and literature. And, a little known school near the Colorado Rockies sent a falcon out, along with his handler, Pat Smith. Also attending were some friends of members. All these guests helped make our picnic a success. Thanks to all, including those who helped put the details of the picnic together.

Our next event was the 3rd annual Beat Army and Navy softball game. As in the previous two years, plenty of beer and winning the trophy were the order of the day.

SPEAKER SLATED

Commandant Brig. Gen. Burshnick is scheduled to speak to an AOG chapter being formed at Scott AFB, Ill. on August 19. Graduates from Illinois and Missouri interested in joining this new chapter should contact Tom Kane, Headquarters Military Airlift Command/CSP, Scott AFB, Ill. 62225

Alamo Area Chapter

James W. Brown, ’59

626 Candleglow Drive

San Antonio, TX 78239

Home (512) 654-6358

AV: 487-2197/5103

Ark-La-Tex Chapter

Hal Higley, ’68

27 Echo Ridge Circle Haughton, LA 71037

Home: (318) 949-9144

AV: 781-3227/4379

Black Hills Chapter

Walter R. Washburn III, ’76 9994A Onge Street

Ellsworth AFB, SD 57706

AV: 747-2049/2552

McChord AFB Chapter

Richard C. Milnes, ’61

3610 112th Street, S.W. Tacoma, WA 98499

Home: (207) 582-7324

AV: 976-2621

Northeast Regional Chapter

Flash Wiley ’65

29 Fort Avenue

Roxbury, MA 02119

Home: (617) 427-5012

Work: (617) 542-1211

Northern California Chapter

Kelly Alexander, ’73 130 Kiowa Court Vacaville, CA 95688

AV: 837-3727

North Texas Chapter

Bill Reemtsma, ’63 3226 Leahy Drive Dallas, TX 75229 (214) 357-5502

Orange County Chapter

F. Scott Jackson

1935 Port Laurent Place Newport Beach, CA 92660 (714) 752-8585

San Diego County Chapter

Don Rushing, ’70

Gray, Cary, Ames and Frye

2100 Union Bank Building 525 “B” Street

San Diego, CA 92101

Office: (619) 699-2732

Southwest Ohio Chapter

Pat Lynch, ’74

4049 Forest Ridge Blvd. Dayton, OH 45424

AV: 785-6289

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Colonel Dennis G. Scarborough, 39, a resident of Springfield, Va., was fatally injured July 5, 1983, when his F-4 Phantom II crashed in the Florida Straits while participating in a training exercise. Col. Scarborough was assigned to Homestead Air Force Base, Fla., for training en route to duties as deputy commander for operations of the 51st Tactical Fighter Wing, Osan Air Base, Korea.

Col. Scarborough entered the U.S. Air Force Academy from Meridian, Idaho, in 1961. While a cadet, he participated in the professional studies program. He was named to the Commandant’s List in each of his four years at the Academy. He achieved the rank of cadet lieutenant colonel and served as commander of the 20th Cadet Squadron, graduating with the Class of 1965.

Following graduation, he was assigned to undergraduate pilot training at Webb Air Force Base, Texas. He held assignments in both the Air Training Command and the Tactical Air Command. His tours of combat in Southeast Asia, flying from bases in Vietnam and Thailand, earned him two Distinguished Flying Crosses and 15 Air Medals.

Col. Scarborough came to the Washington area in 1977, reporting from an assignment at Holloman Air Force Base, N.M., where he had been a squadron operations officer. He first served as a member of the Joint Staff, and later served the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. His final Pentagon tour was as a member of the Staff Group, in the Office of the Air Force Chief of Staff.

Col. Scarborough left the Pentagon in 1982 to begin studies at the National War College, Ft. McNair, Washington, D.C. He was graduated in 1983, just prior to reporting to Homestead Air Force Base for his flight training.

Col. Scarborough is survived by his wife, Nancy, and their three children, Jamie, Dennis and Sharon. Memorial services were held in the rotunda of the National War College on July 10. More than 300 friends of the family and military colleagues were in attendance. General P.X. Kelley, commandant, U.S. Marine Corps, represented the Joint Chiefs of Staff. General Jerome F. O’Malley, Air Force vice chief of staff, also attended. Honors were rendered by members of the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard.

Funeral services for Col. Scarborough were held at the Protestant Cadet Chapel, U.S. Air Force Academy, on July 12. Burial

tions to the Dennis Gile Scarborough Memorial Fund. Checks made out to the fund may be sent in care of the Association of Graduates, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840. (Lt. Col. Stewart S. Duncan, ’65)

Robert A.

Shumway, Jr., '68

The Class of 1968 has lost an outstanding leader, a man with courage, determination and warmth who was destined for greatness. It is still hard to realize that Bob Shumway died suddenly on June 29th. The shock of his passing will not fade for a very long time, and all of us who knew him will be deprived by his absence.

Bob’s contributions were legion, to his country, to his family, and to his school. While the record will chronicle the facts of his service, it cannot do justice to Bob Shumway, the man. He was a man who gave unselfishly to all around him. He always asked, “What else can I do for you?” Our memory of him will make him immortal.

Bob Shumway was a man of vision; a man who was dedicated to leaving his world better than when he found it. Those of us who had the honor of knowing him, will “see” him in the Class Wall, in the Colorado Chapter that he led so well, and in Melissa, Bryan and Suzanne. Our memory of him will make him immortal.

Bob, it’s hard to say good-by; so we won’t. We will remember and we will care. (A1 Blumberg, ’68)

Kimet J. Koehn, '73

Captain Kimet J. Koehn, Class of 1973, died on June 19, 1983 at Logan Airport in Logan, Utah, from injuries received as a result of a parachute accident. At the time of his death he was assigned to the 16th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron at Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Graveside services were held at the Academy Cemetery on June 29.

Capt. Koehn graduated from Kimberly Senior High School in Kimberly, Wis., as valedictorian and was a member of the National Honor Society for three years. At the Academy he was a member of Cadet Squadron 26, majored in psychology and was a member of the Navigation and German clubs.

He took his pilot training at Williams AFB, Az. and George AFB, Calif, and was assigned as an F4-E pilot at Seymour

Dennis G. Scarborough, '65

Robert A. Shumway, Jr., '68

Kimet J. Koehn, '73

Dennis G. Scarborough, '65

followed at the Academy cemetery. Friends may make contribu-

W.

Johnson AFB, N.C. in 1975. He was recognized as one of the Outstanding Young Men of America for 1975-1976.

He then served as an air liaison officer and a forward air controller in the 02-A at Ft. Bragg, N.C. until the end of 1980 during which period he earned a master of science degree in aeronautical science from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University. He was assigned to the 16th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron at Hill AFB in early 1981 where he served as an instructor pilot.

Capt. Koehn is survived by his wife, Mrs. Jean Spooner; his son, Brad; and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James J. Koehn.

Donald W. Hiebert, ’76

On April 11, 1983, Captain Donald W. Hiebert, Class of 1976, died in a B-52G accident while on a training mission in southern Utah. During a CBS Evening News national tribute to Capt. Hiebert and his crew, we were all reminded of the leadership, dedication, and courage with which Donny served our country.

From the time he served as the First Cadet Group commander in 1976, until he was selected for assignment to the Pentagon in 1983, his Air Force career was a model of pure professionalism. Yet those of us who knew Donny will remember him most for his clear establishment of priorities: priorities which blended sensitivity and compassion into a leadership style which touched many lives.

The following lines from a letter Donny wrote two years ago capture the essence of the creed by which he lived: “I only want to raise a family, serve my fellow man (mostly young people), give credence to the Gospels, strive for holiness, and be a gentle soul. I’d rather teach philosophy than poli-sci, fly a kite than a B-52, lead my family in prayer than men into battle. And yet, this profession means so much to me.” You see, Donny’s dedication and performance always marked him as a professional soldier, but his priorities were first to God and then to his family.

As a committed Christian, Donny’s concern and love for others allowed him to deal effectively with any situation, while leaving a lasting impression on the individuals involved. His committment to others combined with boundless energy and unmatched selflessness allowed him to reach out to many people both within and outside the military community. Whether his time was spent with Boy Scouts, the youth group at his church, as president of the parish council or singing with the chapel music group, he wanted to be involved with people. He took time to say “I care” to the budding athletes on a Little League team, and to share the pains of growing up with searching teenagers on a church retreat. Donny passionately believed that our hope for tomorrow lives in each of us today.

Donny was a complete man. His leadership will be greatly missed by the Air Force, and his companionship sorely missed by his

friends. We treasure the memory of his quick boyish grin, admire his compassion for others, and marvel at the boundless energy and enthusiasm that touched every area of his life. We are indeed fortunate to have shared in the glow of inspiration and hope that Donny brought to this world.

A loving and affectionate husband, Donny is survived by his wife, Pam, of Warner-Robins, Ga.; his parents, Col. and Mrs. Donald Hiebert, of Tampa, Fla.; and his brothers and sisters, Greg, Teresa, Tom, Tim and Julie. The family asks that contributions in his memory be made to the Donald W. Hiebert Memorial Fund, Association of Graduates, USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80840. (Jack Catton, Tom Bowie, Rich King, Dan Jordan, ’76)

Edward L. Thomas, 77

On April 7, 1983, the Lord took our friend, Captain Edward L. Thomas, Class of 1977, from our lives. Eddie died in the crash of his A-10 aircraft while on a Red Flag low altitude training mission near Las Vegas, Nev. He left us, having fulfilled his lifelong ambition to fly, to carry on with him in our memories.

While at the Academy, he was a member of the 22nd Squadron. He majored in history and was the 22nd Squadron Commander in the fall of 1976. His greatest impact upon those who knew him was his “free spirit”. He was a happy person and his enthusiasm for life rubbed off on all of us. He loved the sport of rugby and played the game with a skill and dedication that was unequaled. He was the team captain of the USAFA Rugby Club and his prowess and mastery of the sport was well recognized throughout the Rocky Mountain region. His opponents and teammates honored him by selecting him to be a member of the U.S. National Team, the American Eagles, in the summer of 1976. He was known by all as “Fast Eddie” and always lived up to his name.

A medical ruling denied Eddie the opportunity to attend flight training immediately after graduation. He chose instead to attend intelligence officer training and his first operational assignment was to the 6920th Electronic Security Group at Misawa AFB, Japan. During this assignment, he married Glenna Robinson of Tulsa, Okla., and together they were in Japan until November, 1980. All the while, Eddie never gave up trying to reach his boyhood dream of becoming an Air Force pilot. He was rewarded for his efforts and in January, 1981, became a member of Undergraduate Pilot Training Class 82-02 at Reese AFB, Texas. He completed UPT, and was assigned to the 74th Tactical Fighter Squadron, 23rd Tactical Fighter Wing, England AFB, La. as an A-10 pilot. He was a member of this unit at the time of his death.

Eddie is survived by his wife Glenna, their daughter Lauren, his parents Dr. and Mrs. Harlan Thomas, a brother and a sister. All

Donald

Hiebert, ’76

Edward L. Thomas, 77

Matthew W. Cervenak, ’80

reside in Tulsa, Okla. A memorial service was held on April 11, 1983 at the Boston Avenue Methodist Church in Tulsa. A scholarship fund has been established in his name for Lauren’s education. Donations may be made in care of the Edward L. Thomas Memorial Scholarship Fund, First Bank of Catoosa, P.O. Drawer L, Catoosa, Okla. 74015.

Eddie had a tremendous impact upon us all. Words cannot fully express what he truly means to those of us who knew and loved him. He touched all of our lives in one way or another. 1 will always remember him with the ever-present smile on his face and the gleam in his eyes. He was my friend, my best man, my brother. Even though he is no longer with us, his spirit is alive within us. We miss you, my friend—someday we will all be together again. (Capt. Lonnie D. Bowman, Class of 1977)

Matthew W. Cervenak, ’80

First Lieutenant Matthew Wayne Cervenak, Class of 1980, died on April 11, 1983 in a B-52G which crashed in the mountains of Utah while participating in exercise “Red Flag.’’ Funeral services were at Onslow Memorial Park in Jacksonville, N.C., on April 30. Military honors were accorded by the U.S. Air Force Honor Guard from Seymour-Johnson AFB, N.C., and the A-6 aircraft unit from Marine Corps Air Station, Cherry Point, N.C., flew the missing-man formation.

Matt was born in Jacksonville and graduated with honors from Jacksonville Senior High School. He was a member of Cadet Squadron 11 while at the Academy and graduated with a degree in atmospheric physics. After graduation he was assigned to navigator training at Mather AFB and later to Castle AFB, Calif. He was then assigned as a navigator in November, 1981, with the 28th Bombardment Squadron (H) at Robins AFB, Ga., where he was stationed at the time of his death.

Matt married his wife, Rosanne, of Colorado Springs in September 1981. He was active in sports and loved to be of help to others, often spending his time working with young people. The love he took from those who knew him he returned tenfold.

His love of country at times turned to fear that so many take our freedom for granted. He was impressed with the Statue of Liberty and what is should represent to every American. For this reason, Rosanne and Matt’s parents felt the statue’s restoration fund would be appropriate if any friends wished to donate in his memory. Contributions may be sent to the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island Foundation, Inc., 101 Park Ave., Suite 1200, New York, N.Y. 10017.

Matt is survived by his wife, and his parents, Michael and Dorothy Cervenak of Jacksonville. They wish to thank the many classmates and friends who sent cards and offered their prayers,

Stephen A. Groark, ’81

sympathy and time during this period. It is a great comfort to know he was loved by so many. (Mr. Michael W. Cervenak)

Stephen A. Groark, ’81

First Lieutenant Stephen A. Groark, Class of 1981, was killed at age 23 on April 26, 1983 in an F-l 1 IF crash off Borkum Island, Germany, in the North Sea. Steve was assigned to the 48th Tactical Fighter Wing at Lakenheath, England, at the time of his death. Funeral services were held on May 21 in Melrose, Mass.

Steve was a member of the 31st Cadet Squadron while at the Academy. Those of us who knew him well know that he always strived to be the very best at whatever he did; and he usually sueceeded. At the Academy, he was an aeronautical engineering major, always on the Superintendent’s List. He was also a soaring instructor pilot and left the Academy a distinguished graduate.

He was at the top of his undergraduate navigator training and fighter lead-in classes, and after only a few short months was already a valuable and well-respected member of the 492nd Tactical Fighter Squadron. Most of us just made it through the Academy. Steve beat the place hands down. But more than that, his concern for others made him a very special person. He would take it upon himself to raise the squadron’s morale whenever it needed boosting by doing some unusual thing which would make everyone laugh and forget whatever problem was at hand.

He was the kind of friend that comes along only once in a lifetime and I cannot begin to do him justice here. His only goal in life was to fly a fighter. Very few people ever see their dreams come true. In that way, he lived more than most people ever will. The Air Force, the Academy, and the lives of the people who knew and love him were made better by his having been here. He will be deeply missed.

Steve is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Paul C. Groark, of Melrose, and his brothers and sisters. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Stephen A. Groark Memorial Fund, Association of Graduates, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840. (Chris Patrie, ’81)

First Lieutenant Anthony W. Lewis, Class of 1980, was killed in a C-130 aircraft crash near Cedar Pass on the Nellis AFB, Nev. navigation range on June 28, 1983. The accident occurred too close to presstime to publish an obituary in this issue, but it will appear in the next magazine. We offer our sincere condolences to his wife, parents, family and friends.

CLASS NEWS

R. L. Penn 7829 Thor Drive Annandale, VA 22003 (703) 698-1429

Ya’ll really know how to check out a new scribe; don’t send ’im no poop and see if he can tap dance. Got only a half dozen change-ofaddress cards. Tom BOWEN gonna live in a Post Office box in Europe (487 TMW). Better check that out, may be a good place to visit. Bob CHEPOLIS, a big chief at TRW I think, is now in Rancho Palos Verdes, CA. That L.A. area has about reached a critical mass of ’59ers. Ought to have a practice reunion.

I recently enjoyed R.T. and July LANMAN’s hospitality at their country estate in Virginia. It’s within a day’s drive to the Pentagon, where Ron is director for Strategic Force Analyses. Stand by for a modernized B-17. Dick HILBERT is now in Johnson City, NY. They got work for engineers there, Dick, or are you like me and don’t have to? I’m enroute to D.C. Please send all news to me c/o any local area ’59er of whom there are several.

I suspect that former fighter pilot Larry D. FORTNER is some sort of HQ weenie, seein’ as how his new address is Barksdale. Catch the next issue, or come to the reunion for more news. It’s come to my attention that the AOG Register indicates that the wing commander at Laughlin is a major. I dunno, Gag, maybe they know something we don’t check the next 0-4 list. Gene and Jane VOSIKA are also in California. Assignment folks musta heard Gene saying he had the best job in the AF at Moody. Kozy also a headquarters type at TAC. (How come Pete WINTERS hasn’t served his fair share behind a desk? Action: MPC.)

The San Antonio contingent is active, as usual. Karol BOBKO came back to Earth and visited. Took ’im a long time to get up there, but he was the first ’59er to do it. I didn’t see any newspaper accounts which noted that he was a classmate of mine, so I had to pass that info by W.O.M. I was right proud to tell the story. The SAT group put on a minireunion to hear the well-traveled one. Bob Dwyer of Reno ANG also provided an excuse for a SAT gathering. (Bob used to whup up on me purty bad in rasslin’ practice.)

