Checkpoints March 1994

The AOGU.S, AirForce Academy Grandfather Clock

The Association of Graduates (AOG) of the United States Air Force Academy takes great pride in offering the Official United States Air Force Academy Association of Graduates Grandfather Clock. Recognized the world over for expert craftsmanship, the master clockmakers of Ridgeway have been commissioned to create this commemorative United States Air Force Academy Grandfather Clock which symbolizes the excellence, tradition, and history we have established at the Academy.

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You are invited to take advantage of a convenient monthly payment plan with no down payment and no finance charges. Reservations may be placed by using the order form. Credit card orders may be placed by dialing toll free 1-800-346-2884. The original issue price is $899.00. Include $82.00 for insured shipping and freight charges.

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Karen

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ABOUT OUR COVER

The photo of 10 members of the Wings of Blue Parachute Team joining in the “snowflake” formation above the Academy was shot and provided by MSgt. West C. Jacobs III of the Academy’s Parachute Flight. The photo was taken before the construction of Doolittle Hall, which is now located about one inch below the “T” in the magazine’s title, where the dirt road meets the blacktop, midway between the officer’s club at left and the computer center at right. For more information on the Parachute Team, see page 25.

CHECKPOINTS (ISSN 0274-7391) (USPS 898-080) is published quarterly in February, May, August and November by the Association of Graduates, U.S. Air Force Academy. (Phone 719-472-0300, DSN: 259-2067. FAX: 719-472-4194.) It is provided as part of a $30 subscription package of which the magazine accounts for $10. Single copies of CHECKPOINTS for members $2.50, for nonmembers $3.50. Second-class postage paid at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. POSTMASTER: Send Form 3579 to CHECKPOINTS, Association of Graduates, Doolittle Hall, 3116 Academy Drive, Suite 100, USAF Academy, Colo. 80840-4475.

Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions, policy or attitude of the Association of Graduates, its officers or the editorial staff. The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement by the Association of Graduates of the products or services advertised. Copyright, Association of Graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Winter 1993-94.

VIEW FROM THE TOP ^ ^^

Lt. Gen. Bradley C. Hosmer, ’59, Superintendent

As we close 1993, I am happy to report that many of the external challenges the Academy faced last year have subsided. Some of these will, no doubt, reappear again from time to time; but for the most part, they are not actively advocated in Washington, or anywhere else for that matter. I like to think that reason has prevailed.

The one residual issue is related to the service academy prep schools. An element in Congress believes the mission of the prep schools can be carried out more efficiently and with equal effectiveness by private prep schools. We are skeptical, but we are going to participate in a congressionally-directed test program to see which side of the debate is correct. Of course such a test must be fair both in terms of accomplishment and cost, and we are working with the other academies to ensure the test plan incorporates these features. Right now it looks like this fiscal year (FY94) will be used to devise the proper parameters and procedures for the test, while the actual test itself will not begin until next fiscal year (probably in the summer of 1995).

With no external issues demanding attention, we have been able to increase the attention given to our internal health. I believe this has been constructive in a number of areas. For example, we found that a minority, albeit a sigificant minority, of our cadets were not internalizing what we were teaching with regard to standards and values. Many were simply following the guidelines without understanding why, which left them less able to deal with really challenging or new situations. Our discovery led to a series of initiatives.

The first was to form the Leadership, Education and Development team or LEAD team. The LEAD team studied our military training methods and procedures from top to bottom. They provided us with a lot of valuable information and useful insights, and as a result of the LEAD team effort, we have altered many of our cadet training practices. Among the changes were (1) providing more authority and responsibility to the Cadet Wing, (2) eliminating elements of training that were demeaning and contributed nothing to the leadership development process, (3) defining the leadership development process in a building-block approach with specific, time-phased requirements, (4) increasing the training of Air Officers Commanding (AOCs) from three days to three weeks last summer, (to four weeks in 1994 and then probably more later), and (5) relooking the incentive and sanction system for cadets. These LEAD initiatives were implemented this summer. In many areas the change has gone quickly, while in others it is too slow. However, we remain optimistic that the LEAD initiatives are the right way to go.

In a related initiative, we formed an Ad Hoc Committee on Respect and Dignity shortly after an alleged sexual assault last February. This committee did a superb job of looking at all the

ways cadets interact with themselves and with other Air Force personnel. The committee made a number of significant recommendations which we are now implementing. For example, we learned that we were not paying adequate attention to human relations education and standards. Like the rest of the Air Force, we had declared victory on human relations problems many years ago, and we didn’t recognize the need to continue emphasis in this area. We have now created human relations positions, with dedicated specialized training, in each of the cadet squadrons and improved our human relations training classes for all cadets. For AOCs, we added a healthy dose of human relations training into the New AOC Program to ensure that they would be able to handie the various situations they could encounter.

Another major step we took was to create the Center for Character Development on the staff of the commandant. The Center for Character Development has the sizeable task of reviewing everything we do at the Academy and assuring that it contributes to the cadets’ character development. This is a new venture, so we do not yet have hard data to evaluate progress, but initial reactions are very positive both here at the Academy and elsewhere. A little to our surprise, this initiative is receiving national-level attention. Many people and organizations recognize we have a values/character problem in society and want to do something about it. We are out in front in this effort and are breaking new ground every day.

We have also made some changes in the honor system not the honor code, but the honor system. We were fortunate enough to have a former cadet wing honor chairman come back to USAFA on the commandant’s honor staff. This officer had a unique perspective on the honor code and honor system and as the result of a white paper he wrote, we chartered a Honor Review Commission to review the entire structure of the honor system. While we’re still working the issues, several changes the commission recommended have already been implemented.

One significant change was to eliminate the Honor Sanctions Board and replace it with a single person the commandant. The result has been more consistency and stability in the process. Additionally, while the honor system has long provided for the fact that some violators may be salvageable, we have taken action to strengthen the provisions which allow a cadet who has violated the Honor Code to remain at the Academy under certain conditions. For example, if a cadet self-reports a violation that would not have otherwise been discovered, the cadet may be considered for honor probation and may remain at the Academy. Likewise, if during the initial confrontation stages of a potential honor case, a cadet admits guilt, he/she may also be allowed to stay but with a more stringent honor probation. However, repeat offenders, even self-reported, will be disenrolled. Also, any cadet who does not admit and is found guilty by the Wing Honor Board will normally be disenrolled. Several other changes have been made, some spelled out by Lt. Col. Jim Dotson in last quarter’s Checkpoints. Overall, the response among cadets has been very favorable.

The underlying reason behind the changes is the need to adapt our system to today’s 18-year-old. The sad truth is that the culture and mores in today’s American society are markedly different from those of two decades ago and the transition from civilian life to cadet life is even more difficult today. It’s instructive to watch a young cadet’s reaction when he or she sees that we are going to hold them accountable for their actions. For many of these young people this is a first it’s as if someone changed the rules on them. Some have grown up with the attitude that you can ignore anything an adult says, with little consequence. Our rules of

on page 9.)

Lt. Gen. Hosmer, ’59

3.

THE AOG BOARDROOM

Brig. Gen. (Ret) James P. Ulm, ’61, AOG President

Your president, the Association of Graduates (AOG) Board of Directors and staff extend our best wishes for 1994 to all our members. As we start another year, we are committed to focusing our efforts on continued growth and improved service. It has been useful to receive feedback (though somewhat limited) from you to help steer us as we strive to be responsive to your needs. I encourage you to continue to send your positive ideas and thoughts on how to do better. Unfortunately, we cannot always move as quickly as you might wish, but let me assure it is not for lack of effort.

Since each of you have made a personal membership commitment to your association, we welcome your feedback on how we can make your AOG more attractive to nonmember graduates. Approximately half of all living USAFA graduates are AOG members, and 60 percent of these are lifetime members. We’re particularly interested in your thoughts on what the direction and focus of the association should be to satisfy you as a member and to encourage others to join.

Jim Ulm, ’61

The November 1993 board meeting was very productive, particularly for the new members. There is a steep learning curve in order to come up to speed and become fully aware of the past board initiatives and actions that have occured. A1 Sigman, ’62, became our newest board member as he replaced a graduate who could not meet the commitments required of board members.

Though many board members are from the local area, several must travel a considerable distance, yet regularly attend board meetings at their own expense. If you have the opportunity, you might pass to those who represent you your appreciation for their willing commitment of time, money and energy.

Several topics of significance were briefed at the November board meeting. These included:

(View From The Top: From page 7.)

engagement are different, and they have to adjust fairly quickly.

Rest assured, however, the Academy’s product remains the same young officers of character and integrity who possess a sense of selfless service. The formula we use is very simple clearly conveyed expectations, clearly defined and well understood consequences, and positive reinforcement for a job well done. Our cadets are still the very best this nation has to offer, and I commend them for their positive responses to the changes taking place. You can be extremely proud of the way the cadet leadership has accepted the challenge, and how they have worked to make the Academy more meaningful and successful.

It’s always a privilege to address the graduates in this forum. We all share an interest in the Academy, and I believe it’s important that the graduate community stay engaged that places, directly on our shoulders, the responsibility of keeping you informed of current events and trends at the Academy. As developments occur, I will sincerely try to “get the word out.” Best wishes to all as we begin the new year.

Lt. Col. Jim Dotson, chief, Honor and Honor Education Division, briefed the board on the changes in the cadet honor code administration system. Following a question-and-answer period, Superintendent Lt. Gen. Bradley Hosmer added his comments on the factors that led to the changes—of primary importance was the observation that the Cadet Wing needed increased loyalty to the code and the accompanying system.

The Finance Committee met with the auditors just prior to the board meeting to review the recently-completed FY93 audit. There were no major problems, but it was noted that the association, due to the amount of advertising revenue, would be subject for the first time to taxes on unrelated business income.

The executive vice president, Dick Coppock, reported the development effort on the database software was going well, and the association should be on its own internal database by mid-1994.

The vice president for Development, Jim Shaw, presented a status report on the Building Fund. The current cash flow remains sufficient to service the loans from USAA and the life membership funds, but only a small amount of dollars remains to be placed in reserve for the completion of Doolittle Hall. Our telemarketing effort with the parents of the Class of 1997 has netted $449,505 in pledges over the next four years. In addition, the AFA Fund appears to be on track with last year’s campaign with contributions of $50,000 which is nearly halfway to our $100,000 goal for the 1993-1994 Fund year. You should note that graduates give slightly less than 50 percent of the total dollars raised through the AFA Fund. However, while 25 percent of living graduates have given to the Building Fund, only 2.5 percent of our alumni support the AFA Fund. We must improve these numbers as AFA Fund proceeds directly support both fellow graduates and the Academy.

For those of you who are currently employed in the commercial world, I suggest you review the article highlighting the recent support provided by Raytheon Corporation to the Building Fund. Ineluded in the article is a list of corporations who have supported the association. If you don’t see your company and believe there may be an opportunity to obtain their support, please contact Jim Shaw for assistance. He will be happy to help you in starting the process. John Kelly, a member of the board of directors, is also willing to discuss his experience in assisting with the Raytheon project.

Dick Coppock and I will be meeting in January with the commandant and his staff to begin negotiations for the association to assume total responsibility for class ring procurement. We also anticipate discussion on shifting class ring policy to the AOG in the near future.

In closing, I would like to pass along the challenge given to the board during our last meeting. It is my strong belief that we, as graduates, must be active participants in OUR association. We all must be ready to speak as ambassadors when there is the opportunity. “Silent partners” can be useful; however, the board of directors and the staff cannot be expected to do it all. We have people from outside the board and staff who have already stepped up and volunteered their time and talent. Graduate members must be willing to positively support and actively recruit participation in the AOG. The organization will only become better when everyone becomes a part of the process. You need to provide ideas to the board that will be beneficial to the other membership and serve to move us into the future. Join us and be a positive force in your Association of Graduates!

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One Grad’s Dilemma: How Far Integrity?

By Brad C. Jones, Class of 1985

(Editor’s note: This essay has been reprinted with the permission of Leadership 1st, Inc., Colorado Springs, Colo. Copyright © 1993 by Leadership 1st, Inc.)

I am writing this essay so that others might benefit and learn from an experience that has caused me to focus closely on my values and personal standards. Those of you reading this are from a wide variety of backgrounds. Many of you remain in the Air Force while others of you have moved to other careers. However, all of us have one thing in common: we are all Air Force Academy graduates or cadets striving to become graduates.

The events I am about to describe occurred in July of last year. My response will, most likely, draw emotional debate from many. I do not write this to receive congratulations or condemnation. Rather, I offer this to give you an opportunity to ask yourself how you would have handled this situation and to evaluate your own values and personal standards. With that said, I will proceed.

I am a proud 1985 graduate. I was a C-141 pilot and a T-37 instructor pilot prior to separating in September of 1991 to accept an opportunity in the corporate world. One evening in July of last year, I met a number of good friends at a local bar to wind down after work. The roommate of two friends arrived with his brother whom he introduced as a second classman at the Academy. I introduced myself as an ’85 grad, and we briefly traded war stories and then moved on with the rest of the group. Later in the evening, I asked the cadet when he would return to the Academy. He stated that he was supposed to be back Friday night, but that he was going to call in, tell the Academy that his car had broken down, and he would not be able to return until Sunday. I was shocked by his response, but said nothing.

The following evening, I was invited to a party at the home of friends where the cadet was staying. Upon my arrival, everyone was standing outside around a bonfire. I entered the house to use the telephone; and upon entering I found the cadet in the house by himself smoking marijuana. I was again shocked, said nothing, made my call, and then left the party.

Regressing for just a moment, I was deeply concerned the previous evening about the cadet’s casual and blatant disregard for the Honor Code and, more importantly, the spirit in which the Code stands. I was angered that a cadet, any cadet, could make such a statement without hesitation or consideration of the possible consequences. It was obvious that the oath he had taken was only taken superficially and certainly not to heart. However, by the next afternoon prior to the party, I still did not know how I would respond.

That evening’s occurence made the correct course of action clear to me. However, the possible repercussions from my local friends, none of whom were Academy grads or ex-military, weighed heavily upon me. I thought long and hard and knew from the beginning what I had to do. I did what I believe to be the right thing and reported the situation to the Academy Friday afternoon. I will discuss my feelings about the cadet’s actions further in a few moments. First, however, I want to describe what happened to me next.

The True Test of Friendship

I knew I was going to have to answer to my friends for my actions. However, I was unsure how they would respond and what I could say to help them understand my reasoning. I decided to wait, let things play out, and respond when I was approached. I knew that my closest friend would listen to my side and, hopefully, let me explain to everyone else. When he came to me, he listened, but then told me that I was “sick and demented” and that he never wanted to see or hear from me again—and this was my closest friend in the area. To make a long story short, I received similar responses from all of my local “friends” including one death threat, which I did not take seriously. The final toll—10 friends or people with whom I spent most of my free time, gone just like that. I use the term “friends” loosely now when referring

to those individuals, but it has been an eye-opening and painful experience.

Each of these individuals blamed me for ruining the cadet’s life. His brother blamed me for ruining his life, his brother’s life, and for destroying the reputation of his entire family. In each case it was I who was found to be responsible. Not one of these individuals found the cadet to have caused his own problems. I find this misplacement of responsibility disappointing and alarming.

Responsibility is shirked in our society every day. The degree of this problem has become readily apparent to me as I have contemplated this entire episode. Our lives are governed by rules, and at some point in each of our lives we must choose to disregard one or more of these rules. When we do, we must take responsibility for our actions and pay the consequences if we get caught. Whether or not you agree with my actions is immaterial. The cadet knew the consequences for his actions if he got caught. Nowhere does it say the consequences differ depending on how you get caught or by whom. If you take nothing else from this, the next time you get caught willfully disregarding a rule (the speed limit comes to mind), don’t blame the person that catches you. TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR YOUR ACTIONS—you know what you are doing! There is nothing wrong with being angry, but don’t misplace your anger. It is your decision; it is your responsibility: so be angry with yourself.

I obviously have very strong feelings with regard to the responsibility issue, but there are many other issues that merit comment. The cadet’s attitude and decision-making ability certainly warrant further discussion. First, he decided to violate the Honor Code by lying; on top of this, he told a graduate he was doing it as if there was absolutely nothing wrong. Second, he decided to smoke marijuana; and he did it at a party where anyone could see him! Do not misunderstand my point. I am not suggesting that if he had been secret about what he was doing he would have been less guilty. His wanton and open disregard for rules of the serious nature discussed here exhibit extremely poor decision-making ability and a contemptuous attitude. These are attributes the military cannot afford in one of its personnel.

Since I have been in the corporate world, I have been surprised by the immediate respect afforded me simply due to my Academy and Air Force background. Like it or not, as cadets and military personnel you have chosen a public life and your behavior reflects

(Continued on page 15.)

AOG Presidents

The current and five past presidents of the Association of Graduates were present at the superintendent’s reception for the November 1993 AOG Board ofDirectors meeting. From left are Jock Schwank, ’60 (1985-1987); Jim Wilhelm, ’61 (1987-1989); Bill Richardson, ’71 (1991-1993); Jim Spittler, ’65 (1983-1985); Tom Eller, ’61 (1979-1983); and the current president, Jim Ulm, ’61, who was elected in 1993.

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Air Force Secretary Addresses Cadet Wing

By SrA. Mario K. Gregg Falcon Flyer Staff

“As you know, from time to time, the value of these institutions (military academies) is questioned. How do we justify the extra cost it takes to commission a lieutenant from the Air Force Academy over the less expensive commissioning sources?” asked Secretary of the Air Force Dr. Sheila E. Widnall during her address to the Cadet Wing Jan. 11 in Arnold Hall theater.

The secretary, a former member of the Air Force Academy Board of Visitors, feels the answer lies in how much an Academy graduate gives back to the nation they serve. “What sets you apart (from the Reserve Officer Training Corps, and Officer Training School officers) is what you give back.” Widnall quoted an article in Army magazine that stated, “The deeds of its graduates will prove West Point’s value.” I submit it is the same for the Air Force Academy, said Widnall. She went on to say that if honor and integrity are not emphasized above all else, then the military academies have no purpose.

The Tacoma, Wash., native was invited to the Academy as part of the Commandant’s Leadership Series, a guest-speaker program designed to increase cadet exposure to active-duty general officers and other distinguished persons. During her speech, she focused on three things the Academy should be looking for in its graduates: leadership, positive human relations and integrity.

The secretary stressed that leadership means not only being good at what you do, but being able to build teams and, by exampie, encouraging and inspiring others. Quoting L.A. Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda, she said there are three kinds of players: “Those who make it happen, those who watch it happen and those who wonder what happened.”

“The Air Force needs young officers who make things happen.” She also pointed out that a second lieutenant outranks more than 80 percent of the Air Force and most will hold far more responsible jobs than their civilian counterparts. “Your preparation starts here. At the Academy, you gain the discipline to perform in high-pressure, responsible jobs, a drive to succeed as a team, and goals that transcend personal career plans.”

Widnall went on to cover human relations by commending the superintendent and commandant of cadets. “Lt. Gen. Hosmer and Brig. Gen. Gamble have done tremendous jobs of expanding

(Grad’s Dilemma: From page 13.)

not only on yourself, but on the entire military. It is by your actions that people judge an entire institution. That’s a lot of responsibility, but you must be role models in all you do. The cadet in this situation not only showed poor judgement, poor decision-making ability, and a contemptuous attitude, but also selfishness that reflects poorly on all cadets and graduates alike. Something I can attest to after being back in the civilian world is that you cannot find camaraderie and teamwork like that found in the military. Those are the fibers that hold a strong military together; and they are based on a sense of trust and selflessness, not distrust and selfishness.

Trust and Selflessness Important

The friends that I described previously are all from varied backgrounds. All are college graduates, but none have any military experience. Most are in their early to mid-20s. I have known all of them for just over one year with one notable exception, whom I have known for 15 years. Most have known each other considerably longer than they have known me. I remain surprised that not one of them agreed with or understood my decision.

Make your tax-deductible donation now to The Air Force Academy Fund. Your Support Helps Develop Leaders With Vision For Tomorrow.

Secretary of

the secretary’s address to the Cadet Wing in January. (Photo by S.S. Hampton, Sr.) and modernizing training programs and reporting channels to make sure everyone relates to each other in a positive way,” said Widnall. “They’re spelling out core values: the elements of integrity, the need for trust and communication, and what appropriate behavior means.”

The secretary also talked about how integrity has to be the hallmark for the Air Force. “Recent changes to the administration of your honor code encourage the moral courage to come forward. The Academy’s value system and standards of conduct and ethics will serve you well in life.”

In closing, Widnall said, “Integrity is your career. It is a distinctive feature of officership. If, as a group, Academy graduates have a strong impact on the service due to their opportunity to grow in an atmosphere that fosters integrity and leadership, the value of this institution will remain high in the eyes of society.”

This brings me to my much larger group of Air Force friends. Within this group, I have received support for my decision without exception. Some admitted that they were not sure that they could have done it, but all agreed emphatically. Some felt that I should have handled things a little differently, possibly talking with the cadet first. This may be true. I, quite frankly, am not sure. I know that I didn’t talk to him at the time of each incident because I didn’t know what, if anything, I was going to do. In the end, after I had made the call, maybe I should have spoken with him. Nonetheless, the results would have remained the same.

I am proud to be part of the Air Force family. This experience has shown me just how high-caliber a group of people we have serving in the officer corps. I am proud to have been a part of that. I am proud to have accepted the high moral and ethical standards demanded by the Academy and the military in general. I am convinced that, if everyone in our society lived by these same standards, the problems in this country would all but evaporate. Each of you should be proud of your contribution to those high standards.

For the cadets reading this, I encourage you to discuss this situation amongst yourselves. Your search for the “real” and ever-changing Air Force will probably never end, but one thing will always be the same: high moral and ethical standards are essential in the officer corps. Strive to have the highest of those standards in everything you do. In your failures, learn from your mistakes and take responsibility for your actions. If you do that, you will always be able to look yourself in the mirror. I know I can.

the Air Force Dr. Sheila E. Widnall accepts a statue of a gyrfalconfrom Cadet Wing Commander ClC Jesse D. Hernandez on the occasion of

Hand in Hand

BUILDING FUND DONORS

The AOG Board of Directors acknowledges with sincere appreciation the following contributors who pledged and made cash contributions to the AOG Building Fund from Oct. 28, 1993 through Jan. 18, 1994. We encourage others to join these dedicated graduates and friends in this most important project. Contributions and pledges made after Jan. 18, 1994 will be listed in the next publication of Checkpoints.

Mr

&

Maj

LtCol

Mr

Mr

Col

Mr

Mr

Mr

Mr

Mr

Mr

Mr & Mrs Gary C Bladen

Lt Col Joseph V Hines Ret ’62

DON’T FORGET TO ASK YOUR EMPLOYER ABOUT YOUR FIRM’S MATCHING GIFT PROGRAM A COMPANY MATCHING GIFT CAN INCREASE YOUR DONATION TWO OR THREE TIMES. Association of Graduates Headquarters/Alumni House Doolittle Hall 3116 Academy Drive, Suite 100 U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840-4475 (719) 472-0300/DSN: 259-2067 In recognition of the needs of the Association of Graduates (AOG) of the United States Air Force Academy, it is my (our) intention to contribute the sum of $ to the AOG Capital Fund Campaign in support of the construction of a permanent headquarters/alumni house. DONATION SCHEDULE (^) USAFA CLASS □ Single Payment $ EH Annually Total Pledge: $ Paid Herewith: $ Pledge Balance: $ Date: Please make check payments to: AOG Building Fund Semi-Annually EH Quarterly EH Monthly Signature(s): Name(s): Address: City: State/Zip: Phone #:

(Building

Fund Donors: Continuedfrom previous page.)

Mr & Mrs W C Holloman, Jr match of Philip Morris Companies Inc

Mr & Mrs Marvin L Howard match of Arco Foundation Inc

Mr & Mrs Edwin Jacobs

Jack & Jeanne Jaroszcwski

Mr Rudy M Jirioek '80 match of The Delta Air Lines Foundation

Dr & Mrs Lyle Joyce

Mr & Mrs Robert F Kay

Mr & Mrs Chang S Kim

MSgl & Mrs David Kindred

Mr Ross H Kistler, Jr

Mr & Mrs Richard Krupp match of Dana Corporation

Mr & Mrs William Law, Sr

Mr & Mrs Hugh T Lee

Col Norman I Lee III Ret '63 match of The Boeing Company

Mr Michael H Lloyd '63

Mr & Mrs William E Lucas

Mr & Mrs Gustavo Malan match of The Delta Air Lines Foundation

Lt Col Cary R Marsh Ret '69

Mr & Mrs William R Martin

Mr & Mrs Garth H Masters

Mr & Mrs Melvin Maxwell

Mr & Mrs Ned McCann

Mrs Georgia Ruckle McCurdy *88 in memory of George A Ruckle

MCI Telecommunications Corp

Mrs Olivia M McKenna match of Martin Marietta Corporation

Mr Charles L Melenyzer IV '63

Ms Sally W Meller

Mr & Mrs Steve Meza

Mr & Mrs Robert R Miller Jr

Mr & Mrs Edward Monahan

Mr Thomas H Morris '64 in memory of David & Portia Morris

Col Warren S Nogald Ret '63

Mr & Mrs L Scott Nowinski

Mr & Mrs Lester F O’Brien

Col E N O’Rear Ret *61

Mr & Mrs Fernando J Parrales

Mr & Mrs Samuel Pepkowitz

Lt Col Alan W Price USAFR '68

Mr John C Rector '63 match of The Delta Air Lines Foundation

Mr & Mrs William L Reemtsma '63

Mr & Mrs Hollings C Renton

Mr & Mrs Thomas D Rogers, Jr

Mr & Mrs Kenneth F Rohlinger

Mr & Mrs Louis J Schiffl

Lt Col Karl W Schmidt Ret '59

Mr & Mrs Paul A Scopac

v*

Lt Col C Glen Shaffer, Jr Ret '63

Mr & Mrs Michael Sneigle

Mrs Jean S Snodgrass & Family

Mr & Mrs James N Snow

Lt Col Charles E Stumb USAFR *70

Mr & Mrs Big Fong Su

Lt Col Donald A Sutton Ret '68

Col & Mrs Geroge Takamiya

Mr & Mrs Douglas A Terrill

Mr Eric M Thorson ’67

Mr & Mrs William E Vincent

Mrs Susan Vineyard

Dr & Mrs Philip 0 Warlick

Mr & Mrs Gene D M Watson

Mr & Mrs William Wilcox

Mr & Mrs Gary L Winkler

Mr & Mrs Louis E Yeager

Mr & Mrs Frank J Yoschak

TAKEOFF DONORS ($25-$999)

Mr & Mrs Carlyle J Adam

Mr & Mrs Mel G Aemi

Mr & Mrs Franklyn G Acrslin

match of Dow USA

Col James N Allbum Ret *63

Lt Col Erik C Anderson *73

Col Mark D Anway Ret *63

Mr Erkki Aspclin ’63

Col Ralph H Bacue Ret ’63 match of Textron Charitable Trust

Mr John Q Banbury II ‘69

Mr & Mrs Thomas Baroni

Maj Francis L Barrett Ret *63

Mr C Ross & Mrs Mona Baumgardner

Mr & Mrs Sam Beam

Mr & Mrs Barry A Beebcr

Mr J Gary Bender *63

Capt Katarina S Bentlcr *83

Lt Col Manuel J Bettencourt Ret *68

Maj David M Blair ANG ’71

Mr & Mrs Dick J Blakemore

Mr & Mrs Richard R Bloss

Mr & Mrs William L Booth

Mr Grant O Bomzin *63

TSgt & Mrs Coley H Boykin

Lt Col James M Boyle ’73

Mr & Mrs Patrick J Brady

Ms Connie Brallier match of SPX Foundation

Mr Ralph S Broderick Jr '73

Mr & Mrs John O Buchanan match of Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation

Dr William L Buford, Jr ’68

Mr & Mrs Thomas H Burks match of Bell South Telecommunications

Mr & Mrs William L Busch

MSgt & Mrs David Bush

Col Jimmie H Butler Ret *63

Col James S Butt *63

Mr David Byme *63

Mr & Mrs Gerardo G Campbell

Mr & Mrs Thomas H Campbell

Lt Col Donald A Carey Ret ’63

Ms Debra L Carbon

Mr & Mrs Albert P Carney

Ms Maria Carrion

Mr & Mrs Jack L Carter

Maj Gen Patrick P Caruana ’63

Mr & Mrs Donald Carulhers

Ms Ann M Chaffee

Mr James F Chambers, Jr

Mr & Mrs Richard A Clark match of Southwestern Bell Foundation

Mr & Mrs Richard W Clark

Maj Roger D Clark Ret *63

Class of 1960 ’60

Class

Mr

Mr

Col James H Diffendorfer Ret *63 match of The Boeing Company

Mr & Mrs Lee A Dillon

Ms Josephine P Dixon match of Aetna Foundation Inc

Mr & Mrs Michael Domyancic

Mr David Dougan *63

Mr John J Doughsrty *63

Mr & Mrs John W Drouillard

Col Stewart S Duncan Ret *65

Mr & Mrs William R Dunn

Mr & Mrs Frank C Durkin

Col Merrill Eastcott Ret *63

Col(Rel) & Mrs Vincent C J Eckelkamp

Col Vincent C J Eckelkamp Ret *63

Maj Gen Thomas E Eggers ’64

Mr & Mrs William B Elliott

Maj Keylor Eng '80

Maj & Mrs Robert Epperson

Mr & Mrs Roger Escorpizo

Mr & Mrs James H Evans

Lt Gen James A Fain Jr *63

Maj John W Fal Ret *66

Lt Col Stuart Fenske Ret ’63

Mr Richard J Fercncy ’63

Col Mike Ferguson Ret ’63

Lt Col Richard W Fisher USAFR ’71

Lt Col John L Fite, Jr Ret ’67

Lt Col Gordon R Flygarc Ret ’60 match of The Boeing Company

Mr Gary Francis

Lt Col John J Francis Jr Ret *63

Col George L Frederick, Jr ’63

Mr James E Frisbie

Lt Col Thomas A Fryer Ret *63

Mr & Mrs Demctrio P Galacgac match of Smith Kline Bcecham Foundation

13rig Gen Patrick K Gamble

Mr Louis J Gavin III ’63

Mr & Mrs Wayne Gentry

Mr & Mrs Wilfred C Gemandt

Mr Michael F Gibbons '63

Mr Bernard W Glade *68

Col Roger D Graham Ret '63

CMSgt(Ret) & Mrs James A Greenleaf

Capt Robert L Gregor ANG *83 and

Capt Ralinda Gregor ANG ’82

Dr & Mrs Jack Groat

Mr & Mrs Woodrow H Grump

Mr Dennis Grunkemeyer ’63

Col Richard E Guild Ret *63

Mr & Mrs Lawrenoe C Gunn

Mr & Mrs Johann G Hack match of Pfizer Inc

Mr & Mrs Randall L Hackelt

Mr Norman M Haller ’60

Mr & Mrs John B Halloran

Mr & Mrs Richard K Hamilton match of Illinois Bell

Ms Sue Hammel

Maj R Pete Hammerton Ret *63

Mr Joseph W Hanes ’63

Ms Margaret Haulman

Col Robert L Hayes Ret ’63

Brig Gen Richard G Head Ret '60

LtCol(Rel) & Mrs Dave Heagy

Mr & Mrs Robert T Heffner

Lt Col William H Hcinlein Ret *63

Maj John H Helinsld Ret ’63

Maj William H Hclker, Jr Ret ’63

Mr & Mrs T Henderleiter

Mr & Mrs Richard P Hentz

Mr & Mrs Vance L Higbee

Col Joseph L Higgins Ret ’60

Mr & Mrs David C Hill

Mr & Mrs Donald R Hille

Contributions

Thank

Lt Col Roderick E Himelberger Ret ’63

Col Leslie A Hobgood Ret ’60

Mr Larry C Hoffman ’63

Mr & Mrs Keith Hollmeier

Col & Mrs Edward J Hospodar

Ms Elizabeth D House

Ms Barbara A Hubbard

Mr & Mrs W Edward Hull

Mr Paul Hustedde

Col John D Jacobcik Ret ’63

Mr & Mrs Boyd Jeglum

Mr Joseph R Johnson *63

Lt Col & Mrs Rici V Johnson

Ms Sandra Lee Johnson

Mr Arthur H Johnson, Jr ’63

Mrs Stella H Jones in memory of Ira Milton Jones

Maj Henry M Juister Ret ’63

Mr & Mrs Paul L Kattau

Maj Ronald M Kautz Ret ’63

Brig Gen Thomas J Keck ’69

Mr & Mrs James R Keeney

Lt Col Thomas M Kennedy ’73

Mr & Mrs Terry N Kilgore

Lt Col Alan C Kinback ANG ’73

Mr F Denis King *63

Capt Renee M Koeller ’83 match of Air Products and Chemicals Inc

Mr & Mrs Dennis Koewlcr

Mr Bruce F Kohl ’63

Mr Moon N Kong

Lt Col Kenneth D Kopke Ret ’63

Capt Stewart J Kowall ’83

Col & Mrs Thomas Kumashiro match of Rockwell International

Mr & Mrs Ron Ladd

Mr & Mrs Robert V Lafortunc

Col T Ralph Lalime Ret '60

Lt Col Charles B Latham ’74

Ms Diane S Ledbetter

Mr & Mrs Donald Lee

Col

(Continued on

POW Interviews Presented

A. Bart Holaday, president of the Class of 1965, presents Superintendent Lt. Gen. Bradley C. Hosmer, ’59, with the Class of 1965’s 25th Reunion Gift, bound volumes of interviews with graduate and other Vietnam War Prisoners of War. From left are Dean of the Faculty Brig. Gen. Randy Cubero, ’61;former AOG president and board member Jim Spittler, ’65, Mr. Holaday and the superintendent.

Corporations Support Building Fund; Raytheon Makes $60,000 Pledge

Christmas arrived a little early at Doolittle Hall when the Raytheon Corporation stuffed our Christmas stocking with a $60,000 pledge to support the completion of Doolittle Hall. The pledge will be paid over a five-year period beginning in 1994.

Our special thanks goes out to Raytheon CEO Mr. Dennis Picard and the Corporate Board. We would also like to thank John Kelly, ’65, one of our AOG Board members, and Mr. Greg Kolligian, president of Selame Design and sponsor of the annual Kolligian Trophy, for their help in coordinating this generous gift.

This is the latest example of the outstanding corporate support we have received during our building campaign. Other corporate and foundation donors include:

Ackerman Foundation

American Airlines

Annenberg Foundation

Armed Forces Coop

Carnation Co

General Dynamics

Hughes Aircraft

Litton Industries

Martin Marietta

Mutual of Omaha

Olmsted Foundation

Sun Microsystems

TRW, Inc

USAA

Books Needed for AOG Library

The Association of Graduates needs your help to fill the bookcases in the library/loungeofDoolittle Hall. We are looking for graduates who have authored books and would like to donate a copy to the AOG. Send us an autographed hard-bound copyfor all to see and enjoy. Any donations of other Academy, Air Force or military related books and library materials will also be appredated.

Air Academy National Bank

Anhueser-Busch

ARCO

Boeing

Gates Foundation

Hewlett Packard

Hunter Douglas Co

Lockheed

McDonnell Douglas

Northrop

Rockwell International

Sybase, Inc

United Technologies

Support from corporations has been vital to the success of our building campaign to date. The generosity of these organizations has resulted in contributions of over $2.6 million toward the construction of Doolittle Hall. This does not include gifts from those companies that have matching gift programs.

Our corporate AOG members are also valued and important members of our association. We look forward to strengthening our relationships with these corporations, as we continue our campaign to complete Doolittle Hall and grow and mature as an association.

The entire graduate community offers our sincere appreciation and gratitude to Raytheon and all the other organizations who have supported our efforts.

(Building Fund Donors: Continued from previous page.)

Mr & Mrs Donnie R Myers

Mr Andrew M Nassir *63

Mr & Mrs Michael A Nawrocki

Col John A Nchring USAFR Ret *63

Col Michael J O’Connell Ret ’63

Mr & Mrs Daniel O’Donnell

Maj Gen Richard J O’Lear Ret *63

Mr John Oedzes match of Brown Packing Company Inc

Mr Peter J Ognibene *63

Ms Patricia A Patchin

Mr & Mrs James M Payne

Mr & Mrs Ken Peatman

Ms Linda L Peter

L Metcalf Ret ’63

Mr Bruce W Meyer *73

Mr & Mrs Marcus Middleton

Col David W Milam ’63

Dr & Mrs Howard L Miller

Mr & Mrs Robert M Minarik

Mr & Mrs Richard L Mincer

Mr & Mrs William L Mitchell

Mr & Mrs Alphonso Montgomery, Jr

Mr & Mrs Frank P Morath

Ken and Linda Morley

Mr & Mrs Michael T Morris

Mr & Mrs Charles F Mosley

Lt Greggory R Murray ’90

Col Grover E Mussclwhite Ret ’63

Maj Joe F Peters Sr, Ret ’63

Mr John R Phillips ’63 match of

The Delta Air Lines Foundation

Mr & Mrs James Piccirillo

Col William E Pickens III Ret ’63

Mr & Mrs Francis Platt match of United Technologies

Mr & Mrs Richard J Polkowski

Mr & Mrs Steven R Proctor

Mr George S Pupich '60 match of

The Delta Air Lines Foundation

Lt Col James T Putnam ’72

Dr & Mrs Gerald A Ravitz

Col(Ret) & Mrs Russell B Rayman

Mr & Mrs Robert H Reeder

Mr & Mrs Anthony W Rcimer

Maj(Ret) & Mrs Richard H Rice

Mr & Mrs Ron Rochlitz

Mr & Mrs Wayne Rocllich

Maj Gen Ervin J Rokke ’62

Mr & Mrs Douglas A Route

Mr W

Former, Current Comms Advance; 0-8, 0-7 Grad Nominees

(Editor’s note: Because the AOG receives general officer promotion information secondhand we may have missed a graduate general officerpromotion. Ifso we apologize and ask that you inform the editor of any missed promotions.)

Former Commandant (July 1984-June 1986) Marcus A. Anderson, ’61, was promoted to lieutenant general and took over the job of Air Force Inspector General on Dec. 1, 1993, while current Commandant Brig. Gen. Patrick K. Gamble was among 21 Air Force oficers who were to be nominated for promotion to major general. Fifteen graduates were to be nominated for brigadier general.

The seven graduates on the 0-8 list include Michael C. Short, ’65, director, Exercises, Training, Operational Standards and Requirements, J-7, Headquarters U.S. Atlantic Command, Norfolk, Va. From the Class of 1966, Jerrold P. Allen, commander, 7th Wing, Air Combat Command, Dyess AFB, Texas; and Francis C. Gideon, director, Test and Operations, Headquarters Air Force Material Command, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio. From the Class of 1967, Charles Heflebower, director, Programs and Evaluation, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, Pentagon; and John M. McBroom, commander, USAF Recruiting Service, Air Education and Training Command, Randolph AFB, Texas.

Academy graduates made up exactly one-third of the colonels the President intends to nominate to the Senate for appointment to the grade of brigadier general. The nominees and their current assignments follow.

From the Class of 1968, Robert J. Boots, deputy director, Plans and Programs, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.; and Steven R. Polk, chief, Quality Division, Directorate of Programs and Evaluation, Headquarters USAF, Pentagon.

From the Class of 1969, John R. Dallager, deputy chief of staff, Headquarters U.S. Central Command, MacDill AFB, Fla.;

Thomas O. Fleming, commander, 354th Fighter Wing, Pacific Air Forces, Eielson AFB, Alaska; John D. Hopper Jr., commander, 63rd Airlift Wing, Air Mobility Command, Norton AFB, Calif.; Robert Osterthaler, Air Force Crisis Management planner, NATO Military Committee, APO AE; Berwyn A. Reiter, program director for AWACS, Air Force Program Executive Office, Office of the Assistant Secretary of the Air Force for Acquisition, Hanscom AFB, Mass.; Terryl J. Schwalier, chief, Nuclear Operations Command and Control Division, J-36, Joint Staff, Pentagon; and Charles J. Wax, vice commander, AMC Tanker Airlift Control Center, Air Mobility Command, Scott AFB, Ill.

From the Class of 1970, James E. Andrews, commander, 319th Air Refueling Wing, Air Mobility Command, Grand Forks AFB, N.D.; Curtis H. Emery II, commander, 39th Wing, U.S. Air Forces in Europe, APO AE; Timothy A. Kinnan, military assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Pentagon; Roger R. Radcliff, assistant director of Operations, Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe, APO AE; and Thomas C. Waskow, special assistant to the Supreme Allied Commander Europe, North Atlantic Treaty Organization, APO AE.

From the Class of 1971, James E. Sandstrom, commander 388th Fighter Wing, Air Combat Command, Hill AFB, Utah.

Send your donation now to The Air Force Academy Fund Association of Graduates

Doolittle Hall

3116 Academy Drive, Suite 100 U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840-4475

Bruce (Class of ’78)

Civilian Faculty Increase Program Explained

By James H. Head, Colonel, USAF

Permanent Professor and Head, Department of Physics, USAFA Chairman, Task Force on USAFA Faculty

In 1993 the Air Force Academy implemented Congressional direction to increase the number of civilians on the faculty by hiring the first full-time civilian faculty members at the institution. In a nutshell, the program is guided by the following policy:

The Academy plans to increase the proportion of civilian faculty to 25 percent by the year 2000.

A final target is not prescribed; the final proportion will be determined after an evaluation of impacts and benefits.

The Academy faculty will retain its responsibility to contribute to the officer development of cadets.

We will periodically review the performance of the faculty and assess its effect on cadet officer development. This assessment of faculty contributions to officer development is intended to determine the eventual extent of the civilian faculty program.

This article should bring you up to date on the civilian faculty program.

The Congressional Mandate. In the summer of 1992, the Senate Armed Services Committee (SASC) introduced legislation which would change operations at the service academies. Among these items was the directive to “conform the faculty staffing at the USMA and the USAFA to the faculty staffing at the USNA (50/50 military/civilian mix), and to phase out the assignment of permanent military professors at the USMA and the USAFA.” The opportunity to reduce operating costs and increase faculty expertise were the stated reasons for this move, and there may have been other factors as well. Both the Army and the Air Force disputed the need for change, and both services entered into discussions with SASC and House Armed Service Committee (HASC) members and staffers to oppose this change. But, in September, Air Force Secretary Rice wrote to Senator Nunn stating “We will move toward a goal of 50 percent civilian faculty. We do not know how long this will take, but we will proceed as quickly as possible.... As we gain experience we will refine our approach, keeping interested members and committees informed....” The Army and Air Force did not succeed in getting this provision deleted, but the House/Senate Conference Report language (Oct 1992) was softer: rather than directing conformance to the USNA model, it instead required the “Secretary of Defense to submit recommended legislation for increasing the number of civilian faculty and reducing the number of military faculty at the USMA and the USAFA.” The amendment also provided the USMA and the USAFA the same civilian hiring flexibility already authorized for the USNA.

The language passed into law—PL 102-484 §523—specifically added §9331 to Title 10, United States Code:

(1) The Secretary of the Air Force may employ as many civilians as professors, instructors, and lecturers at the United States Air Force Academy as the Secretary considers necessary.

(2) The compensation of persons employed under this subsection shall be as prescribed by the Secretary.

(3) The Secretary may delegate the authority conferred by this subsection to any person in the Department of the Air Force to the extent the Secretary considers proper. Such delegation may be with or without the authority to make successive redelegations.

Defining the USAFA Civilian Faculty Program. The new law left key decisions about scope, pace, and nature of the civilian faculty program up to the Air Force, and the Academy took the lead to build the program. As with all initiatives at the Academy, the superintendent, Lt. Gen. Bradley Hosmer, carried the responsibility. For this initiative, which mainly involved faculty issues, the superintendent relied on the dean of the Faculty, Brig. Gen. Ruben Cubero, and advice from the permanent professors. In turn, the dean organized a special task force to develop the agenda items for decision and coordinate the Academy response to the challenge.

The following key issues were immediately evident. They were debated at length by the permanent professors and discussed by the dean with his opposite numbers at USMA and USNA. When they were settled in late October 1992, the essential features of the USAFA civilian faculty program were in place.

Near-term hiring. The issue was whether to expand the visiting professor program for 1993 or to try to put together our new “excepted civil service” program by that time. The first option would show movement and buy time, while the second would put us on

(Continued on next page.)

CURRENT CIVILIAN FACULTY MEMBERS

Name Academic Rank Department Degrees

Donald M. Bird Assoc. Prof. Chemistry BS—Univ. of Illinois MS—Univ of Illinois PhD—Univ. of Colorado

Donna M. Farina Asst. Prof. Foreign Languages BA—George Washington Univ. Licence de linguistique—Univ. of Strasburg, France Maitrise de linguistique—Univ. of Strasburg, France AM—Univ. of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign PhD—Univ. of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign

Jeanne T. Heidler Asst. Prof. History BA—Mercer Univ. MA—Auburn Univ. PhD—Auburn Univ.

Norman E. Heimer Assoc. Prof. Chemistry BA—Colorado State College (now Univ. No. Colorado) PhD—Iowa State Univ.

William H. Heiser Professor Aeronautical Engineering BS—The Cooper Union MS—California Institute of Technology PhD—Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Thomas L. Koehler Assoc. Prof. Economics and Geography

Mary R. Marlino Asst. Prof. Center for Educational Excellence

BS—Univ. of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign MS—Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison PhD—Univ. of Wisconsin, Madison

BA—William Smith College MPS—Cornell Univ. EdD—The Univ. of Georgia

Thomas C. Niemann Assoc. Prof. English BS—Univ. of Wisconsin, Milwaukee MA—Duke Univ. PhD—Duke Univ.

Myron H. Nordquist Assoc. Prof. Law BS—Oregon State Univ. Juris Doctor—California Western Univ. Certificate—Hague Academy of International Law Diploma in International Law— Cambridge Doctor of Juridical Science—Univ. of Virginia

Evelyn T. Patterson Asst. Prof. Physics BS—Bucknell Univ. PhD—Univ. of Delaware

Steven M. Samuels Asst. Prof. Behavioral Sciences and Leadership

BA—Brandeis Univ. PhD—Stanford Univ.

Tracy Santa Instructor English BA—San Francisco State Univ. MA—San Francisco State Univ. EdM—Harvard Graduate School of Education

William E. Sheidley Asst. Prof. English AB—Stanford Univ. AM—Stanford Univ. PhD—Stanford Univ.

Jeanne M. Smith Ast. Prof. Behavioral Sciences and Leadership

BA—Yale Univ. MA—Univ. of Michigan PhD—Univ. of Michigan

Kenneth J. Soda Asst. Prof. Electrical Engineering BS—United States Air Force Academy, ’73 MS—Univ. of California, Berkley PhD—Univ. of Illinois, UrbanaChampaign

Dean H.Wilson Assoc. Prof. Registrar BA—Univ. of Montana MA—Univ. of Montana PhD—United States International Univ. (Editor’s note: The above listing does not include the approximately 25 Visiting Professors who are on the Academy faculty for one or two years and then will return to their civilian schools.)

The Secret Life of Waldo F. Dumbsquat

By Don Hall, ’76

The buffer rodeo certainly attracted a lot of attention.

The entire squadron crowded into the SAR. The freshmen especially came to cheer their champion, C/AC Waldo F. Dumbsquat. So far, a three-smoke named “Chaps” Taylor had posted the best time. He had ridden the gyrating metal monster for five seconds before being flung into a coke machine. Resuscitated by two Life Science majors, “Chaps” appeared to be recovering.

“You can beat his time!” noted Warren Heels enthusiastically.

“I don’t know...” said Waldo nervously. He eyed the buffing beast and wondered silently about the lunatic who had created such a creature.

“We get a free ODP if you win!” chimed in “Regs” Buch. “No pressure, though.”

