Checkpoints December 2009

Everything the AOG does supports the Academy, but we can t do it alone. We need your help.

Please consider making an "extra" gift during this season of giving. While our economy is beginning to show some signs of recovery, we still face challenges in raising funds to support the Academy. As a private, not-for-profit Colorado corporation, the AOG is funded by private donations, dues and service fees. One hundred percent of your year-end, tax-deductible gift will be used to support the Academy as an institution, the outstanding young men and women serving as cadets, and our graduate and member community.

The time to give is now! Giving is easy. Please complete the envelope enclosedwith this magazine. You may also make your "extra" gift online at www.usafa.org by selecting "Give Now." Call us at 719.472.0300 for additional information.

We greatly appreciate your commitment to our mission.

The Air Force Academy Fund

CEO UPDATE CHAIRMAN'S JOURNAL USAFA ENDOWMENT SUPERINTENDENT NEWS

UNMANNED AIRCRAFT SYSTEMS 24

USAFA is leading the way in building the next generation of smarter, faster drones.

USAFA INSIGNIFICANCE? 28

Dick McConn, '66, presents startling research on the role of Academy grads in leadership positions.

WINGS OF BLUE 38

Take a closer look at the Academy's elite skydiving team as they continue to win National Championships.

BOTTOMLESS SNOW 48

Follow one USAFA grad into the frozen tundra of the Iditarod Dog Sled Race.

ON THE COVER

Superintendent Lt. Gen. Gould, 76, stands with AOG President William T Thompson, 73, and USAFA Endowment President Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Erv Rokke, '62, a; the paths ofthe AOG and the Endowment unite.

Photo by Rachel Boettcher

of valor.

Steve Simon, 77, takes a trip down memory lane for the spirit mission that left more than mere memories.

Gen. Steve Lorenz, 73, recalls the importance of facing educational challenges head on.

Cadets visit Mongolia for an eye-opening look at Eastern culture.

Keeping grads in touch with the AOG's ongoing mission to support the Academy.

The

take flight in a spectacular

of high-flying action.

BY WILLIAM "T" THOMPSON, '73

Every once in a while, you get it right. You do something for the right reasons, you do it in the right way and the feedback says you did the right thing. So it was with the recent announcement that the AOG and the USAFA Endowment had finally reached an agreement to work together for the benefit ofthe Academy and the graduate community. The feedback has been overwhelmingly positive as we collectively move forward to address the past confusion in the graduate community around fundraising and position our organizations to do great things for the Academy community.

Our agreement codifies the concept of a joint fundraising and friendraising enterprise working in a coordinated and comprehensive fashion. As you may recall from my previous CEO Updates, this is one of the cornerstones of the “basic funding model” used by most elite educational institutions today, including West Point and Annapolis. This is a major step forward and I am greatly encouraged by the potential our two organizations now have to elevate both our friendraising and fundraising efforts.

Another example of “doing the right thing” was our last issue of Checkpoints. From parents of cadets: “Outstanding issue of Checkpoints. I have a new admiration for all that you do in support of the Academy,” to a four star MAJCOM Commander: “T, I have spent about 10 hours in military aircraft this week and got the time to read this quarter’s Checkpoints cover to cover. It was probably the best one I have ever read and is a giant advertisement for the AOG—Well Done!” You, our readers, were unanimous in your appreciation of an inside look at the workings ofyour AOG.

And while the praise is gratifying, it simultaneously points to our need to do a better job communicating with you about your Association. Going forward, you can be assured that we have a renewed commitment to informing and educating you, our members, on what we do, why we do it and how we are doing what we do to support the Academy, our cadets and the graduate community.

In future issues of Checkpoints I will periodically use this column to either address matters or introduce other articles that raise important issues of interest to the graduate community. We all have had the privilege ofgraduating from this great institution, yet in some ways we have failed to realize our full potential as a graduate body. We will both try to identify where we are lacking and, hopefully, suggest ways in which we might improve. A great institution is measured by the contributions of its graduates, and, while we have much to be proud of, compared to our peer group, we still have a ways to go. Rest assured that our only motivation in identifying our challenges is to make us a stronger Association of Graduates which helps us “Build a Better Academy.”

This quarter, I have the privilege of introducing an article by Dick McConn, ’66, a major supporter of the Academy through both the AOG and the Endowment. The provocative title of the article is “USAFA Insignificance?” and begins by asking the question:

“Why are United States Air Force Academygraduates not emerging into leadershippositions in mainstream America?”

I expect the article may prove to be controversial for some, yet Dick has done the research and some ofhis conclusions are clearly supported by the facts. I want to thank Dick for raising this important issue about USAFA graduate leadership in our nation.

Another question that has been asked by some grads concerns the apparent lack of interest and support of USAFA and the AOG by many of our active and retired senior military officers, particularly when compared with West Point and Annapolis. The first step in the process, of course, is to determine whether this is, in fact, true. I can personally attest to thefact that it doesn’t apply to one of our current senior officers, my classmate, Gen. Steve Lorenz, ’73, Commander ofAETC. As a former Commandant of Cadets, Steve is a strong supporter of the Academy and has a keen interest in a vibrant graduate association. A prolific writer on leadership, he has contributed several articles and letters to Checkpoints, and I would greatly encourage you to read his piece in this month’s

issue. It’s a poignant lesson in determination and perseverance and sends a message from which both cadets and graduates can benefit.

As we approach the holiday season and the end of another year, it’s appropriate to reflect on the past and look ahead to the future. It has been a busy, challenging, sometimes frustrating, yet rewarding year for me at the AOG. We have made tremendous progress in all areas of our operation and the AOG is demonstrably stronger today than it was a year ago. The credit for our success goes to a hardworking, professional and dedicated staffsupported by graduates, parents and friends who have regained trust in the AOG and have backed that trust with their financial sustenance. I offer my sincerest thanks to both our staff and members for your confidence and uncompromising support.

Yet there are still challenges andtremendous opportunities ahead. Bringing our disparate fundraising organizations together in an efficient and effective structure will still require considerable effort. Yet by putting our differences aside and focusing on our collective strengths, we have taken a giant step forward and will be able to do great things for our Academy. As we work to meet these challenges, you can be assured that under this administration, the AOG will always strive to do the right things, for the right reasons and in the right way. In this season ofhope and resolution, I am optimistic that we will be able to succeed. In closing, let me wish you and your families a happy and healthy holiday season. 8

Elections and Nomination Procedures

The AOG Board of Directors is seeking to fill several positions for Appointed Directors in accordance with the AOG By Laws. Members interested in filling one of those positions should submit a Nomination Package to the AOG Board Nominating Committee no later than December 31, 2009, in accordance with the directions on the AOG Web site at usafa.org. Click on “About the AOG/Governance and Elections/Nomination Procedures.” Nomination packets for appointment should follow the instructions in paragraph #1, Nominations By Nominating Committee Process.

Chairman’s

BY TERRY STORM, ’61

appy holidays to everyone! May 2010 be joyful and prosperous for you and your families.

The primary focus of the Novemher Board meeting was the agreement with the USAFA Endowment.

Our negotiating team of Roger Carleton, ’67, Bob Munson, ’73, and our CEO, William ‘T’ Thompson, ’73, worked diligently with the Endowment team of Bart Holaday, ’65, Erv Rokke, ’62, and Mark Hille, ’97, to develop a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that will allow two independent organizations to operate as one enterprise.

The September edition of Checkpoints emphasized that everything the AOG does supports the Academy. Friendraising and fundraising go hand-in-hand, and one cannot be successful without the other. The AOG staff continues to increase efficiency and effectiveness despite the challenges brought on by recent economic conditions. We have been greatly encouraged by the significant progress that has been made in reaching an agreement and are happy to announce the final MOU.

The MOU will establish the Endowment as the central fundraising entity for the Academy and the AOG and creates a transparent working environment. Our fundraising staff will transfer to the Endowment, and the Endowment will contract with the AOG for a variety of services. We look forward to working together for the mutual benefit of the Academy and the graduate community.

As the initial step in our collaboration, Dick McConn, ’66, was a gracious and most generous host to some 170 graduates and guests at an AOG/ Endowment reception and dinner at the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. the evening prior to the AF/Navy football game. Dick, ‘T’, Erv and USAFA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Gould, ’76, all spoke eloquently about the importance of an alliance.

‘T’ and I were pleased to be invited by Lt. Gen. Gould to a parade and reception honoring Bart Holaday, ’65, as the recipient of the 2009 USAFA Distinguished Graduate Award. As previously detailed in ZoomieNews Bart’s longtime service to the Academy and the USAFA community is extraordinary. We congratulate Bart on this well-deserved, distinctive honor.

Also, at the November Board Meeting, Brig. Gen. Dana Born, ’82, updated the board on the superb credentials and accomplishments of the Cadet Wing. Today’s cadets will be outstanding additions to the Long Blue Line.

As announced in ZoomiEnews the Board of Directors is seeking applicants for appointment to three vacant positions. Ifyou are interested, please refer to the application procedures described on page 5 of this magazine.

I am honored to be Chairman of the Board. Many thanks to the other directors and the AOG staff for their hard work and dedication to the Academy and the graduate community. GO FALCONS!

Annual gifts to the Air Force Academy Fund at the Sabre Society level provide support to many character programs like Respect & Responsibility. These programs promote value-based leadership principles essential to leading in today's Air Force.

The USAFA Endowment

A NEW APPROACH TO GIVING

Fellow Graduates and Friends of the Academy,

We join Lt. Gen. Gould, Terry Storm and “T” Thompson in saluting the Association of Graduates and the USAFA Endowment for putting the interests of our Academy first and for moving forward with a truly collaborative effort to raise both friends and funds. This action opens a new chapter in the life of the Academy. For our part, the USAFA Endowment is committed to populating this chapter with a positive fundraising narrative.

In fact, private philanthropy has always been a salient feature of the Air Force Academy’s landscape and culture. Many of the programs and places that graduates, parents and friends have enjoyed during their own Academy experiences were funded, in whole or in part, by private donations. A large number ofgraduates have fond memories from Falcon Stadium—a facility that was funded entirely by generous contributions from early Academy faculty, staffand supporters.

Over the years, this tradition ofprivate support for our public institution has continued and grown. In the past decade, graduates, parents and friends have donated more than $60 million to enhance the quality of the educational experience at the Academy. These gifts have supported every aspect of cadet life: character development, athletic competition, academic discovery and military education. This generosity has elevated the reputation of our institution and has promoted the development ofAir Force ofEcers with the highest personal and professional qualities, uniquely positioned to lead our military and our nation.

The last few years, however, have also been marked by some uncertainty over the future ofprivate giving at the Academy— both with regard to its role at a federally funded school, and with regard to the optimal structure required to execute a comprehensive giving program. These questions require careful attention.

The Increasing Importance of Private Support for the Academy

To understand the importance ofprivate giving at a federal institution, it is helpful to look at broader trends. Increasingly, state and federal resources earmarked for public educational institutions are proving less than adequate to meet the escalating financial requirements of the modern university. Classrooms and teaching methodologies have evolved, and the expectations ofyoung prospective students and their families have grown. These advancements are expensive, and like all other great public universities, the Academy now requires significant private support to maintain its status as an elite institution.

Put another way, federal sources will fund the Academy to a level of sufficiency, but to attract and to train the finest leaders for the future, the Academy must be funded to a level of excellence. The bridge between sufficiency and excellence is built by private funding. In our view, the Academy’s mission—developing leaders ofcharacter for the nation—is simply too important to leave to the vagaries of federal funding alone.

Against this background, the Association of Graduates and the USAFA Endowment have worked hard to raise private support for the Academy over the last few years. Though these efforts have produced millions of dollars each year for the Academy, the feedback from our donor community has been resounding: USAFA must coordinate, consolidate and simplify the fundraising operation, making it as easy and efficient as possible. The AOG and the Endowment believe that our new cooperative relationship will allow us to do just that.

The Endowment and the AOG—A New Approach to Giving

For some ofyou, the recent announcement regarding the future of fundraising at the Academy is your first introduction to the Endowment. Indeed, we are a relatively new organization, formed in 2007

as a non-profit foundation with the singular purpose ofproviding private support to the Academy. We created an approach that makes giving to the Academy both rewarding and efficient for every donor. As the articles in this Checkpoints from Gen. Gould, “T” Thompson, and Terry Storm attest, we all agree that the Endowment’s fundraising strengths in combination with the AOG will create a dynamic new approach to giving. Let us be more specific:

Simplicity:

Beginning in 2010, all fundraising will be conducted by the Endowment. Donations, including those for the annual fund and the Sabre Society, should be directed through the Endowment. This makes the act ofgiving to the Academy as simple as possible.

Efficiency:

The Endowment is firmly committed to a highly efficient fundraising operation. Because we are only in the fundraising business, our costs can be directly tied to our fundraising performance. In addition, the founding directors of the Endowment have assembled a multi-million dollar fund to pay for the core operations ofthe Endowment. Because ofthis, a good portion ofthe administrative costs will be assumed by this fund, rather than unrestricted gifts.

Transparency:

Our approach has always been a “no fees” approach. This does not mean that we operate without costs—no organization can do this. Instead, we mean that we don’t assess any fees, either for management offunds or otherwise, on restricted gifts supporting the Academy. In this way, every donor has the confidence of knowing before they make a gift exactly how their gift will be used.

Stability:

The Endowment Board is composed entirely of donors and is charged with a single purpose—raising private support for the Academy. The structure and governance model, similar to those of other university foundations, creates the sense of permanence and

stability that donors require. This is especially important as donors consider gifts from their estates, often the largest gifts of their lifetime, and a significant part of their personal legacy.

Full Partnership:

Finally, all of this is possible only in full partnership with the AOG. With this new collaborative approach, the AOG is focusing its attention on its core mission and key strengths of friendraising, including cadet, graduate and parent support, communications, and guarding our institutional heritage. This powerful combination of friendraising and fundraising will greatly increase our combined ability to reach graduates, parents and friends to better support our Academy.

We believe that these principles, now available to us because of the cooperative agreement between the Endowment and the AOG, will create a dynamic in which our donors can feel completely confident that their gifts will provide maximum support for the programs they care about and that their gifts will be carefully and consistently stewarded in the years to come. Because of this new approach and the ever-increasing requirements of our beloved Academy, it is our personal hope that each of you will consider beginning or continuing your financial support for the Academy in 2009, 2010 and beyond.

To learn more about the Endowment, the AOG and our efforts on behalf of the Academy, please visit our Web site at www.usafaendowment.org

A.Bart Holaday, ’65 Chairman of the Board

Erv Rokke, ’62 President

Mark Hille, ’97 Vice President, Development

Barbara

FELLOW GRADUATES,

I’m thrilled to announce some great news for our Air Force Academy!

The longstandingdisagreements between the AOG and USAFA Endowment are resolved! Over the course ofthe past six months, in true Falcon fashion, both organizations put their best and brightest personnel together to arrive at a signed agreement which both boards ratified on Nov. 21.

Most importantly, as stated in the Memorandum of Understanding, both organizations agree to establish a collaborative, comprehensive friendraising and fundraising process designed to 1) Raise increasing levels of charitable support for the Academy; 2) Better serve the needs of the graduate community; and 3) Put an end to discord and confusion among graduates and other supporters that have been counterproductive for the Academy. Included in the new arrangement are the following key provisions: 1) The AOG will concentrate on cadet, graduate and member programs as part of‘friendraising’, while 2) fundraising will be the chiefresponsibility ofthe USAFA Endowment; 3) Personnel from both organizations will co-locate in office space within Doolittle Hall; and 4) The Endowment will provide the AOG with specified funds for operating expenses.

The photo on the cover ofthis edition of Checkpoints depicts the unified front generated from this crucial agreement. Centered around cadets from all four classes (the focus of our mission) are leaders from both the AOG and USAFA Endowment, members ofthe Academy senior staff, along with active duty and retired graduates and non-graduates. If you can’t tell, there is excitement among the members ofthe team, for we now know that together, we can move forward to provide much-needed support to cadet leadership and character development programs, we can energize the donor community to stimulate USAFA capital building improvements/initiatives and we can inject excitement and rigor into alumni relations, programs and services.

It has not been an easy road—both sides have had to work through some difficult issues and make tough calls throughout the unification process. I want to personally thank Bart Holaday, ’65, Erv Rokke, ’62, and Mark Hille, ’97, from the USAFA Endowment, as well as “T” Thompson, ’73, Terry Storm, ’61, Roger Carleton, ’67, and Bob Munson, ’73, for their commitment to making this work. I commend each of these men, along with the members ofthe boards ofdirectors from both organizations, for putting differences aside for the good ofyour USAF Academy. A unified graduate donor community is necessary for a successful future. USAFA is committed to “taking excellence to the next level” and our graduate organizations are doing the same. Go Falcons! S

AOG-USAFA Endowment Memorandum ofUnderstanding (MOU)

FrequentlyAsked Questions

On 23 November 2009, the Boards of Directors of the Association of Graduates and the USAFA Endowment announced agreement on a MOU to establish a collaborative effort of mutual benefit to both organizations and the Academy. This MOU culminates months of intensive negotiations by representatives from both organizations. The negotiating teams have received inquiries and questions about the MOU and have prepared the following answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).

Frequently Asked Questions regarding the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Association of Graduates and the USAFA Endowment

What is the purpose ofthis MOU?

The MOU establishes a two-year collaborative, comprehensive effort that will improve fundraising for Air Force Academy and AOG programs, better serve the needs ofthe graduates, and put an end to discord and confusion among graduates and other supporters that has been counter productive for the Academy and both organizations.

Why do we need this MOU now?

Consistent feedback from donors and members tells us that there are too many fundraising organizations competing for a fixed pool of gifts to support the Academy. The result has been confusion that has negatively impacted fundraising for the Academy by both organizations. This MOU establishes a consolidated approach that will greatly improve fundraising results immediately and in the future.

How will this MOU work?

The concept for this MOU is simple: the AOG is responsible for friendraising and the Endowment is responsible for fundraising. This MOU, modeled after successful university development efforts, assigns responsibilities based on each organizations strengths, while keeping each organizations efforts closely linked and guided by the shared objectives ofsupporting the Academy, its graduates and parents.

Does this MOU allow one organization to control the other?

No. Both organizations will remain separate and independent. Both continue to have independent boards that are responsible to their respective missions and constituencies.

Does this MOU conflictwith the bylaws ofeither organization?

The negotiating teams were very cognizant oftheir responsibility to the bylaws and prepared the MOU within the confines ofthe existing bylaws ofboth organizations. The MOU does not conflict with either the letter or the intent ofthe bylaws ofeither organization.

Are there incentives within the MOU for both organizations to work closely together?

Yes. As outlined in the MOU; both organizations share in the results offundraising success.

Going forward, what are the fundraising priorities?

Currently the top priorities are unrestricted funding, the Indoor Prac

tice Facility and the Center for Characterand Leadership Development. In the future, Academyleadership will continue to advise both organizations, under the provisions ofthe MOU, regarding adjustments to the Academy’s strategic needs. Ultimately donors will decide how to direct their gifts, though they will be strongly encouraged to support established fundraising priorities.

What happens with the Air Force Academy Fund and the Sabre Society?

The Air Force Academy Fund and the Sabre Society programs will be conducted by the Endowment and will remain unchanged for the period of the MOU. Unrestricted donations raised through both programs provide the AOG, the Endowment, andthe Academy the most flexible support for strategic needs.

What happens to all the gift funds currently held by the AOG and the Endowment prior to the MOU?

The MOU agreement between the AOG and the Endowment does not call for any gift funds ofeidier organization to be transferred.

Why did the AOG Board not takethe MOU to a membership vote?

First and foremost, the provisions of the MOU do not conflict with the bylaws anddo not change the purpose of the AOG. Second, achieving an AOG/Endowment solution was the single most important issue in the recent Board elections where members voted to change the makeup of this Board. Third, the Class Advisory Senate, which advises the Board, has been collecting member input on this topic for three years. The Senate, in its Moving Forward 2009-2011 document, formally recommended that the AOG Board seek a cooperative agreement with the Endowment. Moreover, when presented with the resulting MOU, the Senate voted overwhelmingly (29-1) in favor of adopting the agreement. As a result, we strongly believe that a large volume of input from members has guided this decision, even without a costly and time-intensive membership vote.

Was the motivation for the MOU due to financial pressures on either organization?

No. This MOU was ratified because it is in the best interest of the Academy, the graduate community and both organizations. While the AOG and The Endowment are both financially healthy, neither organization has been able to provide the level of financial support to the Academy that West Point and the Naval Academy receive from their alumni.

Is the Endowment support the only source ofAOG revenue?

No. The AOG has multiple streams ofincome including: membership dues, merchandising and event revenues, sponsorships and investment income. The subsidyprovided by the Endowment will enable the AOG to pursue additional graduate service programs in support ofits ‘friendraising’ efforts. Ofnote, the successful “friendraising/fiindraising” model is subsidized by the fundraising arm at most universities, including at our major sister service academies.

Does the MOU weaken the financial position ofthe AOG?

No. There will be substantially more net cash income flowing to the AOG under the agreement than without the agreement.

Will this MOU take away from graduate and heritage programs?

One goal ofthe MOU is to “better serve the needs of the graduate community,” and there are provisions which enhance the AOG’s ability to do so. Heritage programs should also benefit as classes and individual donors will now direct their heritage gifts through a single channel.

How does the MOU affect the Endowment’s founding principle of ‘no fees or deductions’ on donor gifts?

It does not. The Endowment will not charge fees or take deductions on restricted gifts to support the Academy. Additionally, all investment gains will accrue to the benefit of the charitable intent of the gift. Donors have the choice to support the ongoing missions of the Endowment and the AOG by making an unrestricted gift or by designating their support for operations of one or both organizations.

Does the Endowment have the resources to meet their financial obligations to the AOG under the MOU?

Yes. The Endowment is in a strong financial position with millions ofdollars in operating assets. Moreover, the Board ofDirectors ofthe Endowment has set aside $600,000 in a special “guarantee fund” to assure payment to the AOG under the terms ofthe MOU. Additionally, the Endowment will focus a substantial portion ofits attention on sustaining and growing a robust, comprehensive unrestricted annual fund and byasking every donor to consider making an unrestricted gift. We believe that this concerted effort to build on the existing unrestricted giving, combined with the improved fundraising climate provided by this MOU, will yield more than enough unrestricted resources to meet the fundingobligation to the AOG.

Who’s in charge ofensuring the MOU is followed and is responsible for resolving any issues that may arise?

The MOU provides for a Joint Coordinating Committee (the “JCC”) which is responsible for both oversight and planning. Most issues will be resolved at the stafflevel, and the JCC will not need to be involved. If, however, the Presidents ofboth organizations cannot resolve an issue, it will be referred to the JCC for resolution. Ifthe JCC is not able to resolve the issue, it will be elevated to both Boards for resolution.

Was a legal review conducted prior to the Boards of Directors vote?

A legal review was conducted by the AOG’s legal counsel on

specific questions raised by the AOG Board. Two members of the AOG Board and the AOG CEO are also attorneys and provided the Board with their opinions regarding the MOU. Additional expounding language will be incorporated in the follow-on contract, as provided for in the MOU.

Why is the MOU effective for only two years?

The AOG and Endowment recognize that this is a significant initial step. Both organizations want this enterprise to succeed in the long term but recognize the likelihood of ‘lessons learned’; thus the need for a follow-on agreement. This MOU includes a process for constructing the follow-on agreement.

What ifthe MOU doesn’t work, or ifconditions change?

The MOU provides that either party can terminate the agreement after one year with 60 days notice.

Association of GraduaSsfe’'

EXECUTIVE OFFICE

President/CEO: William 'T' Thompson '73

Senior Vice President for Operations: Gary Howe, '69

COMMUNICATIONS

Managing Director of Communications/Senior Editor: Bob McAllister

Editor & Photographer: Lewis Carlyle Staff Writer/Editor: Ann Tillery

Senior Designer: Sarah Larrabee Class News Editor: Tom Kroboth

Advertising: Paige Buoye Web Site: Matt Kleve and Rachel Dixon

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Terry Storm, '61, Board Chair

BrianBinn '72, Vice Chair

Bob Munsen, '73, Secretary

Jack Fry '67, Treasurer

Rip Blaisdell, '62

Jim Wheeler, '64

Vic Andrews, '66

Roger Carleton, '67

George Van Wagenen, '67

Wild Bill Stealey, '70 Pat Rosenow, '76

Mark Rosenow, '03

ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES

3116 Academy Drive

USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475 (719) 472-0300

DSN: 333-2067 Fax: (719) 333-4194

E-mail: aog@aogusafa.org Web Site: usafa.org

Path ofHonor: The Heritage Trail

By Ann Tillery

he Heritage Trailwinds along the west side ofthe Doolittle Hall, a tree-lined pathway literally anchored by the achievements ofAcademygraduates. Several classes ofgraduates have proudly undertaken the creation and ongoing development ofthe trail to celebrate the legacy ofthe Long Blue Line and to guide each new generation that walks the USAFA path.

The trail originated several years ago from the vision of Gen. (Ret.) Ron Yates, ’60. He envisioned the Heritage Trail as celebratory park showcasing the lives and accomplishments of members of the Long Blue Line. “The original thought was that we ought to spend time at the Academy honoring people and their accomplishments, instead of things like airplanes on sticks,” says Yates. “The Academy doesn’t produce airplanes—we produce men and women of character who do great things for our country.”

The trail complements the heritage memorialized in the Cadet Area, including the War Memorial and the Mall ofHeroes. Doolittle Hall is the ideal location for celebrating and sharing USAFA heritage with the public, as the AOG headquarters is open to alland hosts thousands ofvisitors every year.

With foresight and determination, several graduate classes initiated the first phase of the Heritage Trail, building on each other’s efforts. The Class of ’60 funded landscaping in front of Doolittle Hall that provided the perfect area for welcoming visitors. The Classes of’69 and ’73 built the concrete pathway that extends from Doolittle Hall to the War Memorial, a gift from the Class of 1970. Along the path, the Academy’s first 16 Distinguished Graduates are honored with plaques, mounted on granite pedestals, highlighting their accomplishments. In the middle of the path is the Challenge Bridge, a gift

from the Class of 1959. Their challenge to all entering cadets on Inprocessing Day is:

“The path to which you aspire has been consecrated by the blood ofheroes and paved with the selfless service of countless men and women like you. Ifyou would be worthy of this heritage: make integrity the bedrock ofyour life; let your actions be guided by an unshakable sense ofduty, self-discipline and personal responsibility; become a lifelong student ofhistory, war, humanity and leadership; be prepared to sacrifice everything to defend the principles upon which our nation was founded; cross this bridge with the determination to live a life that will make all who went before proud ofyou.”

Adding to the serenity of the area is a cascade of streams and ponds, surrounded by greenery and flowers.

With the first phase of the trail completed, the planners went back to the drawing board to finish developing the project. Board member Maj. Gen. (Ret.) A1 Rogers, ’64, collaborated with the

AOG to have a design firm develop a concept plan. The concept sat for several years until more graduates came on board to help fulfill the vision. The AOG surveyed classes in 2005 to identify the top priorities of the graduate community. The feedback overwhelmingly indicated that graduates wanted an increased focus on graduate and Academy heritage. As the Class Giving Officer at the AOG, A1 Burrell supports the classes as they develop their heritage projects. He explains the graduates’ collective push to build a legacy: “We are a young Academy. We just graduated our 51 st class, so heritage is only beginning to establish itself. USAFA grads have done great things in the military and elsewhere, strengthening our nation by living the values of integrity, honor, and service before self. The desire to advance Academy heritage has been driven by the graduates from the very beginning, and the whole graduate base came together to voice this with the survey.” The survey results resoundingly confirmed the faith of the graduate classes who had tirelessly contributed to the first phase of the Heritage Trail.

With the renewed support of the graduate community, construction on the Heritage Trail entered its second phase. The AOG kicked it off by expanding its property lease to open a space for new projects. The Class of’60 extended the paved pathway out into thewoods north of Doolittle Hall, and after this, the Heritage Trail was officially ready for its next addition.

The Class of’89 was first to respond to the call for contributions. Even though the new section of the Heritage Trail has been paved for less than a year, the ’89 graduates have installed a memorial that celebrates the leadership characteristic of “valor.”

To symbolize valor, the class chose classmate Lt. Col. Kevin Shea, USMC, who was commissioned in the Marine Corps. Lt. Col. Shea was a beloved instructor at the Naval Academy and was killed in combat in Iraq. A bust of Colonel Shea, who is the only Class of’89 combat casualty to date, and a granite pedestal inscribed with the names ofdeceased members of the Class of’89 were dedicated in late September of this year, during the class’s 20th reunion.

Down the trail from the Valor Memorial, on a promontory with a magnificent view of the Cadet Area and Eisenhower golf course, ground has been broken on another new project—the Southeast Asia Pavilion. “The Southeast Asia Conflict was the first conflict that involved Academy graduates,” says Col (Ret.) Dick Rauschkolb, ’70. “That’s why we chose to do this project as a way to honor everyone—not only those who served over there, but also those who offered support to the conflict.” In recognition of USAFA graduates’ heroism and sacrifice, the Class of 70 is constructing this pavilion, a roughly $1 million project. Slated for completion in early 2010, it will have a sleek, minimalist design encompassing a little over 1,200 square feet of marble, granite and glass. Col. (Ret.) Gary Dahlen, ’70, explains, “We, as a class, wanted this generation of cadets and Americans to have an idea ofwhat the whole Southeast Asian Conflict was about.” The pavilion will house displays that will enable visi-

tors to find the names of individuals who were killed in combat. Displays are also intended to depict the history of the Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand conflict; the history of the Air Force in the conflict; and USAFA graduates who participated.

The Class of’70 carefully worked with architects and designers to craft a building infused with symbolism and meaning. The pavilion will have a long, polished black granite wall along its back, reminiscent ofthe Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. A blue glass wall encases the other side of the building, with the pavilion itselfjutting through it, symbolizing how the conflict cut through the Long Blue Line. The building will be angled so it looks directly out onto the Cadet Area. “We wanted this pavilion to be the keystone for the Heritage Trail,” says Dahlen. “By putting a substantial and dramatic building on the trail, we thought it would inspire other classes to add other elements along the Heritage Trail.”

There are 12 more sites available on the trail, providing naming opportunities that range from $100,000 to $1 million. Graduate classes may choose one ofseveral core values and characteristics of the Cadet Wing and Officer Corps to celebrate with their project. Memorials may be designed around values such as integrity, service, honor, leadership, loyalty, patriotism, sacrifice and dignity. These projects provide ideal opportunities for classes to take the lead and show the world what the Long Blue Line stands for. When classes proclaim their heritage, they communicate what they feel is crucial to the Academy educational experience and legacy. The time to start planning Heritage Trail projects is now, so graduate classes can choose the best spot for their memorials. Ensconced in Doolittle Hall’s natural wildlife setting, the available building sites feature dramatic views ofthe Cadet Area and Chapel, set against the breathtaking backdrop ofthe Rocky Mountains. Only four sites can house pavilions on the trail, with the others reserved for smaller-scale installations.

A completed Heritage Trail, replete with diverse and moving memorials to graduates’ military and civilian accomplishments, is within grasp. Those who proclaim graduate heritage through class memorial projects proudly express the fundamental value of “Service Before Self” and complement the efforts ofall those who financially support many other critical, but unfunded, USAFA needs. Once the graduate classes have added their personal tributes to the sacrifices and greatness ofthe Academy community, the trail will become, in the words of Gen. (Ret.) Yates, “sacred ground” at USAFA. To find out more about this class gifting opportunity, please contact A1 Burrell at al.burrell@aogusafa.org. S3

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It has been 30 years. Hopefully, the statute oflimitations has expired on any crimes we may have committed. Maybe it hasn’t, however. Most ofmy unindicted co-conspirators, perhaps intending to remain so, managed to ignore my recent letters asking for inputs. Those few hapless compatriots I was able to contact conveniendy couldn’t remember anything about the incident. Guess that leaves me to tell the story, as best I can remember it...

Quite a few Air Force Academy graduates spend their first years as officers at Francis E. Warren Air Force Base in Cheyenne. That group includes about a dozen of us who graduated in the Class of 1977. As Colorado State University in Fort Collins was one of the Academy’s closest athletic rivals, we had developed a healthy respect for them. As Cheyenne didn’t have as much as a shopping mall in the late 1970s, we lieutenants spent a lot of time in Fort Collins. In 1979, the big white letter “A” on the hill behind the football stadium attracted our mischievous attention. A group of six or eight of us mused that it would be cool to add an “F” to the hill, changing the “A” for “Agriculture” to “AF” for “Air Force.” In fact, the perfect occasion for executing such a clever scheme

just happened to be coming up: the October 27th Air Force at CSU football game.

Frankly, once we conducted some rudimentary research, the project promised to be tougher than we had anticipated. For one thing, the letter is much larger up close than you would think when you look at it from town. Second, the terrain up there is steep, rocky, and overgrown. Third, we would probably get caught. For fledgling military officers, getting arrested is not generally considered a good career move. Undaunted (and no doubt fortified with beer courage), we were determined to proceed. We figured 35 gallons ofwhite house paint would just about do it (or that’s all we could afford to buy with the money we’d scraped together— I forget which). A fellow officer had one of those huge tank-like American-made family sedans with a trunk spacious enough to play racquetball in. It easily held the paint, so, despite the owner’s mild protestations, the sedan became our transport vehicle. Bonus: the car was green, which on the road between Horsetooth Reservoir and the “A” would ensure our invisibility. We secured the

use of a few paint sprayers and bought string and wooden stakes, and we were ready to go.

On the Friday evening before the big game, we drove to Fort Collins and inconspicuously wound our way up to the Reservoir. At the twilight’s last gleaming, shrewdly dressed in dark clothing, we went to work. It took a couple ofhours to walk the area and figure out where to place the “F” and then to stake the stakes and string the string.

Some retreated to Cheyenne for a short night, others of us stayed in Fort Collins, but we all reassembled on the hill early the next morning so that, by the dawn’s early light, we could go to work with the sprayers. The plan was that our mission would be complete and we would be long gone by the time it was light enough for workers at the stadium and elsewhere in the city to see our handiwork. As I recall, it didn’t work out that way. The staked-off area seemed to grow larger as we labored, the paint cans to get heavier, and the time to speed up. The sprayers, supernaturally detecting our urgency and nervousness, repeatedly and persistently clogged up, further delaying the

: Air Force Grads place an ‘F next to the Colorado State University's agriculture logo, ti forming the hill into a giant Air >on. ’75. Trinter, 75, Cip Pet spirit mission back ro i $ cirri wvman f

): Craig Puz, ’78, Russ w: Rick Barfield 111

process. I was sure our prank would be spotted and we would be apprehended. Fortunately, we finished our task without being detected. Ecstatic, we retreated to celebrate our audacious accomplishment. The “F” wasn’t as large or as dark as the “A,” but it certainly made the intended statement. The site for the post-prank, pre-game celebration was Washingtons Bar and Grill. As beer was involved in the inception ofthe plan, it was only fitting that it be a part ofthe conclusion.

Air Force football was in a down period then, struggling through its sixth straight losing season. First-year head coach Ken Hatfield, having just succeeded the totally-out-of-his-element Bill Parcells, had yet to hire Fisher DeBerry or latch onto the wishbone offense that would propel the Falcons to football success for the next couple of decades. Air Force lost 20-6 to CSU that day, part of a 2-9 season.

The loss didn’t in any way diminish our exhilaration at the success of our spirit mission. The “AF” hovered over the stadium that day— and for several days thereafter, visible from as far away as 1-25, until the “F” gradually faded into the hillside. We had done it and survived. Best of all, we weren’t even the prime suspects. As we walked toward the stadium just before kick-off, we followed a group of CSU students. One noticed and pointed to our creation. Another shook his head and muttered, “Damn ROTC students.”

NOTE: The author works in the Air Force Academy’s Development and Alumni Programs office. His son is currently a student at CSU. The article grew from their hike to the top of the “A,” organized by Mr. Rodney Ley and CSU’s Outdoor Adventure Program, part of the 2007 Family Weekend festivities. S!

Tony Marietta, 70

Since 1975, selling Colorado

Northwestern Preparatory School

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“Northwestern Prepprovided me with an academicfoundation that raised my SAT scores by 200points, as well as an ability tofocus on the essentialpreparation to succeed at the Academy. As a result ofthe self-confidence I gained there, I became Outstanding Student in CST, Outstanding 2nd Class Cadet in 3rd Group, Team Captain of Women ’s Fencing, and Outstanding Squadron Commander ofthe #1 ranked squadron ofthe wing/ 2002 USAFA Graduate Suzanne Durbeck,

BY GEN. STEVE LORENZ,'73

n order to succeed at the United States Air Force Academy, cadets must excel at academic, athletic and military challenges. One of the toughest lessons all cadets learn during the four years is how to balance their natural strengths—the things they enjoy being good at—with everything else. In essence, this balancing act paves the way for success in service to the nation after graduation. Resting only on our strengths makes us one-dimensional leaders. Our country needs leaders who are able to engage in many dimensions. For me, I learned very quickly that I was going to have to work hardest in the “academic dimension.” It ended up being one of my greatest struggles.

The journey actually began in the summer of 1960 when I was only nine years old. My father was a captain in the Air Force and stationed at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado. One Saturday, he drove my entire family down to Colorado Springs and we visited the Air Force Academy for the very first time. I remember it like it was yesterday because that was the day I fell in love with the Academy. Construction on the Cadet Chapel had yet to begin and Sijan Hall was still years in the future. I remember standing there, under the bright blue mountain sky, and pledging to myself that one day this was the place I would go to school. As a fourth grader, I did not know how I was going to get there, but I knew right then and there that I was going to devote all my energy to becoming a cadet at the most beautiful school I had ever seen.

During the next nine years, through eight moves and eight different schools (including four high schools), I followed my father across the country and around the world. During that entire time, I kept my goal in sight to become a cadet at the Air Force Academy. I joined every high school club. I tried out for every sport I could participate in. I took every course the Academy required. I even ran for every high school office that was available. This was particularly tough because we were moving almost every year. I took the ACTs and then took the SATs—five times! If there was anything that I thought would improve my chances to get into the Academy—I did it!

When it finally came time to get an appointment to the Academy, I immediately applied to Illinois, my home state. My congressman wrote back that even with all my hard work, I was fourth in line for an appointment and that I should try again next year. I was disappointed and somewhat discouraged but vowed not to give up. I talked to the Academy group, which was then in Washington D.C., and they told me that some congressional districts did not have qualified candidates. They recommended

that I should also apply to those districts. My dad was stationed in Washington at the time so I literally started walking the halls of Congress until I came upon the office of Congressman Tim Lee Carter of Kentucky’s 5th Congressional District. He had no qualified candidate that year and, after I had a face to face meeting with the congressman, he nominated me to the Academy to be a member of the Class of 1973. I was on top of the world! On June 23, 1969, on a bright shiny day, I reported to the base of the ramp with 1,403 of my new classmates.

Basic Cadet Training was a blur. We ran everywhere, from dawn until dusk. Upperclassmen yelled at us all day long. It seemed we were in constant motion 24 hours a day. However, I was happy. I had achieved my life’s goal and was a cadet at the United States Air Force Academy. It had been a challenge to get into the Academy, but I was now a cadet and I thought the hardest part was over. Boy, was I wrong! Little did I know the hard part was just beginning.

It started when we took the battery ofaptitude tests that seemed to go on forever. I did well in the social sciences, ended up validating the entire fourth class year ofhistory and my political science scores were well up there. However, in the math and science areas of the core curriculum, I was at the bottom of the heap. My math scores entitled me to be placed in all the “People’s” courses. Anything that had a “101” attached to it and was a “bucket” section is where they sent me. I slugged my way through one math and science course after another. I had more extra instruction sessions in physics than actual classroom sessions and still ended up with a “D.” I think they did not give me an “F” because they felt sorry for me.

I survived my fourth class year but the “bucket” sections were getting smaller as many of our classmates resigned or were “academically” asked to leave. Third class academic year began and for the first time, I really understood what challenging academics were. The eleven semester hours of the “People’s” Math 201 were pure drudgery. I just barely survived that onslaught, when Computer Science 200 snuck up on me and I met my first academic board with my first big fat “F.” It was quite a humbling experience to stand at attention in front of 13 captains, majors and colonels justifying why I should stay at the Academy. Since I had validated fourth class history and it appeared that my military order of merit was adequate, they voted to keep me for one more semester to see how I would do. I passed Computer Science 200 on my second try and slid into second class summer. It had gotten to the point that I was living semester to semester and looked forward to summer training because I knew I could make it through the military training without too much trouble.

Second class academics began, and I was finally getting into some history and political science courses that were actually enjoyable. In fact, political science classes were so enjoyable that I declared International Affairs as my major. However, two gigantic math and science hurdles remained. A solid year ofelectrical engineering (EE) and aeronautical engineering stood like the Rocky Mountains between me and graduation. Two other things that were about to affect my future time as a cadet were also out there but, being 19 years old, I did not see them coming. The first was that I was now truly at the bottom of my class in

the math and science areas. All the other cadets who had for two years cushioned my grades at the bottom of the bell curve were gone. The second was that I finally had met a young lady. Yes, now when I needed to be truly focused on studying to make it to the end, I started dating. During the middle ofthe week when I should have been studying, I now was talking on the telephone. Every weekend, I was faced with the choice of studying for courses I truly disliked or going downtown to date this young lady. Being 19, the choice was, of course, obvious! As the fall semester started slipping by and I prepared for finals and Christmas leave, I had a very uneasy feeling.

On December 23, 1971,1 arrived at McConnell Air Force Base, Kansas on Christmas leave to visit my parents. I told my dad that I was “concerned” about my grades. This turned out to be an understatement. Early on Christmas Eve, he called my academic advisor and asked him to find out what my grades were. My advisor checked and called my dad back immediately. He said I haddone well in history and political science and had earned a 2.0 GPA for the semester, but that I had flunked both EE andaeronautical engineering! He also said that the academic board would be meeting to decide my fate the day after Christmas. He told my dad that things did not look good.

Needless to say this was not a very happy Christmas for me and my parents. I spent all day praying that I would be allowed to stay at the Academy to redeem myselfand to earn those golden lieutenant bars. The hours passed by so very slowly. On the afternoon ofthe 26th, my advisor called my dad and said that because ofmy Military Order of Merit, the academic board had voted to let me stay. However, I would be restricted to the cadet area for six months and would have to take R-Flight (summer school) my first class summer in order to graduate with my class. The Academy board had given me another chance. I was so thankful, but I was about to learn some very valuable lessons during the next six months.

When I got back to the “Zoo,” I found out that 17 of my classmates had flunked out that semester and that I was still at the Academy by the grace of God and the Dean. I also found out that I was assigned six (the maximum number) Weekend Academic Call to Quarters (WACQs). Each “WACQ” was two-and-a-half hours long which meant in addition to all the military duties that occurred each weekend, I also had to be at my desk studying a minimum of 18 hours from Friday night until Sunday evening call to quarters. This was easier said than done, especially during the dark ages. I remember sitting at my desk studying EE (for the second time) and watching my classmates leave the squadron area to go on dates downtown. After about a month of this, my initial euphoria ofgetting to stay at the Academy passed and I started to get depressed. I began to ask myself “Was all this pain worth it?” I hated EE and aeronautical engineering. I was never going to use these “worthless” classes. I told myself that the core curriculum was a waste of time. I was on the verge of resigning, but a group of people and a piece ofprecious metal changed my mind.

That group ofpeople included my family, Air Officer Commanding (AOC), professors and classmates who helped and encouraged me during this challenging time. They assisted me in studying for my classes and motivated me when I was down. They all made a real difference in focusing and improving my spirits. However, I will never forget the day my squadron ordered our

class rings. I remember trying on that piece of precious metal for the first time. It was so big, heavy, and beautiful. They gave me an order form with a picture of the ‘73 class crest. I thought it was so magnificent. I took the order form and taped it to the wall in front of my desk. From then on, when I started to feel sorry for myself, I wouldlook at the picture of that beautiful ring and remind myselfwhy I came to the Academy in the first place. I started to count down the days until the ring dance: 100 days, 98, 50, 25 and finally the great day arrived. That night when I put the ring on for the first time, I knew all the hard work had been worth it and that the Academy had shaped my life forever.

The semester that I had been “locked” in my room for six months, I achieved my highest grades. That summer “R-Flight” went well, even though I did not get any leave. My Firstie (senior) year was still challenging, but there was nothing that could get in the way of those gold bars. On June 6, 1973, five hundred and sixty-four of my classmates preceded me in getting their diplomas handed to them by Senator Barry Goldwater ofArizona, with a total of 844 of us getting to walk across the stage. After four long, hard years, I had finally made it and earned an Academy degree and the coveted golden lieutenant bars.

I have had a lot oftime over the 36 years since graduation to reflect on how the entire Academy experience affected me and shaped my life. Like everyone else, I have faced personal and professional challenges. But even on the darkest ofdays, I looked backand remembered the WACQs, EE and aeronautical engineering. IfI could make it through the Academy’s academic challenges, then I could make it through anything. Like most graduates, I internalized the Honor Code as a daily “code ofconduct.” However, I left the Academy with other major life lessons as well.The first was that you must “never ever, ever, give up.” Ifyou are willi ng to work hard and stay focused, tenacity and perseverance will help you prevail. The second was that the pursuit oflearning through education, even through the dreaded core curriculum, is a major building block for success in life. You see, taking courses is not about the grades, it is about what you learn and how you use that learning in your everyday life. We all must never stop learning and growing. To this day, I am always reading and studying. Finally, achieving any great endeavor is all about teamwork. Ifit was not for my parents, family, professors, advisors, and classmates who helped me graduate from the Academy, I would not have been able to serve our nation in theworld’s greatest Air Force.

As I said at the beginning of this story, one of the toughest lessons to learn at the Academy is to balance one’s natural strengths across the academic, athletic and military dimensions. I used to think my challenges were unique, but as the years have passed, I have observed that many, if not most cadets, had similar challenges in one or more of these three dimensions and our graduates and the nation are all the better for it.