Texas also is about saturated. Bob BARNARD has his own business (appliance repair) in Austin. Finally, for those who appreciate proper form, Tex CULLER has moved to that’s right, back to Texas (Irving)!

Of the next generation, new lieutenants Rosane and Englehardt have just graduated 28 years after we started.

Keep yer airspeed up, Karol, they might be gaining on us. Fly safe.

Roger and Carol LENT discovered Spokane as the ideal place to retire while visiting their folks in the Northwest. Roger found a job teaching chemistry at the junior college as they put a boy and girl through college, with another boy and girl still in high school. Also in Spokane are Andy and Jean BIANCUR. Andy was recently assigned to Fairchild as part of an exchange program of senior staff officers between SAC and MAC. He is vice commander of the 92nd Bomb Wing with extra duty as IG, the “complaint answerer.’’ Andy is temporarily at Moses Lake, WA (where I rode on a couple test rides in a B-52 and KC-135 back in 1957 on summer vacation), where he is deployed while the runway at Fairchild is being resurfaced. Prior to this, he was deeply involved in the Helsinki talks being held in Madrid, and which are still in progress. His qualifications for that job resulted from sitting with me in the international relations elective class at AFA and obtaining a graduate degree in IR from Yale. Joan

is deeply involved in Spokane ballet, which she says has quite a potential but is not nearly as sophisticated as that in D.C. where she was a professional ballet teacher and dancer. Their daughter is a freshman at Radbury; son has started high school, and saw AFA for the first time recently-

Bruce MOSIER commutes from Kansas City to Chicago as a TWA 727 F/O on reserve (where I keep putting notes in his flight bag as I pass through ORD on turnarounds from SLC). He left the Iowa ANG as an A-7 pilot and now commutes during his X-days to Panama as a LCol in his new AFRes job as a mobilization augmentation officer. I remember as his roomie back at the zoo that Bruce was into guerilla warfare and Cl who could forget Col. Gruber’s classes? He gets down there at least once a quarter for a week at a time. Bruce has also just finished his orientation as an AFA liaison officer in the Kansas City area. Now that TWA has moved its main base to St. Louis, he and Carol are scouting around the west for an easier place from which to commute to St. Louis, where a transfer would give him enough seniority to get off reserve. Sound familiar, you airline folks? They have three girls (14, 12, and 10).

Phil ROBERTS, an ex-nav at Otis with me in 1961 and ex-bachelor roomie on Cape Cod, is an active duty Navy captain general courts mardal judge, based at Treasure Island, SFO (his 7th year as a military judge, the first three being at Philadelphia Naval Base), where he lives in Novato, Marin County, north of SFO with his wife of 20 years and two high school daughters. Phil graduated from the U. of Colorado Law School in 1965, earned an advanced degree in international law from GWU, courtesy of the Navy and is currently admitted to the bars of Colorado, Arizona and California. His current tour ends in 1985, when he’ll decide whether or not to retire. Great to hear from you, ol’ buddy!

Gary SHEETS has moved from Tinker to Wright-Pat, and Hoyt PRINDLE from McGuire to Tallahassee. Russ CURREY has retired as a LCol to Tequesta, FL as the asst, project engineer of the Pratt and Whitney Government Products Division at the West Palm Beach plant. His job is operations analyst performing new engine effectiveness analyses and working with the AFO LOs in the area. Cliff LOVELL is remarried and changed jobs with Science Applications, Inc. of Fort Walton Beach from deputy manager, Eglin Systems Division, to chief scientist of its Tactical Systems Department.

Chris WARACK has recently assumed command of the 619th MASS in Hawaii after duty as the chief of Logistics for the MAC IG at Scott. Pat and daughter, Karin, will follow as soon as their home is sold in O’Fallon, IL, their boys, Chris and Mark, get off to ROTC (MIT) summer training and AFA, respectively, and a home is found for Karin’s blue-ribbon horse. Son Chirs, as an Eagle Scout, presented the Scouting Charter to Congress in 1980 and delivered the keynote address kicking off the United Way Campaign in San Bernadino, CA that year. Son, Mark, is an outstanding prep all-star football player, certain to follow in his old man’s footsteps at the zoo. Karin is ranked #11 nationally in her age group in swimming. She won six individual gold and two team gold medals last August in Memphis against the nation’s best young swimmers at the AAU National Junior Olympics.

Upon his retirement from USAF, Frank MAYBERRY considered offers with Litton in LA and Martin Marietta in Denver and eventually accepted a great offer with Hughes in Denver as a systems engineer. He, Eve and daughter have launched a tax consulting service providing tax shelters, preparation of returns, and management of rental properties, among which are several of his own. He and Eve, a Mary Kay businesswoman, met 23 years ago in England on our European field trip! His daughter is in the Colorado ANG, going through Lackland as an AIC, to be followed by ten months of tech school at Keesler in EW systems maintenance. Frank won the Fifth Annual Greater Denver Beerathon last summer five miles and five beers, setting a new course record, and the oldest entry to boot! His good training in both at school made him unbeatable.

Jim O’ROURKE is on as guest scribe for the next issue I’ll forward what I get to him. If any of you would like to be guest scribes for an issue, just let me know. Does anybody know anything about Vic YOAKUM?

FOR ’60 GRADS ATTENDING THE HOMECOMING: Plans are underway for a class get-together on Saturday night. Details will be given at registration.

After a month of grueling inspection activity traveling throughout Europe, I returned home to find that I had missed my AOG deadline. So, after a quick phone call and some humble pleading, I’m off the blacklist and am writing feverishly to share some good words with you in the summer issues.

Among the many notes I found on my desk when I returned from my trip to Europe was one which read: “Sir, Lt Col AMAN called; Please return his call.” So I promptly returned his call three weeks late and enjoyed renewing my acquaintance with Earl. Few of us have had the opportunity to visit Earl since he left ACSC in 1971. After that, he spent a year or so in Adana, Turkey followed by a couple years as an advisor in the headquarters of the Iranian Air Force. More recently, he served four years in Naples as a plans officer in Air South headquarters cavorting there with the Navy. Now you can find him living near Dick COOPER’S mother in Coronado, CA. I mention that only because Earl fell into the same trap we all have when trying to talk with Dick, or write about him for that matter. Earl noticed that Dick lists his address in the AOG Register as Coronado, so he naturally thought he might be able to talk with Dick. Well, he learned that the address belongs to Dick’s mother and no one really knows where Dick lives.

Earl and family have been back from Italy about a year now. He is the senior Air Force rep with the Naval Amphibious Training School in San Diego. He teaches courses as well and enjoys working with the future SEALS. He and his original wife Lucy (married on graduation day) have three children and enjoy Lucy’s home town of San Diego.

Earl told me that he was visiting March AFB recently and ran into Nelson OREAR who is the vice commander of the 22nd Air Refueling Wing flying KC-lOs and KC-135s. With that much information, I picked up the phone and spoke with Nelson. He has enjoyed the job very much since his arrival from the Pentagon in December. However, his longevity at March is shortlived as he will be PCSing to Omaha this fall where he will be working in advanced concepts. John KOHOUT will be there to welcome him at SAC headquarters.

Nelson has two sons and a daughter. His oldest son is a junior at Notre Dame University and his second son is just starting Doolie summer at the Academy along with Tom CONLEY’s daughter, I understand. Nelson’s daughter is getting to move from high school to high school like so many others of our progeny.

Nelson mentioned that A1 BLAISDELL has traded in his wing at Minot for the chief of DOT position at SAC. Lee BUTLER moved from his wing at Mather to the wing at Dyess. Having spent several years at Dyess myself, I know that wing commanders at Dyess move through there pretty fast, so hold onto your hat Lee.

Back in May I received a letter from Bill AYLSWORTH which I greatly appreciated. Bill says he’d always planned to write, but it took a trip to the ACADEMY to move him to action. Bill is actively engaged as an Academy Liaison Officer. Although it’s an additional duty, he spends a lot of time at it and feels he’s able to contribute to the Air Force and the Academy by helping motivate quality young men and women toward an Air Force career.

While visiting the Academy, Bill enjoyed dinner with John and Sheila MAY and Mike QUINLAN. Seeing old friends reminded him of that special relationship we’ve always had with our classmates.

Bill flies for Eastern Airlines on a Boeing 727 and between trips completed a master’s degree in international affairs at the University of Miami. Additionally, his Air Force Reserve assignment is historical officer at the Albert F. Simpson Historical Research Center at Maxwell AFB where he spends about one week a month. If you’re ever through there, check the AU library to see if he’s in.

On 6 June I happened to be passing through the lobby of the RheinMain Aerial Port Hotel when a youngish looking wrestler type wearing a stylish business suit approached me and asked if I wanted to wrestle. It was my old wrestling team captain Terry JORRIS. Terry and I enjoyed a long evening of story telling and reminiscing. He has been in the Pentagon for five years and presently works for HQ/AF on F-16 support. He was accompanying Dr. Cooper, assistant secretary of the Air Force for research, development, and logistics, on a trip to Brussels for a meeting with the F-16 consortium. Terry’s wife, Marlene, is a family practice physician and they have two children. In addition to their work, they own

a farm in Virginia, a bar in Annapolis, and they live in an apartment in D.C.

Meanwhile, back in the ZI, I learned that Dick MILNES has replaced Jimmie JAY as the commander of the 443rd Military Airlift Wing at Altus, OK. Charlie THOMAS has departed the Pentagon after six years to become the DCO of the 375th Aeromedical Airlift Wing at Scott AFB, IL, and Pete LANE is leaving the Canal Zone for the Pentagon where he’ll be the chief of the western hemisphere in XO. Meanwhile, Norm CAMPBELL has a new job running foreign military sales.

Before my trip to Europe I spent a week down at Hurlburt Field and the MAC DO conference happened to be going on there at the same time. I had a delicious seafood dinner with several DOs. Hanson SCOTT was the DO at the 314TAW at Little Rock, but he has just moved up to the vice commander slot. Neal WESTBROOK is the DO at Altus working for Dick MILNES, and Gene DAVIS is the ADO at Travis AFB.

And finally in the news, yours truly is moving to the Philippines to become the DCO of the 374TAW at Clark AB. We’re looking forward to it. I suspect that the next newsletter will be composed by someone else. Hector NEGRONI, the new vice commander of the air base wing at Bolling, agreed with me that we should draft someone with a special touch, someone like Randy CUBERO; but we’ll just have to see. Thanks for all your support these past ten years.

John W. (Jack) Jamba

Chief, Missile Systems Safety Div. (ESMC/SEM)

Patrick AFB, FL 32925

Home: (305) 784-6073

AV: 854-4340/7077

HI REDTAGS!

Summer has finally arrived in central Florida. While Denver was experiencing a snowfall in late May, we here at Patrick were enjoying the relaxing sunshine and refreshing Atlantic Ocean beach. As luck would have it, my next door neighbor (the base hospital commander) is an old friend and colleague of Bill HARVEY. Both were recently stationed together at Brooks AFB in San Antonio. Bill’s current job is chief of aerospace medicine, Crew Technology Division, USAF School of Aerospace Medicine. So when Bill visited my neighbor, I visited with Bill for a while. The photo shows Bill preparing to give my 12-year-old son, Stephen, a few pointers on surfing.

The last time I saw Bill was the night my daughter Lisa was born at Wilford Hall Hospital in San Antonio. We were both getting a snack at midnight in the snack bar. I was waiting for Lisa to make her appearance and Bill was on duty. As the picture shows, Bill is as slim and trim as a doolie. By the way, his wife, Pat, has finished med school and is practicing psychiatry. Bill enjoys private flying as his hobby.

Got a letter from Otis DINNING as follows: “Just got through reading your article in the winter Checkpoints and thought I would fill you in on Redtags at Clark AB, Rep of Phil. I’m 3 TFW chief of safety and safety advisor to 13 AF/CC. Been here since Feb 81 with a DEROS of Jan 84. I, my wife Ann, and three teenage daughters are all enjoying our tour in the Philippines. We’re all qualified SCUBA divers and really enjoy that. Life as a chief of safety is very interesting when right outside the gates there basically are no traffic controls. Lanny LANCASTER is the 13 AF/ADO here. He is on a short tour (18 months) and about to pull what little hair

he has left out. He spends a lot of time in Manila dealing with the Air Defense Board. Tom HIGH is the base CE and certainly has his hands full with power problems and all the other CE troubles. We are experiencing a drought and that has really hurt the Philippine national capability to produce power. Well, I thought you might enjoy a few quick lines of life in the PI. Hang in there...” Thanks very much for the update, Otis.

The March-April 1983 issue of Air University Review had an editorial on the inside front cover by the outgoing editor: ‘‘I am replaced by L/C Donald R. BAUCOM, a historian of science with a doctorate from the University of Oklahoma and an officer of wide operational experience as a navigator and communications officer. He most recently served as director of research for the Airpower Research Institute, under CADRE (Center for Aerospace Doctrine, Research, and Education), here at Maxwell, another intellectual ‘point’ assignment. His name will be familiar to readers of the Review, for he won a distinguished honorable mention in each of the two Ira C. Eaker Essay Competitions. His breadth and depth of military knowledge and commitment to the operational side of our business combat effectiveness and the ingredients of leadership that produce it are unmatched in my experience. I leave secure in the faith that our journal will continue in an effective and innovative manner.” It’s nice to hear such good words about Don.

Our base newspaper featured an article entitled: “Meet the Air Force; It is You, Me” by Col Paul K. ROBINSON, Jr, commander of the 3555 TTW. Very thought-provoking article.

final note, his daughter will be competing for the Miss National Teenager title. She was the Miss Alabama National Teenager title-holder.

Most of you have probably received Denis DEHNE’s letter that recounted some of the highlights and low points of his life since graduation. I was very impressed with his competition in AAU and Golden Gloves boxing tournaments. I feel like my body is slowly disintegrating so it is encouraging to see that Denis has done so well at such a grueling sport. Imagine winning the Pacific AAU 139-pound class title in 1979! Changing the subject, I wonder how many others of you had difficulty like he did.

Got a letter from Fred HENDRYX. He was supposed to visit his folks in Florida in April but had a change of plans. It seems the Air Force changed his plans. He requested an active duty tour at USAFA as a liaison officer. It was approved for the week of 2-6 May. So Fred and Arlene were very excited about the trip to Colorado. Also, he was the class rep for the State of the Wing dinner at Wright-Pat scheduled for April. He also was busy trying to plant a spring garden but heavy rains spoiled his fun. “My job is keeping me very busy, getting lined up for summer. I just returned from a three-day trip to Quincy, MA outside Boston. Long hours but terrific seafood. I even brought back live lobster. Now I probably won’t travel (business) until fall not to interfere with vacation. I will keep in touch and will say hello to the C Springs RTBs for you.” Thanks for the letter, Fred. Hope to see you this fall.

Saw a transfer in AF Times that showed Bill O’ROURKE going to Hickam AFB. John R. EASTER retired in May. Larry JENSEN has departed Kuwait and arrived at Beavercreek, OH, which usually means an assignment at Wright-Pat. Austin WEDERMEYER finished AWC and is now in the chilly location of Minot, ND. I gave him a quick call. He is the DO for the 5th Bomb Wing. He has only been there for a few weeks but already has spent a couple of days in the command post in support of the Global Shield exercise. When he left Maxwell, he did so with some significant honors. First, he was a distinguished graduate. Second, he won the annual strategy essay contest for AWC. Third, he was runnerup in the strategy essay contest for the JCS Senior Service School competition. As a

Laurie Wedemeyer, 16-year-old daughter of Col. and Mrs. Austin Wedemeyer, was crowned Miss Alabama Teen-Ager in March during the 12th annual pageant in Montgomery, AL.

Butch VICCELLIO got a short notice PCS and went off to Langley to be the 1st Tac Ftr Wing commander. R. R. JOHNSON got his MBA in aviation from Embry-Riddle Aero University and retired in New Port Richey, FL. Fred FIEDLER left AWC and reported to Pease as the vice wing commander for the 509th Bomb Wing. When I called Fred, he was also in the command post supporting Global Shield so I couldn’t talk to him. He had only been on base for a week.

Another change of address shows Glen WILSON living in Arlington, MA. Charlie HALE has been reassigned to the 93rd Bomb Wg at Castle AFB as the ADO. His wife Pat says, “The door is always open and you all are always welcome.” Charlie says his new assignment is a reward for five years in Maine. He is finally getting a nice sun tan. The 93rd is a unique wing because it has two ADOs, one for operations and one for training. Charlie is the ops ADO. His boss is Don Jensen, the younger brother of Niels JENSEN. Charlie’s 18-year-old son, Charles, is attending Merced Junior College and pursuing a career as an artist. Curtis, the 16-year-old, is in the 11th grade. Wife, Pat, is social chairman of the Hale household. That’s it for now. Would appreciate a call or letter from any of you.

Skip Lee

1024 Rota Drive ysik

APO San Francisco 96334

Home: Country Code (671) 362-1111

AV: Pacific Code (317) 366-7251

wI can’t say enough about the plans for the “Golden Boys” 20th reunion. My reservation forms arrived today and everything looks good! Obviously, the committee has seriously considered all counsel received and did a good job trying to get as many ideas in the schedule as possible. The only problem appears to be lack of golf. Who could have a reunion without golf? I can only say none of us have a good excuse if loyalty is any criterion for not being there. I am certainly going to do everything in my power to be there. My reservation form is in the mail.