“Next kay-det in the chute: Dumbsquat!” announced the first sergeant.

A thunder of mixed cheers and boos filled the hall and alcoves. Waldo methodically pulled on his issue work gloves and straddled the buffer. A quiet, eerie calm settled over the room as the doolie saluted his classmates. The CQ signaled he was ready to time the ride. Without warning, the squadron commander plugged in the buffer.

The machine instantly turned into a vibrating, whirling demon. Waldo held on with all his puny strength as he caromed off the ping pong table. The maniacal spinning turned all the shouting faces into a blur of humanity. The twirling bristle brush clawed at the tile floor as the buffer from hell strained to eject the hapless freshman.

“Two more seconds and he’ll set a squadron record!” crowed Warren.

(Civilian Faculty: From previous page.)

the right track and show more commitment. The decision was to put the excepted civil service program in place and use it. Some 14 positions were identified for the first wave of hiring.

Tenure. We decided not to offer tenure, rather to offer appointments for a maximum of five years, with initial appointments normally for three years. Reappointments would be based on performance. The issue, of course, was trying to ensure sustained excellent performance of the faculty versus the ability to recruit top talent. Tenure is the norm in academia, but our military faculty does not have tenure. (Even the so-called “Permanent Professors” face a review every five years!)

Hiring PhDs vs MS/MA. The issue was whether to hire all PhDs versus hiring mostly at the master’s degree level. The PhD is the national standard, but the MS/MA has worked well for most of our (military) faculty. This was partly a debate over the working environment for our junior military personnel. The decision was to hire mostly at the PhD level (asistant professor, associate professor, professor), but to allow for some master’s level (instructor) positions (later defined) to be no more than about one civilian MS/MA instructor per department.

10-month vs 12-month terms. USNA has a 10-month work year, and 9-10 months is common in universities. We decided on the more costly 12-month year because we regarded the summer time as vital for faculty research and innovation in education. This was an issue of quality versus cost that was settled in favor of

At that instant, the machine went through one more mighty revolution, tossing Waldo nose first into the stairwell.

As he lay in a heep, he strained to hear the judge’s decision.

“It’s a tie!”

The freshmen in the SAR issued a collective groan. Despite multiple contusions and lacerations causing him assault-coursetype pain, Waldo felt the disappointment of his classmates. Mumbling the secret words “sweep intramurals,” he magically transformed into Colonel Waldo F. Dumbsquat a man who laughed at the serb. The colonel squeezed his massive frame through the doorway and into the squadron hall. A firstie performing mirror magic near the CQ desk scrambled to his feet and called the squadron to attention.

Colonel Dumbsquat walked into the SAR and inspected the floor.

“This is the best floor in the wing!”

“Yes, sir!” acknowledged the squadron commander.

“I thought I saw a doolie waxing this floor a few minutes ago.”

“I guess you could say that, sir.”

“I just did say that! I respect a man who can get a floor this shiny. Issue the freshmen of your squadron a free weekend privilege.”

“Yes, sir!”

The colonel tossed a “carry on” over his shoulder and ducked into the latrine. He immediately degenerated into a pathetic fourthclassman. Waldo returned to the SAR to a hero’s welcome.

“Great job, Dumbsmack,” said the squadron commander.

“Sir, that’s Dumbsquat.”

“Whatever. You get a free weekend...”

Waldo grinned.

“...but not until you’ve done the same fine buffer job on every floor in the squadron.”

Waldo groaned.

quality.

Retired military. The issue was whether to encourage hiring retirees (former USAFA faculty members) or to strive for the greatest number of people with college and university teaching experience. Congressional intent on this matter is not clear. Of course, no one can keep retired officers from applying, so we should go with the old rule “hire the best qualified.” Nevertheless, hiring too many retirees will foster criticism of “an old boy network.” We adopted the guidline that no more than about one-third of the civilian faculty positions should be occupied by retirees.

The other key question was “how far, how fast?” Congress had withdrawn the 50/50 mix requirement, but we still had the secretary’s announced goal of 50 percent. Meanwhile, USMA had established a 20-25 percent target and had obtained agreement with SASC and HASC staffers to reach this level of civilianization by the year 2002 (a major USMA anniversary). At USAFA, the superintendent consistently stated the need for the final percentage to be the outcome of a process of evaluation, rather than an artificial goal. In a meeting with the permanent professors, he established the target of 20-25 percent in the “mid-term” and to “identify the criteria by which to judge our process and goals.”

In direction to department heads, the dean restated this as a need to reach 25 percent by the year 2000 and be halfway there by 1996. Each department used this guidance to develop a detailed transi-

(Continued on next to last page.)

Wings of Blue Regain National Championship

By Capt. Judith “Judy” A. Babcock, ’89 Asst. Parachute Flight Commander

While most college students were home for the holidays, dedicated collegiate parachutists gathered in Clewiston, Fla. for the annual National Collegiate Parachuting Championship (NCPC). Despite the fact that the championships had been seriously hampered by weather last year, the competitors returned in force. This year there were 104 competitors, hailing from 27 colleges, and representing virtually every geographic area of the United States.

Wings of Blue team members show off their national championship form. (Photos courtesy MSgt. West C. Jacobs III)

In past competitions, the Air Force Academy and West Point were fierce rivals who dominated the field. This is no longer the case. Civilian teams have grown increasingly competitive, leading to the elimination of separate civilian and military award divisions. Civilian parachutists have placed highly for several years, and last year the Overall Meet Champion was Texas A&M University.

Due to this increased competition from non-military collegiates, Air Force and West Point have closed ranks. Although a friendly rivalry exists, one is more likely to see camaraderie and assistance between these two teams now. (Annapolis does not currently compete at the National Collegiate Parachuting Championships.)

Having lost the top award to a civilian school for the first time, the service academies came to Clewiston with something to prove. And prove it they did. When the competition was over, the Air Force Academy had walked away with eight medals out of the 18 for which they had competed.

The NCPC ran from December 28th to January 1st, and was comprised of four events: relative work, canopy relative work, accuracy, and style. These events all have three rounds of competition except accuracy, which has four. Each of these events tests a different skill that the parachutists have developed. Relative work, canopy relative work, and style are all videotaped from cameras on the ground, and judged from the videotapes. Accuracy is judged live, by measuring the distance the jumper lands from the designated target.

The events are divided into classes by experience level. Accuracy and style are divided into three classes: novice, intermediate, and masters. The novice class consists of jumpers who have made 100 jumps or less. The intermediate class contains jumpers with 101 to 300 jumps. And the masters class has jumpers with more than 300 jumps.

Almost There!

Relative work is divided into novice and open classes. In this event two people (novice class) or four people (open class) exit an airplane simultaneously and attempt to build designated formations in freefall. They are scored by the number of formations properly built within the allotted 35 seconds of working time.

Canopy relative work is a fairly new event at NCPC. It has no class divisions. This event consists of four people exiting the aircraft simultaneously and opening their parachutes approximately 8,000 feet above the ground. The team attempts to join all four canopies into formations by actually grasping parts of each other’s canopies.

Style is an aerial event in which a jumper exits the plane individually and performs a designated sequence of left 360-degree turns, right 360-degree turns, and back loops. Jumpers attempt to turn to a precise heading and to execute the maneuvers as quickly as possible. Time penalties are added for failure to perform the maneuvers correctly. The jumper with the lowest cumulative time

(Continued on next page.)

Graduate’s Mobility Mobile

Dennis Brooks, ’75, drives his specially-modified golf cart around his neighborhood. Brooks, a former rescue and test helicopter pilot, became permanently disabled after he broke his neck three times and had an allergic reaction to medication. After medical retirementfrom the Air Force, he spentfive years homebound due to medicalproblems. The specially-modified cart now allows him to get to the local mini-mall and schools where he teaches model rocketry. For more information on the cart and traffic law considerations, contact Dennis at 8595 Contrails Ave., Colorado Springs, Colo. 80920-4965.

Using Life Insurance for Charitable Gifts

By Brad Gann, ’83 Personal Financial Planner

When most of us decide to make a charitable contribution, we pull out our checkbook. However, there are more innovative ways to support our favorite charities, some of them with unique tax considerations. One method is to use life insurance. Following are several ideas about using life insurance for a charitable gift.

Buying a new policy for charity. Sometimes people have a desire to make large gifts, but are uncomfortable parting with large sums of money, or feel they do not have the capital necessary at the present time. These people may be more likely to part with a smaller sum, which can be used to buy life insurance. Structured properly this type of contribution can be tax deductible, provide current income to the charity, and arrange for a sizeable gift in the future.

For example, a 65-year-old man could purchase a life insurance policy with a $100,000 death benefit by making a one-time gift of $36,000, lifetime annual gifts of $4,151, or annual gifts of $6,880 for seven years. Or for as little as $35 a month, a 35-year-old male could provide a $50,000 gift.

Donors who want to maintain control over the policy during their lifetimes may name themselves as the owner of the policy, with the charity being named beneficiary. When the ownership is structured in that manner, no charitable deduction can be taken until the death proceeds are paid. This type of gift provides flexibility and opportinity to both the donor and the charity.

Donate an existing policy to charity. Many people own life insurance policies that they no longer need, often because the policyholder’s children have grown or because the home mortgage has been paid. These policies, regardless of whether they are paid up (no longer require premium payments), provide an excellent way to make a tax-deductible gift to charity with no outof-pocket expenses.

All that’s required is a change in the ownership of the policy and the beneficiary designation assigned to a qualified charity of your choice. The income tax deduction will equal the replacement cost of the policy. (Your insurance company will provide you with this information.)

Capital replacement technique. With this method, you use life insurance to replace property you give to charity. Many people have property they would like to donate to charity, such as artwork, real estate, or stocks. However, some feel that such a donation might cut their family out of an inheritance.

An effective way to resolve this issue is to implement a capital replacement technique. Here’s how it works. The donor makes the gift and uses the income tax deduction to buy a life insurance policy with a death benefit that is equal to the value of the proper(Wings of Blue: From previous page.)

The fourth event in which collegiates compete is accuracy. Jumpers exit the plane individually at 3,000 feet and fly their canopies to land at a precise point on the ground. The target is a 35-centimeter diameter disk. A jumper’s landing distance is measured in centimeters from the center of the disk, up to five meters. Any distance greater than five meters is recorded as five meters.

Determined to prove that the Air Force Academy, which has won 21 out of 26 Collegiate Parachuting Championships, was up to the challenge of increased competition, the cadets trained hard all year. That training paid off with results that demonstrated that Air Force is still the team to beat.

AFA cadets brought home eight medals out of 18 for which they competed. Two cadets tied for second place overall in the intermediate division, and Air Force also took third place overall in this division. In the masters division, AFA took first, second, and two cadets split third overall.

And the award of Overall Meet Champion came home to the Air Force Academy.

ty. Structured properly, the charity gets the gift and the family gets the value of the inheritance that is due them and neither the value of the asset that is gifted to charity nor the proceeds of the policy will be included in the value of the estate for estate tax purposes.

The amount of the death benefit should be at least equal to the current value of the gifted property, plus the income from the property over the donor’s expected lifetime and the expected appreciation from the property.

Replace a bequest with life insurance. Some people want to leave specific assets to charity, but they are concerned about potential declines in the value of the asset.

By gifting life insurance instead, donors can accomplish three important objectives: it will help to ensure that the present value of the property is made available to the charity; it avoids probate costs associated with the settlement of the donor’s estate; and it avoids delays associated with the disposition of the donor’s estate.

If you are considering using life insurance for gifting, you should consult a financial professional to be sure of the right method for you. Brad Gann, Class of 1983, is a personal financial planner for IDS Financial Services, Inc. (an American Express company), and can be reached at (719) 593-1270.

Clubs Need Helping Hand

By Gary L. Burg, Class of ’86

In the past, I have seen articles in Checkpoints talking about supporting various clubs at the Air Force Academy. I have never paid too much attention to them until now. I am an assistant OIC of the USAFA Pistol Club and deal exclusively with the competitive pistol team. When I took over the role I am now in, the pistol team was in disarray, lacking the financial support and equipment it needed to compete with other teams around the nation. Many of the team’s pistols were in a non-operational status.

My first job was to send the weapons off to factory-authorized service centers to get as many of them back into operational status as possible. In doing so I severly drained the club’s annual budget. In the Collegiate Grand Prix that occured at the end of January, I was only able to send one shooter, the team’s potential three-event All-American. The Pistol Club needs to modernize but without outside assistance, i.e. contributions, I don’t see how it will be possible. Many other clubs are in the same situation with their annual budget only meeting travel expenses.

When the Pistol Team was an intercollegiate sport (as it was from 1956 until 1986), monies were much more accessible, but as more teams become clubs they are also dealing with the reality that they have to do the same with much less. In my situation, it is sad to see a sport, pistol, go from the intercollegiate powerhouse it once was, with more All-Americans than any other sport at the Academy, to a struggling club that has inferior equipment to almost every team it competes against. Some of its weapons are over 30 years old.

If you participated in a club while you were at the Academy or would like to promote one now, your support and contributions are greatly needed. Support your Academy and its clubs by giving generously and often. The reward will be knowing your money played a vital part in the success of the Air Force Academy and its extra-curricular programs. Donations through the AOG are being accepted continuously.

(Editor’s note: The annual Air Force Academy Fund is our vehicle to support cadet activities. You may make an unrestricted gift or designate an approved specific activity such as the Pistol Club to receive your donation. Send your tax-deductible donations to: AFA Fund, Association of Graduates, 3116 Academy Drive, Suite 100, U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo. 80840-4475.)

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

On Nov. 8, 1993, a very kind and generous member of the Class of 1559 entered into rest. Larry Cotton was in Houston, Texas for his second session of week-long chemotherapy treatments at the M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. While his response to the chemotherapy this time was not as positive or dramatic as had been experienced during the first week of therapy, his passing was as unexpected as it was sudden. He died quietly in his sleep while taking a morning nap with his wife and son at his side.

Larry was born in Colon, Republic of Panama, attended Canal Zone schools and graduated from Cristobal High School in 1955. He received his appointment to the Air Force Academy from the Canal Zone and entered the Academy in July 1955.

After graduation in June 1959, Larry married Sharon Stillman and attended pilot training at Spence AB, Ga. and Laredo AFB, Texas. He remained in Air Training Command for five years, instructing at Laredo AFB and Laughlin AFB.

In 1965 Larry transitioned into the RF-4C, and he was reassigned to Toul-Rosieres AB, France. His assignment in France was relatively short, and he went to Tan Son Nhut AB, South Vietnam to fly reconnaissance missions throughout the combat zone. While flying with the 12th TRS, Larry earned two Distinguished Flying Crosses and 11 Air Medals. Subsequent assignments in tactical reconnaissance took Larry to Bergstrom AFB, Texas; Kadena AB, Okinawa; Shaw AFB, S.C.; and Osan AB, South Korea.

Larry’s communication skills, both written and oral, were recognized and appreciated when he attended Squadron Officers School in 1965, when he was an operations controller at 9AF Headquarters, Shaw AFB, S.C. and later at Shaw AFB when he returned from Osan AB, South Korea to be an instructor pilot and executive officer for the 33rd TAC Reconnaissance Training Squadron. His communications skills were not unappreciated by me since he convinced me to take on the duties of secretary for the local San Antonio, Texas-area chapter of the Association of Graduates after he had performed the duties for a little over a year. He truly had a silver tongue. His wit and graciousness are sorely missed.

In addition to the decorations already mentioned, Larry earned two Meritorious Service Medals and the Air Force Commendation Medal. He was a life member of the Association of Graduates. Larry is survived by his wife, Sherry, his son Bob, a sister Sue, and his twin brother, Lee. (Bob Buckles, ’59)

On April 18, 1993, we lost our Class of 1960 classmate, Lloyd Ellis Shier, to a lingering illness.

Jim, as he was known, slipped the bonds of earth in Fullerton, Calif, where he had moved to the care of his brother, Episcopalian Father Mark Shier. Jim was a member of the second graduating class, spending two years at Lowry AFB and two at the present Academy. He spent his childhood and youth as a member of a mobile Air Force family, and graduated from high school at Murfreesboro, Tenn. and he considered Grants Pass, Ore. as his home.

Jim’s service assignments included flying C-124s at Donaldson AFB, S.C. and Tachikawa AB, Japan. He moved into the jet transport era with an assignment to Travis AFB, Calif, flying the C-141, an aircraft he especially enjoyed. After collecting five Air Medals as an 0-2 forward air controller at Da Nang, South Vietnam, Jim moved on to combat missile crew command at Whiteman AFB, Mo. He studied for and received a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Missouri at this time. Jim left the service in 1975 for a career in the publication and printing field in Dallas, Texas.

His continuing love of classical music was evidenced by his participation in vocal activities at the Academy, and his constant interest in orchestral performances, concerts and opera.

Jim was married to Sue Sharon in 1964, and their daughter, Elissa Shier, has chosen a career with American Airlines.

Jim should be remembered for the constant love he had for his daughter and family, the Air Force, and the opportunities for flight that he enjoyed so much. He was a life member of the Association of Graduates.

He is survived by his daughter, Elissa, of Arlington, Texas; his mother, Mrs. Frances Davies, of Seattle; his step-father, retired Chief Master Sgt. Neil Shier, of Grants Pass, Ore.; and brothers Mark, of Fullerton, Calif.; Roger, of Smyrna, Tenn.; and Tracy and Craig Shier, of Seattle, Wash. (Miles A. Kaspar Jr., ’60)

Timothy J. Brown, ’65

Timothy “T.J.” Brown. Born January 15, 1944; died August 9, 1993. I first met T.J. in 1974, about a year after he left the Air Force. I was still on active duty as a faculty member at the Army Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas. At the time, T.J. and I were proud owners of Starduster Too sport biplanes. One beautiful June afternoon I was sitting at my

Lawrence F. Cotton, ‘59

Lloyd E. Shier, ’60

Timothy J. Brown, ’65

Lawrence F. Cotton, ’59

Lloyd E. Shier, ’60

Frank Tipton Birk, ’68

first desk assignment recalling the war we both had just left just a short time ago. On the spur of the moment, I called him at his accounting office in Kansas City and said “Bonner Springs, 9,000 feet, 2100 Zulu”.

He was there. Not at 9,000 feet of course, but higher. We fought for what seemed like an eternity, but in reality was only a few minutes. I don’t really remember who “won”, (if anyone did), but the fight ended up in the tree tops. Just like the big leagues. Two Thud drivers reenacting the high points of their lives in biplanes over eastern Kansas.

In the years that followed, T.J. pursued his dreams, collected unique aircraft, and founded the first civilian four-ship aerobatic team in the United States. We called ourselves the Blackhawks and flew the airshow circuit with that team from 1984 to 1986 when it became the Holiday Inn Team. I left in 1987 and lost contact with T.J. He went on to expand his role in the airshow industry by adding an F-86 and a Mig-15 to his show.

I remember a lot of things about T.J.; his enthusiasm, intelligence, finishing high in his pilot training class and the Academy, getting the “fighter” assignment, an incredible ability to focus energy on the mission (any mission). I remember all those things, but mostly I’ll remember him as a man who took action on his dreams while most of us were still talking about ours.

He died in Kirgizstan, a former republic of the USSR, while evaluating a Czechoslovakian L-39 jet for his airshow business. T.J. Brown. Born January 15, 1944; died August 9, 1993. He made a dent. (Col. John C. Morrissey, Ret.)

Frank Tipton Birk, ’68

On April 29, 1993 Frank was traditionally wetted down after his final test flight in the B-2 Bomber and the F-16. The following day at his retirement ceremony, he relinquished command of the 6510th Test Group at Edwards Air Force Base. The most highly decorated Air Force pilot at the time of his retirement, he left the 2,000 member B-2 Test Wing with a legacy of leadership, friendship, and camaraderie.

Only Frank’s wife, Connie, and three children, John, 17; Margaret, 15; and Catherine, 13, received more love and devotion than his work in test flight. He had encouraged Connie in her recent return to teaching, and had found great joy in watching John’s basketball games and supporting Margaret’s and Catherine’s gymnastic competitions. Connie and the children were his greatest source of joy, and he was mindful of the sacrifices they made during his distinguished military career.

Two days after retiring from the Air Force, Frank joined Rockwell International as a senior test pilot. He joined a team testing a prototype jet trainer under development for the Air Force and Navy. Following three weeks of various tests, he was asked to fly a low-level stability test north of Munich, Germany in late July. Because of a mechanical flaw, and design problems, the plane could not be controlled and during a rapid descent, Frank was forced to eject.

James L. Meyer, ’68

Every family member who was able traveled to Germany to be at Frank’s bedside for six days before his death. One of his three younger brothers, Harold, ensured Frank’s safe return to the United States and to the Academy, where it was Frank’s wish to be buried. Frank’s family, along with many Air Force friends, arranged a beautiful and moving funeral and burial, which ineluded a flyover of two B-ls, just one of the many planes Frank played a role in developing.

Frank loved the Academy and the Air Force. His career included flights in 65 different aircraft, two tours and more than 800 combat missions during the Vietnam War. He earned two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Silver Stars, 27 Air Medals, and the Purple Heart, among others. He was also awarded the Laotian Order of the Elephants from the King of Laos, that country’s highest honor, which only two other Americans have ever received. In addition, he has been posthumously awarded his second Aerial Achievement Medal. Characteristically, though, Frank’s modesty kept him from discussing these recognitions, and it was only after his death that we learned the depth of love and respect which his colleagues hold for him. Their remembrances revealed to us the full measure of Frank’s humanity. As one friend later wrote, “We came to know that some human beings actually have imitated their Creator and that this is what the rest of us are called to do.”

A quarter century ago, we watched proudly from the Academy stadium as Frank graduated with the Class of 1968. The honor of that moment stood sharp in contrast to the turmoil our nation was experiencing at the time. It was sadly wrenching that the next time we would share with Frank the beauty of Colorado Springs and the Academy would be at his funeral. We will miss Frank, our husband, father, son, brother, and friend. He believed in living each day fully, as if he might risk squandering the gifts God gave him. From that memory we will gather our strength.

Frank was a member of the Association of Graduates. Friends and colleagues wishing to remember Frank are asked to do so through the association, where a boardroom chair and plaque have been reserved in his name.

James L. Meyer, ’68

James L. Meyer, Class of 1968, died Dec. 28, 1993 in an automobile accident near Sacramento, Calif. Memorial services were held in the Rotunda of the State Capitol building in Sacramento on Jan. 4, 1994. He was a life member of the Association of Graduates.

“Jimbo” or “Maya” as he was affectionately known by his family and friends, touched our hearts as only a few people can ever do. Jimbo grew up in the community of Elk Grove, Calif, where he excelled in football and met his childhood sweetheart, Lauralee. Upon high school graduation in 1964, Jim left for the Academy and new adventures and challenges. This is truly the way Jim looked upon life. He never backed down from the challenges which invariably led him on many new adventures.

Richard A. Schneider, ’82

Jimbo was a member of both 9th and 7th Squadrons at the Academy. While a member of Seagram Seven Squadron his first class year, Jim was instrumental in the remarkable turnaround in athletics for the squadron. In fact, for the first time Seagram Seven won the trophy that year as the best squadron in athletics, a feat which set the standard and was repeated for many years to come.

Upon graduation, Maya served as a procurement officer until he left the Air Force in 1972 and returned to Sacramento. Jim continued his schooling at this time and received a master’s degree from California State University, Sacramento in 1978 and then received his Doctor of Law degree in 1978 from McGeorge School of Law. With these condiderable skills in hand, Jimbo went on to serve as the senior consultant to the Assembly Republican Caucus of the California State Legislature. As was so typical of Jim, he loved to work behind the scenes for the changes he believed in, leaving the limelight for others to grovel in.

Maya’s other great love was his family. Jim married Lauralee shortly after graduation and they were later blessed with two fine boys, Brian and Kevin. Maya had an unrelenting commitment to his family that set the example so needed in this world of changing values. Jim used to tell his sons that he got them the best mother that he could find, and those who know Lauralee can only nod their head in hearty agreement. His devotion to his sons was almost fanatical and they were indeed a great source of pride to him. As Jim was so fond of saying “this is good” how these boys are developing and what Maya has left behind is good.

Jim is survived by his wife, Lauralee; sons Brian and Kevin; mother, Artis V. Meyer; and sister, Peggy Meyer La Vine. Sadly, Jim died without any insurance so the family has requested that any donations friends may wish to make be made to the Brian and Kevin Meyer Scholarship Fund, P.O. Box 1772, Sacramento, Calif. 95812.

In closing, Jimbo had a trademark way of greeting everyone. It always started with “greetings...” I quote from Jim’s memorial service: “Greetings” Jim Meyer would not want his friends to dwell on the sadness of this occasion, but rather to celebrate life, and share our good memories of a good friend. “See you in the future.”

Indeed we will Jimbo. I can just see Jim working behind the scenes now, helping to make sure all of God’s work is being done. We look forward to your welcome “Greetings” when we arrive. (Tim Ayres and George Roberts, ’68)

Richard A. Schneider, ’82

On Dec. 13th, 1993, we lost a great friend and hero to us all. Capt. Richard A. Schneider, Class of 1982, died after ejecting from his U-2R shortly after takeoff at Beale AFB, Calif. He was departing on a high-altitude training mission.

Rich was born and raised in Hanover, Mass, and graduated from Hanover High School. Because of his advancement two grades in school, Rich entered the Academy as the youngest

Carlton P. Wickliffe, ’84

member of the Class of’ 82. He graduated from CS-35 and was academically among the top 10 percent of the class.

Rich earned his pilot wings at Williams AFB, Ariz. where he also won academic honors. He did so well at pilot training, the T-38 squadron would not let him leave. After being a T-38 instructor for four and a half years, Rich was assigned to Little Rock AFB, Ark. flying C-130Es. While there, he participated in OPERATION JUST CAUSE, the invasion of Panama, as part of the initial asault. Rich and his crew successfully completed their mission and returned with 11 bullet holes in the aircraft.

Though Rich did an outstanding job while stationed at Little Rock, he wasn’t truly satisfied with the direction his flying career was headed. In 1990, Rich’s frustration over his flying assignments ended when he was assigned to fly U-2s at Beale AFB, Calif. To say he loved flying the U-2 and its mission is an understatement. During the Persian Gulf War, Rich flew many reconnaissance missions over the Middle East. The last time I saw him was at RAF Alconbury, United Kingdom. He was returning from the Desert to Beale AFB. I asked him what he had been up to, and with a smile I will never forget he said, “Flying operational reconnaisssance missions.”

Rich was the consumate “quiet professional.” He expertly lead the way and set the example for others without expecting the fanfare or accolades he sincerely deserved. Simply put, Rich got the job done. His professional accomplishments have set the standard for all of us to achieve, but for those of us fortunate enough to know Rich, his generosity is what we will miss the most. Rich was always there for you when it mattered. The countless number of people whose lives were touched by him while at the Academy, pilot training, and his operational squadrons will attest to this fact.

On December 17th, Rich was put to rest with full military honors at St. Francis Cemetery in Phoenix, Ariz. As the U-2 flyby disappeared into the sky above us, we couldn’t help but feel Rich was the pilot, departing on the highest of all operational reconnaissance missions. You’ll be in our hearts forever, Rich. Take it easy, you’ve earned it.

Rich is survived by his wife, Marlene; his five precious children, Brooke, Kyle, Brandon, Andrea, and Connor; his parents, Bob and Peg Schneider; his brothers, Brian and Steve; and many other friends and relatives. To contribute to a memorial fund for the Schneider family, write to: Sierra Central Credit Union, c/o Richard Schneider, P.O. Box C, Beale AFB, Calif. 95903. Also, to contribute to the Richard Schneider Scholarship, given to the most qualified graduating senior at Hanover High School so he or she will have the opportunity to reach the heights Rich did, write to: Richard Schneider Scholarship, P.O. Box 1154, West Hanover, Mass. 02339. (Capt. Jim Willsie, ’82)

Carlton P. Wickliffe, ’84

Captain Carlton Phillip Wickliffe, husband of Beatrice, was

James H. Reynolds, Jr., ’86

born Feb. 13, 1962, at Nellis AFB, Nev. Raised of military parents, Carlton was destined for a military vocation. As a young lad of many travels, Carlton has spent a great deal of time at Vandenberg AFB, Calif, and Columbus, Ohio where he finished his high school career.

Upon graduation from high school he was awarded the opportunity to become an Air Force Academy candidate. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant after his graduation with a B.S. degree. He continued his education by earning a Master of Science degree in human resource management. His soft-spoken approach to communicating with others was indicative of his sensitive character.

Carlton and Beatrice were happily married for over four years and were blessed with four children (Anthony, Monzel, Taryn and Carlton Jr.). Tragically this union came to an end on July 17, 1993 in Mescalero, N.M. Not overly pious but God fearing, Carlton was raised in the Wesley United Methodist Church and often practiced his belief through his exemplary living.

He began his career at the 1st Security Police Squadron, Langley AFB, Va. Arriving at Holloman AFB, N.M. in November 1987,, he served as section commander of the 49th Security Police Squadron at the base. He served overseas in support of Operation DESERT STORM, in Saudi Arabia and deployments to Panama.

Carlton was loved by his family and had a close association with various organizations showing his variety of dedication. Among the many association affiliations were the Prince Hall Lodge #11 F & AM (PHA), American Brotherhood Aimed Toward Education and Safety (ABATE), Toastmasters, NAACP, Red Cross Board of Directors, the Association of Graduates, and the 12th Judicial District Law Enforcement Association. Although Carlton’s life was shortened by tragedy, his contributions to society will be remembered by friends and loved ones alike.

James H. Reynolds, Jr., ’86

On Aug. 10, 1993, Capt. James H. Reynolds, Jr. was killed when his F-16 crashed during a training mission at the Nellis Air Force Base Range. Captain Reynolds (“Malibu”) was a member of the 414th Training Squadron at Nellis and had been stationed in Las Vegas since 1991. He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. James H. Reynolds, Sr., of Eustis, Fla.

Jimmy received his bachelor of science in engineering from the Academy in 1986. He was a distinguished graduate in the undergraduate pilot training program at Williams AFB, Ariz. (where he received the ATC Commander’s Trophy) and Lead-in Fighter Training at Holloman AFB, N.M. in 1987. After attending F-16 RTU at Luke AFB. Ariz., he was assigned to the 308th Tactical Fighter Squadron at Homestead AFB, Fla. While at Homestead, Jimmy served as a mission commander, instructor pilot, and chief of Squadron Standardization/Evaluation. He won a number of wing competitions, including the low-angle

strafe (LAS), Top Gun for both the first and second halves of 1990, and the Overall Top Gun for January to June 1990.

In 1991, he was selected to join the Adversary Tactics Division of Red Flag, Nellis AFB, Nev. where he served as a mission commander, an instructor pilot, and was a member of the Weapons and Tactics Branch. Jimmy’s military decorations include the Air Force Commendation Medal with one oak leaf cluster, Combat Readiness Medal, and the National Defense Service Medal, among others.

While at the Air Force Academy, Jimmy spent hours at the local airport taking aerobatics lessons and learning to fly the “Great Lakes” and “S2B Pitts” aircraft. It was then that he began to dream of designing and constructing his own highperformance aerobatics airplane. He realized his dream while stationed at Homestead AFB. With the help of a local mechanic, Jimmy constructed his own aerobatics airplane which he named the “Wildcat.” The design and construction took over three years.

When Jimmy was assigned to Nellis AFB in 1991, he joined the local chapter of the International Aerobatics Club and soon became the star attraction of the air shows he performed in. He gave generously of his time, talent and resources to various charity and aviation events. He has been referred to as the unofficial “ambassador” of Nellis Air Force Base to the Las Vegas community and to general aviation pilots of southern Nevada. As a tribute to Jimmy’s life and the high standards that he set for himself, Chapter 777 of the International Aerobatics Club has established the “Malibu Award” which will be presented to a pilot who emulates the skill, excellence and professionalism that characterized the life of Captain Jim “Malibu” Reynolds.

Soon after his death, Jimmy qualified for the North American P-51 competition, an aircraft he had dreamed of flying since his youth, and was scheduled to compete in the Reno Air Races.

Jimmy was a loving son, loyal friend and extremely talented pilot who touched many lives with his vigor and enthusiasm. His memory will always remind us to never give in to complacency and mediocrity but to always strive for excellence in everything we do. This is Jimmy’s legacy to those who knew him. Thanks Jimmy for a “race well run,” we just wish it had been much longer.

A scholarship fund has been established in Jimmy’s honor. Donations to the Capt. James H. Reynolds Scholarship Fund can be sent to the First Union Bank, Eustis Square Office, 50 W. Ardice Ave., Eustis, Fla. 32726. The fund will be used to award a scholarship to a Eustis High School college-bound senior every year. (Leslie Campione)

David Matthew Niklas, ’93

Second Lieutenant David Matthew Nicklas, 22, Class of 1993, died on Oct. 19, 1993 at 6 p.m. as a result of injuries received in a motorcycle accident. At the time of his death David was serving as executive officer of the 99th Flight Training Squadron at Ran(Continued on next page.)

David Matthew Nicklas, ’93

1993 Graduate’s Organs

(Editor’s note: The article below is a letter to AOG Executive Vice President Dick Coppockfrom the wife ofthe recipient ofthe heart of2nd Lt. David M. Nicklas, Class of 1993, who died of injuries sustained in a motorcycle accident on Oct. 16, 1993. In addition to David’s heart, his kidneys are now making a more normal lifepossiblefor a mother ofseven in Washington and a father offour in San Antonio, and his corneas now make sight possiblefor two active-duty personnel in San Antonio.)

Dear Sir,

Mark Waggoner contacted my husband, Rodney DeBaun, a couple of nights ago. Mark is the best friend of my husband’s heart donor, David Nicklas. He told him that you are doing an article on David and asked if we would send you some information on our family. My name is Isibelle and I am 34 years old. We have two boys ages 11, Heath, and 8, Chase. My husband is 36 years old. His heart was damaged by a virus that settled in the lining of the heart. The only time we remember him being sick was in February, 1993. The doctors figure that was when he must have contacted the virus. Rodney was very active athletically. He was playing in a couple of basketball leagues at the time he got sick. After basketball season was over it was on to softball. He and I played on a co-ed team together and in addition to that he played in three other men’s leagues. About May he started noticing that his stamina was not what it used to be, but we just put if off to excessive work and stress. His condition continued to worsen and by the middle of June he couldn’t sprint to first base without being winded.

After visiting our family doctor and discovering that his heart was enlarged, a friend recommended a Dr. Grodin with Texas Cardiology at Baylor Hospital in Dallas. We saw him on June 29. He did an ECG and told us Rodney’s heart was severly damaged and that he would eventually need a transplant. He scheduled an angiogram for July 1 to better tell if the damage was as extensive as he thought.

Shortly after the angiogram it was discovered that Rodney had developed a life-threatening condition called ventricular tachycardia. He was admitted to Baylor Hospital on July 13 to load him up on a medicine called amiodorone to control the v-tach. Because this medication is quite toxic to the body the doctors do not like anyone to be on it for very long and it was decided that he should go ahead and be placed on the transplant list. After a couple of weeks delay to get everything approved with our insurance he was placed on the list. The wait was on. We were told that the average wait was six months to one year.

(Gone But Not Forgotten: From previous page.)

dolph Air Force Base in San Antonio, Texas.

Dave, more commonly known as “CUZ” or “Cousin Dave” among his fellow cadets becauses of his slow Texas drawl, was a very outgoing young man who never met a stranger. The cards and letters received by his parents from his friends and acquaintances not only proved that, but served as an inspiration and comfort to them. One such letter came from an Italian student receiving his education and pilot training in the United States with whom Dave had been corresponding for the last four years. His statement that Dave was his second best friend in the whole world and his very best friend in the United States was very comforting to us. Dave’s AOC at the Academy, Maj. Rusty Reed, USMC, wrote that he never saw Dave without a smile on his face and an encouraging word for anyone who might need it.

Perhaps it is only fitting that even in his death Dave continues to extend his helpfulness. His heart is now providing life for a young father of two, his kidneys are now making a more normal life possible for a mother of seven in Washington and a father of four in San Antonio. His corneas now make sight possible for two active-duty personnel in San Antonio. Not only does Dave continue helping others in this manner, but a scholarship fund established in Dave’s name will help young people from his old high school continue their education.

Dave truly appreciated and enjoyed his four years at the Air Force Academy and the short time he was able to serve his country in the manner he felt he could best do so. Perhaps his only regret was being denied the pilot training slot as promised when he made his commitment to the Air Force in 1989. He and his fellow denied classmates are to be admired for their sense of devotion ,and service to country for fulfilling the commitment they made.

David is survived by his parents, David and Joyce Nicklas; his

Provide Life for Others

We had never met David Nicklas but we knew his grandfather, Lucky Bramlett, very well. We met Lucky a few years ago through a mutual friend of Lucky’s and Rodney’s named Ken. Ken called me Monday, Oct. 18 to see how Rodney was doing and told me that Lucky’s grandson had been in a motorcycle accident and was in critical condition at a hospital in San Antonio. On Tuesday morning Ken called Rodney and told him that Lucky’s grandson was not going to live and that the family wanted him to receive his heart. We contacted Dr. Whiddon and he said that he would check it out but for us not to get our hopes up because the chance of everything matching was small. Throughout the day Tuesday there were telephone conversations back and forth. Finally at about 11 p.m. we got the call to go to the hospital. Rodney was transplanted early the next morning. He has made a speedy recovery leaving the hospital in only nine days.

There are many similarities between Rodney and David. Both played basketball and both shared a love of flying. It is my husband’s greatest wish that he will be able to retain his pilot’s license. We feel that we received an extra special gift because David’s heart was given specifically to Rodney. As far as heart transplants go our doctor knew of no other case where the heart was designated for a specific person and it was a match. Not a day goes by that we don’t think about David and his family and the gift they gave us.

Yesterday on ABC’s nightly news their “Person of the Week” was a lady who had donated her daughter’s organs after she had been killed in a violent crime. She told the interviewer that “life was worth living to the fullest and worth giving to the fullest”. That is what David did. From the descriptions of David that have been given to us by his family and friends, we know that David lived his life to the fullest and with his death he gave to the fullest. Besides Rodney there are at least three other persons who received a gift of a kidney or liver from David. David’s family may never know who the other recipients were but I know that they are in the prayers and thoughts of those people and their families as well.

I hope that you will express in your article the need for organ donation. The transplant coordinator at our hospital told us that if only 10 percent of the population of the United States would become donors there would be a surplus of organs. Becoming a bone-marrow donor is something anyone can do while they are still alive. It is truly the gift of life.

Thank you, Isibelle DeBaun brother, Jeffery Mark (Rowdy), USMC; and two sisters, Rebecca Jean and Sarah Joyce; grandparents, W.H. (Lucky) and Joyce Bramlett, W.J. and Della Nicklas; and great grandmother Gertrude Bramlett, numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

David was active in all sports, was a member of the Association of Air Force Academy Graduates and the Rodeo Club where he rode bulls and broncos. David was a Christian, strong in his faith and belief. In the 1993 yearbook, after thanking everyone, he wrote “P.S., I want my pilot slot.” We believe that God has given Dave his wings and that he is soaring on high. (Hisfamily)

At press time we had learned of the deaths of the following graduates and cadet.

Maj. (Ret) Nathaniel H. Keezel, Jr., Class of 1959, who died of cancer on Nov. 7, 1993 in Marietta, Ga.

Mr. Richard B. Shepard, Class of 1960, who died of a brain tumor on Jan. 18, 1994 in Naples, Fla.

Col. (Ret) Howard F. Nichols, Class of 1962, who died of cancer on Jan. 2, 1994 at Warner Robins, Ga.

Capt. (Med Ret) Bruce P. Gordon, Class of 1970, who died of a heart attack on Jan. 18, 1994 in Panama City, Fla.

Lt. Col. John M. Steward, Class of 1975, who died when his F-16A aircraft crashed into the North Atlantic Ocean on Dec. 17, 1993.

Mr. Terry L. Grunden, Class of 1983, who died of accidental causes on Dec. 22, 1993 at Tacoma, Wash.

Capt. Michael C. Branche, Class of 1987, who died of cancer on Dec. 29, 1993 at Barksdale AFB, La.

Cadet Second Class David W. Weber, Class of 1995, who died in a tow-plane crash on Jan. 28, 1994 at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo.

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

CHAPTER NEWS

ARIZONA CHAPTER

The Third Annual Get-Together and Organizational Meeting (and Super Bowl Party) was held on Sunday, Jan. 30, beginning one-half hour before kickoff and continuing until the end of the game. We discussed the planning of our 1994 events during half-time. Ron, ’71, and Barb Marusiak graciously hosted this party for the third time. If you did not make this function and have some ideas for events that we should plan in 1994, please feel free to call me or drop me a short note. We would like to get more graduates and their families involved. We are looking to plan events that you would do anyway, but would be more fun with an Academy group, i.e., family day at a park, football outing, etc.

The chapter also had a very nice outing watching Air Force’s football victory over West Point. The function was well attended and it was nice seeing everyone and cheering Air Force to victory over Army. If you have not paid your 1993 or 1994 Arizona Chapter dues, please send a check for $20 payable to Arizona Chapter AFA AOG to John Mahoney, ’81, 5326 East Kathleen

REQUESTS FOR ACADEMY STAFF AS SPEAKERS

In order to provide better assistance to AOG Chapters seeking speakers from the Academy, please submit a letter to HQ USAFA/XPAA, Attn: Capt. Richard Klodnicki, USAF Academy, Colo. 80840-5241, at least six months in advance, with the following information: What, when, where? Who on the Academy staff would you like to have speak at your function? Also provide the names of two other speakers you would like to have if your first or second choice is not available.

To aid speaker preparation, we will also need to know the audience, along with any particular interest of the group in any aspect of the Academy, and a recommended speaker’s attire for the event. Please include who will be in the audience (i.e., alums, spouses, parents’ clubs, LOs, etc.) and what the occasion is for the event.

A point of contact for the event (i.e., name, address, home and work phone numbers) is needed to make the appropriate arrangements. You can call XPA at (719) 472-3832, DSN 259-3832, for initial inquiry but must back up your call with a letter requesting the speaker.

Road, Scottsdale, Ariz. 85254-1757.

If you recently moved to Arizona or have not received our mailings, please contact Jim Sienicki, ’74, at Snell & Wilmer, One Arizona Center, Phoenix, Ariz. 85004-0001, to be added to the master mailing list. (Jim Sienicki)

CAPITAL CHAPTER

The Capital Chapter started the new fiscal year with several events centered around the Navy game. The chapter hosted the traditional Falcon football luncheon where nearly 80 people enjoyed a pre-Navy game meal at the Doubletree Hotel, game films, and comments from the Honorable Sheila Widnall and the Academy leadership. The AFA Cadet Drum and Bugle Corps made a guest appearance in the Pentagon Center Court and “drummed” up the AF spirits for the big game. Steve Pitotti, ’75, coordinated the Navy game tailgate where a contingent of nearly 2,300 grads and friends gathered. Regrettably the day did not have a happy ending as the Falcons lost a heartbreaker to the squids.

We plan to continue our quarterly luncheons, which continue to be an excellent opportunity for the membership to meet and hear from distinguished speakers. Secretary Widnall has agreed to speak at the November luncheon another sign of her interest in and support of USAFA.

Future plans include the establishment of a classmate network to help improve participation and communication with the grads in the capital area. The idea is to set up points of contact from each class to help shotgun information to grads and to bring class spirit into all of our events.

Our current chapter officers include Ed Eberhart, ’68, president; Tom McNish, ’64, vice president; Kerry May, ’71, treasurer; Steve Daniels, ’74, secretary; Paco Burrell, ’80, luncheons/projects; and Jerry Perkins, ’86, publicity/membership.

If you are interested in joining the chapter or want more info, contact Jerry Perkins, ’86, (w) (703) 697-9338 or (h) (703) 742-4006. (Ed Eberhart)

FRENCH EXCHANGE CHAPTER

The French contingent of Exchange ’93 finished their semester-long visit with a 16-day tour of USAF installations. Their first stop was San Diego which was the departure point for their flight from “the beach” to the Kittyhawk, an aircraft carrier built in 1958. During the flight to and from the carrier, all nine aspirants and their escort, Maj. Greg Verser (EX ’80), logged one day “trap” (carrier landing) and one

“cat shot” (catapult assisted carrier takeoff) in the Navy’s “Greyhound” liaison aircraft. The group spent two days and one night on the carrier and watched both day and night launches and recoveries of aircraft. The ship’s crew, including the captain, gave the group extensive tours of the Kittyhawk facilities.

The next stop was Phoenix, Ariz. where the French cadets each received two rides in the F-16. Two of the Aspis even got terrainfollowing night rides in LANTIRNequipped F-16s.

After Phoenix, the group visited Nellis AFB, Nev., and were compelled to stay downtown and sample the pleasures of Las Vegas. Two Aspis got F-16 rides while at Nellis, the entire group saw a Red Flag mission from briefing through debriefing on the “Big Board” (a real-time display of aircraft position), and Aspis Brault and Valat were interviewed by the local paper.

Edwards was the last stop of the whirlwind tour. They were anxiously anticipating rides in several different aircraft (T-38, A-37, F-16 and B-52) at the time of printing. From there they would proceed to Los Angeles to await their ride home on a French Air Force DC-8.

We enjoyed having them here at USAFA, and look forward to many stories from the returning U.S. cadets in January! (Capt. Evelyn Scanlon, ’84, DFF, DSN: 259-4123)

Chapter Updates

The AOG attempts to maintain a current list of active AOG Chapters and Societies and their officers. The following updates the list of known chapters/societies and their presidents which was published in the Summer ’93 magazine. Corrections, additions and deletions concerning chapters should be forwarded to the AOG vice president, Services. Individuals interested in starting an AOG Chapter should also contact the AOG vice president, Services.

LtCol (Ret) Richard Fairlamb, ’61

NORTH TEXAS CHAPTER

6209 Ponderosa St. Colleyville, TX 76034-6012

Col (Ret) A1 Waters, ’59

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER

8504 Annette Engel Way

Fair Oaks, CA 95628

Mr Ken Wentzel, ’64

ORANGE COUNTY CHAPTER

1428 Keel Dr.

Corona Del Mar, CA 92625-1239

Capt (USAFR) Glenn D. Seitchek, ’83 AFA SOCIETY of NORTH CAROLINA

1211-307 Westview Lane Raleigh, NC 27605-3216

NORTHWEST CHAPTER

Greetings from the great Northwest. This fall has been a busy time for the chapter. In late October the chapter hosted the Puget Sound’s Inter-service Academy Alumni Dinner at the Museum of Flight. Congresswoman Jennifer Dunn of the 8th Congressional District was our guest speaker. About 150 grads, spouses, and friends put on their tuxedos, “Messy Dresses’’, and formal Sunday afternoon attire for the evening. Congresswoman Dunn provided a very interesting and informative view of her first year in Congress. Many thanks to Richard Belden, ’69, and Brian DeLucca, ’67, for helping set up the event.

In late November the chapter attended a presentation by the Academy’s Superintendent Lt. Gen. Bradley Hosmer, ’59. The event was sponsored by the local chapter of the Air Force Association. The general expresed his views on the state of the Academy and his perception of the challenges ahead for our grads. Over 100 grads, retired military, parents of cadets, and friends listened to a very informative and eloquent presentation which provided great insight into the way cadet life is today. The chapter would like to extend its ap

preciation to the general for taking the time to speak with us.