Gen. Lorenz is the current commander ofAir Education and Training Command at Randolph Air Force Base in San Antonio. He also served as the Commandant ofCadetsfom 1996-1999 at the U.S. Air ForceAcademy.

“I received my masters and PhD from TUI while being deployed to Bosnia, Kosovo, Africa, and Iraq. am so grateful to TUI!”

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Dr. Daniel Pack and Lt. Col. Dean Bushey are passionate about the fledgling Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) program at USAFA. Pack, the center director for research, and Bushey, the program director in charge of training and education, have a balanced collaboration that unites the program. They provide a solid foundation for cadets in a field that is widely misunderstood, even as it experiences rapid growth due to an immediate demand for trained pilots.

In the coming year, the Air Force will, for the first time, order more unmanned aircraft than traditional manned aircraft. According to a recent article in Stars and Stripes “Predators and Reapers are the most requested air asset by ground commanders in Iraq and Afghanistan.” When asked why UAS are in such demand, Bushey explains, “UAS do the dull, the dangerous and the dirty missions.” The “dull” missions include intelligence gathering, which involves UAS loitering in the air and performing surveillance missions for up to 40 hours at a time. Performing the “dangerous” and the “dirty” missions involves being able to navigate unsecured areas and to fly through chemical, biological, radioactive, and nuclear environments with no risk to pilots’ lives, by virtue of being unmanned.

UAS capabilities are expanding every day. “There is really no limit to the missions a UAS can perform,” says Bushey. “Beyond intelligence missions, they can do unmanned airlift, unmanned tanker, unmanned fighter, and unmanned bomber tasks.” He paraphrases Gen. James Cartwright, the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, from his briefing to USAFA cadets, “UAS are ten times more capable at a tenth of the cost while removing the risk to a pilot’s life, which speaks for itself.”

USAFA is the only service academy that has its own unmanned aircraft systems program. The Academy’s approach to training cadets in UAS is threefold. The first component involves learning to actually operate the UAS from the ground. This can be an intensive process, as operating an unmanned aircraft is vastly different from flying a traditional aircraft. For starters, a UAS operator guides up to four unmanned aircraft simultaneously by coordinating the use of seven active monitors, a satellite phone, a cell phone, radios, cameras and other equipment, as well as collaborating with other crew members. “It’s a different mindset to teach unmanned aircraft because your attention is not on the three-dimensional world outside,” says Bushey. “You’re looking at

Above: USAFA’s aerial drone makes a lowlevel pass during an early morning test flight

multiple two-dimensional worlds. Teaching someone who has flown manned aircraft to do this is very difficult; that pilot is relying on motion, sound and other environmental indicators. But if I take a cadet who has grown up in a world where they multitask and are used to monitors, flatscreens and flight simulators, they are already able to assimilate a lot of information at once. It’s a new skill set.”

The second component of the USAFA approach is specialized education. The cadets learn about the multifaceted aspects of unmanned aircraft systems in class: the emerging technologies involved, the various types of aircraft used, and the different ways of thinking required to operate UAS. “UAS operators have more information at their disposal compared to manned aircraft,” says Dr. Pack. “The decision-making process in training has to be different. They have to make higher level decisions, so critical thinking skills are crucial.”

The educational aspect of UAS training is supported by research, the third component ofthe program. The USAF and the Academy rely heavily on research because UAS technologies change very rapidly and the only guarantee of success is to stay at

the front of the pack. The research side of the program exposes cadets to the innovations and challenges that are constantly coming over the horizon and introduces them to the required future capabilities of the field. “By exposing them to the research side ofthings, the cadets become aware of the issues they are going to face and the questions that they need to ask,” explains Bushey.

The opportunities for cadet training in the UAS program are growing rapidly. The initial phase of the program involved a small group of 21 cadets training on two Viking 300 unmanned aircraft at Fort Carson last summer, under the supervision of four specially-trained cadets serving as the cadre. The next phase of training involves 90 cadets working with a different model of UAS next spring and summer. The program will grow to consistently accommodate 300 to 400 cadets, based on the idea that all cadets, regardless oftheir choice ofstudy or career, will have to deal with UAS in the future and should have a chance to experience it firsthand.

This past August, the program’s first class received their UAS wings. They have become the ambassadors for a first-of-itskind program that is not widely under

stood. Bushey relates one UAS program graduate’s experience at the Academy: “Fie found a downed airplane, supported an insurgent attack and saved a downed airman. That was his mission. That’s what gets our cadets excited. They are actually doing missions instead offlight exercises.”

Dr. Pack describes UAS as being the culmination of multiple technological specialties. “We’re talking about separate disciplines—such as aircraft control, communications, sensing—coming together as artificial intelligence, working together to exponentially expand capabilities,” he says. “Right now, we are making multiple unmanned aircraft work cooperatively together, autonomously.”

Pilots can fly multiple unmanned aircraft simultaneously in different areas of the world. The pilot selects an aircraft to actively control while the others fly autonomously. These drones then relinquish control to the pilot when his or her attention is needed. In addition to increased autonomy, UAS are being designed for increasingly specialized purposes. The Army currently uses threepound UAS called Ravens for reconnaissance. Other UAS are being developed that will be small enough to fly indoors

Left: Research teams prepare their aircraft for launch

Right: Dr. Pack helps cadets set up their arcraft’s on-board video recording unit.

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and conduct surveillance. The program collaborates with other USAFA programs, like Mechanical Engineering, Electrical and Computer Engineering, and Systems Engineering, to advance UAS research ttcfaevelopment.

Given the sheer variety of functions UAS can perform, it may seem as if their role will overshadow traditional manned aircraft. “I don’t think anyone is going to say that unmanned aircraft are going to take over for man,” explains Lt. Col. Bushey. “But it will be an integral part as we move forward over the next 20 years.” For example, current projections for large-scale conflicts incorporate both manned and unmanned aircraft in complementary roles. “Manned aircraft will fight the first five days ofWorld War III,” says Bushey. “When we have air dominance, the UAS will come in and handle it for the next five years.”

The Academy continues to push the limits with its burgeoning UAS program. The opportunities for UAS pilots to actively play a role in national security and defense continue to expand, bridging independent technologies and fields to revolutionize modern warfare and homeland. In the midst ofthis rapid change and

explosive growth, USAFA’s UAS program stays true to its ultimate purpose. “The only reason the Air Force Academy exists is for the cadets,” says Lt. Col. Bushey. “It’s not to train unmanned aircraft pilots, and it’s not to develop the next generation of UAS. We’re here to make the cadets better leaders when they step out the door in four years. Ifwe’re not doing it for the cadets, then we’re not doing it.”

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rent theme in the biographies ofFortune 500 CEOs is an MBA from one ofthe top grad schools. I might add that there are a few grad schools where USAFA actually has an edge in attendees such as theJFK School ofGovernment at Harvard. It is helpful that we have 2 USAFA grads on the faculty (Tad Oelstrom, ’65, and Bill Hogan, 66).

The undergraduate product also plays a role. By that, I mean that USAFA turns out a more technical and “skewed” product than USMA and USNA. USAFA’s specialty is pilots and aerospaceoriented grads. Most of our grads migrate into the aerospace field in one way or another. These jobs are specialized and, in many cases, bleed over to the civilian sector. Hence, a fighterpilot or transport pilot who chooses to leave the service oftentimes has a job awaiting him in civilian societywith litde need for further grad school attendance. You can imagine what an Army tank driver faces as he exits the military—bleak prospects. Therefore, a typicalArmy mechanized officer or infantry officer quickly realizes that he had better get back to grad school and develop a specialty and a resume to fit into the civilian job market. The nature ofthe jobs held in the branch ofservice plays a major role in encouraging or discouraging service academygrads to eventually hold leadership positions in the political and industrial worlds. Simplyput—I do not see many airline pilots emerging as congressmen or CEO/COOs. This is not meant to be a slam at airline pilots; in fact, probably our most famous grad ofrecent times is an airline pilot who saved many lives in “The Miracle on the Hudson.”

Lookingdeeper into the issue, I suggest that USAFA curriculum and USAF post-graduate scholarship availabilityplay a significant role. USAFA’s job is to prepare our grads for a military career and

our core courses and curriculum evolve around that goal. Obviously, we are neither a business school nor a school for politics or bureaucracy, etc. However, it is my contention that, in this day and age, courses in such areas as management, human relations, leadership, accounting, financial management, social skills and even psychology could be given more emphasis at USAFA. USAFA has made recent progress in the area ofmanagement courses. There now exists the SchillereffProgram, the Kaminski Endowment, the Character & Leadership Chair and many others whereby guest professors and former grads are brought to USAFA to share their past experiences from the “real” world and how they can be applied to help a USAFA student and his future. USAFA has management and leadership courses but I still think that terms such as “EBITDA,” “ROI,” “forgivance” and “compartmentalization” as relating to leadership, were never taught, at least when I attended USAFA. Simplyput—skills to operate in a capitalist-based system and culture are not emphasized at USAFA. “Real world” awareness and skills are lacking upon graduation, you might say to the point ofnaivete, by USAFA grads.

Another area that stands out when comparing USAFA grads to the other service academies is a lack of“ring knocking.” Ring knocking has both good and bad connotations, but here I am referring to the good parts: the post-graduate support and togetherness. It seems to me and many others that the grad communities ofUSMA and USNA are more cohesive, are better organized and just more supportive of each other. It may be the nature oftheir service branches versus the USAF, or it can go all the way back to the USAFA experience. No doubt this cohesiveness provides a better support network in later years which lends itself to a better chance of success in the military and also in political and business positions. In other words, more USMA and USNA grads are networking and supporting respective grads as they navigate into the hierarchy ofbusiness, politics, bureaucracy and the military than USAFA grads.

Without going into great detail, the other two academies have far surpassed us in the field of national politics and key bureaucratic positions. We have no one in Congress now and very few in key positions in our government. As stated earlier, we have had but one member ofCongress and that was Congresswoman Heather Wilson ofNew Mexico, who is now on the sidelines. Our previous Secretary ofthe Air Force (Mike Wynne) is a West Point graduate, the Secretary ofthe Veterans Administration is a West Point grad, the junior Senator from Virginia is USNA, the last Republican candidate for President is USNA, the senior Senator from Rhode Island is a West Point grad, and former Presidential candidate Wes Clark is USMA. The list goes on and on. There is hope on the horizon. Several USAFA grads are holding minor offices, or running for office, or at least positioning themselves. Probably the farthest along is Assemblyman Greg Ball (USAFA, ’01) in the 19th District ofNew York. He appears to be the odds-on choice to be the Republican candidate for Congress there and has a well structured campaign organization. There are several others positioning themselves on both the Democratic and Republican sides ofthe aisle.

Since 1989 and our first 4-star general (HTJohnson, ’59), USAFA has produced three CSAFs and no Chairmen ofthe JCS. The present Chairman is Mike Mullen ofthe USNA, and both ofthe other schools have a long history ofgrads selected to be Chairman ofthe Joint Chiefs andChiefs ofStaff. It is still too soon to tell how well USAFA will do in the longer run as we have fewer than 20 years on

which to base the findings. However, it is encouraging to note that the present Chief, Vice Chief, and Assistant Vice Chief are all USAFA grads for the first time in our history. No doubt that recent history has spotlighted other service academygrads such as Schwartzkopf, Petraeus and now McChrystal from USMA. The nature ofmodern day irregular warfare may well have something to do with that along with the present day roles ofeach service.

In the field ofbusiness and industry, USAFA has scored some success. We have had a Vice Chairman ofGM, CEOs ofGulfstream, Hawker-Beech, and Presidents at US Air and Oracle. We have grads who have done very well in private business and, at latest count, we have at least one billionaire in the group. However, we pale when compared to the USMA and USNA. CEOs of Goodrich, Footlocker, 7-Eleven, AmGen, Proctor & Gamble and the NY Stock Exchange are all current leaders from the other service schools. At least in the field ofbasketball we have attained some equality with Greg Popovich,’70, Head Coach ofthe San Antonio Spurs versus Mike Krzyzewski, USMA ’69, Head Coach at Duke.

A comparison ofgiving back to the three schools shows a drastic difference in amounts ofmoney raised. Between 1999 and 2005, the USNA raised $253 million in their non-profit while USAFA raised approximately $30 million. West Point raised over four times the money ofUSAFA. This lack ofgiving can imply many conclusions— poor cohesiveness, lack ofgrads with position and money, and a lack of contact or concern in later years, to name a few. There does not appear to be the dedication and loyalty as shownand stated by MacArthur as he spoke to the USMA Corp ofCadets shortly before his death:

“Today marks my final roll call with you. But I want you to know that when I cross the River, my last conscious thoughts will be of the Corps, and the Corps and the Corps.”

There are signs ofencouragement out there. The August 24, 2009, edition ofForbes magazine featured a cover story on “Americas Best College.” The winner was West Point. USAFA finished 7th behind Princeton, Cal Tech, Williams, Harvard and Wellesley. Of course these articles depend upon criteria which could be argued for years; but one ofthe five criteria was postgraduate vocational success.

Are USAFA graduates lagging behind our two larger sister schools in producingleadership for this country? My answer is an affirmative “Yes.” Are we on the right track to improve and remedy this? I leave that up to you, the grads and readers ofthis article. Awareness ofthe issue is a first step and the major purpose ofthis article. I have little doubt that healthy discussions, debates and arguments will follow. There are other reasons and maybe more valid ones than I have advocated here. There will be some who take great exception to what I have said here, but it is hard to deny the numbersand results up until now.

There are those who advocate the elimination of service acad emies led by a (sometime) Washington Post writer by the name ofThomas E. Ricks who, as late as April of this year said, “Want to trim the federal budget and improve the military at the same time? Shut down West Point, Annapolis and the Air Force Academy, and use some of the savings to expand ROTC scholarships.” With fewer andfewer members of Congress having served in the r military, Ricks may be onto something.

I welcome all comments, critique and discussion. An open dialogue amongst our graduate community about the role ofUSAFA, its heritage and its future would be a healthy step in the right direction and let us not forget the Wing, and the Wing and the Wing. S

A Legacy of Flight

BY LEWIS CARLY

Building the foundations of the World War II Museum of Aviation

September

1, 1939:

Hitler’s Panzer divisions roll into Poland and Europe is plunged into World War II. December 7, 1941: the Japanese bomb Pearl Harbor and the United States enters the fight. June 6, 1944: Allied troops invade Normandy and begin the arduous push across France in a bloody campaign to reach Berlin and free the world of tyranny. These events, along with countless others, are the milestones ofthe greatest war history has ever known. It took the courage of many nations to defeat the Nazis and to stop the Japanese. The bravery ofthe young Americans who fought in World War II is reflected within the freedoms that we enjoy today.

Any historian will tell you that those freedoms never would have come to fruition without the efforts of the brave flight and ground crews who struggled for air superiority over Europe andthe Pacific. Those flyers, their aircraft, and the vast infrastructure ofAllied air power are the subject of much interest for the new Museum ofWorld War II Aviation now under construction in Colorado Springs.

Bill Klaers—President ofWestpac Restorations, a vintage aircraft restoration company—sat down with Checkpoints to discuss the future ofthe new museum.

“We want to build the museum on a national level, to do something that is not just a bunch ofairplanes in a hangar. We want to build an educational facility.”

Klaers discusses a new concept that the museum will follow, that of a customizable educational experience for patrons ofall ages.

“The museum will offer information that can be adapted to all inquiries, from school children to serious scholars,” Klaers explains, “as we constantly update the computer system, expanding access to information.

For example, for a teacher bringing a group offourth graders, we can tailor each area for that specific group, then change it again for a group ofwomen, or a group ofveterans.”

The idea of a flexible educational experience is a new concept, one which works in conjunction with the hands-on elements of the Westpac restoration facility. Patrons who attend the museum also have the option ofvisiting the machine shop where actual vintage aircraft are being rebuilt by hand. With Westpac in such demand, the turnover ofvintage planes is high. One month, patrons may be able to see a P51-Mustang; the next month, a P38Lightning; the next, a B25

“Remaining static,” Klaers explains, “not evolving, is what kills a museum. We

don’t want to burden the museum with airplanes because they are cumbersome, difficult to maintain and to present. We will not allow the museum to be static, or what I call, a wax museum. We are not building static displays. We want people to see, feel and touch the airplanes. We want to inspire visitors.”

The museum itselfwill be separated into six divisions. Prelude recalls the time before the war, including America’s isolationist policy and lack ofindustrial preparedness for the pending conflict. Next, MobilizingAmerican Air Power examines the explosion of industrial might which emerged after the Pearl Harbor bombing as the nation re-fitted all of its manufacturing capability to begin producing tanks, ships and aircraft. In Weathering the Storm, 1941-1943 patrons learn of the Japanese conquest of the Pacific and the deadly German U-boats which patrolled the Atlantic shipping lanes between America and Great Britain. Striking Back, 19421944, shows the slow push to air dominance through Allied bombing campaigns. In Controlling the Skies, 1944-1945, we witness the destruction of the Japanese naval fleet and the closely coordinated air assault on Germany. And finally, Legacy

WWW, WORLDWAR! IAVi M.

shows the evolution ofWorld War II air power into the modern aviation of today.

Col. (USAF-Ret.) James M. Stewart is Co-Chairman of the board ofdirectors. An avid aviator and World War II enthusiast, Stewart has played an integral role in developing the museum on a national level. He explains the patriotism that America embraced as a whole during the war and the importance of the civilian war effort as it supported the military. “The military part of it is a subset,” Stewart says ofthe museum. “The national part of it is the overall goal. It’s a national asset, a national resource telling a story about America. It has military content and a military purpose, but the real value is that it is a national asset, like the Smithsonian.”

“This is a very technologically advanced museum,” Klaers explains. “You will see a lot of touch screens and kiosks. People, whether they are 6 or 106, can go in and learn about the subject. Docents will then lead them through the Westpac facility;

they can see a functioning propeller shop, a 1930s-40s metal forming shop. They still build plane prototypes like this today.”

Like all good custodians ofhistory, both Klaers and Stewart are looking to the future. As the museum continues to come together, they are both faced with the eternal question: What is the next step for aviation? World War II has taught us innumerable lessons about flight, warfare and the ever-changing role of air superiority. Stewart asks, “As we are seeing aviation change from piloted airplanes to drones, grads of the Air Force Academy are struggling with the question ofwhere do we fit in? How do we preserve the legacy of flight?”

It is his hope that history will help to answer those questions. As the world transitioned from World War II into peacetime, aviation transformed from the lumbering bombers which filled the skies above Europe into the sleek commercial airliners which carry passengers to their

cross-continental destinations. Navigation, logistics and technology have made soaring advances. Satellites fill earths orbit, providing global communications while Predator drones fill the skies above Iraq and Afghanistan. In the end, aviation continues to evolve, with World War II a major foundation for advancement. Today, our responsibility rests in taking what we have learned from this great war and applying it for the greater good, while taking careful measures to ensure that the mistakes of the past are never repeated. H

National Museum ofWorld War II Aviation 775 Aviation Way

Colorado Springs, CO 80916

By Brigadier General Dana H. Born

The Air Force Academy has once again been ranked as one of the nation’s top colleges and universities by national media organizations. This year, US. News and WorldReport, Forbes, and The Princeton Review have ranked us even

er in several categories, giving USAFA the maximum allowable institutional and program reaccreditations in two recent visits (see side bar on next page).

These validations begin with our outstanding cadets, who are dedicated to the Air Force core values of “Integrity First, Service Before Self, and Excellence in All We Do.” Cadets also benefit from the quality and passion offaculty and staff, who, paired with our laboratories and facilities, provide engaging learning opportunities at the undergraduate level. Real-world links to the operational Air Force further enhance in multi-disciplinary senior capstone design courses, such as FalconSAT, FalconLAUNCH, and Unmanned Aircraft Systems. All mission elements, including the Dean of Faculty Commandant of Cadets, Director ofAthletics and our Airmanship programs, are fully involved in a core curriculum which challenges students across a broad spectrum of academic, military and athletic criteria.

The recent rankingsare more than just a pat on the back.

nation’s best and brightest to its ranks. They also validate the many achievements of our cadets and faculty, including top-flight senior capstone design, numerous nationally-competitive scholarships, awards at student research and writing competitions and sponsored research for the Department of Defense. The rankings build pride among our alumni and serve to increase external support from government sources, private donors, industry, and the many graduate schools that our cadets attend. Finally, the rankings give us an indication ofhow we are perceived by the leadership of our peer institutions and reflect how well our graduates perform in these institutions’ masters and PhD programs.

While these national rankings are clearly important, both to us and to the public, they are not a substitute for rigorous academic assessment. The process of earning program and institutional accreditation requires far more than just resting on a reputation of excellence. USAFA hosted two accreditation visits in the last academic year and passed both with flying colors.

(ABET), the recognized accreditor for college and university programs in applied science, engineering, computing and technology visited the Academy in visit focused on our ten engineering and computer science programs, with the final report noting our programs’ numerous strengths, such as good student access to faculty,

extensive hands-on projects for cadets, and a comprehensive faculty training and mentoring program. As a result, we received the maximum accreditation for all of these programs. Additionally, our new Systems Engineering program received retroactive accreditation for its first graduates in 2006.

The April 2009 visit by our institutional accreditation team from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA) of Colleges and Schools also went extremely well. In its evaluation of our entire institution (not just academics), the NCA specifically praised the many changes we have made since our last accreditation ten years ago. We instituted an officer development system, alteredthe core curriculum to be more intentional, added capstone courses for all majors, developed institutional Outcomes and Outcome Assessment Teams, and embedded a learning-focused culture. The NCA added that our commitment to improve and our ability to change have resulted in a culture ofeducational excellence.

Accreditation is essential to the Air Force Academy’s ability to fulfill its mission of educating, training and inspiring men and women to become officers of character, motivated to lead the Air Force in service to our nation. Institutional accreditation provides external validation that a college or university meets established educational standards and is committed to continual improvement. Accreditation is also required to be eligible for federal educational funding. Because accreditation is a key component ofAmerican higher education, Headquarters Air Force mandates that we maintain institutional accreditation to fulfill our officerdevelopment mission. 1

The Academy first earned institutional accreditation in 1959, prior to graduating our first class of cadets, for the maximumallowable ten-year period. We have been re-accredited for the maximum period during each of our subsequent accreditation visits. After more than three years ofpreparation—which included a thorough institutional self-study and resulting comprehensive 300-page institutional self-study report—we were eager to welcome our accreditation site visit.

The NCA accreditation team consisted of eight highly distinguished educators from across the agency’s 19-state region. Over the course of the three-day on-site evaluation, the team spoke with hundreds of faculty, staffand cadets and examined virtually every aspect of our institution.

The team’s primary task was to determine whether we fully met all 21 core components and 5 criteria required for accreditation. These criteria include an assessment ofhowwell the Academy supports and fulfills its mission; the adequacy of our facilities, strategic planning and resource allocation processes; the effectiveness of our teaching and evidence oflearning by cadets; how well the Air Force Academy fosters creativity and lifelong learning for all cadets, faculty and staff in socially responsible ways; and how effectively we serve our many constituents. After three days of interviews and inspections, the accreditors concluded we overwhelmingly met all requirements and recommended the maximum re-accreditation of ten years.

While the preparation for the visit was a team effort involving

all of USAFA, special thanks goes to Col. Rich Fullerton, Permanent Professor and Head ofthe Department of Economics & Geosciences, who provided first-rate leadership of this effort. Col. Fullerton was assisted by a 20-person steering committee and 5 subcommittees in this institution-wide, multiyear effort.

The Academy community should take great pride in this achievement, as it serves as another reminder, to our alumni and to the nation, of the outstanding education and training experience we offer cadets each and every day at your United States Air Force Academy.

USAFAACCOLADES

Top 1% for “Most Accessible Professors” (5 th consecutive year) according to The Princeton Review #7 of600 colleges (up from #16 last year) according to Forbes' “America’s Best Colleges” list #3 for “Leadership Development” in the Government/Military category according to Leadership Excellence Magazine #1 undergrad research institution in research funding: $43.7 million in external research support according to the National Science Foundation

US News and World Report rankings:

Best Baccalaureate Colleges in the Nation: #1 in the West (3rd straight year)

Best Undergraduate Engineering Programs: #6 (up from #8 last year)

Best Aerospace/Aeronautical/Astronautical Engineering program: #2 (9th straight year)

Best Electrical/Electronic/Communications Engineering program: #7 (up from #8 last year)

Best Mechanical Engineering program: #12 (not ranked last year)

Undergraduate Business Programs (Management): #1 undergraduate only (2nd straight year)

ACCREDITATION SUCCESSES:

Maximum institutional reaccreditation from the Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools

Maximum reaccreditation for all engineering and computer science programs from ABET

Cover of the 300-page USAFA Institutional Self-Study Report, completed in preparation for the accreditation visit by the Higher Learning Commission ofthe North Central Association of Colleges and Schools in April 2009.

1. Air Force Mission Directive 12, United States Air Force Academy paragraph 3.2, 17 December 2007.

m

The Secret Life of Dumbsquat

by Don Hall[ 76

springs eternal at the beginning of a new semester,” noted C4C Waldo F. Dumbsquat. Waldo and his roommate, “Regs” Buch, tooled around the textbook issue room. Rivaling Stonehenge, mounds ofbooks rose majestically from the floor.

“Regs” nodded knowingly. “The first few days of class are always thrilling.”

“They sure are! Just knowing I have a passing grade—even for only one day—makes me giddy,” replied Waldo as he picked up another major volume.

“Be careful ofthat one, Waldo,” counseled his friend. “It belongs to a Macro Econ Course.”

But the doolie never heard his friend. Unconscious, Waldo had crumpled to the concrete floor. “Regs” called for help.

“Help!”

A firstie Life Science Major responded to the freshman’s plea. “Stand back and give him air!”

Sir, are you a doctor?” asked “Regs.”

CC'

No, but I play one in class.” The senior lifted Waldos scrawny wrist and detected a pulse. It’s disturbing, but I’ve seen this before.”

A concerned crowd ofcadets began to gather around the prone Waldo. The firstie frantically waved them away. “This is a very contagious situation! Nobody touch the book!”

Alerdy, “Regs” picked up a pair ofissue work gloves and prepared to assist the one degree.

“Be careful,” warned the senior, “those won’t protect you for long.”

With a nod of understanding, the freshman reached slowly for the book Waldo held. Waldo snored loudly. The crowd shrank back away from the grisly scene.

“I’m going in!” announced a determined “Regs.”

As ifhandling the volatile material Shepherd’s Pie, the doolie carefully removed the offending book and tossed it into a nearby gray elephant. The cheering crowd woke the slumbering freshman. He sat up and stretched, knocking over a pile of literary works. Cadets nervously scattered to the mailroom.

“What happened?” yawned Waldo.

“You were suffering from exposure to z-conomics,” diagnosed the doctor wannabe. “Cadet Buch performed an operation to remove the tome-er. You should recover quickly.”

“Thanks, ‘Regs.’ I feel better already!”

“We better quarantine the Econ Department!” announced “Regs.”

“It’s too late—it has already taken over part of the Fairchild Hall sixth floor!” exclaimed the firstie.

cc CC' CC' cc

Maybe you can drop the class ...”

Nope, it looks like I’m due for a relapse.”

Why’s that, Waldo?”

I already declared Econ my major,” sighed Waldo. *

Lt. Col. Michael Love, ’93, is particularly fond ofseeing the Academy’s airspace filled with parachutes. Since being assigned to the 98th FlyingTraining Squadron here at USAFA, he has overseen the jump program which has enjoyed a storied history of success. Love explains, “The 98th FlyingTraining Squadron is home to the Air Force Parachute Team, which is more widely known as the Wings ofBlue. Our core mission is to teach Airmanship 490, or the basic freefall parachuting course. This is a unique program, the only one ofits kind in the world—where we prepare a first-jump student for solo freefall.”

A Wings of Blue member during his own tenure at USAFA, Love feels great pride in being able to give back to the Academy which has defined his career. “In addition to the basic freefall course,” he explains, “the cadets are involved in competition or demonstration teams. The competition team competes at the local, regional, national and international level. On the demonstration side, we do everything from jumping into Falcon Stadium to air shows. Were also set to jump into the 2010 BCS National Championship at the upcoming Rose Bowl.”

The Academy puts 840 cadets through the basic freefall program each year. About 140 of those are from various ROTC programs throughout the United States, with the remainder made up of USAFA cadets. The majority of the program is taught throughout the summer with the rest accounted for during the academic year.

“Our basic freefall program is a five-jump course,” Love describes. “It’s about a week of intense academic and classroom training followed by thefive jumps. After successfully completing the course, cadets earn their jump wings, which they can wear for the remainder of their Air Force career.”

Cadets who complete the basic program are eligible for the more advanced Airmanship 491 and 492, also known as the Wings of Green. Only after finishing Wings of Green are the cadets considered for the elite Wings of Blue. The program takes on a circular continuum, as cadets who do earn the blue jump suit are faced with the challenge ofinstructing the next generation of cadets coming up through the basic courses.

Love considers the jump program to be an integral component in leadership develop

ment. “The Cadet Wing looks to provide each cadet with very specific skill sets when they graduate,” he says. “Those include leadership and courage and we provide the opportunity to build upon those at parachute training. Furthermore, ifyou’re looking to provide the Air Force’s future leaders with a skill set which includes courage, I can think of no better way to overcome fear than by jumping out of an airplane.”

Building a strong sense of responsibility is another core attribute of the program. When student’s lives are at stake, no mistakes can be made.

“The cadet upperclassmen,” Love explains, “are teaching their younger counterparts all of the skills required to jump out of an airplane, deploy a chute and land safely. It’s a fantastic opportunity for them—not only teaching in the classroom, but also acting as the jump master when thedoors open at 10,000 feet.”

Aside from their primary duties of teachingAirmanship 490, the Wings of Blue have held a busy track record for both demonstration and competition. Cadets Spencer Schardein, TO, and Joseph Valdez, TO, are both senior members of the team.

In their experiences, the skydiving program has provided unprecedented opportunity for professional growth.

Schardein says, “The Wings ofBlue literally made my experience here at the Academy. I really believe that in the long term, the Academy is about leadership development, and our mission here at the 98th FTS is to develop leaders in their purest form. Teaching skydiving and motivating cadets to make their first leap offofthe airplane have been my defining experiences here at the Academy.”

“What I love most,” Valdez exclaims, “is the brotherhood that we have here.

You can trust the person next to you no matter what happens.”

Skydiving demonstrations are no small task. They take immense concentration, special planning and careful execution. Love describes the intensity of professional football games: “Jumping into a stadium with 70,000 screaming fans below you and another 20 million watching on TV teaches these young people to deal with immense pressure (especially when you’re trying to hit the 50 yard line).”

It’s also important to understand that the cadets who become a part of the competi

tion and demonstration teams quickly learn the value of self sacrifice. “The commitment these young people make to this team and this institution is phenomenal,” Love says. “They give up their spring break and Christmas vacations to compete. We’ve also had a long tradition of excellence on the competitive side. We’ve won the National Collegiate Parachuting Championship 30 out of the last 40 years, which makes us one of the most successful competitive programs at the Academy.”

Parachuting at the Air Force Academy goes back to 1964. It began as a cadet

8SSgJjJ mMWm

in its purest DOOR.

club, and the cadets who initiated it were on the cutting edge of a new sport. Lance Sijan, ’65, was among that group. In the years since its humble beginning, the skydiving program has touched the lives of thousands of cadets. In fact, this is the first year in the history of the program in which two Wings of Blue cadets are legacy members who are following in their fathers’ footsteps. Cadets Kyle Yohe, ’ll, and Eric Wallace, ’ll, are the sons of Ken Yohe, ’84, and Larry Wallace, ’80.

Cadets Schardein and Valdez take a moment to reflect upon their fondest memories ofthe program. Schardein says with a broad smile, “Aside from teaching

your students how to jump and watching them jump out of the plane for the first time, the most pivotal experience I’ve had so far was at Nellis Air Force Base. We were at an air show and none of my family had ever seen me jump before. My nephew had just turned threeand I wished him a happy birthday over the intercom as I jumped. Just seeing his face light up was the best moment of my Wings of Blue career.”

“We did a jump this past summer at Hill Air Force Base in Utah,” Valdez recalls. “It was the conclusion ofAir Force week and the 65th anniversary of the Normandy invasion. We jumped from a DC-3, which is what the paratroopers

Above: Lt. Col. Mike Love of the 98th FyingTraining Squadron.

Below: Cadets run through equipment checks before their morningjump.

Photos by Lewis Carlyle

used over France. Talking to the veterans after the fact, listening to their experiences and comparing them with our own is something I’ll never forget.”

Like all cadets at the Academy, Schardein and Valdez are looking to the future; for the Wings of Blue, that future includes recruiting the nation’s best and brightest to attend USAFA and continuing the tradition of excellence for the skydiving program. Before gearing up for their next jump, the two senior cadets take a moment to impart some good advice for anyone looking to some day feel the exhilaration of freefall.

“You really have to seize every opportunity,” Schardein says. “Don’t be afraid, don’t shy away from anything that presents a chance for you to better yourself.”

Valdez agrees and ads, “The best advice I could give to someone thinking about a career in the Air Force is to keep your goals close to you. Dream big. Ifyou want something bad enough you can get it. It just takes hard work.”

Lt. Col. Love finds hope in the future of the program as well. “We think the success of the competition and demonstration teams will continue into the future because we’ll develop the next generation ofWings of Blue team members who have the interest and the desire and the drive to go on anddo the same great things as those who have come before them.” B

What Is SACC?

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

Where will the SACC be held?

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

of Events

Thursday, February 25

Candidate Career Seminar 6:30 p.m.

Friday, February 26

Registration

SACC

a.m.

Saturday, February 27

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

Registration

The SACC candidate registration fee is $35. To register, submit a one-page resume (for the recruiter's book) and pay online at www.sacc-jobfair.com. This limited resume is designed to give the recruiters an indication of your capabilities. It is NOT the resume you should bring to hand out to the recruiters at the conference. Registration deadline for inclusion in the recruiter's book is February 14, 2010.

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

Next Scheduled SACC

Washington D.C., May 27-28, 2010

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

“WHY DO YOU WANT TO GO TO MONGOLIA?” This was the question faced by three members of the Class of 2010 in the months leading up to their cultural immersion experience in the land of Genghis Khan. For 19 days in the summer of2009, cadets Kurds Droppa, Wayne Sails and Brenda Song would embark on a journey of self discovery as they trekked across one of the oldest eastern civilizations in human history. For Droppa and Sails, both Foreign Area Studies majors, and Song, a Behavioral Science major, it was the opportunity of a lifetime.

The Olmsted Foundation—a longtime supporter of cadet travel programs—worked in conjunction with the USAFA International Programs Office to help make the trip possible. The trio of cadets was escorted by Lt. Col. Rich Guffey from the Political Science Department. Armed with an inquisitive mindset and an eagerness to explore the differences between Eastern and Western culture, the cadets found themselves in a

vast landscape where rugged mountains stand in stark contrast to the gentle kindness of the locals.

In Mongolia, history is never forgotten. This proud country maintains a distinct heritage that causes every discussion to begin with the Mongol Empire and Genghis Khans conquest ofthe world’s largest contiguous empire in 1279. In addition to a tumultuous land and power struggle with China throughout the 20th century, Mongolia’s colorful history includes strong influences from the former USSR, which played a substantial role in the country’s social and political infrastructure. In 1990, Mongolia broke with Soviet-influenced communist doctrine and held multi-party elections. Coinciding with the collapse ofthe Soviet Union, Mongolia’s self-governed democracy has existed for just two short decades. Though its majestic history stretches back for centuries, the country today is in a state of economic and political infancy.

Among their many discoveries, the cadets learned about the dynamics of an

As a Government organization, the Academy ca solicit funds for itself. It relies on the AOG to secure funding from organizations like the Olmsted Foundation and other sources for Internationa cultural immersion. The AOG is cadets as they cultivate invaluable life experi cultural awareness and adaptive skills them for their future commissi

educational system that is in the process ofwesternizing from the Soviet times. Mongolia had received the Soviet value of education along with its socialist form of government. This sparsely populated country boasted a 100 percent literacy rate roughly 20 years after changing its written language from a traditional Mongolian script to the Russian Cyrillic type case. Twenty percent of the state

budget was dedicated solely to education. Sadly, when the USSR disbanded in the early 1990s, Mongolia’s government, economy, and educational systems were no longer externally supported. Mongolia, as well as every other nation aligned with the Soviet system, was forced to adapt its infrastructure to meet the demands of a changing world. Despite these challenges, the cadets quickly

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“I never thought much ofMongolia untilIactually went there.

Thefirstthing that hit me was their culture and how unique it isfrom any other that Tve experienced with its blend ofboth East European andAsian culture. Its important to knowabout Mongolian culture because they, as a nation, are taking on a more active role in the international community as UNPeacekeepers, as well as being members ofthe coalition in Iraq andAfghanistan.

-Cl C Wayne Sails

“This cultural immersion in Mongolia was life-changi I was able to experience the nomadic lifestyle—living in gers, learningarchery, and ridingMongolian horses. I learned so much about the Mongolianpeople, history, traditions, and military that would not have been possible in any other way. Andfor all ofthat I am grateful. ”

Cl C Brenda

realized that the Mongol people are finding ways to persevere.

Upon their arrival in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia’s capital city, the cadets were met by the U.S. Assistant Army Attache to Mongolia, Lt. Col. Lisa Vining, a former language instructor at USAFA.

The Office for Defense Cooperation also played a pivotal role in supporting the cadets. The trip from the airport became a crash course in local driving, in which traffic resembles a wild stampede, instead of the orderly regiments of cars which traverse American highways. The USAFA contingent stayed with Vining’s family who graciously shared their home for the entire three weeks.

Vining also introduced the group to their driver, Miga, who proved invaluable at navigating the streets of traffic that flow much like Mongolia’s innumerable herds ofcattle, horses, and sheep. The cadets enjoyed a taste of the local culture as they visited the colossal black market shopping pavilion, the Olympic Stadium—where old men now play soccer—and the Wrestling Palace, where traditional wrestling is a popular draw for local crowds. The group also visited some of the many Buddhist temples to spin prayer wheels.

After their initial tour of the city, the cadets were able to visit a variety of institutions and sit down with many ranking officials such as Maj. Bolor from the National Defense University, R. Rinchinbazar from the National University of Mongolia, and Maj. Gen. Nanzadorj from the Border Forces Academy.

The cadets observed these educational establishments at every level—from civilian to military, elementary to post-secondary— and were surprised to find a very active political arena. Mongolian educational institutions are actively and ambitiously trying to overhaul their standards and methodologies to become com

petitive with Western-style universities and academies. The reality is that Mongolia has two powerful physical neighbors, Russia and China. Very recently, Mongolia adopted America as its “Third Neighbor,” working very closely with the United States to achieve national objectives. Despite all of their efforts to maintain a low-key, unofficial status, no one could deny that the cadets were members of the American military. Their short visits to get a firsthand look at education had been unintentionally transformed into ambassadorial excursions. Inadvertently, the three cadets and their Lieutenant Colonel chaperone had become distinguished visitors at every turn.

They viewed immaculate parades, wrestling demonstrations and classroom lectures, in addition to participating in countless discussions about cultural differences, similarities and mutual cooperation.

Upon leaving the city, the group ventured out into the rural districts on a five-day expedition. They roamed the vast countryside, sleeping in gers, the Mongolian national dwelling. The breathtaking scenery, magnificent sunsets and unparalleled hospitality imparted indelible memories—though they could argue that nearly getting washed away in a river crossing was something they might wish to soon forget. Riding camels into the desert sunset and enjoying the vast spaces of unspoiled countryside were further milestones of the experience.

The cadets were also impressed by the Mongol attitude towards their subsistence lifestyle. The farmers living in the countryside value their herds and relationships above material possessions; a lesson which all Americans could learn from. Communicating mainly through smiles, the cadets found, time and again without exception, that after a simple introduction it was as if they had made a lifelong friend. Wealth cannot always be measured in dollars or sheep. There is something deeper. In the end, it was the people who befriended the cadets who changed their lives. The Mongolians proved to be some of the warmest and most goodhearted people on the face of the earth.

When faced today with their original question, Why do you want to go to Mongolia?” The answer is simple: “We love the Mongolian people.” H

Your Association of Graduates supporting the Academy

Gifts to the Academy from the AOG

As a government organization, the Air Force Academy cannot solicit funds foritself and its programs. It relies on private funding for cadet character development, academic programs, athletics and leadership training. Below is a list of recent gifts made to the Academy by the AOG:

$10,000 in support of the Leaders in Flight Today (LIFT) program for cadet leadership and character development

$10,000 to help enhance the morale of squadron members through the Squadron Improvement Program

$10,000 in support ofthe Commandant’s Cadet Enhancement Program which sponsors Cadet Wing programs and cadet military events, like Otis House and Vietnam Veteran’s Day ceremonies

* $5,000 gift for use by the Dean of Faculty to cover unexpected and immediate needs that arise during the academic year, such as events, receptions and ceremonies

$4,000 to fund travel expenses and fees associated with cadet attendance at the Academy Women Symposium 2009

$1,900 gift in support of the Department of Management recognition ceremonies and travel to competitions

New Partnerships: Your AOG and USAA

In a first-of-its-kind deal, USAA has become the “premier sponsor” of the AOG and theexclusive providerofover 150 different financial products, such as insurance and investment services, for AOG members. The historic five-year agreement also features a new co-branded credit card bearing the logos of both organizations that is now available. To find out more, please visit www. usaa.com/afaog.

New Heritage Project: Worth a Thousand Words

(seated) guide the artist’s hands. The completed bust is a key focal point of the Class of ’89’s inspiring heritage project emphasizing “Valor,” memorializing fellow classmates and Kevin Shea (the only Class of’89 combat casualty to date).

Located on the AOG’s Heritage Trail adjacent to Doolittle Hall, the Class of’89 memorial was dedicated on September 25, 2009, during the class’s 20th reunion. The AOG thanks those who proclaim graduate heritage through class memorial projects, proudly expressing the fundamental value of “Service Before Self.” Their actions complement theefforts of all those who financially support many other critical, but unfunded, USAFA needs.

New Graduate Memorial Paver Area At AOG Flagpole

The Association of Graduates takes pride in announcing a new Graduate Memorial Paver Area that has been established at the base of the flagpole in front of Doolittle Hall.

The new area creates a special location specifically to honor deceased Academy graduates. The memorial paver area will be landscaped and provides bench seating to those who wish to stop and reflect. Prior to ereating this special area, pavers honoring deceased graduates lay among those expressing appreciation or celebrating graduation or various personal achievements.

USAFA’s “Gone But Not Forgotten” are now honored daily beneaththe flag each so honorably served. Pavers in memory ofnon-graduates will be installed elsewhere on the property.

If you would like more information about purchasing a Memorial Paver to recognize a deceased graduate, please contact A1 Burrell, Class Giving Officer, via email at Al.Burrell@ aogusafa.org or by phone at (719) 472-0300 ext. 115.

Multimedia Page

Enjoy videos about the Air Force Cheerleaders, Basic Training, and cadet volunteerism! Visit our multimedia page at www.usafa.org/AOG-MOVIES/index.html.

Sculptor Jenelle Byrd (on left) puts the finishing touches on the clay model of the bust of the late Lt. Col. Kevin Shea, USMC, as his widow, Ami Shea, and daughter, Brenna Shea,

BOTTOMLESS SNOW I

As an evil cold settled over the Innoko River country and the winds roared across its wild desolation, Blake Matray, ’90, knew his Iditarod dream was dying, and he let it go. In a tent he’d pitched in the lee ofhis dog sled, Kim Darst, a fellow rookie in the Iditarod trail sled dog race, huddled in a sleeping bag with a dog near death from hypothermia. The woman from New Jersey needed Matray’s help to save the 8-year-old husky named Cotton.

A graduate ofthe U.S. Air Force Academy, a pilot trained in survival, Matray had offered his tent for shelter from the howling winds. He’d explained that ifthey were going to keep the husky alive, Darst would have to warm the dog in a sleeping bag as best she could with her body heat. He fired up a butane stove he carried for emergencies to provide what additional warmth it plight generate inside the tent.

Matray could have been excused if, at this point, he’d headed on down the trail toward Shageluk. The Iditarod is, after all, a race, a competition. But the code of the trail is old and the musher from Two Rivers knew it well: You don’t leave man or dog out there alone in life-threatening conditions, and Cotton was in serious trouble. “At that point,” Matray said, “it was like, ‘We’ve got to get this dog some help.’ The two of us wanted to do right by her dog.”

How two people who never knew each other before the Iditarod came together to save a dog in a place as alien to most ofAmerica as the moon is one ofthose stories usually lost in the twilight that settles over the race once the winner reaches Nome.

Back home now, Matray fully understands his Iditarod dream was sacrificed in the interest of a stranger’s dog, but he says he has no regrets. There is just a hint ofsadness in his voice when he says

he is sticking to a promise made to his wife, Erin, that his first Iditarod would also be his last.

After 15 years ofsled dogs, Matray said he was ready to hang up his racing mukluks and mittens. But he wanted to make that one run up the Iditarod Trail he’d long dreamed of, then quit. “We have family plans,” Matray said.

He did not expect his race to end just past halfWay, but then fate has not been kind to Matray’s Iditarod dreams.

The first time he signed up to run, in 2002, the military called him back into service. Instead ofgoing off on the trail to Nome, he went to Guam to fly refueling missions for combat aircraft operating over Afghanistan. His service there complete, Matray returned to Alaska. The finish line in Nome this year was supposed to close a chapter in his life that began innocently enough with a few dogs in North Dakota in 1995. t> '■'it.

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Matray fell in love with them and decided he had to have more, andhad to go farther north. By 2000, he had found a job flying tankers for the Alaska Air National Guard andsettled in the sleddog hotbed ofTwo Rivers to pursue his passion in earnest.

He entered a variety ofmid-distance races with his sights set all the time on The Last Great Race. The grand adventure finally began March 7, on Fifth Avenue in Anchorage with the sun shining brightly and the city alive with excitement.

For days, the journey went better than Matray had imagined. The temperatures that crept above freezing were a little too warm for theSiberian huskies that composed the bulk ofhis team, but nice for the musher. And the climb up and through theAlaska Range into the Interior was spectacular.