All you folks out there are indeed fortunate! Much mail was received this quarter and, justice can only be done by letting “George” do it. For you single seat guys, George is not our autopilot; he is George

FREDERICK: “Just read the June 83 MAC article on your ‘Typhoon Chasers’ (plug). You guys and gals have a big job out there in the Pacific (repeat plug) keep up the great work.

“I’m winding up two years at the helm of the 31st Weather Squardon and I’ve loved every minute of it command is still the best job in our Air Force. Chris has finished his first year at Michigan and is home with us at Sembach for the summer. In August, Sharon, Steve, Kim and I head for Offutt and AFGWC (Air Force Global Weather Central for you land lubbers). I’ll be helping to run the world-wide Forecasting Services Division so I expect to use a few good “Swan” reports in the years ahead. I’m really looking forward to it.

Denis Dehne and his pal “Willie.

“As you know my detachments are spread over six countries in Europe so I’ve gotten to see a lot of USAFE and our NATO allies. Zoomies are everywhere helping to keep the Air Force combat ready. Some of our classmates I’ve run into are Jim HANNAM, DO at Zaragoza; Larry DAY, on the USAFE staff (CCE); and Kent HARBAUGH, CV at Zweibrucken. Jim SCHUMAN is at Rhein-Main; Mike FOLEY, who was CV at Soesterberg is now CV at Hill; Mike Cristy just left the Wing CC job (electronic security) at Lindsey; Lynn WEBER is the DO at Aviano; and George GREER is at Spangdahlem.

John BORLING is just leaving the base commander job at Ramstein to take the 86TFG on the same base. Dick TROY is on the 4ATAF staff at Heidelberg and there are many more I just haven’t run into.” Darned good job, George, and thanks.

Dave LOHMANN was kind enough to pass along a long list of assignments (15) for ’63 grads matriculating from this year’s Air War College class. The list follows: Frank BLACK, chief Recon Forces Div AF/XOX; Bob BRENCI, dep asst dir for Special Plans AF/XOXP; Joe COX, ch, Space C3 + ECM Div AF/PRP; Bob DE SANTO, dir, Safety, ATC IG, Randolph AFB, TX; Otto HABEDANK, ch, Tactical Systems Div, AF/SA; Bill HENTGES, 29 Tactical Group/CV, Incirlik; Owen LENTZ, Faculty Air War College; and Dave LOHMANN, commander, Air Force Management Engineering Agency, Randolph.

Also Dave MILAM, ch, Special Projects, AF/RD; Don NEFF, asst dir of Bases & Units, OL PRP1, HQ USAF; Dick RADER, base civil engineer, Altus AFB, OK; Skip VARA, dep commander for operations, 91 Bomb Wing, Robins AFB, GA; Bob VENKUS, dir, Combat Employment, HQ USAFE/DOJ, Ramstein; Barry WALRATH, estimates office NIC, HQ ELMCIA, WASH DC; and Ralph WETTERHAHN, ch, Middie East Africa Div, AF/PR. Dave also passed on that Lloyd PROBST is working at Maxwell as a civilian pilot for the local aero club. That was a super piece of information. Probably a record of some kind.

Jerry WESTERBECK sent me a copy of the AOG Southwest Ohio Chapter Newsletter, a very well done publication. Of course, Jerry is the editor. From the looks of things, the chapter is well established and moving out aggressively. Their official address is: USAFA Assn of Graduates, P.O. Box 36, Bldg 110, Area C, WPAFB, OH 45433. The ’63 class rep is Harry ALLEN. He is the asst director, Aircraft Modification Center, 4950th Test Wing, WPAFB, Ohio 45433. Harry sent his business card to the AOG as an address change; very effective, and I collect business cards.

While talking to my wing’s LGM, Floyd Shields, I find out George BARNES, USAF (Ret), is in Saudi Arabia as a mechanical engineer. His address is USMTM Box 1461-R, APO NY 09038. According to George, one can leave Saudi after 10 years service with a darned good pension. Other address/job changes include: Bill GABLE to Maxwell, Joe CABUK to Upper Heyford as 20TFW/CV, and Mike ANDERBERG is back in Washington. Mike is in the Office of the Secretary of Defense/International Security Policy; specifically, the director of Verification Policy.

According to Mike, they develop and coordinate interagency positions on verifying arms control agreements, notably Start, INF, and Comprehensive Test Ban. They also deal with the public and Congress on arms control issues. He says the hot items, as he writes (22 Apr 83), are the Bishop’s pastoral letter, nuclear freeze, and the Moscow-Washington Hot Line.

Lastly a couple of our classmates are new papas (at our age?). Bill FLYNN and Pam Luttrell’s daughter, Erin Elizabeth Flynn, was born on April 16, 1983. Bill says she could be a member of the Class of 2004, or so. The Flynn/Luttrell combo are still residing in Celle, West Germany. The newest member of Jim WEAVER’S family is Christopher James Weaver; bom 3 Feb. Jim wrote Feb 82 on a card dated Feb 83. I assume he was just plain excited! As reported last time, Jim and Maria are now at Lackland where he is the Officer Training School vice commander, effective 1 Feb 83. Two reasons to be excited. Congratulations to the new parents and welcome to Erin and Christopher.

That’s it! Hope this article finds everyone well and active. Get your plans set for 22-25 September. Should be a great bash.

Tom Browning

1117 Moorefield Hill Court \ w Vienna, VA 22180

Home: (703) 938-2190

AV: 227-9390

Greetings from the five-sided zoo! As advertised, your new scribe has the stick for a year at least. Not only am I paying my dues in the “building,” but also to the class. Hopefully, I’ll be able to satisfactorily fill Jim’s shoes (he’s gonna be a tough act to follow) and serve as the intermediary for us all to keep in touch. Thanks, Jim, I’m sure I echo the appreciation of all the ’64s for your excellent reportage.

The Pentagon is not all bad you can find a multitude of classmates not seen since 3 June 64 wandering the corridors or terrorizing meetings. For example, my first Force Structure Committee meeting found me seated next to Herb BEVELHYMER who is now PCS to Mather to be the vice of the 320th Bomb Wing. Jim EVATT, much to the disappointment of the B-l office, is out of here also. Jim, as you can well imagine, left with a big grin as he was diverted from Maxwell to proceed IFR direct to be the vice at Barksdale AFB. Tammy is the only one I know who is happier than Jim.

Paul KAMINSKI can be seen only briefly in the halls as he spends most of his day in meetings, I think he’s running RDQ. You will be happy to hear that the USAFA “diggers and fillers” did not retire after we graduated but have, in fact, expanded their operations to include the basement of the Pentagon where I frequently see Jim VERSTREATE, Jim HINKEL and Fred WALKER dodging the dirt piles. Nels RUNNING avoids this mess by staying on the Hill most of the time where he heads the House Legislative Liaison office.

John CUNNINGHAM is holding out in the depths of JCS J-5 and Jim LEMON is SAC’s man here as chairman of the Strategic Offense Panel. J.J. DAVIS is scratching his head trying to absorb the EW world in RDQT while John LORBER and Bruce SMITH are working JCS actions. Phil ROBERTS, working with the Scientific Advisory Board, makes it down to the basement from time to time.

Although they tried to slip in and out without being assigned a desk, I have also seen Jim FIORELLI who is still at Tucson with the Guard and Butch McGEEHEE who recently graduated from Army War College and is bound for Greenham Common as the base commander. (Good luck Butch; I’m afraid you’ll need some.) I understand that two others from Butch’s class, Joe REDDEN and Cliff KRIEGER, and inbound to the five-sided fix. Joe, as deputy of Checkmate, and Cliff to head the doctrine shop, XOXID.

It doesn’t happen often, but I do get out of the basement on occasion, and happily, run into classmates in out of the way places. For instance, I had a most enjoyable lunch with Nick LACEY in a pub somewhere in London, and dinner with Bill and Jan SAKAHARA at their home in Las Vegas. Bill is still running the 414th and Jan is back to teaching. (Mitch sorry I missed you last time next trip for sure.) Doug and Lois JENKINS are there too Doug as the chief of Stan Eval. Gary and Patty OLIN are still in Apply Valley, CA, where we enjoyed a super dinner and more than one beer. Darryl and Mary BLOODWORTH enjoy a beautiful home near Orlando, FL, where Darryl is an extremely successful attorney and Mary is about to publish a health food cookbook. (I understand the recipes are kitchen-proofed.)

The mailbag was a little sparse this month. Hopefully, the reams of cards, letters and photos will follow. However, I did receive some quality notes such as this photo of Gary SMITH and his wife, Mary.

Gary claims to be the last of ’64 to be married for the first time. (Don’t know Joe DRISCOLL are you married yet?) Gary and Mary are enroute to Billingham, WA, where Gary will be working in counseling at a mental health center.

Erin Elizabeth Flynn

Mary and Gary Smith

Lee CONNER is now in sunny Hickam AFB as the ADO of the 834th Air Division and Vince HURLEY is ops officer of the 345th TAS at Yokota. Gary ANDERSON is at Clark as ADO of the 374th TAW and Kurt BAYER is asst chief of staff at HQ MAC. Mike ROBBINS reports that he’s on his way back to the U.S.A. from a two-year stint in Honduras.

That’s about all the updates I have now. Please drop a note, card or photo I need the inputs.

One last but very important note AF plays Navy on 8 October. Annapolis is only a one hour drive from D.C. and I know many of you will be going. I’ll be hosting a BYOB Friday night, 7 October. Let me know ASAP if you’re going to be here and would like to attend. I need to know by 20 September so that if my house gets overgrossed we can relocate elsewhere. I’ll contact all who respond with details time, location, etc. Should be a great opportunity to get together and get in the right frame of mind for the game. Let me know. Cheers!

As you’ve read, we were shocked to learn of the tragic loss of our classmate and friend, Colonel Dennis G. SCARBOROUGH. Denny was one of our best. He was totally involved in his family, his community, and in his work as pilot, scholar and staff officer. He will be missed by all who had the good fortune to work with and to know him.

Personal thanks to the many members of our class who helped the family make it through trying times. Mike RYAN and Howie ESTES worked the details in support of the Washington Memorial Services. Frank McCANN managed things at the Academy. Assisting Frank and acting as pallbearers were Jack FERGUSON, A1 GRIESHABER, Bob HAFFA, Gary MATSUYAMA and Errol REINER. A “Missing-Man” formation was flown by the F-16s from Hill Air Force Base, Utah. Our thoughts and prayers go to Nancy and the three children, Jamie, Denny and Sharon.

When it’s summer in Washington, DC, how do you know when the weekend arrives? The quick answer is to look out the window, or if you’re in the basement at the Pentagon, call someone upstairs and ask if it’s raining. If the answer is, “Yes!” you know it must be Friday afternoon. Today the weatherman seems to have missed. We just might have a weekend without rain.

Another way you know it’s summer is by the number of moves. I spoke with Rich SINER this noon, who tells me he’s leaving the building and his “plush” job with USD/P to take up residence across the river as a professor with the faculty of the National War College. But before he goes, he’s taking a young soccer team to Germany, Austria and Switzerland for a bit of competition. Sounds like a tough job, Rich, but we know someone has to do it! Enjoy!

Ren CROWELL sent a note to let us know he’s leaving the Academy’s History Department and reporting to the Air War College where he’s been assigned duties with the faculty in the Strategy Division. His wife, Marianne, presented him with twin boys, each weighing in at more than nine pounds. Sounds like a pair of future “Falcon” linemen. The Crowell’s new address is 108 Thomas Lane, Prattville, AL 36067. I’m sure they’d like to hear from their old friends. Ren also passed along the news that Chuck SPECHT is moving to Colorado Springs and a job with the staff of Space Command. He’s going to be one of the men in the mountain. Maybe he’ll let us know just how much of the movie, “War Games,” is really true! Thanks for the news, Ren.

Vic GENEZ called from Kelly AFB, TX, to let me know that he’s not at the Air War College after all. His real destination is Wright-Patterson AFB, where he’s going to be the SPO director for the new Air Force trainer, the T-46. Vic reminded me of fellow public affairs officer Larry MCCRACKEN’S pending assignment to the Pentagon. Larry is going to work on the Air Force Issues Team, keeping track of the Posture Statement, Congressional transcripts and inserts for the Congressional Record. If you can do all that, Larry, and still manage to find the time, don’t forget your friends in the Public Affairs community! We’re waiting for you when you finish your “term” in the vault!

With the recent mail came a notice of the selection of Bill MORGAN as 1983’s Mechanical Engineer of the Year, a selection made by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers. Bill was selected based on his outstanding work in the area of resource recovery and incineration. He was recognized for his vision and leadership which have contributed to the advancement of the engineering profession. Congratulations Bill! Bill is currently the chief engineer, solid waste, for the firm of Harry Hendon and Associates, Inc., Birmingham, AL. Bill, his wife, Judy, and son, Rob, live in Rosewell, GA. Nice to see success in ’65!

Brought with the mail: Earl MUCHWAY still in California, but moving from Pittsburgh to P.O. Box 693, Klamath, CA 95548. Ted LYNN from Oklahoma City, OK, to 2804 Vermont NE, Albuquerque, NM 87110. Ed FARRELL is still alive and well at George AFB, although his address has changed to 14051 Tawya Rd, Apple Valley, CA 92307. Tim ANDERSON now lists a home at 645 Carr Dr., Niceville, FL 32578. According to the change-of-address card, he’s working as the deputy staff judge advocate at the Armament Division, Eglin AFB. Dick DEWING is making a brief stop at George AFB this summer and then heads overseas. His new address is PSC Box 4536, APO NY 09123.

John MURPHY appears to have moved within the same city. His new address is 1242 Michigan Court, Alexandria, VA 22314. Tom PILSCH has moved from Fairfax to 4714 Trotting Ln, Annandale, VA 22003. He’s the chief, Airlift and Training Aircraft Div., AF/RD&A.

Harry RODMAN, late of Rome, NY, reports a move to Germany where he’s assigned to the 601st TAC Control Wing, Heidelberg. His address is Box 2133, HZ USAREUR, APO NY 09403. Wonder if two “old” soccer players, RODMAN and SINER, will get together this summer? Now if only they could get John GRITSAVAGE out of retirement! Does anyone remember the game at Boulder between USAFA and CU? It’s one I’ll never forget. Neither will the referee, the opposition and the CU coach. (Fall of 1964 for those with short memories!) Finally, the DeMOCKO family now lists a new address at 5 Magnolia Ave., Shalimar, FL 32579.

Under the heading, “How time flies,” we have a new first classman spending his summer vacation with the Air Staff. I still don’t believe any of us ever looked that young! One thing that fails me, however, is the question of why they send cadets to the Pentagon? Does someone want these people to suffer extreme depression this early in their lives?

The Washington Area Chapter of the Association of Graduates had the chance to participate in a special event this month, the send-off dinner for young men and women heading for USAFA and a summer filled with excitement. Looks like the Class of ’87 has some good material coming it’s way. That’s good to see! Unitl next time, please keep the cards and letters coming. If you can’t do that, then call. It really helps. To those who’ve done just that, thanks for the assist.

Hello from Upper Heyford. I’m TDY as I write you this quarter. This is a “no cost” TDY since I just sent Diana and the children back to the States for five weeks with grandparents so I would have been apart from

them anyway. This time I’ve sent a photo of me surrounded by my four kids. I tried to get a picture of some of the families of guys at Lakenheath but went TDY before they were provided and the deadline approacheth. How many birthdays have you celebrated on alert? I don’t recommend it as a common practice, but that explains why I’m wearing my flight bag.

the 494TFS “Panther Squadron” but nobody had a camera. J. D. THOMPSON, “Panther” ops officer, was there along with George FINAN, chief of Wing Offensive Operations, and me, chief of Wing Stan Eval. That day the 494th became like the 7th Spec Opns Sq at Rhein-Main with ’66 grads as CC and Ops (Bill HUDSPETH and Jim ROBERTS). Who else has a shop or squadron where the top two are classmates?

Well, I’ve tried to get some information from Joe NARSAVAGE but he’s commanding his 79th TFS “Tigers” at Incirlik, Turkey right now so I’ll have to get news from him before next time. We got two letters this quarter so I’ll share those now. Walt LIONA wrote back (remember in the spring issue I was wondering why he moved). Here’s what he said in part, “Since I left the service, I picked up my ATP, have done some flying, worked as a manager with Dow Jones, did some graduate studies in management at Pace University and am currently working as an air safety investigator with Aerospace Management Services International. We investigate general aviation accidents for various manufacturers and also provide safety evaluations for flight departments and their aircraft operators. We have five offices throughout the country with our home office in Dallas, TX. I’ve just been married, May 27th, and have an 11-yearold stepson. While my wife’s name is Maria, everyone knows her as ‘Pinky’.” Congratulations to Walt and Pinky! They’re moving again this fall; if you want their address, you’ll have to write me for it. Send pictures!