We’re looking forward to a very busy schedule of upcoming events. A ski day, “Dark Ages Party’’, local pleasure cruise around Puget Sound, and Sea Fair party are scheduled for 1994. During December through January we will be conducting our annual membership drive. The chapter is over 90 members strong but if you know of any potential members, please ask them to call Richard Belden at (206) 236-7621, Steve Flewelling, ’87, at (206) 453-2214 or Daucey Brewington, ’70, at (206) 888-2426. (Joe Cavazzini, ’82)

NORTHERN CALIFORNIA CHAPTER

The Northern California Chapter met December 4th at Mountain Home Inn on Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County. Our host was Ed Cunningham, ’67, who is the proprietor of the inn. Ed also led us on a highspeed hike up the mountain. Fortunately, we were not carrying armaments or backpacks. After a nice dinner and a great view of San Francisco Bay we finally got some true stories about the Class of ’59 from Charlie Cole who served as an ATO when the Class of ’59 was in its formative

years. The chapter will meet in San Jose on March 19th, in Oakland or at Treasure Island in late June, in Sacramento or Travis in late September and again at the Mountain Home Inn the first Saturday in December 1994. If you would like to be on our mailing list please send your name and address to Chuck Reed, ’70, at Reed, Elliott, Creech & Roth, 99 Almaden Boulevard, Eighth Floor, San Jose, Calif. 95113. Telephone: (408) 993-9911. Facsimile: (408) 993-1335. (Chuck Reed)

SOUTHWEST OHIO CHAPTER

After our very successful State of the Wing Dinner in October with the dean, Brig. Gen. Randy Cubero, ’61, there is no doubt this chapter once again has the support of the graduate community in the Dayton area. Maj. Leona Flores, ’81, did a terrific job of pulling the event together. We are planning a second State of the Wing Dinner with Superintendent Lt. Gen. Bradley Hosmer, ’59, on March 31. We’ll mail formal announcements to those who responded to our October event. Anyone else interested in being part of the “new” chapter call Ed Mechenbier, ’64, at (513) 429-6789.

Inaugural Service Academy Alumni Golf Classic Tees Off

By Bill Reemtsma, ’63

It was hard to tell what flew the farthest the golf balls, the divots, or the B.S. Disregarding the record low temperatures, (even light snow flurries!) the golf teams from the Air Force Academy, West Point, and the Merchant Marine Academy joined with approximately 100 of each school’s graduates for a friendly but competitive weekend of golf in Dallas, Texas, Oct. 29-31, 1993.

Army won the collegiate competition. However, with $5,000 donated to each school’s golf program there were no losers. The shot of the tournament was a 350-yard drive by Rick Sargent (USAFA ’80) which hit the green on the par-four 14th hole missed the eagle, but what an easy birdie.

The weekend’s festivities included two rounds of golf, a barbecue, a Tex-Mex fiesta, entertainment by Howard and the Fine Sisters (three crazy ladies who sang a 1940s set, a countryand-western set and a 1960s beehive set); awards ceremonies and a

camaraderie among each school’s graduates that was unmatched.

The major sponsor of the tournament, USAA, was well represented by Chairman Emeritus Brig. Gen. (Ret) Robert F. McDermott, Chairman Gen. (Ret) Robert T. Herres, Ed Rosane, ’59; Jack Swonson, ’62; and Jim McIntyre, ’64. thqir participation and support insured the tournament’s success. In addition, Tom Moore of Anheuser-Busch provided complimentary beverages and joined with other sponsors (E-Z-Go Golf Cars, Delta Air Lines, Coca-Cola, and the U.S. Military Sports Association) to assist with funding.

We thank the sponsors and participants with our highest compliment we’re going to do it again next year. The 1994 Service Academy/Alumni Golf Classic will be held in Dallas the weekend of Oct. 22-25, 1994. Entry forms will appear in future issues of Checkpoints magazine. You can also call Bill Reemtsma, ’63, tournament director, at (214) 357-5502. (Bill Reemtsma)

The top team in the tournament stands by the tee shot ofRick Sargent, ’80 350 yards to a par-four green. From left are Rick, Howard Ratcliffe, ’80; Jim Fagan, ’94 (AFA golf team); John Schlotz, ’80; and Mike Parker, ’81.

Bill Reemtsma, ’63, tournament director (at center), presents awards to two Class of 1959 graduates, Bob Lowe and Bill Toney, at the inaugural service academy alumni golf classic in Dallas played the weekend of Oct. 29-31, 1993.

’83 Reunion Was the “Best To Be”

By Jeff Barnson, ‘83 Class of 1983 Reunion Chairman Member, AOG Board of Directors

Did you notice how everyone but you had aged the first weekend in October when nearly 500 of your closest classmates returned to the Aluminum Womb? We made up for the thinning gray hair by partying like we used to. Some partied hardier than the rest of us.

Wednesday night found us imbibing a bit. It wasn’t Guieseppes’ but the company of long-lost classmates made up for that. A few people were still looking for a free drink some people never change. The conversation ranged from, “Yes, I used to fly for American,” to “Yea, I married an 0-6. So what?” The most common greeting was, “Hey, I know you!” Answered by an equally intelligent, “Yea, who are you?”

Enjoying the 10-year gathering from left are Jaimee (Treece) Smyser, Steve Wood, Jeff Barnson (author) and Emily Regh.

Thursday, a bus load of “lucky” souls ventured up to Cripple Creek to test the odds at the new casinos. To their amazement, no big winners were found. Later, the rest of us showed to register and eat and drink our way into the annals of Embassy Suites history. I personally lost count at 23 barbecue sausages though I NEVER attempted to retrieve my broken potato chips from the dip bowl. Mrs. Louise Brown, former Cadet Wing hostess, would have been proud! Well, maybe not exactly proud, but I did notice that most off us followed Brig. Gen Beckel’s advice and did not wear T-shirts.

Friday, some tried their hand at golf, USAFA style. The rest of us took in the sights and sounds of downtown, 1993 USAFA. Mitch’s still serves ’em up hot three times a day. How ’bout that lunch? Four thousand young cadets and 200 slightly-used excadets. And don’t ask for the Form 0-96. Since training at the tables died a fiery death they too have passed the way of the dinosaur. After receiving the “General” view of the wing we reconvened at the Memorial Ceremony. There we paid our respects to our fallen comrades. I knew I’d hear an, “Absent Sir!” for one of our own when we first stood in this moving ceremony 14 years ago. Let us all remember Cody Carr, and those who’ve gone before.

After the biggest group photo opportunity I’ve seen, we found ourselves in the Embassy Suites testing our gastro-intestinal overfill light once again. Serious buffoonery was not to be seen, unless you consider Dave Tisdale’s story of OTFs, endless tours, and dorm room campfires an entry in this category. Brian Bishop spoke of the horrors of ACSC and Greig Glover modestly discussed the challenges of med school. Dr. (Major) Wayne Sumpter suffered through, “Hey Wayne, it hurts when I do this.” Bobby Ravina brought the youngest date in the form of his nine-year-old daughter.

Most gray hair award went to Sean Heatherman, who when asked what happened replied, “I got old!” Wait ’til 2003 Sean, my wife says I’ll have you beat hands down by then. Leastchanged honors to Darren Durkee. Best looking A-jacket

Best line fed to his commander to get to the reunion has to go to Mike Bartley. His squadron commander’s son is a firstie in my squadron. Mike sniveled his way out of another all-expense-paid trip to Turkey courtesy of your United States Air Force by promising to check in on Cadet First Class Jackson. Cadet Jackson reports that he was indeed visited by said Captain Bartley. I think it was on his way to the airport. Still waiting ’til the last moment like any good ’83er.

Saturday, we partook of the three B’s: beans, barbecue and buses at Doolittle Hall. Some of us had to work. Well, attending my 53rd cadet parade isn’t too stressful especially since I sit in the stands rather than stand on the field. Once a Cadet Wing Commander, always a Cadet Wing Commander Zazworsky attempted to command a less than nine-by-nine block of Mellow Yellows as the Wing passed in review. The commandat asked me later about my squadron commander’s “non-standard” saber manual. The joys of AOCdom. I heard the “Fun Run” was fun that is. Personally, I think it an oxymoron to have those words side by side.

Then it was off to the football game. A big thank you to Coach DeBerry and the Falcons for bringing us Air Force Football just like we remembered it. I did enjoy watching Denny Moore work “The Wave” courtesy of ’83. Speaking of losing, if anybody found John Davis’ camera, give him a call in Arizona. Did

Smilingfor the camera from left are Tony Hudson, Rita Burr’s significant other, Rita, and Kelly Barnson (author’s wife). recognition to Lou Caporicci. Kevin Carreno won the least offensive lawyer trophy; runner-up was Joe Banna. Tom Benson was definitely the most eligible bachelor.

A happy group swapping tall stories from left are Julie Blust (Ray’s wife), Dan Brunskole, Ray Blust (classpresident), wife of the unknown ’83er, and the unknown ’83er himself!

anyone else notice how much more fun Falcon Football is while you’re wrestling with assorted children ages six months to six years? Most of us didn’t have that additional duty 10 years ago unless you count...no, I’d better leave THAT one alone.

While most of you scampered off to impromptu parties for your last blast into the past, some of we hardy few manned the Jabara Banquet. Well dressed men, stunning gowns worn by the ladies, and an honored Jabara Award recipient coupled with an outstanding Mitch’s formal dining experience for a night to be remembered. The Cadet Chorale gave its usual memorable performance backed up by a few of us old retreads. “God Bless the USA” struck a heart string or two as it did for many of us in a Saudi hangar three years ago.

Finally, the women ’83ers enjoyed a reunion brunch on Sunday. Despite the scuffle over champagne, a warm and wonderfull time was had by all. Rumor has it that they had so much fun they’re offering to invite the guys in 2003!

All in all, three or four days seemed to fly by. Perhaps my aged receptors went into sensory overload with 460-plus classmates stirring up so many long-suppressed memories. Call me crazy but I had a great time. A hearty thanks goes out to the AOG staff for

‘61 Grad Named Aviation DirectorforAlbuquerque, N.M.

Hanson L. Scott, ’61, has been selected by Albuquerque, N.M. Mayor Martin Chavez to succeed Carl P. Rodolph as director of Aviation for the City of Albuquerque.

Hanson Scott, at left, takes over as Albuquerque Director of Aviation from Carl P. Rodolph.

Scott, who officially assumed his new position on January 8, was recently employed by Quatro Corporation, an Albuquerque technology commercialization firm, serving as marketing director.

A native of Reserve, N.M., and a 1961 graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy, Scott is a command pilot with more than 6,000 flying hours and a rated parachutist. He completed his 30-year Air Force career with the rank of brigadier general. During his last assignment he was commander, Special Operations Command, Pacific, and earlier was vice commander of the Military Airlift Command’s 23rd Air Force and the Air Force Special Operations Command. In the late 1960s he was an RB-57F pilot with the 58th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron at Kirtland Air Force Base.

Scott and his wife, the former Laraine Newman of Melrose, N.M. are the parents of two sons.

Rodolph told Aviation Department employees that after 44-plus years in the work force, he had “decided to retire for the very last time” on January 7 and that he planned “to devote my energies to wife, children and grandchildren” in the future.

Rodolph had served as Aviation director since 1990. His first retirement came in 1979 after a 30-year career with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. He subsequently was director of the Albuquerque Municipal Development Department, a development partner with Brown and Associates, and a vice president at Greiner Engineering Inc.

’83 ladies from left are Sue Ross, Holly Franz and Lorraine Roberts.

all their help, especially Colonel Jock Schwank. They did the lion’s share of the work to pull off this, the best reunion ever! See ya’ in 10 years!

Admissions Liaison Officers Recruit, Evaluate Applicants

When you offer 1,200 high school students a $250,000 college education absolutely free, you want to be sure you’re offering the opportunity to the right 1,200.

All of the prominent national universities and colleges use a quantitative system comprised of SAT/ACT scores, high school grade-point average, class rank, and a variety of other inputs when determining whether to select a student. However, the one input that is so necessary to the selection process is qualitative not quantitative; that is the personal touch.

The extraordinary demands and rewards of the Academy experience insist that we find the 1,200 who are right for an appointment. For USAFA, the personal touch is provided through a 1,900-member Admissions Liaison Officer (ALO) force that serves every community in the United States, as well as most parts of Europe, the United Kingdom, Puerto Rico, and many areas of the Pacific.

The ALO recruits, counsels, motivates, and evaluates young men and women for USAFA and AFROTC. The ALOs visit assigned schools every year, visit students and parents at their homes, attend college fairs, sporting events, military balls, and dinners.

ALOs are geographically organized into 82 worldwide units. Each unit is supervised by a Liaison Officer Commander (LOC). There are three categories of ALOs. Primary Duty ALOs are Reserve officers whose only job in the Reserves is to support Academy and AFROTC admissions. While primary duty ALOs do not fill a wartime Reserve AFSC, they are the heart and soul of our liaison officer program and comprise 37 percent of the ALO force. Forty-one percent are Additional Duty ALOs who are assigned to other reserve duties in the Air National Guard or the Air Force Reserve. The remainder are Affiliated Duty ALOs: active duty and retired officers, as well as civilians who volunteer their free time to support Academy and AFROTC programs.

Generally, ALOs serve on their time and at their own expense. Primary Duty and Additional Duty ALOs may earn points toward retirement. ALOs range in rank from second lieutenant to lieutenant general, and nearly one-fifth of the force are Academy graduates.

The ALO program is a valuable program which costs the Air Force very little considering the vast amount of time and talent contributed by these officers. They are the eyes and ears of the Academy Admissions program. They ensure that the students we offer appointments to are Academy material. Our liaison officers personalize the process and bring us the “best and the brightest”.

Air Force Museum FeaturesAcademy-RelatedDisplays

The Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson is the oldest and largest aviation museum in the world, with more than 200 aircraft and missiles in ten and a half acres of covered display area.

Among the museum’s myriad exhibits are displays focusing on the Air Force Academy. One of these includes cadet uniforms and items surrounding the founding of the Academy. Another features two graduates who died in the Vietnam War: Medal of Honor winner Capt. Lance Sijan, ’65, and his junior varsity football teammate, Capt. Joe Ross, ’66. Yet another exhibit is the F-100D flown by then Capt., now Lt. Gen. (Ret) Bob Beckel, ’59, when he was with the Thunderbirds.

Located just at the end of the Korean War period in the Airpower Gallery is this display, focusing on the founding of the Academy as the finalfulfillment ofBilly Mitchell’s dream of an independent Air Force.

The museum’s collection was begun back in 1923, drawing together examples of the aeronautical technology developed dur-

The wall which covers the war in Southeast Asia includes this coverage of two Academy graduates who died there: Medal of Honor winner Capt. Lance Sijan, Class of 1965, and his junior varsityfootball teammate, Capt. Joe Ross, Class of1966. The exhibit contains a number ofpersonal effects, such as Sijan’s pipe and name tag, and Ross’ sunglasses and camera.

ing the First World War for the use of the engineers at the Air Service’s R&D center, then located at McCook Field in Dayton, Ohio. When McCook was closed in 1927 and its operation moved to Wright Field, east of Dayton and close to the Wright Brother’s old flying field at Huffman Prairie, the collection moved as well. Finally, in 1935, the depression-era Works Progress Administration constructed a building to house the growing number of

(Continued on next page.)

Retired Army Pilot, Cadet Dead in Tow Plane Crash

An Academy tow plane pilot and his cadet passenger died in the crash of a single-engine two-seat Bellanca Scout aircraft at approximately 3:50 p.m. on Jan. 28 near the Academy Community Center. Dead are Lt. Col. (USA, Ret) Charles A. “Steve” Stephenson III, 60, of Colorado Springs, and Cadet Second Class David W. Weber, 20, a member of Cadet Squadron 24.

This magazine featured an aerial photograph of Doolittle Hall taken by Stephenson in fall 1992 in our Winter 1992-93 issue on page 22.

According to officials, Stephenson, who had more than 10,000 flying hours, died from a heart ailment before the plane went down. He was employed by Fisher Aviation, which has the contract to tow gliders piloted by cadets on training flights.

The company-owned plane (one of five) he was flying crashed shortly after he had released a sailplane at 2,000 feet and was enroute to the Academy airstrip for another pickup. The aircraft suddenly plunged nose-first into a densely-wooded area. The plane did not burn and the two victims were found strapped in their seats.

A National Transportation Safety Board investigator who examined the wreckage found nothing wrong with the plane’s flight controls and determined that there was no evidence that wind currents caused the crash, Academy spokesman Maj. Dave Bowling said. “The propellor was turning when it impacted the ground,” Bowling said of the crash on the Academy’s east side.

Stephenson’s family said he was “in excellent physical condition” and was unaware of his heart problem. Like all civilian pilots, he was required to pass an annual doctor’s physical to keep his license to fly, they said. Stephenson joined Fisher Aviation in 1989 and flew up to 40 times a day.

(Photo

C2C David W. Weber and retired Army Lt. Col. Charles A. “Steve” Stephenson III died in the crash of this Bellanca scout near a wooded area of the Academy’s Community Center on Jan. 28. Weber was an instructorpilot assigned to Cadet Squadron 24. Stephenson, of Colorado Springs, was a tow plane pilot working for Fisher A viation, owner of the aircraft. The accident is under investigation by the National Transportation Safety Board.

by TSgt. Dennis Rogers)

Falcon Foundation Offers Scholarships, Helps Academy

The Falcon Foundation, headquartered in Doolittle Hall, offers deserving young men and women prep school scholarships to prepare them for admission to the U.S. Air Force Academy. The foundation also supports the superintendent’s academic priority list, supporting numerous projects which are not federally funded. In addition, the foundation sponsors individual Academy enhancement projects, such as the recently-dedicated statue of General of the Air Force H.H. “Hap” Arnold which stands at the entrance of Arnold Hall.

At this year’s fall meeting in early November, a permanent prep school scholarship was endowed by USAA in honor of USAA’s Chairman Emeritus and former Dean of the Faculty Brig. Gen. (Ret) Robert F. McDermott. The scholarship honors General McDermott for distinguishing himself as a military officer, educator, community leader and corporate executive.

Numerous graduates are trustees of the Falcon Foundation which was organized by a group of prominent Air Force alumni in 1958, three years after the Air Force Academy was established. The foundation’s top officers include Maj. Gen. (Ret) William (Air Force Museum: Continued from previous page.) machines and artifacts and the museum, under the title Army Aeronautical Museum, was opened to the public.

Shortly thereafter, however, the Second World War forced its closure. The collection went into storage until 1954 when the museum was reopened to the public in temporary facilities near the Patterson flight line of Wright-Patterson AFB. In 1971, following a successful fund-raising campaign to which the active Air Force contributed generously, a new permanent home was opened near the 1935 site on Wright Field. Over the years, this facility has expanded, with a major addition in 1988 in the form of a second massive hangar-like display building.

The F-100D flown by then Capt., now Lt. Gen. (Ret) Bob Beckel, ’59, when he was with the Thunderbirds.

The museum’s mission is to collect, preserve, and portray the history of the Air Force and its predecessor services back to the publication in 1907 of the first specification for a military aircraft. Since 1955, the United States Air Force Academy has been an important part of this history.

The museum still needs the support of present and former members of the Air Force. To further this, there has been a membership program since 1978 the Friends of the Air Force Museum. It comes with several valuable benefits: a quarterly magazine on museum activities and Air Force history, a discount in all museum shops and through mail order, and a book, protraying most of the museum’s aircraft. The most important benefit, though, is the satisfaction of promoting the growth and continued excellence of your museum.

A basic membership is $24 a year and higher categories are available. For applications or more information, contact The Air Force Museum Foundation, P.O. Box 1903, Wright-Patterson AFB, Ohio 45433-1903, or call (513) 258-1225 (DSN 785-6505).

Lyon, chairman of the board; the Honorable Harold C. Stuart, vice chairman of the board; Lt. Gen. (Ret) Benjamin N. Beilis, president; and Maj. Gen. (Ret) John R. Alison, vice president.

The foundation funds some 100 scholarships annually at five different civilian preparatory schools, recognizing highlymotivated young people with outstanding potential for an Academy education and a desire for an Air Force career who need additional academic preparation prior to an Academy appointment.

Funds endowing the various foundation programs are acquired from contributions and donations, which are tax deductible. Each scholarship is dedicated in honor of a pioneer in aviation or individuals who have distinguished themselves in aviation or defense positions.

Another foundation program is the Gertrude Skelly Trust which was established in 1958 to provide similar scholarships, but was restricted to motivated sons or daughters of career military personnel desirous of attending the Air Force Academy. More than 600 such scholarships were granted by the Gertrude Skelly Trust prior to 1983, when it was combined with the Falcon Foundation program.

Currently there are 296 former Falcon scholars in the Cadet Wing. Approximately 95 percent of those completing the entire scholarship program are accepted into the wing and the Falcon Foundation has awarded more than 2,000 scholarships of all types through 1993.

Attending the fall Falcon Foundation dinner to honor Brig. Gen. (Ret) Robert McDermott, innovative long-time dean of the Faculty at the Academy, are from left, Gen. Bob Oaks, ’59, commander in chief of U.S. Air Forces in Europe; Donna Beckel, Gloria Oaks, and Lt. Gen. (Ret) Bob Beckel, ’59, a Falcon Foundation member. (See photo at lower left.)

Falcon Foundation members and their wives at the superintendent’s quarters for a post-Army game reception, from left are Nan Williamson, Hugh Williamson, ’64 (newest Falcon Foundation member); Elizabeth Spittler, and Jim Spittler, ’65, foundation member andformer AOG president.

AOG Launches Joint

The USAFA AOG has joined the other service academies in several projects, some ongoing at this time and others to be implemented in the near future, to enhance our graduates’ opportunities to find employment, expand their existing businesses, or develop sources for needed services, etc.

The first of these programs is a Joint Service Academy Alumni Career Fair to be held at the Ritz Carlton, Pentagon City, Va. April 28 and 29, 1994. See facing page for individual registration form. Corporations seeking graduate employees will participate by sending recruiters at a fee of $1,000 per company. Company registration form on page after next. Only Academy alumni will be able to participate as job seekers (at no cost). There will be a similar career fair in San Diego on Sept. 1 and 2, 1994.

Specific details on each career fair for graduates seeking employment opportunities will be published through selective mailings. If you work for a company that would be interested in participating, please have them contact Col. (Ret) Jock Schwank, AOG vice president, Services, for details.

The second initiative is Joint Business Networking Meetings for alumni of all academies. These meetings have been successfully implemented in several locations. They afford alumni in business in a particular area the opportunity to interact with other alumni in business in the same area. The lessons in leadership, time management, integrity, ingenuity and plain hard work all graduates have learned provide immeasurable pluses in the business world. These meetings offer the opportunity for graduates from all academies to work with each other.

A third program is The Joint Service Academy Computer Database of Graduates, which appears to be going exceptionally well with very good responses from both prospective graduate employees and employers looking for an academy graduate. See page 41 for details on how to get a copy of the database and how to get your resume included.

The last program is a Joint Alumni Business Resource Directory which will be published in Jan. 1995. Born from the belief that alumni associations exist not only to serve their Academy but also their membership, this new directory creates a business leadership network. The information not only showcases graduate endeavors, it provides a way for those in need of certain services in a geographical area and those hiring or seeking a job an easy and efficient way to find one of their own. A key element of the directory is that it reflects those who have said they are willing

The Air Academy National Bank hasfor many years sponsored the hors de’oeuvresprior to the Jabara Banquet at Homecoming. Homecoming 1993 was no exception. From left in the photo are Glenn Griffith, bank vice president; Mrs. Griffith, Mrs. Willis, George “Doc” Willis, senior vicepresident; Sue Heinig, assistant vice president; Mrs. Littrell, and Harold U. Littrell, chairman of the board and bank president. The AOG again thanks the bank stafffor their continued generosity.

Networking Initiatives

to provide information to other graduates seeking employment in their industry. This provides tangible proof of the support historically provided by academy graduates to each other.

Pre-ordering information for this $20 directory will be publicized in future issues of Checkpoints and future mailings. The AOG has already started the considerable task of compiling the relevant data. You will receive a biodata update form this year, which is mailed to all graduates preceding the publishing of the expanded 1994 Register. You will notice that we are asking for some specific civilian business information on this form which will become an integral part of this directory, if you release it for publication.

Doolittle Hall Available For Many Special Occasions

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

REUNION

’59 (35th) 8-12 June 1994

Lt Col (Ret) Jim Brown 19349 Knotty Pine Way Monument, CO 80132-9438

Ph.: 719-481-9115 (H)

Hotel: Sheraton

’64 (30th) 5-9 Oct 1994

Col (Ret) Pete Lopresti

2025 Paseo Del Oro

Colorado Springs, CO 80904-1682

Ph.: 719-633-7971 (H)

Hotel: Marriott

’69 (25th) 19-23 Oct 1994

Lt Col (Ret) Steve Edelman

680 Silver Spring Circle

Colorado Springs, CO 80919-1711

Ph,: 719-531-6642 (H)

CONTACTS

719-380-2470 (O)

Hotel: Marriott

’74 (20th) 14-18 Sept 1994

Lt Col Fred Gibson

1770 Radbourne Court Monument, CO 80132-8456

Ph.: 719-488-3687 (H)

719-472-3860 (O)

DSN 259-4552

Hotel: Marriott

’84 (10th) 14-18 Sept 1994

Capt John Zerbel

15360 Holbein Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80921-2508

Ph.: 719-488-3286 (H)

719-472-3667 (O)

DSN 259-3667

Maj. Ali Frohlich, ’80, at center, was the winner of the 1993 Jabara Airmanship A wardfor his sustainedsuperiorperformance from Jan. 1, 1991 to Jan. 1, 1993, especially during the period from Operation DESERT STORM through enforcement of the no-fly zone over northern Iraq. The award, just behind Frohlich, was presented at the annual Jabara Banquet during this year’s homecoming. At left is Jim Ulm, ’61, AOG president, and at right is Lt. Gen. Bradley C. Hosmer, ’59, Academy superintendent.

Bank Continues Generosity

Jabara Award Winner

Service Academy Career Conference *°*%

April 28-30, 1994 %

What is the SACC1

The SACC is the first Service Academy Career Conference supported by the Alumni Associations and Association of Graduates from the U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis), U.S. Military Academy (West Point), U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs), and U.S. Coast Guard Academy (New London).

Where will the SACC be held?

The SACC will be held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Pentagon City, Arlington, Virginia. It is on the D.C. Metro subway line or is a five minute cab ride from National Airport. It is located next to a major mall and is two metro stops from downtown D.C. You may obtain a room at the Ritz for the SACC rate of $149 plus tax a night. Call 703415-5000 and tell them you want the SACC rate. There are other hotels in the area a short walk or metro ride away, or think about renewing relationships with classmates in the area.

A West Coast SACC will be held at the Town and Country Hotel in San Diego, CA on 1 -3 September 1994. Watch Checkpoints for further details.

What do you need to do to register for the

SACC1

To register to take part in the SACC, please complete the registration form and include two copies of your resume (resumes strictly limited to one page/one side). Return the registration form and hard copy resumes to the SACC office no later than March 25. We can't guarantee resumes received after this date will be included in the Resume book provided to each recruiter. To have your resume included in the electronic version of the data base, you must submit it via a disk from the electronic Resume Program obtained through the USAFA AOG. To obtain a disk, use the order form in this issue, or a previous issue, of Checkpoints. Disks must be returned to the USAFA AOG by March 25. Disks received after March 25 will not be provided to SACC recruiters at this career conference; however, they will be added to the normal joint service academies resume data base. This is a hard deadline, as the resumes have to be compiled and the disks copied. (Ifyou have already returned a disk to the AOG as part ofthe Joint Academies Resume Service, it will be included in the SACC electronic resume data base).

If you have any questions on this AOG membership service, please contact the AOG vice president, Services, Col (Ret) Jock Schwank at 719-472-0300 for further information.

SACC Candidate Registration Form

Enclosed are 2 copies (one page/one side) of my resume for inclusion in the Resume Book provided to each recruiter. I will forward my electronic version utilizing the Resume Program to the USAFA AOG by March 25, 1994.1 understand if my resume and resume disk are not received by March 25, my resume will not be included in the package given to recruiters.

Name (to be printed on your nametag)

Address

Phone number

Signature

Mail to: SACC 247 King George St. Annapolis, MD 21402-1306

United States Naval Academy

United States MilitaryAcademy

United States Air Force Academy

United States Coast GuardAcademy

Service Academy Career Conference

April 28-30, 1994

What is the SACC1

The SACC is the first Service Academy Career Conference supported by the Alumni Associations and Association of Graduates from the U.S. Naval Academy (Annapolis), U.S. Military Academy (West Point), U.S. Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs), and U.S. Coast Guard Academy (New London).

Who will be the candidates at the SACC1

The candidates will be Alumni from the service academies. There will be no charge to the alumni participating as candidates. These individuals have learned the lessons of leadership, integrity and time management during their undergraduate years. These skills have been honed and tested during active duty military service. The highest sense of personal honor and commitment to getting the job done are common traits among our alumni. All know what it is to give 110%. Alumni of the service academies are a true representation of our multi-cultural society.

Who is a typical candidate?

Alumni of the service academies have a strong background in technical course material as well as demonstrated leadership and management skills. Over 60% have post-graduate degrees.

Where will the SACC be held?

The SACC will be held at the Ritz Carlton Hotel, Pentagon City, Arlington, Virginia. It is on the D.C. Metro subway line or is a five minute cab ride from National Airport. It is located next to a major mall and is two metro stops from downtown D.C.

What is the company registration fee?

The company registration fee is $1000 for the SACC. This fee entitles a company access to the best candidates in corporate America; one sleeping/interview room for two nights; a cocktail reception; two open sessions to meet with candidates; opportunity for on-site interviews; hard copies of all resumes submitted; and an electronic version of the resumes with search software. Additional sleeping/interview rooms may be obtained for $149 plus tax a night.

In order to accommodate our west coast Alumni, there is a SACC planned for San Diego on 1-3 September. If you want to get in early at a great price, we can offer you both the April and September SACCs, for $1750. Please note that you wish to participate in both on the registration form.

The Service Academy Database Of Graduates

Your AOG is pleased to announce a new service to graduate AOG members. We have joined forces with the alumni associations of West Point, Annapolis, and the Coast Guard Academy to jointly provide resumes on graduates from all academies to prospective employers. The goal of this easy-to-use service is to maximize the employment opportunities for our graduate members seeking a career change. Establishing a network of employers, as well as a database of potential graduate employees, is an integral part of this joint effort. By combining forces with the other service academies we have greatly enhanced our graduates’ probability of being evaluated by a company that knows the value of an academy background.

The cost to graduates to take advantage of this program is minimal and only offsets most of the cost associated with producing the various disks and instruction booklets. The AOG is underwriting the administrative costs associated with this service. Send $20 (check or money order) payable to the AOG and in a few days, you will receive:

Resume Program

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

• Produces professionally appealing, typeset resumes

Job Attributes Program

Collects personal data and employment preferences:

► Education, graduate & undergraduate

► Language ability and computer skills

► Work experience, military & civilian

► Industry and position preferences

► Geographic preferences

► Security Clearance

► And other pertinent information

• Used by Employers to identify You

Complete the easy-to-use, menu-driven job preference and resume programs on any DOS computer (3 'A disk) and send a copy of the program output files to the AOG for inclusion on the database.

HIRE ONE OF YOUR OWN

If

for $25 payable to the AOG. The program will only work on a computer running Windows' 3.0 or higher. EH

EH

Your

Address:

If a USAFA graduate, year of graduation:

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

Association of Graduates Available Member Benefits/Services

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

CHECKPOINTS MAGAZINE—

your quarterly link to friends, classmates and the Academy.

REGISTER OF GRADUATES—

annual presentation of biographical information on all Academy graduates.

CHAPTERS—

support for some 29 chapters throughout the world

AOG MASTERCARD—

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

LINE OF CREDIT

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

SCHOLARSHIPS—

a preparatory school scholarship via the Falcon Foundation.

post secondary scholarships to graduates’ children

SABER RENTAL—

sets of six for the military wedding.

LOCATOR SERVICE—

need to find a fellow graduate? We help!

LONG DISTANCE CALLING DISCOUNT—

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

TRAVEL SERVICE—

year-round member rebate travel program for vacation, business and reunions. Call Camelot Travel at 1-800-877-5444 and reference the AOG Travel Number T-8106.

REUNION/HOMECOMINGS— coordination and planning by your AOG.

MERCHANDISE/MEMORABILIA—

Academy/AOG-unique items created especially for members.

CAR RENTAL DISCOUNTS—

special rate from Budget - (800) 772-3773 (AOG ID 4 876-00-09402/Rate Code: WE91). You must present your AOG-provided Budget card when picking up your car.

Travel Company Provides Service to AOG Members

The AOG has joined with Camelot Travel Services to provide graduates, their families, associate members, and friends of the AOG with the best service possible on all travel. The benefits of this arrangement to you include:

3% CASH Rebates paid to AOG members and their families for meeting and leisure travel (just send Camelot the yellow copy of your invoice after you return).

Additional airfare discounts for travel to Colorado Springs and Denver during Graduation, Parents Weekend, Homecoming and all class reunions.

Guaranteed lowest available Air Fares at time of ticketing.

NO membership fees or annual dues charged by Camelot.

Discounted pricing and rebates paid for cruise bookings.

Call toll-free 7:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Monday Friday, U.S. and Canada MDT.

Hotel and car accommodations can also be made at time of booking.

Boarding passes and seat assignments in advance whenever possible.

All major credit cards accepted.

Camelot pays a royalty to your AOG based on your patronage of this program.

Upcoming Graduate Events

HOTEL DISCOUNTS—

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

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

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

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

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

To save money when you book your reunion, vacation or business travel, call Camelot Travel at 1-800-877-5444 and reference the AOG Travel Number: T-8106

Corporate Life Members

Air Academy National Bank

Air Force Association

Ampex Corporation

Betac Corporation

Boeing Aerospace Company

Budget Rent a Car Corporation

Continental Electronics

(Division of Varian Associates,Inc.)

Electronic Data Systems Corporation

Embassy Suites Hotel of Colorado Springs

General Dynamics Corporation

McDonnell Douglas Corporation

The MITRE Corporation

Motorola, Inc.

Government Electronics Group

PRC,Inc.

Rockwell International

TRW, Inc.,

& Defense Sector

United Technologies Corporation

USAF Academy Athletic Association

Walsworth Publishing of Colorado

Westinghouse Electric Corporation Defense & Electronic Center

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

From: NAME

AOG Biographical Information

I am a GRADUATE/ASSOCIATE member. (Circle One)

#

To: AOG, USAF Academy

1. Make the following changes in my graduate/associate (circle one) records:

Qty.

Association of Graduates

Doolittle Hall

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

AOG Gift Merchandise

BOOKS: The Iskra Incident by Jimmie H. Butler, ’63; 366 pages, hardbound, signed by author. Red Lightning, Black Thunder by Jimmie H. Butler, ’63, 439 pages, hardbound, signed by author.

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

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

Into the Mouth of the Cat about Lance Sijan, ’65; by Malcolm McConnell, 253 pages, hardbound. Raid on Quaddafi by Robert E. Venkus, ’63; 189 pages, hardbound, signed by author.

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

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

Academy Sport Cap With class year:

Without numerals

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

One Circle Choice: Alumnus Falcons

Two

CADET ISSUE CLOTHING (AOG members only) (indicate quantity in front ofsize)

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

Coffee Cups (white)

Doolittle Hall Marble Coaster

Falcon Etched on Marble Plaque, 1014 "x l2Vi"

Laser-Engraved Walnut Plaque (of Cadet Area) \1Vi "x 13'/2

Cadet Saber (Sold to graduate AOG members only)

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

“Gyrfalcon:” Limited AOG commemorative issue signed by artist, Charles Frace. 20"x26" print.

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

USAFA Silk Tie blue or garnet (circle choice)

AOG

(14 sterling silver by Jostens)

Waldo Dumbsquat II in: SOCK IT TO 'EM

By Robert Fabian, ’88

(Editor’s note: Recognizing Don Hall, ’76, as the original contributor of our “Waldo” columns, we present this entertaining “late-’80s” version.)

Waldo sighed as he sat down on the floor of his room. Another SAMI! Didn’t they just have one last week? No, that was the parade and IRI; the week before was a SAMI. What was it with all these inspections? Weren’t things supposed to get easier after BCT?

“Don’t sit THERE! I just vacuumed the floor. You’ll get lint all over it!” snapped Waldo’s roommate, “Regs” Buch. Waldo stood up and spread his hands.

“Where do you want me to sit?” he asked plaintively. “Our beds are done and you Scotch-guarded all the chairs.”

“Come on Waldo, you remember what happened during the last SAMI!”

It wasn’t fair, thought Waldo. How was he to know that if you mixed semi-chrome and Ajax it exploded about an hour after it touched water? He had just been trying to get the sink “extra” clean.

“Yeah, that really got us on C2C Flame’s hit list,” griped Waldo’s other roommate Sammy Prep from his perch on the window.

“Well, he shouldn’t have been so nosy. Besides, his eyebrows will grow back in a month or so. Anyway, nothing will go wrong this time. I triple-checked everything. Trust me, guys!”

“Regs” and Sammy groaned in unison, but before they could

Academy Looks at USAFA Traditions Seeks Input

Traditions in our Air Force units engender pride and esprit de corps. They are actively publicized and encouraged by senior members of the unit, and enthusiastically adopted by new members.

Last year, many people at the Academy analyzed how our cadet training could be improved. As we looked through historical documents and visited the other academies, we realized that, while the Cadet Wing has had numerous “traditions” over the years, many have faded away due to lack of publicity and encouragement. As an example, when I asked a recent ’93 grad to list the “traditions” she had, I only recognized one or two (out of her list of 15) that were there in 1972. Cadets routinely gave us feedback that they were either unaware of older wing traditions, or felt the need for Academy support and recognition of those currently held.

As a result, under the direction of the commandant and the superintendent, I was asked to form a committee to study Cadet Wing traditions. This committee, made up of people across Academy mission elements, including cadets and the AOG, is tasked to identify cadet traditions both past and present and recommend ways to encourage publicity of those that are positive, pride-building activities.

As a first step in our work, we must inventory cadet traditions and this is where we need help from the graduate community. If you remember some wing traditions from your time as a cadet whether they be Friday night “smokers,” spirit runs, or squadron-specific activities please pass a short note to me describing them. The committee will use this to build recommendations for the Cadet Wing.

We’ve had many traditions in the past that have encouraged pride and spirit in the Cadet Wing. Please help us pass these on to our current cadets so they can also benefit. Thanks for your help.

Please send your inputs to Col. David A. Wagie, ’72, Traditions Committee chairman, deputy commandant for Military Instruction, HQ USAFA/CWI, 2354 Fairchild Drive, Suite 6A6, USAF Academy, Colo. 80840-6264.

respond, a voice rolled down the hallway...“41st Squadron... AtTENtion!” The SAMI had begun.

Sure enough, as soon as the hallway stopped echoing, their doorway darkened. C2C Flame appeared, flanking OH, THEY WERE SAVED! C1C Mello.

“Hey dudes, what’s up?” Cadet Mello drawled. While they replied, Cadet Flame began searching the room for discrepancies, all the while muttering to himself. “Window runners, no dust. Beds, I don’t believe it, tight. Aha, fire alarm... What, no dust?!” Waldo smirked inwardly. That had been his final touch. No doubt about it, this SAMI was in the bag!

Then C2C Flame came to Waldo’s dresser. “What have we here?” he cried in triumph. “Mister Dumbsquat, your socks are not in regulation order!”

Waldo’s mind raced. He had checked them; he knew he had. In his mind’s eye he could see himself lining them up one by one, all the same, all curved... down! Oh No!

C2C Flame moved in for the kill. Inches from Waldo’s face he asked his question in a deceptively soft voice. “Aren’t your socks happy to be here, Mr. Dumbsquat?”

Terrified, Waldo blurted out the first answer that came to him. It was, unfortunately, the wrong one.

“No, SIR!”

Beads of sweat burst from “Regs” and Sammy’s foreheads as they tried to stare in shock, without gazing. They were all in for it now.

Quickly, Waldo turned to his only possible savior. In the recesses of his dim and somewhat cluttered mind, he became.. Col Dumbsquat, a legend in his own mind. The man whose underwear was always starched and creased.

Quickly he lauched his counteroffensive. “Sir may I make a statement?”

Cadet Flame looked puzzled at his initiative. “Only if it’s not another weak excuse, Dumbsquat.”

“Sir, my socks do not have as strong a duty concept as I do!”

Waldo could hear Cadet Mello choke down a laugh. “Good enough. Like, don’t let it happen again dude, copy? C’mon Flame, let’s get to the rest of the rooms.”

As they left, Cadet Mello let slip a grin. “You did check their sink didn’t you?”

General Arnold Statue Dedicated

A statue of General ofthe Air Force Henry H. “Hap” Arnold, sponsored by the Falcon Foundation, was unveiled on a snowy November afternoon in front of Arnold Hall. The 10-foot-tall statue was designed by sculptor Glenna Goodacre who also designed and created the Women’s Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. The Falcon Foundation is a nonprofit organization founded in 1958 by supporters of the Air Force Academy. (Photo by TSgt. Dennis Rogers)

FALCON SPORTS

Men y s Soccer Team Ties School Win Record

The 1993 Air Force Academy men’s soccer season will be remembered for many things. First and foremost, however, it was the most successful season in AFA history.

Air Force, 15-5-1 overall and 5-2-0 in the Mountain Pacific Sports Federation (MPSF) Mountain Division, reached the NCAA Soccer Championships. And advanced further than any other team in the history of Air Force Men’s Soccer. The Falcons’ 15 wins also tied the school record set in 1980.

Chris Cullen

Following a 13-4-1 regular season, Air Force received an atlarge berth into the NCAA Championships for the second consecutive year. In the first round, Air Force was expected to make a quick exit as they were pitted against No. 1-ranked and 19-0-0 Creighton Bluejays in Omaha, Neb. The Falcons battled their feathered namesakes to a 1-1 tie during regulation. AFA junior forward Rob Behm scored the first goal of the game and Air Force held a 1-0 lead. Creighton tied the game with less than two minutes remaining and sent it into overtime. As an inch of snow covered the field and the wind-chill factor dropped near zero, the two teams remained tied after two overtime periods and one sudden death period. Behm scored the game-winner at the 136:37 mark giving the Falcons their first NCAA Playoff victory since 1968.

“It was just a fantastic feeling to defeat a team like Creighton,” head coach Luis Sagastume said. “It was such a euphoric feeling that can only be felt with winning a game of this magnitude. We have had several great accomplishments in this program since I’ve been here but this one was certainly the most significant one. When we saw the net move on Behm’s shot, we all got a surge of energy and rushed the field.”

The next weekend, the Falcons’ task did not get much easier. Air Force traveled to Chapel Hill, N.C., to face a very talented North Carolina team. Air Force dumped the No. 17 Tar Heels, 2-1, in the Sweet 16 round. Brian Toth and Brian Bergeron scored for the Falcons. Bergeron scored the game-winner with eight minutes remaining.

Air Force’s flight toward the school’s first NCAA team championship was thwarted as the Falcons fell in the quarterfinals (the Elite Eight) to South Carolina, 6-0, in Columbia, S.C.

Along the way, Air Force claimed many honors. Head Coach Luis Sagastume was named the Mountain Division Coach of the Year by the MPSF coaches and six players earned all-MPSF honors. Senior Chris Cullen and Behm received first-team

honors. Junior Jeremy Tyger and senior Brian Gesuale earned second-team laurels. Sophomore Matt Mennell and freshman John Stratton earned honorable mention honors.

Behm led the Falcons in scoring with 15 goals and three assists for 33 points. Behm also led the conference in both goals and points. Tyger was second with 11 goals and seven assists for 29 points. Cullen led the Falcons and was second in the conference with 13 assists.

“This is truly one of the greatest accomplishments we have had in our program,” Sagastume said. “I am so proud of our players and our coaches. Of course, we would have liked to have gotten to the Final Four but we were happy with the things we accomplished. I think that a lot of people around the nation will know a little more about Air Force soccer.”

Women’s Cross Country Places 11th in the Nation

For the second consecutive year, the women’s cross country team qualified for the NCAA Championships by finishing in the top four at the South Central Regional competition. The team went on to place 11th among the top 17 teams in the country.

However, instead of taking praise for his team’s accomplishments during the 1993 season, coach Mark Stanforth says the “blame” for his team’s performance is all his. Blame? “We never fulfilled our expectations. We didn’t run well at the national meet and that was very disappointing,” Stanforth said.

Renae Bartolone Jennifer Kornacker

Stanforth’s disappointment is knowing that his team had the same athletes as a year earlier when they finished sixth at the nationals. “When you have everyone returning and you don’t match or exceed what the team did last year, then it is disappointing. I blame myself. I had a bad year as a coach. I probably didn’t demand enough out of them.”

Whoa! The second-year coach may just be a tad hard on himself. After all, the team never finished lower than fourth in the seven meets they competed in, including the regional. The Falcons finished first three times, second twice and fourth twice. Also, this was the 12th time in 15 years the team has qualified for the nationals.

Stanforth said the team’s best performance came at the University of Minnesota Invitational when the Falcons finished second behind North Dakota State, a team ranked Fifth in the nation at (Continued on next page.)

A LIST OF DO’S AND DON’TS FOR OUR ALUMNI AND FRIENDS

National Collegiate Athletic Association:

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) is the national governing body for amateur collegiate sports in the United States. As a member in good standing, the U.S. Air Force Academy is obligated to abide by NCAA rules and regulations governing the eligibility, amateur status, and recruiting of student-athletes. Under these rules, alumni andfriends of the Air Force Academy are just as responsible for rules compliance as are our coaches and staff members. Below are some of the more important DO’s and DON’Ts all USAFA boosters must follow.

Rules Governing CurrentlyEnrolled Student-Athletes

1. DON’T give money to any studentathlete, even if it is for the purpose of paying expenses to amateur competitions. All expense funds must be provided through the school or officiallyregistered amateur sport clubs. For instance, alumni cannot sponsor a golfer or tennis player who competes in pro-am competition over the summer.

2. DON’T provide “extra benefits’’ to student-athletes. The NCAA considers extra benefits to be: taking a studentathlete out to dinner, providing any gift of material value (including cash loans, free use of an automobile, Christmas presents or co-signing a loan), not charging for professional services that other students have to pay for (haircuts, dental work, etc.) or any other benefit not available to nonathletic students on the same basis.

3. DON’T buy athletic-event tickets from student-athletes. The NCAA prohibits a student-athlete from receiving and selling game tickets.

4. DO feel free to call a USAFA coach or athletic director to ask questions about the permissibility of any activity involving a student-athlete.

5. DO feel free to invite a team to meet with alumni or friends in a city where they play. Student athletes may participate in many events and are allowed to receive benefits as a team which individual student-athletes may not. Always make arrangements through the head coach or an athletic department administrator.

(Cross Country: From previous page.)

Rules Governing the Attendance of High School Athletes at Alumni Events

1. DON’T invite selected high school student-athletes to alumni events. NCAA rules prohibit contact between alumni and friends at any off-campus site. Alumni and friends of a university can entertain high school students under certain conditions that do not involve singling out athletes for special treatment such as inviting all high school seniors who have been awarded scholarships (academic and athletic) to an Ex-Students Association event.

2. DO tell athletic department personnel invited to speak at alumni functions if high school student-athletes will be in attendance. There are certain time periods when coaches are prohibited from any contact with a studentathlete off campus.

3. DO call the athletic department if you are uncertain about an NCAA rule. Our rule of thumb is: IF YOU HA VE TO THINK TWICE ABOUT THE PROPRIETY OF ANY ACTION, ASK BEFORE YOU DO IT.

Rules Governing Contact with Recruitable High School Student-Athletes

1. DON’T provide transportation for a local high school or junior college athlete who wants to visit USAFA.

2. DON’T entertain in any way or give gifts, benefits, special treatment, or free services to any high school or junior college student-athlete or his/her parents or relatives.

3. DON’T arrange a face-to-face meeting

the time. In this meet, the lOth-ranked Falcons defeated eight nationally-ranked teams.