Matray got to know Darst along the way. Besides a love of dogs, they shared an interest in flight. Darst is a helicopter pilot back on the East Coast. By the time they hit McGrath, about 350 miles up the trail, they were sort of traveling together. It was not planned, but they found their teams moving at about the same pace and on the same schedule. And they discovered traveling with someone is easier than traveling alone.

Thus it was that they rolled into the ghost town of Iditarod together early in the afternoon ofMarch 15. They gave their dogs

a long rest, fed them well, and headed off toward Shageluk near 2 a.m. on March 16. Ahead of them, the trail ran west across an old burn-exposed ridges and swamps—into some of the emptiest country in North America. They asked Iditarod volunteers what to expect on the run ahead.

“The only trail report we got was that Jen Seavey (a rookie from Sterling) did it the night before in six hours,” Matray said. He and Darst figured it shouldn’t take them more than eight.

As it turned out, they were wrong.

Only a few miles out of the checkpoint, Matray said, “we started running into drifted-overtrail. We started breaking trail.” Most of the time, the dogs wallowed belly deep. When the teams got lucky, Matray said, they might find a stretch, maybe a quarter mile, ofgood trail where the route went through a patch of trees.

Mainly, though, they broke trail hour afterhour. Darst’s team was in front. She’d wanted that position when they left Iditarod so Matray’s faster team wouldn’t pull away. They talked about trying to swap off the trail-breaking duty, but passing was difficult.

As it was, any time either musher’s lead dogs wandered off the narrow trail they’d get stuck in almostbottomless snow. When the mushers went to guide them back onto the firm surface hidden beneaththe drifts, Matray said, “you’d sink up to your

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waist. It was a 10-to-15 minute ordeal to get them back on the trail.” It was sometimes better to get on his belly and swim out to them to avoid sinking so deep.

The weather just kept getting worse, the temperature plummeting and the wind building, swirling snow everywhere. Six hours out from the checkpoint, the mushers called a halt. The exposed ridge on which they stopped was not a good place for camping but, Matray said, “we needed to give these dogs a break.”

In the blowing snow, Matray and Darst couldn’t see anything ahead that looked better, and they knew dogs need regular rest and food or they simply run out of energy. “I started stomping out snow caves for my dogs to get out of the wind,” Matray said, sprinkling the bottoms with straw he’d hauled from Iditarod.

“I put that down in the snow caves, and the dogs kind of settled in there in pairs,” hesaid.

Matray wanted to cook warm food for his dogs, but that was out of the question. The wind was blowing too hard. “The bowls would have blown away,” he said. “So I put some dry kibble down. Everybody ate.”

Nearby, Darst was also tending to dog chores. She reported her dogs ate, too, which was a good sign. Fatigued dogs lose their appetites. If the dogs were good, Matray knew everyone would be OK.

“I realized, ‘Boy, it’s bad out here,”’ he added. “I didn’t feel my life was going to be in danger, but it was to be a rough night.” The temperature was already near 20 below and falling, and the wind wasn’t letting up. Matray was glad he’d taken to carrying a two-man mountaineering tent in his sled. It was extra weight, but now it looked like paradise. He invited Darst to share it. The two crawled inside, got into their sleeping bags, closed their eyes and went to sleep hoping their Iditarod nightmare would be over when they woke.

It got worse.

“We got a few hours sleep in that tent, and then we looked out,” Matray said. “The dogs were all drifted in.” The wind was still howling. The mushers fed their teams. Matray had a shorthaired pointer mix rescued from a Fairbanks shelter that he was concerned about. He made sure to put a coat on the dog and give it extra straw when he settled it into a snow cave. He was happy to find the pointer curled up and looking cozy. Darst, however, had a problem.

“Kim came running over holding a dog in her arms,” Matray said. It was Cotton. “She was in rough shape,” Matray said. “Her eyes were starting to roll back a bit, and she was starting to convulse.” Matray told Darst the only hope Cotton had was to be warmed by her in a sleeping bag in the tent. He fired up the butane camping stove. It only burned for about an hour, but it helped pump some heat into the tent.

“Cotton stopped convulsing,” Matray said. “Her eyes came back a little bit toward normal.” Matray and Darst estimated they were halfway down the 65-mile stretch of trail between Iditarod and Shageluk. They discussed trying to move on, but decided Cotton wasn’t up to it. “We stayed put because of that dog,” Matray said.

Darst was carrying a SPOT satellite signaling device. It has two buttons for calling for help. One sends a signal to friends asking for assistance; the other notifies search-and-rescue personnel.

Darst and Matray knew that if either button was pushed, their Iditarods were over.

Still, Matray said, it didn’t take the mushers long to realize that didn’t matter. Cotton needed help. The only decision was which button to push. Though they and their teams were uncomfortable, nobody was in imminent, life-threatening danger. “We didn’t want to put other people at risk” by signaling a rescue was needed, Matray said. So Darst pushed the button that sent a message to her mother at the Millennium Alaskan Hotel in Anchorage. Mom got the message in the middle of the afternoon and went downstairs to tell Iditarod officials.

Unknown to her, or to Matray and Darst, officials were starting to worry about musher Lou Packer from Wasilla, who’d been gone from Iditarod for 24 hours, but still hadn’t shown up in Shageluk. His wife, who’d been monitoring a GPS satellite tracking device on his sled, notified race officials her husband spent hours moving at less than walking speed, and then just stopped. She worried he was trapped by weather.

The volunteers who man the Iditarod Air Force were ordered aloft to try to get a look at what was going on along the trail. About 3:30 p.m. on March 16, Matray and Darst heard an airplane. “We opened the tent and motioned to him,” Matray said, “but there was no way to signal to them we had a dog emergency. That was frustrating.”

The plane kept going. Matray and Darst got back into the tent with Cotton. They decided that ifnothing happened before dark, they would push the button that calls for a rescue.

As it turned out, they didn’t need to. At about 7:30 p.m., Matray said, a pair of Iditarod volunteers from Shageluk arrived on snowmachines to ask if the mushers were OK.

They explained Cotton’s situation, and learned the snowmachiners had found Packer about three miles ahead on the trail with two dogs dead from hypothermia. A plane was on the way to evacuate him andthe rest ofhis team. Darst’s ailing dog was soon on her way to safety.

The snowmachiners packed out a trail to a clump of trees, helped the mushers move their teams up into the shelter of the forest, chain-sawed some firewood, and went back to Shageluk for the night. Darst and Matray were left to sit around a fire discussing how their Iditarods ended.

“We were done,” Matray said. “We talked through some things. There could have been more drastic results. It was potentially going to harm that dog more to try to go on. We weren’t going to risk losing the dog with hypothermia and, even if we had gone on, we would have run into Lou. I couldn’t have mushed past him. That’s not who I am.”

They went to sleep again in the tent that night confident they’d done the right thing, Matray said. Outside, the winds were finally dying down. When the mushers got up in the morning the weather was almost nice. Four Iditarod Air Force planes appeared out of the skies to the west. “They ended up flying us out to Unalakleet,” Matray said. “When we got flown in there, Cotton was standing there. She was still on an IV, but she was doing fine.

“Ifthat’s the last thing I do in my mushing career,” Matray said, “help save a dog and it lives, I’ll hang my hat on that any day.” 8®

Before There Was a USAFA Prep Schoo

Part 2 of 2

Frederick V, Malmstrom, ’64, Center for Character Development

he 1954 birth ofthe Air Force Academy opened a debate that the Air Force needed its own preparatory school. From at least 1925 until 1957, enlisted Air Force men seeking a service academyappointment consumed one-third ofthe MilitaryAcademy slots. As long as the Air Force remained a part ofthe Army, this was acceptable policy; however, this changed when the Air Force became an independent branch ofservice in 1947. Up until 1965, new graduates ofboth West Point and Annapolis had the option ofpicking any service, and 20 percent oftheir graduates were opting for careers in the Air Force.

The Stirrings of USAFA Prep

In 1957, the Army and the Navy started a short-lived cooperative effort with the Air Force, opening a new pipeline for enlisted USAFA aspirants. By 1951, the U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School (USNAPS) had relocated to Bainbridge Naval Training Center in Maryland. The U.S. MilitaryAcademy Preparatory School (USMAPS) hadjust moved from Stewart Air Force Base, New York, to Ft. Belvoir, Virginia.

One-third of the slots at each preparatory school were allocated to Air Force airmen. Historically, the annual enrollment at USNAPS was 400 students, while annual enrollment at USMAPS was 250 students. Because direct admission to USAFA from the enlisted ranks was legally limited to 45 enlisted men from the Regulars, Reserves and Guard, an Air Force cadet candidate had a 20 to 30 percent

chance of getting a direct service appointment to USAFA. The prep schools were open to all services, and the Army and Navy accepted applicants from sister services. Prep school yearbooks show a bewildering mix of uniforms.

USMAPS at Ft. Belvoir

The U.S. Air Force Academy Preparatory School (USAFAPS) at Ft. Belvoir was well-embedded into USMAPS. The Air Force cadre consisted of a master sergeant and one airman clerk. For unknown reasons, airmen from the Regulars were assigned to Ft. Belvoir. Cadet candidate airmen learnedArmy customs, Army drill and Armyslang (expletives deleted, ofcourse).

Left Top: The U.S. MilitaryAcademy Preparatory School logo. Bottom: The U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School logo. Above: The USMAPS open bay barracks and corridors required endless buffing.

and courtesies. The main academic building at USNAPS, acquired from the Tome School in 1942.

The Ft. Belvoir prep school facilities were vacant World War II hospital buildings located on the old North Post. The facilities were wooden, single story barracks and assorted structures linked together by endless linoleum-covered corridors that had enabled the transport of patients between wards.

There was little privacy, and cadet candidates lived and studied in open bay barracks. They pulled CA and KP duties, in addition to buffing the endless linoleum-floored hallways.

The USMAPS academic curricula were geared to passing the College Boards. Mathematics instruction included algebra story problems, three-dimensional geometry, and spherical trigonometry. English instruction began with thearchaic 1913 edition of Kittredge and Farleys Advanced English Grammar and students worked their way up to vocabulary, logic, and composition.

Recruited athletes didn’t exist, so competitive sports were limited to competition with other Ft. Belvoir athletic teams such as flag football, basketball, and tennis.

The USMAPS prep school staff was top-notch. Most of the 14 civilian academic instructors, many with Ivy League eredentials, transferred directly from the Stewart AFB School. The officer cadre consisted of three captains, all decorated WWII and Korean War combat veterans, and two lieutenants. The equally-decorated NCO cadre had been hand-selected from the Ft. Benning Army Infantry School.The USMAPS Assistant Commandant, Captain Ralph Puckett, USMA ’49 (affectionately known as “Ranger Ralph”), held both the Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) andthree Purple Hearts. He would acquire a second DSC in Vietnam. Although he and the post commander didn’t appreciate it at the time, several creative cadet candidates expressed their fondness for him by painting RALPH ’49 in huge red letters on the North Post water tower.

USNAPS at Bainbridge Naval Training Center

The airmen who attended the U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School (NAPS for short) were usually reservists recruited from the previous year’s pool of civilian qualified alternates. In July, they went through an accelerated basic training at Lackland AFB and were posted to Air Force Academy Detachment #2 without any additional technical schooling. In their year of active duty, these cadet candidate airmen learned more about

Right: Air Force cadet candidates in front of the main barracks USNAPS wearing the dreaded 505 Bush Jacket uniforms. Below, Top to Bottom: Assistant Commandant, CRT Ralph Puckett, USMA ’49. Over his career, he was awarded two Distinguished Service Crosses. Cadet Candidates and future Colonels Paul Belmont, ’64, and Joseph Bavaria, ’64, (foreground) getting a lesson in Navy customs

the Navy than the Air Force, creating habits that the Air Force NAPSters would have to unlearn at USAFA.

USNAPS was located at one end ofthe Bainbridge Naval Training Center. In 1942, the Navyexpanded the NAPS campus bypurchasing the Tome School, a civilian college preparatory school for boys.

The faculty at NAPS was all military. The Air Force cadre consisted of an Air Force captain, two sergeants, and an airman. The entire NAPS operation was directed by a lone lieutenant commander.

Competitive athletics, unlike USMAPS, were held between local junior colleges and college freshman teams. Academics at NAPS were also a bit more varied, as physics was taught in addition to basic math and English.

The Private Civilian Preparatory Schools

No history would be complete without mentioning the smaller, specialized private service academy preparatory schools. The curricula ofthese civilian schools were generalized and had no military training programs. The Millard Preparatory School (established 1925, closed 1981) is notable for its 1940 graduate, fighter ace and USAFA Commandant, Brigadier General Robin Olds, USMA June ’43. The highly regarded Sullivan School, located in Washington, DC, existed from 1936 to 1967. The Northwestern Preparatory School, which offers a general academic curriculum, has been in continuous existence since 1962. Today, it alone survives in Santa Barbara, California. Northwestern graduates about 100 service academy hopefuls every year and places about 40 percent of its graduates in various federal service academies.

Career Prep Schoolers?

Cadet candidates who were unsuccessful in gaining academy appointments often took a second trip through the prep schools the following academic year, either at the same prep school or at a sister service school. For example, seven unsuccessful cadet candidates from the 1959 USMAPS class entered the 1960 USNAPS class. The services finally caught on to this practice and set term limits in 1961 that allowed only one trip through any service academy prep school.

Totaling up the Returns

Two-thirds of the candidates, Air Force included, who didn’t get appointments to any academy were either sent back to enlisted units or honorably discharged. Many of those who returned to civilian lives became lawyers, teachers, and civil servants. From the USMAPS ’59 class, roughly 10 Army prep schoolers went on to Officer Candidate School or ROTC and distinguished themselves as career officers.

About 10 ofthe unsuccessful Air Force USMAPS ’59 prep schoolers were accepted to Aviation Cadets and became career pilots and navigators. Oddly, the airmen who were trained as Security Service linguists were deemed too valuable to become officers.

The Nunn Report Criticisms Revisited

In the Summer 2009 Checkpoints article “Before There Was a USAFA Prep School Part I,” I cited the1992 Nunn Report from the combined Senate and House Committees on Armed Services titled “Academy Preparatory Schools Need a Clearer Mission and Better Oversight.” Lookingpurely at the cost-effectiveness ofthe prep schools, it offered recommendations including (1) the armed forces consider merging programs into a consolidated Preparatory School, (2) the armed forces consider sending academy candidates instead to private preparatory schools, and (3) Congress determine whether the Army, Navy, and Air Force preparatory schools were cost-effective.

Point (2) is moot—the civilian service academy preparatory schools have all but vanished. Point (3) never considered the secondary gains ofthe prep schools. Many ofthe enlisted men who did not obtain academy appointments later became successful officers and civilians who had sterling professional careers. Point (1) ofthe Nunn Report remains an open question and seems to have great potential. A combined Armed Forces prep school could do much toward sowing the seeds of interservice cooperation. I gained many friends and insights into a sister service through my USMAPS experience, which I might otherwise never have acquired. My year with the Army was the finest educational experience I ever had. S

SELECTED REFERENCES

The Challenge (1959). [USMAPS yearbook]. Newburgh, NY:

The Commercial Press.

The Challenge (I960). [USMAPS yearbook]. Newburgh, NY:

The Commercial Press.

The Cruise {I960). [USNAPS yearbook]. Publisher unknown.

Puckett, Ralph (2009). [USMA 1949]. Personal communication.

Anderson, George (2009). [USAFA 1964]. Personal communication.

Report to the Chairman, Senate and House Committees on Armed Services (1992).

[The Nunn Report]. DOD Service Academies: Academypreparatory schools need a clearer mission and better oversight (Government document NSIAD-92-57).

FredMalmstrom, USMAPS, ’59, is Visiting Scholar at IJSAFA,. He can befound atfred.malmstrom@usafa.edu.

Cadet candidate A/3C and future 4-star General John Lorber, USNAPS, ’60

Congress Honors USAFA’s First Graduating Class

This year, the House of Representatives passed H. Con. Res. 139, sponsored by Congressman Doug Lamborn (CO-05) to recognize the 50th anniversary ofthe first graduating class from the United States Air Force Academy and honoring those cadets.

On July 11, 1955, 306 men entered the new United States Air Force Academy. Four years later, on June 3, 1959, 207 cadets graduated. Two-hundred five received commissions in the U.S. Air Force as second lieutenants; one received a commission by the U.S. Marine Corps as a second lieutenant, and one graduate was medically disqualified from being commissioned.

The class included one football Academic All-American, Brock Strom. The top graduate ofthe class, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Bradley C. Hosmer, went on to study at Oxford University as a Rhodes Scholar. Hosmer was the first of35 USAFA Rhodes Scholars.

“The graduates for the class of 1959 have served this country with distinction and honor. That class included a future astronaut, farmers, CEOs, entrepreneurs, and generals. It is with gratitude and deep respect that I recognize these men and thank them for their service. The Air Force Academy is a national treasure, as well as a landmark in Colorado Springs. The Class of’59 created lasting traditions and set high standards for the 41,000 cadets who have followed in their steps. I look forward to another halfcentury ofextraordinary achievements from our cadets.”

Doug

Lamborn

(CO-05)

Female general nominated for 3rd star Maj. Gen. Janet C. Wolfenbarger has been nominated for appointment to the rank oflieutenant general and assignment as vice commander ofAir Force Materiel Command at WrightPatterson Air Force Base, Ohio. She is the Director of Intelligence and Requirements at Materiel Command.

Wolfenbarger entered the Air Force Academy with the first class of women in 1976 and was commissioned a second lieutenant in 1980. Her awards and decorations include: Legion ofMerit with oak leaf cluster, Meritorious Service Medal with three oak leafclusters, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal and Air Force Organizational Excellence Award with silver oak leafcluster.

If confirmed by the Senate, Wolfenbarger will become the Air Force’s most senior female officer.

General Petraeus Talks to Cadets

General David Petraeus made a stop at the U.S. Air Force Academy Thursday, Nov 5, 2009. His visit was part of an annual event designed to enhance cadet professional development, called the Truman Lecture Series. “Lives truly will depend on your ability to lead, and to lead well,” Petraeus said to the packed room ofcadets. “Take the absolute maximum advantage ofthe opportunity you have here at the Air Force Academy to hone and develop your leadership skills.”

In situations such as those in Iraq and Afghanistan, Petraeus said, “These are the types of environments in which each ofyou will be leading. Your missions in them will be challenging, complex and often frustrating. And it’s worth being prepared for how you will lead when you get there.” He went on to say that leaders must have the ability to think ahead and to think strategically, “Understanding the second, third and even fourth order effects of their actions.” (News Channel 13, KDRO)

Air ForceAcademy partners with Cool Clean to tackle biofuels

The Environmental Research Center in Colorado recently partnered with the Air Force Research Laboratory at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, and an Eagan, Minn., company to help the Air Force Academy develop methods to cultivate and harvest algae oil as part of the Academy’s Net Zero 2015 energy program.

The ERC partnered with the AFRL and signed a cooperative research and development agreement with Cool Clean Technologies Inc. in order to develop processes for producing biofuels based on algae oil, said ERC director Dr. Don Veverka.

“This represents an excellent opportunity for our young leaders to witness first-hand how a service academy can partner with private industry and academia,” Dr. Veverka said. “They’ll be working on an exciting research outcome that greatly impacts their futures and the future of the Air Force.” {BioDieselMagazine)

Cadet Earns Rhodes Scholarship

Cadet 1st Class Brittany Morreale was awarded one of 32 Rhodes Scholarships for 2010. Morreale, from Palos Verdes Estates, near Los Angeles, Calif., is a senior at USAFA majoring in physics. A member of the Academy’s Scholar’s Program, she is an accomplished linguist who will receive a minor in Japanese. After graduation next May, she will enroll at Oxford University in England for two years, earning a Master of Science degree in physics. She will then attend undergraduate pilot training here in the United States and become an Air Force pilot. (Colorado Connection).

Academy Grad Assumes Command ofAMC

Gen. Raymond E. Johns Jr., ’77, assumed command ofAir Mobility Command from Gen. Arthur J. Lichte on Nov. 20, 2009. AMC is responsible for providing rapid, global mobility for America’s armed forces. As the commander, General Johns acts as the lead agent for all mobility air forces comprised of more than 130,000 personnel from the active duty, Air National Guard, and Air Force Reserve. The command also plays a crucial role in providing humanitarian support at home and around the world. (Tech. Sgt. Scott T. Sturkol. Air Mobility Command Public Affairs) S

oach Eddie Weichers has the best job in the world. At least, that’s what hewill tell you. Weichers stands stoically in the cadet boxing arena deep within USAFAs athletic facility, watchinghis young pugilists warm up before practjcexAlong the walls, cadets in sweatW0ftmp rope, work out on heavy bags or sit upon the bleachers diligentlytaping their hands for the days workout. Abovethe gym, staring down from the rafters, banners from 18 National Championship Team Titles wave gendy in the breeze from the fans.

Boxing at USAFA has enjoyed a long tradition ofexcellence and Coach Weichers is proud to consider himself a part of it. He took a moment to sit down with Checkpoints magazine to provide insight into the career and character building attributes which have been carefblly designed into the Academy boxing program.

Cadets, Weichers explains, as part oftheir freshman responsibilities, are re

quired to take a combative and an aquatics curriculum. The first combative course they take is eight lessons ofboxing. It’s a graded process, objective. The whole point of it is not necessarily the skills acquired, but to put them into a situation where they experience stress, anxiety, pressure, fear, and they learn how to make good decisions in combat, which translates into being a leader, an officer, a pilot, and going to war.”

In the gym, two upper classmen begin a vigorous sparring match, trading blood and gloves in a blur ofpunches. Weichers glances up from time to time during our interview, taking mental notes on the match. When the cadets finish, he begins to articulate the objectives of USAFAs combat programs. “What we want to do is put them into a situation where they experience real or perceived danger, because that has been shown to be the only arena where true courage can be displayed. It can’t be displayed in an artificial arena;

you cant do a flight simulator for boxing. We have a very controlled environment. We control weight matching, there is protective gear and supervision.”

Male cadets enter boxing as a requirement at USAFA, while female cadets enter a self-defense program. “With the women,” Weichers continues, “in lieu of boxing, we have a curriculum set up called Sdf Defense. It covers defensive techniques like strikes, kicks, blows, the use of the voice, awareness of surroundings, and rape prevention. It s useful for a young lady—age 17 or 18—-coming to a college to know how to defend herself, not only in society, but in battle. The administration has deemed that self defense is a priority for female cadets. It still teaches them to handle stress, anxiety and fear in combat.”

As cadets progress through the ranks at the Academy, their combat training becomes more complex. “Both women and men,” Weichers describes, “will take Unarmed Combat 1 and Unarmed Combat 2, which is the next progression. It’s similar to the transition from Basic Swimming to Water Survival—with increasing challenges at each progressive level—all

mission-oriented to get the cadets ready to fly, fight and win, to prepare for their calling: which is to serve their country and go to combat. I ask them in the first class, 'Why boxing?’I say that they are held to a higher calling since they will be defending and laying down their lives for their country, so they must learn to be prepared in combat. That’s why they’re special; they’re the cream ofthe crop. They are coming here to prepare to do that special service.”

The higher calling Weichers is talking about is almost tangible in the boxing gym as cadets pummel the workout bags, float gracefully over their spinning jump ropes and go toe to toe with one another in sparring matches. C1C Cory Tintzman, TO, explains how the boxing program has changed his life here at the Academy. “Boxing has been the greatest experience I’ve ever had. Hands down, without a doubt, these are the best coaches at the Academy. Any time I need

something, they are always there for me. They create a lot ofpride in the program. Boxing has taught me a lot about myself—how hard I need to push myself to be successful. It’s been a great experience; I can’t complain. Other than getting hit in the lace Lery day.”

So what makes a good boxer? Is it a specific height? Or weight? Center ofgravity? Arm-span or reach? According to Weichers, a champion will have all ofthese things or none ofthem.

“You’re looking for somebody who has courage,” he says definitively, “determination, perseverance, and the athletic ability. Some people have an affinity for one-onone contact sports and these people stand out. Then you get into the intangibles: the guy who has the big heart like Rocky Balboa, the guy who is an overachiever who wants it so much he will do whatever it takes to prepare himselffor it. Wh

coach finds people like that, he cherishes them because there’s not a lot of them out there. When you get those people on your team, they rise to the top.”

Rising to the top has become something of a standard for Academy boxing, especially at this year’s Wing Open contest between Air Force and West Point. The Falcons served up a decisive victory, pounding Army as they won 9 out of 13 matches for the win (a contest which proportionally reflects Air Force’s 35-7 pummeling ofArmy on the football field the following day).

At USAFA, every cadet, no matter his rank or class year, has the chance to shine in the boxing ring. Weichers has a keen eye for competitors. If a doolie is up to representing his school in the Wing Open, that opportunity is available to him. C1C Nathan Liptak, ’09, explains why heart carries more weight than rank in the ring. “The quality of the equipment, the structure, the individual attention we get from the coaches is unmatched. That’s why we can have freshmen who were inprocessed in June—who have never had a competitive bout—fighting Army in the Wing Open, just four months after they arrive at the Academy—because of the focus the coaches have.”

Every cadet who puts on a set of gloves will agree that the coaching staff at USAFA is unmatched. Captain Blake Baldi, ’05, won a National Championship under the Falcon’s blue and white. Now, years later, he has returned to the Academy to coach boxing and teach the next generation ofcontenders. “As a freshman,” Baldi says, “I had never boxed before. I came here to wrestle and took the boxing class. I loved it and stopped wrestling so I could box. I am still active duty and get to come here and teach PE classes and coach boxing. I definitely feel very fortunate to be able to come back here and do this as my fulltime job.”

Between instructing in the athletic arena and providing leadership counseling for the cadets, USAFA’s boxing coaches have their work cut out for them. For many cadets, the program has become a way oflife, a place where they can unleash their inner warrior in preparation for serving the nation.

C1C Liptak reflects, “I’ve never found another organization like it; I’m so proud to be a part ofit. This program definitely integrates the core values. Coach wants to know how we’re doing, good or bad. It’s USAFA first, boxing second. Ifthere’s ever any homework or project or military duty up on the hill, Coach W has never once denied me the time to take care ofit. He thinks it’s the first priority. Sometimes, the last thing we want to do is take care ofthose responsibilities, but he makes sure we get it done. He understands the importance ofit.”

Teaching responsibility comes with any coaching job in any sport. Yet there is something about boxing which demands something more from its contenders.

Courage is not something that your average runner, swimmer or tennis player has to muster in order to enter the arena. With boxing, every match is a testament to your survival skills.

As Weichers explains, tenacity goes a long way. From the classroom, to the ring, to the cockpit, cadets who show determination are the ones who make the biggest impact. “After 33 years,” Weichers says, “Eve seen them all—short guys, gangly guys—you don’t know what you have until they go through the class. Once they get their whistle wet, they get hooked and you can’t get rid of them. They pursue it relentlessly. There are guys who don’t have the athleticism who are just tenacious warriors; they don’t have fear. Even if he’s not as talented as the blue chipper, he’s the guy you want on your team because he is a team player who will help everyone improve. That’s the guy you want in a cockpit—with bullets flying and his hair on fire—he’s going to keep coming until the mission is accomplished.”

From Left: Assistant coach Captain Blake Baldi, ’05, mentors ring-side with head coach Eddie Weichers.

Photo ByJ. Rachel Spenser

at the United States Air Force Academy.

While you support us and whatAmerica’s greatest service Academy has to offer, we give you the tools and means to get your company or organization’s name out to the public in the best way possible. A corporate sponsorship is very versatile and gives you many ways and forms to get your company the attention it needs

Attend any ofUSAFA’s home football games and you’re likely to see the Falcon’s high-flying offense picking apart their opponent’s secondary. Then look a bit closer and you’ll see another Academy team down on the field, their blue and white uniforms flashing as they catapult back-flipping cadets more than 20 feet into the air. They build human pyramids, demonstrate impossible feats offlexibility, and charge fans with an energy so intense that crowds shake the stadium with their cheers. In fact, some would argue that the USAFA cheerleading squads are the hardest working teams on the field.

Checkpoints magazine caught up with the members of the Air Force CheedSiieijillgligBii^aliii^^BgB^BliiiMil^KBili troversiaI'spiQl^^«ililii^Mhii^^^^BHiiMBM varsity sporr at USAFA, it is not recognized by the NCAA. Naysayers who would argue that cheerleading is not a real sport need only see the Falcons in action. From freestanding back flips to vaulting split kicks, the athleticism required to gain a spot on the team is •:ii^edliiwMjj^Mihastics.

The cheerleading squads are broken up into three teams: the Varsity and Junior Varsity Cheerleaders, who perform at football and basketball games; the Pom Squad, which specializes in a mixture ofcheer and dance; and the Air Force Academy mascot, affectionately known as The Bird, who does everything from spirit rallies to skydiving into Falcon Stadium.

As we met members ofthe team and learned more about the sport, it quickly became apparent that cheerleading transcends

mere athleticism by changing a cadet’s mental outlook, helping him or her to fortify a stronger mindset. For many, this has proven an invaluable asset in daily life.

Tamiko Toyama, TO, explains, “Cheerleading has helped me in my professional development at USAFA by teaching me to always be positive, even in the most negative situation. Ifsomething bad happens in your squadron, you still have to remain upbeat, espedally when you’re leading others by example.”

Leading by example is only a small piece ofthe greater whole, and one which leads to the most important character trait in a cheerleader’s repertoire: commitment. “Cheerleading has a very big commitment,” explains team captain Megan Moulton, TO. “We have the longest season ofany sport here at the Academy. It runs from the beginning ofAugust until about mid April. We have practice every day from one to two hours depending on our academic work load—so it keeps us pretty busy—especially as we attempt to balance the educational and military components of USAFA.”

Athletic balancing acts are no stranger to these hard-working cadets. Whether they are building human pyramids or struggling to keep academic, military and varsity responsibilities in check, the members ofthe USAFA cheer squads can always rely on one another for help. “For me,” Joshua Huckabee, T2, describes, “the best part about cheerleading is definitely the teamwork. It’s great that you can count on anyone in the room. Each and every one of these guys are my best friends. We do everything together.” O

Toyama agrees. “My favorite thing about cheerleading is that it’s a completely different team dynamic thanother sports. We all depend on each other because there is no second string. We need our partners to do the lifts, the stunts and the pyramids that we do. It’s really great having such a strong alliance; it builds a team dynamic that is unlike any other sport.”

That team dynamic comes with a hefty price. A working cheer squad has to keep in peak condition throughout the year, as there is virtually no off-season. Huckabee explains, “After class, we eat lunch and go right down to practice for weight lifting. After practice, we head for our rooms and it’s homework time. We have a lot oflate nights, but it’s definitely worth it.”

Despite the long nights, endless weight room sessions and hours ofmeticulous practice, everyone on the team would agree that the greatest benefit the sport offers is the kinship which evolves between the squads. Friendship is one of the few things that is not taught at the Air Force Academy. Instead, it is earned among the cadets as they unite against the challenges presented by the institution.

“The best thing about cheerleading,” Moulton says, “is that we’re down here with all of our friends. We get to spend the entire afternoon with them. We have a lot of stress up at the Academy with school and academics so it’s great to be able to come down to practice, hang out with friends and get a good workout.”

With friendship comes unity. “I was drawn to this sport,” explains Toyama, “because the cheerleaders I saw growing up always looked so happy. Even when the team is down 30 to nil, we’re still out there, we’re still having fun and we’re still proud to be cheering for our Falcons.”

Fortunately for USAFA, the only poundings getting dished out on the football field this year are the ones being dealt to Army. With 35 to 7 victory over West Point, the Falcon cheerleading squads have plenty to be happy about. “The energy at football games is absolutely amazing!” exclaims Huckabee. “What we do directly affects football. Our energy feeds the fans. So ifwe’re excited, the fans are excited. When the fans are excited, the players are excited. It’s real a privilege playing such an important role “It’s really cool when the Falcons score a touchdown right next to us on the field,” Moulton says with have the best seats in the house.” */

We definitely

The B-52 patiently stands guard over the Air Force Academy’s North Gate as the last of Colorado's fall rains give way to w/nter m a spectacular finale. Photograph by Mike Kaplan.

Di Zhen By Samuel Grier, ’73

Samuel Grier releases his debut political thriller, Di Zhen. (**Di Zhen is Mandarin Chinese for earthquake.)

Central Intelligence Agency senior analyst Rick Starr is responsible for the CIA’s China portfolio. Dr. Marly Cooper is a seismologist and world renowned expert on the San Andreas Fault.

As China prepares for what appears to be an invasion ofTaiwan and earthquake activity around the San Andreas Fault heightens, the vastly different worlds of Rick Starr and Marly Cooper collide, propelling them into a high octane race against time to defeat forces designed to alter the course of history andthe destiny of nations.

Their startling discovery of a relationship between events in the Formosa Strait andthe growing frequency and intensity of earthquakes in California reveals a shocking plot that blurs the line between fiction and reality.

Fiction at its best, Di Zhen sets a new standard for paranoia that will appeal to even the most avid conspiracy theorists.

Available at: www.nitwonline.com and all three Tattered Cover Bookstores in Denver. ISBN Number: 978-0-9822999-8-2

Schoolhouses,Courthouses, and Statehouses: Solving the FundingAchievement Puzzle in America’s Public Schools

By Eric A. Hanushek, USAFA ’65, and Alfred A. Lindseth, USMA ’66

Spurred by court rulings requiring states to increase public school funding, the United States now spends more per student on K-12 education than almost any other country. Yet American students still achieve less than their foreign counterparts, their performance has been flat for decades, millions of them are failing, and poor and minority students remain far behind their more advantaged peers. In this book, Eric Hanushek and Alfred Lindseth trace the history of reform efforts and conclude that the principal focus of both courts and legislatures on ever-increasing funding has done little to improve student achievement. Instead, Hanushek and Lindseth propose a new approach: a performance-based system that directly links funding to success in raising student achievement. This system would empower and motivate educators to make better, more cost-effective decisions about how to run their schools, ultimately leading to improved student performance. Hanushek and Lindseth have been important participants in theschool funding debate for three decades. Here, they draw on their experience, as well as the best available research and data, to show why improving schools will require overhauling the way financing, incentives, and accountability work in public education.

Available at: www.amazon.com,www.barnesandnoble.com

ISBN13: 978-0-691-13000-2

Never Fly Solo: Lead with Courage, Build Trusting Partnerships, and Reach New Heights in Business

By Lt. coi. Rob “Waldo” waidman, usafa ’90

You can’t climb to your highest potential alone.

Whether you are a senior executive, a mid-level manager, or entrepreneur, your success depends on the mutual support oftrusted partners to help you maximize your potential. Fighter pilots call these partners wingmen.

In Never Fly Solo, former combat-decorated fighter pilot Rob “Waldo” Waidman shares business critical concepts for success in business and life. You’ll learn to:

Recommit to the core wingman values of integrity, service, and excellence. Transform relationships among colleagues into interdependent partners for success.

Take courageous action and ask for help during times of adversity and change.

iii

Communicate effectively under high pressure conditions at work.

“This book bridges the gap between thefastpaced worlds ofbusiness and high stakes aerial combat. Authentic and inspirational, it's a winningformulaforsuccessful leadership everyone in business should read.

—Howard Putnam, Former CEO Southwest Airlines.

100% ofWaldo’s advance purchase profits will be donated to Veterans!

Available Dec. 1, 2009: Visit www.NeverFlySolo.com to advance order today.

Ifyour company would like to sponsor Waldo on his Never Fly Solo book tour, please call 1-866-925-3616 or e-mail info@yourwingman.com.

Refiner’s Fire: A Fighter Pilot’s Journey

By Douglas H. Jenkins, Jr., USAFA ’64

Fly some of the world’s most exciting aircraft with fighter pilot Doug Jenkins as he takes you on an unforgettable journey through the skies over Vietnam, Japan, Korea and Iceland. See what his experiences taught him about life; what’s important and who is really in control. Doug shares insights from a lifetime of service to his country, family and church. What’s important and what’s not? See for yourself in this exciting, poignant and insightful story. The Standard Edition contains black & white photos at the end of each chapter. The Premium Edition contains color photos at the end of each chapter.

Standard Edition available at: www.createspace.com/3384429 or

www.amazon.com, ISBN 978-1442180918

Premium Edition available at: www.createspace.com/3380449 or www.amazon.com, ISBN 978-1442145276

Hubert R. Harmon

Colonel Phillip S. Meilinger, USAF (Ret.), ’70

Hubert R. Harmon was the Father of the Air Force Academy and its first superintendent. He graduated from West Point in 1915, and throughout his long career served as a staff officer, attache, unit commander, and during World War II as combat commander of the Sixth and then Thirteenth Air Forces. Handed the task of planning and establishing an Air Force Academy in late 1949, Harmon worked relentlessly to see his project through to completion, but it was not until 1954 that the Academy was established. Harmon was personally responsible for the Academy’s unique curriculum, hiring the staff and faculty, and selecting the first class of cadets. He was also instrumental in formulating the Cadet Honor Code and putting in place the initial military and airmanship training courses as well as the athletic program. Although claimed by cancer in 1956 before the initial class graduated, Hubert Harmon put the Academy on a sound educational, military and ethical footing. He was the perfect man for the job.

Available in both hard ($35) andsoft ($20) cover from Fulcrum Publishing at www.fulcrumbooks.com or 303-277-1923 or 800-992-2908.

The RAF Eagle Squadrons

Brig. General Philip D. Caine, USAF (Ret.)

In the summer and fall of 1940, all that seemed to stand between England and Hitler’s planned invasion was RAF Fighter Command. These young men thwarted the German onslaught but the effortleft the RAF dangerously short of pilots, despite the efforts of members of the Commonwealth to fill the void. So despite the prohibition of the neutrality laws, a small group of American volunteer pilots sailed to England during the next year to become the American Eagle Squadrons, three units of RAF Fighter Command, who played a critical role in the defense offreedom and, when they transferred to the U. S. Army Air Forces in 1942, became the famed Fourth Fighter Group of the Eighth Air Force. This unit would destroy more German aircraft than any other during World War II. In this highly readable volume, General Caine tells the story of these three units and includes a biographical sketch that brings to life each of their 245 American members.

Available in hard cover for $35.00 from Fulcrum Publishing at www. fulcrumbooks.com; or 303-277-1923 or 800-992-2908; and personalized copies from the author at phildcl@aol.com or 719-481-2510.

Power Of Influence

Fisher DeBerry

Today, Coach DeBerry shares the secret to his success - his coaching philosophy hinged upon the life-changing lessons and character values he worked to instill in his players.

In his humor and practical wisdom, Fisher DeBerry will prompt you to reflect on your power as a role model and the legacy you will leave behind.

You don’t need to be a superstar, a celebrity, or a household name to make a lasting mark on the next generation. You’ll be inspired and challenged by numerous recollections from Air Force players and coaches who share that it was ordinary people—moms and dads, siblings and grandparents, teachers and coaches—who made an extraordinary difference to them.

The Power ofInfluence is full of top-flight testimony from more than 30 players and coaches from the remarkable Fisher DeBerry era ofAir Force football.

Available at: www.powerofinfluence.org

Lightning Up: The Career of Air Vice-Marshal Alan White Alan white

Alan White had an exciting and successful RAF career and his love of flying shines through this account ofhis experiences over the years 1953 to 1987, roughly the period of the Cold War. He pulls no punches and records faithfully his failures as well as his achievements.

Starting on Hunters as an embryonic fighter pilot, embarrassingly rated by his Operational Conversion Unit as Below Average in air-gunnery, he went on to develop a flair for solo acrobatic display flying—and an ability to shoot properly. His fourth, consecutive spell on Hunters took him to Singapore and to minor flair-ups in Thailand and Brunei. Two years after returning to the UK, he went to Aden at a time ofgrowing terrorist activity to work on the staff of the C-in-C, Admiral Sir Michael Le Fanu. Back again in the UK, he did two tours on the supersonic Lightning, the second one as squadron commander. Promoted Group Captain, he commanded the strategic air defence base at Leuchars in Scotland. Later, as an Air Commodore, he served in the Ministry of Defence, HQs 11 Group and, during the Falkland conflict, at HQs Strike Command. On promotion to Air Vice-Marshal, he was appointed Deputy Commander, RAF Germany, where he determinedly flew every aircraft type in the command. His final appointment was in the prestigious post of commandant of the RAF Staff College. His account is full ofinteresting flying detail and of the internal workings of the RAF during those Cold War years.

Available at: www.pen-and-sword.co.uk

ISBN 9781848840218

THE FAMOUS A STEAKHOUSE

IT IS THE QUINTESSENTIAL KNOWLEDGE HUNGRY TRAVELERS ACROSS THE UNITED STATES HAVE BEEN SEEKING FOR DECADES—UTTERED IN EVERYWAY STATION, TRUCK STOP, TAVERN, ALEHOUSE AND ROADSIDE VEGETABLE STAND—THE QUESTION IS THE SAME FROM MAI N E TO ALASKA: WHERE DO I GETA GOOD STEAK.?

For Colorado Springs, there is, and always will be, only one response. The Famous, a Steakhouse. Checkpoints magazine inves-

found turned out to be not only the best beefin town, but an entire entourage of dishes which inspire the palate and excite the senses.

The Famous is best characterized as a high-end steakhouse with a menu founded on the principal that top quality ingredients are the cornerstone of a great product. Tony Leahy, owner and founder, takes a moment to enlighten us on what keeps customers coming back. “Were always experimenting with local products,” he explains. “For instance, we’ve just started bringing in a Rocky Mountain natural beef. It’s a no-hormone noantibiotic product. The steers are raised here in Colorado. We always bring in local produce from Colorado—whatever we can get our hands on—so long as it meets our quality standards.” D>

Armed with a degree in architecture and over 38 years in the restaurant industry, Tony created The Famous from the ground up. He designed not only the look and feel of the venue, but the social style as well. “The secret to a great restaurant,” Tony describes, “is the culmination of a thousand different things that the average person can’t necessarily put his finger on.” Tony explains that a good restaurant goes beyond the intangibles (such as great service on the floor and outstanding talent in the kitchen) and rests within the finite details which come together to build the venue’s ambiance. Elements such as design, lighting and music all culminate into making a restaurant into a benchmark of finedining experience.

“Tuesday through Saturday, we have live entertainment,” Tony says, glancing towards the grand piano which adorns the foyer dining area. “Tuesday through Thursday, we cater to the business crowd, so the piano is a little more low-key and we play a lot of jazz. Then on the weekends you can hear anything from opera to rock and roll.” A song from Elton John emanates from the pianist’s fingers and cascades across the room as Tony introduces us to his head chef, Brian Sack.

When we ask Brian what makes The Famous such a popular draw for both locals and out-of-towners, he answers without hesitation: “Fresh, consistent, quality products beef from Iowa and Nebraska and good talent in the kitchen. My staffhas been with me for the past five years; they don’t move around much because they like it here.”

Brian diagrams the essentials for delivering a good steak just as the kitchen staff arrives with a choice cut ofbeef topped with tender onion rings. “We serve corn fed, or corn-finishe says. “This allows a lot of marbling and great flavor. We grass-fed beef because it’s very sinewy and yellow.”

In order to maintain consistent quality, 7^ Famous plays a very involved role in the product they serve. It begins with the highest quality beefthey can buy, which they age themselves. “It’s a wetaged product, rather than a dry-aged product,” Brian explains. “The American palate is not quite accustomed to a dry-aged product because it has a kind of tang to it.”

As with any restaurant, a lot goes on behind the kitchen doors. Brian takes a moment to dispel some popular myths about cooking a good steak. “Ifyou’re going to do a steak house you have to have a broiler—not a char-broiler or a grill—a double-decked broiler. It provides gas burners from above and a grill on the bottom and it can run at anywhere from 600-1000 degrees Fahrenheit. You want to get that nice char on the outside of the steak. You can’t just have some sissy grill; you need that char because that’s where a lot ofthe flavor comes from.”

The head chefalso takes a moment to discuss the connection between design and function with regard to food. “You have to be careful about getting too extreme with your presentation,” Brian points out. “Ifyou get too artistic, the whole concept gets lost and people don’t even know what they’re eating. We tend to follow one rule: simple and elegant.” He explains the fundamentals of the tuna-tar-tar sitting on the table before us. “This is a number-one

A STEAKHOUSE

grade ahi tuna. We toss it with some vinaigrette, sesame seeds and ginger; then we finish with an aged soy.” The finished product looks like something that would have originated from a Japanese garden: meticulous, beautiful and gracefully distilled to individual elements which connect in harmony to transport the consumer to a cloud ofserenity.

“I fly a lot offish in from Hawaii,” Brian continues. “I’ll call the auction in the morning and find out what they have. We have fun with the fish because we get anything from gorgeous full parrot fish and swordfish to halibut and snapper.” Fish specials enable the kitchen staff to exercise their creative abilities and keep the menu interesting for those who wish to venture away from beef.