Arne WEINMAN wrote from the far north country of K.I. Sawyer. Here’s part of his letter. “Talked to Jim DOZIER today. He is ops officer of an F-lll squadron at Mountain Home and loves it. He and Melissa plus two are doing fine. I am wrapping up the first year as a B-52H squadron commander. Just had our second Buy None with excellent ratings so am back to breathing again. This is the best job in the Air Force but don’t want SAC to know they might transfer me! My hobby is keeping a 1971 240Z running. After 150,000 miles she is still going strong but has a few less-than-perfect body panels. What would we do without Bondo?” Thanks for the letters, Walt and Arne.

I heard a rumor that Sid WISE is exec to the vice chief of staff and I think that’s great. I also got sketchy information that Mike WHEELER moved from Washington to Grand Forks. What’s going on there Mike?

Eddy SHIRLEY’s new address confirms he has enrolled in Golf 101 at Maxwell and he intends to stay until May ’84. L. T. SMITH left “beautiful Tampa, FL with wife Janet and two daughters for TDY at Davis Monthan to upgrade to the A-10 and PCS to the U.K. for three years.” He asks if it rains in the U.K. and I answer, not as often as people say. While “L.T.” leaves U.S. REDCOM, Fred MEYER arrives. He joins REDCM, J-5 at MacDill after graduating from Air War College.

Dan and Karen HEITZ have moved from one address to another in Springfield, VA so I assume he remains as the flying safety officer on the AFSC IG. Jeff EGGE continues to have interesting assignments. Remember he went to Australian Joint Service Staff College in ’81? Well, now I’ve seen a change-of-address card which places him at Hellenikon AB, Greece! By the way “L.T.” I hear the sun shines more often in Greece than at Bentwaters.

John “Jeb” BAUER left Wright-Patterson where he was project manager for C-17/5B and went back to Dover to fly C-5s I assume. Steve EISLER moved from Poway, CA to Escondido. Still a swim coach, Steve? I’ve always thought teaching in high school would bring good job satisfaction and Steve’s been doing that for a long time. Back in the fall ’82 column I included a letter from Ryan DENNY in which he said Ron SCHILLEREFF ran a bank in Little Rock. We now have positive proof that Ron is president and chief executive officer of the Love Field National Bank in Dallas. That’s really great.

Stan BOYD is in research and development at the Pentagon. Don CRAIGIE works on simulators for operations in the Pentagon. Don flew T-38Bs at Holloman and then worked in the local puzzle palace (wing HQ). Before that he worked for ASD on Pave Penny. Quite a range of experience I’d say. Marty DAACK is in plans working on Strategic Offensive Mission Capability Assessment. Bob ESTUS should have moved to Panama by now. Phil GARDNER is in charge of Regional Estimates for AF Intelligence. Ron HATCHETT is in Middle East Plans on the Joint Staff.

Army man Fred HATHORN works on computers for the Army chief of staff. Bob HAUGE is at Hanscom in Systems Command. Harry ICKE is chief of Air Defense Ops for 4th ATAF. A1 KONTRICK is the chief of the Air Force Section at the US Embassy in Tunisia. Dick MCCONN owns M. International in Washington and is a Reservist in the AF vice chief’s office.

There’s more to share but we’re out of time and room. I figure it would take about 110 years for every classmate to have a single chance to write this letter. That is impractical, but there may be someone who would like to take over so the job is open. Get in touch and we’ll talk about passing the baton. For whatever reason, send me a letter or make a call. It’s always a pleasure to hear from you.

A1 PICHON called. He and Gail moved to Redlands, CA several months ago. He is C.O. of the 53rd MAS “Blackjacks.” This C-141 squadron has just been named the outstanding Strategic Airlift Sq. in MAC for 1982. Congratulations!

A1 furnished updates on quite a few classmates he has seen. Jim EAST is at HQ MAC as the exec to the DCO, Gen Cassidy. At McChord, A1 saw John HICKS, chief of the MAC Command Post, who is going to the same position at Hickam soon. Also there, he saw Brian DELUCA, who is an AF Reserve capt. and works for Boeing in flight deck design on their equivalent of the C-17. Mike HAYNER is the ops officer for the Civil Engineering Sq. at Osan AB, and in June is coming to SAMSO. Joe KRUZEL is doing well (what else?) as professor of political science at Duke University—or is it Chapel Hill? I’m willing to bet that he is still a low handicap golfer, as well. Tom and Beth GRIESSER are returning from Australia to the Air War College.

AOG UPDATES: Ray and Nancy FELLOWS have moved to Colorado Springs. Jim BALLARD went PCS to Germany in June. Jim and Linda ICENHOUR left for Europe in May. A1 ROWE moved within Germany to HQ USEUCOM/Patch Barracks, Vaihingen, in June. Bill and Jan STROUD will arrive as students at the Defense Language Institute, Monterey, CA by 1 Aug. Tom MENZA is watching for missiles and satellites from under Cheyenne Mountain. Dennis HILL now lives in Garden City, NY. Alex ARCHIBALD is with the 80th FTW, Sheppard.

This spring, Matt SZCZEPANEK PCSed here from Florida. He has found a nice townhouse three miles from the Pentagon. There, he is guiding computerization of Capability Assessment for C-cubed, rec’ce intel., etc. This enables multiple projections useful not only to select mostneeded equipment improvements, but comparitively to analyze their impact—first in theater, and then strategically, as well. This projective work is slightly analogous to the simulations he did for Blue Flag in Florida. As chief of the Red Forces, he ran computer-simulated communist threat

Left to right are David (5), Andrew (8), Brien (11) and Carey (1). We actually had a good ’66 picture posed on 10 June when John GROZIER took over

forces against various of our commanders, on site or on location. The movie, “Wargames,” must truly look “old hat” to Matt!

John CARNEY arrived at the Puzzle Palace in February. His orientation was easy; his office is right by “the purple water fountain.” Evidently, this famous landmark is the fortuitous product of a contract error that illuminates the otherwise trackless labyrinth of the Pentagon basement. From the two-year-old Office of Information Technology, John and other operations-experienced people offer advice and eventually establish policy on small-computer use. They aim to guide and assist any level below the base computer center, such as myriad uses within the squadron. A recent exercise successfully used such small computers to provide vital services during simulated failure of the computer center. John also manages time for tennis and other socializing, but he surely misses the skiing on 200 inches plus of snow in the far northwest.

J.D. and Lee TERRY, along with new son, Travis, have just left his ALO tour at Ft. Lewis, WA for England AFB, LA. He is “back in the cockpit of his favorite airplane, the A-10—‘Warthog forever’.” Thanks for the letter, Lee!

A1 and Bunky LUNDBERG left Andrews June 10 for their new home in Englewood, CO. A1 is the new chief of subcontracts for the AF with Martin Co., Denver. A1 Jr.(8) and Suzanne (10) play soccer, and A1 Sr. and Suzanne graduated as certified clowns (really!) just before departure. While here, A1 and Bunky had done a lot of support work for Marriage Encounter. (Those of you that aren’t “encountered” couples yet, we encourage your seeking the opportunity; the enrichment is great!) With all those good experiences, naturally they resisted this new PCS—like a kid resists candy! May we all enjoy our next locale as much! Best wishes!!

Mark Torreano

Box 245

APO San Francisco 96328

Office: AV 225-4283

Home: AV 225-5371

Am way behind on this column, so won’t make it too long. Just returned from a family shopping trip/vacation of five days in Korea. While there, we ran into Larry and Pat MERIDETH who were on their way to Tokyo for a short leave before they PCS in Oct to a PACAF/DO job. Larry and Pat have enjoyed their two-year tour at Osan AB, and made the time go faster by working many volunteer hours in the passenger terminal assisting the military travelers.

We also met up with Garry, Tina, Debbie (12), and Mark (8) DUDLEY in the “shopping mall” outside the base. The DUDLEYS are taking a vacation through Okinawa, Korea, and Japan, and we expect them to be houseguests before they return to Travis, but with Mother MAC’S Space A system, one never knows. We had a good time in Korea keeping the country green and seeing a little of the countryside. We also spent a coupie of enjoyable days in Seoul, which is now the fourth largest city in the world with 9 million Kims, Lees, and Parks.

While in Seoul, I talked with Buzz BROUSSARD on the phone. Buzz was recently assigned to U.S. Forces Korea J2 on an accompanied twoyear tour (after a stint at HQ TAC) and says the housing is pretty small, but good.

Here at Yokota, Bill THURSTON has checked in on the 5AF Plans staff as chief of the planning group for the deployment of the F-16 wing at Misawa AB in northern Japan in a couple of years. Bill is coming from KI Sawyer, where he was chief of scheduling at the 410 BmWg. Got a call from Gary HOFFMAN in May as he was transiting Yokota in a C-141 based at Travis. Gary noted that at least three classmates are C-141 sqdn cdrs now Brooke BAILEY, 86MAS, McGuire AFB; Bobby FLOYD, 56MAS, Altus AFB; and Buck McCANTS, 14MAS, Norton AFB.

I also recently heard that Manny BETTENCOURT has returned from HQ USAFE at Ramstein and is now assigned to the Systems Directorate, HQ USAF Intel. And from looking through the Register, I see belated congratulations are in order for Dr. Dick ELLIS, who received his PhD in Education from Denver Univ in 1981. This may partially explain the recent improvements in the football team these past few years, if you can believe what an eagle and its fledglings tell us.

LETTERS: I got a matched set this time. Seems Vince COLLAZO (Naples, Italy) and Pat RUSSELL (Alconbury, UK) are both “ham” radio operators and they wound up talking to each other. They initially did not exchange names, but when Pat said he was at Alconbury, Vince asked if he knew Bob MIRABELLO. Pat said he did and that he was a classmate from the Zoo, and Vince came back with ’68 We’re Great.” Both Vince and Pat hink the odds of them making chance contact like

that are very slim, with over 600,000 hams in the world, and Vince thinks it may be a Zoomie first. Any other hams out there? Pat’s call sign is WA7MCT in the States, where he will be at Homestead by the time you read this. Pat also adds that Bob is PCSing to Ramstein this summer. Vince says that Bill BAZAR and Phil ABOLD are also assigned to Air South at Naples with him. Vince saw Dick and Sherrie FAST recently when he went TDY to the NATO school at Oberamergau, Germany, where Dick is an instructor. Tough duty in Europe!

MOVES: New homes this time go to: Warren EVERETT, APO 09289 (Turkey); Dale FRANZ, Prattville, AL; Bill GREEN, Wilmington, NC; Joe KRUPA, Idaho Falls, ID; Frank MARTIN, Littleton, CO; Stu PARDEE, Gardnerville, NV; and Tom ZYROLL, Okemos, MI.

Sorry there are no photos this time. Why not call up your classmates in town and have a get together? And use some film and drop it in a plain brown envelope to me (hold the Mazola, please). Two!

Michael R. Thiessen

Brown & Thiessen, P.C.

Suite 2121 City Center Square Kansas City, MO 64105

Home: (913) 642-7692

Office: (816) 474-4114

Hello out there! Remember those sad moments at USAFA when you were looking for a little bit of good news from anywhere and hoped that there would be something in your mailbox to provide your spirits a quick lift? Do you also remember the many times you visited your mailbox and found nothing but the proverbial cobwebs? I not only remember them, I am experiencing them at this very moment. Come on guys and gals, take a moment and bring me up to date on yourselves and any other ’69ers you may know about. I guarantee you your classmates are interested.

Most of you have already heard about or read about Guy GARDNER’S involvement with the recent space shuttle mission. Guy made the front page of the Kansas City Times with respect to his conversations with the shuttle occupants during their approach and landing. According to the Times, Guy’s reported discussions centered primarily on the issue of where the beer was located for the celebration. As I recall, the beer unfortunately was in Florida rather than California. I’m sure you all join me in wishing Guy well in his efforts to become one of the shuttle occupants on one of the future missions.

Art POLNISCH is moving from Ohio to Minnesota. This information is very current as I received a phone call from Art just yesterday. The rest of the information in the brief column is taken from the ten change-ofaddress cards forwarded me by the AOG. Ron OLDS is now in Locust Valley, NY. Wally BERG is now in Tucson, AZ. Brad DE AUSTIN is at HQ JUSMMAT/TDAN, APO New York 09254. Joe PERSONETT is in Guam. Jeff GRIME is in Victorville, CA. Danny SPEARS is in Milledgeville, GA. Tom KENDALL is at Williams Air Force Base. J.R. RICHARDS in in Glendale, AZ. Bruce ANDERSON is in Summit, NJ, and Terry ANDERSON is at Dover, DE.

Michael L. Rose

1011 Venus Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80906

Home: (303) 634-3050

Office: (303) 576-6314

Greetings again from the booming metropolis of Colorado Springs, once a sleepy little tourist town, now nicknamed Silicon Mountain and well-known as a recurring host of the National Sports Festival. I am not aware of much national news coverage received by the Pikes Peak Region but would appreciate some news clippings from anyone who happens to see them in his local newspaper. All of this excitement over amateur athletics, CSOC, and semi-conductors has created the Great Colorado Land Rush, the likes of which you cannot imagine. Promoting that idea is what keeps me extremely busy during the spring and summer months.

Thanks to Rex JONES who sent us the photograph of some members of the Class of 1970 who finished the most recent cycle of Air Command and Staff College at Maxwell. Rex left in June for Randolph to join the long-range planning staff at ATC headquarters. In his letter, he also ineluded some 3x5 cards with inputs as follows: Rick and Carole BONNELL have a son, Richie, age 7 months, with their next assignment to Torrejon; Greg GILLES has been assigned to Secretary of the Air Force

Recent graduates of Air Command and Staff College, from left, are Til Harp, Darryl Lundgren, Jim Morrison, Mike Brower, Greg Gilles, Lloyd Patterson, Rick Bonnell, Rex Jones, Scott Hoversten, and Jake Dustin. Staff, Space Systems, and extended an open invitation to anyone visiting Washington; Scott HOVERSTEN is assigned to Travis as a maintenance officer; Jake DUSTIN moves to the 463 TAW, Dyess (“ACSC is like 10 months of Saturday mornings in A-Hall!”); Lloyd PATTERSON will be assigned to T-37s at Williams and said fishing and sailing were the highlights of ACSC; Darryl LUNDGREN goes to C-130s at Yakota, Japan; Til HARP is going to C-5s at Dover and marked “Fast, neat, average, friendly, good, good;” Mike BROWER will be a B-52H aircraft commander at K.I. Sawyer. I have to thank Rex again for one of the best inputs since I have been writing the Class News.

Dick RAUSCHKOLB is at Camp Smith, HI on the CINCPAC intelligence briefing team and is practicing up for the 1990 Homecoming golf tournament. Dick wrote that Chuck and Barbara WEIR did have twins and are both busier than one-armed paper hangers; that Joe YORK is married and an attorney in Denver; that Mike HUBER is with Proctor and Gamble in Cincinnati; that Denny HALL is with E.F. Hutton in Colorado Springs; that Phil MEILINGER is working on a PhD in Michigan; that Skip BOHN is in Berlin; and that Rex LEVOY is complaining about the lack of booze at his ROTC assignment in Birmingham, AL. Super letter, Dick!

This quarter’s honorable mentions are as follows: George MONROE -Combined Air Warfare Course, Maxwell; Glenn VICKERY - staff engineer, TDC, Inc., Mansfield, TX; Richard BAKER - student, Western Conservative Baptist Seminary, Portland, OR; Mike SYDLA - clinic administrator, Ramstein; Brian BELL - El Paso, TX; Randy WARNER -Houston; John LAUGERMAN - Tinker AFB, OK; Fred WEBER -Maryland Heights, MO; Rolland ROBISON - Derby, KS; Mike HARPER - O’Fallon, IL; Jim COLGATE - Poway, CA; and Steve WATSON - Marquette, MI.

Everyone please have a safe and enjoyable summer and remember one thing it is amazing how much information there is in a couple of letters and a bunch of change-of-address cards.

Ralph Getchell

Quarters 4506 C, USAF Academy

Colorado Springs, CO 80840

Home: (303) 472-6958

AV: 259-4548

OLD FACES, NEW FACES: With the rites of spring (Recognition, June Week) behind us, we’re now actively engaged in that Air Force-wide rite of summer; saying good-bye to old friends and welcoming in the new. Leaving the fold here at the Blue Zoo is Tom CURRY, who is taking a hiatus from the Math Department to attend “PhD training” in math down in Texas.

Mike OONK, who was AOC of CS-18 last year, has been appointed as “CINC Honor.” But never fear, ’71 will continue to be well represented in the AOC business with the long awaited and much heralded arrival of Bob LOWE from Guam, and Steve SMITHERMAN from Holloman. With Larry SMITH’S transfer from the Military Studies shop, ’71 will have five (count ’em) five AOCs in place. I will leave it for you to speculate what quirks in our collective backgrounds can account for this phenomenon.

SURVEILLANCE MODE: In response to certain comments made about him in my last two installments, Steve DEHAVEN (aka T-Gib), has assumed a decidely low profile of late; appearing only to make derisive comments concerning my anatomy. Rest assured that my surveillance will continue.

CONGRATS: In a much welcomed letter from Keith BARRETT, who just moved to Rockwell, TX, we learn that Mike (aka Rat) HAMPSHIRE was married in June. Rat’s bride, Rose, was initiated into the ’71 Auxiliary with a four-day party which included some 20 grads and a demonstration of the legendary sock check. Keith informs me that this wedding made him the last parachute team member from ’71 to stay single and the winner of $100 from each of the other eight. In a related matter, anyone who knows where Keith can finally get a date are encouraged to write him ASAP.