Sophomore Jennifer Kornacker was the leader of the pack for the Falcons. She led the team in six of the eight races. Her top finishes were sixth at the Adams State Invitational and 11th at the Minnesota race. Sara Whittingham, also a sophomore, was the top Air Force runner in the other two races. She finished third at the Colorado College Invitational and 14th at the Air Force Invitational. At the NCAA meet, the top Finisher was Jennifer Robinson. According to Stanforth, the senior was a “consistent runner” throughout the season.

Kornacker, along with teammate and team captain senior Renae Bartolone, received Academic All-American honors by the Cross Country Coaches Association. Kornacker has a 3.43 grade point average in environmental engineering. Bartolone’s GPA is 3.37 as a math major. Given all of the accomplishments of this year’s team, Stanforth’s “bad coaching year” turned out pretty good.

with or go to talk to a prospective student-athlete, his or her parents or relatives.

4. DON’T provide a free ticket or transport a high school or junior college athlete to any USAFA athletic event whether the event is at USAFA or any other city.

5. DON’T bring any guest to an alumni gathering or booster event (unless the event is conducted on the campus) if he or she is participating in athletics at the high school or junior college level. Your own son or daughter would be an exception.

6. DON’T telephone or write to high school or junior college prospective athletes about attending USAFA. This activity is prohibited by new NCAA legislation.

7. DO call or write to a USAFA coach if you know of a talented student-athlete who might benefit our program or who is already interested in attending.

8. DO feel free to offer your assistance to a coach who is recruiting in your city such as providing a car or private plane transportation or suggesting people to contact for information concerning pospective student-athletes.

The USAFA athletic director, Col. Ken Schweitzer, and his coaching staff appreciate your interest and involvement. Please feel free to call Mr. Jim Bowman, assistant athletic director for Candidate Counseling, at (719) 472-1897/DSN 259-1897, or me, Col. Bob Giffen, ’65, your friendly USAFA NCAA faculty representative, at (719) 472-4110/DSN 259-4110. My thanks to West Point as a source for this article.

Stadium Manager Retires

Falcon Stadium manager Tony Guerrero has seen it all.

All the great seasons, all the victories against top-ranked opponents and all the outstanding players that have played on the natural grass field of Falcon Stadium.

Guerrero brought his 39-year career to a close Jan. 31 when he retired from the Department of Athletics. He began his career as the Academy’s equipment manager Nov. 7, 1954.

While working as the equipment manager, Guerrero was credited with the idea of the lightning bolt insignias on the side of the Air Force football helmets.

When Falcon Stadium was built in 1962, he became its first and only manager. Guerrero also has the distinction of being the Academy’s longest continuous employee.

The Air Force-Army football game Nov. 6 was his 173rd and last game as stadium manager.

Water Polo Team Rebounds After Slow Start

By Sgt. Dave Donato

When Jeff Heidmous’ 1993 water polo team entered the pool for the first time last fall, there was uncertainity about how his young Falcons would perform. After all, with only four returning players and one starter among them, it was easily the youngest and most inexperienced team he has coached.

But after a nightmarish 0-4 start, the Falcons overcame a lot of adversity and rebounded to finish the season with a respectable 10-14 record and a 13th-place national ranking.

Goalie Don Sheesley

Along the way, Air Force posted some impressive victories over some of the top teams in the nation, including a 14-12 upset over longtime Western Water Polo Association (WWPA) rival UCSan Diego (UCSD) (ranked 10th nationally at the time). The Falcons defeated the Tritons in their annual USAFA Water Polo Tournament in which they finished second with a 2-1 mark. Two weeks later, Air Force slammed 11th ranked Princeton, 15-8, in the first round of the Northern California Tournament hosted by

Women’s Soccer Posts Best Season Ever

Air Force women’s soccer posted its best record ever and made a strong bid for the conference championship in only its second season as a varsity sport. The Falcons finished the 1993 campaign with an 8-11-1 overall record and a 5-2-1 mark for second in the Colorado Athletic Conference (CAC).

Tracy Healy led the Falcons and CAC in scoring with school records of 12 goals and 29 points. Healy also led the team with four game-winning goals. Freshman Dolly Pasini was second on the team and in the conference with nine goals and two assists for 20 points. Senior Kelly Healy led the team with six assists.

Air Force got off to a great start with a 5-1 record early in the season after a pair of shutout victories over CAC foes Colorado Christian and Regis. The Falcons were in first place in the conference and had an 8-6-1 record before travelling to Denver for the game that decided the CAC title. Denver won the game, 1-0, and sent the Falcons into second place. Air Force lost its last four games of the season, all to NCAA Division I teams.

The Falcons’ second-place conference finish earned them several post-season honors. Pasini was named the CAC Newcomer of the Year. Tracy Healy, Pasini, and Julie Pilkington were named first-team all-CAC by the conference coaches. Kelly Healy and Marie Peterson were second-team all-CAC. Tracy Healy was named second-team all-Far West and Pilkington was named honorable mention all-Far West by the West Region coaches. The all-CAC academic team honored Pilkington, Adelle Belisle and Janet Halliday. Pilkington has a 3.47 GPA in humanities. Belisle has a 3.04 GPA in biology. Halliday has a 3.09 GPA in biology.

“Each season we have improved and I think that this team will get even better next season,” head coach Marty Buckley said.

UC-Berkeley. The team compiled a 2-3 record and finished ninth in the tournament, which featured all of the top ten teams in the nation.

Nevertheless, Air Force’s story all season was UCSD and the championship game of the WWPA conference championships. Air Force met the Tritons five times, winning only once. And for the third straight and fifth time overall, Air Force was battling the conference-leading Tritons in the finals of the WWPA Championships for a conference title and the rights to an NCAA berth. And like three of the last four championship outings, UCSD spoiled Air Force’s chance of making an NCAA appearancee by edging the Birds, 15-13.

Air Force got to the championship game after defeating Loyola-Marymount, 16-10, in the first round and pounding UCDavis, 12-5, in the second.

Seven different players combined for Air Force’s 41 goals over the three-day competition. Sophomore Brad Downs led all Falcon scorers with 12, followed by Garrett Lowe with 10 and Brian Pendergast with eight. Joe Alkire added four, Mackie Contreras three, Jason Rishel three and Greg Krino one. Senior goalkeeper Don Sheesley recorded 24 saves.

For their performances, four Falcons earned all-conference honors. Receiving first-team honors were Sheesley and Lowe. Pendergast nabbed second team honors, while honorable mention went to junior Trevor Davis.

Pendergast finished the season first in scoring with 65 points on 49 goals and 14 assists, just edging Lowe who closed with 64 points (42-21). Davis came in third with 23 goals, 32 assists and 61 points. Goalie Don Sheesley turned back 185 shots on the season, compiled 32 steals and a posted 48 percent saves percentage.

With its top nine scorers returning, Air Force is sure to be a force to be reckoned with next fall.

Seven Seniors Spark

Men’s Cross Country Team

Some time in the future, Phil Swenson can boast to his grandchildren that his name is in Air Force Academy’s cross country record book several times. Look first under “All-Americans.” There it is: 1993 Phil Swenson. Under “All-Western Athletic Conference,” it appears twice: 1992 & 1993 Phil Swenson. Next look under “Team Captains.” Once again: 1993 Phil Swenson.

Modesty may prevent Swenson from telling his grandkids about his running exploits. However, the facts are he led a group of seniors, who should be very proud of their accomplishments. In their four years these seniors never finished below third in the Western Athletic Conference championships. This includes a third-place finish this past season. They also placed seventh in the district out of 20 teams.

Swenson, however, was the only Falcon to qualify for the national championship. He finished 28th among 180 national competitors to earn All-American status. Coach Mark Stanforth is going to have difficulty finding replacements for the “Magnificent Seven.” Their running ability helped the Falcons finish in the top seven in all nine meets, including first-place finishes at the Jayhawk (Kan.) Invitational and the Lobo (N.M.) Invitational.

Swenson was the top finisher for the Falcons in five of the meets with senior teammate Ed McCormick leading the team in another. Chris Lindhorst ended his cross country career by placing in the top 25 at the conference championship. It marked the third straight year he has been among the top runners at the conference meet.

This group of seniors was equally talented in the classroom. With graduation just five months away, Chad Erspamer’s grade point average was the highest among the entire senior class. His 3.94 GPA as an operations research major also earned him Academic All-Western Athletic Conference honors. Teammates Todd Stratton and McCormick were also All-Academic selections.

Basketball Arena Dedicated in Memory of John Clune

The Academy’s basketball arena was formally named Clune Arena during halftime of the Air Force-Navy basketball game on Dec. 6, 1993. Col. (Ret) John Clune served as the Academy’s athletic director from 1975 through his retirement in July of 1991. He succumbed to cancer in April 1992.

The idea of naming a sports facility after Clune came up shortly after his death. However, the Academy had never memorialized athletic facilities, and Air Force policy prohibits renaming any entire structure. The solution was to put Clune’s name on the 6,000-seat arena in the field house which also houses the ice rink and practice football field/track area.

The dedication during the Navy game was most appropriate (Air Force won the game 82-70 before a crowd of 2,422) as Clune went to Annapolis and was a star basketball player there. He led the Middies to the NCAA Tournament in 1954 and held Navy’s career scoring record until David Robinson came along.

Clune was the driving force in bringing Air Force sports to the forefront of the national collegiate sports level. It was his efforts that led to the Academy entering the Western Athletic Conference in 1980, giving the Falcons instant credibility and the chance to compete in post-season championship play in many sports.

Less than a year after he took over the athletic program in 1975, Clune helped create a 10-sport women’s program in conjunction with the admittance of the first female cadets to the Academy. “When women’s sports came in, we decided to go with 10 intercollegiate sports although there were only 155 women,” Clune said in a 1989 interview. “Army went with one, while Navy went with none. We were holding our collective breath.”

Reggie Minton, Air Force basketball coach and one of Clune’s

Pat Clune, wife of the late Col John J. Clune, accepts a bouquet of roses from the Falcon mascot during halftime of the Dec. 6 Air Force-Navy basketball game in the newly-dedicated Clune Arena. Colonel Clune was the Academy’s athletic director from 1975-1991 and passed away in 1992. A memorialplaque and sign now grace the 6,007-seat arena in honor of Clune, who brought the Academy to the forefront of the national collegiate sports scene. (Photo by SSgt. Darryl Pagel) closest friends, called the dedication “...a tremendous honor. Col. Clune was great for the Academy, the Air Force, and me personally. I have to say, this is something that was earned, and I salute the Academy for doing it.”

Women Cagers Catch Fire in Conference Competition

By Dave Toller Sports Information Staff

After struggling to a 2-3 record early in the season, the Air Force women’s basketball team made it to the top of the Colorado Athletic Conference (CAC) in mid January. It was a young and mostly inexperienced team that took the floor at the beginning of the season, with a starting lineup of two freshmen, two sophomores and one senior.

But at press time, that very same lineup won six of its last seven games and all three of its CAC matches. The Falcons claimed their biggest victory of the season with an 84-82 squeaker over CAC foe Metro State Jan. 12. Air Force trailed by as much as seven points in the first half, but went ahead by three when Megan Kuzmich hit a three-pointer with one minute left in the half.

The game went back and forth betwee the Falcons and Roadrunners until the final buzzer. Metro State tied the game at 82-82 when Qiana Price hit a four-foot jump shot with nine seconds showing on the clock.

Falcon freshman Jeannie Roellich brought the ball up the court as time wound down and was fouled with two seconds remaining. Roellich hit nothing but net from the free throw line to give the Falcons the win over the favored Roadrunners. Roellich, who entered the game making only 56.3 percent of her free throws, improved her average^ by sinking seven of 10 shots from the free throw line.

Jennifer Patrick led the scoring attack with 19 points, while Roellich was next with 14. Other double-figure scorers were Carrie Barker with 13, Carrie Carrow with 12 and Carrie Loudermilk with 10.

Next up for the Falcons were the Colorado Christian Cougars on Jan. 15. Despite the Cougar’s 2-11 record, it was not an easy win for Air Force. The game was close most of the time, with the Falcons overcoming a nine-point deficit early in the game to emerge a 65-55 winner.

Air Force needed a 14-5 scoring run late in the first half to claim

a slim 32-30 half-time lead over the Cougars. The Falcons finally put the game out of reach in the final three minutes of the game, hitting 10 free throws. Patrick led the team with 22 points and nine rebounds, while Anne Marie Halterman netted 13 points.

Patrick was named CAC Player of the Week for her efforts against Metro and CCU.

“It was like night and day watching these two games.” said Marti Gasser, Air Force head coach. “The game against Metro State was a truly outstanding game on both sides of the court, offensively and defensively. It was well-played and physical.”

“Saturday’s game against Colorado Christian was another matter, however, Gasser said. “We never got into the flow of the game.”

Air Force Football Season Ends at 4-8

There are those who say living through the adversity of losing builds character. True, character building is a byproduct of the Academy’s mission, but when it relates to football it means staying home for the holidays. For only the second time in Fisher DeBerry’s 10-year history as head coach, the Falcons posted a losing season, going 4-8 overall. After four consecutive bowl appearances, the Falcons watched Brigham Young, Fresno State, Utah and Wyoming compete in post-season games. As DeBerry philosophizes, “The only way to overcome the disappointment of the 1993 season is to work harder and that’s certainly what our young men are doing. I know the Birds will be back in 1994!”

The season wasn’t without its highlights/post-season awards. Punter/place kicker Chris Maclnnis earned All-America status for leading the nation in punting with a 47.0 yard per game average. United Press International named him to its first team while Associated Press made him a second-team selection. The conference also named him Special Teams Player of the Year.

Joining Maclnnis on the All-WAC first team was offensive lineman Chad Mathis. Second team selections included linebackers Mike Black and Johnny Harrison and defensive back Brian Watkins.

There were several facts to take note of at the end of the 1993 campaign:

HEAD COACH FISHER DEBERRY DeBerry completed his 10th season at Air Force. He has led the Falcons to a 76-46-1 record. DeBerry has the most wins in Academy history with a .623 winning percentage. His record against WAC foes stands at 44-31-1. And his mark against service academy foes is 16-4. In 10 years, he has led the Falcons to seven bowl games.

SENIOR’S LAST STAND The 1993 senior class concluded their careers with a 28-21 overall record. The group was 16-9 at home and 7-1 against service academies the second best record of an AFA class.

COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF’S TROPHY For the first time in four years the Falcons did not win the trophy outright. Air Force lost to Navy and beat Army. Army went on to defeat Navy. Thus, all three academies tied for the trophy. The Falcons have a 27-17-0 record in CIC competition. Navy is 20-22-1 and Army is 17-25-1. Air Force has won 20 of its last 24 service academy games dating back to 1982.

100TH WIN IN FALCON STADIUM Air Force won its 100th game in Falcon Stadium against Army Nov. 6 with a 25-6 victory. The school’s record in Falcon Stadium stands at 100-70-3.

ACADEMIC ALL-WAC FALCONS Five Falcons were named to the academic all-WAC team in 1993: Park Hughes, Holder, 3.56 GPA, undeclared; Gil Sanders, FS, 3.31 GPA, electrical engineering; Preston McConnell, QB, 3.39 GPA, civil engineering; Steve Russ, ILB, 3.21 GPA, management; Curtis Sutton, 3.23 GPA, biology.

BLOCKED KICKS Air Force blocked five kicks during the season. Brian McCray blocked a pair of punts against Colorado State. And Johnny Harrison blocked a field goal against Brigham Young and another against Army. Kelvin King swatted away a field goal attempt against Utah. The Falcons have 21 blocks in the 1990s. Air Force blocked eight in 1992, three in 1991 and five in 1990.

QUARTERBACK DEMOND CASH This season sophomore Demond Cash produced the most successful debut season at quarterback for AFA since Dee Dowis in 1987. Cash led the Falcons with 875 yards rushing on 165 carries, which is the most by a rookie QB since Dowis rushed for an NCAA record 1,315 yards. Cash posted four 100-yard rushing performances this year which is the most by a Falcon since Rob Perez rushed for 100-plus six times in 1991. Cash’s first start of the season came against San Diego State. He exploded for 172 yards on 18 rushes which is the most impressive first start for a quarterback in AFA history. His other 100-yard performances follow: Fresno State (28

carries, 163 yards), UTEP (14 carries, 100 yards), Army (18 carries, 118 yards). Cash also threw for 403 yards and a touchdown.

DEFENSIVE BACK BRIAN WATKINS Junior cornerback

Brian Watkins led the Falcons with four interceptions in 1993. He returned them 93 yards, including two touchdowns. Watkins went 42 yards for a score against The Citadel and 30 yards for another against San Diego State.

RECEIVER RICHIE MARSH Sophomore wide receiver

Richie Marsh concluded an outstanding debut season for Air Force. The San Antonio, Texas, product caught a pass in 11 of the team’s 12 games. He had a nine-game streak with at least one reception per game at one point during the season. It’s the longest streak at Air Force since Steve Senn posted an 11-game streak in 1989. Marsh ended the season as the team’s top receiver with 19 catches for 321 yards and a touchdown.

ONUOHA, YOUNG CONCLUDE SOLID CAREERS

Senior halfbacks Obasi Onuoha and Wayne Young posted solid careers at the Academy. The pair started left and right halfback for three consecutive years. They also moved into the top 20 on the all-time rushing list at AFA. Young finishes his career ranked 16th on the all-time list with 1,280 yards. He became the 20th Falcon to reach the 1,000 yard mark. Against Army, in his final home game, Young rushed for a career-high 103 yards and the first two-touchdown game of his career. He scored on a careerlong 45-yard run on AFA’s second play. Onuoha became the 21st Falcon to reach the 1,000 yard mark. He finishes his career ranked 19th on the all-time rushing list with 1,079 yards. During his career, Onuoha showed a special talent for reaching the end zone. He closes his career tied for ninth all-time with 18 touchdowns. His 13 rushing touchdowns is 11th best. Onuoha had a very special day in his final home game against Army as well. It was in that game that he went over the 1,000-yard mark. He also sang the national anthem before the game. Onuoha also proved to be very dangerous as a kickoff returner. He finishes his career with 866 career kickoff return yards which ranks second in AFA history. He trails Ernie Jennings (1968-70), who had 1,053 yards. Onuoha’s 40 returns is second only to Jennings’ 43. In 1993, Onuoha ranked among the national leaders with a 22.2-yard average per punt.

FALCON FACTS Air Force rushed for 3,419 yards in 1993 which is the seventh-best effort in school history. The team’s 4.8 yards per rush ranks ninth best. The team’s 4,222 total yards of offense ranks 10th in AFA history.

POW/MIA Vigil

A lone cadet stands on the terrazzo during a 24-hour POW/MIA vigil held Nov. 10 in front of the Cadet Wing War Memorial. The vigil, sponsored by the Arnold Air Society, was dedicated to all veterans who have served our country. Cadets took one-hour shifts and posted guard in front of the war memorial during the vigil. (Photo by TSgt. Dennis Rogers)

CLASS NEWS

Pete Todd

1250 Big Valley Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80919-1015

Home: (719) 531-5874

FAX: (719) 531-6697

Percent members: 84

It’s no fun to start out a new year with sad news, but I have to report that, since last column was written, three more members of the extended ’59er family have been lost.

All of you SHOULD have been informed directly that Larry COTTON had died, although our communications net hasn’t been perfect. (Jim BROWN has sent updated rosters to regional coordinators, so we hope the leakage quotient will improve.) In case you weren’t contacted: In early November Larry lost a characteristically gutsy fight with a virulent form of throat cancer. Sherry was beside him at the end, as she had been throughout all their life together, including the long, dark days of alternating hope and despair during his illness.

In late August, Jim RHODES’ wife, Sylvia, who had also been fighting a battle against cancer, died suddenly at their home in California. Jim is doing OK; he was here in the Springs over Christmas holidays, visiting son Jeff and family, and we hosted a small, no-notice get together of locally available ’59ers, including Larry and Maria FORTNER, Max MILLER, Jim and Rose BROWN, and Lucia MONTGOMERY. (Ed got trapped in a late evening simulator up in Denver and wasn’t able to make it down.)

Last July, we lost another good friend and former classmate, Leon “Mo” MOLINELLI (USAFA ’60), to lung cancer. Mo had a long and successful career with United Airlines until his medical retirement in 1992. We’ll miss him at the reunion.

Now, on to more cheerful news, namely, RL PENN’s landmark experiment in low-cost gracious living. He and his beautiful new bride, Eugenia, and their charming and talented daughter Lera made a cross-country jaunt last summer with breathtaking implications. RL’s story to everyone painted the trip as nothing more than a couple of months of friendly freeloading off of friends and classmates (as well as some desultory job hunting for Eugenia, of course) while waiting for their new home to become vacant. But remember, I ROOMED with the Alabama Swamp Fox and I KNOW how his mind works. What he was ACTUALLY doing was a Class of ’59 Pilot Program for Creative Communal Carpetbagging!

He hasn’t sorted out all the details yet, but I sneaked a look at his notes and here’s how it will work: Every year, 10% of living classmates (alphabetically, by height) will sell or rent their home. They will then spend the next 12 months visiting and sponging off the remaining 90%, according to a computer-generated pattern that assures equitable burdensharing and avoids fist fights. (RL will, of course, handle the scheduling, arrange traffic control, issue no-wind flight plans, etc.) The next year, another 10% will take to the road and the cycle will continue until the number of spongers equals the number of spongees,-at which time all survivors will move into Air Force Village and travel no more. The financial savings of this plan would be enormous, not to mention the increase in class camaraderie and divorce rates. This will probably be an agenda item for the class meeting at the reunion if RL gets the idea fleshed out in time.

In testing the concept, RL and family concentrated on the major urban centers, such as Dallas, San Antonio, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Colorado Springs. Larry JOLLY wrote that, on the Dallas stop, RL lodged with Dave and Margaretta GROARK, did some flying in Larry’s piper Comanche, and socialized to a fare-thee-well. One evening the whole North Texas contingent wound up back at Larry’s house for drinks and pictures, followed by the usual lively seminar on the effects of chlorofluorocarbons on the ozone layer. (On a side note, Larry says he’s bought a home in Dayton, Nevada, near a golf course just east of Carson

CLASS OF 1959 35-YEAR REUNION

8-12 JUNE 1994

The North Texas Garrison: Seated from left are George and Janice Clark, Larry Jolly, Eugenia and R.L. Penn, and Kaye Gotten. Standing are Karen and Jim Chapman, Jack Hundemer, Margaretta and Dave Groark, and Sharon and Jack Bryan.

City and he extends a welcome to any and all classmates who woild like a base of operations either there or at his digs in Carrollton, Texas.)

The Penns then headed south to San Antonio and the hospitality of Jerry and Joan GARBER. They enjoyed Fiesta Texas, the Alamo, the River Walk and a Garber at-home extravagaza before pushing on to the West Coast. Written and photographic evidence of the remainder of the trip has been confiscated and sealed for possibe Federal Grand Jury action, so I can’t comment further. I can say, however, that Wendy and I were charmed by RL’s new family and have never seen him more content. We enjoyed serving as the jumping-off spot for the final leg of the journey, NON-STOP from Colorado home to Connecticut!

Bill TELFORD has written to extol once again the wonderfulness of Smith Mountain Lake, Virginia, site of their pretty-soon retirement home. (They’re really getting serious about this plan; he said in his Christmas card that they sold their other home in Virginia and have moved into a nearby apartment in anticipation of an early move.)

Bill and Anne hosted a weekend gathering at the lake last August (don’t you just LOVE this hot, up-to-the-minute news?) including the CONNALLYs, MONTAVONs, REARDONs, and WELCHes. Besides the hearty laughs (Bill says, “You haven’t lived unless you’ve seen an exdeputy assistant secretary of the Air Force for Reserve Affairs make like a submarine going 20 mph through the water.”), it was a great chance to get caught up with what was going on in everyone’s lives. For example, the New Entrepreneur Prize goes to Jim and Brenda Welch who have started their own vineyard and are tenderly nurturing the vines in the fields until they mature. Bill and Anne hope to make this an annual affair

Fiesta at Casa Garber: From left are Kitty and Dave Goodrich, Sherry and Larry Cotton, Linda Johnson, Jerry Garber, Bob Lowe, H.T. Johnson, JoAnn Lowe, R.L. Penn, Dean Wood, Joan Wood, Bob Buckles, Joan Garber, Eugenia Penn and Sue Buckles.

for those ’59ers who can make it to the Fast Coast and, starting next year, expand it into a golfing outing as weil.

Bill also mentioned that, early in October, they attended a combined dinner and water survival class hosted by Wayne and Bonnie JEFFERSON, that also included HT and Linda JOHNSON who were visiting in town, the Connallys, Montavons, Mike Reardon, Joe MORGAN, and John and Barbara DAVEY. (John had just retired and moved back to the vicinity, but the Christmas update says they’re moving soon to Norfolk where John will join the faculty of the Armed Forces Staff College.) Wayne cooked world-class steaks in a pouring rain and Bonnie’s supporting dishes satisfied the voracious appetites of even this group of former cadets.

special trip back for this event, please give me a call and I’ll fill you in on the details.

Everybody stay healthy and save your pennies for the greatest-ever reunion in June. See you there!

John Davey’s

5 August 1993: “And then there were five... From left are Charlie May, Mike Reardon, Wayne Jefferson, John Davey, Mike Cams, Ed Josephson and Jimmie Jay.

A couple of late responses to the reunion questionnaire included news of note: Dave ARCHINO was a 1992 casualty of the “Post-Cold War Defense Downsizing,’’ sold his house in San Diego in May of ’93 and moved back to Delaware. Jean retired from UCSD in November and joined him, so the family is whole once more. Dave is working on restarting his dad’s advertising business, which he pronounced fun and a lot better than working in the defense industry, and hopes to make it to the 35th.

Krash KRUEGER’s puny excuse for not responding earlier was that he stashed the questionnaire with his bills while he was busy in his job with the Florida Department of Transportation. His office is involved with many of the analyses for the future interstate highway network in Florida, looking out 20 years to plan expansion and relieve congestion caused by Canadians driving south and drug shipments going north.

Two final items of Front Range interest. First, congratulations to Charlie MEIER {and Betsy) on the occasion of passing the bar exam. He is now licensed to practice in the state of Colorado and is acquiring an impressive stock of lawyer jokes with the aid of his solicitous classmates. Second, the Rampart Chapter of the AOG and the Air Force Academy Society of Colorado are jointly sponsoring the First Annual USAFA Founder’s Day dinner on April 2 at the Lowry Club. This will be the last time any of us will have an opportunity to do anything “official” relating to the Air Force Academy at the original site before the base closes this year. If you live nearby, are going to be in the area, or want to make a

Chris Warack -cits -raj* i'&'Skc'j "imu

690 Winding Hills Road Monument, CO 80132

Home: (719) 488-2504

1 L

Percent members: 80 11 1

Spring will be in the air when you read this but I am writing in the cold of winter. So much for deadlines which are three months before publishing. I’ve been lucky this time to have a number of events and several letters and phone calls to give me a lot to write about. Appreciate it!

Some business up front, especially for those of you in the Rocky Mtn States, there will be a Founders Day dinner at Lowry 0‘Club. The dinner is scheduled for 2 April 94 and will be the last AFA function at Lowry AFB before it closes. The dinner is being sponsored by the Rampart Chapter of the AOG. Its purpose is to honor the original (first) four classes. Pete TODD, ’59, is heading up the effort and any of you who will be in the area please plan to come. Further info about prices, time, billeting, etc. should have been mailed out already. If you have been missed, call Capt Livingston at (719) 575-3221. I look forward to seeing many of you there with an update of your recent accomplishments typed and in hand (always need material for Checkpoints).

The football season always brings many of you to town. I make my best effort to be at the games and get something fresh for the column. I had a very special opportunity when the ’59 Cotton Bowl team gathered to cheer on the Falcons in their battle with the Wyoming Cowboys. I have unedited comments from most everyone who attended and a photo to prove they were there...John KUENZEL is retired a second time. He is making a career change from defense contractor to securities broker. John has the welcome mat out in downtown Ft Worth. After convincing the SEC that he means well, John is a full fledged investments broker for A.G. Edwards.

Howie BRONSON can’t wait for the snow to fall in the San Bernardino Mtns of California. He finally passed the associate level ski exam so he is making the big bucks now as a ski instructor. It’s amazing how those young ski bunnies love that silver hair! His wife, Judy, is pressing on with her ceramic art and is even getting Howie to go with her to her art shows. The boys, David, Stuart and Curtis, are all well and producing grandchildren, except Curtis. They have the welcome mat out in Big Bear now that there is hot running water in the house that Howie built.

Deke and Sally Johnson were back. Deke was back from Kuwait for his son Derry’s wedding and expects to be stateside for awhile. He is well and living in Boise. Deke worked in Kuwait representing a German firm during the reconstruction. Prior to that he was the assistant project manager for Arabian Helicopter which had the medical evacuation contract for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. He is looking for work in the USA so he can enjoy Monday Night Football live. George and Diane PUPICH have moved to Colo Spgs to be near the AFA and son Alex, a 4-degree and football player. Alex is bigger and tougher-looking than his father.

Cooling off at the lake, from left are Kent Montavon, Molly Connally, Jim Welch, Mike and Marian Reardon, Bill Telford, Brenda Welch and Jim Connally.

Retirement Reception, Bolling AFB Officers’ Club,

Folks who gatheredfor the ’59 Cotton Bowl Reunion from left in the front row are John Kuenzel, Sally and Deke Johnson, Andi Biancur, Mimi Kuenzel, Judy Bronson and Jim Glaza. In the back row are Bronson’s daughter-in-law, Howie Bronson, George and Diane Pupich, Chris and Pat Warack, and Sharon and Dick Schehr.

This gang at the Army game includes kneeling Chris Warack and Jim Glaza. Standing are Brian and Carol Kaley, Andi and Joan Biancur, Wayne and Barbara Kendal, Rich and Kathryn Carter, and Dick and Sharon Schehr.

George and Diane are searching for a suitable parcel of land in the Pikes Peak region on which to build their retirement home. Jim GLAZA hosted all of us to steaks at his pad where we all recovered from the disappointing showing on the gridiron.

A number of others showed up to see Army go down to defeat again! Andi and Joan BIANCUR were in from Salt Lake, Brian and Carol KALEY flew in from Naples, FL; Rich and Kathryn CARTER came down from Denver to join in for the festivities. Several of us drove down from Monument, but that’s local isn’t it? From Tony and Karen BURSHNICK came a report about the Navy game played at Annapolis. Despite the score everyone had a good time at the pre and post- game parties. Ralph and Darlene LALIME arrived in a luxury motor home and hosted a ’60 mini-reunion. Darlene, Karen, and Lilliane BADGER set a table of gourmet food that was the envy of the tailgate crowd. So there would be no doubt that this was food being served to proper ladies and gentleman enjoying a culinary delight, Ralph provided wine from a decanter and crystal glasses.

Our traveling correspondent, Jim GLAZA, flew in from Colorado, Andi BIANCUR from Salt Lake, Joe Higgins and Jerry DELACRUZ locals, Bill and Ann CARNEGIE came down from New Jersey, Ken and Judy ALNWICK zipped in from Virginia, Bob and Lillane BADGER cadre, and Tom and Mary BURKE who helped keep Coors in business. Reb GUILLOT’s son-in-law upon seeing the artfully-prepared ’60 sign which Ralph worked diligently to display (at least 10 minutes), stopped by to pass on Reb’s best wishes. Keray MILLER and Richard HEAD missed the tailgate but more than made up for it by leading the composite cheering section of ’59, ’60 and ’61 during the game. Either their magic wore off at half time or a different team came out for the second half and blew a substantial lead. Thanks Roomy.

Got an interesting letter from David REED, M.D., J.D. presently in Denver. Dave did a long internship and residency in anesthesiology in New Zealand and Australia. He returned to Denver to spend a year on the teaching staff at the U of Colo Medical Center followed by private practice for seven years. During that time he was sued once and realized that attorneys had little knowledge of what a physician does. If you can’t beat them, join them! He went to DU law school and upon graduating practiced medical malpractice law part time and returned to the teaching staff part time. In the process of getting involved in the “real world” he realized that there are so many vested interests involved in the legal system that regardless of all the interest and good will of the honest people, it will take a major upheaval to change what is essentially a very corrupt system. Dave is now doing part-time anesthesia work and part-time running a business which evaluates medical negligence for law firms nationwide. He still finds time to head back to New Zealand to do some sailing several times a year. He issued an open invite to the brave to join him on his 40-foot ocean-capable hand-designed-and-built Kiwi vessel. Dave has sailed Auckland to Fiji to New Caledonia 10 times, three solo! He is likely to do something similar April 94... “I will guarantee that marine celestial is a different ball game from what we learned on the T-29!”

From Bill HODSON, “...in Sept ’92 I received an appointment to the faculty of the Information Resources Management College which is the newest of the three colleges which make up the National Defense University at Ft McNair. I am serving as the chair of the Information Technology Department. Fran works at the National Renewable Energy Lab’s D.C. office. We are living in Alexandria, VA. Fran and I have five kids between us, Bill, my oldest, with his wife and two small boys has recently returned to Colo Spgs. Robin, my older daughter, is in Ft Col

Dave Reed at the helm.

lins, and Desiree, my youngest, is a student in Nanjing, China in a Johns Hopkins program. Lisa, Fran’s oldest, is a senior at Arizona St majoring in music, and Tom, her youngest, is a freshman at Westmont in Santa Barbara. We’d love for friends to give us a call when they’re in town.” Thanks Bill, and continued good fortune.

C.T.DOUGLASS sent a Christmas card and explained his youthful appearance in the previous photo, “...is that I have to I’ve got a 15-yearold and a two-year-old and they’re my children, not my grandchildren. It keeps me young too until I hurt myself, then I remember how old I really am. I have a 30-year-old who lives in L.A. and an adopted youngster now 28 flying F-16s.” C.T. is still flying 727s with Delta and resides in Villa Hills, KY.

Doug and Leeanna MILLER sent Season’s Greetings from their new home in Hyndman, PA. They have found that you can go back home again. They both grew up in this area of Pennsylvania. They are situated on three acres in a beautiful valley with a fishing stream and beautiful autumn leaves. Doug is a Falcon fan and sez his satellite dish brings in 100 channels, including five Denver channels and 30 are sports channels. He was able to watch 10 AFA games this season. Guests are welcome. They have one guest room plus a camper and for guests with their own rigs, they have a pad with full hook-up. Just call (814) 842-6441 to insure they’re home. A last bit of unpleasant news from Tony BURSHNICK who called this morning to pass on that Robert P Weinaug Jr, an Army Cpl, was killed in an OF-58 helicopter which crashed near Golden Pond, KY while flying on night manuevers. He was a member of the 101st Airborne. Burial was Dec 23 at Arlington Nat’l Cemetery. He was promoted to the rank of Sgt and awarded the MSM posthumously. Robert is the son of Robert WEINAUG Sr and our prayers go out to him and his family.

I recently was dining with friends who had served with Denis WALSH. They tell me that Denis is building an airplane in his basement. He wanted to use the family room but Liz wouldn’t let him. It was also reported that he is in a support group of four five other aircraft builders who have no flying experience and look to the old head for guidance? Wow! This is the same guy who would listen to those around the bar talking about Annapolis and West Point and say he went to Monument! Well, the other two describe their schools by the little towns nearby! Denis and Liz are retired in Denver.

CHANGE-OF-ADDRESS: George PUPICH, 411 Lakewood Cr, Colo Spgs 80910-2606. Thanks for all your input. Keep reunion planning on the front burner. It is only a year and a half away.

Hanson Scott vV'Ai/#

1300 Onava Court, NE

Albuquerque, NM 87112

Phone: (505) 293-4486

Percent members: 81

Greetings from the Land of Enchantment! I have heard from several of you in the last few weeks I really appreciate the help!

Stu BOYD called from Utah he is the director of Applied Technology Programs for Weber State. He describes his position as

“Coach” for the programs he is involved in long-range planning for work-related instruction, coordination with local high schools (teachers, administrators) and their students. Stu said his goal is “to put America to work.” His programs pick up students during their last two years to ensure their total education plan prepares them for the work place. Stu said his report card was based on the actual number of students that were able to work upon completion of their education. Stu added that Clair CARLING was director of Military Programs for UNISYS and project manager for several. Thanks for the report, Stu!

Also from the wilds of Utah, Bon DINGLE provided an update. Following retirement, Bob went to work for Thiokol “selling ordnance and enjoying a variety of interesting challenges but ended up traveling from Turkey to Korea and to other exotic points.” With defense drawdowns, Thiokol offered post-55 people with financial enticements to take early retirement. Bob added that he is seeking a third career while “Margy is supporting the family”. Apparently Margy is imposing “cruel and unusual demands” by having Bob “vacuum, wash dishes, and other difficult tasks”. As everyone in the class surely remembers, Bob is an avid outdoorsman the Dingles’ big hobbies are camping and fishing in the summers and racquetball and skiing in the winter. Bob say Margy still outfishes him one of their favorite spots is Jackson Lake in the Grand Tetons.

Bob and Margy have two sons Scott and Gregg. Scott is a machinist for Morton International in Ogden and has followed his dad in terms of outdoor interests. Scott is a confirmed bachelor and “likely to stay one”. Hunting and fishing are his interests, and “no woman will be given the opportunity to interfere unless she can skin a deer in less than three minutes or shoot a squirrel at 400 yards”. Gregg lives in Seattle and works for Safeco, which is a large insurance firm. As I remember, Gregg was a whiz in academics as a youngster. According to Bob, he validated 33 college credits while in high school and easily obtained a master’s degree in information systems while raising a young family.

Bob closed his letter with a comment that he remembered well our first day at Lowry, yet the “memories are 32 years old”. “The Air Force was a great career and the people were the best we will ever know but we must not dwell on old glories or there will be no future ones...not an original thought.” Thanks for the great letter, Bob.

Tom and Anne ELLER visited New Mexico last fall and they had time for dinner with the Scotts in Albuquerque. We had a great visit. Tom and Anne took a fantastic trip to Alaska last summer, with “22 flight segments in three weeks” from Kotzebue and Nome in the west, to Barrow in the north and to Ketchikan in the south (home of record for Terry STORM). Also, Tom and Bill COMBEST attended the Vietnam Caribou pilot’s reunion in Colorado Springs in August. Tom reminds us that Bob BULL was KIA in a Caribou. The Eller’s son Robert is a third classman at USAFA and he recently made the Supt’s List and received his jump wings.

Jim WILHELM provided your class scribe with an update on the Wilhelm’s trip to Minneapolis to attend Nancy’s family reunion. While there, they met Tom and Judy WILSON who live in nearby Stillwater. The Wilhelms had a “marvelous reunion with the Wilsons in their beautiful home and ate dinner on the river”. Jim said that Judy is keeping busy working part time in a shop that specializes in gift baskets for birthdays, welcomes, and special occasions and provides “lots of room for her creativity’’.Torn is working for an oil distribution and transportation company the Wilsons added a big HI! to the class.

Tom and Judy, Nancy and Jim.

Jim and Nancy stopped at Offutt and spent an evening with Lee and Dorene BUTLER. Jim said they had a great time with the Butlers Lisa was visiting her parents and Jim enjoyed telling her what her dad was like in the “good old days”. Thanks again for the update, Jim.

Bud and Judy UTENDORF were able to attend the festivities of Maj.

From left are Lee Butler, Nancy Wilhelm, Dorene Butler and Jim Wilhelm.

Gen. Dale TABOR’s retirement at Sheppard AFB, TX, where Dale was commander of the 82d Training Wing. Bud reports that the retirement party was held in “a large hangar at Sheppard with about 400 people in attendance”. “Cocktails and a Texas barbecue dinner preceded an evening of light-hearted presentations from Dale’s different staff people and local dignitaries.” Included in the evening’s activities was a video of the Tabors’ Air Force experience for the last 32-plus years. Dale’s parents attended in addition to children Russ and Jill. Bud added that the changeof-command and retirement ceremony was a most impressive event with a T-38 flyover (Bud and Dale’s class at Webb was the first to fly the T-38). Pete and Patty LANE also attended the festivities at Sheppared. According to Bud, Dale and Kay are building a home between Denver and the Academy.

Bud and Judy also visited Corky and Pat COCHRANE in October. Corky and Bud flew C-124s together at McChord. Corky retired from the FBI and has his own security business. Bud has also seen Haven HILL (Northwest) and fellow United pilots Chess MIZELL (B757/767), Bill SANZENBACHER (B727), and Tom SKILLING (B737). As reported last year, Tom SKILLING is a United flight manager.

Charlie, Terry, Dean, Randy and Jim.

From the Spring’s gang, included is a picture from Dean JONES’ installation dinner last fall. Dean is the president of the Pikes Peak Association of REALTORS, with a term from Oct. 1, 1993 to Sept. 30, 1994. Dean’s association has 2,500 members we all know they’re in good hands with Dean as president and Terry Storm as executive vice president. Speaking of the Storms, also included is a picture of proud Dad Terry giving Shari away last summer.

Shari and Terry; also Mike, Earl and Randy.

Here in Albuquerque, Bob BOEDECKER and I attended Marc ANDERSON’s change-of-command and promotion ceremony to lieutenant general upon Marc’s departure from AFOTEC. The ceremony was presided over by Vice Chief of Staff Mike CARNS (’59) Marc is now the Air Force IG. We’re all proud for you and Ginger, Marc.

Thanks for the news as always, standing by to copy.

John W. “Jack” Jamba

4 Judy Court

Satellite Beach, FL 32937

Home: (407) 777-5520

Office: (407) 861-3519

Percent members: 72

Hi Redtags!

What a bonanza. Cards and letters from heaven. First a short note from Fred and Arlene HENDEYX. “Just received Checkpoints and thought I had better write. Things are in a dramatic state of change. Under Proctor & Gamble’s Strengthening Global Effectiveness both Arlene and I have been offered packages. She will terminate Dec 31 and I will retire on Jan 4, 1994. We have some project work here which will keep us close to home for a few months. After that we are planning an extended trip to Florida, another to Colorado and also Wyoming. These are to help us pick a retirement place or two. I will write a long letter in January. Best wishes to you and family for a blessed Christmas and a happy and prosperous New Year.” Thanks Fred. Looking forward to your letter and visit.

Next letter came from Charlie and Mary Jo PRICE. “The company Charlie works for is doing fine, riding the crest of the home construction boom...Mary Jo is retired from the realty business, undefeated champion. She keeps herself very busy with friends, family and golf, golf,golf...Golf is a big part of our leisure time. If you ever get close to Valdosta, please come visit, or at least give us a call. Bring your clubs. We always enjoy swapping stories with friends.” Thanks good friends for the update. Hope we can see you soon.

Next a letter from Pat and Charlie HALE.“...Pat and I made a week’s trip to Tahoe for skiing in early March. Weather was great and the conditions were terrific. Then a short trip to Phoenix in May on credit union business (I’m on the board of directors of the March Federal CU). Would you believe that we saw 100 degree temperatures? Despite Phoenix’s beauty, this factor has caused it to be crossed off our list of candidates for retirement...In September Pat and I celebrated 30 years of marriage. It is difficult to believe that we have been together so many years; it has gone by so quickly...Charles Richard continues to live in Long Beach working for McDonnell Douglas. In July, Curtis Hale and Bridgitte Rose Johnson were united in marriage. They reside in San Bernardino (about 20 miles

Charlie, Pat, Charles R., Bridgette and Curtis Hale. away). Curt has recertified as an emergency medical technician and is attempting to pursue a paramedic degree. As for me, I continue to work for CAE-Link Training as a KC-10 instructor pilot...Stan, Mary Ann and Andrea PATRIE came through here today (14 Dec) on way to Mammoth MT to visit Greg (son) and his new bride. They all look great. Hope Santa is good to all.” Thanks for the news. Always good to hear from you. Got a letter and pic from Ted and Marcy DYKES. “Montana and Tammy were East with the boys for a wedding. They were here only a couple days, but it was a delight to be able to spoil the grandchildren even for

At top are Marcy Dykes with Joseph and Ted Dykes with Louis. At bottom from left are Chris and Sandy, grandma, Tammy and Montana. such a short period of time...Chris and Sandy continue working on their home. Our life continues to center around civic activism and politics. This summer Marcy took the county to Circuit Court for purchasing two office buildings for which they paid three times the assessed value. This fall, Marcy began another organization that is state wide, United Virginians for Initiative and Referendum. For those of you out West who have your right to I & R, cherish it; we have a real war going on here. Marcy is also serving on the board as publicity chairman for the National Referendum Movement based in Memphis, TN. Ted and Marcy were there in November...The bulk of our time, however, has been in state politics getting our new governor, George Allen, elected. Being key players during the campaign, the Inaugural in Richmond in January will be so sweet. George has promised us a night’s stay at the governor’s mansion after he is sworn in. We also got our man in for state attorney general. After all our court battles, life should be a little easier now. It all goes to show, if you can’t beat them, bounce them out. We did! Democracy at work.”

Got a newsletter from Dave and Fran LEE. “Last January Dave was on a research sabbatical from the Univ of Dayton. In March we traveled to Europe to conduct part of his research interviews with international managers. I topped off this fall with another trip to Florida while Dave traveled to Indiana for a successful deer hunt a 10-point buck...Kelly directed the high school musical last spring, was advisor for the newspaper, the Computer Club and worked with Odyssey of the Mind...Dean graduated from Sinclair with his associate degree and has continued on at UD for another degree. We were delighted when David II married Lisa this past spring. David’s job with Environmental Consultants took them to Washington, PA, and in November to Merced, CA, where they have put down roots....Our family not only expanded with our new daughter-in-law, but we also welcomed a granddaughter to our family. Sierra is seven years old and quite an addition to our lives. John is in his senior year at UD and plans to graduate in 1994. Have a wonderful holiday and a year filled with happiness.” Thanks for the news. Looks like it was a very busy year.

Got a letter from Connie and Owen HAWKINS. “This has been a busy but wonderful year...In Feb, Owen surprised me and took us on the Mississippi Queen River Boat Cruise to celebrate my slipping over the half century mark. The best part of the surprise was that he had arranged to have Greg (my brother) and his wife and Julie (my sister) and her son Mike meet us on the cruise. In June, Cory graduated from high school and is attending UC Davis that leaves us as officially empty-nesters. To avoid feeling left alone we have given one of our bedrooms to an intern from the Presbyterian church for a year and we bought a horse to give me something to mother. In August Owen sold his software company and he now devotes his time to running a BBS. He has a lot of funwith it. In Sept Cory went off to Davis and Colin left to study at the U of Germany in Bonn where he will be until next August. In Nov, Owen and I went to Hong Kong, Singapore, and Bali. It was a great trip especially visiting our friends in Singapore. We returned from our trip just in time for Christopher’s wedding. He married a wonderful girl named Tia from New Zealand. This Christmas Chris and Tia will be down from Seattle where they live. Greg will be here from Santa Cruz where he is one of the teachers in the Agro Ecology program. Kim will come from her houseboat in Sausalito. She is taking a few classes and free lancing in the film industry. And Cory will be home from college. Only Colin will be missing.” Thanks for the family update.

And the last newsletter came from Chuck and Debbie CHEESEMAN. “Most of 1993 has been centered around preparation and anticipation of

our second little one. The October 28 arrival of Charles III began a new phase in our family. Mother and son have been healthy and in good spirits from the outset....Emily (3 Vi) continues to grow in many ways and is now attending pre-school with much enthusiasm. Chuck continues to find the Machen Bonanza trouble-free and a delight to fly. We traveled as a family in it in July to visit friends at their home in North Carolona. Chuck’s only weakness is continuing to equip the plane with every gadget known to man. The latest being a moving map display that surpasses anything the F-117 had in Desert Storm. Our home continues to see the addition of final finishing touches, a process we’re now convinced is essentially infinite in length. New taxiway homes continue to replace the palmetto and pines here. As for USAFA Redtag classmates we see Ralph and Pat CONLAN regularly (Chuck can see their home on climbout from runway 23, so it isn’t hard to get together) and Hal and Nikki RHODES visited us for a long weekend in the summer...Hoping to get together early in ’94. We’ll be in touch.” Thanks folks. Looking forward to a visit.