However spectacular the seafood dishes may be, it is important to remain focused on the question we began with. For the consummate all American patron of beef, the eternal quest for good steak has finally found a happy ending, m

location to

Doolittle Hall is tl for vour Wed<J

Fabulous views mountains and

Located only 2 miles east ofthe Air Force Academy, Back East Bar & Grill is the AFA’s Northside favorite in Colorado Springs. When you are in the mood for an East Coast atmosphere and homemade NY-style food, this is the place to come. The dough and sauce for our pizzas are made fresh daily with our 30-year-old familyrecipe. Our wings, Philly Cheese Steaks and Beef on Week sandwiches are the best in town. We have true half-pound mouthwateringburgers, fresh salads and a great kids’ menu too. Check out the AFA Basketball Coaches live radio show every Thursday night (in season) or playpoker on Tuesdaynights. We have the Springs’ best bands booked every Friday & Saturdaynight, a full bar and a great drink menu! There’s no need to go downtown anymore! This is the place to bring your family, friends or any kind ofparty you are having. We can accommodate large parties and are a local favorite for AFA parties. Independently owned & operated, we take special care in everything we do. Voted best neighborhood bar & grill by The Independent we have the best wait staffin town. We can’t wait to meet you! 9475 Briar Village Pt., Colorado Springs, CO, 80920 (719) 264-6161 backeastbarandgrill.com «K| The Famous

exit east of 1-25 Downtown. Reservations appreciated. 31 N. Tejon. 719-227-7333. www.famoussteaks.com

Outback

OUTBACK

STEAKHOUSE®

Discover a world ofbold flavors at Outback Steakhouse. Our New Menu is bursting with new choices, such as Savory Pepper Mill Steak, Shrimp en Fuego and Crab-Stuffed Shrimp, as well as our classic favorites. We now offer 15 meals under $15, starting at $9.95. 7065 Commerce Center Drive, Colorado Springs, Colo., 719-590-6283

Jack Quinn's Irish Pub & Restaurant

JACK QUINN’S

Irish Pub & Restaurant

BEST STEAK 2008 - Gazette

BEST FINE DINING 2008 - Independent Serving PRIME Steaks, Fresh Fish and Classic Cocktails in a Chicago-Style atmosphere in downtown Colorado Springs. The best Midwestern corn-fed PRIME Strip Steaks and Honolulu Fresh Fish flown in daily. Sit in large curved ox-blood booths or an intimate horseshoe bar. Icecold martinis, creative mixed drinks and an extensive wine list. Live piano music Tuesday through Saturday. Open MondayFriday at 11:00 for lunch daily and for dinner at 4:00. Two blocks from the Bijou

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

AOG Introduces Oslo, Norway Chapter

eptember 13, 2009, marked the first meeting ofthe Oslo Chapter ofthe Association of Graduates. Enthusiasm was high, and we achieved 100 percent turnout for the event, which included the entire graduate community in Oslo and spouses. Zack Zacour,’76, and his wife, Randi, volunteered to host the event at their home. They said that turnout was enhanced by the participation of AOG Senior Vice President Gary Howe, ’69, and his wife, Margo. The gracious couple even went so far as to say that there would have been no meeting without Gary and Margos participation.

SZack and Randi are the entire graduate community in Oslo and have been there for over 20 years including two tours on active

duty with NATO. The NATO site is now located in Stavanger, Norway, leaving Zack and Randi by themselves. Zack, retired from the Air Force, runs a child development center and Randi works for a Norwegian company. A business trip took Margo to Norway and Gary looked for graduates in the area.

Many thanks to Zack and Randi for a wonderful evening and tour of the Oslo area! If any grads plan to visit Oslo, please contact Zack and Randi because, as Zack says, Oslo is simply not on anyone’s way to anywhere. If there are other small graduate communities who would like to have an alumni event, please contact the AOG for a banner and other support. Si

AVAILABLE NOW!

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

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

Merchandise

Deck out your youngest Air Force Fans in our line of Polo Shirts and dresses. One piece outfits available in a polo-style shirt or a sleeveless dress. Polo shirts or cap sleeved dresses available in toddler and youth sizes.

Pro-Weave Track Jacket made of80% Cotton and 20% Polyester for no-shrink washing. Available in Graphite or Dark Blue

asmonable and comfortable cardiganstyle sweatshirt with a ribbed knit collar, sleeve, waist, and pockets. A blend of 80% Cotton and 20% Polyester. An alternative to the traditional hoodie sweatshirt, available in Antique Pink and Vanilla.

Our necklaces are a beautiful way to express your USAFA spirit. Each necklace comes boxed with an 18-inch chain. Your choice of a Prop & Wings pendant or a royal blue enameled medallion with a raised logo.

by

Brig. Gen. Malham M. Wakin

Brig. Gen. Malham M. Wakin, head of the philosophy department at the U.S. Air Force Academy for over 30 years, is one of the most esteemed military ethicists in the United States. This collection of essays is essential reading for anyone interested in the field of applied and theoretical ethics.

A representation of the Thunderbird Overlook on the Air Force Academy. 2.75" in diameter, featuring the T-38 Thunderbird on a gold sunburst and stars background. The A-10 is also displayed in silver at the lower right.

Lend a touch of luxury to someone's workday. Our Carbon Fiber Pens Set includes a roller ball pen and a ballpoint pen. The elegantstyling enhances a well-balanced pen to provide a smooth writing experience. Available in Black or Silver.

Our 16 oz. travel tumbler is constructed of double walled stainless steel and has a thermos-style safety lid and a non-slip bottom. Available in Cobalt Blue or Silver.

Gone But Not Forgotten

Frederic Owen Hawkins, ’62

Owen was born Sept. 17, 1940 in Bakersfield, Calif., but grew up in Atherton, Calif, where he attended Encinal and Central Grade Schools and Menlo Atherton High School. He died on July25,2009 inAtherton. He was a graduate of the United States Air Force Academy where he was proud to be a part of the 1962 RTB class.

He was on active duty in the Air Force for six years during which time he served as an instructor pilot and flew 100 missions in his F105 over North Vietnam. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, the Air Medal with 11 oak leaf clusters, the Air Force Commendation Medal, the National Defense Service Medal, and the Vietnam service medal, before he retired as a Captain.

After his years in the Air Force he took on the family tradition of being a principal member of the Berry Petroleum Company in Maricopa, Calif. He also owned and operated Radar Sentry Burglar Alarm Company, developed Taxtime, a software program for professional accountants, and he became one of the first ISP (Internet Service Providers) in the area.

Own was an active member of the Menlo Circus Club and The Sharon Heights Golf and Country Club. His passions in life were for computers, all forms of electronic gadgetry, traveling the world (especially Africa), touring the U.S. in his camper, going to Disneyworld, playing golf with his friends, using his ham radio, going to lunch with his friends, feeding the hummingbirds, taking his family to Hawaii, and playing with his grandchildren.

He was always extremely proud to have been a part of the 1962 RTB class and to have been a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

He is survived by his wife of 31 years, Connie Hawkins, and by his children and their spouses: Greg Hawkins, Kimberly and Mike Loades, Chris Hawkins, Colin and Maureen Hawkins, Cory and Jamey Hawkins; and by his grandchildren Nolan, Laney, Laurel, Grace Ann, and Madelyn.

A memorial service was held at Menlo Presbyterian Church in Menlo Park on August 11. In lieu of flowers the family had requested that donations be made to lung cancer research at M.D. Anderson, Houston, Texas (MDAnderson.org). (Connie Hawkins, Owen’s wife)

GaryD. Lentz, ’62

Gary D. Lentz, MD, passed away on June 28, 2009. He died peacefully at home surrounded by his entire family as he had always wished.

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

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

Gary was born in May of 1940 in the Philippines and was a 1962 graduate oftheAir Force Academy. Garywent on to earn his pilotwings and later a medical degree from Ohio State University. He retired as a Colonel in the Air Force and went on to private medical practice in Farmville, Virginia as a general surgeon.

After retirement from the medical practice, Gary spent a lotof his free time with his horse Major and his dogReggie, but most ofhis time was spent on his passion for golf. Gary was preceded in death by his parents, Emmert and Lorain; his wife, Eleanor; his brother Dana and nephew Kevin. He is survived by his sons John S. King, Frank S. King (wife, Rose), Brian R. King (wife, Susan); a daughter Carla Ann Lentz-Jones, a sister Barbra Gresham, and grandchildren Christopher, Alexis and Kaitlin. (John S. King, Gary's stepson)

Michael F. Bradshaw, ’63

Michael Francis “Mike” Bradshaw permanentlypassed into “TheWild Blue Yonder” on June 30, 2009, in Tyler, Texas. He died from cancer. Mike was born on Nov. 9,1941. He was raised in Jackson, Miss, where he graduated from Murrah High School in 1959.

He was a “good old boy” in the finest, most gentlemanly way as a true son of the South. He loved Jack Daniels, Black, sipping whiskey, and was an Ole Miss football fanatic. He always had a keen and lively sense of humor. He was modest and always very thoughtful of others.

At the Academy, Mike was a member ofthe 13th Squadron, which won the award as the “Honor Squadron” in two ofMike’s fouryears. Mike contributed to this in many ways,espedally with his very high grades. As a member of the USAFA Pistol Team, Mike lettered all four years. He was a member of the hunting club, forum, and the gun club. In his First Class year, he served as a flight (fall semester) and squadron (spring semester) academic officer.

Mike always loved music and most particularly New Orleans jazz. He taught many of his classmates to appreciate Pete Fountain, a jazz clarinetist, and A1 Hirt, a jazz trumpet player. Pete and A1 were shining stars in the New Orleans jazz scene for many years and were famous throughout the world. The last time I saw Mike, about 10 years ago, he was flying for American and laid over in St. Louis. We were able to find a Cajun jazz band, complete with Cajun singers and a ridged washboard that was rhythmically scraped with a large metal spoon, and enjoyed their music into the wee hours.

Mike was a distinguished graduate of the Academy, ranking 21 in academics out of 499.

After graduation and commissioning, Mike went to pilot school at

Gary Lentz

Laredo AFB, Texas, where he graduated with honors for achieving the highest academic average. Our 13th Squadron classmates BillWecker and Roger Sims were in Mike’s pilot training class. After training in multi-engined aircraft, Mike did a tour in Vietnam flying C-130Es. He liked to joke that he flew toilet paper in for the troops.

After completing five years and five months of active duty as a pilot, Mike left the Air Force to become a pilot forAmerican Airlines. He flew in the Air Force Reserves out of McGuire AFB, N.J. until 1978, when he entered the inactive reserves as a Major.

In 1975, Mike met Shirlee Mitchell, who lived and worked in Dallas.

In November 1978, Mike and Shirlee were married. Over the years they enjoyed a lot of traveling together. They often would each read the same book, on far-ranging subjects, both fiction and non-fiction, and they would sit up all night discussing what they had read. They spent many hours just joking around together.

In 2001, Mike retired from American Airlines after 30 years of service as a pilot. Since he retired, Mike and Shirlee continued to travel and read together, and Mike spent many hours most days and evenings on his personal computer. Over the years, they lived in different parts of the country, living in Dallas the longest.

Mike is survived by: his wife, Shirlee; his sister, Susan Silver; his brother, Paul Bradshaw; and four nephews.

A Memorial Service celebrating Mike’s life was held on July 6, 2009, at St. James Episcopal Church in Jackson, Miss

Mike was a wonderfulfriend to many and a great class and Squadron mate. We do and will greatly miss his charming, cheerful, and optimistic presence. (13th Squadron classmate, Judge H. Lloyd Kelley III)

RobertF.Fortin, ’67

Robert Fortin, 63, of Rosemont, Pa. died peacefully at home on June 8,2009 after a yearlongstruggle with lung cancer. Bob, the son ofMaria and Francis Fortin, was born in Philadelphia where he graduated from Central High School in 1963 and proceeded directly into the Air Force Academy where he graduated in 1967.

He went on to spend four years on active duty in the Air Force Office of Special Investigations. Bob left the Air Force to enter law school and in 1974 received his J.D. from the Villanova University School of Law. He then embarked on a very rewarding 30-year career as a trial attorney in eastern Pennsylvania.

With litigation and negotiation skills honed over those years along with an unwavering commitment to the highest of ethical standards, he suecessfully argued many hundreds of cases for a long list of grateful clients. After beginning his career in Philadelphia, he became a Partner and Senior Trial Attorney for Stevens & Johnson in Allentown, Pa.

Twelve years later, he joined Monaghan, Ferrante & Fortin, P.C., in Elkins Park, Pa. where he remained until his retirement in 2007. Most recently he was associated with Rubin, Fortunato & Harbison in Paoli, Pa. wherehis part-time schedule left plenty of time for another passion - sailing on Chesapeake Bay.

Bob’s greatest love was his family. His wife of 41 years, Jane, and their three daughters, Anna, Meredith, and Lucy, all of whom survive him, were the center of his universe, and they in turn adored him. Bob took unparalleled delight in being a dad and uncle, and couldn’t imagine a better timethan having a big extended-family gathering with his daughters and as many nieces and nephews as possible on the patio of their home in Rosemont that he and Jane shared for more than 33 years.

We will all miss his great sense of fun, his deep interest in our lives, and his absolute lack of pretention. As so many said of him, new friends and old, neighbors and colleagues, clients and adversaries, he was a tremendously loyal person and the nicest of men. Bob is also survived by his sister Debby Evans and her husband, Jack; and many brothers- and sisters-in-law across the country from

Boston to Houston; as well as his father- and stepmother-in-law in Denver.

Bob will be sorely missed by all who were fortunate enough to know him. We are sure he would appreciate any contributions you might be able to make to fight this dreadful disease that even attacks nonsmokers like Bob. Contributions may be sent to the LUNGevity Foundation, 435 North La Salle St., Chicago, Ill. 60654. (Hisfamily)

GeorgeN. Klimis, ’76

George N. Klimis went on to be with his father andthe Father of all Creation on July 2, 2009. He passed on in the arms of his wife, sons and family in his law office. His last words were, “don’t call, I’m OK.” As a Pastor and lover of the Lord Jesus Christ, George knew that Heaven was home and that the King ofGlory was waiting on His beloved son.

George is survived by wife, Yvy Peck-Klimis, whom he married in December of 1976 in the U.S. Air Force Chapel. Upon his graduation, he receivedhis master’s degree in Management at the University of Arkansas. While in Blytheville, Ark., he also served as the executive officer in the42nd Air Division Generals Staff.

After the leaving the Service, George graduated from St. Mary’s Law School in San Antonio, Texas. Soon after, he graduated from the University of Florida, receiving a master’s degree in Taxation Program in 1986. George’s family has had a significant impact on the city of Tarpon Springs, Fla. where he lived. He was a highly respected attorney for 23 years andthe last 17 years he was a solo practitioner.

He is survived by his three sons, Christopher, Jason and Matthew. He also left behind a granddaughter Olivia-Grace and an expected granddaughter, soon to be named Zoe.

George accomplished more in his life then some people accomplish in 10 lifetimes and the true legacy that he left behind was the faith and hope that he instilled into the hearts of his congregates that he pastored at his church, The Fellowship of Believers in Christ Church. As the lead Pastor, he started the church in 1995 and poured out his love through his music and encouraging words of hope and life more abundant. He lovedhis God, his family, his law practice, playing his guitar, catching Snook and eating cheeseburgers. (Yvy Peck-Klimis, Jason Klimis and Matthew Klimis)

Eldra Dee Carson} ’83

Maj. Eldra Dee “Kit” Carson (USAF, Ret) passed away on the evening ofAug. 30,2009, while returning home from a fishingtrip. While riding one ofhisthree motorcycles, he lost control ofthe cycle and was thrown from it, breaking his neck and resulting in instantaneous death. The accidentoccurred in the Tahoe National Forest approximately 20 miles north of Nevada City, Calif.

Major Carson was born Oct. 17, 1960 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa. He was the third child of Dawsey J. Carson and Nancy May (Ferguson) Carson. He grew up in several different states andmade many friends in each of them. His favorite area during his youth was Elizabethton, Tenn. There he entered Elizabethton High School as a sophomore and excelled academically as an Honor Society student and accomplished the status of top wrestler in the state for his weight entry.

In 1978 he received an appointment to the Air Force Academywhich he en tered upon his high school graduation in 1979. At the Academy he graduated as a member of the

Bob Fortin

George Klimis

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Silver Anniversary class of 1983. He married Kathy Jantz in 1983 and was blessed with a son, Derek Scott Carson, in 1984. Derek served his country in the U.S. Marine Corps. In 1995 Eldra married his second wife, Catherine Pederson Carson, who stayed at his side until his death.

Throughout his Air Force career Major Carson flew KC-135s with pride in serving his country. He retired from the Air Force in 2007 while stationed at Travis AFB.

He was preceded in death by his birth father, Dawsey J. Carson; his maternal grandparents Feo and Ida May (Hendricks) Ferguson; his paternal grandparents, Jenny and Eldra Carson, and his parents-inlaw Frank and Vincenza Tranchina.

Major Carson is survived by his widow, Catherine Carson; son Derek Carson; mother and stepfather Nancy and Tom Gruse; sister and husband Nonie and Jimmy Franklin; sister and husband Becky and Jon Packard; brother Wes Wilson; step-brothers Karl, Greg and Stephen Gruse; step-daughter and husband Melissa and Mike Feroglia; stepson Taylor Pederson; brother and sister-in-law Frank and Carol Tranchina; sister-in-law Fauretto Thunell; niece Rachael Packard; and grandchildren Ceilia, Anthonio and Annabella Feroglia.

Major Carson was loved by all who knew him and will be missed by his family and many friends. (Hisfamily)

BlaineS. Holman, ’87

We lost a great friend and dedicated patriot on July 23, 2009 when Ft. Col. (Ret) Blaine Holman passed away after a hard-fought battle with cancer. After graduating Culver City High School in California, Blaine entered USAFA in 1983, becoming a proud member of CS-12. After graduating in 1987, he entered Undergraduate Navigator Training at Mather AFB, the precursor to his first operational assignment as a KC-135 navigator.

As a member of the349th Air Refueling Squadron at Beale AFB, Blaine was a part ofthe iconic Strategic Air Command and part ofthe unit that air refueled the SR-71 Blackbird and F-117 stealth fighter. During this assignment, Blaine earned the Kuwait Fiberation Medal and Air Medal for his actions during the 1991 Gulf War.

As the Cold War ended, SAC began to draw its forces to lower levels; talented aviators like Blaine were needed elsewhere. It was at this time that Blaine was chosen for a highly-selective assignment to Air Force Special Operations Command as an MC-130E Combat Talon Navigator in the 8th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Florida.

During his six years in this assignment, he quickly achieved an instructor rating and played a pivotal role in providing special operations air power and combat search and rescue capability to Allied Forces in the United Nations’ imposed No-Fly Zones in both BosniaHerzegovina and Iraq, as well as other locationsaround the globe. Blaine was next selected for duty at on the JUSMAGTHAI staff in Bangkok, Thailand. Blaine found this to be an especially rewarding

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

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

assignment and was proud of the fact that he became fluent in Thai. Incredibly, Blaine was the Ironman triathlon champion of Thailand during two of the years he lived there.

His success at JUSMAGTHAI led to his next assignment at Special Operations Command South at Naval Station Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico (when SOCSOUTH later moved to Miami, Florida, Blaine moved with the rest of the staff) where he contributed to US military strategy and policy toward Fatin and South America. His command of the Spanish language was notable during his many interactions with foreign government and military officials.

From SOCSOUTH, he returned to the cockpit as an MC-130P Combat Shadow Navigator at the 352d Special Operations Group at Kadena Air Base, Japan. Here, he deployed and flew in support of US-Korean objectives in Exercise Foal Eagle 2006. Blaine’s staff expertise was soon needed in Operation Enduring Freedom-Philippines, the US Pacific Command’s frontline in the Global War on Terror. Here, his special operations experience, staff experience and polical savvy combined to make Blaine extraordinarily qualified to contribute to the anti-insurgency air campaign.

Blaine had a colorful and distinguished military career but to those who knew him best, he will be most fondly remembered for his irrepressible sense of humor and his love of physical fitness. In his offduty time, Blaine often enjoyed a long bike ride or run with fellow fitness fanatics. Blaine was taken too early, but he made an impact on all the lives he touched during his nearly 44 years. He will be sorely missed by all those whoknew him. (Col Matt Smith USAFA ’87)

Rodolfo L Rodriguez, ’98

United States Air Force Major Rod Rodriguez (34) was killed on Sept. 20, 2008 in the terrorist bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan.

Rod was born in El Paso, Texas and attended Ysleta High School. Despite his humble roots, he went on to graduate from the US Air Force Academy in 1998 and married his best friend, Caryn, in June of 2000. At each ofhis duty assignments in Oklahoma, California, South Korea and Germany, Rod touched lives, making friends and serving in a variety of leadership capacities where he earned respect with his quiet commitment and dedication to the mission.

Rod was a quiet and humble husband and friend. He was the kind Rod Rodriguez of friend everyone liked to spend time with; he made people feel at ease and rarely made an enemy. He would give to a friend anything he had: his money, his time, his possessions, or just his ear, if you asked. Really the only thing that he wouldn’t give you was his opinion; like all quiet and humble people, he mostly kept that to himself.

Rod was also a quiet and humble officer. He led by example, always walking softly even though he carried a big stick. He often stayed late at the office, working diligently on award packages and Enlisted Performance Reports, making sure that each of his airmen got the credit they deserved for jobs well done. However, as his commanders noticed his hard work and diligence, Rod would quietly take his awards of recognition and put them in the basement.

He adhered strictly to his personal honor code. In his quiet way, he was so excited about his assignment to Pakistan, although he never mentioned or acknowledged the direct contribution he was making to fighting the global war on terror. Even though it was a Saturday night when he was killed, at the moment of his passing he was on the phone with on of his sergeants, still working to complete the mission that he believed in.

Rod had spent the last four years at Ramstein AB. Gera i where he was currently serving as commander for the Continue

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Blaine Holman

Flight, 86th Construction and Training Squadron. At the time of his death, he was deployed in support of Special Operations Command Central (SOCCENT), and was the lead engineer for SOCCENT’s current engagement in Pakistan. Rod voluntarily deployed forward in spite of the unstable security situation in Pakistan and growing threat to U.S personnel.

Throughout his prematurely short career, Rod served in a myriad of engineering jobs and was deployed three times in support of operations ENDURING and IRAQI FREEDOM. His decorations include the Bronze Star, the Purple Heart, the Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Force Combat Action Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the National Defense Service Medal, the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, the Korean Defense Service Medal, and the Iraqi Campaign and Global War On Terrorism Service Medals.

This gentle and kind spirit is survived by his wife, Caryn; his mother, Minerva; and brothers Edgar and Fernie.

Henry David Thoreau was quoted as saying, “The hero is commonly the simplest andobscurest ofmen.” This statement couldn’t ring more true as Rod joins his comrades on the Memorial Wall for his courage, dedication and sacrifice. He will forever be remembered as one ofthe “quiet professionals.” (Caryn Rodriguez, proud wife/widow ofMajor Rod Rodriguez)

MarkR. McDowell, ’05

Capt. Mark “Pitbull” McDowell was killed when his F- 15E went down in Afghanistan on July 18, 2009.

Mark was born in Charlotte, N.C. and grew up in Mooresville, N.C. He graduated from South Iredell High School in 2001. Upon graduating, Mark chose to accept his appointment to the Air Force Academy where he majored in physics and minored in philosophy. He was selected to attend UPT at Sheppard AFB and graduated in April of 2007. After pilot training, he completed Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals (IFF) and went on to B-course for the F-15E at Seymour Johnson AFB. Mark was assigned to the 336th Fighter Squadron after graduating from the B-course in May 2008. At the time of his death, Mark was halfway through his first deployment with the Rockets.

Throughout his short life, Mark won countless awards for academics, athletics, and flying - but the things that really mattered to him were the relationships that he built and lives he touched. Mark loved God, his family, his friends, and his country. He was quick to lend a helping hand and always did so with a smile on his face.

I won’t ever forget meeting Mark my freshman year at the academy. He quickly became friends with a lot of people with his bright smile and engaging personality. As our relationship grew over the years, I had the privilege of seeing a handful of the lives that he touched. Whether it was helping others study, volunteering, or giving one of the patches on his flight suit to a man he just met - he made a difference. When we married in 2007, I married a great man and my best friend.

Mark’s enthusiasm for life and flying were contagious. Although he was serious about his job, he never lost his excitement about flying a fighter. Almost every sortie that he flew, he did a barrel roll “because he could.” For the time he was deployed, each time we talked he reminded me how lucky he was to be flying every day.

Mark was survived by his Mom, Barbara Thomas, and her husband, Bill; his Dad, Stan McDowell, andhis wife, Karen; his brothers Joey and BT; andcountless others who would call him a friend. Although a lot of people here are hurting, every time I look up and see the sun shining, I’m reminded of Mark’s huge smile and know that he’s up there waiting to welcome the rest of us home.

(Katie Bultemeier McDowell, ’06, wife ofMark)

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

Mr. Joseph R. Johnson, Class of 1963, who died on Oct. 24, 2009 in Palm Desert, Calif.

Mr. Ronald E. Hulting, Class of 1964, who died on Aug. 19, 2009 in California.

Maj. (Ret) Steven S. Carter, Class of 1965, who died on June 30, 2009 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Mr. Timothy T. Wheeler, Class of 1965, who died on Oct. 1, 2009 in Seattle, Wash.

Mr. Christopher J. Nicholas, Class of 1973, who died on Sept. 22, 2009 in California.

Mr. Walter A. Kinard, Class of 1974, who died on Sept. 12, 2009 inin Pittsburgh, Pa.

Maj. (Ret) Donald F. Pickett, Jr., Class of 1976, who died on Sept. 7, 2009 in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Lt. Col. (Ret) Steven Slate, Class of 1977, who died on Sept. 19, 2009 in Monument, Colo.

Mr. Paul A Morell (Morelli), Class of 1978, who died on Oct. 4, 2009 in Hingham, Mass.

Lt. Col. (ANG) Gergory L. Brooks, Class of 1986, who died on Sept. 1, 2009.

Mr. James R. Sanchez, Class of 1990, who died on Nov. 10, 2009 in North Richland, Texas.

Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of these graduates.

Procedures for Submitting Obituaries on Air Force Academy Graduates

TheAOG has received numerous queries concerning the procedure for submitting obituaries on Air Force Academygraduates. The chronology of events is outlined below.

Most often, theAOG is informed ofthe passing ofa graduateshortly afterhis or her death, usually by a next of kin or a classmate. The AOG contact for reporting a graduate’s death is Michele Cowanwho maybe reached at Michele.Cowan@aogusafa .org or (719) 472-0300 extension 151.

Michele immediatelyupdates the deceased’s record to ensure no future mailings are sent to the deceased, then notifies the AOG staff, the Superintendent’s office, AcademyMortuaryAffairs, the deceased graduate’s class andthe Falcon Foundation (in the event the deceased graduate was a Falcon Foundation Scholar). At this point the AOG President/CEO andthe Academy Superintendent send a letter of condolence to the next ofkin, thedeath notice is posted to theAOGWeb site and the graduate’s folder is sent to the Checkpoints obituary editor, Tom Kroboth (Tom.Kroboth@aogusafa.org and 719-472-0300 extension 133).

A fewweeks after theletters have been sent by the AOG President/CEO and the AcademySuperintendent, Tom sends a letter to the next ofkin requesting an obituary for Checkpointsand a current photograph forinclusion in the next issue ofthe magazine. The letter explains that the article maybe written by a familymember, classmate or close friend ofthe deceased and includes a deadline for the next issue ofthe magazine.

Ifthere is no response to the initial letter from Tom to the next ofkin by the time the next magazine is published, Tom sends a second and final request letter to the next ofkin after that magazine is mailed. Ifthere is no response to the second letter, no further contact with the next ofkin is pursued.

The length of the obituary is limited to 600 words or less to be mailed as a Word attachment to an email or includedwithinthe email itself. The photo mayalso be sent electronically asa jpeg (preferred) or tifbut needs to be a minimum of266 dpi (dots perinch) resolutionfor use in the magazine. Ifthewriter ofthe obituarydoes not have access to a computer, both the article and the photo may be sent byregular mail in which case the photo will be returned to the sender once the magazine is published.

Normally, the writer contacts Tom Kroboth directlyby email andthe process of havingthe article publishedbegins. All obituaries published in Checkpoints are to be approvedbythe next ofkin unless theirwhereabouts are unknown.

Once the magazine is published, theAOG sends a complimentarycopy to the next ofkin, and ifa hard-copyphotograph was provided, returns the photograph inside the magazine. TheAOG also provides a few extra complimentarycopies ofthe book ifrequested by the next ofkin for family members.

Information ConcerningBurial at theAir ForceAcademyCemetery: The contact for Air Force Academy Cemetery Burial or Services is Janet Edwards, Mortuary Officer at theAcademy. Her contact information is Janet.Edwards @usafa.af.mil and 719-333-3323. Cell: 719-330-5800. Janet is familiar with all Academy regulations regarding burial in the Academy Cemetery.

Finally, there is a kiosk at the Academy Cemetery that contains obituaries and photographswhich have appeared in the “Gone But Not Forgotten” section ofCheckpoints.These items are provided to JanetbyTom once they appear in the magazine. Ifno obituary or photo has ever been published in the magazine, they also will not appear on the kiosk.

Mark “Pitbull”McDowell

Pete Todd

1250 Big Valley Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80919-1015

H: (719) 531-5874

E-mail: petetodd59@comcast.net

Thisquarter’scolumn openswith awelcome reminderfrom a classmatethat you’re never too old to be ofservicetoyourcommunity.JackHundemerwrites, “One ofmymostsatisfyingvolunteer activities is myworkwiththe Cincinnati Associationforthe Blind &VisuallyImpaired (CABVI). I've servedin a number ofcapacitiesfortenyears. One is a readingprogramviacomputerthatrecords articles requested and providedbyvolunteers over the phone. This is espedallynice sinceI can continue thatfunction during our sixmonths in Florida (about to commence).

“I readfrom theFriendsJournal, publishedquarterlybytheAirForce Museum Foundation, Inc. I've also conducted ‘touch tours’ for three years to Wright-PatforCABVI customers.

“One edition carries an article byColArthur G.Witters (USAF, Ret), entided Encounters with GeneralLeMay. It provides a veryinsightful viewofhim, but also offers some wonderful stories and anecdotes relatingto the earliest days ofUSAFA. ColWitters was an architectand designerofour fieldhouse, thereby fulfilling a promise hemade to GenHarmon. GenBriggs and GenCassiday are also mentioned.”

Attaboy,Jack! I’dbehappyto publishtales ofanyvolunteeractivities received fromother’59ers.They’dmakeinterestingreadingandmightgive some ideas to thecouchpotatoes among us who reallywould rather wear out than mst out.

Always-reliablecorrespondentBillTelfordwrites aboutAugustvisitors to his neighborhood. “Notmuchhasbeenhappeningsincethe50th, butthispast weekend, we had the pleasure of hosting the Hamers, Jeffersons, and Kingslands.As is the case these days (unfortunately) we spent an inordinate amountoftime discussingailments, operations, and otherhealthissues. Certainly not like the old days!

“Atanyrate,onSaturdaythe"girls" didtheirusualthingto revivethe economy byshoppingthedayaway, lunchingandhavingfundoingit.We guystook a trip inthe boatandwentto lunch at a marina restaurant on the lake.We hadgreat funjokingwiththe waitress andtellingwar stories. (The nicething about gettingoldisthat no one woulddare accuse us ofsexualharassment.) Thatnight we allwent out to a local restaurant and were surprisedwhen the girlswalked inwearingthe same style blouses andmatchingnecklaces in different colors.

Acoupleofyears ago on a quickiestagvisit, I hadoccasionto savortheTelfords’ gracioushospitalityat theirself-designedlakeside palace.Theycarelesslyinvited me to return sometimewithWendyandwe tookthemupontheirkindoffer just before theAF-Navy game (aboutwhich game nothing more will be said here. Ever!).We spentthreefabulous daysresting,visiting,eating, and even talking a bitaboutflying.As always, theywere the HostandHostess Supreme. Joe Morganhaddonehis usual superbjob oforganizingtheAnnapolis tailgateand we had a greatturnout. Unfortunately,Wendy(akatheKodakQueen) was a bitundertheweather and I have no photographic evidence for the following attendees. IfI’ve added or left out anyone, charge it offto myincipient dementia. Seen and recognized, mostaccompaniedbyspouseand/orotherfamilymembers and friends, were JimBlackwell,WileyBurch, DickCarr,JimConnally, ChuckFerrari, DickGoetze, Leigh Hunt, JimmieJay,WayneJefferson, HTJohnson, EdJosephson, Lou Kingsland, CharlieMay, Bill McLain, MaxMiller, Kent Montavon, Joe Morgan, Mike Reardon, Dennie See, Bill Telford, Pete Todd and FredWynn.

PRClfA

mm if Sabre Soeiet] Donors

MelPollard sent me a copyofa letterhe received fromhis escort at the Falcon Heritage ForuminApril. I’mincluding thekeypartshere andwilltryto get the entireletter on thewebsite.Theletterspeaks foritself.You thinkthese kids don’t care?

“Dear Lt Col Pollard,

“.. .Looking back at your visit in the spring, I would like to thank you and your class forcoming out to theAcademy. It is monumentallyinspiring to be inthe presence ofthe first graduatingclass. Betweenyourstories andthe accounts ofyourclassmates, I feelthatescortingyouhas given me a unique and fleetingunderstandingofboth theAcademy’s andAirForce’s history.

“As a Fourth Classman, I remember many ofmypeers talking abouthow theywished that our Academyhadthe same level oftradition andhistory as those othertwo schools. I understood theirsentiment at first, but over time I came to realize thattheywere idolizing the earlygraduates ofthose institutions. Their heroes, like Grant, Lee, Farragut, Pershing, etc., were likewise near the beginning oftheirparticular schools’ history.

“Itoccurredto me thatfromyourclassto mine, we are theequivalent.Though fewAirForceAcademygraduateshavegainedthepopular renown ofMcArthur, Eisenhower, and others, Iwould argue that it has more to dowiththe circumstances ofthe times than the specificqualities oftheir educations. Furthermore, the otheracademies pickedup theirtrade late inthe game, after mankindhadmillennia ofpractice. I bringthis up because mytime escortingyou provedthe conceptin action.Your class not onlyprovides thebeginningofan Academylegacy, but was integral to the maturation of a whole new form of warfare.Althoughthe SecondWorldWarhad to befoughtbygraduates ofWest PointandAnnapolis, the increasingsignificance ofAirWarfare inmodern war meant that a dedicated school was needed. TheAir ForceAcademyandyour class were the answer to the question.

“I do not knowifyou are aware, but to manyofus, your class is composed ofheroes and giants.You setthebarhighfor us andI hopethatwe can makethe grade. I would considermyselffortunate to somedayhave even a small fraction ofyour renown, clout, and reputation. Two hundred years from now, Fourth Classmen at the Air Force Academy won't fret about their school's monumentalheroes inhistorybecausetheywillhaveyouto lookto.Andmaybe ifwe make the cut, they'll throw the Class of2009 in there with the Class of 1959.”

“We macho guys had driven over in one car andthe ladies followedabout five minutes later. I guess theyhad allthis planned.When theywalked in, we thoughttheywere the entertainment. Thoughttheywere theAndrew's Sisters! (Boy, does that date me.)

“Onceagain, we had a lotoffunwiththewaitress (who was fromNewJersey— as are Lou andSteve, so theywere able to act as our interpreters). The rest ofour timetogetherwas notreallyexcitingsincewe ate andtalked alot. Itis alwaysfun, though, when some ofthe oldganggettogether.TheJeffersons andKingslands leave laterthisweekforItalytojoin up with theMontavons, Morgans, and, I believe, the Sees and Schaums, to tour thewine countryand imbibe.”

A

lt|

Hi/

5423 Myrtle WoodSarasota, FL 34235-4624

E-mail: RCtherose@aol.com tillif/ Class Web Site: www.usafa.net/1960 A.

“Yesterday (Oct 11th), Jerrydela CruzandI tooktime offfromwatchingthe terrible REDSKINS lose their Sundaygame anddrove up to see Mike (A) and NancyClarke,” wrote TonyBurshnick. “I thoughtyou’d appreciate the picturesJerrytook. Inthisphoto, Mikeand I were tradingoffourwalking‘assisters.’ Mike uses thewalkerand I use thewalkingsticks or my cane (Incidentally, the walking sticks were recommendedbyJock Schwank).

“Mike seems to be doingquitewell. His rightknee was replacedwith a metal knee anditisworkingwell: i.e., no pain.Duringand rightaftertheknee operation, a blood clotformed and cut offblood and oxygen to the brain and other vitalorgans. There was a time duringthefirstfewdaysthatthe docsthoughthe might notmakeit. For awhilethekidneysquitworkingandheneededdialysis; now, his problem isvision. Miketold us that it seems he iswalkinginthe dark and can onlymake out shapes;however, he says things are gettingbrighterand he can make out more details. The doctors feel itmaytake up to sixmonths to getthe vision back to normal. Mike receives physicaltherapy at home, which

TheWildBunch:From leftareSteveandPattyHamer,AnnandLouKingsland, WayneandBonnieJefferson, BillandAnna Telford.

revolvesmostlyaroundwalking. ThePT is forthe effects ofoxygen starvation, but, obviously, it has helpedwith the new knee. Mike has no ideawhen he mightbe able to return to work.”

“Inmid-June, LindaandI and our 15-year-oldgranddaughterfromnearby Pace, FL drove to the DC area where we visited my son for a few days, and Linda’s son andfamily,” wrote Pete King. “Then we caught a flight to Rome, spent a couple ofdays before catching a train to Florence, where Linda was enrolled in a four-weeksculpturing course. After a weekin Florence, we were joinedby our daughter-in-lawand her two children. Florence is full of museums, sculptures, churches, historical sights, and we sawthem all during our 30-dayvisit. From Florence, we flewto Athens, Greece for fourgreatdaysbefore returningto DC forthedrivehome to Valparaiso, FL. It was a great trip, and Linda gained a lot fromthe school in Florence.”

GeorgeFries wrote on9/8/09 that “Myshoulderreplacementsurgerytendaysagowentwell. FoundthatIdidn'thave anyoftherotor-cup left. So, I'm nowin a slingforanotherfiveweeks, andthen Istartphysicaltherapy.But, I stillplanto go to theNavyGamewithDeanBristow in Octoberandwillfly out to theArmyGamewith Becke in November.Worst partofthiswholesurgerythingisthatthere’s‘nodrinking’ becauseofthemeds!”

The Colorado Group met Sept 16,2009 for lunch at Thunder and Buttons Sports Bar in old Colorado Citywest ofColorado Springs. In thephoto, front row: PeteRoe,AndiBiancur, BruceMosier,JimBujalski;backrowTonyBilello, WayneKendall, GeorgePupich, JohnMcCullough, DuckWaddle, DickSexton, DenisWalsh. (Thosemissingthis eventwere Yates,Glaza,Schehr,Brush, Schwank,Rager,Savage,Hodson,Reed & Porter) Andihanded out a tentative schedulefor our 50thReunion, askingforinputs. Hegot avolunteerforthe "BarsforGrads" program, whichwas a traditionstartedbythe Class of1959 in 2008 (theybought a set ofbrown bars for each new Lieutenantwhen they graduated fromtheAcademy, with the engraving on the backsaying 19592009). JimBujalski andTonyBilello volunteeredforthat project. This luncheonwill be a regularquarterlyevent.

WayneAlbertPetersonwrote: “Ileftaerospace22yearsago andmovedfrom Southern California to theDallas-FortWorth, TX, area in 1989. Finished raising a secondfamilyhere (Diane is mysecondwife, of35years - we have two daughters, and I have three daughters from myfirstwife, Shirley—whom I marriedthe summerwe graduated; and, I have seven grandchildren). Moved into financialplanningin 1987, setup my own shop in 1992 andI havebeen at it ever since. Ourwebsite (http:www.familybusinessoffice.net) summarizes what we do. I have no plans to ever retire: It’sjust too muchfun.Also (added to handball), it keeps me from going too far offthe edge. I am reallylooking forward to seeingyou guys next year at our 50th Reunion.” Wayne and his familylive in Colleyville, TX (Wayne was originallyfrom Butte, Montana— “BigSkyCountry”.)

We hadsixclassmateswhojoinedtheMarineswhenwe graduated:JimKerr, JimMills,Jabbo McCain, Bob Baker, Howie Whitfield, andWayne Peterson.

“AfterPilotTraining at Pensacola, FL andBeeville,TX, I went to Beaufort, SC, then to Atsugi,Japan for a one-year tour,” wroteWayne. “I flewF-8s from ’63 to ’65 andthenfor a coupleyears inthe reserves in Dallas, alsoflewA-4s out of El Toro for several years while with ITT. The squadron that replaced us in Japanwent ‘in-country’ I was veryluckysince myclosestbrushwithcombat was while flying out ofKeyWest duringthe Cubanmissile crisis.”

The OutstandingCadetinMilitaryPerformanceAwardis sponsoredbythe familyand friends ofGeneralWalter C. Sweeney, Jr. in his memory, and this year's annual award was presentedbyfamilyfriend, Colonel Bruce Mosier, USAF-Retired, Class of1960, to GregoryC. Oswald, Class of2009, Squadron 7 (BrucerepresentedWalt Sweeney, son ofGeneralSweeney).This award is the Academy’s top award for Order ofMerit.

Frankand Eve Mayberryrecalled eightmonths oftravel: “Earlyin theyear we visited our sonTristan and grandson Colin in LongBeach.Then wejoined daughter Kari andher familyin Gunnison, CO, andlaterit was oftto Hawaii beforeflyingtoAustralia,where we visitedseveraltimeshare resorts, even did some tent camping.Atthe resort in ColoundranorthofBrisbane we were able to observe an osprey nest at theverytop ofa NorfolkPine. From Coloundra, we went to PortMacquarie for aweek, then south toTomakin near Batemans Bay, andfinallyBelleBraewest ofMelbourne,whereJim andEricaKerrjoined us.When we gotbackto the States, we stoppedin LongBeach to visit our son Tristan andhis son, Colin. Returningto ourhome inMesquite, NY we hadfour days to prepare for guests fromAustralia, old friends we have known for 45 years.TheyemigratedfromEngland to Oz about seven years ago.Whilewith us, we tookthem to ZionNational Parkand a rafttrip downtheColorado River, then Palm Springs forfive days.”

CharlieFolkartsaysthat “Informationabout me is out-of-date. I’m not married. My current address is 3998 Stone HollowCourt,Apt. 4, Palm Harbor, FL 34684,phone: 727-470-9046, Cell: 727-686-1474, Email: charliefolkart@hotmail .com. Since Charlie was goodenough to bare his soul, why not call or e-mail him - You’ll be gladyou did!”

Earl N. “Nelson” O’Rear 50582 Stonington Drive Granger, IN 46530-8243

H: (574) 273-2597

E-mail: enoandtjo@gmail.com

Class Web Site: www.usafal961.org

For those who have not heard, Richard “Dick” Fairlamb’swife, Sylvia Gehl Fairlamb,passedfromthislife on October2nd. Dickand Sylviamarriedin 1970 andhadtwo daughters. Bomandraisedin Sydney,Australia, Sylviawas a citizen ofbothAustraliaandthe US. Burialwas at theUSAirForceAcademycemetery on October5th. Amemorial ceremonyto celebrate Sylvia’s life was held November3rd. Ourcondolences and bestwishes are with Dickandhis family.

RandyCubero and Charlie Neel are co-chairing our 50th reunion, planned fortheAF/Armyfootball game the first weekend in November 2011, while Brice Jones is headingfundraising activities for our class gift. Brice will be contactingeveryone for contributions, emphasizing 100 percentparticipa- tion (regardless ofhowmucheach can contribute),makingit a gifttmlyfrom our entireclass. Please ensure thatbothNelsonenoandtjo@gmail.com (email) AND theAOG <https://www.usafa.org/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspxTpid =254> (email andregularmailaddresses) haveyour currentcontactinformation to keep you informed.

Special thanks to all DC area classmates and their spouses for hosting a memorableClass of1961 DC Mini-ReunioninWashington, DC, 1-4 October. Eightyfiveattended, including44 classmates, spouses, significantothers, and familymembers. Particularthanksto CharleyDixon (treasurer), Billand Theda Foster (spreadsheettracking,plusSaturdaynightdinnerandpartyhosts), Brice Jones and his friendBecky Loire (wine, plushostingtailgateparty), Lowell Jones (executivedirector),John Kohout (bus and refreshments), Hector and JoanNegroni (Fridaynightgaladinner), Bill Sanzenbacher (golf), JimRogers andLindaCain (use oftheircountryclub), andTwyWilliams (registrationand

Class News

name tags) formakingitsuch a success. Aftercheck-in, most socializedin the FairviewParkMarriott's Hospitality Suite. Friday, touristactivities competed with the golfouting. Eighty two attended Fridayevening’sgala dinner in a spacioushall, followedbyeveryone singingtheAir Force Song. Charlie Neel and Brice Jones updated us on plans for our 50th, discussingthe proposed 50th Reunion bookandthe Class gift. Saturday, afterthe unforgettable “tailgate” at the fashionableAnnapolis residence ofMs. BeckyLoire, mostwitnessedtheannualAirForce/Navycontest.Afterwards, more than75 descended on Bill andTheda Fosters’ home forthe planned "victory" party about 9:00 pm. LowellJones thanked allforthehonorofhisunanimous election as "Executive Director" andpromised to attend the next meetingduringwhich the Executive Directoris selected.

Markand GingerAndersontook a 12-daytrip to Argentinain earlySepternher (BuenosAires, Mendoza, andIguazuFalls). Their ’61 lunchgroup continuesto meetmonthly. TheywelcomedbackJimUlm in September, following his summer sojourn to Gunnison, CO.

George Buchnerflewhis PiperCherokee in earlyJulytoAL, MI,WI, MT, ID, UT, andAZ. Alongthewayhe "did" OshkoshwithDougMcConnelland freeloadedfromDougandDeeCairnsinMontgomery, andfromBobandJanBrickey in SaltLakeCity. GeorgelaterdrovefromTallahassee to his newhome on a golf course inAnthem, AZ. He says,"Come visit. I have a huge guest bedroom."

Pat and MarilynBuckleytraveled toAlbania in September, and then on to Bari, Italy, and Malaga, Spain. Theywere inEl Morche, about 40 miles East of Malaga, to find andbuytheirEuropeanhome. Theywill be backin Satellite Beach, FL, frommid-Novemberto earlyFebruaryto hostvisitorswho need a winterbreakin the Florida sun.

Dougand DeeCairns, andBob andWinnieWagner are travelingtogetherin France to see Paris andthe Normandybeaches. Theyflewmilitary air SpaceAfromBWI to RamsteinAB.

JimCassidy’sfamilyparticipatedforthe5thyearinThePhiladelphiaWalkto D'FeetALS, on 7 November. Jim’s daughter started the team "Walking for Jimmy" andthey've raised quite a bitofmoneyinthe past. His son, an Army Green Beretinthe 1980s, hasbeen afflictedwiththis disease for 10 years. The VAhasfinallyprovided some benefits,whichhashelped. Hejustgot a state-ofthe-art motorizedwheel chair andloves it. Since he has little or no use ofhis hands and arms, he controls itwithhis feet andknees. He is also veryprolific with the computer, using his toes to workthe mouse on thefloor.