SHORT BURSTS: Amongst the conscientious few who submitted change-of-address cards this summer are: Nate BARD, from England AFB to MacDill; Keith BETSCH to Hickam; Bob BRODEL to Apple Valley, CA; Andy GARRISON to San Mateo, CA; Mike HANSEN to Fayetteville, NC; Joel HOFFMAN to somewhere in the Middle East; John O’CONNELL to Williams; Ryan PARADIS to ACSC; Dale PARNELL to Salem, OR; Lou SIMKINS to Richmond, TX; Jim SKEEN to College Park, MD, and Rich ZEIMET to Ramstein.

LEAD’S OFF DRY, WINCHESTER: That’s all for this installment. Hope to see some of ya’ll at Homecoming. If you can’t make it, a short card or phone call from you will give me the ammo I need to make this column a hit. Keep ’em coming!

jk

T.J. Mancuso

11697 E. Kentucky Ave.

Aurora, CO 80012

Home: (303) 343-4231

Work: (303) 861-7000

«S0|§p££

Question: What group of people would sleep all day if given the chance, and was recently seen redecorating the terrazzo? No, it was neither the diggers nor the fillers, but rather a group of doolies. They have put the “H” back in “Hell Week,” but it stands for hospital. It seems the Mitchell Hall fare promised tacos for dinner. After a concerted effort to make sure the smacks were well fed, they were invited to the terrazzo for some rifle aerobics which proved to be a bit too much.

I think this column may be getting a little too long, because last issue they selectively edited some of the comments I had. Well, this one will be short, basically because the class is not too communicative.

I did get a card from Dan and Nancy SKOTTE, announcing the birth of their son in Oregon, where Scro is in his osteopathy residency.

Other than that, all we have seems to be local news. I noted in the newspaper that with a million journalism majors working the nation’s newsrooms, the Denver Post hired a former USAFA-type fighter pilot as publisher. Maybe we will see some better coverage of the football games. Those who live in the Denver region might consider joining the Falcon Football Club around this fall, since they are making noises like the films of this year’s football games won’t be suitable only as Saturday morning cartoons.

The social highlight of the past quarter was dinner at Doug and Robin HILL’s. Jay CAMALICK was there giving indispensable directions on the proper care and burning of barbecued ribs.

The new face in the Denver crowd is Steve O’NEILL who is living on a mountain top up in Conifer, CO, and risking his life on the daily drive to Martin-Marietta, where he is doing management engineering in “the industry.” Steve said his wife, Jackie, has had very little exposure to USAFA types. Several people thereupon offered to expose themselves.

Doug passes word that Jon HANSON is now a pilot with Rocky Mountain “Scareways.” He also notes that Pete PETERSON has joined the Marine Corps Reserves. Pete is fortunate in that the greater part of his head comes pre-equipped with the Marine Corps haircut.

Steve and Doug then got carried away talking about their days as preppies, and they pulled out some book called “Malamute,” which confirmed my convictions on how homely some of you “older guys” were while most of us were still cruising high school.

The only other local news is that Chuck WINTER is being seduced by his employer, Autotrol, into leaving Denver to take a Chicago position.

I talked with Van SHIELDS the other day. Winder lives in Humbolt County, CA, and runs a rental agency at the airport. He also owns a little restaurant, and complains that too much work in his restaurant business is good for business but bad for him. How can you possibly tell if the

food is good unless you eat it? Van is fortunate he didn’t buy a drugstore. He notes that Bill KASSON is going to Los Angeles Air Station to work on charged particle beams and, hopefully, the shuttle program. It sounds like black magic to me, Willy, but you can beam down to Denver sometime and try to explain it.

If you are not current in the AOG register, drop us a line and we will pass on the word. It’s interesting that they cut out so much information from the register, like order of merit, job history, decorations, PME and advanced degrees. But they left, as to civilians (1) when you resigned, and (2) your rank when you left the Air Force. That’s the only information (1) that will never change, and (2) serves absolutely no useful purpose.

The only other note I got this quarter was from Jim FINNEGAN. He was an F-15 Amram project officer at Wright-Pat, but has since been transferred to Vandenburg as a finance officer for the space shuttle. (We’re talking big paper if we’re talking space shuttle. Which reminds me, I was wondering why none of you pilot guys have been up in that thing yet. I mean, if a woman our age can fly it .) Jim and Janet are expecting their first child in December, and he recently picked up a master’s in management from Wright State University.

I guess there is a majors list out there somewhere in which some poeple have expressed less than a passive interest

Our final bit of pass-on comes from the change-of-address people. Chris RUBACHA has gone from Williams to Randolph. John HUMPHRIES has moved from Spokane to a box number with a Fleet Postal Office zip code attached to it. Sounds like OSI work to me. Craig WESTON is now in San Jose, and Rick BARR has moved from Chatham to Flemington, but has not managed to get out of New Jersey.

Doug TERBEEK moved from one side of Plattsburgh to the other side of Plattsburgh, assuming there are two sides to Plattsburgh. Jim OJALA is in Cary, NC. Pete and Diane SUcTON are now in Austin, TX. Brian LANDSBERGER has moved to Edwards; Steve RANDOLPH has moved to Oscoda, MI; Bob BROWN has gone to APO San Francisco 96270; Doug FOSTER has moved from one part of San Antonio to another; and Andy GESNER moved up, at least geographically, from Fort Walton Beach, FL, to O’Fallon, IL.

What would you guys like to see in this magazine? Just send it in and we will print it (assuming it’s within the rather broad range of even my good taste, and somewhere within the limits of the First Amendment). See you at Falcon Stadium.

Wade Kearns

Quarters 6408D

USAF Academy, CO 80840

Home: (303) 472-0640

AV: 259-3389

Hey, guys, note the new name of the author of this column: Wade KEARNS. This is Sam GRIER speaking and I am signing off I’ve enjoyed doing the column but I’m reassigned to Fairchild AFB as of 12 June, so it’s time to press on.

Wade has volunteered to do the column from USAFA, which I believe is where the writer should be stationed. You ’re able to comment on the zoo and keep everyone informed about what’s happening here in the womb.

Anyway, I’ve enjoyed it. It’s been great hearing from everyone. I will miss the cards and letters. I will try to make our reunion. I have given the calls and letters info to Wade, and he will pass it on in the remainder of the column. Have a great and blessed year!

Thanks, Sam, for a fine tour as class scribe! I’m Wade Kearns and I’ll plan on keeping ’73 informed for the next two years. I’ve been on station for a year as AOC for Cadet Squadron 28. This fall I’m moving to the “Skunk Works” in CWDX, working such things as CDBs, probations, command post, regulations and other endearing aspects of cadet life. I’m a C-130 pilot by trade so this duty makes for an interesting change of pace. What time I’m not on the hill, I try to spend with the family: wife, Sherry; son, Trevor; and daughters, Marcella and Cesia. We’re conveniently located in Pine Valley on base so don’t be shy about calling or stopping in if you’re in the local area.

Gary NISKALA (Reenie) sends a lot of news. He’s flying as a B-727 FE for UPS out of Louisville, KY. Here’s the critical part of his letter: Other classmates with UPS are Gary NICHOLS in the left seat and Don McMILLAN in the right. Also, Rick MORGENSTERN from ’72 is a FO with us in the DC-8, along with Bill JOHANNES, Class of ’69. Others that I run into all the time are: Fran VELDMAN (Eileen) who is the chief of the KC-135 reengining program up in Dayton; Bill DRURY (Trish) is in his last year of residency for orthopedic surgery in Cincinatti; Pat JORDAN (Teri) is flying for

Delta out of Atlanta and has a computer business on the side; and Marty QUICK is flying a Honza jet for a corporation out of Little Rock, AR. I ran into Mike DENDINGER while 1 was up in Pittsburgh. He was upgrading into the right seat of a US AIR DC-9. David T. ELLIS is down in Phoenix flying helicopters in the Reserves, and he is in his second year of law school. That’s it. I’m looking forward to seeing you and all of our classmates at the reunion.

Sam had a phone call from Tim LONG (Cindi). He’s out and flying T-39s for the ANG at Andrews and apparently still looking for a steady job. Mike BLOHM (Marie) is at Nellis in the Fighter Weapons School. He was a distinguised graduate as an F-4 GIB. Bill HARBECK left Ramstein for MPC to work as the SAC nav career counselor. Bob HAWKINS is an endocrinologist at Wright-Patterson and losing his hair like Tim. Don’t work so hard!

I gathered the following intelligence from change-of-address cards. Ed HEISEY moved to Wright-Pat. Bob MARSH (Debby) moved to Denver. Bill PATTERSON (Loretta) left California for Cooper City, FL. H.J. MITCHELL (Susan) left Maxwell AFB and lives in Lorton, VA. Tom HAMILTON (Leah) hopped from Coppell, TX to Lewisville, TX. Mike CLEARY (Marianne) is at Belleville, IL (Scott AFB perhaps?). Henry WILLIS (Blair) departed Seymour Johnson Hospital for Bitburg. Bob ALLEN (Debbie) is at Alamogordo, NM. Phil DeBRUIN (Maryann) is in Dayton, OH. Mike HUB (Callieann) is with 27 TFW/DOW at Cannon AFB. Bob SUMMERS (Kathy) works for HQ SAC/XOBM, Missile Tactics Division. (I thought that was pretty simple: they just go up!)

Here’s the CS-30 report on new addresses: John BLECHER (Kathy) -Alamogordo. Mike CUTTER (Judy) - North Little Rock, AR. Pat DULIN (Sandy) -Monterey, CA at the Defense Language Institute. Bill PRICE (Brenda) -Williams AFB. George VARN (Laura) - Maxwell AFB. Bill CROCKFORD (Susan) - College Station, TX. Hugh DELONG (Nancy) -Colorado Springs. Don GAYLOR (Kathie) - Springfield, VA. Gary TRIPLETT - Torrejon AB, Spain.

I had a phone call from Bill RITTER (Rebecca). He’s at Shaw AFB, SC working in 9AF DOJ. He monitors composite force training and is planning the joint exercise, QUICK THRUST. (Gosh, Bill, I never knew you were so serious.) He tells me that Jimmy ALLGOOD (Annette) is there in the 19 TFS flying F-16s. Also, his old gym buddy, Breck CUNNINGHAM (Timothe) is in Denv «■ studying law among other pursuits. Other CS-17 types include Roger SMITH (Angela) who brought a bride from England and flys for ARCO out of Dallas, and Boyd LEASE (Janice) who will be me '!ng to Scott AFB to be closer to mother MAC.

That’s it for individual news. For those interested in replacing diplomas or remounting on wood, here’s the story. Replacement is $90. Remounting is $40. Contact: CARD-O-LINK, 1948 Ridge Ave., Evanston, IL 63201. Attn: Barbara; phone: (312) 866-9200. Tell them “same as George KEHIAS.” They’re familiar with his diploma.

In closing, I just have a plea for help as the new writer. When sending change-of-address cards to the AOG, note on the card your new job and base. That helps me out. Send those letters or make a phone call. As long as it meets the good taste standard, we’ll publish it. The same goes for pictures. Help me spice up the article; you will soon tire of scenes from the Kearns’ backyard.

Be sure to read the article in this issue on Homecoming. Bob FRASER says the initial response for attendance at the class reunion is around 225. We’re planning an exciting program so get those applications in and come on out!

Pat Lynch

4049 Forest Ridge Blvd.

Dayton, OH 45424

Home: (513) 233-5426

AV: 785-6289

T(Editor’s note: Pat Lynch called in to the AOG office and apologized for not receiving any inputsfrom his class members so that he could not make a column this time. As you all know, Pat needs your inputs in the form ofletters, telephone calls, and photographs to do his volunteer class scribe job well on your behalf. We think the Class News section is one of the most read portions of the magazine and hope you will get your letters off to Pat today. His deadline to me will only be some three weeks after you receive this issue. I did receive a card at the AOG officefrom Dave EIBAND asking me to let all his classmates know that he and Kay are the proud parents of Meredith Kay Eiband, born on May 22.)

WRITE OR CALL YOUR CLASS NEWS WRITER NOW! THEY NEED YOUR INPUT.

Joe Stein

820 War Eagle Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80919

Home: (303) 594-6201

AV: 259-4552

ALL AROUND THE TOWN: It seems like every day a few more of the old ’75 crowd break the code and discover that the Springs is not too shabby a place to hang your hat and earn your daily bread (even in spite of the pictures of the rear view mirrors and the solemn blood oaths we took to return just after the next ice age). It’s getting so crowded around here a fellow can’t even go shopping without bumping into a familiar face. For example, just a few days ago while elbowing my way through the payday stampede in the commissary, I turned and stumbled into none other than Mitch MCVAY. Mitch has just gotten in from the Pentagon, and he’ll either be teaching econ or putting all of his Pentagon expertise to use in the Academy programming office. In another shopping rendezvous, I ran into A1 PIOTTER in the parking lot of a local lumber store. A1 has also just arrived to join the faculty. And in case I forgot to recognize some of the older USAFA types in recent issues, Jerry LEVESQUE and Mike ROSEBUSH have been around the area for a while. Jerry is working in the Math Department, and Mike is lending a sympathetic ear to several of the new basics in the Class of 87. He earns his pay as a top-notch counselor in the Cadet Counseling Center.

MOVIN’ ON: As predicted earlier, many of us ended up the summer living at an address different from what is listed on the front of the 3000 checks we had printed six months ago. To start off the list, Rick BENBOW is now an IP in the C-5A at Dover AFB. But changing addresses wasn’t the biggest move he’s made within the last year. Rick had to change the wording on his mailbox to “Mr. and Mrs.” when he married the former Claire Teare last Dec 31. Some of our other summer moves inelude John WOODWARD to Williams, Jeff KRUMEICH to Offutt, Rich DOUGLAS to Wright-Pat, John SUTTON To Scott, and Billy and Wendy STEPHAN to Raeford, NC. And to make our list of relocated classmates a coast-to-coast happening, Steve KEEN is holding down the west side as a KC-135 IP at Castle, and John MACDONNELL is guarding the east end in Burlington, MA. For those of you flying the friendly skies over Reno, don’t be surprised if you hear a familiar voice every now and then. Pete MARCUZZO has just moved out there and is now working for the FAA. And to close out this section I suppose it’s appropriate to include some words on one of our number who didn’t get to move. Contrary to what I’d seen in the tea leaves earlier, Rick LAYMAN is still living the fast life in the D.C. area. He’s had two recent assignments fall through on him one to Germany, and one to Offutt. However, my somewhat questionable fortune-telling abilities allow me to predict he still may make it to Offutt next January.

THE MAILBOX: My sincere thanks to those who took pen in hand to fill all of us in on their recent adventures. Joe DOWDY’s was the first letter I received. He’s now toughing it through a tour in the Eagle jet at Soesteberg, Netherlands (Camp New Amsterdam). Apparently the life is so rough over there that he had to marry a nurse, Vonda Galpin, to help him make it through. Another patriot who really had to have his arm twisted is Steve BARBER. Steve is currently a U-2 pilot with the 99th Strat Wing at Beale. Now that we’ve got the painful ones over with, we can turn to my favorite (?) aircraft, the BUFF. In it we once again find A1 KRUKOWSKI. A1 and Ann just returned from pre-med training at Northwestern and are waiting words on med school in ’84. In the meantime, A1 will continue to roam the skies in his B-52 while finishing out their seventh year at Loring (and 1 thought four and a half was bad). By the way, their family includes two wonderful children: Kathryn (6), and Michael (1). My final note came from Duane LODRIGE who has joined the USAir (force) and is a first officer on DC-9s. Duane now calls Kenner, LA. home, and spends his spare time flying the RF-4C in the Mississippi ANG.

WHAT EVER HAPPENED TO... Well, our first try at this column ended with a little success. Of the nine folks we started searching for, three were resurrected from the woodwork. That’s 33 percent sounds like a typical GR score for me from long ago. Interestingly enough, the first words on one of our long lost compadres came from a cadet at USAFA. It seems that Felix GRIEDER has been hiding at the American Liaison Officer for the E’cole de l’Air in Salon de Provence, France (in words we can all understand, the French Zoo). I was even able to obtain a picture of Felix, his wife Donna, and their two children, Erica (1) and Danny (3). And here it is.

Maybe some day Felix will write us about some of his hair-raising adventures in the Monte Carlo casinos. Next on the list is Mike MC-

CLENDON. Mike and Adrienne are now down at Eglin. He claims to be an experimental test pilot (F/RF-4C/D/E, A-10), but we all know “Fig” better than that. I’m sure we’ll be able to find out the true story when Brian DUFFY, Steve PITOTTI, and Roger KEITH get there this summer. Bill BUCHTA supplied the info on our last “resurfaced” ’75er, Bruce EDSTROM. Bruce has hung up his G-suit and is now a real Navigator (Christian-type) in Del Rio, TX. By the way, Bill is starting his fourth year of med school and should have recently tied the knot with one of his doctor-type classmates, Lori. He’s looking for a three-year family practice residency in the midwest and may delay his return to active duty. Bill almost sent a picture, but decided at the last moment that we’d be too jealous of his really fine hairs.