Mini-reunion attendees in Colorado Springs include Nancy Gilmartin, Jon Staples, John Flanagan, Carol Staples, Tim Gilmartin, Dick Klass and interested friends.

Got a call from Steve METTLER a couple of months ago. His son got married in Jacksonville at the end of Sep. Steve is still working for AT&T and his wife, Kathryn, is still a doctor in Atlanta where they lire. Got change-of-address cards: Jim EATON has moved to Wilmington, NC. Paul LANDERS has left Nashville for Grand Rapids, MI. Dick KLASS has changed street addresses in Arlington, VA. He sent me a pic of a minireunion in Colorado Springs after the Army game. Also got a street change in Arlington from Nick FRITZ. And George HARRISON has been reassigned to Eglin AFB. That’s it for now. I appreciate the Christmas newsletters. It’s the time of year when I have more than I can use. I wish all of you a great year. Go Redtags!

Norman I. Lee III

17532 N.E. 38th Court

Redmond, WA 98052

Work: (206) 294-1665

Home: (206) 882-0968

Percent members: 77

What to say about the reunion? Too many things happened to cover them all here. I asked Jimmie BUTLER to do an after-action summary but at the last report, his plate was full. I am also embarrassed to report that the camera I used to take pictures during the weekend’s events was somehow sabotaged. I say sabotaged because who would use a camera with no film in it? Seems the “fail safe” feature failed. Although the camera was telling me it had film, there was no film. Gremlins? Enough whining! Needless to say, the affair was a resounding success. I counted over 220 of our classmates in attendance.

One thing different about this reunion was the way most of us gravitated toward our old squadron mates. I thought I was crazy but after talking it over with some of the other guys, I found they came away with the same impression. The 15th Squadron “War Eagles”, my squadron, had nine of us show up and we just kept bumping into each other the entire weekend.

The cold weather was not as big a deterrent as most thought it would be. After two days of snow Thursday and Friday many began to develop alternate plans rather the spend Saturday afternoon freezing to death in the shady part of Falcon Stadium. Saturday morning, however, dawned with bright sunshine. All plans were cancelled and everyone showed up at Falcon Stadium full of AOG barbecue to root the team on to a victory over Army.

The Antlers Doubletree Hotel turned out to be a grand spot for the reunion headquarters. The lobby was an especially splendid place to gather. And, gather we did. Each morning the place was jumping as we woke up with juice, coffee and sweet rolls. Each evening after the planned events, the lobby bar was the place to tell our most outrageous war stories. Couldn’t have been better.

The Class Gift is progressing well. At last count, which was on December 31st, we stand at $28,000. The $50,000 goal can be met. It is not too late to make your pledge or add to your current pledge. If everyone who registered for the reunion made a pledge of $200, the Class Gift would now total $42,000. Remember, if you work for a company that matches donations to educational institutions, you should send in a matching gift form to the AOG office. This gift qualifies for ijiost matching gift schemes. At the Friday evening social event, each squadron was challenged to add to the total. According to my accounting, First Squadron has anted up an additional $800. A close second is Fightin’ Fourth with $550. Sixth Squadron has over $800 in additional pledges; however, we don’t count promises in this competition. Cash-in-hand only! I will keep you up to date on the Gift status.

A short business meeting was held Saturday evening and, based on my recollections, the following are the results: (1) We decided to hold the 35th in Colorado Springs. The date will be determined by those who volunteer to run the show. Sounds like a very good democratic idea to me. Any volunteers out there? (2) Twenty-one of our Class Cups are missing. If for some reason you thought taking the cup with your name on it home was the correct thing to do, unfortunately, you were misinformed. The intent here is to keep them all together. A project to find an appropriate display case and display venue is underway. Donations are accepted. Until then, it is important to keep all the cups together and under surveillance.

Added News! A bottle of very old brandy was given to the class for display with the cups. Now we need some ideas on when to drink the brandy. Some 200-plus guys were ready to open the bottle on that very cold Saturday night.

Ed PICKENS’ after-action report from the PICKENS-GILLIGAN pre-reunion practice party arrived just before we left for Colorado Springs. Ed reported that over a dozen attendees from Northern Virginia managed to get the directions right and turned up at the party. Ed also provided a run-down on what some of the attendees are doing to keep busy and/or make a buck: Mark ANWAY is overseeing the design and installation of a state-fo-the-art data information system for the Armed Forces Benefit Association. I like that. I still have an insurance policy with that bunch and lately they have grown a lot and they could use the help. Dean HESS is at Ortech Corporation working on large data base systems for such customers as the Post Office and other government agencies. That’s good too. Linda wouldn’t want the Post Office to lose that insurance check when it pays off. Bill AYERS is in the process of selling a small commuter airline owned by his company. Ed thinks Bill is ready to launch a commuter airline out of Colorado Springs. Ed and Dick GUILD have been working in the same area for Management and Operating Contractors at Idaho National Engineering Laboratory (INEL) but on different sides of the fence. Bob HALL continues to work for the Airline Filots Association (ALPA). I saw Bob’s name on a letter from ALPA to the FAA commenting on Boeing’s Early Extended Twin Operations (ETOPS) proposals for the Boeing 777. The letter was read with great interest by a lot of important people at Boeing. Joe HICKS, Rolex owner, is the Alexandria regional office manager for a Richmond-based company, Earth Technologies, specializing in cleanup of hazardous waste. Pete OGDIBENE is about to get his project launched for a smart, secure personal health card that has your entire medical record on it. No picture from the party the camera broke. Bet you have heard that one.

Bill FLYNN wrote making it known he would be unable to attend the reunion because of a move in progress. Pam, Bill’s wife, is being reassigned to Fairfax, VA and, after five years in Germany, they were having fun getting things organized. Pam is the chief geologist for Mobil Oil. Bill asked me to pass on his best to everyone while at the reunion. I did my best but I think Bill did it better: “If this letter reaches you before you leave for the reunion, I would like you to give my best wishes to our classmates. I would have liked to be there to mull over the events of the past 30 years, hear stories of the different paths we have taken, compare notes on dreams fulfilled and missed, brag about families, rationalize ad-

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ded weight and thinning hair, and just to be in the company of such a great group.”

Susan SCHROEDER checked in to fill us all in on their doings in Saudi Arabia. Ted oficially retired last July and is employed with BDM International doing work for the Royal Saudi Air Force in Riyadh. I liked Susan’s first impressions of life away from the Air Force when she talked about their week-long orientation in Riyadh: “We both went for that and BDM paid my way plus TDY pay for me. They housed us at the RitzCarlton for that week with a rental car and all of the amenities. I missed the Air Force for about five minutes then decided industry wasn’t going to be so bad after all.” The living conditions in the BDM compound sounds downright civilized. After hearing how well BDM treats their employees I was sorely tempted to send in an application. Can you imagine, 35 cents for a gallon of gasoline. Susan would make a good recruiter. She says BDM likes recently-retired Air Force officers and they would welcome resumes sent to their McLean, VA offices. Susan also welcomes inquiries about life in the Middle East. Ted and Susan can be reached at: BDM International, Unit 61323, Box R, APO AE 09803-1323.

Frank BARRETT called twice. First time he was looking for Jack ZIMMERMAN’S new Georgia address or phone number. I suggested he call back near Christmas and maybe Jack’s data would be in the AOG package. No such luck. Jack, where are you? Frank lives in Tucson and spends his days teaching math and aero.

Address Changes: John GOUTAS from Vacaville, CA to WarnerRobins, GA; Jim WILSON retired and living in North Highlands, CA; Fred LINDAHL from Durham, NC to Alexandria, VA; Jerry MCCLELLAN from Smithtown, NY to Naperville, IL; Rich O’LEAR from Alexandria, VA to Bethesda, MD; George FREDERICK from Scott AFB, IL to Austin, TX; and Fred METCALF to Fairfax Station, VA.

A new, convenient way to stay in touch with me is via the electronichighway. You may now make contact through Prodigy Electronic Mail. My Identification Code is HHMM30A.

I want to thank all of those who had a kind word to say about writing this column. The job is a marvelous way to keep in touch with what goes on and I appreciate the help you all give me by keeping me informed through phone calls, letters, etc. On the rare occasion someone has not been happy with what I have written, I appreciate those remarks as well. Although at times I have been guilty of using this column as a soap box, this column is actually for you! So please do let me know what you think it will be published if that is want you want.

That’s it! If you were successful in figuring out how to properly use a camera and have any pictures from the reunion, I would like to put them on this page over the next year or so. Please send me a copy; we will all appreciate your kindness. Until then, take care.

Bob Hovde

1360 Green Hills Court

Duncanville, TX 75137

Home: (214) 780-0724

Work: (214) 708-6340

Percent members: 73

CHANGE-OF-ADDRESS CARDS: Max JAMES is now the chairman, Napa Valley Properties, Inc., in Napa, CA. He says that he has opened four RE/MAX North Bay offices this year. He will be moving from Rancho Murieta to Napa “as soon as I can find a good realtor.” Butch MCGEHEE has moved from Ohio to San Antonio, TX. A1 ROGERS moved from Bolling AFB in D.C. to Falls Church, VA. Since the card didn’t mention that he was a general, I take it to mean that he has retired. Ed KURZ left Amherst, NH for Davis, IL. Finally, Leroy STUTZ moved from Rantoul, IL to Oklahoma City another retirement? By reunion time next year, there will be very few of us still on active duty.

LETTERS: Tom TILL was moved by my mention of our nocturnal missions through tunnels and across rooftops of USAFA to write a LETTER. (With an ink pen on real stationery, even!) He says that those early missions of intrigue aren’t that far from his work today working on projects related to the transport sector of Russia and the Central Asian Republics at the World Bank.

Fred WAGNER has reappeared in Cypress, CA. In a very nice, long letter, he says that he sort of dropped out when everyone else was continu

ing upward while his Air Force career went from captain to NCO. He says that he did much better after he became an NCO and people turned him loose on poorly-defined problems and let him solve them. Being on SAC bomber and missile crews required doing it by the book, or else! He usually thought he had a better idea than the book, but they didn’t see it that way! (Actually, being an NCO was a good deal for Fred, since he met and married Michelle during that period.) Since retiring in 1984, he has worked in information services and is now the manager of information services for a Los Angeles law firm (a 140 node Network 3.11 network, for you computer types). Having seen the career networking form in the last Checkpoints, Fred volunteered to help anyone get rolling in a civilian career. He has coached several people through their job searches (714-827-9236).

Fred finally got back to USAFA for a visit a few years ago, and was happy to see a B-52D on display, since he had 175 SEA missions in them. However, he noticed that the plaque says that the external tank capacity was 3,000 gallons, while it should be 3,000 gallons PER TANK. Only off by 18,900 lbs. He wonders if the Doolies have been memorizing the wrong information. As for nostalgia trips, Fred says that if you are in Tucson, you should visit the Titan Missile Museum he pulled a few alerts at that site. In spite of his comments that he and SAC didn’t always see eye to eye, Fred must have learned well. Years after his last alert, when he was an NCO at Offutt AFB, he was eating in the dining hall when the klaxon went off. He grabbed his hat and was out the door before he remembered that he didn’t have a truck or an airplane! Returning to lunch with a sheepish grin must have been embarrassing.

Fred, as to your question about wives at the reunion, they are definitely invited and welcome! (My previous comments about wives being treated better this time came from the day we played golf and had lunch without including them. Some wives complained that they are tired of the same stories, but Sandy says it’s OK the stories are different each time we tell them, anyway!)

REUNION: Speaking of the reunion, Pete LOPRESTI and the group in Colorado have been working hard. You should have received the first reunion mailing in January. We expect a high turnout, so get your reservations in early. If anyone knows of any other classmates who have “dropped out”, please let me know so we can get the information out to them. This includes everyone who was with us from Doolie Year on graduation is not a requirement. This is a ’64 CLASS reunion.

PHONE CALLS: I talked with Lin BOTHWELL, who is still living in the mountains above Ogden, UT, and doesn’t understand why anyone would live anywhere else. It seems that I heard the same thing from Denny MONTGOMERY.

Bill and Jeanne WITTRESS are alive and well in Renton, WA. They both are working for Boeing Jeanne full time and Bill consulting. Jeanne says they WILL be at the reunion! They had a bad scare this year, when their daughter Cris was badly injured in an automobile acccident. Luckily, she is recovering well.

MORE LETTERS: Butch BRADY wrote with news of the 4th annual 7th of ’64 mini-reunion, which he coordinated. Seven couples attended the weekend reunion at a resort in Cozumel, Mexico. (Three couples had to cancel at the last minute.) The picture is of the seven classmates (Butch BRADY, Claude BILLINGS, Tim O’KEEFE, Jock ROSENBERGER, John SHRINER, Scott SUDMALIS, and JJ WILLIAMS) following the “World Championship 7th of ’64 Golf Tournament”. It seems that the resort didn’t have a golf course, but, with typical ’64 innovation, Claude BILLINGS brought along some kid’s plastic golf clubs, so an impromptu nine-hole course was constructed especially for the “tournament”. From the original picture, it looks to me that the golfers are not in the order Butch listed. It’s a plot by the 7th guys to confuse the rest of us!

The previous 7th mini-reunions were held at Gull Lake, MN in August 1990 (hosted by Harry PEARCE); Breckenridge, CO in March 1991 (hosted by Jim WALLACE); and in Riudoso, NM in May 1992 (hosted by Hugh SMITH). The 7th claims to have had the highest turnout at the 20th and 25th reunions, and plan to continue their attendance dominance. This sounds like a challenge to me.

Sandy and I are looking forward to seeing all ya’all (in Dallas, that’s the plural of “y’all”) at the reunion. Meanwhile, keep those letters and calls coming. There are two more issues until the reunion.

Dick Zucker

407 Arch Bluff

San Antonio, TX 78216

Office: 1-800-688-7663

FAX: (210) 341-2959

Percent members: 67

Good news from Texas! The economy has really turned around, San Antonio is poised to become the gateway to Mexican trade with the passage of NAFTA, and the ranks of “’65 Best Alive” increased again as Tom GORGES took command of the Air Force Center for Environmental Excellence at Brooks AFB. With Tom’s strong ties to Academy football, just drop him a note if you need good tickets for the AFA-UTEP game to be played in San Antonio’s new Alamodome this fall. Write Tom at 64 Campden Circle, San Antonio, 78218.

Hank BONDARUK is still in Michigan with Ford Motor Company’s truck operations as the new lead engineer for the Windstar minivan. Hank’s now a new grandpa from daughter Kelly. Hank sends word that Frank MCCANN and Dick CZARNOTA are alive and in good shape.

Terry DRABANT has moved from Colorado to Maryland, Lorenzo CROWELL is settled into operation in Starkville, MS; Roger MORTENSEN moved a few miles from Kent to Lacey, WA; Jim BEAVERS had Lear Siegler pay for all the expenses associated with living and working in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and Curtis NELSON welcomes overnight guests to his pad in Beavercreek (that’s Ohio not Colorado ski bums take note). Bob TINDALL and Karen are leading the good life in Ft Walton Beach, FL where Bob works for an aviation services company and puts on one-man art shows.

Bill SWICK and Mary have a year-old grandson to visit them in Bellevue, NE where Bill is the VP of Integrated Planning Systems. Bill MANGAN left the shaky aerospace industry in southern California and is now putting together a grand prix racing team with some deep-pocketed investors. Jerry KEYSER and Dee soak up the sun in Mesa, AZ. Jerry is with McDonnell Douglas flying (hovering) a whole slew of rotor-type machines as chief helicopter pilot.

Bill WALL retired a few short years ago and couldn’t find a position commensurate with his life style so he opted to become a lawyer practicing in Fairfax, VA. Roy BRIDGES and Benita are now at WrightPatterson where two-star Roy is the director of Requirements for AF Material Command trying to buy aircraft, equipment and assorted hardware on a shoestring budget. The Bridges’ home is an historic landmark which was once occupied by General Laurence Craigie, the first AF jet pilot.

Ron FLAKE and Sara still live on beautiful Lake McQueeny near Seguin, TX (actually “Lake” is a misnomer since a wide area of the Guadalupe River is what the locals believe is a lake). They hope to someday soon pack up the whole shebang and move to the hinterland for permanent R&R. Mike KRAUSE was in San Antonio recently and was wined and dined on some real Texas barbecue. Mike is a brilliant(?) professor associated with the Defense Systems Management college at Ft. Belvoir. Ken MCALEAR happened to join the group at dinner and seems to be enjoying life in the retired arena. We all cheered for John BLAHA on his return to Earth from a long and most successful space mission. May John continue to carry our class honor into space for many years.

Skip COX and Susan have finally unpacked in their new and beautiful estate in the luxurious hill country north of San Antonio where they count “The admiral” David Robinson of the San Antonio Spurs as their dear neighbor. Randy MARTIN and Joy also settled into their new digs north of Dallas in Allen, TX. John TAIT and Susan write from Colorado that John is loving life as a full-time ski bum. He works a few hours a month as a campus minister at Ft Lewis College and conducts jeep tours for single women when the weather allows for shorts and halter tops.

Joe KOENIG and Marlene are in Ohio where Joe is now teaching high school students what math and physics are all about. He says the workload is most stressful and the days exhausting. Evenings are spent grading papers or preparing for the next lesson. Our country needs to honor and reward our teachers for their efforts and contribution to our youth!

Steve (I’ll see you in court) WALLACH is an air-crash litigation attorney working in Miami, FL. He also just moved into the same fancy condo building where my mother has been living on the beachfront in Ft Lauderdale. If Steve will check in on my mother each week and replace light bulbs, change A/C filters, and help her program the VCR, I’m certain he can count on a good, free dinner on a regular basis.

If visiting San Antonio, make sure you call ahead for reservations at Niel STONE and Reva’s Bed & Breakfast. Reva is a recognized gourmet cook who will put forth a feast fit for a king. You can even work off the extra pounds with Niel on the tennis or racquetball courts.

The latest class tally shows just 34 active duty from our class. Guess the hands of time do rapidly diminish a once rock-solid group of warriors ready to accept challenges of fast cars, faster women, and still faster air machines. May our accomplishments continue to keep pace with our dreams as we settle into a wonderful post-50 life of peace and good health. Hey guys, please send your cards and letters, or for the true ’65ers call!

Ryan Denny j 'J#

1210 Applewhite Road

O’Fallon, IL 62269

Home: (618) 624-4255

DSN: 576-5007 i^3ifuw

Percent members: 71 I*

Greetings Redtags! Between Christmas cards, phone calls and my TDYs (boondoggles) I have seen or heard from a reasonable number of our classmates in the past few months. Some have even come to Scott AFB to visit me!

Jim WOODY, who is the head of the Management Department at USAFA, brought some of his people out to AMC Headquarters to brief us on a proposal for a study they wanted to do for us. Jim’s department did a preliminary look at the effectiveness of “hard” crew vs the pool concept of forming aircrews and wanted to follow it up with a more indepth look during a RED FLAG scenario if we would pay the bills. Nothing’s free anymore, not even good advice. Another classmate, Joe NARSAVAGE, showed up at Scott for a two-day orientation to AMC. Joe managed to escape from the drudgery of Puerto Rico’s beaches and is now enjoying the life of luxury inside the Beltway as the director of Mission Systems for USAF/SC.

Also in Washington, DC is Gary PALMER. Gary retired a few years ago and went to work for the Department of Energy as a GS-15. He called me after the AF-Navy game to tell me about all of the Redtags that he saw at the game. Among the crowd were Mike PARMENTIER, Terry O’DONNELL, Fritz MCDOUGALL, Dick BETHUREM, Bob HOH, Jay LEVAN, J.O.MCFALLS, Walt SCHRECKER, and Ed SHIRLEY. There was a 2,000 + person tailgate party sponsored by the AOG, so there were probably a lot more of you all at the game you just weren’t seen (or remembered). Gary has been trying to build an updated list of ’66 guys in the D.C. area, with current jobs, phone numbers, aliases, etc. There is a larger concentration of our classmates in Washington than anywhere else, so it’s a worthwhile undertaking. If you’re living in the D.C. area, and Gary hasn’t contacted you yet, give him a call at (202) 586-1785.

While TDY to Dallas, I ran into Bob LUPINI. Bob also retired a few years ago and is now the vice president of the Defense Electronics Systems Center for Systems Research Labs. He works out of Dayton and seems to be: a) enjoying himself, and b) successful. What more could an old Zoomie ask for? Speaking of old Zoomies who are enjoying themselves and are successful, I keep running into Bob JAHNKE at conferences and conventions all over the U.S. Bob moved up to Utah a few years ago from Daytona Beach and has fallen in love with the place. It must be the mountains and clean air remind him of his fun-filled days at USAFA. Another classmate that I ran into recently was Dr. Bill RILEY. Bill is a PhD-type doctor (not one of the kind that works in your local medical hobby shop) who retired from the Math Department at USAFA and is now working for LOGICON in Colorado Springs. His part of the company does a lot of work to support the Defense Nuclear Agency.

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Mark SIMMONS gave me a call a while back to see if I knew anything about starting up a local AOG chapter. I wasn’t much help, but we had a nice talk. Mark is living in Ft. Wayne, IN and working for Magnavox. We discussed the role of the AOG and whether its current focus was too much on the Academy and not enough on us old graduates. Mark thinks that the other service academies do a better job of working issues (like networking for jobs) for their graduates and that the USAFA AOG should shift its focus. Since this conversation I’ve gotten fliers and info on an AOG-sponsored job search service and many other services that the AOG sponsors for graduates. Any opinions? Should the AOG do more? Let me know your thoughts, and I’ll print them.

Arne WEINMAN is living in Spokane, WA and building houses for the rich and famous. If he sells enough of them, he might be able to move into one himself someday. Duane TWAY just finished up a PhD and is coauthoring a book on trust in organizations. Jim MURPHY just retired from AMC Headquarters and was thinking about going into the financial planning business. Mike MARON is in his fifth year flying for Northwest Airlines out of Minneapolis. He lives in San Antonio, where his wife, Col Marti Maron, runs nurses assignments and education for MPC. BG Jim HIGHAM moved from the wing commander job at Kirtland AFB to become vice commander of Air Force Special Operations Command at Hurlburt Field. Bill WACKER is retired on a golf course in Myrtle Beach, SC. From his wife’s description of his lifestyle, he plays golf four days a week (and some more on the weekend) and works one or two days a week on a golf course. This can’t be completely true because that much golf doesn’t leave enough time for fishing and I know how much Bill likes to fish.

Just a few more weeks of skiing left, and it’s time to start making vacadon plans for this summer. When you do, look up a classmate, take his picture and send it to me. Until then Happy Landings!

Greetings once again from sunny Germany. Or, more accurately, cold, foggy, wet Germany. This is not a pretty place in the winter. At least not in the Bitburg area.

A Voice from the past: Dan MORGAN sent a catch-up note. In Aug 92 he moved from Alamogordo, NM, to March AFB where he is the chief of Mental Health, working with “the best group of folks (he has) ever worked with”. Son Jesse (18) is taking a year off school and working; daughter Wendy (16) is doing well in school and life mainly due to the level-headedness she inherited from her mother; and Donna uses her MA in marriage, family and child counseling to keep things together in their family life. Dan notes the sign of the times that March AFB is on the realignment list and becomes a Reserve base in spring ’96.

From the parents of a ’90 grad came an Ohio State U publication which described how Joe KRUZEL is taking a leave of absence from OSU for his new job as deputy assistant secretary of defense for European and NATO policy, where he will be responsible for U.S. policy toward NATO, Eastern Europe and the Balkans. In the past, Joe served as a negotiator at the SALT talks and was an advisor to SecDef Brown during SALT II. Joe has been at OSU for the past 10 years. He seems to have the qualifications to get a handle on the Eastern Europe socio-politicalcultural-military mess. Sic ’em, Joe.

Robin DETURK wrote from St Louis, where his summer was spent sweating out the floods and watching friends and coworkers who were directly affected by it. He retired in ’88 and since then has worked for McDonnell Douglas. The company has seen a fair amount of change since he joined down from 11,000 engineers to 7,000 but things seem to have settled a bit recently. He has not bumped into any classmates since his retirement and had planned to attend the 25th, but was pulled out at the last for a job problem. He saw Ken FORRESTER last fall when he flew into St Louis. Ken owns a corporate flying service and flies charters all over the country. He also has had contact with Rob LORD, Ron WILBANKS, and Jim HASTEDT. Rob is flying for Delta out of Alaska; Ron was then at McChord; and Jim was selling real estate in the Denver area. Clay MAGEE is also at McDonnell Douglas, in charge of DoD security.

Robin’s wife is an executive secretary for Anheuser Busch, where she has worked for the past 11 years. Rob says she puts in longer hours than he does, working for the corporate controller. Their older son, Chris, is a sophomore at Northeast Missouri State U and younger son, Jonathan, is in the 8th grade. Thanks for your info, Rob.

Faithful Bill HALL sent Seven’s newsletter, with its collection of pearls. Tom GRIESSER recently turned 50 and is still enjoying his CAP job, but is looking at possibly retiring next year. Rich BEBEE recently moved to the left seat as a captain for United. Joe KRUZEL sat with Navy’s Supt at the football game, and then-SecDef Aspin made him wear a Navy baseball cap...Joe and Gail are doing well, trying to settle into Mclean, VA, from where he can commute to the Pentagon. Ven HAMMONDS retired and he and Dianne are settled in Sherman, TX. Their son Todd is in pilot training at Reese, looking forward to moving into T-38s or the T-l. Other son Eric is attending UT Arlington studying crimiinal justice. Ven notes it is the first time in five years the family is all located within a five-hour drive. Dianne works with special needs kids in their local school district, and Ven is trying out substitute teaching to see if he could stand it full time.

A few address updates from the AOG: Harvey VANCE has moved from Denver to Southlake, TX, from whence he came many years ago. Ron MORISHIGE relocated in Marietta, GA. Ray FELLOWS moved to Nabb, IN. And Mike RYAN retired on 31 Aug 93 and moved from Hanscom AFB to Hermosa Beach, CA.

Life in USAFE is a bit depressing these days. “Drawdown” seems to be the operative word, while “deployment” is equally so. SERBs have taken their toll, as has the lessened number of aircraft, which forced some of those who would otherwise continue flying to find non-flying jobs.

On the other hand, there is still fun to be had: for example, the local ski club arranged a Thanksgiving trip to Zermatt, and Team Wilson skied at the base of the Matterhorn for three days. Actually, Frau Wilson and daughter Kate spent a part of the time shopping rather than skiing...But that is the norm. Roger CARLETON is still at the helm at Bitburg. The exodus begins here big-time in January, and all aircraft should be gone by March, with only the hospital, schools, housing, commissary and BX remaining, as part of Spangdahlem AB, and the entire operational side of the base closing down. I do not look forward to that, as this has been such a great place for so many years...

Ah, well. Progress.

Best wishes to all for the New Year (at the time of writing), or for the springtime, if that is the time this gets published. Tschuss.

Tim Davidson

9712 Hidden Valley Road

Vienna, VA 22181

Home: (703) 255-5313

Office: (703) 697-5656

DSN: 227-5656

Percent members: 66

HELLO ’68! Our 25th reunion was absolutely marvelous! Many thanks again to Manny BETTENCOURT and the entire Reunion Committee for putting on such a genuinely enjoyable package of events. I don’t know how we will be able to come up with a much better format, but if any of you out there in Checkpoints Land want to contribute some ideas for our 30th, please feel free to send in your views.

The trips to Royal Gorge, Cripple Creek, and Old Colorado City were made on picture-perfect Colorado days and the golf tournament had the air of friendly competition and banter that would make Rush Limbaugh and Pat Buchanan stand up and take notice. The free buffet breakfasts that began each of our days at the Embassy Suites gave us all an opportunity to commune with each one another as we participated in tag-team

Royal Gorge tourists waitingfor the bus Alicia, hiding behind Lisa Davidson, Nita Russell, Fred and Jackie Gross, Pat Russell, Don Duncan, Greg Shuey, Doug Barnard, Mr. and Mrs. Weldon Groves, Roger Sorensen, and Jim Thompson and friend.

table-hopping to catch up on each other’s lives. The memorial service was done with great respect and dignity in honor of our fallen comrades. The banquet and dance were also highlights of an absolutely magnificent weekend where ’68 showed 25 years later why we’re still great!

Manny called as I was putting this column together and said to thank all of you for sending such warm acknowledgements for his effort on the reunion. A salesman to the end, he also wanted to know that you can still get some ’68 lapel pins for $6 and mugs for $11. If you want to order either of these items, just send the request and $s to him.

TRULY AWESOME EVENT DEPT: While some of us were out doing our Christmas shopping in December, one of our classmates was engaging in cosmic events on a much grander scale. Our man in space, Dick COVEY, commanded the ENDEAVOR in the most successful mission ever attempted by NASA’s space shuttle program. With fingers crossed and prayers that all of the gadgetry put into the Hubble telescope actually works, we hope to be able to see the depths of space much more clearly and to discover more about the infinity of universe that surrounds us. We hail in your accomplishments, Dick, and are extremely proud of your dedication to the new frontier.

While you are still pondering cosmic events and infinity, please note that the “Long Blue Line” from the class continues with the youngest known member belonging to Mike and Bobbie PEARSON. Alyssa was born 21 April 1993. Mike is employed by Rockwell International as a program development manager in Dallas, TX. He is currently working on a project involving several large communication systems for Australian Defense Forces.

Amidst the pre-reunion activities, the forces for good and the American way (i.e., the USAFA Fighting Falcon football team) had an altercation with an abnormally potent foe from Annapolis (i.e., the Navy Goat Football Team). The game was pretty exciting with the lead changing back and forth most of the contest. Unfortunately, Navy prevailed for the first time since 1982 and left a bunch of us with nothing to do but to drown our sorrows in a few beers at Mike’s Seafood House off of Riva Road in Maryland. Of course, if we had won we would have done the same thing, but that is another story. The cast for this affair in the foreground of the photo are:

hat), Charlie SIEFERT (holding up the table), Karl WHITTENBERG, Ed EBERHART (kneeling), and Jim CLARK. Standing are: John GONDA, Greg VARHALL, and Pat HEINIG.

Based on several years of experience in correspondence from the class that kind of dries up after the holidays, I am saving the Christmas news for next column.

’68 SPOTLIGHT

The ’68 Spotlight for Winter 1994 falls on Doug MENARCHIK. Born in Searcy, AR and entering USAFA Prep School from Fairchance, PA, Doug went to pilot training at “Willie” and then into Special Operations in the AC-119G Shadow Gunship, where he flew 211 combat missions in Southeast Asia. His educational credentials beyond USAFA include a master’s in international affairs and a PhD in international relations from George Washington University in 1976 and 1983, respectively; NATO Defense College in 1989; and time served as a Senior International Fellow at the Center for International Affairs at Harvard in 1992. He is currently pursuing a Master of Arts in religion from Liberty University. His published works include: Powerlift-Getting to DESERT STORM: Strategic Transportation and Strategy in the New World Order, Praeger Publishers, Sep 93; “Defending Global Interests,” American Defense Policy, 6th Edition, Johns Hopkins Univ Press, 1991; and, “Strike Against Terror! The Entebbe Raid,” Air University Review, April 1980.

The Menarchiks Heidi, Debbie, Col/Dr. Doug, and Jason.

Some of Doug’s core assignments include instructor at the USAF Special Ops School in Middle East/Africa Affairs and dynamics of international terrorism; professor in Poli Sci at USAFA; Air Staff-Middle East/African plans and policy; military advisor to then-Vice President George Bush; vice wing commander of the 1776th Air Base Wing at Andrews; and assistant for Terrorism Policy in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Special Operations and Low Intensity Conflict.

When asked what the Academy meant to him, Doug answered, “It was a unique college experience. Not only did it allow me to expand my horizons beyond the coal patches of western Pennsylvania, but it brought me into contact with promising young men from all across America. Together with friends like Rock BURAGLIO, Danny James, Lupe Wolfe, John WATKINS, Marty EGGERT, AJ BEAUREGARD, Frank MOORE, Walt SIGAFOOS, and many others, I came to understand the “whole person” concept a way of life striving for professional excellence through physical fitness, mental agility, professional competence, and spirtual growth.”

Regarding some of life’s lessons learned, Doug said life is something of “great diversity. Power politics, operations, policy and academia, in combination, are stimulating, intensely exciting, adrenalin-producing, and deeply thought-provoking.” He revels in his service to God and country, is proud of his family, and enjoys reflecting on a few of his favorite things “to soar, to fly, to skydive, to think big things, to take care of small details, and to make airplanes fly on time.” Thanks for sharing your thoughts with us Doug.

’68ers On The Move: R.K.BROWN to Key Largo, FL; John CARSON to Wichita Falls, TX; Marty COLE to Chicago, IL; Mike GUTH with an address clarification to 1 Crossbow, CAFB, Clovis, NM 88101; Gene ROSS to Maxwell AFB, AL; Roger SORENSEN to Alexandria, VA; Gene THOMPSON to San Diego, CA; and, Dave VORWALD with an address clarification to 1223 S. Benson, Freeport, IL 61032.

Gang, 1 know a lot of shutters were snapping during the reunion and over the holidays, but I could not swear to it by what I have received in the mail NADA! Please take a few minutes to drop your Class Scribe a

Youngest known progeny from the Class of 1968, Alyssa Joy Pearson, with proud dad and mom, Mike and Bobbie, and big brother Alex.

Scribe person, Roger SORENSEN, Rick PATTERSON (with

USAFA Post-Game at Mike’s Seafood House after Navy game.

line and send some of these moments in time to my address in Vienna before the pictures get stored in a “safe place” never to be seen again. Many thanks!

That does it for now for all you earth-bound types and Dick Covey mind the flak, keep ’em flying, and keep those cards, letters, and photos coming in.

Holiday Greetings To All. Cards, letters, and calls hit a six-year lull this time, so it will be easier than ever to prepare this newsletter in accordance with the ever-more-restrictive space limitations imposed by the good peopie who develop and prepare Checkpoints.

Congratulations are in order for our new brigadier general nominees. On the list we find John DALLAGER, Thomas FLEMING, John HOPPER Jr., Robert OSTERTHALER, Berwyn REITER, Terryl SCHWALIER and Charles WAX. Way to go guys.

Jim LEUTHAUSER moved from Coral Springs to Parkland in Florida effective the end of November. Bob SCHALLER relocated within North Carolina, to Burlington from Fayetteville. Johnny STAVELY now resides in Lamar, CO. Steve KOLET now lives in Grand Rapids, MI, having moved from Wexford, PA.

Tom SHUMAY called from Oklahoma City, where he is teaching mathematics to high schoolers and enjoying it immensely. He reports sightings on Scott BENCH, he of the sweet golf swing, flying for UPS out of Memphis, TN and suggested that Tom TOOPS, who was reported “missing” in the last Checkpoints, is holding down a liaison job of some sort in Cairo, Egypt.

Dave ANDERSEN and family still reside in New Jeresey, where Dave continues his civilian flying career as well as his Air Force Reserve duties. Rudy HALLENBECK has moved into his dream house in W. Melbourne, FL, and Chris HOPE reports that Dennis TOPPER still resides in Houston, TX. Clark BUNTON and family are in Anaheim, CA.

motivation and leadership. Based in Brentwood, TN, A1 reports that he has worked in collaboration with the U.S. Air Force Symphony Orchestra to produce an album of 24 Christmas favorites, titled “This Is Christmas,” under the independent record label Altissimo. This marks the first time a recording of the A.F. Symphony Orchestra has been made available to the general public. Congrats.

Jeff TRENTON, in Virginia Beach, is working on the Great American Novel and consulting in human resources and political military areas.

Think reunion. The ’68ers had a smashing time this past fall, as they had a good turnout. Fix your sights as early as you can. The more cards and calls I receive, the easier it will be to generate the kind of critical-mass turnout that will make our 25th as first-rate an event as was the 20th. Cheers to all. Lindsey.

Tony Marietta

1070 Knollwood Circle Monument, CO 80132

Home: (719) 488-3201

Work: (719) 593-8888 (800) 451-7217 (outside of Colo. Spgs.)

Percent members: 58

MMMMEEERRRRRRYY CHRISTMAS AND HAPPY NEW YEAR! This is a great time of year. The urge to write your class scribe is the greatest during the holiday season plus you always have your camera ready, so I get millions of pictures. However, guidelines for our class newsletter limits the length of text to the point that we may need to use shorthand. It also imposes a three photo maximum. So, if you live close to a grad, take a group picture. The “Hatchet Man,” alias the editor, says the magazine is getting bigger. Seems reasonable to me, since with each new graduating class, the magazine grows by approximately one page. I mention all of this because I had to carry some of the information and pictures I received for this column into the next.

Got a Xmas card from Rudy ARAGON. Of course there was no note nor pictures. Since he mailed it from Florida, I assume Rudy got sunstroke and couldn’t write or take pictures. There were 22 other names on the card, so either Rudy has a big family or he is the owner of a business in Miami.

Got a Xmas card, letter, and a business brief from John “Mitch” and Diane MITCHEL. Mitch, call Rudy and get him on the ball. Mitch is an account exec for Dean Witter Reynolds in Dayton, OH. Mitch retired in ’92. He ran into Dick RAUSCHKALB and Greg GILES at an AFA cadet lecture on the fine points of investing. Mitch saw Dave ANTOON somewhere on our continent and Dave is still on active duty, somewhere. Mitch saw Ken HASSEN, who is retired and working for Lockheed in California, and Doug BARON and wife, Sharon, who recently moved from Chicago to Dallas. Mitch says he is having an excellent business year rescuing his clients from Bill and Hillary’s (Biliary’s) taxes. From Mitch’s home front, he and wife, Diane, are busy as ever with their three children. Chris (15) is doing great in basketball and cross country; Betsy (13) is doing well in softball, cheerleading, as well as mall shopping and telephone conversations; Chelsea (age unknown to me) loves soccer, swimming, and art. Diane is teaching art at a local college and trying to keep up with all of the activities of the children. Thanks, Mitch, for all of the info.

Another Xmas card, letter and 600 pictures from Ross and Martha JOHNSTON. The Johnston clan: Jordan, alias the toddler, is unstoppable in her quest for adventure and any fragile item in sight; Jessica, 2nd grade, wants to be an attorney (probably so she can sue doctors); Rachel,

Tommy LOVE and family (he and wife, Rebecca, pictured) are in Fort Worth, TX. Tommy continues his multiple careers, is very active in crash investigations, and will once again be the designated doc when the Amelia Erhardt search team embarks on its next mission.

Some blue suiters at the Pentagon: Tim COURINGTON is the executive for the Air Force Scientific Advisory Board. Terry SCHWALIER, now on the Joint Staff, is tackling a tough one: the meaning and relevance of nuclear deterrence in the post-USSR strategic environment. Tom ALLEN is the commander of the Air Force Studies and Analysis Center. Tim MUELLER is working resource allocation problems in Air Force Programs and Evaluation.

A1 MCCREE, the ex officio leader of all of us who were, are, or are becoming “follicularly challenged, continues his career as a speaker on

CLASS

19-23

Tommy and Rebecca Love

The Johnston Clan too many to count.

6th grade, loves basketball and skating; Jennifer, HS senior, cheerleader and great student, loves horses and was a finalist in the Junior National Arabian Horse show, and starts on the girls basketball team; Todd, at Notre Dame, is close to clearing 7' in the high jump. Mom Martha wears tennis shoes 24 hours a day to keep up with all of the children. Ross, alias Mr. Orthopedic Surgeon, still loves medicine and is on the local board for boys/girls club and president of the local medical society.

Xmas card and letter from Dan and Laurie HANCOCK. They live in Texas and have become “Texanized” since the words “you all” are all over their letter and envelope. I think Dan even uses it for a middle name. The Hancock clan: Kerri is a junior at UNC in Colorado and hopes to teach at a Christian school; Heather is a freshman at Southwest Texas State Univ, majoring in commercial art. Laurie (Dan’s best half) is working part time in retail sales to conquer empty nest syndrome. Dan “You All” Hancock is a training consultant for Mei Technology, which is a systems engineering and training corporation. Their letter’s final words: “You all come visit us, Ya hear!” That really is the truth. I couldn’t make up anything like that.

Another Xmas card and letter from Dave and Donna STERLING. They write me too much, but since I like them both, I will relate some of the highlights of their letter, which I might add had absolutely no, none, zippo, pictures. Both Dave and Donna changed jobs. Donna is an assistant professor for science education at George Mason Univ, while Dave is attempting a corporate takeover of ASI (Adroit Systems Inc), a systems engineering company. I’m not sure if I was suposed to print that. The offspring: Dana is a senior in HS, leader of the school’s color guard and was selected to march in the Canadian drum corps during the summer. Douglas excels in academics (good gene pool) and still is enthralled with baseball and football. (Douglas, play baseball; it’s much safer.) If the STERLINGS eventually send me pictures, I might even print more information about them.

Since I am the scribe, I decided to make one of the three pictures a picture of my niece, Angela PURICHIA (’91). (My sister is a lot older than I am.) However, to get her picture in this much edited and scrutinized column, I needed a ’70 grad. So, while she was at UPT at Laughlin AFB, I told her, just call up your commander, Col. Tome WALTERS and tell him I need a picture. Sort of like a SERE mission having a lowly lieutenant call a full colonel who just happens to be “Head Honcho”. Being totally gullable and not of sound mind, my niece actually completed the mission. Unfortunately, now she is at Robins AFB, and guess who is the deputy commander of operations. Yes, Colonel Tome WALTERS. I figure my niece should be a lieutenant for a looong time.

“So you are Tony’s niece. Heh, heh, heh!”

Joe and Diane BURKE had a great ’70 party at their home. But since I have not received any pictures, I will wait to inform all of you about who was there and what they actually did that was legal. In addition, Joe (no picture) BURKE also was going to send me a group photo of all of the ’70 grads that currently had children at the Academy. Well they didn’t actually have children while they were at the Academy, but since they married and had children, these offspring are in current classes. Suffice it to say there are numerous ’70 offspring at the Zoo, and I will give you exact names as soon as exact photos arrive. Joe, “The Entrepreneur,” set up a gift shop at his home during the ’70 party and sold the remaining articles from our 20-year reunion (hats, key chains, “Best of the DODO,” and his old socks). Joe says he netted $42 (probably grossed $3,000) and he will donate that to the AOG building fund in the name of ’70. Sure, and President Clinton is going to lower taxes.

Actually got a Xmas card, letter, and picture from George and Mary RAYL before Xmas this year. Since I didn’t print any info about their ’92 Xmas letter until ’93 (when I actually received it), I figured I would wait until early ’94 to give out this info (don’t want to be accused of special favors). However, George and Mary did send me a picture of their son

George (possibly Tom), Michael, and Tom (possibly George).

taken at the USNA in May 93. Yeah, I know, here we go again, brother Tom is in the picture and George says that Tom is on the right. Well, actually he says that he (George) is on the left. I just don’t trust those Rayls, they’re too sly. Anyway, Michael, who is now an ensign in the Navy and will be attending flight training, is, in fact, in the middle. More info about the Rayls next issue.

Got a great Xmas poem from John and Diana THOMAS, but since no pictures, no print. Just kidding. I really have run out of space, but will fill you in next newsletter. (But John, do send pictures.) Because of space limitations, I had to flip coins to see what order people would go, except for my niece’s portion (scribe priority).

MOVING VANS: Delayed due to Xmas holiday season. More next issue!

Paul D. Knott

8941 Bellcove Circle Colorado Springs, CO 80920 (719) 282-1402

Percent members: 49

Happy 1994 (at least it will be by the time you read this)! Hope that you are recovered from the holiday season.

The phone rang recently, and to my surprise Ralph GETCHELL had called to let me know that he was back at Nellis AFB, and that he is one of the very few of us flying fighters (F-16s) for a living. He does something else at Nellis, I guess, but the Air Force gives him the keys to a Fighting Falcon every so often. And for many of us, that used to be a normal thing. The world changes, I guess. Anyhow, Ralph ran into Mike LACKEY at Luke during requal. If any of you are looking for Larry SCHLESSER, he is still at Langley, at ACC Hq. Ralph mentioned that he had originally flown the F-16A model, and strapping on the fastest iteration of the electric jet made him feel like some sort of fossil. It dates us, of course, but I now appreciate what some of the Pentagon escapees I flew with as a young lieutenant or captain must have felt when they first strapped the jet on again after RTU.

Nick STOOKE was nice enough to send not only a letter but an actual photo of some homesteaders in western Illinois and vicinity. I guess if I were a nicer guy, he and I could split the money Nick saved me by keeping me from having to go to the Grand Canyon to have something to write about for this column. John and Linda BUGNER retired to Belleville; John is going to enjoy some time off and then look for a job. Bob and Dusty BENNETT live in O’Fallon, from where Bob commutes to Scott and a newly-created agency, the AFC4 Agency. (Translation, please!) A1 and Debbie JEWELL retired from AMC; like John, A1 is resting between careers. John and Karen HATLELID live in O’Fallon, where he works with EDP Technologies under contract to the Defense Mapping Agency. Hosts of this party were Reed and Mary SHAFER. Reed works for ARINC, doing computerized rotary wing records maintenance for the Army (huh?). Gary and Charlene BUTSON visited from Carbondale, where Gary is with Southern Illinois University. Bob and Marybeth LOWE live on base so that Bob can more easily be AMC chief of staff. They are also parents of a Falcon football player, so when you read about the team, you have a semi-personal interest in them. (Anyone else have a child out there?) Daryl and Libby SINGLETON are now at Kirtland AFB, where Daryl may by now have the clearance to know what he’s doing there. Nick and Mike continue at Scott, where Nick is chief of the

Dirty Dozen

Controller Branch in the Command Center. Herb and Jeanette JOHNSON live in Ballwin, MO; Herb gets to fly with McDonnell Douglas as a test pilot. Tom and Jackie BERRY live in Belleville; Tom is chief of the Commander’s Staff Group at AMC, where in Nick’s words, he does long-range planning, generates think pieces, and performs general pontificating. Not at the party but heard from are Phil SPIKER, who welcomes visitors to J-8 in the Pentagon, especially if they bring their own string or trail of bread crumbs. Jerry O’SULLIVAN recently retired with a ceremony at the Smithsonian Institution’s Paul Garber Restoration Facility, where general glee ensued when his new job there turned out to be as an exhibit rather than as a guide. Actually, Jerry sent the AOG a short note stating that he is the manager of the Greenbriar Valley Airport in Lewisburg, WV.

Stop, you’re spoiling me! (Just Kidding!) I got a call from Mike SMITH, who liked the Industrial College of the Air Force (ICAF) enough that when he graduated in 1992, he “rented” the place and is now the Chief of Staff Chair there. He mentioned that Dale TURNER retired and now is a stockbroker with his wife, Lee. Reggie BANKS is with United Airlines; when he isn’t flying, he and Sylvia live the good life on a grand estate near Wilmington. Dee and Elaine KENNEDY are out in Redlands, CA, where Dee is some sort of engineer. Elaine recently earned her PhD, so congratulation are in order. We didn’t get to spend all the time we’d wished chatting due to a call from Europe (for Mike, not me!), but our conversation was all the more special. I appreciate hearing from all of you, because this isn’t my column, it’s yours.

I was in Pass & ID getting a sticker for my new front bumper (long story) when John HIGGINS stopped by to pick up his new 0-6 ID card. His pinning ceremony was 1 December, and Petty Officer Sean Higgins was able to be there before signing on duty with the USS Michigan, a missile sub based out of Bangor, WA. John mentioned that Joyce is walking with a brace and that the orthopedist will be seeing her in the new year. Speaking of people doctors see, Judy CURRY (Tom) spent the week before Thanksgiving in the hospital. The nurses tell me that she was an excellent patient obviously a measure of just how sick she really was! On a more serious note, Tom’s father pased away this fall. Ralph lived a full and fulfilling life for over 90 years; we’ll miss him.