Dave CarlstromandLillystayedinArlingtonafterthe mini-reunionfor severaldays to work on theirhouse. Theyhelpedthe tenants upgradetheboundaryfences to hopefullycontain two "Labs".

DickDavis “discovered” a regionalparkcalled FoxRun near the North Gate oftheAcademy. Itis aboveMonument,CO,whichis at 7,000feet, so bringyour oxygenbottles. Ithas a smalllake andisprettywithpackedsandtrails, making for a nice hike.

Tom andAnne Eller are proud oftheir son’s achievement. From the “MedicalCorpsExaminer,” a newsletterforthe USAFMedical Corps, Fall2009,"Maj (Dr.) Rob Eller: Amember oftheWilford HallMedical Center’s teachingstaff, Dr. Eller’s paper?Flexible Laryngoscopy: A Comparison ofFiber Optic and Distal ChipTechnologies, Part I:Vocal Fold Masses—was recognizedbythe Journal ofVoice as therecipientoftheir2008 BestPaperAward (ClinicalMedicine Category)."

Bill and Linda Griffis were observed on a recent visit to Colorado making friends with Moose and checking out the mountain views. Theyspent the weekendwithTerry and Carleen Storm.

Sam andVivian Hardage are busywiththeirchildren. Adam (’97) iswiththe SpecialOperations Commandandjustreturnedfrom a tour inIraq. Sam is still runninghis business of 16 hotels in 11 states, butit’s not anyfun in thisweird economy. Ifhe could exit, he would do so in a heartbeat.

HenryandPeggyHowehad a greatvisitwith theirdaughter in Honolulu in September,helpinghersettle into her new home thatlookedlike itmayhave been witness to the December 7th air raid. Theylearned she was selected belowthe zone for 0-5.

Wayne and MaryJones enjoyed a wonderfulthree-weektrip to the eastern Mediterranean. Theyspentthree days inRome, went on an 11-dayCelebrity cruise toAthens, Santorini, Mykonos,Ephesus, Istanbul, andNaples, andthen enjoyed four days in Florence.

Whilevacationing in Santa Fe,JerryandJo Mason ran into Tom and Susan Conley, and Dave and KathyMize Beck. Hearing thatJimandNancyWilhelm were planning a Graytaghousewarmingparty a few days later, Jo andJerry wangled invitations and added Colorado Springs to theiritinerary. The party was a rousing success, with 10 classmates and 11 wives helpingtheWilhelms celebrate theirbeautiful new home.

JOIN THE SABRE SOCIETY!

YOURMONEYHELPS FUND

CADETWING PROGRAMSTHAT ULD OTHERWISE GO UNFUNDEI

CALL THE AOG FOR INFO.

John and SheilaMayvisited their daughter, son-in-law, and grandchildren inJune at RamsteinAB, Germany. Theiroldestgrandchild, Craig, was thevaledictorianofRamsteinHigh'sgraduatingclassandis nowa freshman atHarvard.

PB and MerO’Connorhave established aweb sitefortheir "business," which hassufferedthisyear's economic downturn, at http://meetmeritart.com/ They are trying to selltheirNorth Carolinahome, which they've lovedbut now find too large (three levels), too far from children (fromLafayette, CO, to Haines, AK), andwaytoo farfrom so manyoftheirmissedbrothers andspouses in arms. Theywill nonethelessjointheTucsoncrowdin earlyDecernber (Wilhelms,Conleys, Becks [KathyMize], Leftons, Masons, andFullertons) Theyalsohope to gettogetherwiththeother halfofthe "GraytagGeezer" barbershop quartet (Wayne and Dean) to beginrehearsingthe50th entertainment.

JimRogersretiredfrom the FAA on September30, justbefore participating in the mini-reunion. Linda and he have moved permanently to Naples, FL.

On September30, ByronTheurerrelinquished chairmanship ofthe SCORE Chapter in St. George, UT. Byron is hanging himself out to dry, as this marks the first time in five years that he is not leading a chapter ofSCORE. Meanwhile, Byron’s evil twin, ChickenTeriyaki, TWOKP, celebrated his coming ofage at a week-long celebration at a partyhooch in Flagstaff, AZ. CT, accompaniedby 20 relatives and close friends, assured thathis eighth decade got offto a crackling start.

Charlie andGinaThomas leave SanDiego on January3rdfor a 33-daycruise: HollandAmerica line to all Hawaiian Islands, Christmas Island,Tahiti, Bora Bora, andallthe islands withlong names. Long term friends from NewYork will accompanythem.

AdThompsonfinallyreceivedthe approval ofhis buildingplans to rebuild hishouse, which was destroyedinthe November '08 fire. Fortunately,theygot the "expedited" approval eight months to the day after the fire. Since then, theirbuilderhas been reallyhumping. They now have the foundation, framing, rough plumbing, electrical, windows, and doors all in and signed off, workingtoward completionbyyear’s end. Takingtime offfromwatchingthe activity, theyspent a couple ofweeks in ItalyduringSeptember.

Tom andJudyWilson saidthatbothgrandchildren earned more than a 3.0 in theirfirst gradingperiod at USAFA. Theycan'twait to see them in November when they attend theArmygame. JudythrewTom a surprise 70th birthday party. When it came time forthe cake, etc, theyall started singingthe Birthday song, andTom was singinglouderthanusual, allthe time trying to figure out whose birthdayit was since Judy didn't give him a "heads-up" like she normallydoes. He was lookingaround like crazyuntilhe saw thebig"70" candles and realized it was forhim. Everyone, includingTom, had a BIG laugh at his expense. You can just "picture" howit all went down.

Jackand MusaWolcott are justifiablyproud oftheir eldestgranddaughter, a senior at theAcademywhowillgraduate next summer. She iswell over sixfeet tall, the star captain oftheAcademy's femalevolleyballteam, DO ofthe Third Group, and a consistent member ofthe Superintendent's List. Besides that, she is a beautiful person, inside and out, and theylove herverymuch! She is a great addition to theAcademy andtheAir Force.

Afterthe mini-reunion, Nelson andTeri O’Rear remained inVirginiafor severaldays tovisitwith some oftheirotherfriends inthe area. Amongothers, itwas goodto catch upwith events inMaryFrancisKoemer’sbusylife. She is a docent at the Smithsonian, travels a lot, and isworkingtowards an art certificate from the Smithsonian. Her son anddaughterandtheirfamilies are doingwell. She is seriouslyconsideringattending our 50th to reconnect with manyAF friends.

John W. “Jack” Jamba

4 Judy Court

Satellite Beach, FL 32937

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

Cell: (321) 432-1370

E-Mail: jwjamba@aol.com

Hi Redtags. Bob Felts wrote: “OnAugust 1, myfamily celebrated my70th birthdaywith me by a sail on San Francisco Bay. We chartered a Beneteau Oceanis 42’ for the trip and took an instructor along so we wouldn’t have to work so hard. Though thewind was blustery (reefedjib most ofthe way) we had a good one and managed to cover most ofthe sights on the Bay. Afterwards, we celebrated at a popularseafoodplace in Sausilito, aptlynamed FISH. Itwas a memorable dayformybigBD milestone. Thanks Bob forthe info and thanks again fortaking over the care and feeding ofthe Redtag Net.We all appreciate itverymuch. (Seephoto at the top ofthe next column.)

Next I got a missivefromJimMack.The RedtagTailgaters had a nice football opening day with the Falcons winning 72-0. Visiting ‘Tags, John & Gail Luebbermann,Hoppy& MaryHopkins, and regulars George Larson, Huck SporyandGeorgeBifolchiattended. At the TCU gamewherewith a temp of18 and a persistentwind-driven mist throughout the game we f id fiveRedtag die-hards: Bo Ohman, Rip Blaisdell, HuckSporyand Penny & Jim.Macksticking it out to the bitter(lycold) end

TheFelts on Bob’s “birthday cruise.

ChuckCheesemanandTomYounghad a chancemeetingin mid-September at a retriever dog event run bythe Golden RetrieverAssociation in Central Florida. TYhadhisyounggolden in the contest and ChuckhadhisyoungBoy Scout sonwhosetroopcampedthere to serve as go-fers fortheweekend-long contest. Beautiful dogs, great sport and goodcompanionship.

ChetGriffin emailed. “Eva Lee and I were goingto Estes Parkin September for a familywedding and couldn’tresist calling a couple ofRedtags forfellowship (warstories) and Mexican food. Bo Daughtery said ‘Senor Ric’s’ was always good. Bo andNancyOilmanjoined us.

“The food was indeed great, and I think we talked fast for two hours and didn’t completely catch up.We’ve all stayed in touch over theyears even attendedthe same churchin Springfield,VA., withBo andNancyOhman. BoD sang at our wedding (notDannyBoythough) before he and Karen married. Sometime, get Bo D to tell about theirpopcorn-bowl-made-from-pee-pods business. Great to be friendswith the onlytwo Bo’s I’ve ever known.”

John Flanagan. “I made a roadtrip from Cape Cod toWashington andAnnapolis forthe Navygame. ErvRokke gave a motivation pitch forthe Endowment Fund at the Congressional Country Club. I sat a few rows from Chet GriffinandBillHaugen andtheirspouses at the game. Great to see oldfriends who have maintainedthe Redtagperspective on life.”

Bob Keighery about Europe. “Here’s a photo ofthe McAtees (Tuck &Ann) and the Keigherys (Bob & Peggy) havinglunch in Rome on the banks ofthe Tiberthis pastMay.

tripthatlasted8 days.We came homein mid-January.Thecountrysideis pretty much the same as I remember, but the major cities are as modern as any in SoutheastAsia.We also spent aweekendinVungTau andPhu Quoc.VungTau is becominganotherMiami Beachbut Phu Quoc is still prettyprimitive but a potentialparadise. The traffic in Saigon is even worse than I remembered. Tan Son Nhut recentlyopened a huge terminalforinternational flights and the old terminal is stillthere forin-countryflights. Some ofthe oldaircraft revetments are stillthere alongthe taxiways.

“Weturnedaroundthree monthslaterfor a 28-daytransatlantic cruise to the Mediterranean that included Madeira, Gibraltar, Spain, Monaco, Italy, Greece andTurkey. Greece andTurkeywere newexperiencesfor us.Wefiguredwe’dbetter get all ofthis traveling out ofour systems before we get too old and decrepit to enjoytravel. Even now, some ofthe shore excursions were back-breakers.We hiked all aroundAthens includingup to theAcropolis. I’ve included a photo ofus in front ofthe Parthenon.

“Wespentfourdays inTuscanyandfourdays in Rome.What a blast!. Hope all is wellwith you andyours and manythanks for all yourhard work over the years. P.S. I also just got an iMac. It took me some time to figure out how to attachthis photo. But then I’m still trying to figure out that damned slide rule theyissued us at the Zoo.”

Got a short documentaryfromRandySchamberger. “LieuwenttoVietnam in late November 2008 and I followed two weeks later.We headquartered for two weeks with her girlfriend in Saigon but traveled the countrybyvanon a

“It seems it’s takinglonger to reconstruct it than it did to build it initially cranes and scaffolding everywhere. I hope everything is good foryou and Caroline .Areyou retiredyet? Don’twait forever.” Thanks forthe sage advise. Caroline is retiring on 1 November. I’ll be a fewmonths behind.

GotthisfromGrantLannon. He andJudytouredAustraliaand NewZealand prior to the FAC reunion in Canberrawhere theyhelpedpresent DFCs to the Aussie FACs who flewwith the U.S. FACs inVietnam. Last September Grant flewoffof2100 feetofgrassfortwo daysbehindtheNationalMuseum oftheAir Force forthe L-bird fly-in. HisT-6 is an L-bird because itis in the colors ofthe Mosquito FACs ofthe KoreanWar. He had a tailwheel malfunction and was driven into a ditch alongsidethe mnwayinXenia, OH.You can see the pictures ofthe accident at http://dayav.com/da/lta555/. That was my770th landing in theT-6 andyou don't take anyofthem for granted.

“This year, I took a 16-day tour ofVietnam starting in Hanoi and working South to the Delta. I was stationed at three different places close to the tour route. Based on my experience there WE (AND CAPITALISM) WON THE WAR. TheVietnamese are pro-American after their experience with strict Communismafterwe left. I metGenGiap's grandson,who takes care oftheold man in his apartment. I also sang "You are MySunshine" with a former NVA soldier (while strumming a two-stringLute). I am still flyingthe B-25 and the P-39 (as well as privateAT-6s) with the CommemorativeAir Force. I also fly spotterplanes fortheTexas BorderVolunteers spottingillegalsgoingaround Border Patrol checkpoints in SouthTexas. So life consists ofworking on and flyingvintage airplanes, doing the air showcircuit, fightingillegalimmigration, and touring. I thinkthis is called ‘living thedream.

Now a finalTHANKYOU to Owen Hawkins forhisyears buildingand runningtheRegtagNet. ConnieHawkins has sent a bio and a picture to theCheckpoints stafffortheGoneButNotForgottensection.Wewill misshimverymuch. GodBless. Go Redtags!

Norman I. (Skip) Lee

63119 E. Cat Claw Lane

Tucson, AZ 85739-2058

Home: (520) 825-7980

Cell: (520) 241-3498

E-mail: 54wrs@msn.com

InJulytheAOGlearnedofthedeath ofMichaelBradshaw, CS-13,who passed away on June30th. AMemorialService was heldJuly6th at StJames Episcopal Church in Jackson, MS. Condolences maybe sent to Mrs. Shirlee Bradshaw care oftheAOG.

Another successful mini-reunion! The weather was incredible, a record numberofclassmates were present andthe Class of 1963 football team members were in town for the 1963 Football Team Plaque dedication. The day

Class News

started at the traditionaltail gatewith more than enough marvelous food and drinkthanks to thelocals. At 1130 everything was packedup as we headedfor the stadiumforthepre-game ceremonies. Golfcarts were available forthose whoneeded/wantedhelp to get over to the game. AirForceprevailed over the Cowboys ofWyoming 10 to 0.

Afterthe game we assembled atArnoldHallforthe cup-tuming ceremony. Thecups, the newbrandycabinetandtherestored ChromolithographGyrfalcon were intheir new location on the mezzanine overlookingthe ballroom. BillBallled us thruthe cup turningrecognizingthe passingofclassmates Mel Borland, Mike Bradshaw, Joe Cabuk, Bob Heavner, Rob Mahoney, andJack Pierson. The ceremonywas followedby a delightful buffet dinner in the adjacent north banquet room. During the dinnerJack Ott showed a fabulous video he createdhonoring our sixclassmates. Our sincere thanks go out to all whoworkedhardgettingthe new cup displayinplace andsettingupthe entire event. And, ofcourse, special thanks go to Bob and Charlie Ann Hayes for pulling such good fun together. It was the best mini-reunionyet. Ifyouever contemplate coming to one ofthese annual gatheringsplease put it on you calendarfornextyearwhen the Falconswill be hostingNavy—probablythe firstweekend in October.

Johnson, Gordon Bredvik, RodJohnson, DeVere Henderson, BobHayes, GaryBender. BackRow:DrewDeBerry, Fran Porch, DickShutack, John Gavin, DaveNuss, WayneLeFors,JohnBorling,Jim Gaston, DennyKing, Butch Verdier, BillBall, DickBrown, SkipLee, LouMatjasko,JackMartines.

Thephoto is not inclusivebecause somecame lateafterthephotograph was taken or theywere unable to attendthe tailgatebut were present at theA-Hall proceedings. Based on mymemorythoseclassmates notinthephoto wereJerry Ahmann, Bryan Cary, Pat Chapman, John Fox, Charles Gebhardt, John Greenfield,JohnnieHall,JimHauser,JohnHelinski, DeanHess,JimLang, Bob Mazet, ChiefNacrelli,JackOtt,WilsonParma, EdReisdorf, Bill Simpson, Skinner Simpson,JerryThies, BillWeckerandJimWinzell. Accordingto Bob,when you addthosewho attendedthetailgate, theceremonyand/orthe dinnerplus the spouses, familyandfriends, over 90 folks attendedthe mini-reunion.

To changethesubject a bit, I was amazed to receive an e-mailfromJoeCoates relatinghisandLinda’sadventures from a monthinIran. Theytoured5,000km with an English-speakingprivate driver/guidewho tookthem to suchcities as Tehran, Hamandan,Yazd, Shiraz,Tabriz, Isfahan, andthenflewtotheholycity ofMashad. Beginningtheirtour inTehran, itwas quite a shockto see the SAVAK museum oftorture usedbythe late Shah. Joe says theywere always treated with respect and much inquisitiveness. Iranianswho heard them speaking Englishwould stop them and askfortheirphotos. Theyreceived manyinvitationsfordinnersinpeople'shomes. Theirmostmeaningfulinteractionwith people was in thevillage ofKaleybar near theborder ofAzerbaijan, wherethey met a poet in the countrythatloves its poets such as Omar Khayyam, Sa'di, Hafez, andthe beloved Ferdowsi, author of The Epic of the Kings (Shahnameh). Theirfavorite historical site was Persopolis, the ancient cityof Cyrusthe GreatandthelasthurrahforShahPavlavibeforetherevolution. The Coates were in Iran immediatelybeforethe elections and met mayIranians hopingfor change fromthe strictIslamic government.

The followingphotograph from Ron McCollum shows Ron, MarkAnway, JohnHockemeier, and HollieThomas on a week-longbarge/bike trip with theirwives to the Netherlands duringAugust of2009. A great time was had bikingand especiallyreconnectingafter 50 years.

Ron, Mark,JohnandHollie

FredLindahl, an infrequentcontributorto theClass News, sayshehascaught a glimpse ofthe error inhisways and sent a shortreport on theAirForceAcademyMilitaryHistorySymposiumheldinSeptember. Its theme was 50years of theAir ForceAcademy. ChuckBush was on a panel that discussed thehistory andprogress ofdiversityat theAcademy. Thesessionmoderatorwas BGenMai Wakin. Ifyouremember, Lt.Wakin taughtphilosophywhen wewere FirstClassmenandatthattimehewas theonlyperson in theAirForcewith a PhD in philosophy. While there Fred metJackMcTasneyand Drue Deberry as well as Chuck. The proceedings ofthe symposium willbe published, andFred thinks the articleswillbe ofinterest to everyone in the class.

JerryDriscollreportedhis daughter-in-lawgavehim2 tickets to the first game at the newTCF (formerlyTwin CityFederal) BankStadium on the grounds oftheUniversityofMinnesota. The tickets were for the MinnesotaAirForce game. Jerryinvited 11th Squadron mate Mike Foley to join him and Mike agreed. Mike livesinthe Seattle area buthasfamilyin theMinneapolis area. Jerrysaid the seats andtheweatherwere greatbutunfortunatelyAirForcelostthe game which according to Jerrytheycouldhave won. Other news: Jerry’sseparation date from Netjets occurred on the same dayofthe game andhe is now retired fromtheAirForce, fromAmericanAirlines, andfromNetjets. Throwin Social Security andJerryis dipping from manypots.

GilMerkle sent a nicepiece about our classmate Gerald Sherrillwhosefinal Air Force assignment before he passed away in 1989 was Professor ofAerospace Science at Purdue (1984-1988). Turns out the Cadets ofROTC Detachment220 dedicatedtheirCadetLounge to Gerald’s serviceintheAirForce and as the CommanderofDet. 220.

That’s itforthis time. Wehad a marvelous time at the mini-reunion andI am convincedthere are a lotofstories and recollections about our cadetdays and subsequent careers bothmilitaryandcivilianthatneed to berecorded. Youwill hear more aboutthat soon as the Class Gift Committee moves forwardinthe developmentofthe 1963 ClassGifttotheAcademy. To allwho sentphotographs and stories over the pastfewmonths; thanks andmysincerest appreciation: wishthere was room forall ofitinthis article. Theywillbe included next time.

LindaandIwant to wisheveryone a happyandsafeholidayseason and avery prosperous newyear. Take care.

206 Walker Ave.

Huntsville, AL 35801

(H) (256) 532-3923

(M) (256) 348-9794

bob@hovde.us

Reunion - November4-7,2009 -I’ll have news about the reunion in the next Checkpoints.

Gone ButNot Forgotten: I received news that Ron Hultingpassed awayin California inAugust as the result ofleukemia. Our condolences to his family.

GivingBack: I found an article about Glenn Coleman in ZoomieNationtelling about a charitable giftannuityhe set upwith theAOG. Glennhad contacted theAOG aboutthe bestway to set up a donation, and theyhelpedhim withthe details. Glenn’s advice is, “I recommendyou contact theAOG and ask the questions. They are the experts and can do so much in achievingyour wishes and desires to return something to theAcademy.This is ‘seed money’ to help thosein theLongBlue Line to captureand achieve those treasures that have made a wonderful life foryou and me...and for those to follow.

“TheAcademygave us a gift. Nowperhaps we can give somethingback. I encourageyou to make the call.

Mostofthe tailgateattendeesfromleftin thefront row:JimmieButler, Stinky Steinbrink,Art

JoeandLinda at theIman Mosque in Isfahan.

Congratulations: Al McArtor (AirbusAmericas, Inc.) wrote that he was recentlyhonored bythe AirTraffic ControlAssociation with their GlenA. Gilbert MemorialTrophy. (Which reads, for‘Outstanding Dedication, Leadership, Excellence andProfessionalisminAviation andAviation Safety - 2009.’)

Rick Zurbrugg

2929 Gavin Place Duluth, GA 30096

(770) 476-4437

E-mail: ezurb@bellsouth.net

Hey’65!

Take a momentto rememberTimWheelerandSteveCarter. Stevetransitioned

6July2009 and was interred at theAcademy. Here is a fine tribute to Tim from John Swan to thelads from 16th passed on to me byMike Phillips: “DianeWheeler, {Tim’swife}.. .wrote me thatTim diedpeacefully at home in Seattle,WAofpneumonia on Oct 1,2009. Diane's address is 3036 43rdAveW, Seattle,WA 98199. ..it's 24 years since Tim had his stroke and he had been living at home for 10 years now. She saidtheliving at home was so muchbetter. He got to have family around so much.. .she said he never complained or saidwhy me orthatsortofthing and was always optimistic. I have tried to remindmyselfofTimwhen I feel sorryfor myselfwhen I have a cold or physically can't do things I used to do. But it doesn'tworkforlongfor me. But hewas alotsmarterthan me so maybethat'sthething.John.

ms*.

Sabre Society Donors

Class of’64 History: As most ofyou know, our Class Historians have been working on developing a class historyin conjunction with the 45th reunion. The followingisthe informationlettertheysent out,justin case you didn’t see it, threwawaythe email, or otherwise put it in the to-do-somedaypile:

“Youwill probablyget duplicates ofthis letter, as we are trying to insure thewidest dissemination byusingvarious methods to getittoyou. Please talkitupwith all ofour classmates you are in contactwith, and ifanydo not receive this letter, pleasehave them contact us, or at leastforward them a copyoftheletter. Ifyouknowanyofour classmateswho are notAOGmembers, or who have changed email addresses, etc., PLEASE share this infowiththem.

4 A/

“Well, it’stime to putpen to paper—actuallyfingers to keyboards - - and documentwhatyouwould like as your personal entryin our Class History. Tryto limit it to the space ofa normal 8 Vi by 11 typewritten page, including 1 or 2 photographsyou’d like to have in it.

“Some suggestedthemes are: Memorable Events from the Past; Thoughts aboutthe Future; PhilosophyofLife;Hopesforthe Future; Family; Career(s); etc. Don’tfeellimited by our suggestions. Useyourimagination, as long as it is in good taste.

“Wewouldlike to copy a fewofthem andhave themavailable at thereunion, forthosewho need a littlehelpgettingideas to start their own. So, youTypeA over-achievers, pleasetryto getthemtogetherandsubmitthem as soon as you can, so we willhave some samples forthe rest ofus. Pleasesendyoursubmittals to:USCHULZ@HUGHES.NET andTAZ2WHEELS@GMAIL.COM

“Wewould also likeyour opinion as to whether we shouldjustpublishthe history as a book, do it as a web-based document, or just make it a CD, or a combination ofthem. Please give this some thought.

“Ifanyofourwell-to-do classmateswouldlike to contribute to the costs of publishing, etc., thatwould certainlybe welcomed. Ifnot, the cost of a privatelypublishedbookmaybe over $100 perclassmate.

“We hope to see you at the reunion and have some examples to showand discuss the entire project. - MattFeiertagand Usto (Sam) Schulz, Class Historians”

OldTrolls: The OldTrolls continue to meet each quarter forlunch. Doug Jenkins does a greatjob ofmakingthe arrangementsandthenletting me know who was there.Are there anyother ’64 groups meetingregularlysomewhere? Ifso, does anyone there have a camera? (No picture, no credit!)

Right On, John! Tim was a super smart guy, but I will always remember his ability to find the humorous ironyofour academyexperience andwatching him skiwith a cast on one leg—unforgettable.

Bob Zepecki, DVM: From the Hot Springs, AR Sentinel-Record:VET DOGS: Dr. Bob Zepecki, veterinarian atAll Pet Center andVillage Pet Hotel and Spa near Hot SpringsVillage, talks abouthis questto start the DAVK9 Foundation, a statewide pet care program forArkansas veterans who needhelpproviding medical care fortheirassistance and companionanimals.AlsopicturedisLucky Jack, who could somedaybe a potential service dog.

Speakingofpictures, RodWells sentinthepicture belowshowingtheMall of Heroes with the next two statues added near KarlRichter’s.

The reunionwillbe over bythe timeyou readthis, so I hope I sawyou at the reunion! Ifnot, send an email and tell us what’s going on inyourworld.

TackHamby: (Scribe’s note: I’ve beenpesteringTackabouthis DNA’s attraction to theZoo): Ofmy own 4 oftheHambysassociatedwiththe academy are Me andmythree sins (sic).Allwent and two graduatedfromthere. The middle one resigned to get a business degreewhichhe did at FloridaState and now he and his brother own their own company. In addition mybrother (Miles M Hamby) graduatedinthe class of71.1 don'tknowanyofthe others butwould beinterestedinmakingcontactwiththem. My sons are HenryGIV(Class of91) and Harold Christopher (FSU Class 93) andJonathanAndrew (Class of95). Henry (GoesbyBrad small nail Ha! Ha!) is a Lt Col stationed at Fairchild and flyingTankers.AllthreehavechildrenandI hopethat somewantto go to USAFA some day.There are 7 Grandchildren 5 girls and 2 boys. I am essentiallyretired

Aland GraceMcArtor with the GilbertMemorial Trophy.

HambysConquerStAndrews. From leftare Brad, Chris, Dad, andJonathan.

Glass News

although I do occasionalworkfor Chris and Jonathan and a little consulting and we have our home in Burke,VA.

“The attachedphoto was takenthis springin StAndrews, Scotlandwhen my sons and I flew over for our annualfamilytournament.We had an opportunity to playthe Old course bothfrontward andbackwards (thewayit was originally played). The mostnotablethingaboutthe eventthisyearwas thatJonathanhad an ace (Hole-in-one) on #8 during our practise round. It was dulydocumented bythe StAndrewsTrust in theirnewsletterand an appropriatephoto and certificate was sent to him. The photo shows us before teeing offfor or reverse round as we stood on #1 teewiththeR&Aclubhouseinthebackground.”Thanks Tack, youhave a proudlegacy, indeed.

JackMurphy: “Thelatestissue ofCheckpointsjust arrivedinthe mail and, as always,thefirstthingldidwas turnto theClassof65 news.. .Severalweeksagothe mailman delivered a brochurewith news thattheAOG is sponsoring a cruise: ScandinavianandRussian Splendors, OceaniaCruises, 15-30June 2010. Terry (mywife) andItookthiscruiseinJuly2009 andhighlyrecommendit topmarks forthe ship, the itinerary, andthevalue received. The 15-daycmise started in Stockholm and ended inLondonwith stops inHelsinki, St. Petersburg, Tallinn Estonia, GdanskPoland, Copenhagen,WarnemundeGermany,Amsterdam, and BmgesBelgium. We enjoyedalltheportsofcall, some we hadbeen to before and others were pleasantsurprises, but our favorite was StPetersburgandthe Hermitage Museum (the museum is a must-see, plusitwas earlyJulyand St Petersburg is famous for itsWhite Nights). In addition, the trip had some things to interest a studentofmilitaryhistory.WesawtheVasa, aSwedishwarshipthatsunk in Stockholmharbor on itsmaidenvoyagein 1628 andhadbeenwellpreserved bythe coldwaterwhen recoveredin 1961. Itlooks like itcouldbe a prop forthe nextinstallmentofPirates ofthe Caribbean.

“In St Petersburg, ship dockedwhere the cruiserAurora fired the shot that signaled the start ofthe Russian Revolution of 1917. Gdanskhas been in the news latelybecausethat'swhere GermanyinvadedPoland 70years ago to start WWII. Some ofthe othercities hadWWII or theColdWar attractions, andthe cruise visited some ofthe same places as the European field trips we took in 1963. Thisyear'strip, however, had betterfood, drink, and accommodations thanthe earlier ones. In Bmges, forexample, we visited thelocal breweryand sampled what purports to be the world's best beer (more research may be necessary). We also enjoyed some Belgianchocolate, whichis generallyrecognized as the best intheworld (more research not necessarybutwould bewelcome). Once we returnedhome it was back to the retiredlife ofhobbies such as gardening (formerlyknown as yardwork), visits to the gym to help forestall the aches and pains ofaging, and grandparenting. (Myspell checker did not like thatlastword and suggestedinstead "grandparenting" or "grandparenting." I thinkboth applybutthe latterisperhaps more appropriate.) I'mlookingforward to seeing as manyclassmates as possible at the reunion nextyear. Until then, I secondyourhope that everyone stays healthy and enjoys life. ThanksJack—sounds like a fabulous trip.

PartingShots:Whynotlog onto Zoomienation.usafa.org - join ’65’sBestAlive affinity group and postup your pictures especiallyifyou have digitized your snapshots from our cadet days what a greatthing to sharewith classmates! Howaboutyour opinion on anything?

Ifyouhavethe slightestinterestinhealth, one ofthe mostimportantmedical articlespublishedin our lifetime appearedin, ofallthings, the SundayNewYork TimesMagazineOctober 11th, 2009. Itstitleis TheCalorieRestrictionExperiment byJon Gertner.This article discussesthe NIH-fundedstudyComprehensiveAssessmentofLong Term EffectsofReducingIntakeofEnergy or “CALERIE”. You learned ofit here first. Be well, eat 25% less and live. Cheers, Rick

Visit theAOGWeb Site

Merchandise, Gone But Not Forgotten and More! www.usafa.org

Ryan Denny

1635 Mary Todd Lane

O’Fallon, IL 62269

H: (618) 624-4255

W: (314) 232-5117

E-mail: ryanden@aol.com

Greetings, Redtags! In thelast newsletterwe talked aboutbaseball’sAll Star gamebeingplayedin StLouisforthefirsttime since 1966, andhowmost ofthe people atthisyear’sgame were not even alivein 1966. Well,RandyJaynewas not onlyalivein 1966, he also attendedboththe 1966 andthe2009All Stargames in StLouis. Forthe 1966 game, Randyand his new bride, Nancy, had gottenthe tickets as aweddingpresent. RandyremembersthattheNationalLeague won the game, thetemperature was 104 degrees, andthetickets only cost $8 each. Forthe2009 game, theAmericanLeague won the game, thetemperature was a mild 80 degrees, the tickets cost about40 times more, butRandystill hadthe same date. It’sgreatwhenthe importantthings in life don’tchange!

Randy andNancyJayne at the2009All Stargame in StLouis, with their ticketstubsfrom the 1966AllStargame.

Anotherclassmatewhoisre-livingexperiencesfrom40yearsagoisDan Heitz. Like a lotofus who wentto pilottrainingbackinthe ’60s, Dantook a test andgot an FAAcommerciallicensewhenhegraduated,butdidn’thavetheopportunity (i.e. time and money- at the same time) to do anythingwithit, untilthisyear. Dansaysthathefilledout reams ofEAApaperworkto gethismedicalcertificate approved, despite some ofthe age-relatedanomaliesthat most ofusare trying to ignore. Oncethatwas done, hetracked down some flyinglessons—whichhe got in an old Cessna 172 (remembertheT-41?) at the Ft Meade FlyingActivity. After a fewlessonsand a successfulcheckride, Dangotto flysolo over theChesapeakeBay on a beautifulsunny, summer morning—thefirsttime in almost40 years thathe was alone at the controls ofan airplane. Now,whenDan’s (nonAir Force) friends askhim “Why are you flyingagain? Areyou going to go somewhere?”he shows them a copyofHighFlightandtellsthemthatthe minutehe is airborne, he’s arrived at his destination.

RustyGideon has been gathering a growing number ofclassmates for an annual flyfishing event inYellowstone. This year, the group included Dick Borowski, Tip Galer,Vic Andrews, MartyDaack, Art Suro, and Tom Brandon—truly a motley crew. Theyall stayed in a cabin in Cooke City, MT, and fished inthe SodaButte Creek. (No, I didn’tmake thatup—thoseplacesreally exist.) Rustysaid that Marty (the serious fisherman) caught some monstersized cutthroat trout, butthe rest ofthem were contentwithnormal size fish.

From leftare WesDixon, BruceWood, HowardSierer, andEdFarrell. Sept 09 SanDiego State atAFA.

DickBorowski, TipGaler,RustyGideon, VicAndrews,MartyDaack,ArtSuro, and TomBrandon on theirfishingtrip. (A lotofguysand nofish MikeBlair always hasfish in hisfishingpictures.)

Aftertheweekoffishing,RustyandDicktookofffor aweekofbackpacking in theBridgerWilderness ofWyoming. I thinkthese guys are gettingaddicted to the fresh air.

Speakingoffresh air addiction, DorseyPricewrites thatwhen hehitthe big 65 thisyear, he decided to celebrateinhis usualfashion andtake a long, painful ride on his motorcycle. He and his trustycycle attacked the Great Lakes Challenge. That’s a 2500 mile ride around the GreatLakes, starting (and ending) in Duluth, MN. Oh, yeah—you’ve got to do it in 50 hours; and, since Dorseylives nearTucson, hehad to ride about 1000 miles to get to the starting point. These events are sponsoredby a group that’s aptly namedthe“IronButtAssociation”, andDorseyhassubjected himselfto a couple ofthese events—finishingthem all underthe requiredtime. His next challenge is calledthe 10/ 49 Challenge”—all ofthe lower48 states plusAlaska in 10 days. To make time for all this fun, Dorseyfinally retired from his 28-year second career with General Dynamics/ Hughes/Raytheon/WhoseverNextMissile Systems.

2#

Sabre Society

Denars

DanLarson says that the reports ofhis retirement in the last issue ofCheckpoints were premature (even though it was himwho reportedit). Like a lot ofpeoplewho thoughtaboutmovingthis year, Danwasn’treadyto givehis house away, so he agreed to help his former company (nowhispresentcompany) with a couple ofprojectsuntilthehousing market improves. They always told us that “flexibility was the key to airpower.” Dan and his wife, Karen Haas, sponsored a mini-reunion ofthe Evil Eightsquadron in conjunctionwiththeAir Force-Navyfootball game at Annapolis. Dan says that they all had a great dinner in Bethesda the night beforethe game, followed by some post-prandiallie-swapping (look it up yourself). On Saturday, theyall rejoined for a tailgateparty at Dan’s house in Rockville, before taking a bus to the game. When theyarrived at the stadium, they ran into our esteemedAthletic Director, Hans Mueh, and then discovered that their seats were directly behind DickMcConn andVicAndrews. Even though allthis horsepowerwasn’t enough to produce a Falconwin, the group had a greattime.

EvilEightandfriends at theAirForce-Navyfootballgame. Kneeling (L-R) Dan Larson and wife, Karen Haas, Bob Lupini, PeteMorrelli,JanetBailey, and Tom Guenther.Standing(L-R)JimHnat, EdBailey,PennyBuck, SueLupini, JimBuck (Walt’sbrother), PatriciaHnat, Rick Cree,MaryannBannwart.Judy Guenther, Connie andMichelle Teetzjean Steele,Jim Bannwart (67),John Steele, Connie andBobMestemaker

BillMcCormickwrote to let us knowthatclassmate, Bill Bowen, has started a website in San Francisco that takes a right-sidedviewofthe political scene on theLeftCoast. Billis an accomplishedwriterandpolitical researcherwhose weekly commentary is not exactly in line with his politicalneighborhood. Thewebsite iswww.RightinSanFrancisco.com and several ofour classmates have contributed theirthoughts on the site. Bill McCormickreminds us that we Zoomies have uniqueexperiences and insights, and at age 65ish we might have theright amount ofreason to temper our egos andbeable to contribute some worthwhilethoughts to this site. Take a look, anduntilnexttime...Happy Landings!

Larry Wilson

13100 Pinehurst Ave. NE Albuquerque, NM 87111

H: (505) 291-8949

E-mail: Lwilsn628@aol.com

I hadthe goodfortune to be in Minneapolis for the AFA-U ofMinnesotafootballgame, at the firstgameinthe U ofM s new stadium - builtwithout a dome. Should make for some interesting games later in the season. Anyhow - at a gatheringthe precedingevening, I met Fred Halstrom, who some ofyou may recallstartedwith us but departed prior to graduation. Much interesting conversation. Fred went on to Georgetown, and then lawschool at Boston College. He specializes in personalinjurylawin Boston, and is a benefactor to his law alma mater and to the Academy. Website for his practice is www.halstrom.com/.

At the game, as Pat and I hiked to our nosebleed seats, who did 1 run into but Milne and Ric and Carmen Rodriguez. Other folksvaliantlycheering forthe Falcons includedVen and Dianne Hammonds, and Bill and jeanni Gerber. Except forthe final score, it was a great evening.

72% I-

It is autumn in NewMexico as I compose this - mild temps, leaves turning goldinmountains andriver areas, huntersheading outwithhopes ofvarious trophies etc. The U ofNewMexico is having an incrediblybad football season, with a new coachwho is having issues. I recentlyreturnedfrom some travels in anotherpart ofthe countrywhere I enjoyed (?) an early taste of winter. It is good to be back home in New Mexico.

A Navyfootball game note, from Roger Carleton: “.. .At the tailgate... I ran into Ken Sprout, Ed Folz, JimBannwart,TedLegaseyand Flick Guerrina. Only Ken and I were without spouses. Mayhave been one or two more ofour classmates there... Ijust didn't run into them... Arealbummer that we came out on the short end.Again.

Lloyd Duncan is living an international life, spending summers in Columbia Falls, MT (near GlacierPark), then migratingsouth to a condo in Manzanillo, Mexico forthe winter, where he plays much golfand tennis. Dune included a note on SmokeyGreene, who continues to work every day at the Pentagon (whatis that definition ofinsanity?). Smoke and his 92-year-old father, who had grown up in ColumbiaFalls, recentlytraveled there for a familybirthday. Here is a pic ofDune on the golf course.

Tiger-watchyourback!

Another golfnote, from Bob Muldrow: “... Never did see howJohn (Olive) didin the US Seniors thisyear... (Johnis) one ofjustfourindividuals who have claimed the Senior Stroke Playand SeniorMatchPlaytitles in the same calendaryear: 1997,2001 and 2002... Olive... (is a) memberofthe Colorado GolfHall ofFame...

FromJohnBarhaugh, in response to some ofmyprevious comments abouttheVAsAgentOrangeregistry: “... several of our classmates (myself,JohnCarney,RileyRitter, DickTebay) served in the Ranch Hand/ 12th Special OperationsSquadron which was the defoliation squadron inVietnam. In those days not much was known aboutthe potentialtoxicityofthe chemicals we sprayed so we came in close personal contact withAgentOrange on a dailybasis. SubsequentlytheAirForce did a longand extensive medical study on all those who servedin Ranch Hand, flight as well as ground personnel... I know of no squadron members who have had any problems whatsoever. On the other hand, perhaps I wouldn't look as old as I do ifitweren'tforAO...butwho's to know... Good to hearfrom you, John, and to knowthat you andothers directlyconnectedwithAO have suffered no ill effects.

Beau Crosbyagain spentpartofhis summer doingcommunityservice am-

CS 07afterthegame: PeteandDebbieMilne, Ricand CarmenRodriguez, Bill andJeanni Gerber, and Ven andDianne Hammonds.

bulance volunteer work in Red River, NM. Here is an excerpt from how he spenthis summer “vacation”:

“... I started driving an ambulance for the Red River Fire Department last year as a trainee. But, earlythis year’strip, I qualified as a paid “EVO” (EmergencyVehicle Operator.) Alarge numberofthe RedRiver Firepersonnel were deployed to a largeforestfirein Colorado. Thisleftthe department a little short handed. An extra set ofhands are almost always useful when answering an emergencymedical call. Americais gainingweight! Handling a gurneytakes two people butwith a three-hundredfiftypounder more is better. The need for extra people allowed me to ‘Ride’ as a driver on almost every‘Call...’”

It was not allworkand no play, as Beau got away a fewtimes to catch some local trout.

I had some briefcontactwithMike and KarenWirth,livinginNorthernCalifornia, BayArea, SiliconValley, in partrelated to my new status as grandfather (to Emma, born on 9-10-09, and doingwell, thankyou). Mike is grandfather to two - here is a great pic, which probably could be many of us with our grandchildren:

Thomas wonders ifGrandpa reallyknows whathe’sdoingtrying tofix this table leg.

RoyMilleris testingthe waters ofthe politicaltides, as a gubernatorial candidate inArizona. For more info, check out his blog at www.azcentral.com/ members/User/Roy5815.

Abriefupdate on AOG-relatedstufffrom Bob Muldrow, who replacedJack Fry (nowAOG secretary) on the Class Advisory Senate: “...the Senate forwarded a lengthylist ofideas fortheAOGBoard ofDirectors to consider. Vic Andrews (66er on the BOD) told us the Boardwill seriouslyconsider allthe recommendations and getbackwiththe Senate on whattheywere doingwith some oftheideas to include an explanation on whytheydid not accept others. In otherwords the hardwork ofthe Senate that was the result ofgradinputs were notjustgoinginto some blackhole never to be seen again. Meaningful feedbackis essential for grads to have confidence that the Senate is worth a darn...” Bob has enlistedthevarious squadronpoints ofcontact to continue AOG-related communicationupdates.

Directcommunicationwith our various ’67folks on theAOG boardis always a recommended option. As an example, I had a long conversation recently withRogerCarleton on some ofmyquestions. Roger - as expected - was fully informative, with straighttalk. No doubtallthe otherswouldbe equallyforthcoming. Use them.

As I notedabove-1 am a now a grandparent, as no doubtmanyofyou are too. Thiswhole next-generationthingisprettydaunting. Especially as thenational andworldsituations continue to beless thanreassuring. Health care, Afghanistan, Iran, globalwarming (or not), etc we are leavingchallenges for our children, and their children.

And -1 am again running out ofmy alloted space. Thanks to all for your

Tim Davidson

9712 Hidden Valley Road Vienna, VA 22181-6094

(703) 255-5313

Fax: (703) 255-5377

E-mail: timd@erols.com

HELLO ’68! For those still slipping the “surlybonds ofearth” you might want to consider practicingyour “touch and goes” near Dave and Jeanne Allen’s beautiful home located on an air park north ofColorado Springs. In addition to the more traditionalofferings ofa kitchen,living room, etc., Dave’s propertyfeatures a fullyoperationalhangar, a taxiway, and a runway.To keep themselvesbusy,Jeanne andDavehave restored a 1934vintage, open cockpit, WACO biplane and are in the process ofrestoring two more. They are very active in the antique aircraft communityand love to share their passion by takingthrill-seekingpassengers on rides. OnAugust 1st, theyhosted a gettogetherfor interested aviators, where all assembled had an opportunity to feel thewind intheirface as theysoared over the Colorado countryside. The

photo and associated smiles tell you all you need to know about the day’s adventures. To quote Carl Janssen, “It was marvelous!

“ComeFlyWithMe!” From leftin thefront row are CarlJanssen, TinaDudley, JeanneandDaveAllen, and GarryDudley;BackRow:BillWood, DougWilson, AlBurchett, andBillEckert. NotPictured:CraigBaer,BobMaries,VinceRusinak, RogerMoseley, andHowie Towt.

BASIC SUMMERROOMMATE GOLFCOURSESIGHTINGS:Whileit’sbeen about45years sinceBrotherDaveMann andI sharedthe same livingquarters, hehas definitelybeen seen out andabout on thelinks. Thefirstsightingin 2008 was reportedbySteve Mishwho notedthatDave had run into Steve’s brother at the USGASeniorAmateurin FortWorth. Theninearly2009, while Steve was cheering on the USAFAmen’s team during a competition at hishome course at the UniversityofTexas GolfClub, the cadet team saw Steve on the 13th green andthen met Dave, who was working as a USGAofficial, on the 16th green. Theytold Dave about meeting Steve on the 13th green, but bythe time Dave got to 13, Steve had departed. To ensure a more successful rendezvous, Dave shot an e-mail to Steve andtheywere able to link up at the UT Men’s Regional in the spring. So, the story is over, right?! No, not exactly. InAugust, mydaughterMelissa’s father-in-law was attending the US Amateur GolfTournament in Tulsa and was wearing a USAFA golf shirt. A US Amateur official asked him ifhe went to the Air Force Academy and he respondedthathis son and daughter-in-law were grads. Mydaughter’s fatherin-lawthen asked the official ifhe hadattended theAcademyand the official answered, “Yes, in the Class of1968.” Well, whenMelissa’s father-in-law asked whetherthe officialknewme, Davejustflashed a bigsmile and said “I believe I do.We were roommates! This, myfellowclassmates, goes into what Iwould call the “smallworld” department!

41stAnniversary Reunion inArlington, Texas. Attendees:Ken andKakai Bowers, Frank and Brenda Moore, Doug and Lucy Batchelor, Dave and MarcheAnnMann, andScottandSueBohner.