Are you ready for the next list of “lost” sheep? I’m hoping for a 50 percent recovery rate on these, so here goes: John BARROWCLOUGH, Marinus BOSMA, Paul DESISTO, Mike GILL, Alex LIMANNI, Bob MIGLIN, Bill PENNY, Bob RYAN, Lenny SALVEMINI, and Steve T1BBITTS. Well, I guess that’s just about enough for this issue. Until next time, may the force be with you.

P.S. I was able to catch a quick look at the major’s list just prior to press time. If I read my lists right, the following guys ought to be flying at about 50,000 feet right now: Bill DAVIS, Pete HENNESSEY, Mark JEFFERSON, Bran MCALLISTER, Dale MEYERROSE, Bentley RAYBURN, Dave TILLOTSON, Bob WALDEN, and Rich WEBBER. Congratulations from all of us. If they have any real class, we should all be receiving some beer or Scotch in the mail pretty soon.

Wade E. McRoberts

8921 East Linden Street Tucson, Arizona 85715

Home: (602) 886-1971 AV: 361-4721

wFor those who haven’t heard, Don HIEBERT, a goof friend to all, was killed in a B-52 crash near St George, UT, on 11 April 1983. All of our prayers and thoughts should go to Don’s family. We shall all miss him.

In early June a group of ’76ers met at the Maxwell AFB Officers Open Mess for what was called the “Seven Year Itch Reunion.” Those in attendance included Steve HALL, George AFB; Joe and Becky MARCHINO, Tinker; Jerry and Jenny MORRISON, Andersen; Lo DEIL, Offutt; Wes and Cheryl NEELY, Eglin; Dan HIGGINS, Bentwaters; Andy PROBERT, Reese; Duke and Laura PORRITT, Sembach; Don CLEMENTS, Kadena; and Tony DONISI, Myrtle Beach. Also, Mike MADELEN, Holloman; Frank and Karen LASSUS, Maxwell; John ARMOR, Hill; Carl REBARCHAK, Davis-Monthan; Bo PALANDRO, Travis; Mike and Paula GOULD, USAFA; Rick PERRY, Mather; Burt WADAS, Hanscom; Dave McELWEE, Homestead; John BOWEN, Castle; Joe SMITH, Columbus; Tom BALTES, Ramstein; and Mike SMITH, Castie. I was in the neighborhood, but I missed the party. Everyone figured that as long as they were around, with a couple free months, that they may as well stay for Squadron Officer School in Class 83-D. Fortunately there was enough room for all. And boy it’s been fun so far!

Wes NEELY, Duke PORRITT, and I are in the same section. Wes and Cheryl are test engineers at Eglin. Duke and Laura are in OV-lOs at Sembach. Frank LASSUS is the section commander for the section that Joe and Becky MARCHINO are in.

It was fun walking around Polifka Auditorium the first few days to renew old friendships, and meet some new faces that looked familiar.

Well, this one is short as I left my mail at home. If you wrote to me, look for your news to be in the next issue. Please take care.

Jim “Mouse” Neumeister

2304 Galaxy Dr.

Altus, OK 73521

Home: (405) 482-1607

AV: 866-6300 (Alert: 7311)

Hello again from Altus. I regret to pass on that the spring was blemished with the loss of another classmate. Ed THOMAS was killed in an A-10 crash near Nellis on 7 April 1983. (See “Gone But Not Forgotten.”) Please keep his family in your prayers.

BA: While on alert catching some late night gut-bombs at the BA, I saw Denny KLIZA (for those of you who don’t pull alert for a living, “BA” stands for Bowling Alley, otherwise known as L’Alley du Bowling, a famous chain of 24-hour French restaurants all across the Air Force specializing in grease). Denny was here for C-141 A/C school from MeChord and is doing fine.

Hello: Felix GARCIA was here for C-141 IP school and gave me a call. He and Diane are still at Norton where she works at the NCO Academy.

After missing each others’ phone calls several times, I finally got ahold of Jim MILLIGAN (Ginger) out at Beale. He’s all checked out in the U-2 squadron there, where the senior captains and majors, (otherwise known as “the rest of the squadron”) refer to him as “Boy Pilot.” Cheer up, Poon, you’ll be old some day, too.

Mailbox: Karl SHRICKER wrote from Shaw, where he occasionally flies F-16s; but after a tour at Kunsan his real joy is spending time with wife Karen and son Jason. Slick says he’s spoken to Ed MILLER, happily flying F-5s with the Aggresser Squadron at Nellis. Gary GREEN and Paul MADSON are at Homestead as F-4 RTU instructors. Jeff LEWIS is still flying C-141s at McGuire. And rumor is that Markoe HANSON is a Wild Weasel at George and married Myra who he met at a biker meeting. Come on, Markoe, fess up. Is it true?

Tom JONES (Liz) wrote not once, but twice, from “just down the road in Foat Wuth” where he’s an AC in B-52Ds at Carswell. Also there are A1 BRUCE (Vikki) going to T-41s at USAFA; Terry YOUNG, an A/C headed for Guam; Curt YOUNG (Deb), a copilot going to T-37s at Willy; Don COFFEY, an H-model A/C; Rick PERRAUT (Joann), a radar nav; and A.J. GIPSON (Carol), also a radar nav. In 135s are Greg HIGHT (Diane), Tom RYAN (Brigette), and Jeff DOERR (Cindy). Tom also hears from Larry LUCKETT (Hope) in A-lOs at Sembach, who keeps sending postcards of German castles and the Riviera. Paul PIROG (Mary and daughters Katie and Laura) breezed through his first year of law school at the U. of Michigan and is working a summer job at the Pentagon as a legal aid. Tony GRADY married Donna 9 June at USAFA and then headed back to OV-lOs in Osan. (Do they have something like Niagara Falls there?)

Norm THOMPSON is in 141s at McGuire. As for Tom, he made the 13 June issue of Newsweek, standing behind a female shuttle astronaut in a group photo (far left) taken at Water Survival at Homestead in August ’78. And she didn’t ask to trade assignments with you? Tom will be leaving the service in August for a doctoral program in planetary science at the U. of Arizona in Tucson. He has an AFIT slot, but got a better deal from UA free tuition for four years, plus expenses for his research help. But,...but Tom, what about...uh...well, I’ll think of something you won’t have.

Marc LINDSLEY (Patty) wrote from Mountain Home where they had a little girl in April. Kathryn Marie Lindsley also has an older brother named Keith. Marc is an instructor in the F-l 11 Fighter Weapons School there. They also say that Derek and Kim WILLIAMS just arrived and are expecting their first baby in June. Congratulations to all of you parents.

Congrats also go out to Doctor Doug BEASON who wrote (or maybe I should say whose home computer word-processed) a letter saying he has completed his AFIT-sponsored PhD in Physics at the U. of New Mexico. He is now on the physics faculty at school, and presents the Challenge of the Quarter. He believes he has stayed the longest in one place for an active-duty ’77 grad. He was in Albuquerque for six years (three and a half at the AF Weapons Lab and two and a half at U. of NM). Anyone who can beat his claim please call; operators are standing by (sorry, no toll-free number yet). Doug and Cindy are settled in the Springs and welcome anyone needing a place to stay.

Joe NIEMEYER (Louise) wrote from Norton in 141s where he’s departing as 14MAS chief of stan/eval for AFIT in August. He’ll be at

Wright-Pat pursuing a master’s in strategic and tactical sciences. Steve OSBORNE is also there in 141s, and Mike JACKSON stopped in for safety school from McChord and 130s.

Moving Experiences: Mark CLODFELTER is in the Springs. Tom DOLLAHITE is in F-15s at Holloman, along with Stan HILL, Art WACHDORF, and John CROMWELL. Ken HASENBEIN is in Irving, NY. Bruce PENNINGTON (Monica) has left Altus for K.I. Sawyer in tanks. Gene REDMON is at Travis. Mike Selva (Karen) is at Wright-Pat.

Scoop: And now, once again, Mark CASTELLANI with the news: Sam HERCHAK is at McConnell, and saw Mike CRANE while TDY to Alaska. Pete MOHYLSKY flies MC-130s out of Clark; Mike RUGGIERO was here (again) from Norton. Mike KREBSBACH recently had a little girl (well, no, his wife did, actually). And that’s the news.

Another Moving Experience: In September, we’ll be leaving Altus (cry, sob, tears) for the 4950th Test Wing at Wright-Pat (hurt me, hurt me) where I’ll be flying weird 135s. It’ll be a tough transition, getting used to civilization, stores, trees, things to do, etc., but I think we’ll make it. Please continue to use my same address or send inputs to the AOG until we get settled; they and the Post Office love to forward mail. Take care, and look me up if you’re in Dayton after September.

Jim Arnold

10708 Hollaway Drive JSr&v

Upper Marlboro, MD 20772

Home: (301) 868-4204

AV: 223-5830

Hey, things must be real quiet out there, because I haven’t heard a thing (either that or I am going deaf). Somebody must have landed gear up at a Navy base. (Boy, that would shock them, since they’re only used to seeing Marines do that!) All this is prefactory to asking that you start those cards, letters, pictures, phone calls, and smoke signals coming. I did get a letter last month (May) but I lost it. You might ask why I lost it, well...

Seriously, I spent most of March and part of April with the Navy guys up at Bethesda Naval Medical Center. I had one of those non-malignant growths you get in lots of places, only mine decided to locate itself in the center of my brain. Anyway, to make a long story short, after two operations (the last column was written between the two operations, how’s that for dedication, huh?) and some recuperation, I got home. Unfortunately, in separating the mail to keep, from the mail to trash, the floor got to looking like a school hallway at the end of the year, so someplace I lost the letter. I apologize. Please send it again, as I promise not to lose it this time. Well, so much for my news, now let’s see what is in the old AOG mailbag.

Change-of-address cards: Scott WILKERSON moved to Salt Lake City from Cincinnati; Paul PATRIDGE says he’s a “research pilot CR/30/ test director with the 4950 TW” at Wright-Patterson AFB from Fayetteville; Bill SENN, APO NY 09130 to Seneca, SC; Arpad HORVATH, Rapid City to Fairbanks (sort of out of the frying pan into the fire); and Bob HERRIS from Enid to Tampa. Also, Rich COLEMAN, Fayetteville, NC, to Olathe, KA; Mark RICHARDSON from Albuquerque to Mary Ester, FL; Mike NORRIS from APO NY 09179 to Holloman; Mark GALLAGHER from Austin to APO SF 96367; Craig GILBERT from Sacramento to Acton, MA; Blake BOURLAND from Lubbock to Miami (Florida not Ohio); and Dave MORROW from Columbus to Brandon, MS.

Flash I did get two more letters just before this was due to be mailed, and this time I didn’t lose them! Steve GOLDFEIN wrote to tell me that he didn’t want to be mentioned as the writer of the letter. So Steve, I won’t tell anyone. Steve and Jeanne have a little boy (Alexander) and he and 16 other ’78ers are going to the D.C. area as ASTRA officers in October ’83. The following is a list as provided: Roger BURG, Bruce CURRY, Kevin KENNEDY, Gary MARTIN, Bob McADAMS, Dave MILLER, Richard NEWTON, Tom OWEN, Pat QUIGLEY, Ed RICE, Kip SELF, Tanker SNYDER, Glenn SPEARS, and Bob WORLEY.

The alphabetic order was the writer’s, not mine. I can’t alphabetize a phone directory. Also in the letter, Dave and Sue ESTEP have a baby girl, Cassandra (a very pretty name Dave and Sue, and I mean that); Lyman LEE has left Willie for RF-4 RTU at Bergstrom; Kevin HAMMOND moved from Willie to C-5s at Travis; Dave McCERAN from Willie to C-141s at McChord; Johnny WEIDA, F-16 RTU at MacDill; and also going that route is Gary BATINICH. Bob STEELE was F-4 top gun at Ramstein. Neal BARLOWE is going to get a master’s degree in aero. John WINKOPP is leaving fixed-wing (T-37 IP) for helicopter training at Ft. Rucker.

Tedd CARRILLO is at Willie as a T-39 IP from KC-135s. Mack APFEL married Sherey and is at Kadena in RF-4s. Mark “Vinny”

GALLAGHER is also at Kadena in RF-4s. Mike CATLIN is at Bentwaters after being top gun and top grad at A-10 RTU, and he also has a new baby girl, Carrie. Doug BENJAMIN is at K.I. Sawyer flying F-106s. Scott HINES and Rich TERRY are both at Randolph as T-37 IPs. Rich is also an academic instructor and from the back of the envelope, Rod FITZPATRICK is on RF-4 IP at Bergstrom. Also, Gary CABRIALES, F-15 Bitburg; Brian SCOTT, C-141; and Doug POORMAN, F-15 Bitburg. Thanks for the input. You nearly wore me out writing it, but I like it, so keep ’em coming.

Steve CLIFT also wrote. He’s an old friend of mine (I hope) from Eddies, only from the tone of the letter he seems to have LIKED it. Oh well, to each his own! Steve is down where “Space is the place” in L.A. He claims it’s the coming thing and pilots are all but obsolete. (Space Superiority Satellites and that stuff you know.) Also down there on the cutting edge of the revolution are Steve SLIGAR and Dave THOMPSON. Jim PUHEK is the general’s aide and Greg POSTULKA is also there. Larry JAMES is there and Mike WAMBSGNASS just arrived from AFIT.

Steve also says that on a TDY to Sunnyvale he saw Rand BREUNLING and Mark WILKINSON. Steve says to pass the word that housing is expensive in L.A. but there is some base housing, especially since the AF took over Ft. MacArthur and built 200 units. Apparently there are plans for more. Steve says security is tight and the ’84 Olympics has the OSI frothing. Steve also reports that Tom SCHNEEBERGER, last seen at Edwards, was getting out to take a shot at pro ball (best of luck from everyone, Tom). Also Ron FURTENAU (the iron man) will soon finish grad school and is then headed back to the Zoo to teach.

Telephone: My old friend Mike SCOLAUT called to say he was settled in Derby, KA with his wife (Kala), son Jay (and another one on the way), and had taken a job with Boeing-Wichita. He says the hardest part about being a civilian is deciding what to wear in the morning; no uniform, and Boeing seems to frown on blue jeans. Oh well, good luck Mike.

I hope that all is well with all of you and your loved ones. Write or call so far-flung friends can keep up with each other. Meanwhile, keep ’em flying!

John Courtney

300 W. 15th S., Apt. C Mt. Home, ID 83647

Greetings Falcon Captains! Once again these words are brought to you from the heart of the south Idaho desert... yes, that notorious fortress of freedom, Mountain Home AFB. Luckily, MPC commuted my sentence and is loaning me to the Department of Energy in New Orleans (Education with Industry, AFIT). Yup, civilian clothes and Cajun cooking. Hey, if any of y’all happen to be in town for Mardi Gras, please look up Jim MANDZIARA for a place to stay. Jim was also selected for assignment at the Strategic Petroleum Reserve. We’ll both be there for the next year starting this September.

Bill BOYD has been jet-setting on the static display circuit and hooked up with Bev BARGE, Rick BARTELL (F-l 1 ID) and Jim MANDZIARA at scenic Cannon AFB, NM. The Clovis Chamber of Commerce is still compiling estimates of damage to local bars. Bill’s trading in his T-38 for C-5 duty at Travis. By the way, he’s sure to meet up with Steve HALVORSEN (Pam) who is leaving T-39s for C-5s as well. Speaking of Bev BARGE (Mandy), he’s a brutal stan eval task master in T-38s at Reese. He’s also the proud father of 3-month-old Jonathan David.

People going places: Greg BREWER is leaving F-l6s and going to AC-130s at Keesler. Mike HAYES is leaving AC-130s and going to T-37s. Dan “EF” BOYLEN (T-38s, Willie) is negotiating for C-5 hardship duty. Dan has made so much money on the stock market that Braniff has approached him for a possible bailout. Chris KING sends greetings from Nellis where he’s performing CE undercover work ensuring contractors don’t fleece Uncle Sam. Good job, Chris. He also is looking forward to his first anniversary. Ted NEEDHAM, ace AF contracting wiz, is swapping Griffis for Reese AFB, TX. Sounds like a deal. The NEEDHAMs are expecting their first child in February ’84. When asked about the “long blue line,” Ted says it was the least he could do.

More T-38 news: Charlie WADDELL (T-38s, Williams AFB) is heading west for March AFB, where he’ll fly the T-38 ACE. Conveniently, his wife will be flying T-39s, just a 55mm shell shot away at Norton

AFB. What’s her name, Charlie? Frank GORENC (T-38) wants everyone to know he is having an above-average time at Vance, where he’s a member of the stan eval section. Tim HOY (T-38 Reese) finds time between golf rounds to give occasional check rides. Both he and his wife, Gail, hold golf course records. Steve BARNES (T-38 Reese) a man who always uses edge-dressing, is frothing leadership and putting Behavioral Science 340 to good use as an assistant flight commander. Steve, his wife Cherlyn, and daughter Amy, all send their best.

Gossip: Rick AHLQUIST, confirmed bachelor, amateur mud wrestler, and personification of the contemporary Warrior-Scholar, not only completed his master’s but is getting engaged. Rumor has it she’s some kind o’ woman! Rick is in stan eval at Blytheville. Lance BEAM has become the voice of the Wart Hog. He’s been selected as the narrator for the A-10 road show. At first Lance was nervous, but he got a chance to practice a lot in front of General Creech. Well done Lance, and God bless Military Studies 101.