Words via the AOG: Nate BARD moved around in Honolulu; Jeff DOTUR left Denver for Larkspur (near Castle Rock); Gary HUCKABY and family relocated from Dallas to Walnut Ridge, AR. Gary kept his military ties; he is now a chaplain Lt. Col. (In the Reserves?) Phil HUNT left the heat of Phoenix for Glendale, AZ; Karl POULSEN moved twice this period once within Holts Summit and then once to Columbia, MO. Terry TIEMANN moved from Universal City to Schertz, TX.

There’s a little sheet in Checkpoints for when you change jobs. As a class, we’re pretty good about letting the AOG know new mailing addresses, but we’ve neglected to update our friends and classmates on what we’re doing. If the admin staff (HUH?) at the AOG read the class columns, they’d be able to make us look really good, I suppose, but they want to see original documentation. If any of you guys are back in the cockpit again, let me know. Of course, if some of the other former class scribes remember to feed the spider once or twice a year, I will appreciate that, too.

DON’T

MISS

A MAGAZINE SEND US YOUR NEW ADDRESS GET A FRIEND TO JOIN THE AOG!

Bob Bell

13 Pacific Ave

Sinking Spring, PA 19608

Home: (215) 678-3182

Percent Members: 45

Hello once again fellow ’72ers. What with the holiday season and all it entails (plus the notable shortage of correspondence), the column for this Winter 93-94 issue includes only a couple of short notes and a handful of address change notices.

First to arrive was the one from Fran DOYLE regarding “Bring Me Men...” over the ramp entrance to the cadet area. He requested me to urge the AOG and the Academy superintendent to change the sign, thus indicating the Academy’s (and our) willingness to “...lead into the future, looking full forward, instead of being dragged into that future, looking backward at ‘tradition’ and ‘heritage’”. (See Fall 93 Checkpoints for General Hosmer’s “View From the Top”.)

Just in the midst of the last-minute rush to get Christmas on its way and barely in time for the deadline of this input, came a letter from the great Northwest by the hand of Dan SKOTTE, one in which he graciously adds a bit of the personal touch to your newsletter. In total, here goes:

...Just a quick note on where I am, and what I am doing, since you seem to have a lack of letters. Currently, I am in family practice, in Sunriver, OR. I was recently elected president of Osteopathic Physicians & Surgeons of Oregon. Additionally, I was nominated to the Sports Medicine Hall of Fame as I was Riddick Bowe’s personal physician during his training in Sunriver when he did take the original heavyweight championship. I am currently a Lt Col in the reserves, and do serve in the capacity of Liaison Officer for most of the eastern two-thirds of Oregon....

Thank you to both you guys, Fran and Dan. Any and all letters I receive will be acknowledged in this column if not at least paraphrased or transcribed verbatim. So classmates, please feel free to send them and let the rest of us know what YOU are doing.

While at work for the airline I ran into Vic SORLIE at Operations in Nashville both of us just passing through on the way back to home base. Vic flies out of Dallas-Ft. Worth. Also had the pleasure of a brief chat with Dave WHITNEY, currently based in Raleigh-Durham.

Only eight address changes this time. Roger TYLER returns from London to a new post at Scott AFB, IL. Gary BLANK departs Anchorage, AK to live in Las Vegas, NV. Kevin MORGAN moves east from Ridgecrest, CA to St. Charles, MO. Steve JACKSON changes addresses in the city of Alamogordo, NM. Marty JAYNE relocates from Vacaville, CA to Merritt Island, FL. Rick RAY moves away from Papillion, NE to Hastings, NE. Lin CHAYER makes the change from Williams AFB to reside in Parker, CO. And Steve CLARK settles down in Menifee, CA.

This last paragraph is mine to encapsulate a few things. Pictures are still welcome for addition to Checkpoints at least a grad or two should be in them...The AOG Building Fund as well as the AFA Fund are worthy recipients of any share in wealth and success that you may wish to consider. Keep in mind the list of services provided by your AOG increases with almost every issue of Checkpoints from hotel/car rental discounts to new networking initiatives and graduate database check it out. Finally, I hope that 1994 will be a year of great prosperity and good health for you all and those you love and care about. Fortitudo Per Aspera.

Thomas D. Bailey, M.D 1221 New Crest Lane Shelby, NC 28150-9782

Home: (704) 482-3110 1-800-776-1054

Percent Members: 45

■FT\$.,

This edition of the class news will include a lot of the information we were able to obtain at the 20th reunion. The reunion was a great time and I had a great excuse to talk to as many classmates as possible. Hopefully everyone reading this will see something about someone they know. There was a small group of my classmates who were present from the 36th Squadron, and though I would have liked to see more of us, we had a lot of fun at the official functions as well as the unofficial assembly at the Golden Bee. You might be wondering why I’m talking about the Pink Panthers first? Well, we’ll just call it Class Scribe privilege and move on. Vic BRIGHT, Phyllis and their three children call Albuquerque home, Vic is still on active duty and planning to eventually settle in New Mexico. Gerry and Jill HENNINGSEN and their two children are still happily settied in the Denver area where Gerry is a toxicologist veterinarian in the

The

Less One! Front: Bugner, Bennett, Jewell, and Hatlelid. Back: Shafer, Butson, Lowe, Singleton, Stooke, Johnson, and Berry.

Public Health Service who works for the EPA. Dave and Maryann HUELSKAMP are also firmly ensconed in Denver. A1 MURPHY made an appearance at the class reception. He’s a neurosurgeon in Colorado Springs. John MUSE, wife Lynn, and if I remember correctly, their four children call Dallas area home. Andy PERONA also came to the reception and was looking back on a great career in fighters from his current desk in the D.C. area. Unfortunately, Althea wasn’t able to make it to the reunion with him. The big question, however, is where is Weird Russ?

Besides seeing old faces, and catching up on years of activities, it was good to see that some of us still have a strong sense of responsibility to our avocation but can still skip a (personal) mandatory formation. Richard LEEMAN was overheard muttering on the bus that he hoped no one knew he had skipped the fun run to go to the parade. Well, being an alert reporter who can smell dirt from two rows away, I heard it, so now with the gleeful backing of his family, we all know. Mike NISHIMUTA was retiring Oct 1 along with Bergstrom AFB. I believe he’s planning to stay in the Austin area. Erik ANDERSON, Cindy and their children are enjoying the rustic beauty of the California coast at Vandenberg AFB where Erik is commander of the 30th Op Gp and still gets to play with his satellites and rockets.

Alan ROTAX had the dubious honor of being the only rep of his squadron (33) at the reunion. Marc BOLTON (CS2) is currently located at the Defense Logistics Center in the D.C. area living in Fort Washington. Phil DEBRUIN is now at McChord AFB with the NW Air Defense Sector. At the Jabara Award banquet we enjoyed talking with Ben CATLIN who is a venture capitalist in Sacramento and Gary NISKALA who, though disqualified to fly for the Air Force, has pursued his dream and is now a senior captain with Northwest.

According to rumor, and the Register of Graduates, Bill DRURY and wife, Trish, are located in Athens, TN where Bill is an orthopedic surgeon. Gordon SCHROEDER, wife Kaia, six children and two dogs are living in Houston where Gordon is based. Paul TAYLOR is a private practice attorney and SJA in the Reserves and lives Mt Vernon, WA. Jeff BROWN is a senior military advisor in Saudi Arabia where he says the flying is great. Gary VANDRIE is based in Pittsburgh with U.S. Air and is also an Academy Liaison Officer. John FOREMAN is also in Pittsburgh with the DoD Software Institute. Rick VANDAM, John VANCOEVERING and Bernie BULLOCK are also flying with U.S. Air.

Vance LINEBERGER (Sharia) wanted to talk about 4th class boxing...he’s currently at the Pentagon, and I didn’t think he’d still remember that. Eric HEARNSBERGER, Jan and their two children are based in Houston from whence he flies for Delta. Don MCMILLAN is a pilot for U.S. Air and we had a real interesting talk about our experiences here in North Carolina. A1 SAAVEDRO, who originally came to us from Uruguay, now runs an export business to Latin America from his home in Los Angeles. Pete PETERSON is currently class president of his Air War College class. Arnie PENIX is currently another orthopedist in Cincinatti. Oderia MITCHELL also straightens bones in Colorado Springs and Timothy COOPER is an infectious disease specialist at Wright-Patterson AFB.

Stephens S. MCCAULEY is located in Little Rock, AR on his last assignment prior to retirement from the Air Force. Alan KINBACK (Deb) is an American 767 pilot. Steve DRETAR and wife, Nancy, are located at Camp Smith, HI, where he works for CINCPAC. Finally, we had several pleasant conversations with Steve DIEHL and friend Julie. Steve is a radiologist in Pennsylvania and we shared an interest in conjeeture about what Biliary was planning for those of us in medicine and our common escape from reality in flying.

Now I’ll try to get in a little of the regular class news before I run out of room. Doug RICHTER retired on July 1 and has moved to Fredericksburg, TX, a little town in the hill country. Todd V. LAVIGNE moved to Kunson AB in July as the new deputy Logistics group commander. John KUCONIS is also there as the deputy ops gp comm.

Finally, I’ve got a few address changes to report. Gary BLOKLAND has moved from Riverside to Riverside, CA. Joseph R. MITCHELL, Jr., a long-lost member of CS-36, is now retired in Muscle Shoals, AL. Jack D. MCCALMONT lives in Hawthorne, CA. David T. HANSON has returned from an APO address to Fairfax Sta, VA. in the D.C. area. Steve YESTNESS and wife, Brenda, are moving around in Colorado Springs. Robert S. FRASER is doing the same in Laurel, MD. Last, but not least, one of our regulars, Larry RADOV, has returned from Europe and landed in beautiful Biloxi, MS. At least he’s close to “Nawlins”!

I’d like to make a few final comments on the reunion. The experiences were many; including the class reception, class dinner, parade, Jabara banquet, football game and tailgate party, Academy briefing and informal get-togethers. There was touring the Academy on our own, hiking, revisiting Colorado Springs and lunch with the wing including a ringside seat for another noon meal formation. I was impressed by the thought, study and effort that goes into the training and education provided there.

I was impressed and moved by the tradition, camaraderie and respect engendered in the memorial ceremony and I’ll have to admit to being more than a little proud to have had the opportunity to experience the Academy and to have served in the Air Force.

There were many aspects to our Academy experiences and our responses to them were unique to ourselves; however, I can’t help but feel that they represented a truly-significant time in our lives. It also seemed to me that despite many changes, the Academy experience is very much unchanged from when we were cadets. If you made it to the reunion, it was great seeing you again. If not, your classmates thought about you and truly wished you could have made it. I’d like to thank you for the opportunity to do the class news and ask you to take a few minutes to call or write a quick note about where you are or what you’re doing so I can pass it on to our classmates.

Joe Brezovic P.O. Box 154

Raymondville, NY 13678

Home: (315) 384-4623

Office: (315) 268-6662

Percent members: 43

Greetings to all! Hope all is well with everyone. I have nine cards to indicate moves, six letters, and two e-mail tests. Note that there are two pictures from summer letters. I had hoped for more e-mail or family updates. Maybe the deadline was too early. Look for more in the Spring Checkpoints! We should be young enough to live until then; note the representative pictures of eight classmates! As for some information you may have looked for in last issue, my own change of address from Alabama to New York caused some delay to mail receipt.

As for quick-note moves, Joe KELLEY bagged it in at Nebraska and now operates (he’s an M.D.) in Springfield, VA. Bill MACELHANEY shipped out of his APO to Fairfax Station, VA. Tom GREEN shipped out of an FPO to Montgomery, AL, must be for school. Stephen MALUTICH left Colorado Springs (again) for Montgomery, AL, must also be for school. Maybe by now they’ve met! Tully BROWN moved south from Maryland to Tullahoma, TN. Harold MURPHREE left an APO box associated with the RAF Exchange Program for Leavenworth. Let’s believe it’s for schooling and not doing time for such a “good deal!” Ralph TATE had his secretary-wife send a card to annotate the shortest bag-drag for this letter. Ralph and Carolyn moved from Esterbury Circle to Whisper Hollow in Colorado Springs! Bill HALSEY came close for the shortest move. He stayed in the same state going from Vallejo to Davis, CA. Earl RICHARDSON also stayed in the same state. He and Katherine drove from El Secundo to Los Angeles. Earl and Katherine have a son born in July, ’93. Any younger ones out there? Paul and Chris GUZOWSKI write from the Army War College in Carlisle, PA. The classmates they can play with are John VERLING, John BROCKMAN, Ed FEENEY, and Jim SCHOECK. The reveille and cannon wake-up call is a late 6:45 a.m.

Ed WHALEN sent a note and a picture of four of six at Air War Col-

At Air War College, from left are Dave Fundarek, Rich Heffner, Ed Whalen and Steve Randolph.

lege. Dave FUNDAREK out of Scott AFB; Rich HEFFNER, at Pentagon; Ed and Steve RANDOLPH are also at the Pentagon. Paul HANKINS, Langley, and Scott SMITH, Sheppard, couldn’t make the picture. Jack LEONARD sent a note and pic of the four graduating from the National War College. Mike CHASE is now at the OSD staff. It’s reported that Mike flew the first-ever B-52s into Russia. We’re still wondering if they knew we were coming. Dan GOODRICH left the Pentagon (after Wurtsmith) to HQ EUCOM at Stuttgart. Dan GRIFFIN came in to NWC from Langley and is now in the puzzle palace. Jack left KI Sawyer and the 153 inches of snow per year. He, Linda, David (11), Bradley (10) and Rachel (7) should now be in Yokota, Japan. With regards to the school stints, ’Tis so good to see that some of us can again be together!

At National War College, from left are Mike Chase, Dan Goodrich, Dan Griffen, and Jack Leonard.

Mark HYATT left USAFA as an AOC, did a two-year stint at RAF Upper Heyford, England, and is at War College in D.C., living in Vienna, VA. One of the fun things he did was help supervise an international Boy Scout camp in Switzerland. I wonder if it was anything like BCT. Mark didn’t say.

From the Dirty Dozen news source, JJ ROMANO, a recent return from Europe. JJ is in Severna Park, MD. News gleaned from the letter follows. Dave and Tai Lee DALEY are at the Pentagon, International Affairs (French). Seems they are friends of a Chinese restaurant owner. This is the kind of network I like to hear of! After the “where to work” question, there comes a question I personally like: “where to eat”. JJ thinks that there may be enough of ’74 around D.C. for a mini-reunion. I’m sure he meant CS-12, but a ’74-wide may also be considered? There was one mini for the Navy-AF game for DALEY, STERNE, ROMANO gettogether. Except for the game, JJ and Cynthia like the area very much. One reason is Cynthia’s folks are close by.

Frank “Bogie” BREWER has retired, was a catalyst of a program called “Longshot”. Those not knowing about it (like me) will welcome any description of this apparently-much-applauded program. Steve, Beth and Maryann STERNE are in the Alexandria area. Steve made colonel two years below the zone! Yeah Steve! Craig, Rite and BJ ANDERSON are in the Alexandria area. Craig is retired also. Dr. Ted and Vicky MACEY are at Fort Walton Beach. Their house needed a small gym to exercise in peace and quiet. Fortunately, their daughter Jennifer is healing great. One school bully yanked her pony tail and cracked her vertebrae (e.g. broke her neck).

Riley STEVENS is in Clemson, SC. His old roommate, Mike MALIZOLA is in Arlington, MA. But rumor has it that the snow may drive ’Zola back south. Riley wins on how long to keep a car. He just sold the Volvo he bought as a cadet. It had 400,000 miles and 19 years. I remember riding/sleeping in the back with he and Jack one summer. What a car! Mace has the oldest reel-to-reel, ’74. JJ has the oldest TV, ’74.

The e-mail contacts: Bill CASEMENT in Hawaii. Send: PCO CASEMENT < PCO#u#CASEMENT@CIDSS.AF.MIL > Gregg STEINHILPERT at: GREGG P. STEINHILPERT” <70774.272@CompuServe.COM > Bill Casement offered to compile a ’74 e-mail directory. Bill is at DSN 315-449-4031, commercial 808-449-4031.

Make your tax-deductible donation now to The Air Force Academy Fund. Your Support Helps Develop Leaders With Vision For Tomorrow.

I hope all of you had a very merry season, and that ’94 is blessed. Remember that the 20th reunion is this coming fall! May you live long and prosper.

Jeff Hackett

1825 E. Jeanine Drive

Tempe, AZ 85284

Home: (602) 831-9439

Office: (602) 891-2734

Percent members: 34 *\NCiSr -**v

FORM 10 ACTION THREATENED! Last article set records /stop/ Sixty-one names in print /stop/ Over seven pages and nearly 2500 words /stop/ Checkpoints editor personally called to say... “STOP!” (writing such long articles). I was going to put up a fight; talk about the average length of the 34 articles I’ve written and use a lot of gee-whiz knowledge from the statistics class I’m currently taking, but quickly recognized that this man hold an editor’s red pen and may unceremoniously censor some of my future “good” work. I yield but ask that each and every one of you challenge my brevity by continuing to write as much and as often as you can. (Editor’s note: Thanks, Jeff!)

HERE’S SOMETHING EVERY PAST AND FUTURE ARTICLE COULD DO WITHOUT. Was notified just before Christmas that John STEWARD died in an F-16A accident over the Atlantic Ocean on December 17th (publication schedules being what they are I doubt that a eulogy will make it into Gone But Not Forgotten for this issue). I sent a card to Cynthia on behalf of the class; hope you and your family will give additional warm and supportive thoughts as you read this. As the scribe, I’ve said it seven times before this and I’ll say it again put down the magazine right now and go tell your wife and kids, your “significant other”, or whomever, how much they mean to you. And tell ’em again tomorrow.

SANTA’S MAILBAG. Received the annual Season’s Greetings and tidbits of class news from eight of you so far. (I say “so far” because it’s not yet the end of the year and there may be others, like myself, who have yet to get to the task.) Things are pretty much as I’ve previously reported with Dennis and Leslie BROOKS, still in Colorado Springs. Denny’s getting much use from his modified golf cart and is still teaching model rocketry. Leslie pinned on Lt. Colonel’s leaves this year and was able to move her Reserve job to NORAD.

Dave COMMONS continues to “fight the tide” by not sending a computer-generated/Xeroxed Christmas letter with his card, just a traditional, personal hand-written note...yeah, that’s Dave the old traditionalist, NOT! He, Barb, and the boys like Austin (TX) although after 18 months he claims they’re still getting settled. Dave’s flying international for Delta out of Atlanta. So far, Mark and Lucy DONNELLY haven’t been able to make it over to our house although they were supposed to be in Phoenix for the Holidays. From the rest of their letter I would deduce that the “no-show” is attributable to either: A) unexpected travel needs of the new administration (“lots of trips and they seem to view the weekends as travel days”), or B) an opportunity to go an NHL game (they’ve become fans of the Capitals and if you can follow an under .500 team you’re a fan!).

Chris GLAESER sent a card and a “gift” (a letter to the Scribe that had been sitting in his computer for a couple of months see below). Chris and Karen managed two trips to Europe this year, first to pick up and ferry back home a new A-320 for Northwest Airlines and later, to go to a reunion of the Empire Test Pilot School (southern England). If all of that leaves you a little envious, Chris balanced the scales a bit with news that his Guard unit is going to transition from the F-16 to the KC-135.

Brian and Sandy GOMES’ card once again included a great family photo and their signatures! In the interest of space-savings, I’ll hold on to the photo until I get their missing letter or they use some of their (U.S. Air pilot) travel privileges to escape North Carolina for a visit to Phoenix. Based on the amount of traveling he’s done (200 days TDY), I’m a little surprised Dale MEYERROSE’ card came with an Oklahoma City postmark. I guess going to Southwest Asia, Europe, etc. is just something communications group commanders have to do. He and Linda are doing fine; you’ll have to imagine how great their three girls looked in a picture from Disneyland (another thing the editor normally won’t print is pictures that do not include a grad).

Major update from Kent and Carole TRAYLOR’S Christmas letter he has taken command of the 71st Fighter Squadron at Langley! Carole continues to contribute well beyond the boundaries of her nursing career; very active with national nursing association AWHONN (don’t ask me what that stands for). Talk about covering the bases got a Christmas card, letter, and picture plus a PRODIGY E-mail from Jon and Diane TURNER. Jon will leave the United Airlines Training Center in January to start regularly flying the line. Diane is now in her sixth year as director

of a Colorado Springs pre-school. Their family picture, taken at the “Field of Dreams” farmhouse/baseball field, was superb but a bit small for reproduction here.

PEOPLE WHO WROTE WITHOUT WORLD-WIDE HOLIDAY PROVOCATION.

As previously mentioned, Chris GLAESER included a letter he had penned back in October with his Christmas card; much news on our classmates. Chris saw Terry MARKOVITCH at Edwards AFB. Terry was flying C-23s out at TPS but by now has PCSd to Melbourne, FL to become ADO on the JSTARS Program. Wife, Mary, and four kids are fine and there was something about two grandchildren that I either could not or refused to understand. Terry, please clarify ASAP. Chris ran into Eric BUHYOFF at the airport recently; imagine that, two airline pilots meeting each other at an airport! Eric flies 747s for NWA; he, Jamie, and their five-year-old daughter (Erica) live outside Sacramento. Chris got a call from ye-olde Class President, Jim CARLSON, letting us know that he and wife, Katie, have relocated to Bloomington, MN where Katie is enrolled in law school at U of M. Also moving to follow the better half to school is Art BILLINGSLEA. Wendy started two years of Episcopal minister training in Austin, TX; sold the house in Ann Arbor, MI and took three kids to live in the land of the Longhorns. Art now commutes to Detroit to fly A-320s for NWA. In the “senselessly circuitous” category comes word that Pete STRUNK (whose house I drive by every day on the way to work) is a DC-9 first officer with NWA. He, Katie, and the three girls are reportedly doing fine. Mike CRIDER is flying 727s for NWA and is commander of the 136 FIS (NY ANG) in Niagara Falls.

Got follow-up notes from recent letters: Roy RICE heard from Jed VANDENDRIES who is now commander of the 43 FS up in Alaska. He passed up a chance at infamy recently when he took the new Secretary of the Air Force for an F-15 ride and didn’t make her sick (was ordered not to by the wing commander). Another Alaska note from a telecon with Kent TRAYLOR: Jack BARTON had a pretty good reason for not attending Kent’s take-command ceremony in November he was having his own ceremony that day, taking command of the 54 FS (F-15E?). Rod KALLMAN amended his last E-mail to tell us that Mike REESE is commander of the 2 OSS at Barksdale AFB and that Bill STEWART is the boss of the 71st Rescue Squadron at Patrick AFB, FL.

No extra postage was required on Brian DUFFY’s letter as he wrote it after his last trip into space. He, Jan, and their two children like Houston and, despite the ups and downs of the space business (Brian’s words not mine!), he says he’s ready to go “look at Earth” again. Brian advises that Kelly BISHOP and his family are now in Derby, KS, and that Greg FRICK has PCSd to the Netherlands.

In addition to the phone numbers and address in this column’s header, I can also be reached by PRODIGY E-mail at SFWD67A, and INTERNET at hackett%mickey.decnet@orion.mdhc.mdc.com for you electronic folks.

LIVING DANGEROUSLY! Approaching editor’s limit already /stop/ saw Joe DEBES and Ed ZERAMBO at AZ AOG “Sports Bar” (USMAUSAFA football game) meeting /stop/ hopefully more on them after “Super Bowl” meeting /stop/ got “hello” INTERNET E-mail from Ric LEWALLEN, commander 18th Comm Squadron at Kadena AB, Japan /stop/ he promises “details to follow” /stop/ really is later than you think /stop/ by order of the editor I really must.../stop/

Terry Newton

19855 Hidden Springs Glen Monument, CO 80132

Work: (719) 472-4470

Home: (719) 481-9846

DSN: 259-4470

Percent members: 35

It is finals week...cadets are pulling all-nighters trying to put in some of the study time that they kissed-off during the semester...and snow is in the forecast. Kurt KLINGENBERGER (Karen) stopped by the other day and provided me with a wealth of information gathered while he was on a recent trip to the Pentagon. Kurt met Dan CUDA (Susan) in the hallway and ended up eating breakfast with him. He is in the programming business on the Air Staff. Jim TURNER (Cathy) was seen celebrating his early promotion to 0-6. He is apparently enjoying his job as the deputy military assistant to the new Secretary of the Air Force. Bryan ECHOLS (Laura) was also seen dealing with base closure stuff working in XOOR. He is officially assigned to the Office of the AF General Counsel, but is moonlighting for XOOR. Bob H1NGER (Loretta) and Kevin MARTIN (Dawn) strolled by while Kurt was talking to Bryan and they started a reunion right there in the halls of the Pentagon. Bob is doing Mobility on the Air Staff and Kevin is also working Mobility on a different part of the Air Staff. They did not even know the other was at the Pentagon until the chance meeting, but don’t worry because the head and the tail of Mobility

are now talking to each other. All of the above individuals said that they had seen the progression of English Department guys who had cycled through to help rewrite AF Regulations: Dave MAZUROWSKI, Tom BOWIE (Beth), Kent ESBENSHADE (Cheryl), and Tim MARTIN (Debbie).

Scott GOUGH (Laurie) is the executive officer to the assistant vice chief of staff of the Air Force. He was spotted reading the paper at his desk one morning. Phil HOUSER was spotted in civvies doing work as a contractor for Hughes in Washington. He was in the Pentagon working some weapons issues. Mike NICHOLS (Julie), who works in Personnel, was seen figuring out the programming and budgetary implications of all the personnel changes current and upcoming. Thanks a lot Kurt for all of the information. Only from a former class scribe could I get such a wealth of news.

Joe WYSOCKI (Nancy) wrote from Florida where he is commanding the 1st Space Launch Squadron. His unit launches the Delta II space booster with GPS satellites as their primary payload. He said they are slightly larger than the model rockets he used to launch 28 years ago, but the principles are similar. Joe said that Mark WILLIAMS (Mary Lee) is commanding the 45th Comm Squadron at Cape Canaveral AFS, keeping all of the base comm systems working. Harrison FREER (Tricia) commands the 2nd Space Operations Squadron at Falcon AFB and flies the GPS satellites that Joe’s squadron launches. Willie SHELTON (Linda) is Harrison’s boss at Falcon and should be an 0-6 very soon.

Joe Wysocki in front of his Delta II space booster during his mission certification. Have you ever taken a check ride in service dress?!

During the last summer, Joe and Nancy stopped by to see Bill LANNING (Eleanor) in Vergennes, VT. Bill is an engineer working for Simmons Precision. They live in a log house in the middle of nowhere according to Joe. Stu YOUNG is reported to still be single and flying for U.S. Air out of Pittsburgh. Mike KELLY (Georgianna) is a squadron commander at Whiteman AFB and is working a special peoject to create a combined space and missile competition at Vandenberg AFB. The idea is to have a modified Olympic arena for both mission areas. According to Joe, the idea is not very popular among the space community but the grand pooh-ba in Colorado Springs will decide if space gets involved. Bill NASH (Patti) is a vice president for Space Industries, a MAJOR commercial space company in Houston. Thanks for the information Joe, and yes, I would miss the cool, crisp air of Colorado. Right now it is 20 degrees outside with snow, so there is plenty of holiday mood out there.

Mike WALSH (Jacqueline) wrote from snowy Honolulu and also sent me a post card from Wake Island. Mike is the air ops oficer at SOCPAC and works in the same building as USCINCPAC. Dave YAUCH (Nancy) is the executive assistant to the J-5. Mike REINERT is the local Recce guy working at the Command Center. Rich DAVILA is new at Camp Smith however Mike does not know what he does yet. Randy SPETMAN (Becky) was a B-52 mission commander for Cobra Gold ’93 in Thailand. However, Mike had no time to talk with Randy to get any other information.

John ANDREW (Sandi) called from the Pentagon after the disastrous Navy game. He said the game stunk, but there were some classmates around, including Stu YOUNG, who wants everybody to know that he is not a lost soul. He is a U.S.Air captain and the senior ’76er at U.S. Air. Stu says there are about 25 ’76ers at U.S. Air. Sounds like there are more ’76ers there than at anyplace other than the Pentagon.

John reported the info about the following people: Dave SUN (Becki)) is at U.S. Air while Mark WELSH (Betty) was recently frocked to col-

onel. Tom FRONK (Robin) is with U.S. Air. Jeff BROWN (Cathy) is at HQ ACC and Mark STARR is one of those U.S. Air guys. I guess Lance CHRISTIAN (Julie) had a ’76er party after the game, but I have not received any of the party scoop. John also reported that Bill ROEGE (Lynda) will be attending the Australian version of AWC starting in June ’94. Then he will return to fly F-15s at Tyndall AFB.

The astronaut public relations shop called and told me that Kevin CHILTON (Cathy) will soon be on STS-59 as the pilot. The mission is scheduled to fly on 31 Mar 94. It will be the sixth flight of Endeavor and they will be launching a space radar laboratory. By the time you read this, the schedule will probably be changed.

Jeff LARSEN (Cyndy) told me his Institute for National Security Studies is one year old and doing great. Jeff has recently seen several ’76ers during his TDY boondoggles (I mean conferences). Rick BARFIELD (Anna) is at AF Studies and Analysis and Bud JONES (Connie) is at the Airpower Research Institute. Jeff MILLER (Felicity) is doing budget programming for Air Force mobility and recently was chief number-cruncher for the base closure commission. Garrison FLEMINGS (Kathy) is running a computer-wide area network database for the Defense Nuclear Agency.

Congratulations to the SSS selectees. Terry NEW (Patricia) will attend AWC while Larry NEW (Diane) will be at MIT (DACSP). Rich KING (Mary) will attend NSC and Harrison FREER will attend ICAF. Mike ERDLE has been selected for NATO Defense College while the alternates are Jim PHILLIPS (Sandra), Tom MUCKENTHALER (Debbie), and Robert MANSFIELD (Pam). If I missed anybody, please write me a letter and let me know and accept my apologies.

I was at Holloman AFB and visited Jim PHILLIPS (Sandra) in November ’93. He is squadron commander of one of the F-117 squadrons. He took me for a tour of the airplane. I must admit that I was a bit disappointed when I found out that this “fighter” aircraft is simply a B-17 that you can’t see. However, it was great to see a former roommate doing well and to get a close-up view of the newest aircraft.

The following change-of-address cards came in: H.S.ANDERSON (Ellen) moved to Yorktown, VA; Floyd SAWYER moved to Durham, NC; John MASHL (Darlene) is now at sunny Abilene, TX; Roger TURCOTTE (Sally) is at Eagle River, AK; Jim CADY (Janet) moved to Belleville, IL; and Greg BOOMGAARD is in Layton, UT after a tough assignment in Hawaii. Dave MCKENZIE (Connie) sent me a Christmas card from Sumter, SC where he has recently returned from an unaccompanied tour in Korea. Dave schedules many of the exercises you ACC troops are participating in. I have run out of space, time, and information so it is time to stop. Please keep me informed of any news you hear that is printable and call me with anything that is not printable. Fly Safe!

John J. Michels, Jr.

9513 Pine Shadow Drive Richmond, VA 23233

Home: (804) 527-1873

Work: (804) 775-1137

Percent members: 36

Sorting through the detritus of Christmas cards, wrapping paper, and infinite variety of ties, I came upon the AOG mailing telling me the column was due five days ago. So much for computerized calendars and “tickler” systems.

CHESTNUTS ROASTING, ETC. The big question on everybody’s mind here in Virginia is, of course how did John and Lorena Bobbit spend their Christmas? No such confusion in the Class of ’77 Land, since I know how many of you handled the holidays safe and sound with loved ones and the sharpened silverware safely stowed away.

Photo of the quarter goes to Frenchie FERNAND (Karen) who sent in this “Aeronautical Engineer as Victorian” photo. Frenchie and Karen, along with their sons David and Bryan, are at the Academy where Frenchie pulls mathematical rabbits out of his top hat in the Aero Department. Great shot, folks!

Lynn and Cynthia SCOTT dropped me a nice note. They attended a party recently where Cynthia ironically noticed an increase in the deference paid to Lynn because he is now an LC. She thought it was funny and strange since it didn’t seem that long ago that Lynn was beginning his career. Give me a call Lynn, I’ll be happy to bring you back to our roommate days, when the only deference given us was preceded by the prefix “in”. Lynn defended his PhD thesis in December at the University of Texas and should be Dr. Scott by the time you read this. Lynn and Cynthia are in San Antonio, where Lynn is at Brooks in the Human Resources Lab. I am hoping to hook up with them down at the beach again this May.

Art WACHDORF (Lorae) dropped me a line from Alabama. Art is

The Fernands

now an LC as well, and working at Air University. Tom JONES (Liz) is counting down for his shuttle launch in April. Tom will be flying an initial radar mapping mission and then a follow-up (if the schedule holds together) in late August. Tom is going up with a ’72 and a ’76 grad, so it looks like a critical mass of Zoomies on this flight. Jeff PERKINS (Leslie) wrote from lovely Barksdale, where Leslie notes they finally got into base housing. Jeff reports that he moved into his base house on the same day the Air Force accepted his early retirement papers he will be getting out in August. That’s the Air Force’s loss, and I am sorry to hear it.

Paul PIROG (Mary) sent me a card with the cryptic note “How did we miss you at the Navy game?” I don’t know, Paul, it was me and 40,000 of my closest friends. Paul is up at the Pentagon working for the Secretary of the Air Force as the military side of the General Counsel’s office. After looking at his card and photo, Paul gets my vote for the person who has changed least since we graduated.

ARM’S REACH DEPARTMENT: Speaking of the Navy game, Sonia and I had a great weekend with Mike and Bonnie WEINSTEIN, who graciously hosted us and our children the night before the contest. Mike also provided service as flight lead for the drive to Annapolis, so the rest of us following wouldn’t get completely lost in Squidville.

I ran into John MOL (Debbie) at the game, in the parking lot. John, always gracious, walked by me once and then came back again after doing a double-take and said, “Lou Michels man have you lost weight!” John said he would not have recognized me, except for my face, which makes me think that my head looks as fat as ever. I am sure that this can be verified by the people I work with here in Richmond. John is at the Pentagon working special operations issues and hardware. Steve and Ingrid SCHWALBE stopped by to visit for a day, just before Christmas. Steve is with the DOD/IG Team after spending a year’s remote in Korea. We treated Steve and Ingrid for a walk through one of our local parks where there was a Victorian Christmas festival. The highlight was yours truly falling into a Japanese garden carp pond while reaching for a kid who also fell in. Ingrid graciously suppressed giggles while Steve tried to characterize my clumsiness as a “rescue”. He and Ingrid look great and are glad to be back together following Steve’s tour staring down the last real Communist threat. We also saw Jay and Susan FAWCETT down at Langley. Jay is still working in Ops Plans for ACC, while Susan has begun her own decorating business. Jay and I managed to have lunch during one of my infrequent visits to Langley.

News of note: Ray LUNGER (Jo Lynn) had a nice quote in Aviation Week in December. Ray is the 390th Fighter Squadron’s director of Operations. The 390th is the only F-15 unit with JTIDS and part of the composite wing at Mountain Home. Ray notes that the JTIDS gives the Eagles the ability to see behind them, along with location of enemy surface threats. It looks like reality has finally caught up with the F-15 Strike Eagle arcade game.

MOVING EVENTS: Change-of-address cards are not my favorite source of news, but, hey, I need the filler. Bob MASSEY (Andrea) has moved from the D.C. area to what I presume is a T30 assignment at Davis-Monthan. Terry FENNESSY (Tina) has left Libby, MT for Cordova, TN. Richard MURRAY (Peggy) is now residing in lovely Clovis, NM, and Mark SHACKELFORD (Kathy) has moved to Layton, UT and, I presume a fighter assignment at Hill. Won’t be quite the same as pushing the F-22 around the skies at Edwards, I’m afraid. Tom QUELLY (Susan) has returned back to the States to the Pentagon. Rex WILLIAMS (Linda) is back on active duty as a chaplain at Offutt.

FLAME-OUT: Afraid we are a little shorter than regulation on this one. I hope to hear from the rest of you in the first quarter of ’94. Happy New Year, and best wishes to all of you, and keep the cutting implements under lock and key. Be seeing you.

Bob Kay

7398 Salem Drive

Columbus AFB, MS 39701

Home: (601) 434-8651

Work: DSN 742-7585

Percent members: 35

Hi Y’all from the deep South. We are relatively settled in here at Columbus air patch and have enjoyed seeing a different part of the country from what we had in Colorado. For those who haven’t spent much time in this neck of the woods it is a sight to behold. Lots of rivers, trees besides pines and a somewhat slower lifestyle. The weather is almost as unpredictable however: right now it’s about 35 degrees outside (we just cancelled the afternoon flying schedule) and there is a 45% chance of SNOW tonight. If someone told me that I would have a white Christmas in Mississippi I would have thought them to be severely demented. Anyway, with Christmas being three days away it might just happen.

My thanks in advance to those who wrote and called providing the info for this quarter’s column; at this rate I won’t have room to publish that family picture that I have threatened you with. First letter was from Ron FURSTENAU who still teaches chemistry at the Zoo. Seems that several distinguished grads from CS-11 had their own 15-year reunion at the Zoo this past September. They attended some classes and were able to observe/relive first hand cadet nocturnal habits (anyone fall asleep standing in 5th period class?), chow down at Mitch’s (chicken nuggets what a deal) and see CS-11 and CS-13 face off in a “knowledge bowl”. Of course there was the standard tailgate with the Chemistry Department and then watching the San Diego State game just like the old days: lots of fun but the score not going exactly the way we wanted it to be. The finishing touch was a tremendous Sunday afternoon spent with their former associate AOC with the stories and memories flowing. Ron said that everyone had some serious fun and he highly recommends an offyear get-together if at all possible. Folks that made it were: Gary CABRIALES (flying for Delta); Gary KOPACKA (flying for Delta); Steve GOLDFEIN (F-15 squadron commander at Tyndall); Doug RAABERG (B-l squadron commander at Dyess); Konrad GRUCA (at Space Comm in the Springs); Kim HALAT (flying for Northwest); Nevin SMITH (flying for Northwest); John WINKOP (flying for American); and Barry CASTELLANO (project manager for MCI in Hawaii). Great work Ron, thanks!

Tim MINER wrote after many years to stave off the family photo (said it was more than he could bear). He was doing his annual two-week Reservist stint in Plattsburg playing soccer when he broke his ankle (unlucky!). When he isn’t excelling at soccer, Tim flies for American in addition to doing aviation meteorological (that means weather for all of us cave men) work with the likes of American, the World Meteorological Organization, NASA, FAA and the National Science Foundation. In his free time (which he suddenly has a lot more of as of late) he writes articles on weather for aviation magazines. His family is now in Pittsburgh where Ann is completing her post-doctoral research program at CarnegieMellon University; Ann is a former psych instructor at the Zoo. Needless to say the two Miner daughters are fairly proud of their underachieving parents. Hope you heal fast Tim and thanks for saving the class the needless pain for at least one more issue (it really is a nice picture we took for Christmas).

Marshall WONG sent a newsie Bio Update to the AOG telling of his August 1992 marriage to Melodie and his new job as chief of anesthesiology (man I hope 1 spelled that right) at Travis after he left the newly-closed hospital at Wiesbaden (how do people get all of these nice locations?). He mentioned two other ’78 docs that have been staying busy at Wilford Hall: Jay ELLIS, who is also chief of anesthesiology and my SERE buddy Ken TAYLOR who pulls double duty as the trauma chief and an orthopedic surgeon. I remember talking to Ken a couple of years back when he picked up one of my doolies at the airport (just being a nice guy) and gave him some solid medical advice that probably saved his pilot qualification. Marshall also mentioned that Mike SPAIN is flying European routes for Delta out of Atlanta; Mark GALLAGHER is at Ran

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dolph working fighter assignments for MPC and Glenn GRUNER is somewhere flying the F-16 LANTRIN after school at Ft Leavenworth (the new Register sez Moody). Appreciate the words Marshall.

Got a great call last month from fellow Bulldawger A1 MYERS who cross-commissioned into the Navy and has been busy flying F-14s for a number of years. He recently took over VF-32 at Oceana and is getting ready for a cruise on the Eisenhower sometime in ’94, Before that A1 worked admiral assignments at the Pentagon and is loving being in the air again. Congrats A1 for getting the command.

Not that I’m being parochial, but I also talked to another Dawger Lyman LEE who is flying for United out of L.A. and KC-135s for the March Guard. Speaking of 13th squadron, I got an updated copy of the Dog Poop newsletter that ’79er Mark PIMENTEL continues to faithfully keep up to date. I was able to see Mark in November when I was crosscountry with Moose EVERS at the Zoo for the National AOG Board of Directors meeting. We ended up breaking er...I mean our trusty Smurf Jet broke for a few days and we had to stick around the Springs in the snow until the motor could be changed it was truly miserable. It had been the first time since my graduation that Mark and I had seen each other and had lots of updating to do. Anyhow, some ’78 info that I haven’t already mentioned in past issues include Bob IRELAND and John HINDS working at Scott in AMC Headquarters. Ted ROUSH is still doing the maintenance thing at Davis-Monthan along with longdistance running for health and probably stress management as well. Lastly, Tom LASH is/was still at L.A. Air Force Station waiting for an assignment to the D.C. area; Mark didn’t know if it had happened yet.

Finally, the change-of-address cards came after I had sent the last article in so some of these changes may be quite dated. You can always let me know the current info if so inclined (there I go dropping hints again). Ken GRONEWALD to Scottsdale, AZ; Steve LISI moved from Oak City to on base at Tinker; Jeff FELLMETH from APO AP to Waipahu HI; Mark SHULER from L.A. to Des Moines WA; Mike MARKOW from USAFA to APO AE; Bob HEIM from Summit Station PA to Atwater CA; Scott BAKER from Poquoson VA to Tucson AZ; Gary STEPHENS changing houses in Honolulu; Bruce GASPER from Moore OK to APO AE; Pat QUIGLEY from Burke VA to Maxwell; Gregg DAVIS from Willoughby OH to Brewerton NY; Ray CAPLINGER changing houses in Colo Springs; Wayne KELLENBENCE from Gunter AFB to Yorktown VA; Doug LEE from APO AA to Washington DC; Russ OGRINZ from Hanscom AFB to Albuquerque NM; and (WHEW) Dennis JEANES changing houses in Prattville AL.

Well gents that’s about all for this round. I would make my normal trite pitch/plea to keep those cards and letters coming in but my threat still stands so maybe that will be enough. Seriously folks, thanks for the support so far and I hope that the new year will bring great blessings, happiness and continued employment.

Mike Donatelli

$31

fit y

1149 S. Stone Ave h; LaGrange, IL 60525

Percent members: 33

Diversity is the key to life. Fifteen years and you still have to read my trash. Thanks to Bud for his slam against the City of Chicago. Some day the sun will shine on the Knicks just like it did on the Bulls.

Julie and I are doing our ever-loving best to live up to the tradition of Chi-town with bambino number four due Aug ’94. We were slow to start the family but we’re making up for lost ground. Mark and Leslie NIECE understand what I’m talking about with kids in size 12 shoes already.

I don’t remember the Mil Stu instructors ever telling us what the Air National Guard was all about. Now us quitters know. Buckley (COANG) won the honors at Gunsmoke ’83, with my personal hero Greg BREWER taking overall top-gun honors. Greg flies for NWA. Nice job.

Fifteen years, new lieutenant colonels: RANGO, FIELD, VANHOOMISSEN, etc. I know there are a lot more. When I first started in the ANG in’87 in the WIANG, we had not one zoomie. Now just about all classes are represented. As you all know the leaders are ’79ers JENSEN, NICHOLS and DONATELLI. It was tough to teach a guy with a 300-knot brain tricks in a 600-knot jet (A-10 transitioning to the F-16). During the transition flying course we were subjected to attend by the ANG (MacDill Feb through April ’93), we never saw too many classmates. However, Bob SWAIN checked out one month ahead of us and George DUDA was at the Club every night working out. Swaino (Liz) is a U.S. Air guy and does the New Orleans Reserve unit. Zipp (DUDA) was working in some capacity with CENTCOM.

It’s a good thing that we have always rotated this article. Being that I’m the isolated one in the ANG and airline industry and after 15 years of dedicated service Bud VASQUEZ and Bobby EDMONDS will carry the ball for a while. At least these guys bump into the regular AF boys more than I do. I have had the opportunity to see the VANHOOMISSENs, BUNCEs, FYDAs, LARNEDs, etc. and have received Christmas cards from the furloughed SUSALLA, NWA AHLQUISTs, BISHOPs, etc. My parting shot is requested from Jim WHITE. How many ’79ers work for Delta Air Lines and who are they? Here’s my best shot: AHLSTROM, ALLAN, ANDERSON, BARGE, BARNES, BAUDHUIN, BIANCO, BLOUNT, BOYLE (baby #2 due in June), BUSH-Gary, COONS, DONATELLI, EYRE, FLANDERS, FOERTCH, GEE, GILDAY, GILLIAND, GOODWIN, GUERTIN, HALVORSEN (three kids, livin’ the good life), HAMMER, HARRIS, (doin’ the TXANG thing in F-l6s), HAYS (fatherhood in Greeley), HOLBROOK, HUFF, IMPELLIZZERI, JACOBSEN, JONES, KEESE, KLUTZ, KOHLHOFER, KRONEBUSH, LANKFORD (Jule and I are godparents to Jenna, their #3), LONCZAK, LONGWILL, MARTIN, MATSEN, MCINTIRE, MCKAY, MCKINNEY, MORGAN, NELSON, NEWMAN, NICHOLS-Gary, PARADOWSKI, PICKETT (married), POOL (two kids), REED, ROSS, ROWERE, RUTH, SAWYER, SCHMIDT-Kev, SCHMIDT-Marty, SHROPSHIRE, SHULAR, SNYDER-Francis, SPEARS-Scott, STUBBS, TARDIE, TAYLORAbbott, TRAPAGA, WAGNER-Glen, WARE, WHITE-Jim, and WINGO.

And there you have it. Like I said, after 15 years its been real, its been fun...

Don Myers

110-B Tree Point Alley

Kodiak, AK 99615-6813

Home: (907) 487-2598

Work: (907) 487-5218

DSN: 317-487-5218

FAX: 487-5273

Percent members: 41

7 0A

Busy (who’s not?)! It’s three days after Christmas and I’ve got a master’s course to finish, some correspondence to get done, papers stacked on my desk at work, and I was called out on a SAR case which took me to Midway Island for two days late Christmas day. But all is on hold while I get to share time with some important folks you! First, however, thanks for those of you who forwarded your holiday “What I Did This Year” letters my direction. The deadline is such that I can’t wait for the stragglers, but I’ll include those in the next issue.

PCC (Pre-Christmas Card) News. Had a few letters which arrived just after the last deadline. From the Friendly Skies near San Francisco (Mountain View) came a letter from Eddie (Laura) FOLSOM. Two years ago he met Laura when he was in the ANG at Moffett Field, got married in August, and they honeymooned in the Swiss Alps “care of good ol’ UAL travel passes”. Eddie’s out of the ANG and now does the AFA/ROTC Admissions Liaison Officer thing when he’s not driving 767s. He invites us all to stop by (keep the crowds reasonable), and also wanted us to know Kate (MORIARTY) FARRELL plus hubby, just had twins.