‘68’s 41st REUNION-TEXAS STYLE: Date: 5 June 2009. Place: ATex-Mex joint inArlington, Texas. Ken Bowers’ Reunion Summary: “Swilled beer and chinchillas (or, itmighthave been chimichangas) as we swapped tales ofthe past andlies aboutthe present. Keeping to our age cohort, we showed up for the earlybirdspecial and were gone during civil twilight.” (Scribe Note: Do these guys knowhow to party or what!)

’68’s EAST COASTREUNIONAT USAFA-USNAGAME:With a host ofbusy and conflictingbusiness and social calendars, our local crew elected to give Ed and KarenEberhart a breakfromholdingthis year’s East Coast reunion at theirhouse and movedthe venue to Annapolis. With a reasonable amount of forward planning, we were able to get a fairly decent showing of’68ers from hither andyon. Ed and Karen hosted a slewofout-of-town classmates from 16th Squadron and I took in some road-warriors from North Carolina (Bob andThuyJohnston and Brooke and CathyBailey). Tom O’Beirne drove in from Round Hill Virginia on the dayofthe game to join our group departing

fromVienna. With Brooke driving, we then trekked offto do battle with the Squids. While wewere around and aboutthe USAFAAOGTailgate inAnnapolis, we saw or bumped into DennyMcLain, Sam Boles, Bill Bowman, Steve “Cisco” McPhail, Steve Polk, Jim Clark, Dave Prevost, Bruce Gerrity, Tony Eden, CharlieCoolidge,DannyJames,MikeWagner,JimSeevers, BuckMcCants and GregVarhall. For those who watched the game, it was one where the defenses ofboth schools seemed to dominate the field as the respective offenses appeared to be channeling Ben Martin’s “secret play” ofconsistently running up the middle. Despite unwavering and tumultuous cheering throughoutthe game, ourAirForce Falcons lost in overtime afterbeingdone inforthe seventhyearin a rowbytheMidshipmen ofNavy. Seemingto parrot the politicalfortunes ofthe day, the USAFAovertime field goalwent wide left, andwe drowned our misfortune at Mike’s Restaurant and Crab House inRiva, Maryland afterthe game. To quote a familiar refrain, “Wait Until NextYear!”

’68ERNAMED USAFA PREP SCHOOL EXEMPLAR: Our classmate, Larry Funk, is a 1964 graduate ofthe USAFAPrep School. In 2002, he was in the first contingentofPrep School alumni to be inducted into the Prep School Heritage Hall ofFame. The rationale for Hall ofFame honors is determined by different categories ofachievement. Larrywas selectedwithin the military performance category as an F-105GWildWeasel aircrewmemberwhere he was awarded 7 DFCs and 8Air Medals forexceptional andheroic service performed during aerial combat inVietnam. At the 2002 inauguration for the Heritage Hall ofFame, the Prep School also began an Exemplar program for eachPrep Schoolclass. Exemplarcandidates can be anyone, but are typically chosenfromthe Hall ofFame inductees. In 2008, Larrywas chosen as Exemplarforthe Classof2009. This distincthonorinvolves one primarydutywhich is to deliverthe graduation commencement address. Larrydid so on 18 May at thePrep Schoolgraduation ceremonyheldinArnoldHall. The Prep School Class of2009, at over 200 strong, was the largestPrep School graduatingclass to date. As a side note, the newUSAFASuperintendent, Lt GenMike Gould, is a formerExemplar. A copyofLarry’sspeech is on our’68 ClassWebsite. Congratulations, Larry, on thisveryspecialrecognition.

Pat

Tim

Lindsey Parris

616 King’s Cloister Circle

Alexandria, VA 22302

Home: (703) 836-3604

102177.1033@compuserve.com

Slimpickings this issue, and due onlytwoweeks before our 40th, so perhaps that is well, as there will be an overflowofitems to recount after this grand Novembergatheringof69ers. Glenn Schlabs andthe manyClassvolunteers have puttogetherquite a slate ofactivities, which portends theusual grand time for the 246 or so ofthe classwho plan on attending.

Mike Goode, president of the Arizona Business Aviation Association (AZBAA), was instrumental in implementing one ofthe thousand points of business light (oops, wrong administration!) to further the attraction of Scottsdale as a business and tourist destination. Mike and hisAZBAA members mobilized a grassroots campaign to supportliftingthe weight limit for Scottsdale Airport to serve companies wanting to base flight ops out ofScottsdale but could not do so because the existing 75,000-pound limit restricted the full capabilityoftheir aircraft. Upon the Scottsdale City Council’s decision to raise the limit to 100,00 pounds, Mike said, “The council’s approval ofthis measure amounts to a win-win for the business aviation community and the city.. .it means Scottsdalewill be able to strengthen its position as an international destination for business, commerce and even tourism.”

Jim Gonzaleshas published his secondbook, “USAFA’s CadetZoo,” this one movingfullyinto the biographicalrealm, beginningwith thatfaithful dayin June 1965 when we all cast our lot with one another. Jim offers up his firsthand accounts and previouslyunpublishedcorrespondence, photos, and records to capture the memorable and sometimes-crazytrip that was ours. Gulp!

Perhaps we should buyup the entire first release to ensure no one in the reading public is privy to our secrets! order through Amazon.com or www.academybooks.net!

Tom and Karen Keck met upwith DonRakestrawfordinnerduringtheAFA in DC, and I was disappointed not to have been in town to join.

Muchgolfhasbeenplayed over the summer, certainlymuch more thanthat ofwhich I am aware.

John Buckner and Craig Collins have synched schedules to play in San Antonio on more than one occasion, andslippedup to Minnesotato play a few roundswith Brian Nelson. NelsreportsGerrySchwartzelis non-pareil on the courses near Carmel, CA.

“Crud-Stud” BruceAndersen ishoninghis handicap inNewJersey, andhad hisfirst summerwithhis newboomerto launchfromthe tee box. TeamBeezley owns Kansas Cityandenvirons. LesDyertookthe summer largelyoffto prep forhis campaignforpublic office.

Flip KeckandTom Flemingworked in a fewrounds betweenflying,biking, and lawyering.

And, out in Oregon, the foursome pictured below - RoyCoppinger, Dick Swanson, JeffTobolski, and Gene Foster - gathered for the now-annual SunRiver golfouting.

All this practiceby so manyshould make for quite a dayofgolfing in Colorado, weatherpermitting. Ifnot, the tennis courts, whichwillbepopulatedby younger 69ers, could become swamped.

That’s itforthistime. Cards andletters and calls and e-mails, please! Seeyou in Colorado.

Cheers, all. Hand Salute. Lindsey

USAFA - USNA Tailgate:From leftare Bruce Gerrity, Charlie Coolidge, Bill Bowman, DavePrevost, andDennyMcLain.

LarryFunk, Class of2009Exemplar USAFAPrepSchool. THAT’S AWRAP: Mind the flak; keep ’em flying, andkeep those cards, letters, e-mails, and photos coming in to

Russell and me. Please go to the ClassWebsite to see photos included in this column in color and in full size. Ciao for now.

Swanie, Tobo,Royand Gene atSunRiver, modelingwideclubselection, driver to putter.

lllifeli

l*WJr f /

'J-f Dick Rauschkolb

130 Luxury Lane

Colorado Springs, CO 80921

H: (719) 761-5764

Cell: (719) 310-6928

Email: AOG70@comcast.net

Richard Rauschkolb@usafa.edu

Arrgghh! Anotherloss to the dreaded Middies has put me in a foul mood. I won’t saywe shouldhave won the game, but we sure as hellcouldhave won it. Well men, thatleaves it up to the Class ofSeventy to turn around the sevengamelosingstreakto Navy. OurReunion nextyearis going to betheweekofthe Navygame (2 Oct)!We need a massive turnout to sparkthe Falcons to victory. WildWoodWoodhead is alreadygearingup for some special cheers.

Jim Bechtel hosted a post-game wake after the game. I heardWildWood Woodhead, George Keys, RayMcKelvy,Wild Bill Stealey, MickRosenblatt, YogiRoyce and manyspouses were there.

At the football game againstWyoming, theAcademyhonored formerfootballplayersfromallclasses. Itwas a greatceremony. I was pleasedto see myold BCT roomie GeorgeRaylthere alongwithMarkEwig,TomRayl,TooeyEmery, and SteveMaclsaac.About 12 ofour 50 classespaidforplaques to beplaced on the ramp leading into the stadium. I was glad to see the Class of 1970 was one ofthose classes. Manythanks to our gridironwarriorswho gave us lots offond memories.

PhillKolbe brings a new life into the world.

Mike Brower checked in from Seaford,Virginia. Seems like there is a small Seventycommunitythere. He sees DougandSusanCarlson,JimandMargaret Andrews, ChuckandAliceWhitechurch, andhasworkedwith RayBaker. He also saidTom and SandyRaylvisitedhim andTom took to sailingMike’s boat. He sent a picture ofTom at the helm—it was a scarysight.

DustyandRoseanne Swanson’sbeautiful daughter,Ashley,recentlygot marriedinMemphis. SawA1Swaimwho was outhere on a golftripwith some ofhis buddies from SanAntonio. Lots ofadult beverages were consumedbetween rounds accordingtoAl.WildBill Stealeyhadhis annual golftournament. Tim Kinnan,TomWaskow, Steve Maclsaac,YogiRoyce and spouses had another greattime courtesyofWild Billand Denise. Rumorhas itSteve won allthe coins.

Gotshort notes fromJimBurgesswho is working at CampMabry nearAustin. Heard Mike Huber has not caused Melissa to file for divorce after four months ofretirement. ChuckWeirvolunteered to be ajudgefortheASU co-ed swimsuitcontest, butwas politelytoldhis servicesweren’tneeded. MickDavey and Critt Crittendon gettheaward for neatest trip—theyvisited Dubai and wentskiing.Theywent duringRamadan so theywouldn’thave to waitinline— man that is great thinking—of course they couldn’t eat from sun up to sun down!

Dave SterlingrecentlysoloedcourtesyofgreatinstructionbyTim Carey.All airspace from NewYork to Philadephia was clearedwhen Dave took off!

Have seen lotsofseventymen atthegames. MickDavey(thanksfortheBloody Mary), Gino Quist, Bob McKinney, CookVillareal, Dave Gaw, RogerHill, Jim Gallagher, ChrisDunbar, Russ Carparelli,JimMulford, andRichDowning are all strongFalconsupporters. Dana andLindaArbaughflewinfrom California fortheWyoming game. I once againlost some shekels to Bob Mack,Wild Bill Stealey, and Mike Torreano in our quarterlygolfmatch.Worst ofall, theyall voted that I lostthe SportsmanshipTrophyagain. “It’s a screwjob Seventy”— thatis all I willsayaboutthat. Losing to Torreanoreallyhurt as he was coming offknee surgery.Well, thereis always another chance as he is presentlygetting the otherknee fixed.

Marilyn andI appreciate allthephone calls andemails we havegotten. Itwas great to catch up with Dusty Swanson, Dave Hallman, George Crow, John Verardo, Ken Noble, Ken Greene, andTerry Dessert. I know I have missed some people—manyapologies.Allyourthoughts andprayers are deeplyappreciated.

I went to theAcademy’s HistorySymposium. It was an honor to hear Rex Jones make a superbpresentation. EdColealso attended. EdandIwent down to thePrep Schoolandtalkedto thePreppiesaboutthe Honor Code. It was a real treat. Phil Meilinger, who was scheduled to givethe HarmonLecture, had to back out at thelastminute due to a family emergency.We are looking forward to Phil gettingrescheduled andhearinghispresentation.Afriendof mine, Chris Hoppin, recentlywrote Same Date ofRank. It is aboutgradswhofinishedatthetopandbottomoftheirclasses. It has great chapters on Chuck Reed andhis remarkable daughter Kim Campbell—both top grads. I encourage you to getthe book.

Am always amazed at the communityservice you folks do. John Hale was recentlyselectedtheVice ChairoftheAlumniAdvisoryBoard, Daniels College ofBusiness at the UniversityofDenver. Tom O’Mearaled a fundraisingride for breast cancer research. JohnVerado said Sue ran the RelayforLife to benefit theAmerican CancerSociety, and PhillKolbewent to the Congo on a missionarytrip. Phill sent this picture ofhim helping to deliver twins at a remote village. Good on all ofyouwho are committed to givingback to your communities andhelpingpeople in need.

DaveSterlingand Tim Careyprepare to slip thesurlybonds. Youhaveheard me beatthe drums formoneyfor our class giftforthelastyear sol thought Iwould letGaryDahlen, theheadofour class giftcommittee, have a fewwords in thiscolumn:

“Atthe lastReunion the Classwalked outto the site at the en d ofthe Heritage Trail and agreed that we should proceed with constructing a building and displays commemoratingAcademygraduates’ participation in theVietnam War. Our Class was one ofthe last classes to play a major role inthat conflict, and we lostnine ofour classmates there. The initial moneyraisingcampaign raised enoughmoney to complete a design and to choose a contractor for the Pavilion. Workbegan on the foundation this fall, and the structure is scheduledfordedication at our 40th Reunion .Pleasetakethe time to view a concept video ofthe building on our ClassWEB site (accessed through theAOG site). You will be impressed! Thelast phase of our money raisingcampaign has begun, so please consider an initial or additional donation to this outstanding project. Ourprojections are thatwe need at least$500Kto complete the project and about $300KbyJune to paythe contractor. Yourhelp isurgentlyneeded! Makechecks outto theAOG with a designation to ‘The Class of‘70Project’. Mail to theAOG at its Doolittle Hall address.”

Marilyn and I extend our bestwishes to you all for a joyousHolidaySeason. Keep our troops and theirfamilies in your thoughts and prayers.

DynamicSeventyGridironDuo—MarkEwigand GeorgeRayl.

Paul D. Knott

5565 Lantana Drive

Colorado Springs, CO 80915

H: (719) 570-9162

W: (719) 594-0100

E-mail: pk71knott@gmail.com

NormallyIwould startwith some minorhookto thelocal area liketheweather or the Falcons, but I want to make sure thatyou all knowaboutVern Francis. He had a badbikingaccidentinAugust: as ofthiswritingis partiallyparalyzed. He can control a wheelchairwith his righthand, and has recentlygraduated from feedingbystomach tube to liquid nourishment. You can keep up with Vern and his story by accessing a site called CaringBridge (http:// www.caringbridge.org/visit/vernfrancis).

On a much lighter note, our Legacy class had a Commitment Dinner in August,justbefore classes started. Several ofour classmates attended, includingTomBerry, Cass Casada, Honi Garvin, JakeHuffman, RussLogan, David McCloy, Lance Miller, GaryPayton, and GregRocco.

Geno Kraayis makingup forlosttime. Bytheway, myapologiesforusingthe cliche in myphoto caption in the last issue. Geno was the groom’s father. Continuing a familytradition of soccer excellence, his daughterStephanieisthehead soccer coachfor theArmyBlackKnights.They seem to be doingbetter at this writingthan eitherthe men’s soccer team or the footballers.

Speaking of achieving daughters, Darryl and Doris Wimberley’sdaughter,Morgan, andherteammate recently won the Canadian Henley’sChampionship SeniorWomen Doubles.

Back when the earth was cooling (or last issue, I forget which), I mentioned thatTom andJackie Berryhad a class gathering at their home. Enclosedisphotographicproofthatsaid eventreallyhappened. It goes without sayingthat we have all married above ourselves.

appreciate anyand all inputs that do come this way as I try to cobble together some informative news to send on.

From the archives ofAmericanAirlines I gathered the list ofseveral of our classmateswho have taken advantage ofthe opportunity to retire, either early or on time, which until recently was the maximum age of60. Some ofus diehards who stilllike the airplanepart ofour civilian lives and don’tyethave the wherewithal to afford a plane ofour own are continuing on pastthatlandmark age butonlyup to the new max of65 which means the decisionpoint becomes month to month inlight ofthe changingeconomyand businessplans. I am on that short list but do not knowwho else is, and I expect things are similarly uncertain at the other airlines as well.

Thehappyretirees are listedwiththeirofficialretire date sol am confidentthis information is correct. Allthese guysfinishedtheir careers as Captains on various typesofequipmentrangingfromMD80throughB737 andB757/767to B777.

Here we gowiththe alphabetical and not chronologicallisting: MarkBilak 12/ 1 /08,AndyCaltagirone 2/1/08, RandyCrane 8/1/08, Bob Dehmer 12/1/08,Jeff DeVore 12/1 /07, Joe Frost2/1/08, GregIsert 12/1/08,AlexKampf 10/1 /Q8, John “Rod” McDonald 11/1/08, Phil Sharp 9/1 /08, Bob Sorensen 9/1/08,Vic Sorlie 12/1/08 and Dave “Smokey” Stover2/1/08. These guys now get to enjoytheir free time and no longer have to dealwith the ever-popular recurrent (refresher) training, thenever-endingairline securitydilemma andTSA, the alwayslovelypassengers and coworkers and so on... .Hey, maybe that retirement thing isn’t such a bad idea afterall? Congratulations to all!

Well, thereis also news ofa last minute nature from Harvey LeCato, who always saves me at the last minutewhen I beg himfor news tidbits. Fie reports thathehas gotten new seats forhisFalconfootball season ticketsthisyear. The good news is thatthey are right next to RandyandJean Fitzhugh’s and togetherthefourofthemhave beenhaving a great time in spite ofthe Falcon’s rough season. (Randy does still lament the lack ofMalbec wine at our class reuniondinner. Maybe atthe Fortieth?) Also Harveynotes thathe does still see Sandy and Bobbie Lewis seated one section away so at least they are able to wave across the aisles.

Harveyalso reports some news just in fromA1 Sellerswho had earlierretired fromdoctoring. It seems thatAlhas gonebackto workparttime. Juliethinkshe is“gettingtoo fatandlazy” as winterapproaches. (A1says that’strue?) So hehas taken on the role ofgeneral manager ofPine Creek GolfClub where hejust recentlystartedwork. He plans to workhard to get more golfers to play on the great course thisyear as theclub managementconfronts otherbottomlinechallenges. Maybe as Harveysaid, we couldhave an “in” for some additional golf!

The new investment venture known as the Colorado Mountain Breweryis rapidlymoving toward completion locatedjust across 1-25 from Falcon Stadium on InterquestParkwaywith a scheduled opening ofMay2010. In the midstoffund-raisingforthefinaldevelopmentstages, an attemptisbeingmade to increase theAcademygraduateparticipationlevels. Currently (as of9/30) there are 18 grads involved ranging from 1960 through 2006. The goal is to create a family-friendlyoutingexperiencewhile capitalizing upon the common gradexperience fortheAFA community. Ifyou are interested injoining the venture, feel free to contact them by checking out their website at “www.cmbrew.com” whereyou can reach the contacts for an executive overviewofthe business plan.

While on mysemi-annualvisit to the airline schoolhouse down Texas wayI hadthe chance to stop in at the home ofMichaelandMollyLeddyfor an afternoon offootball viewing and camaraderie. We covered theusual gradtopics ofdiscussion, catchingup on things sincethe reunion (alreadytwoyears ago!), while enjoying snacks andbeer as well as the energetic companyof a young grandsonAidanwho is definitelyspeciallyloved byhis grandparents. Had to make it a short eveningthough for alas, I needed to getback to studying “777 stuff” forthe next day’s fun in the classroom.

Gradsandwives

I’m not sure whythis has taken so long, but some enterprising grads are opening a microbrewery due east ofFalconStadium. In case you have some cash to investand curiosityaboutthis particularventure, let me knowandI’ll pass on theirinformation.

I hadintended to closethis columnwith a photo ofmygranddaughterinher first flightsuit, but I thinkthatI’lljustpost itin our on-line column. GBA

Bob Bell

13 Pacific Ave.

Sinking Spring, PA 19608

(610) 678-3182/Fax: 678-4513

E-mail: rabell767@aol.com

Hey! It’syourever-whinyscribe bringinggreetings to you allfrom Pennsylvania on a rainy autumnal daywith NOT SO MUCH news to report. So as a result I have come up with a short bit that may interest some ofyou. Still I

With a too-frequent computer glitch on mypart I hadlost an email with a photo from Scott Sturman several months ago andjust now receivedhis resendofthe informationforinclusionhere. Thephoto shows Scott andhiswife JoAnnstanding at the summit ofMountKilimanjaro. Theirtrip occurred earlierthis year, prior to the Fall issue where it shouldhave been mentioned, but such a significant event as that should still be noted even ifa bit delayed!

Miller,Casada,McCloy,Todd Harrison (’82),JohnYoung (’69),Huffman, Logan, Rocco and escort.

Class News

Scottalso mentions thateffective November 1st, therewillbe a newwebsite hosted byhimselfand Bill Gideonwith an address of“fliesinyoureyes.com” which comes from an expression inJoseph Heller’s epic novel Catch 22. The website has four sections including two for generalcommentarybyBill and Scott, one for guest articles and one devoted to tales from theAir Force and USAFA. So check it out, guys. Thankyou, Scott, foryour patience in finally gettingyourinput in Checkpoints.

With sincere hopes thatyou all continue to enjoylife at the hectic pace it is, secure in the peace ofmindthat comes with the knowledge thatyouhave all been doing great things and are trulyblessed, I bidyou all a HeartyHappy HolidaySeason andBestWishes forthe NewYear. Until next time- send me some news ofyourlife evenjust a little bitwould be great ifyou can!

Joe Kahoe

4140 Saddle Rock Road

Colorado Springs, CO 80918

Cell: (719) 210-5568

joekahoe@gmail.com

http://73.texascomputerhelp.com

Please continue to sendpictures and stories aboutyourlives... families, careers, retirements, etc. Read the full articlewith many more pictures at http:/ /usafa73.org.VR, Joe Kahoe, CS-07.

LtGenJackHudson (CS25) RetirementAug 14,2009: JoinedbyDennyBoyce andTomKroessig, bothCS-25withJack, andJimBoyle,who was at Purduewith Jack, in grad school. “Marsha and I are stayinginthe Dayton area, and are at: 1488 Huntland Ct N, Xenia OH 45385. We are keeping our hudshoe@aol.com email address. Have not decided exactly what to do nextbutwilltake some time to decide. Meanwhile lifeisgreat! MarshaandIhavetaken2week-longtripssincemy change ofcommandfromtheAeronauticalSystems Center. I havealmost 1800 miles on mybicyclethisyear, andwillgetto lastyear'stotal (almost2300) byyear's end. JackHudson cell (937) 510-1168 (Go to our web site formany more pictures). Tom Kroessigadds:Jackhonoredthethreeofus byseating us withhim at theheadtable duringhis retirementdinner (with the DepSecDef!).DennyBoyce adds: It was veryimpressive. Jimworks forthe State ofCalifornia; Krowis medically retired from DeltaAirlines and lives in Atlanta. I continue to flyforUSAirways andlive in North Carolina. On a more personal note: bothmy sonsare backinIraq. Myolder son, Ross, was recalled from medical school andis anArmycaptainservingwith NC National Guard south ofBaghdad, and should be home in Jan. Myyounger son, Andrew, is workingagain as a contract helicoptermechanic thistime helpingtheIraqiAF maintain theirHueysatTajiAB. Allthoughts and prayers appreciated.

From Charlie Quinnell: Go to our web page for two great pictures taken during a gathering in July (the girl’s shot was around campfire JacksValley Type the boy’s shot outside ofEarls in Calgary JackDanielsType).

Go to our web site for a greatphoto reminiscent ofNorman Rockwell’s art in the Denver Post ofMaj Gen (ret) JohnBarry, SuperintendentAurora Public Schools, servingfood at school.

From StalkerReed (CS 07): I attended the 4950thTestWingreunionAug 15, andstayedwithJayJabour at his home in Beavercreek, OH. We had a blast. Go to web site forgreatpicture ofJayand Stalkerwith theWright-Breplica, http:/ /www.wright-b-flyer.org/ (JayJabourl@earthlink.net).

Gonebut not forgotten: TheAOG has recentlylearned ofthe death ofMr ChristopherJ Nicholas, CS-24, class of 1973. Mr Nicholas passed away on 26 Aug2009 in California as the result ofcomplications from lymphoma.

Historian Don Rightmyergave a recent presentation to the 22nd Military HistorySymposium 28-30 Sep at USAFA. The paper was entitled "ThoseWho Have Gone BeforeUs: CadetHeritage Education at the USAFA.” (web site picture and greatstory oftrip home)

Warren and Peggy Smith bid farewell to Colorado and moved to Alabama, wherefamilyand warmer climate calls.Warrenis stillwith HR directingworldwide new product introductions.

From Mike Mosier: A classmate of ours who left USAFA sophomore year (BobPineiro) retiredfromtheAF on 29 Oct 2009. Aformerenlistedtroop, Bob ended up back in the enlisted ranks after he left USAFA. He retired at HQ USSOCOM after30years ofservice as a CMSgt and a highlydistinguishedAir Force career. The CSAF, our own Norty Schwartz (one ofBob's squadron mates), did the honors and officiated at the ceremony. Classmates in attendance included Bob Munson andwife, Pam; Skip Sanders andwife, Joanne; and Bill Rothwell. Congrats Bob, once a member ofthe Class of’73, always a member ofour brotherhood!

Greetings from Bob Fraser, fromthe East Coast. When I was teaching summerAstro this pastJuly, one ofthe cadets asked ifI was from the class of 1973. I saidthatIwas andexpectedhim to asksomethingaboutSullyor GenSchwartz. Butwhat he associatedwith our class was Rowe Stayton's memorable presentation atthe National Character andLeadershipSymposium (andthe support our class gives the project). I hear nothing but rave reviews about the NCLS and appreciationforthe part that our class givingplays in enabling it.

Bob Fraser, Laurel, MD

From Mike Arnett:We had a mini-Niner reunion at the AF/Navy Game. GordyBendick, Don Pettit,Vic Thuotte, Mark Stuckley and I were all there. MikeArnett,Annapolis, MD (moved here inApril, stillworking for same L-3 group)

From Rick Karvosky Nothing much going on still working here at A1 DhafraAir Base in UAE as the Site Manager/Civil Engineer for RMS/LAP justgotbackfrom a fewweeks ofvacation. (Amazing story on web site about Rick’s brushwith the Grim Reaper... bigwake-up call.) Had a great time on myvacation saw my daughters and my 4 grandkids - - hard to believe my oldestgrandsonjustturned 14! Denise, herdaughterand I spentalmostthree weeks this past SpringtravelingUK, Paris, Provence, Nice/Cannes/Monte Carlo and Milan had a great time. Picture offamily in Milan on our class web site.

MikeSmithhad a newgrandsonbom on 27 Sept. Mikesays “notearthshaking to the classbutprettyexcitingfor us. I sayeverygrandchild forthe Class of’73 is earthshaking. Congrats Mike!!!

FromTedKammire: 18th SQ Class of1973 had a mini reunion at the RenoAir Show 18-20 Sept. We were hosted byRickVanDamandhiswife, Denise. Rick flys in the Jet Class in his L-39. He is also coordinatorforthe Sport Class and an instructor for thosewho want to qualifyforthe RenoAir Races.

Dan reportedthat “Mike Edwards and I escorted Nortie to the podium for his remarks.” Dan O'Hollaren, Maj Gen, ORANG, USAFA '73, Asst toAFMC/ CC 971-533-3651 (C)

JackHudson’s retirement. From leftareJimBoyle, Tom Kroessig,JackHudson, andDennyBoyce.

GeneralNortySchwartz, CSAFpasses theAFGlobalStrike Commandguidon to Lt. Gen. Frank G. Klotz,commander, during theactivation ceremony Aug. 7.

At the CS-18 mini reunionfrom left are TedKammire, RickVanDam, Kirk Lilly, EricVogel, MikeHay,JayBeard, and BrianJones (wife, Sandy, not pictured).

MikeEdwards,NortySchwartz, Dan O’Hollaren taken atNGAUSannual conference inNashville, TN.

Note fromJohn Rosserwith his latest contact data: John PaulRosser &Associates, Inc. Mailingaddress is 104 Crandon Blvd., Suite 304A; KeyBiscayne, FL33149, EO. Box 1, KeyBiscayne, FL33149.305-365-3777. DDocument@aol. com; www.jprosser.com.

BuddyGammon’sdaughtermadetheDean’s List at FloridaCoastalSchool of Law. CongratsBuddy!

From CarlBaillie THE RING: In Mayof1972, shortlyaftergettinghisUSAF AcademyClass Ring, CarlBaillie lost itin the S. Platte River near Deckers, CO. On MemorialDay2009, SimonDagger (wholives inLittleton, CO) foundthe ring about 5 miles north ofDeckers. (Web site for greatstory) Mahaloand Aloha.” Carl CBatKula@aol.com (808) 8786744.

Joe Brezovic 1209 Bayou Oaks Drive Friendswood, TX 77546

H: (281) 482-6860

E-mail: jbrezovic@comcast.net

Hello Classmates!

Active duty news first: OnAugust27, General Howie Chandler becameAir ForceVice ChiefofStaff. Congratulations Howie. And thank you foryour thoughtsduringthe reunion.

Over450 people at the 35th reunion Fridaynightsupper! Quite a nice gathering! Mostofyou were able to come on time despitethebaselockdownafter the memorial service. You can be sure that bus schedule will be discussed, again, and again. Yes, the weatherwasn’t very hospitable, either. Whatever happened to changing every 15 minutes? No news ofreunion-weather-related accidents has come around, so we are thankful forthat! Perhaps most ofus can come backto the40th as well as thosewho couldn’tthistime? I understandthat we had 500 forthe dinnerforthe30th... so we didreallyreallygood on the gatheringofeagles (falcons).

Forthe Memorial Service, Robert Cutlerpresented a message, MarkRaderreadthe scripture; HarryDurginthe invocation; DuncanMcNabb (General) andRobertLoweryread our classmates’ names. Bill Sims presented opening remarks and Howie Chandlerpresentedclosingremarks. RichBowman, Dino Schweitzer, Charlie Bryant, andTedRothwere also amongthecrewmembersputting on this mission. Hopingnotto miss someone accidently, I acknowledge a thanks to these classmates and toTomHaydenforleadingandworkingwiththe necessaries forthis 35th reunion. “ThankyouClassmates!”

Some ofyouhave alreadysubmitted comments/ideas - ifyouhave another idea or recommendation, email it here and I promise it will be on the toconsider/to-do listforthe40th. Some ofthesquadronshavebeenhavinggettogethers and classmates have been sendingin group photos over theyears. These are welcomedstories andpictures to pass on to theclass, too. There are so manyways for us to sharepictures. Agoalis to update the classpage. Send the scribe some pics from this reunion or othermini-reunions or the annual Christmas cards—thankyou classmateswho have sent pics in the past, and thosewho will in the future! It maybe easier to recognize someone at a reunion, or in the city. Who knows, someone may even accidentally see Ed Whalen in UAE!! There are veryfewofus who checktheAOG Register to see who is in-town beforeTDY, or drivingthrough on vacation, or even trying to get a 74 gatheringgoing. I’dlike to keephelping us support eachother. There should be a good answer to “Where’s Kevin?” Unfortunately, there isn’t yet. But we are trying! As Tom mentioned during a phone call, many of us are finding more time to give to othertasks. Reacquaintingwithclassmatesmay be one notionyoumaywish to pursue. Assisting in outreach programswith

classmates maybepossible. Class Legacyis comingup, too. And thatmaybe an option to participate in.

One ofthe items thatwouldhave been reallykeen to see was aWings ofBlue jump forthe game, with a 74flagflying onto the gridiron. Well, theweather was one itemthataffected a surprise. Tomhadworkedbehind the scenes to getJim Hayhursttojump forthe game. Jimisthe current (2008) US National accuracy and style Champion. He has over 9,400jumps total, and has been the U.S. NationalChamp 10 times since graduation. Yeah, he is 57! But, thegoal is reset for 5 years from now to do the same entrance idea!

In updates, a note from Chris and KathyKelly. The picture is from Chris’ retirement ceremony, and showsKathyreceiving a certificate ofappreciation. Chris on herleft, in case you couldn’t tell! Chris last served as the vice commander ofAir MobilityCommand. His time included expeditionarywork in Kyrgyzstan and other work in Enduring Freedom. The card comes from Yorktown,VA. And most folks stay at their last base. In other notes Stormin Normin Seip retired as a Lt General on 1 October. Norm finished up at DavisMonthanAir Force Base, TwelfthAir Force and Component Command for Caribbean, Central and SouthAmerica engagements. Dutytime included exchange officer on board the USS Nimitz, and directing missions for Iraqi Freedom, andEnduringFreedom. Congratulations on the service and retirement to Chris and to Norm.

Rich andPeggyBowman sentin a chapteroftheirlife. Some ofRich’s travels tookhim and Peggythrough SanAntonio, on thru to the Inside Passage of Alaska, past the Margerie Glacier, back for the annual Retired MilitaryGolf ClassicwhereRichplaced46th outof212,attheendofthe classic. He was able to work as volunteer at the Ryder Cup in Louisville. Then there was more trekkingreports ofAngelFireinNM; DeadHorse PointUtah; and golfingwith Ted Roth in COS. Maybe you’d like to golf, or trek, and Rich doesn’t know whereyou are! Rich andPegcouldbe comingthroughyour area! Some 74 do gettogether as an example, NickPuzak was golfingwith out-of-towners JJ Romano andTedMacey, and Nickpredicted snowbythe 18thhole. Yep, itdid! There could be more memorymakersyet to happen.

Here is another memorymaker: TankersTogether. The pic was sent in by RichMentemeyertakenduring aTankerAssociation Convention. These types ofevents are great to catch up on news andpictures. One officerwho attends eachyearis LtColJackson, a Medal ofHonor recipient for goingbackinto an over-run location inViet Nam to bring out some CCT guys who got "leftbehind accidently." Ifyou can’ recognize the face, the names are below the picture!

ChrisandKathyKellyand GeneralArtLichte.

Pilots thatgetwhatyou want whereand whenyou want it. From left in the back row are LtColJoeJackson, Dan Goodrich, Rich Mentemeyer, ChrisKelly, Steve Gress, Tom Kane. Front row:Duncan McNabb, GaryKirksteader, Moe Verling, and CecilReed.

AndyScroggsis a firsttimewriter. Hewaited until afterretirement to find the time. He sentin one picwithhimstandingnextto a helicopterwith the IraqAir Force. One ofa street Cobrahe is redoing.And one ofthefamilyshown below:

Class News

Andy, Kim, two sons and a daughter-in-law. As ofthewritingofhis note, he is working for FADS NorthAmericaTankers.

AndyandKimScroggsandfamily

Fred Bryant sent in a note. He is one ofthe L-3 Communications Regional ManagersinIraq, normallyin Baghdad at the Camp Liberty area oftheVictory Base Complex at Baghdad InternationalAirport. Thathas to be a challenge. The news doesn’t displaypeace and quiet. Wishyou good luck, Fred! Wehavelost one classmate this summer,WalterAlanKinard, fromPittsburgh, PA. His friendshadwritten notes to hiswife, Cynthia, aboutAlan’s humorand supportofothers in life. Wewishhis familypeace, and fondmemories as you live. Mayeach of74 and their families, live long and prosper.

Paul Kent

18166 S.E. 41st Place

Issaquah, WA 98027-9717

Mobile: (425) 785-3586

E-mail: zooscribe@mac.com

General. It may seem to some ofus we that are either reminiscing about a previous reunion or planningthe next one. Bythe timeyoureadthis, our 35th willbewellless than ayearaway. See theinfolaterin this column. I knowBruce Mitchell andhis committee can always use some help, so please contact him ifyou feel thevolunteer spirit.

Classmates Recent. FromJimCarlson: I tookthe 5 Julyphotoswhile I was in Anchorage. Hoss Erving, GaryJanelli, andMarkRisiandI had a mini-reunion to celebrate our 38-yearfriendships and to raise a toast to our GBNF. Markstill has his classbathrobe!

back in. 1 don't know ifI’ll be the"last man standing" in 2013 but I'll bet there won't be many. From Lance Grace: I talked my son into attending the ceremony as a next generationrepresentative ofthe Class of75.1 swore him into theAir Force. I pulled out myuniform that I probablypurchased as a Captain almost 30 years ago and hadn't touched for 14 years. They must have been well-built back then because I didn't pop any seams or buttons. Didn't pass out from constrictingmybreathing either. I changed outfitsveryquicklyafterwards to help get myblood circulating again. Ed and Jan Kasl were there to help celebrate and laugh at the old man.

RisiJanelli, Erving, Carlson inAnchorage.

SmallWorld Department: From Cos (WillieCosby): OnThursday, July8th, I am out buying milkin myneighborhood at a store I seldom go into. As I am paying I lookup and inwalks Rich Chanick. I shout his name and he tries to ignore me, but finally comes to his senses and realizes someone had really calledhis name. I force him to our house for a quickglass ofwine and then out to dinnerwith me and mywife, Cynthia. Of course he was buying.

From Steve Powers: Lastweek, as I was about to leavemylayoverhotel in San Diego I was surprised to see Captain Bob Farr come out ofthe hotel to get on the van too. It is indeed a smallworld.

From Ben Bosma: I attendedRickTownsend's retirement ceremony (Sep 25). Rick was one ofonly 46 people still in uniform from the 7,600 2nd LTs commissioned in 1975. His retirement was officiated byMike McClendon, whosewords were inspirational and informative. Also there were Lee Monroe, Eric Hoganson, andFredWhitican. Standing in forLance Grace was his 2LT son, Clayton. In a bizarre twist, I've decided to accept a recall to active duty. I'm goingto LasVegasinFebruaryto flyReapersfor48 months. Sometime in FebruaryI'mgoingto gather as manyofour classmates together to swear me

Mark Holmes is recoveringfrom a broken neck that he can’t actually definitelytime stamp. The symptoms intensified in Nov2008, when he was diagnosed. He’s pretty sure it involved motorcycles. Read his letter on zoomienation. HarryMathis moved to Ramstein last summer. From Max DellaPia (on his promotion): From my standpoint, mybrevet [general] promotion was somethingI was not expecting, an honorthatmade myretirement a little more special. From PeterBlatchley:We've been here in Ramstein since Jan 07. I'm "back in the Air Force" as a Civilian Employee. From Bill Lyerly: Greetings from Ottawa. I have been TDY overseas and I will be TDYdown at USSOUTHCOM next weekwhere I also hope to see Gen. Doug Fraser.

From Bill Taylor: I accepted an offer for the new COO ofVortala. Also, on August 24, myfour kids start school at the same place and location (3 in kindergarten, 1 in the second grade). It's Debbie's birthday, and she considers both events a good present. From RussTrinter: I kind ofdropped offthe face of the earth forawhilebut I gotmatchedbackup withChumley Collins. I'll dust offthe old cheerleading sweater and make sure I still fitinto it and start practicingpushups for2010!

From Jim Carlson:We had a great 75 mini-reunion at the AF-Navygame Saturday (Oct3rd). It was an edge-of-yourseat tie-breaker in OT. Not the ending we wanted, butwhat a game! 75ers gottogether at the Duane Lodrige’stailgate and wewere prominent as a class with our turnout. Dean Cox (our Reunion Merchandise chief) brought out the 75 BestAlive bannerwhich he custom madeforthe class, and we gathered in frontofitforthetraditional event class photo. Afewclassmates missed First Call on the photo formation, but theirpictures are added as disembodied heads at the foot ofthe group shot.

This is not a completelistingofall 75ers there, buthere are the 75ers presentand-accounted-for in the 75 BestAlive group photo: back row: Al Colley,Terry Young, Don Byers, Duane Lodrige,WillyDrow, Al Bready, Rick Rosborg, Al Piotter, Bob Akers, MarkWells, Bill Lyerly. Kneeling: John Charlton, Rudy Roth, Dean Cox, MarkBeesley,JimCarlson. Floatingheads: BillDalson, Bruce Hopkin, Mike Heil, Hondo Hartney, Chip Kerby. As always, the most-electronically-and-personally-connected class inAcademyhistory made their presence known.

Lance Grace and son Clayton

TheUSAFAEndowment, a charitablefoundationsupportingtheUnited States AirForceAcademy, ispleased to announce thelatest appointmentto its Board ofDirectors BrigadierGeneral (Ret) MarkG. Beesley. JustinfromJimCarlson as the scribe asked him for some guidance: “Currendy en-route to the port of SanDiego for a short cmisewith myfiancee Sarah.” Congrats to you, Jim.We hope she is understanding ofyour tme firstlove (andobligationforlife): your dependent classmates. The scribewill print it forthe class, even as you know howwe alreadyfeel: “You deserve the best.”

Reunion 2010. From Bruce Mitchell: a. Our 35th class reunion is a year away! Ourplanningcommittee isfunctioningandpreparations are beingmade for a "record-setting" reunion event (break our reunion attendancerecord at the 30th). b. Middle two weekends in October 2010 are the target dates, as a function ofother reunions and the established protocols ofscheduling; we won'tknowthereunion datesfor certain untilthe 2010 Falcon football schedule is released (April 2010). c. Class web site, AOGweb site (next year) and squadronrepschainwillbeused to disseminatereuniondetails over the comingmonths. Reunionregistration andpre-event classmerchandiseorders will be handled via AOG website, 75 reunion page (should be active in early CY2010).

Dan Beatty ^j|

g|p|jpf

12196 Stanley Canyon Road

Colorado Springs, CO 80921

H: (719) 488-1962

E-Mail: whrlybrd76@aol.com

Dan.Beatty@usafa.af.mil

http://www.AFAcademy.com/76

Fellow ’76ers, Not sure whenthis editionwill be published, butknowmynext one willbe after the NewYear. I hope you all have/had a safe and happyThanksgiving, Christmas/Hanukkah, andNewYear.

Sad news: We lostGeorge Klimis on 02 Julyand DonPickett on 07 Septernher. Mike Fricano’s brother passed in July. Please keep all three families in your thoughts andprayers. Contact me ifyou want anyadditional info.

Movingup/moving on: MarkWelsh nominated forhis 4th star, currently Associate Directorformilitarysupport at CIA. BrianMeenan pinned on 2nd star in Februarywhileserving as MobilizationAssistant to 18thAF/CC. Gary Tumipseedreturning to active dutyin November as T-38IR

SheppardAFB under thevoluntaryretired recall program. KevinHenabray, MikeWorden, and DaveClaryto dieretired ranks. Congrats to Mark, Brian, Gary, Dave, Mike, and Dave!

GeneralClass Stuff: First a ‘mea culpa’. I painted a serious target on EdMorleyinmylastarticle. Seems I confusedEdM withEdGallagherandindicatedEdMorleyandJulie arrived inParis forhis next diplomatic tour. To quote Ed M, whenhe returnedfrom one ofhis diplomatic couriermissions, wife Kristin, who had read the last Checkpoints first, inquired “Who the hellisJulie andwhy are youtakingherto Paris?” According to EdM, onlyhis “quick-as-a-cat reflexes” saved him from a “brutal, untimelydeath, via an incoming,unguided toasteroven.” Nowin allfairness, I confess thatin further communication Ed M advisedhe had taken a bit ofliterarylicense in his initial email and that the inquiryfrom his lovelywife was not quite as dynamic as he firstreported. Suffice itto sayIwill attempt to checkmyinformation a bit more closely in the future. AND...I also must admit I had a good chuckle out ofthewritingstyle on EdM’s particularbitoffeedback. Apologies to theMorleys and Gallaghersforthe mix-up. Ed M scheduledforassignment to the US Consulate, Frankfurt in summer of2011 and will attend German language school late nextyear.

Carl Nuzzo is mylatest ‘first timer’, retired in 96, opened a flight school and aircraftmanagementbusiness in Columbus, MS doing contractT-6 sims at

CAFB. Says ifany ofyou have kiddos headed to UPT at Columbus, let him know. Thanks for writing Carl. Stay in touch. Rich King says he and Jack Cattonhosted a DC ’76ers mini-reunionthe nightbefore the Navygame. Bob Corrie, Lance Christian,WillieShelton,JedAlexander,Joe Shirey, Steve Berger, Wes Stowers, MarkPenley, Dave Clary, GaryKyle, GregLewis, HarrisonFreer, Mike Gaughan, LarryNew, andWillie Dantzler attended.

A good time was had byall buttheywished the game had come out differently. RandySchavrienpinnedwings on son Scott as he graduatedfrom UPT at NAS Corpus Christi. lLtScottheaded to C-130Js at Keesler. Randyand I may try to hook up in San Antonio while I’m there for my daughter’s November wedding. Les Garrison arrived at an FOB south ofKabul,Afghanistan as part ofDeptofState civie surge. StaysafeLes! Thanks toAli Meenan, wife ofBrian, who updated me that Brian is Middle East deployed as Director, CENTCOM Deployment and Distribution Ops Center, Kuwait. Brianheads to the Pentagon as CSAF MobilizationAssistantwhenhe returns; stillflies forContinental when not on Reserve duty.

A1 Patriquin had doolie roomie Mike McGinnis and wife,Vickie, visit in Mainefor a fewdays. MikeFricano attended a Langleyconference chairedby DaveClaryandalsohaddinnerwithDaveBerg(married to Mike’s sisterChris). Mike saysWille Sheltonwas recently at Hickam escortingforeignAirAttaches but Mikewasn’t able to hookup, and Dave Merrill showed up expectedly recently. Dave was with AF/A9 and the AF Analytic Community conference. GaryTurnipseedemailed some thoughts abouthis return to active duty, says DennyReatold him he shouldwrite a bookabout it, and inquired about any other ’76er’swho havetaken the retiredrecall option. I’m not aware ofanybut ifany ofyou are, please let me know.

StefEisenreportshe,TerryWilliams, andDennyRea are allhealthyandstaying out oftroubleinMontgomery, withtheironlylamentbeingwives havingthem well trained. Instead ofmeeting at the O’club bar on Fridaynites, theyall rendezvous at thecommissary. TerryandDenny are bothAdayanaCorp contractors, StefrunstheAFNegotiation CenterofExcellence. JerryMcFarland sent a fewphotos ofhim, JimmyCarter, Nolan Berg, JohnHildebrandt, and Lance Christian at MikeWorden’s retirementpartyandceremony. ThanksJerry, unfortunatelyI couldn’t gettheblackberrypicturequalityto passthe cut for me to include them. Bill Swartzreportsnothingsignificant to report. BillNashupdated his contact info. Rich Felder now has his first granddaughter.. .Miss America2028 ifherdaddyallows. MikeWalshmoved toVirginiaBeachin May. Jackyis CommanderforJointTransformationCommandforIntel, CampAllen, VA,youngest daughter’shusband is a recent Marine OCSgrad andshouldhave recentlymade Mike andJackygrandparentsagain. George Gutierrezis a registeredrepresentativeforGalveston-basedAmericanNationalInsurance. He and Mariarecentlydid a company-paid reward cmise to Alaska.