Hot: This word just in from the security police blotter. Golf experts John “Nips” NICHOLS and Charles “Chaz” RUTH were accused of being wanton and capricious when they piloted a golf cart into a water hazard at Norton AFB. The golf cart was cited for drinking. Robin RAND (Mary Kay), proud father of two, is alive and well as part of Willie’s stan eval team. Bill “Pappy” BOYINGTON is a Lone Star afficionado and academic instructor at Reese.

Across the Water: Mike “Omar” BRADLEY (Patti), Mike CRANDALL and Mike ROLLER “vish us gud luck” from Spangdahlem AB, Germany. Omar, who is just about to become a dad, has volunteered to be the class car representative for the Mercedez-Benz turbo-diesel. Please send him your blank checks for $39,531.00 and a self-addressed stamped envelope.

Other stuff: Dan KRIER has one child and one on the way. Both he and his wife, Patty, are enjoying their Malmstrom experience. Dan has recently been trying to restage the forest chase scene in “Return of the Jedi” with his helicopter. Good luck! I met Reggie HOLMES at SOS last October. Both of us were DGs (December Graduates). Reggie was heading off for a cushy job with the newly-formed Space Command. Brian KELLY (WPAFB) is graduating from AFIT and beginning a threeyear-tour at L.A. Air Station. Must be nice. Both Avyn YATA (F-l 11 A) and Stephen NEWBOLD (maint officer) send their best from Mountain Home, Idaho.

Class Financial Report: Assets frozen pending audit by Auggie’s Used Outboard Motor Outlet and Independent Audit Consulting Firm. Humor. Actually, our two-year, 15 percent, bond is about to mature and we’re presently investigating ways to reinvest the class treasury. More on this to follow next issue.

Mike “Hooch” VAN HOOMISSEN, our suave, hard-working class president, will write the next article. Please forward any info to him at: Mike Van Hoomissen, P.O. Box 3167, Sunnyvale AF Station, CA 94086.

Well good-bye for now and God bless.

P.S. Remember as Nino Baldachi once said, the difference between one man and another is very small but what difference there is, is very significant indeed.

Three years. It is hard to believe that us ’80 Falcon Buddies have been out of the Aluminum Womb that long. The last class of doolies that we instilled with the “Burger King” ideal has now graduated, and they are in the pipeline to places like Vance and wherever you are reading this letter from. Those of us still here at Enid by the sea are now on our fourth or fifth classes of junior birdmen, and are now routinely mistaken for someone who knows what is going on. Most of our classmates have already or will soon be moving out of their jobs as mere line swine, in search of bigger and better things (no early reports, and only 10 hours a day). All of this jockeying for jobs will utlimately determine whether or not the FAIPs at Vance and at the other ATC bases will get a respectable assignment out of ATC. The problem with this concept is that no one in ATC is quite sure what they consider a respectable assignment. In this area, you classmates who do have a respectable assignment can help. If you feel that you have a respectable assignment, please send your respectable assignment to: FAIPs for a Respectable Assignment

1292 Hurst, Enid, OK 73702

If you send your letter within the next two weeks, I will send you a free copy of “Combines in Oklahoma; How to keep the noise and dust from lowering your property value.” This should prove invaluable to any of you who draw Vance as your next respectable assignment.

Although no news is good news, I will pass on what information I have received this quarter. My ex-roomo Frank BUNTING married Cinda Hill here in Enid on 11 June. Zoomies in attendance were Mike TARLETON, who flew up from Laughlin, Bob HENDRICKS who drove from Dyess, and the local crowd of Chrys LEMON, Russ HODGKINS, Bob HOLMES, Greg HARSTAD, Chris GOLOB (Cindy), and myself. If I left anybody out, I’m sorry I was too busy escorting some of the hundreds of people that attended.

Along those marriage lines, Bob HOLMES got married the day this letter was mailed; details later. While stranded on a cross country at Offutt I ran into Chas CAMERON who is flying RC-135s and John FARQUHAR who is a 135 nav. Both are still single and enjoy Offutt and SAC. Mike McLOUGHLIN called from McConnell and said that I spelled his name wrong last issue; hopefully it is right this time, Mike. Mike is also in 135s, however he is not sure how much he likes my home state, Kansas.

Mary DALEY wrote from Wright-Pat with a wealth of information on who’s who in our class. Marianne OWENS and Dave LARIVEE got married on 22 May in Springfield, VA. Marianne is finishing her first year in the AF-funded legal education program at Duke University, while Dave will soon be starting classes at the U. of North Carolina for a master’s in ops research.

No news is too old for this column, especially news that I didn’t know. In Oct ’82 Dan BOONE got married to an Army lieutenant named Rene Jacobs. Present at the wedding were Gary GRAY (T-38 IP at Columbus), Bud UYEDA (who I think is still at Sunnyvale AFS), and Mark SWISHER (I have no idea where Mark is stationed). Mary also attended this wedding.

Sue DESJARDINS and Tim HARTIGAN got hitched late last summer and the news is just getting around. You sneaky devils you. Sue and Tim are both at Seymour-Johnson where Sue flies 135s and Tim flies F-4s. Present at this wedding were Kathy JOHNSON, and Andrea BOPP (NIEZGODA). Also at Seymour-Johnson is Mike FLOYD (F-4s) and he and his wife Karen had another baby girl in Sep 82. Pam SIMONITSCH recently married Todd CARRILLO (’78, USAFA). Todd is an IP at Willy and Pam is at Eglin trying to get to Willy.

I know that this information was in my spring column, however, due to popular demand Lori MORSE and Ted KRESGE got married in Spokane, WA in Dec ’82. Ted is flying F-15s at Kadena and Lori is at AFIT until Dec ’83. They hope to get together at Langley when Ted gets back from PACAF. Mo TRITLE (VACCARO) attended the KRESGEMORSE wedding and she and husband Pete “donutman” VACCARO are expecting twins before you read this letter. Peter is at AFIT and Mo is in ASD, both at Wright-Pat.

It seems as if our class if giving the AF a new definition of the term, “JOINT SPOUSE.” Hope all you couples can get together out there sometime soon. At Wright-Pat, it appears that everyone in our class who had any brains is camping out. The following is a list of those individuals attending AFIT or AFIT-sponsored civilian schools: Bob O’NEILL (Stanford), Jeff HOLT (MIT), Pat JEFFREY, Carrie BANWELL (KOECHEL) who had a son last fall with hubby Brian, Randy CLAPP, Ron BAIRD, Holly EMRICK (soon to go back to USAFA to teach something), Wendell SIMPSON, Robert (Loui) LEBEAU, Kevin GRANT, Dave CONWAY, and finally Bubba HAILS who I heard from a reliable source is getting ready to tie the knot about five years earlier than he told me he ever would.

Kathy BISHOP (Campbell) married a Citadel grad named Don (my condolences on your selection of schools), and they are both moving to Andrews AFB. My ex roomo Tony ARETZ got married in May, and I will have more information when he sends it to me.

Tim GULLIVER is now a class commander at Willy. Peggy DENNIS said she would get me some more information for this issue but I can see now that I will not need it. I got a letter from Mark REIDINGER who is at RAF Upper Heyford. We have several classmates in England keeping the commies at bay with their aardvarks (F-l 1 Is). The ACs from our class are Mark BOBINGER, Dave BROWN, Mike GERZANICS, and Don KNAUF; the WSOs are, Rick ASHLEY, Fred CHENEY, Craig TUBB, and Guy TURNER. All are well and enjoying England. Well folks, that’s all I have room for this issue. God bless and keep those cards and letters coming.

P.S. Kirk YOST and Barbara HOLCROFT (’82) got married in April ’83.

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SEND US AN ADDRESS UPDATE NOW

Those silver bars certainly look fine. There must have been numerous parties celebrating the passing of our butter bars, but the most festive one I heard of was at RAF Lakenheath. Tom and Jenny MASIELLO, Mike BUCK, Bob SINGER, Gary MAUPIN, Terri POBST, Sue WAECHTER, Gary CROWDER, John REINHEIMER, Jay and Teresa SANTEE, Joe ZEIS, Ralph NARDO, and Micky McDONALD all teamed up for a Falcon buddy bash at the O’Club. Merrie CRAIG from RAMSTEIN AB was TDY to Lakenheath as part of an ORI Team at the time so she also celebrated with the Lakenheath gang. I went TDY to Mildenhall/Lakenheath a couple of weeks after our promotion, and the Class of ’81 party was still the main topic of discussion. During this same TDY, several of us got together for lunch so Jay SANTEE could make an important announcement about his future career plans. Yes folks, Jay wants to cross-train into security police. Gotcha, Jay! Nobody except the Lakenheath gang will understand what I’m talking about, but I guarantee they’re rolling on the floor at Lakenheath.

During lunch at Lakenheath (which was actually a gossip session), Jay gave me a list of our classmates who have recently passed through the Gateway to the U.K. (RAF Mildenhall). Rob GABRESKI (C-130, Dyess), Steve BRUNHAVER (C-130, Dyess), Jay DAWSON (C-130, Pope), Guillermo BALMASEDA (KC-135, Beale), Sandra YOPE (KC-135, Mather), and Mike POOLE (KC-135) all made the big trek across the Atlantic. I ran into Mike MANSFIELD (KC-135, Beale) several times during my TDY to Mildenhall, and I was surprised to see that Mike seems to have mellowed a little. You’re probably wondering by now if I did anything during my TDY to Mildenhall/Lakenheath other than gather class news. No comment.

As I’m certain you instantly discovered as you flipped to the Class News section, we finally have a couple of pictures. I want to thank Dave HUNTER and Bill McCLURE’s wife Diane for sending me photos to spruce up the section. If anyone else has a picture he or she wants to share with the class, drop it in the mail to me. Since I mentioned Diane MeCLURE, I must say I was rather surprised to receive a letter from a wife. If some of you other folks are lazy letter writers, maybe your spouse wouldn’t mind jotting down a few words for the article. I welcome all inputs.

From the list of marriages and engagements that I managed to compile I would assume that we singles are quickly becoming the minority. Steve SIMONS, Terry FOLEY, and Chuck SCHNEIDER are engaged to Melba, Sheila, and Liz, respectively, from Texas Tech. I hope I got the order correct. Brett HYDE, Scott SUHR, and Alan BABCOCK are also engaged. Kevin GORTNEY is going to marry Nancy KIYOTA (’82), and Pete DEGRAAF is engaged to a girl named Betsy. Jim McKINNEY, who is getting his master’s at Indiana, now has a wife, Theresa. Rose GARCIA and Keith PEDERZANI are engaged. Mike SPENCER decided to be the All-American romantic by marrying his high school sweetheart.

A group of ’81ers take a flight line pose. Front row, from left, are Mike Downs, Chuck Coghlin, Jersey Castillo, and Mike Winslow. Standing, from left, are Bob Hayhurst, Joe Hamilton, Steve Simons, Jim Frazier, Dave Hunter, and Chuck Schneider.

Maureen. Dave KING married Debbie. Steve NAGY promised Debbie from C-Springs that he would marry her if he got C-141s. Steve, maybe Mike SPENCER can give you lessons on how to be romantic because your way of proposing doesn’t fit the norm. I guess congratulations are in order for your C-141 assignment and marriage. Maybe the Air Force should consider offering package deals on marriages and aircraft assignments. Put in a suggestion, Steve. By the way, Steve wanted me to say that he and Debbie are working on kids. I love his definition of “working.”

Bill McClure takes on babysitting duties with son, Rick, who was two weeks old when this photo was taken.

Some of our classmates have advanced past the working stage, and are now parents. John and Carol FAGNANT have a little girl named Nicole, and Bill and Diane McCLURE have a son named Rick (see photo). Tim and Wally GROSZ are proud parents of a baby boy, Cody Benjamin. Terry LUST’s wife gave birth to a boy, Matthew. Marty and Becky FRANCE are expecting in November. Ned and Jenny RUDD are working on their second child I’ve been told.

Just to let you know that family life hasn’t touched everyone, I have to report that Jeff HARRELL and Dan CRAFT are wearing themselves thin chasing women all over Tucson.

I received a letter from John FAGNANT who provided me a list of ’81ers at Sembach AB, Germany. John and Carol FAGNANT, Tom and Leslie WAGNER, Wyatt and Tammy FLEMING, Bruce and Jan PEDEY, Dusty SOMMERVILLE, Charlie CALAMONARI, Bart BLESSING, Forrest BORNKESSEL, Mike KUKULSKI, Mike BRONSON, Greg VERSER, Mike FICA, and Soctt BUTCHER are part of the Sembach OV-IO family. A1 CLOUD is also at Sembach flying CH-53 helis. John asked me to pass on that “the Bronco drivers at Sembach say hi to ’81 and drop in for a German beer.”

I have some more duty assignments to announce that I don’t think I mentioned in past articles. Perry LAMONT is flying KC-135s at Minot, and Dave KING is passing gas out of Fairchild. Hank (Adele) LANE is flying C-141s at Norton. Bryan KELCHNER is doing research in Albuquerque, and Marv FISHER is currently at AFIT. Jim KILTY is at Grissom AFB (KC-135). Dennis and Sandra POLUMBO are at Nellis where Dennis is flying the F-16. Beef HADDAD is in Japan (C-130), and Mike POTKULSKI is at Zweibruecken, Germany (RF-4). Mike is hosting a three-week party at Zweibruecken in October, so if you’re in the area, stop by. Don’t ask me what the occasion is. Mike never needed an excuse to party.

Marty FRANCE wants me to tell the class that “Bill McLENDON has lost his imagination while in England and now resorts to telling the same poor jokes to the same friends.” Bill apparently sent several classmates the same corny New Year’s Day card from the USSR with the same joke written on the back. I thought it was forbidden for Rhodes Scholars to be tacky.

I again have the misfortune of ending the Class News article on a sad note. On 26 April 1983, our classmate Steve GROARK died in an F-l 1 IF crash off the west coast of Germany in the North Sea. Steve was one of the Lakenheath gang and is sorely missed by all. Few flyers can match the love of flying that Steve so clearly demonstrated. Flying is what Steve lived and died for. His aviator spirit is truly inspiring. Steve, as we in the Class of 1981 bow our heads in prayer and memory, rest comfortably in that you’ve touched our lives and will never be forgotten. God Bless and Take Care, ’81 Second to None.

Jim Ratti

Chateaux Holly Hills #F-4

Columbus, MS 39701

Home: (601) 328-3512

Work: (601) 434-7410

IMlSr

Salutations! (I’m getting tired of “Greetings”). Anyway, there’s all sorts of letters in my mailbag here, so let’s reach in and... OUCH! This one is hot! Let’s see it’s from Bob DEES, and boy is he upset! C’mon Bob, get that rotorhead spinning and cool your fevered brow. You guys were not forgotten, merely put aside by a thing called a deadline. You see Bob, the spring issue deadline was 1 Apr, and Harry LEACH’s letter with all the eggbeater assignments didn’t reach me until the 13th. Now really, Bob, it’s not nice to make threats like that. And to even insinuate that I’d crash a 135, and that if I did you wouldn’t pick me up. Well, I’m appalled! You know, me and my 141 just might decide not to bring you any parts if you keep spouting at the mouth like that. Does it make you any happier to know that yours will be the first assignments listed in this issue? Here goes:

Bruce HALEY (UH-1H) Davis Monthan (honor grad); Phil HAMANN (UH-1N) Fairchild (honor grad); Lenny HAYES (HH-53) Ramstein; Steve KELLY (HH-3) Clark PI; Harry LEACH (UH-1N) Mountain Home (honor grad); Lin MACK (UHIN) Holloman; Steve ATHANAS (HH-53) RAF Woodbridge (honor grad); and Todd BOLGER (UH-1N) Homestead. Also, Ken COON (UH-1F) Malmstrom (distinguished grad); Carol FOOTE (UH-1F) McConnell; Mike KORCHECK (UH-1N) Mountain Home; Dave OMEARA (HH-3) Tyndall (honor grad); Mike HONSINGER (UH-1F) Ellsworth; Tom TAYLOR (UH-1N) Ramstein; and Bobby NEAL (UHIF) Whiteman. Also, Ted BALE (UH-1F) Luke; Brendan CLARE (HH-3) Patrick; Mike FLYNN (UH-1N) Edwards (honor grad); Mark MANGIACARNE (UH-1N) Vandenberg; and Ivan REDFORD (UY-1N) Panama. Oh yes, and Bob DEES (HH-53) to McClellan. Congratulations (belated) to the first in ’82 to wear wings.

Some of the more notable news that reached me from “Mother Rucker:” Lin MACK finally married Cynthia SHELTON, and they got a joint-spouse to Holloman. Bruce HALEY got engaged to a local girl, but “Booby” NEAL one-upped him by marrying one. Bob also astonished everyone by making an approach to a house (?) on a night checkride and still graduating. I’d love to hear that story... Dave OMEARA and Mike HONSINGER also caught the marriage bug. Mike hitched up with a Miss Valerie Beckel, and it’s no coincidence that her father spoke at Mike’s graduation. Fran BALE (Ted’s wife) get high marks from the bachelors in 83-09. She made a Thanksgiving dinner for 12!