Dan ADAMS wrote to say there are about two dozen ’80 types at this year’s ACSC class. After the first month “it seems like a rehash of what we learned in Mil Stu and history classes”. He gave me a list of some folks he sees, but I’ll wait for a picture (hint), Dan. He mentioned a stop at Arnie (Lori) FLORES’ place near Pope AFB. Arnie’s doing well as a maintenance squadron commander while he copes with the expectancies of their first child due in January. Paula THORNHILL asked Dan to let you all know she didn’t change her name. Sorry about the summer issue typo it could be me or the editor (who retypes these inputs plus edits the rest of Checkpoints by himself).

Ed (Cindy) HERLIK was gone most of the autumn on signings for his book Separated by War. I got my public library to order it and I may have it read by next issue. Ed’s still flying Dover C-5s (“I still haven’t decided what I want to be when I grow up.”) and has formed a company to develop a new drug made from amino and nucleic acids(?!). Cindy is still an accountant at a large manufacturer.

Jim RIGGINS sent a clip and photo from Army Command & General Staff College, Ft. Leavenworth. In the slack hours they built sandbag levees during The Flood, and notes “the pain is balanced by learning important items such as how to use the term ‘hooah’ correctly in a sentence, and the fact that even Army folks don’t understand Clausewitz”. Jim’s photo by the M1A1 tank was a little too small and dark to reproduce (camo?), but the players with Jim were: Karem WILHELM, Rick WRIGHT, Craig SCHLATTMANN, Dave EASTON, Phil PROSSEDA, Mike EASTMAN, Jim TUBBS, Dan WALKER, Kevin KIETH, Mike FORD, J.R. SMITH, and Dave GRUBER.

CC, Chanukah & Holiday News. This is any news that came in December. Bill PETERSON and Lorrie ROEMISH gathered a group together (see photo) at the Sea Breeze Club on Hickham Harbor in late summer (it took until December to get around to writing). Bill says it’s a nice place with cheap snacks sounds like all the makings for a good time! Each of the 13 in the “Hawaii Chapter (informal) USAFA ’80 AOG” are at PACAF except for Jerry (CINCPAC), Glenn KWAN CHOY CHING (local attorney, not pictured), Steve (65AS/DOT), and Terrie (pilot/Aloha). I guess they’re trying to make up for four years of the annual Dark Ages at the Zoo! Bill was on his way to be commander of ACC’s ground defense training flight.

Paul and Ricki (SMITH) SELVA, at March AFB, said the year was a blur, “we only put six hours on our new boat, but well over 30,000 miles on the cars...(even Amber and Raleigh spent two weeks on the road. That’s 14 dog-weeks).” Paul’s being commander of the 220SS is keeping them both busy but not too busy to make their own wine and beer (followed by extended tasting sessions). They heard from Scott (Jan) CARROTHERS. Scott is playing “Mr. Mom” for a while at their new home on Hilo as Jan gets set up in her new medical practice.

George (Nadine) MADSON is still at Scott where “Lindsay is in the fifth grade this year and this is the first time she’s been at the same school for more than a year.” Nadine mentioned how busy George was and made the observation “everyone is and will continue to be because of all the cutbacks.” No disagreement here.

Chuck (Net) MILLIGAN et al are doing fine at USAFA despite their trip to Walt Disney World this summer. The story goes that their large hairy critters were going to be parents about the time their reservations were for Mickey’s Ft. Wilderness. Not to worry, a quick detour to sister’s house to drop the bulging canine plus spouse will solve the problem then off to see Goofy. Bottom line: vans were made for birthing!

Eddie and Laura on their Swiss honeymoon.

Hawaii’s finest: In front are Randy Chow, Lorrie Roemish, Mark Seitz, Frank Karl and Terrie (Armbruster) Hornbruch. In back are Walt Kikugawa, Mark White, Jerry DeVille, Bill Peterson, and Steve Drewnowski.

The Madsons: George, Nadine, Lindsay and Kyle. Anyhow, the kids and nephews all thought the seven very new pups were “really cool,” and the Milligans still made their Epcot Experience. Aside from this mundane life trial, Chuck’s still big with the CE dept and was the OIC of the #2 rugby team in the nation this year. Net volunteers great energies to their church, OWC, and to their four youngsters.

Russ (Donni) HODGKINS sent a packed Christmas letter with a handwritten backside. They like the D.C. area, except the “attack of the killer lawn-eating Japanese Beetle grubs” this summer. Gordon (7) and Gregory (3) are involved in boy things; Donni’s wallpapered between visits to “the largest factory outlet mall in the Western Hemisphere the shopper’s Valhalla.” Russ had a long description of his new job, but cut to the quick and ended it with: “Or, in other words, I play computer wargames at the Pentagon.” He mentioned a visit to CS-01 bud Kurt (Sue) BULLARD. Kurt is in Monument (works at a Denver computer firm). “From the looks of his house, he’s somewhere between VERY suecessful and EXTREMELY successful. But he’s still the same old Kurt.” Thanks, Russ by the way, I heard the wind beats the houses in Monument; maybe you have to start big so you have something left later. Between Peggy (DENNIS) (Bob) CARNAHAN and Russ, I have a current list of a lot of D.C.-area folks, but space limits mean this will have to wait until next time.

One response to last issue’s challenges. Carrie (BANWELL) (Brian ’79) KOECHEL let me know they’ve “been married since 1400 hrs, 28 May 80 about 2.5 hrs after graduation and it took me one hour to get my hair done and one hour to out-process. Don’t try this at home only to be handled by a trained professional!” Can anyone dethrone this couple to say “We’ve been married the longest” or are there entries in the other two categories out there? Carrie said it looks like they’re heading for Detroit where she’s accepted a job as account executive for GENCORP (vehicle sealants, etc). She said that’s fine, “The South couldn’t handle me anymore (and vice versa).” Brian is finishing a program in Alabama and will be going to law school afterwards.

Who’s Where. From COA cards: Glenn TAYLOR, JCLO in VA; David PATTON, San Jose; Chris REASNER, Plattsburgh, NY; Stanley KRESGE, Las Vegas; Joe BIANCO, Charlotte, NC; Phil (Lina) RUHLMAN, Yorktown, VA; Mark FARAONE and Kathleen CONLEY, Peachtree City, GA; Pat KNOWLTON, at APO AE 09012. Also got news from Tom (Ann) WILLIAMS saying they were blessed to find a house to buy in Australia: 35 Sanders Crescent, Kings Langley, NSW Australia 2147.

Again, thanks for sharing your lives with me (and the rest of us). I’m enjoying getting to know you, even from great distances. Kathy and I wish you the best of all for the new year. And as I’m beginning to occasionally feel older and less indestructible running down the basketball court or walking out my icy doorway, I’d like to ask God to bless you and your families with good health; there are many of us, gang, who could use that prayer. Don

Make your tax-deductible donation now to

The Air Force Academy Fund.

Your Support Helps Develop Leaders With Vision For Tomorrow.

Scott Dering

749-4274

Percent members: 38

Greetings. My Christmas isn’t off to a good start. (Remember, I live in the Checkpoints lag-time universe.) You see, my mailman filed for workman’s compensation two days ago, and it’s all my fault. He had learned to handle our L.L.Bean catalogs without too much trouble, but his back finally gave out when all of our Christmas cards started pouring in. I’ll never forget how angry he was when the paramedics hauled him away, especially when he shouted, “I’ll be back,” in that menacing Austrian accent of his. Nevertheless, I’m not too concerned because postal workers don’t seem like a revenge-prone bunch to me.

Have you spotted the biggest lie in that final paragraph yet? Actually, I did get a couple of cards from classmates this Christmas. (Notice how I said “a couple” and not “a few”?) Bob JONES forgot to take me off his mailing list when I became the scribe, a foolish oversight that deserves to be punished by appearing in this column. He wrote in the card that he would have called if he had known my phone number. I couldn’t resist tracking him down to ask why it is that NSA guys like him (Ooop! Can I print that?) can eavesdrop on the phone conversations of Pablo Escobar (old news, but remember what universe I live in), but they can’t figure out how to use directory assistance not to mention thinking to look at the top of this column. Needless to say, Bob was overjoyed when he heard it was me on the other end of the line. (Hearing the horror in your voices when I call is one of the little pleasures that makes this job worthwhile.) Like so many of you, Bob offered to pay me if I would keep him out of the column, but I reminded him that I am a B.S. artist, not a shakedown artist. Still, it’s nice to know I could turn a profit if I had to. Bob is a GS-14 at Ft Meade who claims he is the only person in our class to have worked in the same building since graduation. Like most of you, Bob is a modest person who thinks he hasn’t achieved very much, but, as many of you know, being on the verge of GS-15 at our age is some very fast burning indeed. Bob has kept in touch with A1 KOSHAK who works his own farm in Missouri when he’s not flying for Federal Express out of Kansas City. Bob also got a letter recently from his long-lost squadron mate, Paul ZWIERZYNSKI, who was soliciting funds to defray his missionary expenses in Cameroon.

I still haven’t decided if the package I got from Mike “Jake” JAKOBI was a Christmas letter or a sales pitch. Mike is a licensed financial planner who owns his own firm in Cincinnati, the thriving Trinity Financial Group. When he’s not managing pension funds, he keeps in shape by playing lacrosse on a local club that travels to tournaments all over the country.

Jin SHAFFER swallowed his pride and wrote a letter with updates on almost all of our NBA classmates. (That’s Non-Bonus Aviators, otherwise known as helicopter pilots.) For starters, Jim is the H-53 flight commander at Kirtland. Meanwhile, Rob MCCLURE and Ray WALIZER fly H-60s at Kirtland, Rob as the Wing Safety officer and Wally as the chief of Academics. Bryan BLY and Glenn SCHUMACHER fly H-60s in the Reserves in Tucson, and Mark PERKINS flies H-ls at Vandenberg when he is not busy with his duties as the DO. Mike BEARD, A1 CLOUD, Grant HARDEN, and Tim MINISH all fly H-53s at Hurlburt, the same place where Bill LOVELACE flies H-60s. J.D. CLEM and Steve JONES fly H-53s at Alconbury, Tom COUCH flies H-60s at Keflavik, and Scott (Boot it, Scott, boot it!) SCHAFER flies H-53s at Osan. Finally Bob TILLEMA and Reid SNOW have staff jobs at Randolph. Mike, J.D., Al, Grant, Steve, Tim, and Jim all fought in the Gulf War where many of them, in Jim’s words, found out that “design maximum gross weights are merely guidelines.” Finally, Jim writes that amid all the current publicity surrounding female fighter pilots, everyone seems to have forgotten that our own Julie KAY was TAC’s first female pilot many years ago when she flew H-ls at George. My thanks to Jim for such abundant information.

I wanted to get the lowdown on the financial health of the commercial airline industry, so I went right to the top and called two of United’s owners, Frank and Deborah CHEESEMAN. “Cheese is a 757/767 instructor in Denver who is eager to work long hours for lower pay now that the employees own a majority share in the company. (Deborah calls him Frank can you imagine?) He knows my reputation for exaggeration from way back, so he wanted to make up an outrageous lie about himself before I did. Here it is: he claims Deborah is having an affair with Fabio, the model/actor(?)/author(??). (It’s not a very convincing lie. Doesn’t a person usually have an affair with someone who is significantly different from their spouse? How would Deborah ever tell the two of them apart?)

Returning to uncharacteristic truthfulness, Cheese had updates on three classmates who have not appeared in this column for a long time, perhaps ever. Amy RUSSELL flies 757s for United out of New York, and Ty MACCHIA is a 737 copilot out of Dulles. Finally, Gregg MONTIJO now works at the Pentagon after 11 years of flying the A-10 including a stint as the TAC demonstration pilot. Gregg and Dierdre have two kids. I was lucky to catch the Cheesemans at all because the two of them were packing for their Christmas trip to Venice. (Hey! Doesn’t Fabio live in Italy? Hmmm. Methinks the Cheese doth protest too much.) Their host in Venice will be one of Cheese’s Italian friends from his Euro/NATO instructor days at Sheppard who retired from the Italian Air Force and is now the chief corporate pilot at Bennetton. Needless to say, the Cheesemans should come back with a lot of new sweaters and stirrup pants. Let’s hope that “Frank” limits himself to sweaters.

If they had given out awards at graduation to the cadets most likely to stay in for a career, group commanders Mark and Sue (MALICK) BRENNAN would surely have been finalists. How surprising, then, to discover they are both out of the Air Force, and loving it. Mark graduated from Harvard Business School in ’91 and promptly became president of the largest gift and souvenir company in the state of Nevada. Meanwhile, Sue is a senior manager for the regional electric utility.

My victim at ACSC this time around was Joan CUNNINGHAM. Joan’s husband, Michael Winton (who really does look like Fabio), is taking a 15-year retirement to spend more time with their new daughter, Natalee. Both Joan and Michael came to Maxwell from insrtuctor pilot assignments at the Academy. Joan knew of several other clasmates at ACSC whom I did not mention in my last column: Frank GALLEGOS, Rich RONNESTAD, Craig HEISE, and Devon VOLK who recently became a father for the third time.

I was channel surfing the other day when I saw a classmate on the Discovery Channel, of all places. Frantically checking my yearbook, I confirmed that it was Randy PETERSON standing in front of an F-117 talking about how cool it was to fly it. Unfortunately, I was unable to track Randy down to find out how cool it was to be on the Discovery Channel.

Mike “Hi, C.R.” MUSSON now works for Magnavox in Ft Wayne. His energetic wife, Mary (the kind of woman Fabio can only dream about), gave up the lucrative employment she had while they lived in Germany, but I fully expect her to be the mayor in Ft Wayne before too long. Their two boys, the former Tasmanian devils Mark and Paul, are now so grown up and handsome that the girls at school won’t leave them alone.

For those of you who follow these things, the recent promotion board for LTCOL should release its results about now (in the lag-time universe, that is), and I expect it to include several of our classmates. Even harder to believe is that three ’81ers were already selected for that rank on the previous board! That’s all for now.

Jim Ratti

6329 Pheasant Valley Road

Dayton, OH 45424-7100

Home: (513) 235-1750

Work: (513) 255-4776

DSN: 785-4776

Percent members: 39

Well, the Christmas rush is upon us, and I’m (as usual) behind. I hope the holidays were happy and joyous for all of you. For some, that would be quiet and restful, and for others of you, that would be hectic and frenzied. Whatever your particular style, I hope the season met your expectations.

I’m afraid that this quarter brings with it some sad news. I learned just before Christmas that Rich SCHNEIDER was killed after ejecting from a U-2 at Beale AFB on 13 Dec 93. I don’t really have too many details on the mishap, as it was still under investigation, but the accident occured just after takeoff. There was a memorial service at Beale on the 15th, and Rich was buried with military honors in Mesa, AZ on the 17th. Rich is survived by his wife, Marlene, and their five children. If you would like to make a contribution to the memorial fund, please send it to: Sierra Central Credit Union, c/o Richard Schneider, P.O. Box C, Beale AFB, CA 95903.

Eddie MCALLISTER called me to let me know that he is working on a scrapbook of pictures and anecdotes for Rich’s family and he asked me to put out a request to all of you for inputs. If you have something you can contribute, please call, or mail it to one of the following addresses: Eddie McAllister, 920 Oak Creek Drive, Dayton, OH 45439-2033, (513) 436-0695, or Capt. Eddie McAllister, 645 MATS/CD, 4375 Chidlaw Rd, Suite 6, WPAFB, OH 45433-5006. Voice: (513) 257-6251 or DSN 787-6251. FAX (513) 257-4599 or DSN 787-4599.

Eddie said he’d like two copies of any pictures you may have, and unless you work out some special arrangement with him, he won’t be able to return anything you send him. I think this scrapbook is a very thoughtful gift, and I’m sure Rich’s family will cherish it. Also, I’m sure the thoughts and prayers of our class are with Rich and his loved ones at this difficult time.

There is some good news, however. While most of our class was sweating out the major’s board this past December, five of our classmates (I HOPE I didn’t miss anyone!) got an early Christmas present and learned that they had been promoted to Lt Col. The names I gleaned from the list were Paul ACKERLEY, Tim COLLINS, Dave FADOK, Bob OTTO, and Ray PHILLIPS. Congratulations! As I reported in the last column, Bob and Tim are at the Pentagon, working on Gen McPeak’s staff. I don’t have any recent info on what Paul, Dave and Ray are up to. The Register still shows them at ISS. And, Bob, you need to update your Register listing! You’re welcome.

I heard from Ray BRANBY on e-mail in early December, and his big news is that he and his wife, Laura, had their third child (their first boy) on 8 Dec 93. Kurt Mikkel joins sisters Kara, 6, and Jill, 3‘/2, and I gather they’re the apple of their Daddy’s eye. The family lives in Zelienople, PA, (near Pittsburgh) and Bryan left the active duty B-52 nav world to fly Reserve C-130s there in May of 1990. When not flying, Bryan kept busy by helping to start a civil and marine engineering consulting firm. Laura is in the Reserves too, and is the group weather officer. Bryan recently returned from a TDY to Frankfurt where he spent 18 days sightseeing, drinking beer, and flying tons of food into Sarajevo.

Bryan told me that Bob and Cathy DEVANEY are in Washington, DC, where Bob is working for Air Force Material Command and doing something with the C-17. However, he’s about to switch jobs to something that would be fatal to ask about. Dave SCHAPIRO is back in the States after a tour as an F-l 11 WSO in England. Dave will hang up the wings for a while and take a job with the Blue Flag folks at Eglin or Hurlburt. And, Alan CRAWFORD is a C-130 aircraft commander in the Reserve unit with Bryan. Alan also flies for U.S. Air, and part-times it as a financial planner.

Dave GRILLEY reached out and electronically touched me from HQ AETC, Randolph AFB, where he’s got a job coordinating training for Foreign Military Sales (FMS) programs. Turns out that my job in the F-16 SPO is also deeply involved with FMS stuff, and I had some documents he needed. With the business neatly out of the way, we settled down to the gossip. Dave had been flying the F-16 at Moody-by-the-Swamp since about 1990 before he took on his new assignment. He said he’d only been there about four months, so he’d not yet reached the burnout stage. Give it another month or so, Dave! Like the rest of us who’ve become desk jockeys, he misses flying.

The Christmas season brought with it the attendant cards and letters, so next up is a sampling. Steve TOLDY and his wife, Peggy (TUREK, ’83), checked in from C-Springs. Steve is the AOC for CS-19 (not Starship anymore now known as the Wolverines) and Peg is teaching in the Behavioral Science Department. Ellen and I, along with my sister and brother-in-law, imposed on Steve and Peggy last September during our vacation trip to Colorado and the Grand Canyon. We had been camping that day, and in typical Colorado fashion, there was an early snow. We got five inches, and it collapsed on our tent! Anyway, Steve spent the day with us, graciously showing us around his squadron and the rest of the cadet area. Then, we relaxed over a great dinner at his house, cooked by his mother (Steve’s folks were there visiting, too!). We had a good time, and lots of fun reminiscing.

We got a birth announcement from Dan and Sheri MOKRIS in late November. As I told you last time, they moved down to Melbourne, FL last summer so that Dan could take a job flying the still-developmental JOINT STARS airplane. Well, Dan and Sheri just had their fourth child, a boy they named Bradley Alexander, on 10 Nov 93. Everyone’s fine, and Sheri said the whole affair, including the move, went smoothly.

Also announcing a new birth were Glen and Kieran DOWNEY. This is their second (or “Model Number 2” as the announcement says), and is a boy, Brian Thomas. Some outstanding features of the new model include two-lung power, free squealing, scream line body, continuous bawl bearing, and auto-food jettison. Sounds like a winner! Glen is flying E-3s, but spends little time at Tinker. He was in Panama just before Christmas (just like Guam, but the beer’s cheaper), and will head to Saudi in March. Kieran sent a picture of Brian and his sister Aubre, but I can’t include it

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here. Due to space limitations in our growing magazine, we can only print photos which include a grad in them.

Finally, I received a letter from Doc and Trish (RILEY, ’83) KIMMINAU, now happily ensconed in their new home in San Antonio. Although the letter didn’t go into too much detail, I do know that Doc is working in a headquarters job in the newly-formed (or renamed) Air Intelligence Agency. But a new job is not their BIG news. By the time you read this, Doc and Trish should have their first child. After five years of “trying”, Trish is very pregnant, and they’re both very excited. In order to be a full-time Mom, Trish has recently resigned from the Reserve. Our best wishes to the three of you!

Earlier I mentioned that Ellen and I joined my sister and brother-in-law for a vacation trip to Colorado and the Grand Canyon. Above, you see my sister Joan along with Ellen and me doing something stupid, overlooking the Grand Canyon. You might think Joan’s husband, Clyde, is the only sane one among us, since he’s not in the picture. Actually, he’s in an even more precarious position, taking the photo. Despite momentary lapses in judgement, our trip was thoroughly successful and relaxing. We spent time touring Denver, Colorado Springs, Cheyenne, WY; Las Vegas, Page, AZ; and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon. We camped nearly every place we went, and went about things at a fairly leisurely pace. We were most impressed by the Canyon and all its magnificant splendor. If you’ve not been there, put it on your “must see” list. It’s worth the trip.

Well, that’s about it for this installment. I hope that Santa (and the promotion board) was good to you, and that you have a safe and happy 1994. Be Safe, RATMAN.

Cecil Grant

156 Moss Creek Drive Martinez, GA 30907

Percent members: 43

Iprilr7

Greetings fellow Falcon lovers! I want to thank Ray BLUST for the pleasure of writing this post-reunion letter. Fortunately I have an outstanding memory about the events of that most memorable weekend as the number of cards and letters I received for this article were few. For those of you who missed this wonderful walk down memory lane, too bad. You missed the real reason we all put in four years on the hill; to come back 10 years later and relive four years in four days! I will try to make this article interesting enough so that those of you who missed this occasion won’t want to miss the next one!

The hotel accommodations were first rate! Of course your view of that would become very distorted after visiting Bob SMITH and Johnnie HARRIS, Jr. in their “Den of Sin”. Hotel room service declared the room a disaster area and refused to clean it. Most of the memorable times were spent mingling in the hotel lounge all night long reliving the past and dreaming of what 10 more years will bring. To no one’s surprise, many of our Falcon buddies are flying for various airlines throughout the land. I believe many of the “Fellas” like Ricky LOFTON and Alexis “Go-Go” GOBERN are flying the friendly skies of United. This gives us more reason to listen closely, as you get on a plane, when they announce the name of the pilot. I appreciate the welcome I received from many of you. My wife was concerned that I wouldn’t know anyone at the reunion but a lot of you whom I recognized and a lot of you who are but faded memories made me and my wife feel very welcomed.

In reality the entire weekend was like a continuation of our Academy days. John “J.P.” PAVLOCK still looked like he’d had one beer too

many, Bill VOLKER still had tales to tell that are not fit for print, Derek COLLINS is still short, Holly FRANZ’s nose is still red, and Norris “Emil” CARTER IS...well, he’s...just Emil.

The next day was filled with fun and frolicking as many of us took to the “Hill” to show our spouses where we spent the better part of our lives. Noon meal formation and an extremely fiber-rich, low-fat, calorieconscious lunch at Mitchell Hall made me glad I didn’t have to eat there again. The only “saving grace” on the table was the pink “Mong” and even that had lost its appeal. There wasn’t even any peanut butter and honey on the table and Mitch’s Mountain and Smoker’s night are all a thing of the past.

While most of us were running around looking for the next photo op and boring our spouses with Academy history, many of our classmates were out chasing golf balls at the golf tournament. I don’t know how this happened, but the winners of this honorable tournament, shown in the photo with their spoils, were Charlie GARCIA, Kevin CARRENO, David KLAUDT, and Greg MEIDT. This is normally what happens when you put three lawyers and a math wiz on the same team!

Other

the

The Alumni Team was led by Paul CARRUBBA, Jimmy KOEHN, Craig NOWICI, John STIZZA and Scott “The Newt” PLUMB. The team was kept well “lubricated” by Pete BARTOS, Mike HOBBS, Joe BARKATE, Bob MACDONALD and the ever-popular Bill VOLKER. They won their game 53-10 and won the post-game tournament at McKenna’s Pub.

The Saturday afternoon football game brought back memories of our freshmen and sophomore years when we spent many a Saturday watching the Falcons lose. Fortunately, this time, we all had pretty good seats and a few brews under our belts and had time to talk and relive old Falcon times. Security has become tough, as Kevin CARRENO and I were threatened with jail time if we jumped the wall to do push-ups when our boys managed to score! That evening was yet another filled with merriment and ale. Some chose to be politically correct and attend the Jabara Awards banquet, others chose to reunite, dress like slobs and sit on top of each other in a chair and smile for the camera!

At the CS-19 “Starship” mini-reunion, from left are Tom Evans, Terry Lawrence, Jon Duresky, Dave Wright, Jeff Fiebig, Ray Blust, Robert Gregor and Jaime (Treece) Smyser.

Others of this great Class of ’83 went to the old watering hole called “Spike’s”. What a memorable adventure in Mexican dining! Here is our photo of that eventful evening called, “We’ve all had too much, so please call us a cab.”

Golf tournament champs, from left, Charlie, Dave, Greg and Kevin.

exciting team competition took place on

rugby fields.

Grant LANE was there with his stylish hair, and his wife, Candy (PAINTER, ’81). Grant is still a smooth dude, and I appreciate him convincing me to call one of those who missed this great occasion, Quinn “Mr. KFC” NEWHALL. Quinn was unable to attend this gala occasion because he had just moved to sunny Orlando, FL with a new position with KFC. His wife, Cheryl (CLEVELAND, ’85), and their son Bryson are doing well. They’ll be adding to the family as Cheryl is pregnant. Other notable no-shows were my good buddies Mike KIEROD and Leo BRISBON. Mike had no excuse, and from what I hear “Bris” had too many ladies to attend to! He also has some important job dealing with the White House that prevented him from making the journey.

The lovely and most gracious Lisa (SUMMERSON) MCCARTNEY was there. It is always a pleasure to see her and listen to her talk about how great Benny MCCUISTION was when they were in CS-06. Benny is still the same slick-talkin’ Texas boy, flying for Southwest and keeping everyone straight on the true meaning of life.

I can’t put everyone who was at the reunion in this article, but those who came; thanks for the memories and I’ll see you in 10. For you who missed it, don’t make the same mistake twice. Be there in 10 or miss the greatest time you’ll ever have, post-academy, with people you virtually grew up with. ’83, stay cool, pass a Bud to your wingman, love God, protect your families, enjoy life, and I’ll see ya soon. Wynn BOTTS, I had to put your name in here. Take care all!

John Nunez

X A

8435 Edgemont Way ^ 3 jQ

Colorado Springs, CO 80919

Home: (719) 599-3172

Work: (719) 556-7618

DSN: 834-7618

Percent members: 33

Ilf

A belated “Happy Holidays” to everyone out there. Hope the winter where you are wasn’t as dismal as it seems to have been here. I guess it depends on your point of view. On the bright side, the ski slopes have been open here since mid-October. That’s just as well considering the suffering us Falcon fans had to endure this last season. Let’s all hope for a much better season in ’94 (or at least a win during Homecoming). More on that subject in a bit. Now on to the other news.

First off, a bit of selfish news. I am happy to announce that my wife of five and a half years, Kristen, and I are expecting our first child. We decided it was finally time to start working on a family. Our new addition is due on June 5th. I’ll keep you posted. Also on the baby front, Jim and Carol KALIAMOS recently welcomed their second son, Eric, to the world. Big brother Ryan is happy to have someone to boss around now.

Despite the Falcon football team’s so-so season, I still tried to attend as many games as I could. While I was in the stands, I did mamage to see a few ’84ers who were back at good ol’ “Aluminum U.” All of the sightings happened, believe it or not, at the Class of ’83’s reunion! Hope you guys are coming back this fall! Leslie (CHRISTENSEN)

BAUKNIGHT is first up. Seems she had been sitting in the row behind me talking to another pilot in my unit and had left before I even knew she was there! Just caught a glimpse of her as she was leaving the stands. Leslie’s husband, Mark, is here at the Zoo flying T-41s. According to my sources, Leslie was recently hired by Federal Express.

At half time, I decide to amble on over to the yellow-shirted section (’83ers) to see if there was anyone I might recognize. Sure enough, I saw Cheryl (DEVITA) ROBERSON walking up the aisle. She and hubby,

Darryl, were in town for the reunion from Vegas, where Darryl was recently assigned to fly with the Thunderbiords. Cheryl had not changed one bit, except for the fact that she is now the proud mother of two growing boys. Cheryl is hoping to be back for our reunion this time. I didn’t find her, but Liz (BECK) DELAROSA was also around with her husband, Mitch (’83). She let me know after the fact in her Christmas card from Dayton. Liz and Mitch also added to their family earlier this year by welcoming their second daughter, Julia. I also ran into the late Andy TRUJILLO’s father, who gave me a quick update on his daughter and son-in-law, Jackie and Dave PETERSEN. Dave recently left Bitburg, Germany, to continue flying F-15s at an airbase in the Netherlands.

I had the opportunity to fly the AFA Sup, Lt Gen Hosmer, to Fresno, CA for the Fresno St.-AFA game. While I was there I ran into Gordie NEFF, who along with some other die-hard fans, took a road trip up from Edwards AFB. I’m sure there were other grads there, but I was too busy hanging my head down as the Falcons lost another tough game.

Other tidbits: Rita MASTROVITO sent in a quick note on her AOG bio update sheet. She is down in Melbourne. FL where she works as a maintenance officer on the E-8 Joint Stars. She passed word that Chris CORDES is also in Melbourne as a Joint Stars pilot. Rita also said that Dianna (FIGUEROA) DYLEWSKI is now in Palmdale, CA doing some work with the GPS as a PCO. Being a dumb pilot, I’m not sure what that means (PCO, that is), but I’ll let you figure it out. Dianna has two children named Cole and Barry. Thanks for the info, Rita. Mike HARVEY’s wife, Tina (’85), stopped by my unit to say hello and that Mike is alive and well flying for the 55th Wing at Offutt. Scott REED also popped in at Peterson Base Ops one weekend. He was ferrying an F-15 from depot back up to Elmendorf. Just a reminder, if you ever find yourself in Peterson’s Base Ops or Passenger Terminal, stop by and look me up. I’m upstairs on the second floor in the 84th (believe it or not) Airlift Flight.

Hold the Presses! I had just come back from the AOG office to try to turn in this article (it was closed), when I was surprised to find last minute Christmas card/letters waiting for me. Naturally, I had to hustle over to the computer to add the info in. The first comes from Mike and Acey RUSSETT, who just PCSd to Randolph from beautiful Cannon AFB, NM. Mike, I can imagine the heartache you had leaving the greater Clovis metro area. Mike left a job as an F-l 11 WSO Stan/Eval examiner to be a SUNT instructor nav. Mike and Acey have two kids: Jacob and Sarah. Mike told me I’d better put their names in the next Checkpoints or else. I almost put his personal 1-800 number in the article, but in the interest of his phone bill, I decided not to. See what a nice guy I am, Mike?

I also received a very nice card and an info-packed letter from Robin and Kim HAMELIN. Due to space limitations, I can only give you the highlights. Kim writes from Elmendorf AFB, AK to say she, Robin and son Benjamin moved up there in July from sunny Tyndall AFB. Robin is assigned to the 43rd FS flying F-l5s. Bruce ELLWEIN is also flying Eagles but in the 54th FS. He and his wife, Autumn, have a daughter Jacqueline, and are expecting their second child. The last the Hamelins heard, Howard HAYES and his family were in Iceland, where Howard is assigned to fly F-15s. I bet that’s even colder than Alaska! John and Cathy MARSHALL and daughter Jennifer are living in Bedford, TX where John flies for American. John and Cathy just had their second child, David Thomas, in November. David was a couple of months early but got to go home sooner than expected. Fred HALLWAY is now in Denver with his wife, Karen, and daughter Kirsten. Fred works with DPRO doing something in the environmental field. Jim HANNON, his wife, Shayla, and children Brynne and Erik are in Ithaca, NY, where Jim is attending law school at Cornell University. Gene and Michelle PECK are still in Pittsburgh with kids Gene Jr., Chelsea and Brandon. Mike REICHERT is at Tyndall, but on his way to F-15 weapons school. Rumor also has it that he is engaged. Thanks a bunch for the letter, Kim.

Changes of Address: Tom DOYNE from Newton Square, PA to Merritt Island, FL; Rich GORDON from Bloomfield Hills, MI to Hacendia Heights, CA; Alec ROBINSON from San Pedro, CA to Centreville, VA; Troy CARLYLE from Wilmington, NC to Houston, TX; Theresa HANRAHAN to Crofton, MD; and Juan AMARAL moving down the road from Fontana, CA to Ontario, CA.

Reunion: The time is fast approaching. The dates: 14-18 September. John ZERBEL is running the show along with Dave YORK, but they can use some help. If you live in the Springs and are willing to help out in any

From left are Cheryl Grant, Beth 'Austin, the author, Chris Austin, Charlie Garcia, Kevin Carreno and Leanne.

way, let them know. I know I’ll be busy helping too. You should expect more info about the reunion to come in the mail. So, if your address isn’t up to date you may miss out. If you still have questions, call me, or leave a message through the AOG ofice for John or Dave if necessary.

Another aspiring writer: Just got a call today from Mike JENSEN, who represents the civilian side of our class here in the Springs. Mike was stationed at the Zoo, working in the Athletic Department. He got out and now owns a real estate company in Gleneagle, just across from the Academy. Mike agreed to split the duties of Class Scribe with me on an alternating basis. Mike will write the Spring and Fall articles and I’ll stick with the Summer and Winter articles. We’ll try this arrangement for a while and see how it goes. If you want to get a head start with your inputs for the next article, here’s Mike’s address and phone numbers: Mike JENSEN, 12035 Milam Road, Colorado Springs, CO 80908. Home phone: (719) 481-4646. Work phone: (719) 495-9289 or 1-800-GO-AFAGO (gotta love it!) For those of you who can’t remember more than one address just send your info to either of us, or the AOG office and we’ll make sure it gets in the next issue. Well, enough said on that. Enjoy 1994 and take care. I’ll be back this summer.

Butch Bennett

106 Cutter Cove

Lakeside City, TX 76308

Home: (817) 692-2190

DSN: 736-6797

Percent members: 29

SgLj?'

wYES, IT’S ME AGAIN! I’ m sure everyone was just dying to hear from me two issues in a row. Well, I didn’t count on getting no-noticed by the AOG on Christmas Eve either! Unfortunately Mike OTT was unable to write for this issue, so I was asked at the last minute to fill in. Since I had the week off and just bought myself a new 486DX for Christmas, I thought I’d put the thing to good use. Anyway, this will be much shorter than the last issue since I have virtually no mail to report on. Also, I’ll apologize up front for those who did send info to Mike. If it was returned to you, forward it to Jackie CHARSAGUA for the next issue (details below).

CORRECTION: One line was omitted from the last issue and the result was reassigning Matt BYRD to the backseat of the F-15E. What the line should have read was Matt switched from the F-117 to the F-16 as a Thunderbird and Brian CARSELL is now an F-15E WSO after completing a couple of tours in the RF-4 backseat. Sorry for the mixup!

WELL, HERE’S THE NEWS (OR LACK THEREOF). I heard from Cary HOWARD via Christmas card. Cary and Cindy have a new daughter, Meghan, a new home in Alamogordo, and two cats and two dogs! Also, their son Christopher entered the second grade this year. Cary is finally operational in the F-117 after a prolonged casual status, though he says the flying time is a little scarce.

I did receive some change-of-address cards in time for this abbreviated article. George WEATHERSBY can be found in Fayetteville, NC; Shelly (GINDER) GRADY from COS to Julian, PA; Larry GLADBACK from KI Sawyer, MI to Castle AFB, CA; Kymbal (LARSON) ROLEY from COS to Montgomery, AL; David ELLIS from Omaha, NE to Waldorf, MD; Bruce COX from Tinton Falls, NJ to Stanford, CA; Richard HURLEY left Valdosta, GA to be an ALO with an APO, AE address; Juvenal SALOMON from Holloman AFB, NM to APO, AP; Pauleta RIVERA to a new address in San Antonio, TX; Pete WHELAN from Holloman to Goldsboro, NC; Robert D’ANTONIO left Limestone, ME for Grand Forks, ND (big temperature change, I’m sure); Paul MATHIS to a new address in Camp Hill, PA; and David STINE from Berlin, Germany to Phoenix, AZ. I also received a copy of a hometown news release on Michael TAYLOR (LT, USN) who just returned from enforcing the Bosnian “no-fly” zone aboard the frigate USS Hawes. The Hawes is homeported in Charleston, SC.

THAT’S ALL FOLKS. Certainly not much news, but better than nothing I guess. If you have anything for the spring issue send it to Jackie CHARSAGUA by 10 Mar 94 at PSC 76, Box 7049, APO AP 96319-7049. Well, I better go. The deadline is in 48 hours and it’ll take me most of that time to figure out how to work the fax on this computer (I was a Poli Z major)! ’Til next time, have a great 1994 see ya...

Make your tax-deductible donation now to

The Air Force Academy Fund.

Your Support Helps Develop Leaders With Vision For Tomorrow.

Gary L. Burg ^

2013 Timberline Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80920-3791

Home: (719) 548-8126

DSN: 259-3791/FAX DSN: 259-3792

Percent members: 30

The Christmas season has come and gone. The Academy is now in the “Dark Ages” with the hopes of an early spring in everyone’s mind, the mailbox received its share of mail this time around. My first letter was from Matt RATHSACK. “I hope this letter finds everyone in good health. Theresa and I have once again changed our residence and felt it would be a good time to update everyone on our latest endeavors. Well the Rathsacks can’t get enough of a good thing. Our twins Jessica and Zachary have just turned four and Theresa is expecting our third child in January. While this gift from the good Lord was not planned, it will surely be welcomed. We recently purchased a house in Ann Arbor, MI. The house is a three-bedroom ranch on the west side of Ann Arbor near the stadium. Our motivation for buying in Ann Arbor was because I am now working in Ann Arbor. I recently changed jobs from Delta Environmental Consultants, to McNamee, Porter & Seeley, Inc. McNamee has been building waste-water treatment plants in Michigan for 75 years. I have not given up on my desire to fly, only put it on hold as many of you have due to the poor market. I am currently not flying at all because of the cost. I plan to continue my pursiut when the industry picks up, however, I am enjoying my career as an environmental engineer. I have recently been contacted by a flying unit at Selfridge ANGB near Mt. Clemons to interview for a flying position. I am really excited about the prospects of flying for the military again.

“Steve and Shelly (GWILLIM) ALLEN live in nearby Troy, ML I see Shelly regularly as we are in the same Reserve unit. Steve has recently changed jobs and is now working for a surgical supply company. Their two children, Jacob and Jessica, are getting big. They are currently housing an exchange student from Columbia. We attended Randy JONES’ wedding this summer. He married a girl from Philadelphia (Maria). Several good friends attended the wedding. Sal SCHMANTE and wife, Carol. Sal is still flying T-38s at PIT and is awaiting a call-up from United Airlines (he is in the hiring pool).

“Dwan and Maria WILSON are living in San Francisco where he flies for United. They have two beautiful children, who are doing exceptionally well. Scott THOMAS and family are currently at Sheppard AFB, where Scott is a T-38 IP. For all the preppies reading this, Chris O’BRIAN attended the wedding. Chris is married and has a little boy. He lives and works in Philly. Needless to say, the party was

“UNBELIEVABLE”. We recently spoke to George BUMILLER and Lisa. They are moving to San Antonio, where BU will be an IP for the T-l Jayhawk. Kraig EVENSON and Patty are still in San Antonio where Kraig is working for the Center of Environmental Excellence. Patty is finishing up dental school and is doing exceptionally well, go Patty!” I ran into Fred ARMSTRONG and Hank JERONIMUS during Army Weekend. They both are flying C-141s out of McGuire AFB. Fred is married and has one boy. His family has been at McGuire for six years homesteading. Hank is part of the CIC crew and is a fit examiner. Fred told me that Joe JOSE and Bert WIESE are both flying C-20s out of Andrews AFB.

My next letter is from Yolandea WOOD. “Right now I am attending Indiana University at Bloomington. Finals in my first semester just ended. I’m trying not to speculate on my grades until I see them. College life is interesting. My degree will be an MA in world history with a minor in African American multi-culturalism. I should arrive at the ZOO in Dec ’94. I became the guardian of a former Karate student. He needed a stricter but safer environment than his parents could provide in Cincinnati. So one month ago I became a “parent” of a teen. Now I missed diapers and late-night feedings. Instead I get to deal with high school homework, moving and him being extremely late on his curfew. I have also had to deal with more grey hair. My access to prodigy is BXCC66C if anyone would like to drop me a line on the network. That’s about all. Still single and busy. I am also working with the Tuskegee Airmen. Now I am on their Central U.S. scholarship committee. If you know someone going into an aviation-related or aviation science field have them contact me.”

The final late entry I received was from Mark HOGGE. Mark writes, “Here’s some updates on guys/girls that I’ve kept in touch with. Craig CAMPBELL, Todd BROOKS, Eric PHARRIS and I are flying B-ls up in Grand Forks (and shoveling snow). Mike CAPONE is living the high life in Golden, CO. He’s working for an engineering company and tending to his small plot of land. Greg HELI is also out and is living in Sun City, CA with his new bride, Denise, and their brand-new baby Matthew.

Dave CALDWELL is at USAFA flying UV-18s with his wife, Christine, and their new baby, also Matthew. Emilis HERNANDEZ is flying with United out of San Francisco. He and Lorna had a baby boy, Alexander. Bonnie SOONG is going to school at San Jose State and Tavo TRIPPE is flying AT-38s at Holloman (not very much longer!). The photo I enclosed was taken at my wedding last year in Omaha to my bride, Natalie.”

Mark

Christmas letters I received are summarized as follows: Derek BROWN wrote that it was great to be back in the States this past year after returning from his assignment in Saudi Arabia. Derek attending SOS enroute to the Academy where he is now assigned in the CE department, teaching cadets. Derek’s wife, Krystal, is all but finished with school two more classes over the next two months and she’ll have her degree in hand. No kids yet but they’re raising two cats, Tigger the Wonder Cat and Murphy the Miracle Cat, as best as they can in this dog-eat-dog world. While the’ve had a bit of a chance to explore Colorado, taking in Pikes Peak and a bit of hiking around the Academy, they’re planning to do much more in ’94.

Kevin YEOMANS wrote that his family is doing fine and enjoying Colorado very much. The summers are so pleasant without the humidity to contend with like they had in Florida. This May will bring a change for his family moving again. The Math Department selected Kevin to return to school for a PhD in mathematics. He has chosen to go back to North Carolina State in Raleigh where he received his master’s shortly after he was married. The program is three years: then they will return to Colorado in 1997 for another tour at the Academy. The three years of study and research will be difficult but the opportunity is just too great to pass up. Another plan on the horizon for the Yeomans is teaching Kenny, their five-year-old, at home. That big attempt will begin this coming fall. As for now they are looking into different curriculums and talking with other parents who home-school their children.

My family is doing great this time around. My daughter Cassie is doing great after being born two months premature. At five months, she weighed a whopping nine pounds and is already sleeping through the night. Carrie and I feel blessed with her progress and are really enjoying her as she learns something new all the time. Our other two children are also growing like weeds and helping with the baby when needed. Working at the 50ATS has been a great joy. This assignment has by far been my most enjoyable since I entered the Air Force back in 1978.

In the address-update department the following changes have been made. As mentioned earlier in the letter, George BUMILLER moved from McGuire AFB to San Antonio, TX. Kellie DAVILA-MARTINEZ is in Sembach, Germany and Jeffery HARING is in Mohringen, Germany. Todd HARMER is in Valdosta, GA. Steve JASZAI is at Lubbock, TX and finally Jon PUTNEY is at Langley AFB, VA working on his master’s degree in international studies.

That’s all this time around. One last plug I want to make is for everyone to ensure your job status and address are current with the AOG. The last Register that was sent out this past fall was full of non-current data. Do yourself and friends a favor and keep your information updated in the AOG’s data bank. I hope the New Year greets everyone with joy and happiness and that Santa brought you what you wanted.

In addition to the phone numbers in the header of this article, you can reach me through E-maiL AT BURGGL@CWI@USAFA.

Glenn L. Strebe

3030 Commodore Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80920

Home: (719) 260-8315 Wm

Office: (719) 592-1002

Percent members: 37 Vf

It is springtime in the rockies. Hello fellow ’87ers. Coming to you from the nicest place to live in the entire U.S. of A. is our class update. Thanks to a few of you who sent me Christmas greetings and letters, I have a few things to write.

From Tom REMPFER, an ADF F-16 Reserve pilot out at Selfridge ANGB in Michigan comes news that he has converted to C-130s and is really enjoying the change. Tom writes that Vasilious KIAFOULIS is also flying C-130s (just recently graduated from UPT). Tom also said that he probably has the illustrious honor to be the first in the Class of ’87 to be furloughed from American Airlines.

Brad JOHNS is out at McChord flying C-141s. Brad recently moved into a “large” house and has extended his hospitality to the entire class should we decide to venture into rain country. As his part-time job (he is really trying to make more investment money), he has become a gem Broker his next purchase is the Hope diamond.

Chris SIMPSON wrote from Hanscom where he is the base environmental engineer. Chris recently completed a lifelong dream of M.S. in engineering science. He went to that wonderful school of Harvard. Chris do you pak the ka in the havad yad. By the way, Chris had the opportunity to grow a beard while hanging out with the Cambridge crowd (now it is back to reality). His wife, Deb, started a new job and became the manager of the Communications and Computer Systems shop at Hanscom. Chris and Deb have been doing a lot of traveling recently and it appears they are starting their own zoo with two greyhounds and two parrots.

From Jeff and Pam NAVIAUX out at Beale; they have a four-year old daughter, Marina, and a one-year old son, Jacob. Jeff went to ENJJPT and started his flying career in A-lOs at Woodbridge, England. Jeff was flying the KC-135 with the 350th AREFS at Beale as a copilot. Jeff recently went to the Academy Class reunion at SOS and is now back in the cockpit including the T-38 (CTP). At the time of this reading, Jeff will be in transit to Offutt to fly in the 38th RS in the RC-135.

Gretchen (KRUEGER) ANDERSON writes that after almost six years at Armstrong Laboratory’s Aircrew Training Research Division at Willy, she hung up her blues. Gretchen and Vicki (ROJAS) RISPOLI were research psychologists doing research with fighter simulators and night vision devices. Both earned their MSEs in industrial engineering at ASU. Vicki is an industrial engineer at Andrews, has a son named Josh, and is now a civilian (rumor has it that she would have stayed 20 if she didn’t have to wear that damn flight cap). Vicki and her husband, Damian ’88, PCSd to Fayettville, NC where Damian is a flight doc at Pope. Gretchen is a full-time mom (John born April 1992) and continues eye-tracking research with F-15 sims at Armstrong Lab a couple days a week. Jim (her zoomie husband) is flying for Southwest. They both live near the Superstition Mountains about 30 minutes from Willy.

Tom and Jami (VANDEGRIFT) ROTELLO live in New Jersey and have a baby girl Maria Faith (born this past spring). Tom “Cookie” GERVAIS recently PCSd to Warner-Robins AFB. He is still flying C-141s; now as an FCF pilot. He says Chris (wing staff) SIMPSON had a big party in Massachusets in June, when he graduated from Harvard (see above). Nicole BERRY who is out of the AF but still flies ’141s in the Reserves at McChord, was there.

During one of Armstrong Lab’s current F-15 research projects, Langley loaned us one of its’ finest. ..Louis DEFIDELTO. Since then Lou

At

Hogge’s wedding in June 1992 from left are Craig Campbell, Dave Caldwell, Greg Heli, Todd Brooks, and Mark.

Scribe and daughter Cassie

saluted for the last time (end of Sept) and went on to start his career as a prosperous business man in Philadelphia. Yes, he is still single...but not available. He spends most of his free time with a very delightful woman, Maritsa. Chris SCHUBERT is at DLI in Monterey. She will graduate and go to Turkey next year. Chris found the love of her life, Ed, a Navy P-3 pilot, and will be married in June ’94. Ed is attending the Naval PostGraduate School and majoring in math.