Lee Cuevas gothis first choice ofaircraft/location flyingUPS 757/767’s from Ontario, CA. GregLewishadKirkKlingerberger on his recent SWABaltimore/ SanAntonio/Baltimore mns. Kirkwas visitinghiswife doingFlightSurgeon residencyfor the next year. JeffLarsen, JackCatton, and Kevin Chilton had mini-reunion at recent deterrence conference in Omaha. Jeff’s son Peter is halfwaythrough2ndAfghan tour.

DC-area ’76er’s the nightbefore theNavygame.

GeorgeandMaria Gutierrez on theirAlaska cruise.

Jack Catton, Kevin Chilton, andJeffLarsen in Omaha.

Class News

Ran into Carolyn, wife ofDaveWilson, recently. Dave sent a nice note; he is Safety/SecurityManagerat a Pueblo, CO steelmill, stays in touchwithEnrique Saafairlyregularly. Tom Baltes sent a nicelongnote, is heavilyengagedwith BoyScouts andVolkssportinginAlbuquerque andrecentlywas recognizedin ScoutingMagazine. Checkout http://blog.scoutingmagazine.org/. Daughterwillbe an AF dentist next summer. GaryKyleiswell and changingjobs but not sure to whereyet. JohnHildebrandtis an A320 Captain forUSAirways in DC. Ashortpersonal note... as of22 OctIwillbeflyingcivilian MedEvac helos out ofMemorialHospitalin downtown C-Springs, so ifyou are inthe area and need helo MedEvac, Ijustmight beyourpilot. Scarythought, isn’t it!

Well classmates, again time to stick a forkin it. Send me yournotes, inputs, addressupdates, suggestion,junkmail, etc and I will do mybest to keep all of youintheloop. Asalways, ifyou are headedto theSprings, let me andtheother localsknow. Keepflyingyourflags andlet our deployedtroopsknowyouhave them inyourthoughts andprayers.

The Spirit of76 is STILL alive andwell! Until next time...

Beatty

John “Lou” Michels, Jr.

4107 Harvey Ave.

Western Springs, IL 60558

Office: (312) 861-7975

John.J.Michels@Bakernet.com

I am sorryto inform the class ofthe passing of one of our members. Steve Slatepassedawayunexpectedly on September 19 in Colorado Springs. Steve, an economics PhD, was a former missile launch officer, an economics instructor, and Department head at theAcademy. I extend the sympathyand condolences ofthe class to Carla and the family. Please keep them inyour thoughts andprayers.

Allwe are saying: Ireceivedunique news regardingMikeWeinstein’s (Bonnie) MilitaryReligiousFreedom Foundation - Mikeandhisgroup havebeennominatedfortheNobel Peace Prize for2010. As some ofyoumayrememberfrom pastCheckpoints issues, I’m one ofMike’s board members, and I want to extend my congratulations to him, iffor no other reason than, unlike a recent Prizewinner, Mike has actuallyaccomplishedsomething. In fact, Mike's notice said "You mayalreadybe a winner". Maybe some ofEd McMahon's people will showup at his door next year. I’ll keep myfingers crossed.

Appearances:Acoupleofourfolksgot some mentioninthe mainstreammedia. TomJones (Liz) had an op-edpiece inthe NewYorkPost discussingthe future ofNASA andthe Orion Project. Tomis as cogentandpersuasiveinprint as heisdoing televisioninterviews. MarkShackelford (Kathy), who is now a three-starandassigned to the SecDEFOfficeofAcquisition, is scoping out Iraq’s next aircraft buy. Markwas quoted back inSeptemberthattheAirForce istryingto convincetheIraqisto buylightattack aircraft, notwithstandingthe Iraqis desire forsomething a littleflashier, like F16s. I guess the 16swill gowellwiththe MiG 29s thattheIraqis are trying to get backfromSerbia. Youknow, true counter-insurgencyaircraft. Goodluck, Mark.

UnlimitedAccess: BillLord (Cindy) wrote to tell me thathe has beennominatedfor a third star as theAirForce’s chiefinformation officer, havingbeen at Barksdale for all of... well, not forverylong. At least Bill and Cindy did not have toweather a hurricane on this tour. Bill’sbeenworkingwithArtWachdorf (Lorrae) at Barksdale, andwith Kurt Bedke (Ina) to getthe cyber stuffup and runningfortheAirForce,justintime to merge allthatinto STRATCOM. Aspart ofthatprocess, Billbumpedinto Greg Hanson (Linda) in Greg’s role as a consultant to the IT industryin DC. Bill also reported thathe had a chance to go backto the Zoo and eat lunch on the stafftower - “it onlytook me 31 years to get an invite up there.” Yeah, andthey're still servingwoodcocks forlunch (a scribe “tip ofthehat/mention in the column” to the first personwho e-mails me with a description ofthis mostbizarrelynamedmeal). Finally, Bill ran into TC Jones (Lisabeth) at a FalconFoundation dinner, notingthatbumping into the grown children ofour classmates doesn’thelp our selfperception ofage. Neither do thepicturesbelow, Bill.Thanks forthe updates, and all the best on the DC posting, again.

MarkCastellani (Susan) has been a regular andverbose contributor, and thathasn’tchanged. Markwas prowlingFalcon stadium on theFalcons openingday massacre and bumped into Jim Ilse and his doolie son at the game. Sitting next to Jim was Doug Leibrand (Launa). Jim and Doug are both at WorldCom in the Springs, while Mark continues to push metal around for United. He continues to see or flywith a bunch ofclassmates - Tom Logan (Rochelle), Earl Enix (Candy), Don Dobias (Hope) and Dave Stephan (Cynthia) - as well as occasionallytouchingbasewithJimMiller (Marianne), who flies with Delta out ofAustin. Mark bumped into Chip Lamb (Tricia), who used to flywithAmerican, but is now flies warbirds for local airshows. That sounds like a positive career change, for sure. Another great update, Mark, andmanythanks.

RogerSmith (Patti) wrote to update me on hisworld. He is flyingfor Southwest out ofChattanooga where he and Patti live. Their oldest son manages GenesisElevatorinAtlanta,whiletheirdaughterhas come backfrom two years in the Peace Corps inWestern Samoa and is now gettingherPhD in civil engineering at Texas. In his travels, he bumped into his old roommate, Reuben Silva (Karina), who flies for Flexjet out ofDallas.

RogerandReuben

Thanks,Roger, andI hope we can takeyouup on yourinvite. I assume we can see theTennessee Navyfromyourplace on the river.

Scott Harrod (Nita) sent this picture from Gruene,Texas, where a group of former CS-33 troublemakers gettogetherfortheAmericana Music Jam.

The disreputable group includes, left to right, Scott, who is working at Randolph; DonMcKune (Bernie) still chasing aviation legal issues out of Charleston; MontyMontgomery (Neana) who’s at Delta/Northwest / whatever; the aforementioned Greg Hanson (Linda); and Lee Bauer, who’sworking as a general managerfor SIBRE BrakesAmerica. Please note GregHanson’s tee shirt, which says “Born to Rock.” Greg, ofcourse, has his own band that performs in DC, and anywhere else former aircrew and similarlytone-deaf types are to be found. Thanks, Scott, it appears everyone stayed conscious. Career Closeout. It would be a disservice to all ifI did not finish with the retirement ofDave Scott (Leslie) fromhis MajorGeneral slot in SpecialOps at MacDill, inJuly. In true Chode style, the retirement ceremony was conducted at an improvcomedy club in the OldTown part ofTampa, and beganwith a comedian. Not Dave, another comedian. The ceremonyended with nowretired General Scottfiringup hisHarleyand driving it out ofthe club’s double doors to start his retirement tour ofthe open road. Jim Maskowitz (Rita) who flies forAmerican, dropped me a line detailingthe evening’sfestivities, which included onsite hand-rolled cigars, at least one minor altercation, and two of the guests “going horizontal” (I hope not together) and having to be carried out ofthe bar. Sounds like a prettytypical retirement ceremonyto me. Masko also sent the followingpicture, which purports to be the day after, although these people alllookfartoo good to have survivedsuch an evening so recently:

Leftto rightthegroup featuresMontyMontgomery, thenow-retiredGeneral Scott (who is currently somewhere in the heartland on his Harley), Mike Weinstein, Lee Bauer (who is standing) Don McKune, Mr. Maskowitz, and P.R. Helm (who is working as a productionacceptance pilot for Lockheed). Again, I directyourattention to Mr. Helm’sT-shirt,whichfeatures the exhortation, "Carpe Brewski".And so theydid.

Some ofyou are complainingthat a number ofthese people appear in the firstpicture;what can I say? Startliving more excitinglives andyou’llgetyour pictures in the column too.

CloseOut:That’s itforthis Fall. Keephopingthatthe Falcons football team will get an offense, andthe hockeyteamwill get a win. Be seeingyou.

Bob Kay

40411 Tesoro Lane

Palmdale, CA 93551

Home:(661) 274-2201

Work: (661) 824-6426

Email: president@f4phantom.com

Greetings ’78ers...

I hope most ofyou have heard ofthe very sad passing ofPaul Morell on 4 Octoberafter an exceptionallybrave seven-yearbattlewithbrain cancer. He seemed to be doingbetter then deteriorated veryquickly. Paul passed with Tahni and his children Julia, Michael and Matthewbyhis side. Apparently, there was a goodshowing ofguys (several Northwestpilots) atthefuneralwhich was heldinthe Boston area. For anyone who knewPaul through the years, Tahni has askedforfolks to write theirmemories andsend to her at 3WandersDrive,HinghamMA02043. Sincethekids are fairly young, shewouldlike to keep Paul’s memoryalive through the years. Please consider contributing and showing the Morell childrenhowgreat 78 tmlyis.

Due to space limitations on the Summer article, I wasn’t able to putthis most cool shotofour own Mike Quinnspending some quality time inBangalore, India. MikeworksFinance StrategyandTransformationfor HP andconfirmedthathe was there as “thekeynotespeaker at theThirtyFifth International Symposium on USAFA 78 - ALegacyofGreatness, held at the LeelaPalace Hotel inbeautifuldowntownBangalore. The title ofhis talk was “The OlderWe GettheBetterWeWere.” Hethenconfessedonlypartofthat was tme.. .uh, thinkit was thelocationthathe was honest about.

Scott Millerwrote and sent a great shotfromthe 2009AFAgraduation that shows Scott, his beautiful daughterKacey, Punch Moulton’s son Jesse (who hadjustgraduated) and Punch. Turns out Punch’s daughterMeganis USAFA 2010 as well. Scottgoes on to tellhowhe and Punch were once roommates in 36, and at our reunionlastyearandKaceyandjessehappenedto meet. They’ve been dating ever since, and make a nice couple. Scott stays busyrunning a sales and consulting business in the Denver area that specializes in power (electrical) protection. He and Lisa trulyenjoyhaving their four children closebyalongwith theirtwo-year-oldgrandson (who he says they never see and/or spoil...yeah right). They’re in the process ofbuilding a home near Winter Parkthat should keep them totallyoccupied for the nextyear or so. When it’s done, there’ll be an open invitation forwayward ’78ers to hang out forworld class cross-countryskiing and greatgolf. Rates are exceptional— bottle ofwine (ortwo) and good company. As has been mentioned in prior articles, Punch is still the EUCOM DO (J3 for allyou Jointtypes) in Stuttgart where he andKathleen are survivingthose cold Germanwinters.

Speakingofoldguys doinggutsythings,T.J.Whitehair sent an article along withthe teampicturebelowofa bunchofguysfromScottAFB andtheStLouis/ O Fallon IL area playingclubLacrosseintheirfreetimewiththe O'FallonAdult Men’s LacrosseTeam. T.J. confessesthatheisthe“oldestguyoutthere running aroundwith some 20somethings andwhattheyhave inyouthandenthusiasm, Imake up forin craftiness,experience andtryingto getawaywitheverythingI can. Andwhenin doubt, slash.” Seemsfairlyimpressivein anyone’sbookwhen youthinkhowphysical Lax can be! Good on youT.J.. .staysafe out there.

TomKeohane’slovelybride,Amy, sent an update on thelatestgoings onwith theirfamilyinthe greatnorthwest. Tomsank a hole-in-one at Brackett's CrossingGold Course (inMN) backinAugust. They were more than ecstatic and “have been celebrating ever since. Theyalso saw the U ofMN Gophers take on USAFAattheGopher’s newstadium. Itwas an exceptionalgame even though “we” lost. Notbeing content to see theAcademyloose,Tom andfellowairline bros GaryHughesandChuckBrininstoolflewdown to USAFAto see thehome team dispatchU ofNewMexico. Life isgrandwhenyouhavepasses! Tom and Amy are now officiallyemptynesters withJennie (twin#1) ingradschool at U ofWisconsin in Madisonworking on her masters,Andrea (twin #2) in med school in Iowa City as an AF 2 Lt (commissioned inJanuaryand completed COT in June as a Distinguished Graduate) and theiryoungest, Michelle, a freshman at Kalamazoo College in Michigan. They’relookingfor a future of more golf, travel and lots ofrelaxing.

On the GO front, mymole in the Beltway, the ever faithful Mike “Smacko” McMillie sent a great article that was in the Defense News back inAugust. It profiled KevinKennedyis the Directorofthe Joint CapabilityDevelopment Directorate (J8), at Joint Forces Command in NorfolkVA. Unofficially, according to the article he is “charting the U.S. Military's networking future worldwide.” Further, it states thatKevin“mustprodthe serviceleaders to buy compatiblecomputers, software and communications equipment andmake sure theirpriorities meshwith the strategyofthe Joint Chiefs ofStaffforhow to succeedinAfghanistan.” Soundslike a fairlytall orderbut sure he’s up to the task. GoodluckKevin.. .keepfightingthe good IT fight!

MikeandLynnHollerbach (workinginthebowels ofSAF/AQ as a retired O6 civilian) shared thatRickDeverauxis replacingKip Self as the commander ofthe USAF Expeditional Center at Ft DixNJ. Kip moves to theAir Staffas the A5X (Planning, Policy and Strategy) with fellow ’78ers JohnnyWeida as the DeputyA3/5, Marke Gibson as the DO, Dave“Limo” ScottworkingRequirements (A5R) andRussFrasz as Kip’sDeputy. Wow.. .would sure like to sitin on one ofthose staffmeetings.

Finally, DougRaaberg is hanging it up as the SpecialAsst to COMACC at Langley. CongratsDougandwell done.

Please note thatmye-mail addresshas changed. Am moving on to Northrop to flythe mighty Global Hawk after doing a half-gainer off a QF-4wing in Augustbreakingribs andvertebrae in a most non-glorious fashion. After consuitingwiththeWorld’s GreatestOrthopedicSurgeonandfellowSERE trekkie Ken Kaylor (Director ofTrauma at Kern Medical Center in Bakersfield CA), have decided to hangup the spurs andworkfor a living. Ohwell, have to grow up some time I suppose. Hope everyone has a greatFall. 78 is Great!

JOIN THE SABRE SOCIETY!

YOUR MONEYHELPS FUND

CADETWING PROGRAMSTHAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNFUNDED.

GALL THE AOG FOR. INFO.

UlN \ W 4 m If w M v yi | I

Mike Quinn at theLeelaPalaceHotel.

“OldMan”Whitehairin theback with darkheadband.

Bud Vazquez

25 Hayden Lane

Bedford, MA 01730

bud.vazquez@us.ibm.com

W: 781-676-9878

C: 781-308-3322

At firstI thought I was at a girls school sleepoverwith allthe tears and hugs andstorytelling-andthenIrealizeditwas me who was cryingat theMemorial Service, and me huggingeveryoneinsight, andthatitwas me who was gushing with stories, most ofwhich startedwith “Rememberwhen....?” Man, was it ever GREAT to see youguys! Ifyoumissed our 20th, yougotsomewhatofaTiVo replay-a snowy, sleety, cold (21F) but notably memorable re-union, witha cancelled golftournament (30F), and a valiant losing effort against the #10 rankedTCU Horned Frogs.

Before I proceedmuchfurther, muchgratitudeis owed to our organizers like Reunion ChairmanKorkyVonKessel,who approachedthefestivitieswiththe same energyand“sparkleinhiseyes” thathe approached so manythings (most notwithin regulation) back in the 1970s.

Thanks also to his able crew: OmarBradley, Mark Owen, MarkPimentel, JohnDallas, BenOsier,JimShumate, and our classofficersMikeVanHoomissen, JimRegan and Mike Donatelli.

Finding our CadetWing Commander Brig Gen (ret) JackCatton as a guest speakerreallyhelpedcompletethetrip backto 1975!We had our ElPresidente, Mike Van Hoomissen (who I insist on calling“Senator”) and his bride, Jan,, who always classup theplace. It was only25 years agowhen Itook over scribe dutiesforthenCaptainMike - “justdo itfor a coupla’years” he tells me... Mike andJan Donatelli, who worked so hard on the class gift and for all they do for wounded veterans (I started a rumor thatMike is the stunt double forJeffBridges!) are still flying forAmerican out of Chicago. Heartfeltthanks to MarkPimentel (Betsy) who produced the slide showthat brought us all backin timeandwho’s Facebookpage keepsmaking me smile!

The presentations from theAcademyStaffandAOG were enlighteningandhelpedus allreconnectwiththealmamater as itstandstoday. Ft GenMikeGouldjustradiatespositiveandcenteredleadership,andthestaffhelped us catchupwithUSAFAinthe21stcentury. Thereis no shortageof“vision”forthe AFA, andmanyoftheplanswouldbenefitfrom a donationthatwouldhelpupdate facilitiesandaddormaintaincadetprograms.Wegot awordoftheplannedmergingoftheAOGandtheUSAFAEndowment, so that as Lt GenGouldbriefed, we onlygetaskedfordonationsfrom one organizationinthefuture.

Notallwas funandgames, as we honoredthemissingin a tremendous showing for our departed comrades. We had a soberingyet touching Memorial Service, ledby“Doc” Colvin and“Rojo” Herrerawho steppedinto the breach withwonderfullyheartfeltwords and prayer. I don’tthinkthere was anyone who did notget a lump inthe throat or a tear inthe eye, when we looked at the youngfaces in the Memorialprogram - as wewere alltransportedto 30+years agowhenwe heardtheirvoices and saw their smiles. God Bless the 34 ofyou and save us a place in heaven! Gulp.

I saw the reunionthrough severallenses. First andforemost was thelens of my“WildWeasel” classmates. Mypartner in crime since 5th grade on Long Island, andformerWingboxingchamp BillMurphy, lookedlike he could still go 12 roundswith anyone on one minutenotice. WeaselcouplesJim Sims and wife, Emily, came in from Sims Lane andtheirreal estate magnate business in Alabama,joinedbyRicWallaceandSandy, fromWashingtonState whereRic flies forAlaskaAir. Maj Gen Robin Rand and better-halfKim made the trek, getting the double bennie ofvisitingfamily in the Springs. It was justplain weirdhowtheladieslookedliketheywere still25, butthehusbands look,well, more... distinguished. “Mac” McCauslandandBobbyEnnis (formerlyKluttz) hadbridesthere as well, but I did not get a chance to catchupwiththem. The world’s most august group ofweasels posed for a picture:

I could also not help but see the reunion through the lens of my CS-09 Smackolabrethren: MarkCutcomp, PatTisdale (Liz), Lt Gen (Sel) Bill “Kanga” Rew, BillEichelbergerandRob Parsons - even ifPathad to remind me ofthat! “Cut” was same old “Connecti-Cutcomp-ianguy” that he always was, “Pat” reminded me ofthe torture he used to inflict on our roomie EdMcIntyre, Bill andI had a briefbutimportantdiscussion about our individualfaithjourneys, andRob was ever the same, friendlyRob I remember e “Hyper Nine”could not squash our fun then or now!

Ofcourse, I had to see the get-togetherviaformer Lacrosse teammates: Ray Sands, Matt Dunbar, and PaulFaulkner. Raystilllooks like a movie star, and I laughed so hardwith some ofthelacrosse personastorieshereminded me about - Ronnie Perryand Frankie DeFalco - where are you? Rayis working in the investmentworld, while Matt is stillflyingforthe airlines. Paul was moving so quickthatI never gotto ask! ShowingthatAFAleadershiptakesmanypost-USAFA forms, Mattis apparendyMr Minnesotalacrosse, coaching at theyouth,high school and collegelevels, and stillplaying at theVail shoot-out each summer. Paul seems as youngandenergetic as he did 30+ years ago... I said,... seems...

And I saw itthrough myNEWYORKconnection: in addition to “Murph” and PaulF., Doctor Stevie Breines, a chiropractorpar-excellence on Staten Island, Ed Dubicki, who flies forAmerican andreturned to roost on “da’ Island”, John Szulta, and John McCormack (working for Boeing in Philadelphia area).

There were two verynotable squadronswho hadfantastic turnouts - CS-32 had the highest turnout I heard about-18 of22 made itbackaccording to JR Dallas, while CS-34 had 17 “Loose Hogs” showaccording to “Trash”Ashleynot enoughsuperlatives to describe those great efforts!

Anumberoffolks Ijustbarelyhadtime to sayhello to - FredJacobsen, Dave Rhoades, LarryHoffman, Mike “Trash”Ashley, “Dutch” Dunkelberger, Tom McGovern andJuan Ramirez. I gotDutch, Juanito andTom’s business cardsDutchistheVice CommanderfortheGuard atAndrews,JaunworksforOdyssey Systems inCOS supportingthe Spaceworld, andTom is an attorneyin DC.

We had a great showing from the ’79 Flag Officers: Lt Gen (sel) Bill Rew, MajorGenerals BurtField, RobinRand, RandyFullhart andAndyBusch, Brig Gen John “Nips” Nichols (TexasANG), and recently retired Brig Gens Bob Edmonds (Ann) and MarkOwen. “Kanga” shouldbe in place at Langley as the CVbynow; Burt, RandyandRobin are fightingin the DCAOR, and I knowBob andAnnwound up landing for a final time in DC area as well.

MyMassachusetts neighbor, Ken Mattern (Pam), slipped awayfrombeing a corporatelawyer at Raytheon, althoughhisBlackberrykeptgoingoffenough for us to knowhe was missed at home! Also representing the current Massachusetts “delegation,” MITRE-ite Dale Swanson (Brandy) was able to makeit. Last I saw them they were making a longunderwear run beforethe football game (I kidyou not). I saw a former MAresidentthe ReverendMilesTrumble madethe trip. Unfortunately, I leftGregDoranbackin Massachusetts, unable to shamehim into coming outWest.

Some ofour notable class “characters” were there - Charlie Waddell, Jimmy Schneller,Jim CallahanandPaulDiamond. the only one I got anydetails on was Charlie, who resides inPerryPark - between Monumentand Castle Rock. Alllookgreat. Especiallyglad to see Charliejoined us “follicle-lychallenged Beauties!”

EagleEighthad a greatshowing - manythanks to fellowscribe, John“Don” Pardo for the fine lookingpic!

One lastthing before closing - a public service announcement!Our very own DrCraigBash, who attendedthe reunionandwho workswith andfordie CDC inAtlanta, islookingforvolunteersfor anHINI studyheisleading. Since

CS-35 WildWeaselsFrom left are BudVazquez, Robin Rand, BillMurphy, BobEnnis (Kluttz),Jim Sims, MacMcCausland, andRicWallace.

CS-08 “EagleEight!” From left are Rich Peters, Bruce Gebhard, Wes Miller, Glenn Hanbey, Butch Rayfield,JohnPardo, and Tim Fyda. Front row: Chuck JonesandBob Siegrist.

Ofcourse, not everyone was able to make it out. I knowTom Griffith (Liz) got trapped in his GeorgeWashington U. professor work, as did ProfessorJoe Grisham (Gretchen) who teaches in Florida. Carl Byers (Connie) had to attend to a Dadrecoveringfrom openheartsurgery, andhad to bail, much to his andWildWeasel chagrin. Scott Grunwald (Debbie) was unable to leave his new Southern CaliforniaRaytheonpost as wifelybackissues preventedthem from travelling. We missedyou guys, too!

we were SwineFluguineapigsbefore itwas cool to betalkingSwineFlu - Craig is leading a studyto determine how we do when exposed to the virus. I am including a pictureofMacMacCausland,who was theveryfirstofus zoomies to givebloodforCraig’sstudy. BigMac did cryaftertheneedle, butCraig said he was fine after a lollipop! (I saythatsafely 1000 miles fromMac!)

MacgivingHlNl bloodsampleforDr. CraigBash.

I must saythatmuch ofthe talkcentered on thosewho could not make the trip, with sincerewishesthatthe 35th in 2014will re-unite as manyofus as we can possiblymuster. I know some have never been to a reunion, or only to one... forthesakeofthoseofuswhomissyou... considerpencilinginplansfor then. GodBless and Go Falcons!

Don Myers

401 Chambray Hill

Peachtree City, GA 30269-4247

(770) 631-1429

E-mail: DMyers80@hotmail.com

ZN=Zoom ieNation.usafa.org

I certainlyhopethisfindsyouwell! ContinuingwhereIleftofflasttime, there wasn’t anykind ofoverwhelming response to my/our dilemma (regarding howto best communicate and solicitinfo forthese articles). In fact, youwere eerilyquiet. I guess thatjust means you’rewillingto sufferthrough more ofthe same—me beggingyou to send snippets myway; or thatyou are enticing me to join you on Facebook. We’ll see....

Had a chatwith Ed HerlikafterI put out a plea on ZoomieNationfor some meat forthis article. Speakingofmeat, he was on hisway to an elkhuntwest ofPueblo, CO. You may remember there was no formal SponsorProgram whenwe were at theZoo—where folks in town tookcadets under theirwingandgave them a familyenvironment, for those times when we could escape. It’s much more estabfished now. Ed and Cindy sponsor a cadet from Trinidad andTobago. There are many more countriesrepresented at the academies thanwhen we attended.

Ed had info onTonyWolusky: Tony is an online lawinstructor andlives inthe Springs. Seems he resurrectedVFW Post 7829 in Monument. He is/was the commander. After the post was recertified, it won accolades at both the state andnationallevels. Part ofthis was due to theirparticipation intheHomeless Vets Standup. It’s a once-a-year event theVFWhosts in the Springs each autumn; providingmedical, dental, andvision care, as well as haircuts, clothing (as the cold approaches), and lunch. Everyvet has a uniformed active duty escort—there were about 80 this year. On theArmyside, these uniformed personnel were from theWoundedWarrior Company at Ft. Carson. Pretty wonderful, I'd say. Also, some ofour class funds were fiinneled to Tony’s Post to sponsorairfarefor a cadetwho isparticipatingin a benefit marathon—and running it in combat gear; includinguniform, boots, and a 30 lb. pack. Also prettyneat.

Talking about our class funds, there are two organizations towardswhich the committee is leaning to provide seed moneyto “test thewaters’’ before a large commitment: the Falcon Club (USAFABigBrothers/Big Sisters Club) andthe new CenterforCharacterandLeadershipDevelopment. Thethought isthatthereshouldbe certain outcomeswhen a chunkofmoneyisbeingdoled out over the next manyyears.

From Ken Radosevich: “I’ve been puttingthis offfor29 years, so I guess it’s about time. Everytime I readthe class section I tellmyselfI should send something. Then, like a historypaper, Ijust never get it done. Here goes though. AfterflyingT-33sformyfirst assignment, thenF-4Weasels‘85-‘89,1gotout and went to American. It was supposed to be a greatplan. It’s turned out to be a decentjob but not as it was advertised 20 years ago. Ohwell, I’m sure I’m not alone in our class. Atleast I still have thejob. I’m stayingsenior, flying#l 767 FO at LAX. Pickofschedule andvacation can be addicting. When I got out in 891 stayed on as a LiaisonOfficer, madeLTC, and did28years, retiringlastyear fromthe Reserves. I attached a picture from the Nichols State game during USAFAParents’Weekendthisyear. Mywife, Paula, and I live inTemecula, CA, north ofSan Diego, south ofLA. We have 18-year-oldtwins, Mike and Louisa,

and a 14-year-oldboy, Nick. Mike started in June with the class of2013, a Doolie despite the 2 Degree shoulderboardhe tradedforthe football game. He’s playing water polo. My guess he got in to give the Radosevich name a second chance at it.

TheRadFalconFans

Ken had some info on folks we haven’t heard about/from in awhile: John Hauser, Professor ofElectricalEngineering atthe UniversityofColorado;Jim Putnam, captainwith Delta in LA; GuyRichardson, Super 80 captainwith American at LAX; Dave (Holly) Quinn, siminstructorin Dallas; Dave Francis, inVirginiaworking at the Pentagon after a short stintwith United; and John Farquhar, civilian instructorin theHistoryDepartmentat USAFA.

PCS news: BGMarkW. Graper, Commander, 354thFighterWing, PacificAir Forces, EielsonAFB, Alaska, toVice Commander, 9thAir ExpeditionaryTask Force, Air Combat Command, ShawAFB, SC. MG Christopher D. Millerhas beennominatedforappointmentto LtGenwithassignment as DeputyChiefof Staff, StrategicPlans andPrograms,HeadquartersUSAF,Pentagon. BGCharles K. Shugg, Vice Commander, Air Force Cyber Command (Provisional), LacklandAir Force Base,Texas, toVice Commander, 24thAirForce, Air Force Space Command, LacklandAir Force Base, Texas. AndMGFrankKisneris... somewhere in the SpecOpsworld.

Godlove‘em! As part of a shorttrip on the east coast, Kathyand I stayed a night at MCAS CherryPoint, NC. We were having breakfast at the Exchange Mall on a slowSaturdaymorning. Whilewalkingup to throwaway our trash, I saw a lone, youngMarine finishinghis chow. I found out he’s an aircraftfueler at a nearbyauxiliaryairfield and was a couple ofmonths from deploying to Afghanistan. As I was about to walk away, I thankedhimfor servingin these tough times. His response was, “We hope to live up to the example ofthose, likeyou, who came before us.” Well, I couldn’t get out anywords to respond. All I could do was touch myheart and nod.

Myrequestthis time ofyearis foryou to forwardto me the Christmas/holidayletters and/or photos you either send to others or you receive from our classmates. Remember that anypics forthe article have to have the grad in them. Thanks—and be sure to hugthoseyou love! Don

Rich Trentman

11102 Asbee St. Falcon, CO 80831-8170

m v i

k Wbi'gi iT

Home: (719) 494-8438

Work: (719) 234-0754

rtrentman@falconbroadband.net

Class Website: www.usafa81.com

Colorado is beautiful, but offers occasional instances ofcoldweather and memoriesofourpast. I attendedTCU atAFthisFall (as anyfanaticalfanwould) and was reminded ofthe famous GeorgiaTech - AF game our 3 degreeyear. It was 19 degrees atkickoffand 14 atgame’sendwith a freezingmistfallingthroughout. Brrr! The realreminder was when I attempted to go to thebathroom and was confrontedwithwall to wall cadets. AFlosttotoptenTCU, like the G-Techgame (42-21) in 1978, butplayedit a lot closer (20-17). JohnMarlintold me he was with me inspirit athomewatchingthe President’sCup competition fromthe couch - exhaustingwork! Thanks, John.

ClassNews: SammyandMarciAngelellaclimbedMtFujiwith Lt GenEd (’78) andTeresaRice this Summer. (Due to Checkpoints limits, I’ll post the picture(s) on ZoomieNation and Facebookunderour81 class groups.) Sammysaidtheyhad a blastandEddidnotmakeSammystandatattention. SammyandMarcidropped theirdaughter,Mia, atTheCollege ofNewJerseymusicschoolthisSummerand are now enjoyingthe emptynesterlifestyle. Their sonTonyis inhisthirdyear at SetonHall. KenHasegawasentme bigupdate on our So Cal81ers. KenHasegawa istheGPSControlGroupCommander,keepingGPSsatelliteshealthyand accurate. Kenmovedto LosAngeles 1.5yearsago andwillretire soon. ScottSuhrhas beeninLosAngelesfor 15years, nowworkingon classifiedprograms. Heoffered to tell us all abouthisprograms butthenhe’dhave to kill us.

ScottSuhr,Nancy (Rhoades) Innsprucker, Ken Hasegawa, CliffPerrenod, BillKaneshiro infrontoftheLAAFBArmillary.

Nancy (Rhoades) Insprucker isworking for IntegrityApplications, Inc. as the Space and Missile SystemsTeam Leadplus, in her spare time, training to become a yoga instructorin her post-AF retirement career. CliffPerrenod, whoworksforGeneralDynamics as a Programmanager,hasbeenworking on GPS improvingandtestingthe operational control system to supportthe next GPS IIF satellites and continues to amaze with allthe interestingexperiences he'shadsince graduation-gladhe stillhasis arm! Bill Kaneshiroisworking on GPS user equipmentsinceretiringfromtheEmbassyinJapan a coupleofyears back. He's still teachingkendo locally, and drives 50+ miles to work. Leona Flores reminded me our classmate, DickTubbs, President Bush’s physician, was in a SundayParademagazine.

JohnJackson,Tom Shircliff,Leona (Flores) Cannon, and RayCannon LeonaandRayCannonwentto awinetastingpartyatTomShirclifFshousein Oveida,FL. JohnJacksonwas also at theparty. BothJohnandTomworkbusiness developmentforLockheed inOrlando. Rayis an engineeringconsultant andLeonawas asalesconsultantforEngleHomesthepastlOyears.Moneyisno objectwhenItake a classmate outto lunch. MartyFranceandI met attheField HouseforlunchandIsplurgedforahotdogandsodaforeachofus. I'mexpectingMartytopickupthe nextlunch attheBroadmoorHotel! AmyMarkerttoured some northern Californiawinerieswith Bob and Silvi Steigerwald. Bob and Silvi’s sons are doingwell at (Robbie) USAFAand (Richie) UC SanLuisObispo. I alsoheardfromKellyOberbilligviafacebook. Kelly’sdoingwellinDenverand we are both anticipating a goodColoradoWinter.

KelvinManningisheadedoffto Harvardfor a monthto attendtheJFKSchool ofGovernmentSeniorExecutiveFellows program...hmmm,boondoggle? I’ll follow-up withKelvin. LindaMcCullers is doingwell in SanAntonio. Linda visitedWyomingthisSummerandexperienced some snow! WhileLindaprefers theblisteringheatofTexas,I’lltakethemoderatecoldofColorado anytime. Jake Jakobimadehisannualtrip toVailto playGraybirdlacrosse, buthadthevisit cut shortbya kidneystone. Jakeis doingwell now. Hans Buss andMarkPeterson playedthe old course in Scotland this Summer. Hans asked me to join their USAFASaturdayfoursome, butsadlymy lOhandicapis notquitethereanymore. (Seephoto at the top ofthe next column.) Ken Smithwent to theverydisappointingAF-Navygame atNavy.. .anothercrushingloss. Enoughsaid.

Smallworld-1 was flyingbackfrom Syracuse, NYand sittinginthelast row ofthe planewhenAndyMorgan came back and sat next to me. Andyis the NORAD/NORTHCOMIG at PetersonAFB. Andyhas 2 daughterswith one at UniversityofKansasandtheotheratUniversityofColorado, Colorado Springs. Hiswife is a nurse atFtCarsonandthey are planningto stayinColorado.Did I listen fairlywell,Andy? I also thought I saw BobbyWright on a flightfrom Denverto Colorado Springs as I was walkingonto the plane. I was planningto talkwithhimafterthe flight, butcould not catchupwithhim. He was too fast!

ClassBusiness:Whilestill awayoff,we’ll startgettingserious aboutplanning for our 30threunionnextyear. Pleasesendideasandopinionsto RandyWorrall or myself. Keepyouraddress and email currentwith theAOG! Also, consider joiningzoomienation.usafa.org as anotherwayto see 81 announcements/ picturesand stayintouch. I started a USAFAClass of1981 group on Facebook for us and we are getting a fairlygood size crowdjoining. I enjoyhearingfrom you on Facebook.

Thanks againforalltheemailsand support! Thishas becomefairlypainless over theyears. I’m lookingforyourHolidaypictures andupdates! Sadly, Falcon footballwill be over whenyou read this. Go AF!

Jim Ratti

2860 Arbor Pointe Drive Middletown, OH 45042 (937) 760-2333

rattijm@mindspring.com

http://usafa82.org

GreetingsRedtags!

Wow, lots ofgreat news and pictures this time, virtually all thanks to Mike Sinisi'svery active e-maillist. Ifyou'd like to be added to his list, sendhim a note at mjsinisi@NCIINC.com. Let'sjump right into the goodstuff.

Ifyou recall mylast article, there was a lot ofdiscussion abouthowchildren of '82 grads were bringingthings full-circle byattending/graduating from USAFA. BobWaters (Col in theTXGuard) wrote to saythat his son Patrickis also in the Class of'13, andwill be in Bob's old squadron (CS-35) for his Doolie year. Dan Harrier's daughterJackie, (thefalconeryou read aboutlastquarter) is a Firstie in thatsquadron. Bytheway, sheflewthe falconfor the Parent'sWeekend game, anditdidNOT flyaway!

mPhck &

WeheardfromRichSimpsonthatTomLaValleycontinues to improveafterhis tragicfall. Rich sawTom during a visit to C-Springs backin July. He reports thatTomhas limited use ofhis leftfootand hand, butthathis rightfootandhand are nearly 100% recovered. Tom continues to bepositive andupbeat and is confident he'll getback on flying status with United. In September BobWaters wrote to saythatTom went to the United sim in Denver and was able to manipulate all theflightcontrols, so he continues to dowell.

Mike Sinisi's e-maillisthad a lotoftrafficbackinJuly&Augregarding numbers ofkids, grandkids, GREAT grandkids (nojoke!) andyoungest/oldestkids and parents. This was a lot offun to read, so here are a fewexcerpts:

From Dana Richard:". .You also bring up an interesting.. .question—the youngestkids!...Ouryoungestjustturned 7 (our oldest is only 14), some fellowRedtags mayremember us holdinghim up, as an infant, duringthe New Mexico game at our 20th reunion in response to some snarky 'cheer' or anotherfrom the class of92."

FromTony "Lazer" Lazarski: Myonlychildjust turned 4.. .which I believe is younger than Bob Ranck’s grandchild."

From Chuck Beckwith: My oldest son just turned 26. He and Dave Abramowitz's son justgraduated fromWest Point ('09) last May."

FromGerrySohan: Ifyou'regoingto compare-howabout age spread? 23 - 9 for me."

From Bobo Schilpp: I'll callyou on the 14 yr Spread and raise you with a Full House: I have 2 year-oldboy/girl twins, 4 year-oldboy, 13 year-old boy and 16 year-oldboy."

From KayGrosinske: I'mwaiting to hear from some ofthe'82 womenafterall, a guy can "have" children atjustabout anyage... An interesting measure would be among us women. I thinkthere's a 5 or 6year old out there, but I can't rememberwho the mom is..."

From Jan Rosko: "I've been married 26 years next month, and while we

Joe Chuck, Karl Olsen (78), HansBuss (81), andMarkPeterson (81) at the old course - StAndrews.

struggled to have childrenwhileyoung, the Lordhad otherplans. Anna, now 11, arrived when I was just shy ofmy38th birthday; Ben, now 9, just after I turned40.

From Colleen McGinty: Okay—Iwill bite—am I the onlyfemale ’82 grad that's a grandma?

From Bob Ranck: Colleen - Fear not. Youhave esteemed company. While I am not a GRANDMOTHER, I am a GRANDFATHERof a 5 year old.

FromJulieRyan: Depends on whatyou mean by"grandmother". Ifyou're counting Evil Step Grandmother, I'm in. Got 5 now: oldest is 11 years old; youngestis 2 months."

From Gerry Sohan: "Mypersonal rule is: 1 child per ex-wife. While we're comparingchildren, age spread, grandchildren, etc., are there anyothergreat grandparents out there? That's right; I'm an ex-step-great-grandfather (with a 9-year-old son.)

HeatherWilsonhadthe mostinteresting "WhatI didthis Summer" story. She andherfamilywentto Southern Sudanto teachgovernanceandpolitical communications. Theyvisited Kenya afterwards for some up-close encounters with thewildlife. Flere' s a picture ofthem.

HeatherWilson and herFamily in Kenya. Asyou mightexpect, there were several retirements recently. Damon Booth retired at Scott inJuly. Matt "Crash" Copp had a ceremonyin D.C. inJulyand willsettle down inFayettville GAto flyforDelta. TonyMauerhungitup in Sep '08 andmoved to Denver. He's the Director of Special Projects for Sierra Nevada Corp. Kris (Ingram) Cliftonretiredin Oct andwilldo some travelling before settling down for a job "outside ofthe IT arena". SteveToldy retired fromthe Reserves in Oct.

Jim Pillar retired in Sep 06 and moved to SanAntonio, working for Booz Allen Hamilton supportingtheAF Cryptographic Modernization Program Office.He's gotfourkids. RonWilliamsistheJAG at USAFA, and is sponsoring DennisDelaney'sdaughter, classof2012. GregMcKee separated in 1988 and went to lawschool, opening a privatepractice near ScottAFB.He's stillinthe Reserves, withjust over 20 years total. In June '09 he moved to Baltimore to joinNorthrop Grumman as a supervisor in Program management. Dennis Delaneyretiredseveralyears ago andhasbeenlivinginPanama CityFLwith hiswife Pam, flying for SouthwestAirlines.

GaryWeber is a contractorworking at a smallbase across the street fromthe embassyin Baghdad. He survived a serious bombing there (95 killed, 300 wounded) inAugust. It was close enough to hisbuildingto rockthewalls, but no damage or injuries.

Many of our classmates were back at USAFAthis fall forParents'Weekend. AmongthemwereSandy(Maloney) KeeterandMelanie (Patton) Uehlin. Here's a pictureofthemwiththeirchildren, bothmembers oftheClassof 13. Melanie is flying forDeltaandlives in GigHarborWAwithherhusband Cliff(’81).

Dan HargroveretiredfromflyingVIPs atAndrews in '03 and is now theAviationDepartment Chair at RockyMountainCollege in Billings MT. He says it's like EmbryRiddle, but a lot smaller! He enjoys teaching and flying there. He and Ruthhave fourkids, two in college and two at home.

Lastly, Mike Sinisi organized anothergettogether in D.C. in October.Here's a picture ofthe attendees. Seated (L-R) are Gerry Sohan, Mike, Bob Ranck, and SteveJarvis. Standing are KeithZuegel, Mitch Miller, SharonDunbar, Gail Tarlton, 'ZanVautrinot, RockyReiners, and Doc Kimminau.

I

andSteveAthanas bothworkforPresidential Airways (BlackwaterAviation), and metup in Bagram awhileback. JPhashad a series ofadventures, like goingto Ukraine to learn to flyAN-32s fortheKingof Jordan, searchingforSteve Fossett,makinglow-levelairdrops "insidethewire" inAfghanistanusing a Casa-212, andflyingcasualtyevacuations inWestAfrica.

TheWashington D.C. LunchBunch

Keep the news flowing, andbe safe! Ratman

W. Wade Wheeler

CMR 419, Box 926 (210) 858-8359 APO AE 09102 wwade83@me.com walter.wade.wheeler@us.army.mil

Hello all! From mydeskat HeidelbergArmyHeliport. I am sittingherelooking out mywindow at thewonderful scenery. I have had to scrape ice offthe windshield 3 ofthe last 5 days and it was 23 degrees this morning. I am definitelylookingforward to myvisit to SanAntonio TX nextweek to visit mywife; she is assigned to HQAETC as Deputy Command Chaplain. CherylPhillips (Newhouse) spentthe last 8 years squirreled at National Guard Bureauin CrystalCity. She has now gone mainstream at the Pentagon for 2 years and is loving it! She had coffee with Dave Uzzell andJohn Hesterman. She reports “John still hasn’t aged a bit!” Cheryl was able to get togetherwith SheilaZuelkewho was doingIMA days as 0-6 working intel at ACC.

awayin a vault

Cheryl also tookthe lead to host a USAFA 83Virginia outreach. Dave Goldfein, Dave Timm, Sally (Jackson) Crain, Gail (Brown) Neuhaus, Kathy(Strand) Johnson, MarkPrice, JohnGartska, CliffLatta, Curt Sheldon, SheilaZuehlke, Lori (South) Ramirez, and Jim Ogden alljoined Cheryl at Sinead’s in Pentagon Row. Theyenjoyed it so much a second one was scheduled for November. I asked for photo, and they all forgot about camera function on their bright shinynew cellphones. Iwon’tname anynames butColbyAbbot, MicahKillion, Tom Lawhead, Mark Pohlmeier, John Stafford, Jim and Cindy (Fujimoto) Norman, John Stizza and Dave Manley are in the greaterVirginia area and found reasons to miss it. While a Langleycontingentdid arrive, Landis Cook, Tom Bednarek, Joe Dewitt andTracyMurakami mighttry car poolingto one soon. Rumor alsohas Linda (Telkamp) Torrens arrivinginthe DC area. Want to jointhem, email cheryl.phillips@pentagon.af.mil

Lori (South) Ramireztookadvantage ofCheryl’s consolidatedlist to invite us allto herretirement. Mayretiredlifebe as busyandrewarding as thelast26years. I keep in touchwith Dave Remendowskiwho is entrenched in Kabul Afghanistan for 6 months on the pre-retirementall-expense-paid USAir Force

ProudMomsMelanieUehlinandSandyKeeter

got a note fromJPPalen. He

DaveRemendowski in Kabul.

Class News

vacationplan. Dave rates qualityoflife in Kabul as good... some goodfood, a bunk not a cot, hot showers. His photo has him on the roofofthe old Soviet Officers Club. He has also become a crackshotwith his sidearm. Dave sends a warm “HifromAfghanistan” andlooksforward to retirement in Spokanistan! He hasjoinedtheArmydoing PT a fewtimes. Seems theydress in full battle gear and run the stairs, sounds like fun to me; HOOAH. Pleasekeep him and all our troops inyour thoughts and prayers!