Rumor squelching department: Brendan CLARE is not engaged (remember, you heard it here first). Finally, Tod BOLGER and Bob DEES take credit for no less than four “blowout” parties, one of which lasted three days. The locals are still talking about it!

Next up; Babies: I guess ’82 is doing it’s part to ensure bodies for the Class of ’01 or so. Doug SMITH and his wife had a girl on 27 March down at Kirtland. Locally, Chuck and Bernice (BERMAN) BECKWITH are proud parents. I got a note from Bob DEVANEY’s mom who said her twin granddaughters were born on Easter Sunday. Finally, Tim and Christy KRAMER had a girl named Sarah Kristin.

Brad SILVER wrote to say thanks to everyone who voted for him. He’s been elected to a four-year term on the AOG Board of Directors. He also enclosed this picture, which graces one of the pages on the new USAFA catalog. He’s been working on the catalog this past year, and he assures

me this one tells it like it is. He enclosed a copy, and I concur with his opinion. Brad should now be at Mather, after a trip to Lowry to learn the supply game.

Chris KAPELLAS talked to some folks out at Kirtland and found that, among others, Brett HASWELL, Mike GRANT, Jill RIDER, Lori FULTON, Anetta WEBER, Skip GRESKO, Craig LEIKEN and Doug SMITH are enjoying the mellow atmosphere in engineering.

More rumors: Is Russ COLLINS really going to get married? Details at eleven... (or in the next column if he writes to me).

Just a few days ago I heard from Joe CAVAZZINI who claims to be the sole member of ’82 at Hill AFB. He’s up there working in the shop that keeps the F-4 in the air, and he says it’s a full-time job. “Time is taking it’s toll,” he advises. In addition, the paperwork is just like Eng 430. See, USAFA really does give you a real-world education!

I owe Doc KIMMINAU an apology, because his letter got lost in the eternal mess on the top of my desk (nothing has changed since my cadet days except that there are no longer any SAMIs to force me to houseclean). Anyway, Doc’s doing fine up at “Hahvahd,” and he says the program is not tough at all. He never cracked a book at the zoo, either...

More assignments! First, UPT class 83-06 at Columbus:

Greg BACH (KC-135) Robins; Abel BARRIENTES (T-39) Peterson; Carlee (MURPHY) BISHOP (C-141) McChord (joint-spouse); Eric BOWEN (KC-135) Beale; Devin BOWER (F-16) MacDill; Ted BREWER (F-4) George; Pete BRYANT (KC-135) Robins; Fred DARLING (T-38) Columbus; Glen DOWNEY (B-52) Guam; and C.J. DURANT (T-38) Columbus.

Also, Mark DURHAM (F-4) George; Jack FRIEDMAN (F-16) Luke; Manny GUERRO (C-130) Yokota; Larry HILL (C-130) Little Rock; Rick INGALSBE (T-37) Columbus; Jerome JONES (C-141) Norton; Bill MANNING (F-16) Luke; Steve MAZZOLA (T-37) Columbus; T.K. MOORE (A-10) Myrtle Beach; Ron MORRELL (A-10) Myrtle Beach; and Ray PHILLIPS (C-130) Dyess.

Also, Walk RIEKER (KC-135) Beale; Nancy ROBINSON (T-39) Andrews; Mike RYAN (A-10) Bentwaters; Chuck SCHWIESS (T-38) Columbus; Dave SILVIA (F-4) George; Donell SMITH (T-37) Columbus; Eric STAKE (T-33) Castle; Rick STRICKLAND (T-38) Columbus; and Preston THOMPSON (T-38) Columbus.

Next, the same class at Willy: Art BOUCK (RF-4) Bergstrom; Alan NORMAN (F-4) George; Mark GRAPER ’80 (F-4) George; Ed CABRERA (F-4) George; Rich LYNCH (F-16) MacDill; Bob ABRAHAM ’81 (F-16) MacDill; Eric ROSEEN (F-16) Luke; Kevin McDONOUGH (F-16) Luke; Jim CASEY (F-16) Luke; Mike FRANCE (F-16) Luke; Kevin PIERCE (F-16) Luke; Troy MILLER (T-37) Willy; Doug DUNBAR (T-37) Willy; and Lee

ANDERSON (T-37) Willy.

Also, Paul TAYLOR (T-38) Willy; Roger SHERADIN (T-38) Willy; Rich SHNEIDER (T-38) Willy; Scott ESHLEMAN (T-38) Willy; Gordon GARLOCK (T-38) Willy; John LARSON (T-38) Willy; Kurt KOERNER (T-38) Willy; Greg LEWIS (T-38) Willy; Mike RATH (T-33) Tyndall; Bones JONES (T-33) K.I. Sawyer; Joe DEON (A-10+ Bentwaters; Curt IOTT (A-10) Eielson; Kevin SMITH (A-10) Myrtle Beach; and Jim COX (C-141) Norton.

Also, Judy MARTINI (C-141) Travis; John COTTAM (C-130) Pope; Jim JASINA (C-130) Little Rock; John PERKINS (C-130) Clark PI; Ron WARNER (KC-135) Castle; Jim WILLSIE (JC-130) Hickam; Dave TASCHUK (HC-130) Woodbridge; Frank GEBERT (T-39) Randolph; and Vic VENTRANO (T-39) Offutt.

One note that was included with the stuff from Willy was that Paul TAYLOR tried to defect to Mexico on his solo out-and-back to El Paso. He had a change of heart though, and set off all the alarms in the southern U.S.A. when he crossed the ADIZ unannounced! And for all of you who were keeping tabs, Martha STEVENSON and Daryl JONES are now married. Hey TOLDY looks like you lost out!

The only other assignment list I have at the present is the one that just came out for 83-07 here at Columbus. As soon as everyone at all the other bases reports in, I’ll publish the rest.

Paul ACKERLY (T-37) Reese (Joint-spouse with Dianna ANGELINE, who he married here at Columbus); Bob BARKOW (T-37) Columbus; Steve BOMGARDNER (C-130) Little Rock; Damon BOOTH (C-130) Clark PI; Dave BRANNACH (KC-135) Loring; Marge BRYANT (C-141) Norton; Tony CUTLER (RC-135) Offutt; Bob DIONNE (T-37) Columbus; Gail FRANCIS (KC-135) Seymour Johnson; Dave GRAVES (F-15) Langley; Mark HARDCASTLE (T-37) Columbus; Doc HENDRICKSON (T-38) Columbus; and Cliff HINDMAN (T-38) Columbus.

Also Scott HOLLINGER (OA-37) Davis Monthan; Art HYATT (T-37) Columbus; Mike KEMPTON (C-130) Yokota; Bob LEE (C-141) McChord; Dan LEVIN (A-10) Suwon, Korea; Greg MASTERS (F-15) Eglin; Paul MATRKA (EC-130) Keesler; Brian MCLEAN (KC-135) Kadena; Steve MORIN (F-15) Holloman; Tom MOYER (T-38) Willy; and Gary MULLETT (T-38) Columbus.

Also Tony ROATH (T-38) Columbus; Dave SANDERS (T-38) Columbus; Don SCHILPP (T-37) Columbus; Mike SHERMAN (T-38) Columbus; Durwood STEWART (C-130) Dyess; Jeff WATSON (C-141) McGuire; Steve WILLS (F-15) Holloman; and Bill ZEMANEK (T-37) Columbus.

Hoo Boy! More rumors! Dave SHAPIRO is engaged to a girl named Ann, and the poop is that he met her on a plane at Christmas. A little closer to home is that Greg MASTERS bought matching bicycles for himself and his girlfriend, Beth. Sounds serious...

I have news from the 39 (count ’em) grads at Wright-Pat. Darken AVERY wrote to say that she is the point of contact for the ’82 types up

there and that she has phone numbers for all of them. Among them is Frank MADEKA, who killed his first elk up in Idaho, and is now after the bear in Canada. John CERRA got married and bought a house, and Brian KORB also joined the newlywed ranks. Bryan DALEY married Sue Paff (ex-’84). Darken has turned colors and has been seen in the company of Dave SOBOTA’s brother who is Class of ’80 from VMI. Finally, Robin (COMBS) REEDER is anxiously awaiting a joint-spouse with Dan upon his completion of UPT.

The “Marathon Letter of the Year Award” goes to Sandy MALONEY who wrote 11 legal pages of gossip. Then she tells me that she wrote a more incriminating one, but tore it up! Don’t do that, Sandy. I want all the news! Anyway, Sandy and her roommate Cynthia WILLIS are happy living it up in their “Swinging (Swaging?) Bachelorette Pad” somewhere south of ‘Frisco. Sandy’s job has her working with IBM on Air Force contracts, and she says she actually gets to use her major. Amazing, but true. Cynthia plays with satellites all day at Sunnyvale. She says that she can improve your TV, radio, or telephone reception; just give her a call. If you want your own satellite or controls though, see Sandy and she’ll have IBM build it.

Others in the satellite field are Mark ZAVALA and his wife Vicky, Rick WILSON and his wife Julie, Alex ABUYUAN (still looking for a wife) and Terje TURNER. L.A. AFS owns Lisa TYMAN (kinda sorta almost but not quite semi-engaged to Troy MILLER), Sharon GREIMAN (genuinely engaged to Doug DUNBAR), Suzanne VAUTRINOT, Mark ABSHIRE, and Dave KRUEGAR. Sandy hasn’t had much news from Del Rio, and she’s concerned that no one is alive down there. One report has been turned in by Sue GRANT, who says life there isn’t all that bad. Brian LAKE checked in to say that he is winning the battle against the local women. I don’t know if that means he got or avoided a date... Sandy sounds pretty gung-ho about a guy named Roc CRAWFORD down in Lubbock. At last count, she’s visited there four times. Roc shares an apartment with Dan SULLIVAN and Ron WANHANEN. Some others she’s seen there include Tod WOLTERS (whose wife is expecting), Chris REYMAN, Chuck ELLIOTT and his wife Sandy, Jim DEMAREST, Mike ALLEN and Brian NEAL.

News from Gunter AFS: Sandy hears that Mike SOBY and Barb HOLCROFT are there living it up. Barb is engaged to Kirk YOST of ’80. Eglin AFB has more than nice beaches. Nancy KIYOTA is there, and about to get married. George NELSON is not only working for the AF there, he is also a coach for an AAU swim team. Another rumor: George was kidnapped! C’mon, Sandy said it was true. What’s the scoop, George?

Joe DHILLON stopped in San Deigo awhile ago, and said that he enjoys his job at Edwards. Rich SHIMKO and Ellen O’SULLIVAN now qualify for a joint AOG membership and are stationed at Langley. Gail COOPER is working on her MBA in Rolla, MO, wherever that is. Bob SCARI is another studious type, getting straight As at Stanford and wrecking motorcycles and buying BMWs in between. A final note is that Sandy and Cynthia have both started SOS, but haven’t cracked a book yet. Gonna pull an all-nighter?

Well, that about wraps it up for another quarter. I need help with one thing, though. Steve VOGT has given up in his search for a wife. However, he has conceded that he will settle for a nice concubine. Please send your nominations to the address at the head of the column. If you’re at Mather, please forward your suggestions through my able assistant, Godfred DEMANDANTE. He needs the attention.

Well, here it is early July already and most of us have arrived or are on their way to our new bases. It’s really a great pleasure and honor to be the first writer for our class in Checkpoints magazine. I’ll try not to let you down.

I’d like to start the business off by informing you all on how the Class Column for Checkpoints is going to work for our class. First of all, if and when you write a letter, just send it to: AOG, c/o Checkpoints Editor, USAFA CO, 80840 and tell him that the letter is for the Class of ’83. When it’s time for one of the articles to be written he will mail all the ’83 letters to the next writer. By next writer I mean that there are four of us. I, Ray BLUST, am writing the summer issue, Kevin CARRENO will write the fall issue, Steve SADLER will write the winter issue, and finally Andy SIZEMORE will write the spring issue. (These three guys need to send

their new addresses into the AOG as soon as possible.) Our goal for the magazine is to have at least one picture per article. Your help will be much appreciated. Please send wedding pictures, baby pictures, or one of a bunch of people in our class. Also when you graduate from a class, please send a roster of where everyone is going to the AOG.

As you may or may not know, Denny MOORE is staying at the Academy to coach football at the Prep School. He will be our AOG class director for the first year. For future reference, his job will be to sit in on AOG board meetings and vote on behalf of our class. If anyone is going to be at the Academy next year please send your name to the AOG office, in care of Col. Jock SCHWANK. Thanks.

This picture is not very recent (thanks A.G.), but I did promise a picture. This was taken during June week in the Trail Dust. Those pictured are A1 GA1LEY, Bill MAY, Bill RUJEVCAN, me (Ray BLUST), and Mike PADILLA. The theme of the picture is: “What’s Missing?” Some latest news on roommates is that Bill “The Huge” RUJEVCAN and Greg “The Tank” EGAN are living together in beautiful Vandenberg AFB. Missiles or the shuttle? Try to keep the food bill in two digits a week, huh guys. Good Luck!

Let me now try to give you all the latest on the Northern Mexico (Del Rio) scene. The weather here is very hot but is very good for flying. An Academy UPT class gets their assignments on the 8th of July so some of us new guys are going to cheer and cry for them. To give you an idea of who is all here let me list a few: Jim POST, Kevin McMILLIN, Rod RICHELIEU, Pete McCAFFERTY, Mark HOLLAND, Tom KING, Sue and Joe MARINCEL, Lisa LINDEN, Grant LANE, Tony MCDANIEL and Jim RYNIAK. Here’s some bad news for some members of our class.

(letters: Continued from Page 8.)

would seem to be influenced far more by their satisfaction with job environment and opportunities than by commissioning source. On the other hand, my occupation brings me in close regular contact with a variety of Air Force organizations charged with setting policy, planning force structures, conceiving and developing new capabilities, managing complex systems procurements, and operating and maintaining our forces in the field.

Across that vast array of challenging duties, there is indeed a premium on superior vision, but not the kind measured by an optometrist. In my weekend National Guard activities, I continue to be impressed that the flying side of USAF the stick-and-rudder community is still in good hands. During my many weekday visits to the Air Staff, Andrews, WrightPatterson, Omaha, Langley, San Bernadino, Eglin, etc., however, I see a real and growing need for reinforcements for the thin ranks of dedicated technical and managerial experts at the very foundation of the Air Force “system.” Those leaders, young and old, succeed not by the presence of wings on their chests, but by their skills and motivation in a wide variety of disciplines.

I sympathize with the registrar as he laments the problem of cadets leaving when their vision falters, and I strongly applaud his commitment to active recruiting of highly motivated young candidates. I would submit that more attention to reading the eye chart will not make that particular cadet retention problem go away, and may well frustrate the new recruiting emphasis, to the extent that a number of bright and motivated candiates may not fit into the planned new world of “only pilot eyes need apply.”

Remember that eye waiver our class got for those between 20/50 and 20/100, well NO GO. The Academy was actually calling guys up and telling them to report to other bases, while these guys were on leave. Will it ever quit for our class?

Well, I suppose I’ve rambled on enough here, I sure hope you enjoyed reading this as much as I have writing it. Until we meet again, ADIOS from Northern Mexico. ’83, Best to be!

Those in the pilot community will not forget our commitment to “fly and fight,” and those ranks will continue to be bolstered from the long blue line. However, our ability to perform those missions is increasingly dependent upon the skills and dedication of our technical and managerial organizations. We hopefully outgrew the white scarf days long ago in the cockpit let us not allow that mentality to dominate our personnel policy.

E. R. Jayne II, ’66

Corporate Director

Aerospace Planning and Operations Analysis

General Dynamics Corporation

P.S. For those “hair on fire” rated readers who may see this letter as a nonrated complaint, yours truly is still a combat-ready F-4 pilot in the 110 TFS, Missouri Air National Guard.

’80 GRAD WRITES

Dear Editor,

As a commission-only qualified member of the Class of 1980, I read the article on the new 20/20 admission requirements with considerable dismay and consternation. Although I agree the majority of Academy graduates should be pilot qualified, I find the view that all graduates should be of this same mold very narrow and shallow.

I entered the Academy in 1976 fully aware of my commission-only status, but still motivated to pursue an Air Force career. I believe that most other non-rated members of my class held a similar point of view.

Since graduation I have served as a maintenance officer with the 60th Military Airlift Wing at Travis AFB, Calif. The career field is fascinating, full of challenge and demanding of the finest leadership which incidentally, at Travis is provided by a non-rated deputy commander for maintenance.

Leadership and expertise are essential in maintenance, as well as other non-rated career fields. I realize that when a rated officer reaches the higher ranks there is considerable career roadening into the non-rated fields. But to develop the most professional officer corps for these nonrated fields, the non-rated officer must be nurtured and developed with as much thought and care as the rated officer.

Since the purpose of USAFA is to graduate a motivated core of career Air Force officers, I would think Academy officials would want this influence to be felt at all levels and in as many career fields as possible.

For this reason I ask these officials to keep the recruiting percentages at their current levels the Air Force needs this diversification. It is very disappointing to think that in the future many worthy applicants will be denied the Academy experience just because it is their misfortune to have bad eyesight.

Sincerely Yours,

Paula G. Thornhill, ’80

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