TIDBITS: Steve and Jeane TURNER wrote from Offutt. Steve is flying C-21s, especially to D.C. and Vegas (how much did you lose?). By now, Steve should be an AC and he recently moved to an exec officer job for the squadron commander. Jeane is back into corporate America where she started a job as a creative specialist for Mutual of Omaha. Andrew ROMERO has been awarded the Dean’s Merit Scholarship to the University of Dayton School of Law for the 1993-1994 year. We would like to congratulate Andy although he doesn’t appear to be very happy in the following picture.

Andy after the bar exam.

John WOOD moved from Sacramento to Travis AFB. Tom KAUTH has moved to KI Sawyer, Alan HARRIS is now at Vandenberg AFB, Jim ZIETLOW is a C-5 pilot out at Dover, and Stephen KAJAH is a C-141 pilot at McGuire.

On the home front, Colorado is still as wonderful as always and I continue to love life as a civilian. I hope to keep this same address and phone number for a while so you can write it in pen maybe you shouldn’t. Thank you for the continued support and keep those letters coming.

22779 Mesa Springs Way

Corps in September of this year after a thoroughly enjoyable career as an infantry/reconnaissance officer. After attending The Basic School and Infantry Officer’s Course at Quantico. VA, I was given orders to report aboard 1st Battalion/4th Marine Regiment. After a standard 18-month ‘trainup’, my battalion was sent to sea with the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit. After transiting the Pacific on what was to be a normal Western Pacific deployment, Saddam Hussien decided to ‘transit’ the border between Iraq and Kuwait. As luck would have it, we were vectored into the Gulf immediately, but, unfortunately, that was as far as we ever got. You see, we spent the next six months waiting to assault the beaches from our amphibious platforms, but, unbeknownst to us, were instead given the dubious honor of being the ‘deception force’. In a word, it sucked.

“After returning to the States upon completion of the Gulf War, I tried out for and was accepted into the 1st Reconnaissance Battalion, where I spent the next year doing reconnaissance-type stuff. (Very descriptive, huh?) I liked the reconnaissance community enough that I then went on to join the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion located in Okinawa, Japan. When it was made clear to me that I would eventually have to grow up and become a captain and do paperwork like everyone else in the world, I decided to get out. I loved the Corps but not enough to ever be relegated to desk duties.

“So...I am in Boulder, pretending to be a kid fresh out of high school, but failing to fool anyone very well. I imagine I’ll be here for the next four years as I pursue my degrees (not to mention the women around here). I have regularly read your column in Checkpoints since we graduated but have been fairly negligent about keeping you informed about my status. Perhaps I might even write to you again before our 10-year reunion. I suppose it really doesn’t matter much, though; your spies will eventually track me down.”

Good news for Wayne COCHRAN. Wayne and I went through our KC-10 training together at March, but Wayne’s leaving for greener pastures; he will be PCSing to Charleston since he’s been selected as part of the initial cadre for the C-17 program. Congrats to him!

He’s taken the time to update me on the whereabouts of some of his cronies. “I recently returned from a mini-reunion of the Class of ’88. I was honored to be part of Tim TAYLOR’s wedding party, held in Jacksonville, FL. O.P. MORGAN was there with his new bride, Karen, who is expecting their first of many children in April. O.P. is still flying ’141s at McGuire and will probably stay there until his committment is finished. Tim’s wife, Kathy, made a beautiful bride and it is obvious that both Tim and O.P. have married beyond their means. Tim is flying ’130s at Dyess and should have a family soon. John and Dee (REIGHN)

Mark Peters mg?

Moreno Valley, CA 92557-2628

Home: (909) 242-3442

DSN: 947-2646

Percent members: 36

wGreetings to all from your hard-working scribe. As we speak I’m sitting here in snowy Colorado during a much-needed break from the daily grind. Fortunately this is an easy one since the mailman has been good to me these last few months.

Just past deadline for the last issue I received a note from Tom GILKESON (CS-8) so that explains why this may seem old. “Ed STANIEK (CS-31) and I are spending our days (and frequent nights) busting dope-heads here in the Methamphetamine capital of the U.S. (kind of ironic for a couple of Terrazzo centurions).

“Ed invited Ann DUFFY (CS-11) to his wedding, but she said she had to wash her hair that weekend. She’s teaching B.S. 110 at USAFA. Steve STEIN (CS-08) was down at Eglin AFB, but he told me he was punching out and moving to Boulder, CO, to commune with nature. Steve and I climbed Mt. Ranier together in May of 1992, so he should be real happy to be back in the Rockies.”

In response to the last column I received quite the stellar letter from Bruce HALL who has been doing a great job hiding from all of us. “You must be an interlligence officer or something because I just read an accurate statement about me in the Fall 1993 Checkpoints. Considering I have never written to you, was commissioned in the Marine Corps, and had little to no contact with anyone from the Academy since I graduated, the fact that you know anything at all is very impressive. You must certainly have an extensive spy network. In any event, your intelligence capabilities impressed me enough to write to you.

“Your statement that my new mailing address is in Boulder is indeed correct. I am once again attending an institution of higher education. This time, however, I am a ‘college student’ in the classic sense of the word instead of, well, uh, what we experienced. I just got out of the Marine

TURAGE graced us with their presence as well. They are both headed back to the Academy to be T-41/Slingsby instructors. Monte SCHAEFER is in law school as a civilian at Emory University in Atlanta. He is on a half scholarship from the school and has recently found a young lady who is willing to pay the other half. He will marry Ms. Camille Alexander in March. Much like the Academy, he is excelling in his classes and it seems to be easier for him to stay out of trouble there.

From left in the photo are Monte SCHAEFER, Wayne COCHRAN, Tim and the new Mrs. Kathy TAYLOR, Owen MORGAN and John TURNAGE.

“Sean RYAN is back at Davis-Monthan

children. Doc HOLLIDAY is in the middle of a remote to somewhere in Turkey and plans to return to the Academy after that tour. John HUGULEY is now flying T-38s at Vance. Rich HARTLAUB and Kim (SCHILLER) HARTLAUB are still flying T-41s at the Academy. Rick RITCHIE is doing his internship at Wright-Pat.”

The next photo shows Maj. Phil MCBRIDE (’78) and Wayne at the Great Wall of China during a recent trip. No, I don’t know what they were doing there.

where his wife is finishing medical school and he spends a lot of time watching their two

Wayne and Phil in China

On the day befoe Christmas I was shopping in the Lowry AFB BX when Ellery TAYLOR walked up and said hello. I suspect he has forgotten a lot of our 4th class year in 39th Squadron because he was very pleased to see me. E.T. is married (Donna Taylor) with children: one at 17 months and another due on April 14th. He updated me on some ”88ers: Mary MCKEON was an instructor at Lowry’s Undergraduate Space Training School and has moved to Columbus AFB. Darrel MINTER (CS-9) just got out of the Air Force and moved back to the Colorado Springs area. Philbert COLE is married with two boys. He finished AFIT with a MS in logistics management and is now at Hanscom AFB in Boston. It just goes to show that if you hang out in a BX long enough you’ll meet someone from ’88.

COAs: Tom EIDE from Hermosa Beach, CA to Issaquah, WA. Chris HAUTH has been selected as a USAF/Japan Exchange Officer and will be moving to Hamamatsu Air Base, Japan, in August of ’94 for a twoyear tour after a 10-month Japanese language school. If that’s not enough change, he should be getting married sometime this month (December). Norm HOLMAN is moving from Wichita Falls, TX, to Clovis, NM. Dan OURADA has also moved to Clovis. Mike TERNEUS has moved from Dayton, OH, to Idaho Falls, ID. Lastly, Robert SWEET has moved from Washington, WV, to Fayetteville, NC.

Here’s a closing thought. Since only 36 percent of the class are members of the AOG, it’s a safe bet that two out of three of the ’88ers you meet aren’t members. Let’s try and get our percentage up a bit by pointing out to anyone that’s not a member that they can join for a very small annual fee by just calling the AOG at DSN 259-0300. Thanks. If you haven’t written, write!

Paul W. Tibbets IV

5303 Solitaire Drive 3

Rapid City, SD 57701

Home: (605) 393-2842

DSN: 675-5038

Percent members: 37

ill

Hello everyone! I hope the new year has been kind to you thus far. I started the year by getting engaged! My fiance’s name is Angelle Guitreau, and she is from Gonzales, LA. We are planning a November wedding in Baton Rouge. I kinda learned to like those Cajuns!

My first letter comes from Matt CHESNUTT, who is flying OA-lOs at Pope AFB, NC. Stationed with Matt are John WARD flying A-lOs, and Jim “Calvin” KLINE, Ryan ODNEAL, Jim TRAVIS, and Larry BROCK flying jump FACs (OA-lOs). Cindy CHIARAVALLOTI is also at Pope as an SP. Flying C-130s at Pope is Arlene (HUX) SALMON, where her husband, Scott, is waiting on a fighter. Rick PEDDYCORD, Bill SUMMERS, Sara (FERRIER) BARANOWSKI, Tony POLLIZZI, and Heather SCHOFIELD are also flying C-130s. Mike MCMILLIN is at Pope flying F-16s.

Matt ran into Tim ABEL at Capstone. Tim is flying F-16s at Shaw and has been married about six months. Other F-16 pilots at Shaw are Charlie MOORE, Mike HOEPFNER, Scott GIERAT, and Adam SPITLER. Matt talked with Dean OSTOVICH, who is fresh back from Saudi flying F-16s at Moody and a newlywed. Karen PASTORET is a Stan/Eval pilot at Plattsburg in KC-135s, and Mary Beth NEWLON works in the hospital there.

Chris SHORT is flying T-38s at Vance and married Brooke Jones

from Boulder this past summer. Ron ANDERSON is transitioning from the F-lll to the F-15E. Vance DRENKHAHN is on his way to Pope to be a full-time jump ALO. Eric and wife, Elizabeth MURPHY, are doing well at Eielson where Eric is flying OA-lOs. Mike “Donut” HOHLS is flying Hogs in Germany and Juan DIAZ is doing the same at McChord.

Reed COOLEY’s flying Eagles at Bitburg and Craig BROWN is flying F-16s at Hill. Keith MILLER is finishing up an ALO tour at Fort Polk. Mike SMITH, Donn VONLOH, and Steve FRANCIS are finishing up their FAIP tours at Sheppard. Pete SMITH left Shaw for Osan, Korea to be a Misty FAC OA-10 pilot. Grant TIBBETTS is finishing med school at Bethesda and is now a dad too! Jeff KAMNIKAR is an AWACS instructor controller at Tinker. Thanks for writing Matt!

Next I heard from Matt LLOYD, who is an AC in the ’135R at Minot. On April 19th Matt married a wonderful girl he met in Minot. His best man was John MIHALY, who is a T-37 IP at Reese. Also in the wedding were Gregg HALL, who is a T-1A IP and just had a son (Calvin) this summer; Eric WILSON, who is essentially running C-130 maintenance at Little Rock; and Spiros FAFALIOS, who has left the AF and is working at an environmental cleanup firm in Wisconsin. Spiros also just had a daughter.

Matt was at Castle this summer where he upgraded to AC. In his class was Erich NOVAK, who is at Altus. Also at Altus in the ’135R is Teddy MATHEWS. Matt saw Dan LYKINS at Castle, who was upgrading, and recently PCSd from K.I. Sawyer to Beale. Dan said Dave OLTORIK had left K.I. for a KC-10 at Barksdale. Also at Barksdale is Tom HIRST, who just upgraded in the A-model. While flying at Castle Matt refueled John LUSK, who was also upgrading to AC in the KC-10 at March.

At Minot, Mark DANIGOLE has just left for a KC-10 at Seymour. He and Trish just had another child (Alec). Bud MORNINGSTAR went out to upgrade this fall. Matt heard from Paul WEISS who is returning from a remote in Korea to fly OA-lOs at DM in Arizona. Mike SING is at Beale flying UH-ls and soon will be leaving for Andrews.

Matt was in Riyadh this fall and ran into Lev PRICHARD, who is an AC in the ’135R but will soon be a T-38 IP at Vance. He also saw Glenn POWERS who is a CP at P-burg along with Sonia FALK and Karen PASTORET. Sonia and Karen should upgrade this spring. Eric SCHWALBER is also at P-burg and was working at CENTAF. On the way home from Riyadh, Matt saw Julie BARTLETT and Kris THOMPSON, both R-model CPs at Mildenhall. They said Chris KULAS was at Castle going through upgrade. In closing Matt says his squadron is closing this summer and he will be moving to Del Rio for the T-37/T1A crossflow program in April. Thanks Matt!

I received a few Christmas cards from some ’89ers. The first was from Tony POLLIZZI, who is an AC in C-130s at Pope. Tony finished AC school in June, then got shipped off to Panama for a 90-day nonflying TDY. He was doing airlift planning for the counter drug operation down in Panama. Tony’s roommate, David MOHR, spent 90 days planning Bosnian airdrops in Italy. Tony said the non-flying part kinda sucked but he did manage to hop onto a few missions to Venezuela, Peru, Columbia, Bolivia, and Ecuador. Good to hear from you Tony!

My next card was from Christy KAYSER, who is a CP in the ’135 at Robins AFB. Christy has been on several deployments this year, ineluding Moron AB, Spain, and Lajes AB, Azores, both in support of Somalia. She married Gary Cook in June, and they both agree that married life is great. Christy said she is planning to upgrade in July, and then possibly move to Fairchild AFB. Thanks for writing Christy!

My last letter was from Ken and Michelle THIELE. Ken is a ’135 AC at Leale AFB, CA. Ken says that Beale has been targeted to deactivate, and they will be looking for a new assignment soon. They are trying to get an assignment at Edwards AFB in southern California so Michelle can do her internship in Los Angeles. Flying has been good, and Ken has been to Saudi Arabia once and has taken numerous trips around the U.S. Thanks for writing guys.

I spoke with a couple of ’89ers recently. In November I was in Lake Charles, LA for an airshow and talked to Arlene SALMON on the radio as we were both preparing to depart. Just a few weeks ago John LUSK was in town for JETS and gave me a call. Unfortunately, I was on my way out for leave. My timing hasn’t been real good! I appreciate everyone who took the time to write. Keep ’em coming! Take care and God bless.

Joseph C. Richardson

906 Hackberry Court, Suite #2311

Bellevue, NE 68005-2046

Home: (402) 292-9373

DSN: 271-3431

Percent members: 34

Greetings to the Most Glorious Class of 1990, I trust that everyone had a joyous holiday season. By the time you read this we should be well into 1994. I would like to take this opportunity to wish you all a belated Happy New Year with the prayer and hope that this will be a year of blessing and good fortune for all.

Things my way are going well. I’ll be finishing my master’s degree within weeks after the printing of this article. How sweet it is! I would like to send my congratulations to the most glorious class as we are about to reach the milestone of putting on captain. Kinda hard to believe, huh? The countdown to the May pinning-on is in full effect.

Words have surfaced from Ted WILSON announcing his wedding to the lovely Cindy Kimber. The vows of love were scheduled to be exchanged on 22 Jan 94 at the Cadet Chapel. Their lovely photo appears below. We wish you well Ted and our thoughts are with you both as you begin your new life together.

Ted and Cindy

Ever-faithful writer Ben DAVIS sends another report to the most glorious class. In between TDYs to Saudi as chief of Maintenance for AWACS, he consistently finds time to update us on the whereabouts of ’90 grads. For this we thank you Ben. He reports that Mark JOHNSON is a KC-135 copilot at Altus, Erika PLOSA KC-135 copilot (Griffiss) (and I send a “Mighty ’90” hello to Erika’s mother), Benard BOIT Intel (base unknown please update when you can Benard), Jayne WARNER (FISH) Admin (Langley), David Jones (DJ) RC-135 navigator (Offutt incidently, DJ and I are roommates out here at Offutt and we are truly “living that life”!), Lainie GREENFIELD RC-135 navigator (Offutt), Steve KISER Intel (Tinker), Jeff LIPSKY

AWACS weapons director (Tinker), Dave BRIEN AWACS weapons director (Tinker), and Emile HAZEUR Intel (Kelly). Thanks again Ben for the update on the Operation Southern Watch Warriors of ’90.

My good friend Kyle CONWAY touched bases with me in his Christmas letter. To update you on Kyle, he has finished Air Force Intelligence officer’s training (as well as completing his graduate degree at Harvard a while back). He is stationed at Ramstein Air Base, Germany where he serves as a European analyst for Headquarters USAFE. Kyle reportedly had the “experience of a lifetime” when he first arrived at Ramstein. He experienced everything from providing the intelligence for the humanitarian airlift and airdrop operations in Bosnia-Hercegovina to regularly briefing the two-star general in charge of the whole effort, to providing intelligence updates to British, Canadian, German, and Norwegian air crews flying into Sarajevo. Life has since slowed down considerably for Kyle and he extends his service as a tour guide as well as offering a place to stay to anyone who might find themselves in the Ramstein area. We appreciate the update Kyle and keep up the great work.

Checking in with the exalted class from Tacoma, WA is John D. HALL, IV. John is stationed at McChord and is a banked transport pilot assigned to the Supply squadron. At the time he wrote me he was serving as the logistics group executive officer and was expecting to hear something about his follow-on assignment shortly. He is there at MeChord with Tom MATTISON, who is working in AGS as a banked pilot, and Ken WRAY, who is the wing asst exec and a banked pilot as well. Ken

and his wife, Kate, are expecting a baby in May of ’94. James BIRDSONG (banked transport Finance officer) and his wife, Barbara, are expecting their second child in March of ’94. John also reports that Tony BUKATA (executive officer) and his wife, Lisa, are also expecting a baby in May of ’94. Tony was banked, but recently got an assignment to DavisMonthan in the EC-130. He will be joining Dave DELMONICO and his wife, Mary Jo (EDWARDS), at Davis-Monthan, where Dave flies EC-130s and Mary Jo works in AGS. Since we’re in the Arizona area we may as well report that Jim JORDAN and Paul FITZGERALD were both banked fighter pilots at Luke and recently got their assignments with Jim getting an F-15E and Paul getting an F-15C.

Other news from John includes Laura RADLEY recently completing her banked tour and getting a C-141 to Charleston, Dave HUNT and Ted GRADY are at McChord about ready to upgrade to aircraft commander in the C-141. Kudos go to Ted, as he was selected as one of the crew members on the C-141 that flew General Jimmy Doolittle to Arlington National Cemetery! Kurt ROOT is also at McChord as a banked transport pilot working in security police and has reportedly tied the knot. Please send us name and photos when you can Kurt, and congratulations. Tom KOSS is on his way to the C-5 world at Travis. Mike ARNOLD (banked transport security police), Bob HAGSTROM (banked transport executive officer), and Mike CALTA (combat control) are also stationed there at McChord and are doing well.

Lastly, John reports that he talked with Mike BLAIR and that he and his wife, Carrie, and their son were doing well as Mike goes through B-l school at Dyess. Now, that my friends was a MIGHTY ’90 UPDATE! Many thanks for keeping us informed John. Here is a photo John sent me. From left are Stephanie Firsch (school teacher/friend), Lisa BUKATA (’91), John HALL, Tom MATTISON, and Tony BUKATA. Peace to you all from the glorious class!

Words go out to the best class to date from Dave BROOKS. Dave checks in from Rhein-Main Air Base, Germany where he, Keith WESLEY and “Big Al” FITTS are flying the “Mighty Herk”. He and his wife, Tanya, are looking forward to their one-year anniversary on 16 Jan, followed closely by their second anniversary on 28 Feb. The legend is told that they eloped on the leap day of 1992 and took their church vows almost a year later. They met after being set up for a date by her brother and one of our very own, Ron KALANQUIN. They are living happily ever after with a dog named Rex and their lovely wedding photo is enclosed. What a story huh? Ron just received orders to attend requal at Laughlin to fly KC-135s in Japan. Dave has been in Germany doing the

Dave and Tanya Brooks

Bosnia thing for almost two years now. He has run into Dave GERDA from Pope and George KOCHIS from Dyess. He reports all is well and sends greetings to all. Thanks for the report Dave and the best to you and Tanya for 1994 and always.

Bob WALTZ sends greetings from San Antonio where he is a banked transport pilot working in MPC as a personnel survey analyst. After UPT at Reese, Bob went to Florida State University and earned his MS in educational psychology. He married his wife, Teri, while there. Bob’s report on his house mates from UPT, Pat HANLON and Tom CRIMMINS, reveal that Pat recently completed F-16 lead-in at Luke and Tom banked a transport and is working on his master’s at Texas Tech. Tom plans to marry Tricia Byrne this June in Lubbock. Pat MCNELLIS and his wife, Margaret, had a beautiful baby boy almost a year ago this past October (his name is Taylor). Pat is a banked fighter guy at Tyndall and is currently working as a SP. Tim MACGREGOR was at FSU with Bob and is now at Shaw presumably working as a PA guy.

Bob reports being in Colorado Springs in early September for Bill PARCELL’s wedding. He married April and they live near Sacramento. Bill is flying C-5s out of Travis and loves it. At Bill’s wedding were Steve and Sophie (DEFREITAS) SENN. Steve is flying C-5s out of Dover and Sophie is doing intel at Ft. Meade. Ty SILLS was also at Bill’s wedding and makes his home at Randolph in the occupational measurement squadron. Mark WEBER is a maintenance officer at Travis, Sam SVITENKO just got married last August, and Mark WEATHERINGTON is contemplating doing the same. Renn BURLING got out and got a AF Reserve KC-10 slot. His wife, Carla, is still on active duty as an intel-type. Andy KITTLESON is planning to get married (or just has) and is at Dover as well. Bob signs off by proclaiming a “Mighty Ninety” to the exalted class. Thanks for the input Bob, it was great hearing from you.

Well Mighty ’90, I am a bit over my allocated space so I have to end here. I have an extensive update from Brian ELLIOTT that I’ll have to inelude in the next edition. Thanks for the update Brian and you’ll hear from me soon.

Amy McLean

RR HI, Box 31C Larimore, ND 58251 (701) 343-2596

Percent members: 40

fSSPJ?

Think spring, unless of course you live in the northern tier! Adam and I received a wake-up call at three o’clock in the morning from our brand new little one, so Adam is enjoying fatherhood upstairs with the diaper bag and bottle while I desperately try to make the deadline for this article since of course I procrastinated until the very last minute. Some old Academy habits still linger in our lives I guess. So on with the news from around the world.

First letter comes from Stephanie (KONIECZNY) BRINLEY down at Cannon AFB. To start out with, Stephanie’s name is a lot easier to pronounce. Stephanie went to Incirlik, Turkey from March through June ’93 with the F-llls to support Operation Provide Comfort. While she was there, she ran into Dan CURRY, who had just PCSd there, as well as Scott BURNS and Kevin QUAMINE who were both there TDY with OPC. Also stationed there was Stephanie’s Ancient History instructor from the Academy, Maj Rick James, who took her out touring much of Turkey that she would not have seen otherwise. Upon Stephanie’s arrival back to the States, she had two very short months to prepare for her wedding that was 14 Aug 93. She married an F-l 11 WSO by the name of Darrel Brinley, who is a West Virginia University grad. They honeymooned in Jamaica mon. Leslie (BEAVERS) BRENNAN was a bridesmaid. Lourdes FALLACE, Laura GREY, and Dan MUIR all showed up as well. Maria (RUTKOWSKI) SMITH, Stephanie’s Academy roommate, deployed two weeks before the wedding and was unable to be in the wedding. Leslie BRENNAN is newly married, and Laure GREY was married in December. Dan MUIR, after surviving a vicious motorcycle wreck at the beginning of pilot training, has graduated and is one of the few lucky ones to immediately be going to a plane, and an F-16 at that! Congratulations.

Former Kristi SWAIN sent a letter from Osan AB, Korea to let us know she has recently joined the ranks of married women. Kristi is working intelligence plans for the major Korean excercises and is currently an itelligence analyst. Her husband’s name is Ken Hall and he is an intelligence officer in the Air Force as well. He is a San Diego State graduate but has promised to root for the Falcons except when they play San Diego State. They met at Goodfellow AFB and are now both sta-

Kristi (Swain) and Ken Hall are married at Hickam AFB. tioned in Korea. They got married on 11 Sept at the chapel at Hickam AFB, Hawaii. They flew out there the week before the wedding and stayed at the Hali Koa Hotel on Wakiki Beach. Both of the families flew out for the week as well as friends from the U.S. and those stationed in Korea. After the wedding they honeymooned in Hawaii for another week. Sounds like a wonderful time was had by all.

Both Kristi and Ken will be PCSing to Langley in January. Other ’91ers that they have run into are Molly POLKA and Matt EAGER who left last spring for Europe. Julie WALKER just arrived in Korea, and lives just down the hall in the dorm. Ron TATE is working at the hospital. It is rumored that Brian ANDERSON will be in Kunsan in January to thin the SPs there. Other news sent by Kristi is that Lisa VIERTEL will be wed January 16th in Wisconsin. Lisa is stationed at Scott AB and is working on the watch there. They are keeping her really busy briefing all the generals and colonels there. Being one of the top students in their intel school, it is no surprise that she is doing so well. Your letter and picture were both wonderful. Thanks for all the news.

Karen SUZUKI sent her Season’s Greetings to all with a Christmas card containing news from Wright-Patterson. Karen is an engineer in the lab there. She reports there are plenty of grads on base, but the only way you can find them is to go to the Fly Wright (O-Club annex) on a Friday afternoon and look behind all of the beer mugs. Chase MCCOWN and Mike CZAINECKI are a few other lab geeks stationed there. Other grads to be seen around the area are Anna BAILEY, Karen SMITH, and Nate BRAUNER. Marcus NEAL, Ryan HIBBELIN, and Derek FLETCHER are rumored to be hiding out there as well. Karen will be getting married May 21 to Brooks Childers, who she met at Langley when she was in school at George Washington University. Susan SUZUKI is enjoying being an engineer at Phillips Lab at Kirtland AFB.

Here is some interesting news from Altus, AFB, OK. Beth FREDERICK and Frank PATRINOSTRO, both from the Knights of Thirt, are now on the same crew! On top of that, Beth and the PATRINOSTROs have apartments in the same complex. It’s great to have such dear old friends to both work and live close to. Beth and Frank had this photo taken during a recent TDY tour in Riyadh. The sign reads, 7,767 miles back to Altus where cooler temperatures await them.

Steve HOLLIS sent a beautiful wedding announcement. He will be marrying Robin Joy, 15 January in Tulsa, OK. Best of luck to you both from all of the Class of ’91.

Lastly I would like to report on all the bits and pieces of information from our class that Adam and I could scrounge up. We heard that Billy PRICE and his wife were going to have a baby. Have FUN! Renee LEON just moved to Grand Forks and is working in the same block of offices. He is a maintenance officer but is currently on loan to special staff to plan

out how to change from a bomber base to a tanker base. He is married to Jane Labadan who was a freshman with Renee back at the zoo. Forgive me Jane but I must comment on your greetings as a four degree. I believe that your high-pitched voice was a legend to our class. It’s nice to have you both in the area. Hope you don’t have cabin fever! T.J. DOWNING and I finally made it through the Lieutenant Professional Development Program here at Grand Forks. We thought we would be captains by the time we made it through. TJ wll be leaving us here in the great white North to do a remote to Korea as an ABGD SP. TJ just eats up all that SP stuff. It seems like he is having a great time at his job.

Adam recently was in England and ran into a few of us over there as well (in the pubs of course). Shawn BOSLEY, Este RAMIREZ and Leigh WILBANKS are just a few. Leigh is on the hunt for a coaching job at the Academy. Good Luck! Finally I received a phone call from Chris HOWARD, our illustrious class president. He is still at Oxford now working on his Ph.D. Before starting on this he worked for the Secretary of Defense (correct me if I’m wrong Chris) and also for NATO. He has traveled extensively since being in England but I lost the list of exotic places. Chris comments that he is still planning on going to UPT after all of this. Pretty impressive. UPT will seem a breeze after such an awesome track record. Keep us posted.

Such a short letter, I know, but the baby is crying and Adam I’m sure is at his wits end. Megan Jo was born 4 Dec 93, and weighed 7 and Vi lbs. She is extremely healthy as noted by her awesome vocal chords and extreme appetite. Shanen KARPEL happened to be on a TDY to Grand Forks at the time of her birth and was able to see Megan Jo just two hours before her plane left. Parenting is pretty awesome but now comes the real challenge, to balance her needs with those of the Air Force. There’s no escaping.

Can’t wait to hear from everyone for the next article. Adam and I now can be reached by fax as well as by mail. Once again we have a new address. It is RR1, Box 31C, Larimore, ND 58251. Our new telephone number is (701) 343-2596. This number can also be used to send us faxes. If you wish to send a fax, though, give us a quick call and make sure everything is running on this end. It will save everyone time and frustration. Thanks for the letters, I look forward to hearing from you in the future. Take care and God bless. Adam and Amy McLean.

James S. Mehta

1756 W. Avenue J-12, #C205 Lancaster, CA 93534 (805) 948-5059

DSN: 527-2208

Percent members: 31

vripFWell ’92, it’s time to address the True Blue crowd once again. Sometimes it seems as if it has been forever since I last wrote and other times it’s as if it were yesterday. Kind of like graduation, huh? I have been in touch with a number of people recently, but the letters have been slow to come in. Actually, the two letter contributors for this column have written in the past and are almost becoming regulars, and I appreciate their efforts. I am still at the same address for now, however it wll soon change (nothing new) as I am buying a house out here near Edwards. OSI is going well for me and I’m having a good time and keeping busy.

The first letter from the almost empty mailbox (hint, hint) comes from Tess MCCULLOUGH who by the time you read this is Mrs. Jeff WARMKA. Tess and Jeff were married on Nov 27 in Tess’ hometown of Las Vegas. The Little White Chapel, I wonder...nah. Anyway, Jeff has banked a bomber and is at U of South Carolina getting his master’s in M.E. Tess says lots of ’92ers were supposed to be at the wedding and I’m waiting to hear from her about the wedding. She is an intel officer at Shaw and was rooming with Lanie MADDOX who is also an intel officer. She says that Bob SEIFERT is TDY from Shaw right now to Saudi Arabia as one of the general’s execs. A number of others are at Shaw as well: Meridith MOORE, Chuck ELDER, Chris BURTON, and Jon ARNETT. Meridith, along with John KUBINEC and Michele LAMONTAGNE, will be on her way to med school soon.

The next letter, I received a few weeks back from Steve BRODERICK. Steve got an E-3 to Tinker and will be there by Feb. He is living with Tim MARTIN until he leaves for Oklahoma. Steve, Tim, Walt ALLEN, and Andy and Melissa (JONES) ROSS all went skydiving together and even sent a picture to prove it. Walt is still in T-38s at Sheppard, Andy is heading to McGuire to fly C-14Is and Melissa is still back where I used to be Vance. Andy and Melissa, as reported earlier in Checkpoints, are “going to the Chapel” to be married on New Year’s Eve at the Zoo.

Other information he shared Ted ANDERSON is at Reese flying T-lAs, Paul and Heather SCOTT are at the U of Washington and Barry and Judy BLANCHARD are at Texas A&M where Paul and Barry are

The skydiving quintet: From left Steve Broderick, Tim Martin, Andy Ross, Melissa (Jones) Ross and Walt Allen.

getting master’s degrees while awaiting their banked assignments. Jeff HUMPHRIES finished his master’s in computers from Georgia Tech and is on his way to Kelly AFB. Chris MARCUS (Amy) is heading from Sheppard to Arnold AFB, TN as a finance officer.

And finally, Chris COLCLASURE called from Eielson AFB, AK and reported that the intel world up there is fun, but COLD! I believe him because his address is North Pole, AK. Steve also sent a list of Sheppard assignments: Rich BROWN, KC-135, Grand Forks; James COPHER, KC-135, Malmstrom; Rob DITTMAN, C-5, Travis; James FROMM, Mike PRICE, KC-135s, Plattsburgh; Pete GUBSER, Cory BOWER, F-15s, Tyndall; Collin IRETON, Aaron STEFFENS, Mark VALENTINE, Brian DELMATER, Brook (Pump you up) LEONARD, Don JOHNSON, Beau BOOTH, F-16s, Luke; Mike JANSEN, C-141, MeChord; Alec MACLEOD, KC-10, March; Rich MOORE, KC-135, Fairchild; Tom NICHOLSON, RC-135, Offutt; Joe RIZZUTO, C-130, Elmendorf; Rob SAGRAVES, C-130, Dyess; Dave SUTTON, OA-10, Osan; Rob ZERBE, EC-130, Davis-Monthan; Jason WHITE, C-130, Pope. Thanks again for the input, Steve.

The AOG always passes along the change-of-address cards you guys send in. So from there: Tom DRAPE, L.A. Air Station; Matthew BECKLEY, Hill; John FROELICH, Little Rock; Jason WOLF, Altus; Scott BABBITT, missile launch oficer at Grand Forks; Francois DESAMOURS, foreign space technology analyst at Wright-Pat; Andy BATES, civil engineer at Laughlin and Michael KOSCHESKI, missile launfch officer at Minot.

Earlier this month while perusing the sports page of the L.A. Times I came across a picture of a guy shooting a basketball. I immediately recognized the “AFA” in bold letters across the sweatshirt. Further investigation (that’s my job) revealed that Butch HAWKING was the subject of the picture and a lengthy article. Butch is the basketball coach at the AFA Prep School and had a write-up in the Times because his hometown is Simi Valley, CA. It sounds as if Butch is enjoying the job despite the author’s obligitory corny comments about Academy life (and the part about the AF flying F-14s), it was a pretty good article. Yet another famous True Blue grad.

Way back in Oct, the Falcons played Fresno state (should’ve won) and a group from Edwards made the trip. From ’92, Rob ATKINS and I were there to cheer. But once we got to the stadium I saw people from the bases all over California Castle, Beale, Vandenberg, McClellan, Onizuka, and Travis Lance BUNCH, Tom MAUER, Fred JONES, John LAMONTAGNE, Longinos GONZALEZ, Mike O’CONNER, Tony VALERIO, Roman ISAJIW, and Kevin WILSON. I’m sure there were more, but I don’t remember or didn’t see you. In Nov, I was in L.A. for TDY and saw some fellas down there: Scott SCHENO and Jeremy “Sloaner” SLOANE. Out here at Edwards, we had some more arrivals: Sam WHITE (newly married), Conrad STEGEMAN and Mike ROKAW. Angela (SLAGEL) and Jim CLEET, ’91, are here at Edwards too. I also play on the base soccer team with Sean CURAN and some older grads.

Mike ROKAW gave me the scoop on a few more people. First, before I forget, Joe HALL must be mentioned as it is his lifelong dream to be in Checkpoints. Joe got hitched to Tammy and is now flying C-5s at Dover. Chris RATE (Kim) is at Wright-Pat working on laser beam protective cockpits; Kris ORLANDONI is banked, but still at Vance; Jay SCHULER is engaged (Sara) and still in UPT at Vance; and Blaine RASCH is down in Texas at Laughlin. Recently, I talked to Dan DEWENTER who is up at Travis flying C-5s and having a great time.

From my old roommate, Don UNWIN, who is at Scott flying C-9s, he reports a number of ’92ers there C-9s: Sean DONAHEY, Ted WEIBEL, Matt RAFTER, Mike AERSTIN, John “Grovee”

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COSGROVE, Chris COLBERT; and C-21s: Todd CRAIGIE, Perry LONG, and Jim DRYJANSKI.

News from my old buddies at Vance: Mark SLOCUM, F-lll to Cannon; Art PRIMUS and Jim LEE, KC-135s to Grand Forks; Kyle NEAVILLE, KC-135 to I forgot, sorry Kyle; J.J. MENOZZI, F-16, Luke; Tom HOLLER, B-52, Fairchild; Shelly RIPPLE, HC-130, Hurlburt Field; A1 BLOIR, C-27, Howard AFB, Panama; Rich FICKEN, C-21; Bill SPANGENTHAL, KC-135, McConnell (close to his fiance from Enid, OK); Craig “Kegger” WENZ, banked and getting his master’s at U of Oklahoma; that’s all I can remember (assignment night can do that to you). So the rest of you guys write and remind me.

That concludes another newsletter. One last note, I heard a rumor that the lieutenants at Los Angeles AFS are throwing a HUGE (multiple kegs, multiple live bands) promotion party when we pin on lLt. Get in touch with your buddies out there and find out more details. It sounds like that is a definite time to take a trip to California. I look forward to writing to you again soon, so until next time, take care and don’t worry, that lLt raise is coming soon. SEE YA!

Michael D. Sundsted

4201 Taft Blvd., 0A2O7

Wichita Falls, TX 76308 (817) 692-4212

DSN: 736-2783

Percent members: 84

1Greetings from all your fellow graduates at Sheppard AFB, TX! Before I start with our beloved column, I must pass on sad information. On 19 Oct 1993 one of our own passed away. 2Lt David M. NICKLAS died as a result of injuries sustained from a motorcycle accident. Our prayers will be with his family and friends.

I have been in touch with many of our classmates since the last letter. I’ll try to get everyone in this letter, but there’s a ton of information. First, the AOG received change-of-address cards from David BLAKE, Sean CAVAN, Ellis EATON, Chris LAVALLEE, Todd DYKSTRA, Nicole PETERSON and Donald LEWIS. Now that we know where you live, let us hear from you!

A couple of days after I submitted the last letter, I received a letter from William (Wispy) SPEROS and Michelle (Mo) BARRETT. They are both working in the USAFA Comm Shop and report on many “casual lieutenants”. The last time I checked, the entire commandant’s staff is waiting for Wispy to leave for UPT at Columbus so he and Mo won’t keep everyone from working. Mo and her roommate Kristen GOODWIN are awaiting their UPT start date at Laughlin AFB. Kristen took a week of leave to visit Andra VAN POPPEL at Laughlin who is awaiting her January UPT start date.

Kelly FLINN has moved out of her sponsor’s house and into an apartment as she waits to start UPT at Columbus AFB, MS. Deb (PARLIN) TORKELSON is waiting to join her husband (Class of ’92) at Kadena AFB, Okinawa. Deb has been running the Cadet Personnel Office at USAFA and looks forward to attending her training. Douglas PRITCHARD worked in the Political Science Department and trained the entire staff on how to use a computer. He and his roommate, O.J. SANCHEZ, are currently in UPT at Sheppard.

For those of you who have been able to catch an AFA football game in person or on TV, you have no doubt marveled at how well the field lines in the stadium were drawn. Credit for the excellent marking skills go to Kelly VANDERBILT and Mike WILLIAMS. Kelly and his roomate, Joel GARTNER, have started UPT at Sheppard. Mike and his roomate, Vince DURANT, started UPT in November at Columbus.

Liesl RADERER is teaching soaring to cadets for her casual status job and awaits UPT in March. Two more soaring IPs who didn’t get enough also teach soaring until they start UPT. Chris WILSON starts in November and Norm JOHNSON starts in March, both at Sheppard AFB.

Mike BIORN worked at the Academy in the Computer Science Department and started UPT at Vance in January. Ken FIELD and John FRISBEE are still shaving their heads weekly for their jobs in the Academy CATM program. Ken will attend intel school in October of 1994. Jason BREEDEN taught Chemistry 131 at the zoo until his UPT start date. He says his free time is taken by his duties as the substitute OIC of the LJltimate Frisbee Club.

We also have reports from Wispy on Derek POWELL who is at L.A. AFB doing astro stuff only he understands. Carol HERON owned the dance floors of Colorado as she went through her technical training at Lowry AFB. She started work at Kirtland AFB, NM shortly after her school was completed.

Now for our marriage update. Todd DYKSTRA married his new wife, Julie, in Michigan. He is currently attending aerospace physiology school and will be stationed at Fairchild AFB. Mike YOUNG, who married Joanne after graduation, is now at Barksdale AFB with their daughter Shelby. Mike is a maintenance officer. Rachel (LINNIHAN) STEISS and husband, Joe (Class of ’91), were married this past summer and immediately bought a dog and a house, in that order. Rachel is stationed at Bolling AFB and is currently going through MSC at Sheppard. Brian GIENAPP and wife, Lisa, have moved to Vance AFB where he started UPT in November. Joe COLLINS and Laura (BARKER) COLLINS are both attending school, but in different locations. Joe is in UPT at Vance and Laura is in San Antonio awaiting physical therapy school. Also, congratulations to Stephanie JARL who is now engaged to Jeremy BAENEN (’92).

Stephanie and Jeremy at their engagement.

Also in the wedding category was Phillip TUCKER and his new wife, Amy. They were wed in Minnesota over Thanksgiving. Attending the wedding were Brendan HARRIS, Mike RICE, Stephen MCILNAY, Kevin KOSEFESKI, Lee SPECHLER, Jon DOTTER, Jeff VOETBERG and wife, Kate, Kirk RIECKHOFF, J.J. Lopez (Class of ’94), Trent CARPENTER, and me. Phil’s dad, Gus, bailed us out when we got in trouble for bringing in an extra keg of beer to the wedding reception. Also, if you see Brendan, Phillip, or Jon, ask them if they’ve cleaned their ties yet.

Phillip and Amy Tucker’s Wedding Party.

An update on the above wedding party is that Kirk says Harvard is easier than he expected. Mike RICE and Brendan are doing well in graduate school, and partying at the same time. Kevin is having a great time at AFIT. He says he’s living life to the fullest. Lee and Stephen are doing well at maintenance officer school. Jeff and Kate are doing well in Illinois.

Kari VAD wrote me a letter updating me on several of our compatriots. Kari is out in sunny California at Castle AFB as an education and training officer. She gives us the lowdown on many from CS-39. Before Jade BEAM headed to ENJJPT he worked with Derek LEVINE at the USAFA Prep School. Don HILLIARD helped the Falcons retain the Commanderin-Chief’s Trophy as an assistant coach. Ken KLIEN is a protocol officer

at Peterson AFB. Erin FULLER is doing hospital administration in Lubbock, and also did Medical Service Corps training at Sheppard. George BULLOCK is at Wright-Patterson AFB while Ed CARTER and Craig YANTISS are out in Los Angeles.

Jeff KUBIK informed me of an informal class reunion at the AF/Navy game. In attendance were: Russ STRASSER, Todd WIESER, Jason SCHOTT, Lee WALKER, Marty DESTAZIO, Cindy HUSTEDDE, The Navy game contingent.

(Civilian Faculty: Continued from page 24.)

tion plan that programmed military-to-civilian conversions, by academic rank, year-by-year, from 1993 to 2000. The aggregate of these plans became the faculty personnel transition plan, and it amounted to about 120 military-to-civilian conversions by 2000. At that time the mainline teaching faculty would be composed of 120 Air Force civilian professors, 20 visiting civilian professors, and 410 officers (in round numbers). Of course, the plan may be modified based on the assessments mentioned at the top of this article.

As a matter of completeness, the faculty components in the Department of Athletics (AH) and in the Commandant of Cadets organization (CW) were included in our personnel plan. The Physical Education (PE) instructors within AH and Military Art and Science instructors within CW have always been considered “faculty.” These groups are not large and were not the target of the change, but we coordinated with them at each step of the way to protect their interests and to allow them to take advantage of the program we put together. Within AH, about 20 percent of the PE instructors were already civilians, but there would be advantages to converting some of them to the new personnel plan. Within CW, one could foresee converting a few positions. So, while including these organizations in a formal way, the numbers we reported and conversions we programmed were all from the Dean of the Faculty element.

The civilian faculty program was built around these points. They formed the focus of the next stage of work—selling the program to the Air Force leadership.

Building Consensus for the Program. The Academy team worked closely with the Air Staff to develop this program. In December 1992, General Hosmer sent the Air Force Chief of Staff a letter describing our program and actions underway to implement it. General McPeak’s response said “Thank you for your progress report on the Academy’s plan to increase civilian faculty and reduce permanent military faculty. Your plan indicates the Academy is on track with a sound, phased approach to secretarial guidance and congressional desires. Keep me posted.” We took this as full approval of our plans.

The principal instrument in explaining our civilian faculty program was the document Blend ofExcellence—Composition ofthe USAFA Academy Faculty. This short executive summary described the reasons for change, overviewed the design of the faculty to meet institutional objectives, and previewed the main features of both the new civilian and revised military faculty programs. Blend of Excellence was given wide distribution and proved to be most effective in bringing people to understand what we were up to. It

Scott WALLACE, Tom ROSA, Rob GARZA, Sam VALDEZ, Fred HUMPHREY, Brian LEICH, Tony ROSELLO, Chris GALFANO, Tim WATTS, Mark COZAD, and Kent ENGBRETSON.

Joe SMIT, Maggie CORBUTT and Trina MAYHILL are at Vandenberg AFB learning about Space Operations. Dayton KOBAYASHI is attending med school at the University of Wisconsin and Aaron YU is at Boston University doing the same. And finally, Manny CANINO is the service flight commander at Vance AFB. He also doubles as the OIC of the base honor guard. Go Manny!

Kari also bumped into several of us while she was on vacation this summer. While waiting for a hop at Travis with Mo BARRETT and Kristin GOODWIN, she met up with Gina HILGER, George CLARK, Kim INFANGER and Bill CLIFF. While in Hawaii enjoying all those tropical things, she saw Craig WATRY and Dan JONES. Her last stop was beautiful Australia where she saw Randy KOENIG.

Me, I have switched casual status jobs again! I am, or at least until I start UPT in March, the protocol officer for Sheppard. The big assignment for me was General McPeak’s visit in December. My roommate, Jason MILLS, has been appointed our class’ first AOC job (or at least its equivalent). He will be the 362d Technical Training Section commander for two months before he starts UPT. He is in charge of over 900 airmen and 300 permanent-party NCOs. Look for him at the Academy in about six years. If you want anything printed please give me a call or write. If you have to use water colors or crayons, I’ll accept! Thanks for clearing the cobwebs out of my mailbox Wispy, Mo, Kari, and Jeff! Until next time...Ola, Mike.

remains the best introduction to our work, and copies are available upon request.

Current Status. A total of 14 positions were initially made available for the summer of 1993.These were for a professor of aeronautical engineering; associate professors of chemistry, law, and meteorology; assistant professors of physics, history, foreign languages, behavioral sciences, English, and electrical engineering; an instructor of English; and a registrar. All of these positions were advertised in The Chronicle of Higher Education and in the appropriate journals of the various academic disciplines. We received a tremendous positive response from qualified candidates—some 2,000 applications! The rating panels in the hiring departments were very busy. The selection procedures worked smoothly, and most of the new faculty members were on hand to join their military colleagues for the new instructor orientation course in July.

These new faculty members were hired under the terms of our new Civilian Faculty Pay Plan. Although these individuals are civil servants, they are not GS employees. Rather, they are members of an entirely seperate civilian personnel system, where individuals are classified according to academic rank and paid salaries competitive with other institutions of higher education. Academic promotions and reappointments are based on evaluation of teaching, scholarship, and service to USAFA. We have aimed to establish working conditions, pay, and benefits to encourage long-term quality service to USAFA.

The hiring process is again in full swing as departments are screening applications for the 15 faculty positions open for next summer. By the start of classes in August 1994, every academic department in DF, CW, and AH will have hired their first civilian faculty member. At that time we can truly say the entire institution is on board.

There is, of course, much work yet to do. The first civilians hired as Air Force Academy faculty members are outstanding people and fine educators. They have accepted responsibility to join us in developing and inspiring air and space leaders with vision for tomorrow. We are finding that they bring an exciting and challenging new dynamic to the faculty. Our evaluation at this point is that we have attracted exceptional people who are a net enhancement to the Academy.

Now a responsibilty passes to us, to each department, to each officer, and to each cadet to accept these individuals as part of the Academy team and to create a working environment where they can continue to make their best contributions to our mission.

We especially appreciate the encouragement and support of our graduates in this endeavor.