Gale (Brown) Nuehaus shares that she started a management consulting firm thisyear in NorthernVirginia. After an intense two weeksworking on a proposal, thehardworkwas rewardedwith a signedcontract! Keith andGale’s daughter Lilah was in Germany on a People-to-Peopletrip this last summer (smallworld).

ChuckMurrilo proudlyannounced hiswife, Jill, delivered a beautiful baby girl,Janae on 26April09.1wonderifshe mightbe in class 2030 at the blue zoo. He has settledinto life on the dairyfarmverywell, sent pictures ofthe Foulton County fair and talks about the familywinning Reserve Grand Champion Holstein Dairyfor 2009.

Connor, Chris, ChrisandNancyLiggettatWestPoint.

Nancy (Burdick) Liggettprovided me an update on her and Chris. Both retired, Nancy is working for the FBI andChris is with Dept ofHomeland Security. Seems theiracademyexperience took rootwith their son Chris - he is in second year atWest Point! Nancyenjoyed Plebe-Parentweekend with him. He is a member ofthe BlackKnightsparachute team. Son Connor (13) is busyplaying baseball and basketball. Talk about a small world; another married ’83 family, MaryBeth (Korchnak) andWallyBleyl are proudArmy parents too! DaughterShawnais atWest Point andplays on the softball team. Chris,MaryBethandWallywere all onWingsofBluetogether. NancyandChris plan to make our 30threunion. Startmarkingit onyourcalendars - FALL2013.

KennyGuevarrareached me out oftheblue about a layover (Delta) inFrankfurt. Would I like to get together? When he told me where he was staying, DORINT PLAZAhotel inWiesbaden, I knewjustwhere to go. I spentthe previousweekendin the same hotelandplayedintheArmyEuropean GolfOpen. Kennyreportshistrips to Frankfurt are comingto an end. Hewillhave to suffer with Paris and London for a while.

Eric Pohland, hiswife, Kristi, and both his twin daughterscaught up to me atEPCOT center in Orlando inAugust. He is stillworking at KennedySpace Center, but slowdown in NASA missions has him looking at other options around the US. Besides the girls are all energyand two handfuls!

Cindy(Fujimoto) andJimNorman are keepingbusyinVirginia. SonJeremiah isplayingfootballthisyearand daughterOliviaisbusywithgymnastics. Cindy is stillbusy as a volunteerjust about everywhere. Shewelcomes anyone who wants a tour at the Udvar-HazyAir and Space Museum near Dulles Internationalto getintouch. Like many, Jim and Cindycan’t seem to slowdown to get a picture ofthe whole family.

BothCliffLattaandTomBucknerpinned on 0-6this springand areworking at Pentagon or NationalGuardBureau. Ifyou see them,theyshould probably buy! Tell them I said so.

ClayWhittman tracked me down afterhis retirement thisyear and has alreadystarted offon a lifetime goal andhis next adventure. Clayhaswanted to go to Law School all his adult life. Getting the USAF to let a pilot out ofthe cockpitto pursuethat dreamjustdidn’thappen. So aftermakingColonel and getting the last pay raise possible he retired to Michigan. Sixweeks oflaw school andhe is askinghimself“whathave I done?” Clayisintouchwith Greig Glover (MD) who finished his pilottrainingcommitment and promptlyput himselfthrough medical school. Greig is now CEO ofthe new MAYO clinic hospital in Minnesota.

JeffIngalls let me know some ofour classmatesrode inthe SeagullCentury. This was Jeff’sfirst 100- mile race. Jobwell done! Joininghim were RonGraves and Matt McKeonwho have the look ofexperienced riders. Ron has retired andis returning to workwithUnited. His son is at CSU. Ronwillbecommutingfrom Hampton Roads while his daughter finishes high school. He adds thatLandis Cookis returningto United soon and BG Dave “Fingers” Goldfein is the newACC/A3.

Ron Graves, MattMcKeon andJeffIngalls ride the SeagullCentury.

I thankeveryone forupdates and photos! Sometimes Iwonder ifit is harder to choose between photos or askforthem (some ofyou are veryshy).RayBlust has the next Checkpointsarticle. Reachhim at rjmablust@comcast.net, (304) 242-7182.

Allplebes atWestpointlearnthefollowingquote frommyarticle...”GoArmy beatAir Force!” (Editor’s note:Not THISyear!)

Mike Jensen

12035 Milam Road Colorado Springs, CO 80908

1-(800)-G0-AFA-G0

michaeljensen@remax.net

http://www.usafa84.com

WOW! I am tempted to justendthe articlewiththat one word....WOW! The Class of1984 has notlost a beat, a step, or anyenergysince we arrived in 1980. Talkabout“hit the groundrunning,” forthose ofyouwho were able to attend, congrats on a great turnout andfuntime. Forthose ofyouwaitingforthe 30th, we completed our trial run andwill be even more preparedwhen we meet in October 2014. For thosewho need to have the informationwell in advance, leanprettymuch saythat we are goingto plan our 30th reunion fortheweekend ofOctober 4th 2014 when the AFA hosts our sister academythe USNA. RememberhowyougotreadyforBCT in 1980; wellthis is the same thing,just a little bit different.

Updates: I don’t even knowwhere to begin. Mymind is a blur from allthe greatpeople andfamilies I saw at thereunion. So I’ll startwith some who could not make it: Bob Carriedo is on deployment in Iraq and could not attend. He will be workingwith JoeArata, who is also there.You can see some ofBob’s picturesathttp://www.flickr.com/photos/sixmex/. Both are examples ofthat preppie work-ethic from the class of 1984. SteveWacker also chimed in and althoughhe was not able to attend, he reports thathiswife, Rachel, andhejust celebratedtheir20th. Theyhave 2 kids: Annie is 14 andjuststartedhighschool; John is 12. Theyhave been in Davidson, NC, (nearCharlotte), since 2002.

AnotherNightrider,WayneNosalwrotethathehasbeenworkingforMotorola for 19 years afterdoingsatellite opsintheAF. Hehas 3 daughters, one at Univof Northern Colorado, oneinHS, one inJrHigh.JeffBryanstayed intheAF until retiringin 2005,jumpingtheninto civil service. Been at Ramstein since 1997. Been married for 25 years, has 3 kids, though 2 have alreadyflown the coop. CraigLarsonis an InstructorMission CrewCommander onAWACS and a Lead InstructorintheAWACSTrainingSquadron atTinkerAFB. He and hiswife were atthe reunionandreallydid a magnificentjob on puttingtogether a great notebook ofpictures, squadrons and history.Wewill see you in Oklahoma, Craig, next SeptemberinNorman. Thanksforthose niceupdatesNightriders!

Recently,JeffHays introduced Greg "Box" Johnson at a BoozAllen meeting

in Houston. Gregregaled themwith excitingtales ofhis past Shuttle/Station mission and talked a bit abouthis future flight, where they'lldeploy a cosmic particle sensor. Carl Bruningwas also not in attendance, but not far away, at Keystoneduringthe state GOP fall retreat event.

Hereis a little more fromBob Carriedo: thishadendedup lostin cyberspace spam-land for a while but thought it was great to share: Bob is still teaching history at USAFAand enjoying everyminute ofit. He isAnthony Lorenzini’s academic advisor and sponsor since he entered USAFAthree years ago. Of course, Anthony, whowill graduate in 2010, is the oldest son ofEd Lorenzini, his goodfriendand roommate whentheywere inCS-31. And to topthingsoff, Bob’s daughter entered BCTthisyear as part ofthe class of2013.

Bob andGene

He also included a picture ofGene Smith (’84), another great friend from USAFA, on a recent visit to Times Square in NewYork. He met up with Gene due to the fact thathe was at Ft Dixundergoingtraining inpreparation for a one-year deploymentto Iraq. Ifyou haven’theard, Gene has a remarkable storyto tellofhis recoveryfrom a veryserious auto accidentwhenhe was a firstlieutenant. Afterbeingin a coma for 12 days, inwhich thedoctors predicted hewould never walkandalways sufferfrom severe brain injury; Gene came out ofhis coma. Althoughmedicallydischarged from theAirForce, Gene fought to recover, eventuallywent back to school, and entered medical school. Aftermanyyears of hard work and persistence, Gene graduated from medical schooland is now a neurologist in New Jersey, where he is married with two boys. Gene is a hero in mybook! (Ours too!). Bob has also met up with Mark Baxley, who was my roommate as a doolie. Mark has his own home inspection business in Colorado Springs

So far, most ofthese posts were from manywho could not attend. Forthose who were able to make it, some memories can befound atwww.usafa84.com. Wewillhavelinks to pictures andother accounts to re-live thegreattime (and weather) hadbyall. I do want to share anotherpicture; this one shows us the real “king ofbeer”, EricWallace, with some distinghised folks.

Heyeverybody!

Frank “Q.” Williams

13209 Topsfield Court Herndon, VA 20171

(703) 657-3227

USAFA1985@aol.com

I hope all is well withyou andyour families. We’re doing fine. So let’s get on with it...

WhileI was at the 16 Oct 09 LieutenantColonel-SelectPromotionParty at The Ritz-Carlton Hotel in Pentagon City, I got to spend some time with Colonel Michael Black. Mike had a couple ofpeople on the promotion list but they were not able to make it to their own party. Additionally, I met the CSAF, Gen Norton Schwartz ’73. The Chiefwas verygracious to chatwith a retiree for a fewminutes in a crowded room during a promotionparty. I also ran into Maj Gen RobertWorley ’78whom I had first met when he was a majorserving as ChiefofCurrent Ops and then DO while I w T as a young captainflying GPS satellites in the2nd Satellite Control Squadron (now2SOPS) at thenFalconAFB (nowSchrieverAFB) Colorado. I saw lots ofpeople I knew and met lots of new people too, but most were not grads. I’m glad I went.

I got an e-mail fromJoe McBreartystatinghevolunteered to go back on active duty. Joe said his wife, Regina, and son Lucas are livinginLasVegas now. Joe saidhe'll be flyingdie MQ-1 Predator out ofCreechAFB.

WandaWright sent an e-mail as well.Wandasaid she is still inArizona in the National Guard. She said she’s workinghard at home and at work. When she sent the e-mail she said she was gettingreadyto go on her“career sabbatical” to Africa - Ugandafor30 days. Wandasaid shewould be leaving on 17 Oct and returning on 14 Nov2009. She said shewould sendpictures buttheywill not be available forthis Checkpoints article. Wanda said herpurpose forthe sabbatical is to get a little clarity ofmind afterhaving served in theArmed Forces for over 24years. Shewillbe doingservice at an HIVorphanage inMasakaUganda. Wandasaidshehopes to spendtimewiththekids andhelptheorphanage setup a network ofcomputers, as well as do anything else they need her to do. She said she “...can’twait!

Wandaalso saidwhenshegetsbackshewouldknowwhether or not she made the 0-7 list. She said ifshe made it, she’d have an idea aboutwhen her pin ondate would be. She said The Guard is strange with their federal recognition process so we should keepfingers crossed. Wanda also said she stays in pretty constant contactwithDuaneMosher,JamesTaylorandEdMaxwell. Shethinks they are all ’85ers, but Slap Maxwell might be 84. She said it was nice to have themhere.

Before she got offofthe stageWandatold me that I “have to get on facebook.” Shesaidthere are so manyofus on it now thatwe are keepingin contactoutside ofcheckpoints. Some people in our classwho are on facebook are MikeBlack, MonicaEady, ToiCerincioni,TimGaither, BethDunn, JanLockie,ArthurRoss, Cecil Davis, Cheryl Newhall,Vette Smith, AJ Scott, GeorgeWeathersby, and thelistgoes on. WandasaidIneed to “go there” andtheseclassmateswillbeable to give me (us) all kinds ofscoop forthe Checkpointsmagazine articles.

In a separate e-mailWanda sent a picture ofherselfwithher two kidsTylerand Jordyn in Flagstaff, AZ. What a nice lookingfamily!

Budweisermaybe the “King ofBeers” which means thatthey are on top of allthebeers thatyouknowabout. The “KingofBeer” is a titlewhich is much better. Thisguystarts from scratch andreallymakesthebeer! Forexample, on our 20threunion, we went through about 10 kegs ofBud and Budlight at the tailgate. With Eric and hisbeer trailer, we could onlygetthrough about 4-5 kegs ofthe good stuff. Eric is the one on the right! Thanks also to Big Russ Barker, who pulled in next to the trailerwithhis huge motor home! That is itfornow! Keep in touch, have a great 2010!! Jens

Visit theAOGWeb Site

Merchandise, Gone But Not Forgotten and More!

www.usafa.org

WandaWright with herkids TylerandJordyn inFlagstaff,AZ.

Tish (Dierlam) Norman sent an e-mail. Tish said she hadjust attended her husband's (Dan) Class of 1989 Reunion and had a blast! She also said she even ran into tons ofpeople from ’84thatsheknew as well. She saidshe was running late in getting to the (football) game since she is coachingYMCA soccer forher daughter. But she said she saw Pete Hargrove (84) and IrvReeves (84) in the parkinglot, still tailgating. She said Pete even gave her a ticket to get into the game! Tish said because ofall ofthe fun she had and because she now lives in Monument, CO, she contacted theAOGto see who was in charge ofour next ’85

Class News

reunion. TheAOG representativetoldherthatJoyceWashington was stilllisted as our lastPOC buthercontact numbers were outdated. So does anyone have a waytocontactJoyce? Ifshe stillwouldlike to leadthe next reunion committee, Tish said she is ready to help. Tish said she'll alsoask Lynn Steer ifshe knows Joyce's email. (Are you facebookers getting this? Is Joyce out there amongyou on facebook? Or is she on Twitter? OrissheonMySpace? Let me know so I can pass info along info to others!)

Tish also asked me to askforsquadron POCs for our 25th in the next Checkpoints column. So here it is. Pleasevolunteer to be a squadron POC for our next reunion. Send me your info and I’ll make sure reunion POC andAOG knowswhoyou are. Tishsaid she’dbehappyto consolidatethe squadronPOC names on hergmail accountbut I don’tthinkAOGpolicyallows e-mails o ther than class scribes andAOG staffmembers. Tishthinks we should reserve the new RenaissanceHotel (directly across the interstate fromthe stadium). AOG rep said they’re not sure itwill be readyin time. So maybe we should gun for the Marriott.... Anythoughts? Send in inputs. Thanks.

Tishsaidshe appreciatedJackieCharsagua'spreviousupdate... theonlything a little offwas thatshe (Tish) lives inMonumentvice CastleRock. Tishsaidshe developed the curriculum for theACSC master' s degree and was teaching it on-linebutshesteppedupherman-daysupportto theNationalSecuritySpace Institute (NSSI) so she onlyhas onejobright now. Tish said“life is good!” She saidherhusband, Dan, is also a reservistandhefliesforDelta as well. Tishsaid allthree oftheirkids (19,17,8) love Colorado, too! She also said herbrothers, Scott (87) andTodd (88) Dierlam are still on active duty. Scottworks for the SECDEF inDC andToddworksforAFTAC at PatrickAFB, FL. Tish said shehad the honor ofpromotingTodd to colonel in June.

Tishsaid she invitedBeth Dunn (85) andDanielle (Hatchett) Hargrove (85) to herhouse for a little party over Parent'sWeekend since both ofthem have sons inthe Class of2013. Tish said shejustfound outthatToi (Corns) Screnci (85) liveshere with herhusband and triplets, who are now juniors in high school. Tish saidherhusbandjustsignedherup on Facebook a couplemonths ago andshe’s connectingwitholdfriends! She said she'llwritelater andtell us about 15 or so ofherreconnectedfriends in '85.

Well, that’s it. Untilthe next time... allthe best, Q

Lawrence Cooper

2806 Erics Court

Crofton, MD 21114 (410) 451-6505

Cooper@astroguy.net

Greetings ’86ers!

It’s fall again and my turn to put together our class notes. Our Facebook contingentis growing.. .slowlyandhas made it to 72 members. Please check it out and lookupyourfriends. Go to Facebook andlookfor“USAFA Class of 1986” andrequesttojoin. Ifyou’realreadyon, pleasepasstheword. It’sworking outwell as a way to getinfo out and to collect info. All this info has come courtesyof our Facebookfriends.

Once change I have noticedis that more and more ofus are retiring. Over here at Bolling, I hadbeen seeingRich Chancellorinuniform, but a couple of months ago I started noticinghimwearingrathernice suits andworking as a DoD civilian. A couple ofissues ago, you got an update on Kim (Bauman) Sievers.Wellback in July she retired to become a full-time mom. I’m expecting to see her as a contractor soon, butright now I thinkshe is burning a lotofterminal leave. Way to go Kim! Elsewhere, I keep seeingAndyHart’s name popping up on emails and briefings when I workingwith NSSO - he’s an engineer at Stellar Solutions out inthe Chantilly area. Stillinuniform and a full bird colonel is Reni (Groom) Renner. Her Zoomienation profile says she’s inA8X, but I ran into her at theVandenburg O’Club back in September, so she maybe at 14AF or JFCC-Space now. She was looking a little rushed, so I won’tbe able to catch up until I get back out there in a couple of months.

Wehave several otherupdates this issue. The first is fromFrederick Bacon. He writes: Checking in from Colorado Springs. Got the big house with the giant redwood deckthatprovides a gorgeousviewofthe stadium - - great for watchingthe air showduringgraduations. Andthe viewfrom myside ofthe highwayisMUCHbetterthantheviewfromtheAcademyside, especiallywith a beerand cigarinhand. Justhad a TDYup to ElmendorfAlaskaand saw Pam (Reddick) Bergeson, alongwith herhubbyTom "Guns" Bergeson (nice guy, for an ’85er). "Moose" Therianos has moved from USNORTHCOM to the USAFA. Other news: I sponsor3 cadets latestgouge: no spiritmissions to the flatiron (and spirit missions have to be approved now); afterthe wing has marched onto the footballfield andbeen given the "run - like - hell" signalthe cadets are givenspecific instructions on where to run (apparentlythe "how" part was handled in the "like hell" direction); and lastly, it's official - Cadet "booing" is forbidden at the games. I miss the days when D&B played the

Budweiser song..."whenyou say UUUUSAFA...you've said it all."

I also received updated contact info from Jim “Peewee” Wertz. Last I had seen, he was an astronaut, but he’s now the Commanderofthe 498th Missile Sustainment Group. I looked that up and that group handles all the cruise missiles. Ifyou want tocontact him, phone or mail him at 14397 Forest Lane, Choctaw, OK 73020. (405) 281-6783.

Tom Clemmons also checked in afterjoiningthe Facebookgroup. Hewrote, “I'm a High School Civics/AP Government teacherhere in Colorado Springs. Married to Melissa for 19 years, 3 sons ages 15,13, and 8. Been out oftheAF for 18 years, but I am a LIFE member oftheAOG.

Lastly, we recentlyheard aboutthe death ofGregBrooks. He was a Lt Col in theANGandpassedawayunexpectedly on 1 Sept2009. His funeral service was on 5 Sept at the LttleRockFirstBaptist Church in Little RockAR. Entombment followed at Pinecrest Memorial Park. Memorial Donations may be made in lieu offlowers to the Grace Church Feeding theHomeless Under the Bridge Program, 12900 CantrellRd, Little RockAR 72223. Condolencesmaybe sent to his familyin care ofhiswifeJill: Mrs Jill Brooks, 12301 CherryLaurel Dr., Little RockAR72211-5419

That’s all for now. Next update will be done by Bob Colella, but you can always pass me theinfo. And ifyou’revisitingBollingAFB or just in the area, look me up. Sincerely, Lawrence Cooper.

John & Carolyn Sammartino a

3107 Woods Cove Lane Woodbridge, VA 22192

H: (703) 492-5492

W: (703) 808-6234

jsammar@verizon.net

Hi all, Carolyn and I are proud to take over as your class scribes—andwe’d like to thank Ezra and Kristen for theirhumble service as they move toAustin, Texas. Ezraand Kristen andtheirtwo kidsAlexand Isaiahhavemadethe move from Colorado toTexas. Ezra is an executivewithDell Computer inAustin and Kristen isworking hard to get everyone settled. Once Isaiah starts school, Kristenishopingto getback into teaching at one ofthelocal universities. Ez says they’ll miss the mountains and their occasional drives byUSAFA.

I don’tknowifyou all are like me, but everyquarter I grab the Checkpointsand turn rightto the ’87 section to readabout the exploitsofour classmates.We’re depending on you to text us, e-mail us... I’m not a Facebookguyyet, but mayneed to be soon.. .whatever it takes to get us some inputs. I know there are a lot ofyou out there doinggreatthings for our Air Force, and pretty soon we willbe recognizing our firstBrigadier General selects! I hadthe pleasure ofmeeting five new BGs from the class of’86 when I was at the Senior Leader Orientation Course (SLOC) this summer, and I lookforward to seeing a bunch offine ’87 grads on thisyear’s list!

Speaking ofSLOC, Carolyn and I got to meet the ChiefofStaff, Gen Norton Schwartz, at theAir House on Ft. Myerduringthe SLOC backinAug. Here is a photo of us with Tom Sharpy, who was pretty much our personal escort duringtheweek-and-a-halfcourse, was prettymuchresponsible forrunning the show, andtaking care ofall ofus new GOs and SESs! He did a finejob, you canjust askhim!

Carolynwould like to get theword out that theWomen's Memorial here in Arlington,VAhas taken quite a budgethitlately. To ensure the Memorial continues to keepitsdoors open as theONLYplace to providethefiistoryofwomen in the military...they are lookingforwhat they are calling the "Circle of500." That is, 500 individuals or groups ofindividuals willing to make a commitmentto donate $1,000 to the memorial. These 500 willbe calledthe "Circle of 500 Guardians ofthe Memorial." Carolynwould love to getthe women from our class together to be one ofthese 500 Guardians ofthe Memorial. Please ladies, call us at (703) 492-5492, or e-mail Carolyn at carolynsam@verfron.net ifyou are interested and/or have questions. The year we graduated, 1987, was

theyeartheypushedraisingmoneyforthismemorial. So she says “let's do this as the class of'87 women, proud ofour heritage!

USAFAmadethe bi-yearlytrektoAnnapolisthisyear, andthe squidsgot us again as you alreadyknow—ran into a lot ofgrads at the game obviously, and belowis a photo sentinbySteveDorian. Fromleft are C3C MatthewThompson (Tom’snephew), C2C Nate Miller (son ofTom andStacey [Wilson] Miller), their daughterKatie,Tom, son Mitch, Stacey, Steve Dorian and his son Ryan. I tellyouwhat, 7 years in a row is enough ofthis losing streakto Navy, and I'm tired oflistening to all the Navyguys brag at work it's getting a little lame to bringup the gloryyears ofwhen we were cadets!

Livingin the DC area makes it a litde easier for us to run into classmates, so keep those inputs coming because I’m sure you don’t want me to utilize my creative writingabilities foreveryissue! God Bless ’87!

Craig McCurdy

46992 Smithwood Court

Potomac Falls, VA 20165

Cell: (703) 855-3588

ccicdjmccurdy@yahoo.com

Farewell from MarkPeters:

Final Greetings ’88! Alas, after 84 columns I am bothpleased and saddened to hand over the reins to CraigMcCurdy. Pleased in that I need a break! Iam spread too thinwithworkin Florida, a home inTexas, andmanyresponsibilities and obligations to family, friends and good causes. The flip side is thatI'll miss keepingupwith all ofyou—but I hopeyou'll continue to sendyour class news so thatI mightread aboutallofyou in Checkpoints. In closing, I'll askfor a small favor, the one I always ask: ifyou've notwrittenyour scribe in a while (orperhaps ever?) it'stime! (Plus it'llhelp getCraigstarted!) Thanks! Sincerely, Mark.

EmailfromRickLocastro, CS-15Wareagle to MarkPeters: Thanks for all the great work keeping our 1988 section alive in Checkpoints! Not an easy task...especiallywhen we allread itmuch more than we sendyoustuff. Seems likeyesterdaywe were allwalkingthe terrazzo as cadets...and now here we all are years laterwith manypages behind of us in the Checkpoints magazine. Seems like "lastweek" when wewere one ofthe lastpages in the book....now we are in the middle!

IjustarrivedthispastJulyatUSAFAto takecommandofthe 10thAirBaseWing here. Just came from Eglin where I was theVice...great tour there...but an amazingsurprise,honor, andprivilege to return towhere itallbeganfor us and bepartofmakingthis installationbetter. Alot to do as the 50-year oldfacilities and surroundings are showingtheir age. The Chapel isn'tthe onlythingthat is 50+ years old...but finallythe Air Force is dedicating the dollars to begin majorrepair & restoration.

Great daythisJulytakingcommand ofthe 10ABWwithRockyMountains in the background and ofthe team that runs and supports this incredible base. Althoughthe cadets are our primarymissionfocus - there's aton more on this installationthanjustthe school on the HilL.andwe are allworking to make it even better. Our new Superintendentandhisspouse LtGenMike Gould and Paula have us allinhighgearandthey are motivated andenthusiastic to lead theway.

Rick, Rosie, Scott and GinaLoCastro.

Attached are some photos from myfamily'sbigday. Knowthatthere'snow an ’88er in the seat. I'm sure the ideas, issues, observations, and complaints will start flowing myway from grads....I welcome it...along with allthe tee time requests and football ticket desires too! Fla, ha... Not sure I can take on scribe duties....but I definitely can feed more USAFA news to whoevertakesthe stickfromyou. Allthe best let me know ifyou or others are headed this way and I can help! RickJ. Locastro, Colonel, USAF, Commander, 10thAir BaseWing, U.S. Air ForceAcademy. (719) 333-1010. DSN 333-1010

Emailfrom HamishStewart-Smith: I decided to leave the Air Force in 1999; it was a tough decision for me but I really wanted to embark on a second career. I moved to Philadelphia and met mylovelywife, Jane.We got married in 2001 and we now have two boysAlistairaged 5 and Harrison aged 4 - they are happy,healthykids. I found a superb companyjustafterleavingthe military-a consultingfirmstartedbythreeAimyRangersandemployingmostly ex-militaryfolks.We’re doingverywell consulting in the Healthcare Industry. It’s a greatthing to still be surrounded byhardworkingpeople with a strong sense ofmission, expertise at employingtheirleadership skills inthis environment, and a veryhighlevel ofcamaraderie. IfanyonehitsthePhiladelphia area give me a call and comeover to the house. 6106497944. Good luck CraigHamish.

Hello from CraigMcCurdy: I am now officiallyyourScribe forthe 1988 Class News. Please email me with 1988 in the title so that I will open your email. Looking forward to hearing fromyou and passing on your news. There has been a lotgoing on in the McCurdyhouse recently. Mywonderfulwife, Christine,just gave birth to our newbabydaughter, Elena, on October 16 2009. We also have four sons, Isaac, Caleb, Daniel, andJoelthatwere veryexcited to see her. I hope that alliswellwithyourfamilies across theworld. Thanks foryour service to our country.

Paul W. Tibbets, IV

Unit 9500, Box 48

DPO AE 09624

Home: 011-39-065-422-1922

E-mail: p2a2@me.com

Class web site: http://www. usafaclasses.org/1989/

Fine ’89! Thanks to everyone who helped make our 20th reunion so successful.. .well done!! Unfortunately, I was unable to leave Rome (I know no one feels sorryforme!), but all the reports I have received are that is was nothing short ofremarkable. Bigkudos to our fearless leader, Don Simpson; our class secretary, StephenWhiting; thekey man behindthe scenes,Alex “Gonzo” Gonzales; and allthe manymembers of our class who worked tirelessly to make everythingflow so smoothly and seamlessly. Unfortunately, due to the tight turn to the Checkpointsdeadline, we are unable nowto givereports from thefield. Iwillincludethis in the next issue. Ifyou have some comments and/or photos to share, please send them myway! Below is the initial report from Don. Bestwishes to you andyour families. Take care and God bless!

Takingtheguidonfrom LtGen Gould.

PtiCElf;: il. ii Sabre Society Donors

MattMulligan captures the '89spiritat the20-yearreunion!

USAFA89: Hardto believethatthe20threunionhas come andgone so quickly butI sure had a blastandhope thatyou did as well. Ifyoucould notjoin us, the 25th isright around the comer and we willbegin a slowramp on that soon. In closing out the 20th, I have a fewtidbits ofinformation to pass along.

ClassPhoto:AlexCarotherswas kindenoughto takemanypictures andthey will all be made available to us. The exercise ofpostingthese is time consuming but they will be available soon. The link to access is: http:// flyingfar.zenfolio.com/p447991523 and youwill need to use the following password“USAFA89!” Keepcheckingin fromtime to time and everythingwill be downloadable foryour use. Ifyouhavephotos thatyouwouldlike to share, please send to me and I willworkwithAlex to add them to the collection.

Reunion Feedback: I am assembling feedback on the 20th so that we can improve the 25th. The reunion committee has provided this feedback and now it isyour turn - - whatworkedwell andwhat did not work as youwould haveliked. Feelfree to send as much or as littlefeedback as you feelpertinent. Over the next fewweeks, I will finalize the list and use this forplanningfuture reunions.

Feedbackforyou: The single most difficult component ofthe 20th reunion was contactingclassmates. With the advances in technology, this should get easier and easier over time. I have a fewrequests foryou.

1. Consider theAOG as master source ofrecord foryour contact information. Member or not, I askthatyou keep your contact information up to date with the AOG - especiallyyour email address. You can do this at: https: // www.usafa.org/NetCommunity/SSLPage.aspx?pid=254&bm=-1661920834 butifyou are not a member or are notregisteredwiththeAOG,then contactthe AOG at: https://www.usafa.org/ to have your information kept current.

2. Join the ZoomieNation Class of ’89 group at: https://zoomienation .usafa.org/usafa/groups/6862/view.

3. FollowUSAFA1989 onTwitter - nothingthere now, butIwill add to it going forward. Ifyou are interested in usingthis to keep the class informed, let me know.

4. Join our class Linkedln group.

5. Connect with me on Facebook.

Giving to the class: Over the pastweeks since the reunion, I have received a significantnumber ofrequests to make contributions to the class fromclassmates andfamilies ofclassmates. This isgreatnews! Asyouknow, we managed to build the HeritageTrail site in 2.5 years when the average for this kind of activityis 5 years. Ourclasswill continue to see thevalue in givingbackto the Academyandthis generosityis appreciated andvalued so please do give ifyou can. The easiestway to do this is to contact: A1 Burrell, Class GivingOfficer, Association ofGraduates, 3116AcademyDrive, USAFAcademy, CO 808404475. Office: 719.472.0300. Cellular: 702.204.9676. al.burrell@aogusafa.org

FinallyCheckpoints: Over the nextweek, PaulTibbetswho as we knowhas been our class scribe since graduation, has the chance to do an extended feature in the upcomingCheckpoints. Your input and stories from the 20th reunion would be ideal. Please send your thoughts to me and/or to Paul at p2a2@me.com forinclusion.

In closing, it has been an honor to workwith such an incredible group of people. I am humbled byyouwith each interaction and can only saywhat a fortunate individualIhavebeenfortheassociation-1 thankyou! DonSimpson, Class of 1989.

iO K, M? cnriFWf YOUR MONEYHELPS FUND

WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNFUNDED, jJ. IJLiJLf AOG FOR ftj a-i

James Sanchez

8301 Emerald Circle

North Richland Hills, TX 76180

Cell: (817) 213-6357

Web: WWW.USAFA90.COM

alohatiger@gmail.com

JamesR. Sanchez 1968 - 2009

(Editor’s note to the members ofthe Class ofl990:1sadlyinformyou that JamesSanchezdiedNov. 10,2009 at his home in North RichlandHills, Texas. Condolences maybesent to his wife, Carine T.Nguyen atJames’address in the headerofthisarticle. This then, is hisfinalclass news article, which as usual, came in precisely on deadline. Tom Kroboth, ClassNewsEditor)

First the news:

Greg"Pook" Newman: Athens, Greece is treating us all OK. All 6 ofthekids love it here. Included a photo ofmy3 oldestkids with me at the Greek aerospace companywhere the Greekswork on our F- 16s that are based atAviano and Spangdahlem. From left are me, Courtney 13, Alec 12, Alyssa 10. For anyone visiting Greece, please stop by. Our home is always open to fellow Mighty90 grads!

GregGordy: Still at the Pentagon, doingbudgetingandprogrammingforall AFISR. Scheduled for retirement at 20 years with terminalleave starting in March2010. Vineyard is comingalong. Hope to havewine in early 2012.

Paul Sherman: We have PCSedbackto LacklandAFB after a short two years at Travis. I am now the Program Director fortheDiagnosticRadiologyResidency atWilford Hall Medical Center and Brooke ArmyMedical Center. It will be an interesting challenge over the next five years as we merge into the SanAntonio MilitaryMedical Center. Aidan is a big first grader now and Karrie is excited to get back into photographyin SanAntonio.

DaveBrien: I'mretiringeffective 1 June 2010 (20years&a day, aka "OnTargetOnTime"). It'sbeen great, andnowwe're readyforwhat's next. Ideally, move to Virginia/East Coast as a consultant/ analyst, settle the kids in a single HS, be closer to families, etc. Going to the Service Academy Career Conference (Job Fair) in San Antonio next month. Will stop bytheYogurt Patch en route from OKC. (Thanks, Dave!)

Mike “Dozer” Shower (star ofmykid’s favorite episode ofDogfights): Have an approved retirement next summer, stayinginAlaska - no ideayetwhat 1’in going to do.

Kimberly Scott: Greetings from the Seattle area! Steve Scott and I are both basedin Seattle,workingforAlaskaAirlines. We havethe honorofworking on theAstronautLtColMichael PAndersonMemorial andAerospaceScholarship Committee. Lt ColAnderson perishedduringtheSpace Shuttle Columbia trag-

edyof2003. Afterfund-raisingfornearly 1 and 1 /2 years, we dedicated a beautifulmemorialattheSeatdeMuseumofFlight on 26June2009. Hisparentswere present anditwas averymovingevent. TheAerospaceScholarshipwill ensure thatyouthwill continue to reach forthe stars and achieve their dreams.

Our 20-yearreunionis comingup! We need to startplanning, so whoeveris in chargeplease let me knowand I’ll help get theword out. We should probablytalk to the Class of 1989 guys forplanningadvice.

We should also decide on a class gift. Personally, I think itwould be nice to start an endowmentto supportthe cadetgymnastics team inPaulComeaux’s name. I thinkwe need to raise atleast$25,000fortheAOG to manageit, butI’ve alreadyheardfrom several classmateswho are willing to putup at least$1000.

Whilewe’re on thetopic, here’s myAOGpitch: ifyou’re not a member,join. If you can affordit,jointheSabre Society(Iknowlotsofyouguys can afford$1000/ year). IfyouthinktheAOGispointless, or hasfailedyousomehow or otherwise doesn’t deserveyourpatronage, I’mwillingto discuss the issuewith you.

(.Editor’s note:AnyofJames’classmates who would want to take over hisclass scribeworkshould contact Tom.Kroboth@aogusafa.org.)

Carson Tavenner

6828 Raccoon Court

Waldorf, MD 20603

(202) 231-2484

DSN: (312) 428-2484

Home: (301) 374-2752

Carson_wendy@comcast.net

Hey, friends!

You have been verykind to send me so many“thanks” this pastyear (and throughtheyears) fordoingthecolumn. EventhoughI usuallyfeelstressed out when I realize anothercolumnis comingdue, I have to admitI lovepassing on the news ofhowandwhereyou are all doingyourgoodwork, and in so doing keep connectionsalive. Manyofyouhaveexpressedyourgratitudeforthis, and I have to say“thankyou” back, and“you’re welcome!” You might remember thatI’vesaidthisbefore, butI’llsayitagain: Ijustcan’twaituntilwe actuallyhave thetime to sitback on our deckswithcold ones inhand,laughingandreflecting onwhat our militaryexperienceshavetaught us, and to drive aroundthe countryvisitingwith, reconnecting, and encouraging one another.

I was specificallyencouragedbythe incrediblyup-beatandgrateful attitude ofmybuddyDan Ortwerth, whom I hadn’theard from since we tossed the caps! Dan’s life is, in his own words, “...ridiculouslyfantastic. 1 m still a nutso tightlywoundguy, so I still stress too much, butit's OK. Great marriage. Great family. Greatparish. Greatfriends. Great militaryunit. Great to be backand looking to get back all the way full-time Guard, active-duty, whatever.”

Howawesome isthat? When Ihave dayswhen it feelslikemyveryblessed life is in shambles, I think about some ofthe thingsyou all have sharedwith me over theyears aboutwhat a pleasure it is to serve, and to connect, and I get motivated to do my own goodwork once again.Well, I have to share the rest ofwhat Dan had to say, in wayofupdating us on 18yrs oflife.

“I separatedFEB ’01.. .went towork as a stockanalyst, firstforA.G. Edwards, then for EdwardJones (switched OCT 04)...settled back in myhome ofSt. Louis...andjoined the MissouriANG4APR 08 [which] amounted to personal resurrection. Onthelonglistofreasons whyI am so gladthatI separated, farand-away #1 is that no other course in life could have so clearly shown me howmuch I belongback in the service. Oh, thankyou Godforfinding me a pathbackinto uniform. Thus farI've served as a PublicAffairs officer at stateHQlevel and as a speechwriterforthe MOANG/CC. I'm clearly not meant for PAlong-term, but it hasbeengreatthusfar, and in God's goodtime I'll findmy wayto a more appropriate career field. 1 OCT 091 pinned on Major. 5 JAN 09 to 6 FEB 091 attended SOS in residence. Marvelous experience, both in the substance ofthe course itselfand in the unspeakablejoyofbeingbackin uni-

form, essentiallyactive-duty, and in the base environment for 33 whole days.

even ifit was theToyCompany. I have been married since 22APR 95, and we (Natalie andI) have sixchildren: Anne is 13, Beth is 11, Gus is 9, Margaretisjust shyof8, Greg is 6, and Stella is 20 months. I love being a big-family man. It is as much a part ofmy essence as the military. I have a wonderfulmilitarywife and family. She in particularis so supportive ofit all, includingthe thought of deployment or relocation. The children bust their buttons about it all. My civilian coworkers don't begin to get it... maybe a couple do.”

“Next weekend I am doingsomething very significant. For the first time since 29 MAY91,1 am going to theAir ForceAcademy. I haven't been backall theseyears, but on myfirst return I'm taking mywife. Next summer I hope to take thewhole clan, butthis isjust us (and the baby). Ican'twait, andlcan't describe it. Wow, I'm going to be there again!”

Well, that sure makes me want to take my own trip back to Colorado, I’ll tell youwhat! I’m going to have to wait forthe 20-yearreunion, I think! But there is a mini-reunionjust around the corner.. .Cape Canaveral March 18,2010! 1 hope a lot ofyou have been planning on traveling to Florida to watch Jim Dutton launch into space. Ashamedly, we haven’tyet had a consensus (or even a discussion, that I know of) on where we might congregate. However, I knowthere’s a 1991 Facebookgroup that I have notjoined (I’m scared ofFacebook- itwill suck awayhours ofmylife that I can’t afford to lose, Ijust knowit!).I’ll get into that group andwe’ll start the conversation, howabout that?

§ Sabre Society Donors

I’vebeentalkingwithJimaboutgetting our class flagflown on the shuttle.. .seems there is a good chance thatwillhappen, and ifnotwe’ll definitely be able to get the “Class of ’91.. .We’ve Just Begun.” handkerchief flown. Bythe way, does anyone rememberwriting that? I would love to have the full storyofthe handkerchief’s origins (we inherited itfromTremendous Mendez at our lOyrreunion). It’s possible the writer, even ifthey’re reading this column, wouldn’tpossiblyrememberwritingthat phrase on an olive drab handkerchief...butI hopesomebodyknows something.

I’ll close up with a straightforward report ofotherinfo passed myway.

MarkGrotelueschen (teaching at USAFA) reports that Paul Baumanis an O6 doing SDE on theAtlantic Councilin DC.William Glascoeis a citizen airman performingdutyat the National SecuritySpace Office in Fairfax,VA. Heworks for CSC Federal ConsultingPractice in Falls Church,VAwith an assignmentin the OCIO (I don’t knowwhat exactlythat is, but I’m sure it’s Info Ops) with the Office ofthe Director ofNational Intelligence in AnnapolisJunction, MD. I thinkWilliam must do a lot ofbeltwaydriving.

Jim Cluffsent an update on some Bold Golders currentlyworking at Creech AFB. Jim himselfcommands the 17th Reconnaissance Squadron, flyingMQIs (Predator UAVs) and MQ-9s (Reapers - hey,William, is that Proud Grim Reapers?). MarkHoehncommandsthe 18thReconnaissanceSquadron,flying MQ-ls. Chris Gough commands the 42dAttack Squadron, flyingMQ-9s and was highlighted on 60 minutes. JohnVaughnrecentlytookcommand ofa C130 squadron at LittleRock. I sawJeffDaviesandDoyleTurnerat Lukethispast year; Jeffis flyingF-16s forthe Reserves andDoyle commands theTRS. Got an email the other dayfrom RodCousins, currentlycommandingthe B-2Weapons School Sq atWhiteman. Heard through the grapevine that Ken Ekmanis doinggreatcommanding an F-16 sq at Shaw, and I ran into CJ Hemmer at the Nellis Chapel.. .he was in town as a SafetyBoard President. Was herefrom the SpecOpswing at Cannon.

Thanks Jim, that was great! See you around, myfriends. Tav.

James S. Mehta

3802 Elbert Ave. Alexandria, VA 22305 (703) 738-4823

jamesmehta@us.af.mil

jamesmehta@earthlink.net

Hey 1992! Hope this finds you doing well and enjoying life. Things are goingwell in DC where I find myselfbusy and waiting to see where the next assignmenttakes us. I have some good information andpictures to share today. I got a greatpicture from some ofthe guys deployed in the “sand.”

1992 Photo Op! Dave “Kumo” Kumashiro saw a number of’92ers at Balad and organizedthem to get a photo. Kumo is the 332 EOG, DeputyCommander. He should be backafterthe NewYear. Another old CS-22 Tarantula is out there with him—Brad Wensel. Brad isthe 362 ERS, DeputyofOperations at Balad, and has been at Scott AFB for the past three years. Upon redeployment, he will be PCSing to RandolphAFB, not far fromhiswife’s hometown ofAustin. He is excited to be closer to family, as will his wife and their two daughters, a 4-yearold and a 1-year-old.

I also mentioned last column that MichaelWeiss had deployed to Balad for a year. He got in on the photo, too. Michael is on a yearlong deployment from the DC area. Scott Babbitt is deployed from

KimberlyScottat theLtColMichaelPAnderson memorialdedication.

Class News

SpangdahlemAB, Germanywhere he is the ChiefofXR He’s also the Chiefof XPforthe332AEW. He started as a MissileerandthenhashadfourA-10 assignments. HeleftthePentagonlastyearafter a three-yearassignment, butthinks he’ll beback in the area afterretirement. While he’s been in Iraq, he saidHeidi and the boys (Andrew, 9 and Matthew, 7) enjoyed the rest ofthe summer in Germany. The rest ofthose modelingthe finestAF clothingin Iraq are George Petty (332 ECES/CC), Kenneth Callahan (46 ERS/CC), and Michael Florio (332 ESFG/A3). Ok.. .enoughtalking, here’s the picture:

From

are

Repeatcaller—overdueupdate. DickFultonhase-mailed me over theyears, butithadbeen awhile since I heardfromhim. After a four-yearassignment at DFAS Denver, Dicktradedinhis 15-minute commute for a 70-mile drive each waytoNORTHCOMatPetersonAFB. Talkabout a commute! Dick, let us know howit goes duringthewinter... Anyway, it was better thiswaysince his three kids are in school andtheydidn’thave to change schools and move awayfrom friends all over again.Tayloris 11, Sydneyis 9 andNoahis 6. Thishas givenJudi a chance to go backtoworkinadvertisingagain. Dickrecentlyhadthe opportunity to attend Tom Nicholson’s Bronze Star and Air Medal ceremony at NORTHCOM. Tom started in J82 this summer after spending a year in the desertcommanding a RC-135 unit.

Dick keeps in regular contact with the “Horsemen”: John Tresler, Doug Morton, andArnold“The Edge” Schoenfeld. Doug andTJ are still flying C-5s with the Guard at StewartANG in NewYork, and Edge is still heading up the LuxembourgoperationsforBrown Brothers Harriman. Dickalso made a trip upthehillandgot a behindthe scenes tour at KAFA (stillgoing?) andsaidthings had changed quite a bit. I guess theydon’t “spin” them (CDs) like when we were cadets!? Anyway, Dickhas a good three hours a day to chat on his cell phoneduring his commute, so give him a call and catch up with him...

LiaisonOfficerExtraordinaire. James“Jeb” Buckis now a liaison officerfor USAFA. Don’tyou remember applying for the Zoo and thinking the liaison officerwas old? Hmmm. Jim’sworkinginTennessee andregularlyworkswith two otherclassmates—Suzanne “Sooz” Corej and StewartAnderson. Stewart is the Liaison Officer Director (LOD) forthe state ofTennessee and recently was selectedfor0-5. Soozis stillflyingforFedEx. Jeb andhis family are doing great;he, hiswife, andfourkids spend a lotoftime raisinganimals on a small farm and takingadvantage ofthe great outdoors. Finally, Jeb also sent in a photo ofhimwith Stewart and one oftheirformer “recruits”—Mike Kravits (’09) on casual status awaitingpilottraining.

months. He’s in the Air MobilityDivision ofthe CAOC with Blane Rasch and Fred Bravo. Fred is also deployed fromAndrews. Bob said the deployment isn’t too bad and there are more amenities atA1 Udeid every day. He’s even movedinto the new CAOC. Thanks forthe note andhopeyou’re home soon, Bob.

Well, that’s it. It’s late andthe Checkpointsdeadline is looming, so I’llwrap up now. It’s alwaysgreat to hearfromyou, and even better to see you. Give me a shout ifyou’re in the Pentagon or the DC area and send me a note from anywhere. As always, True Blue.. .James.

Michael D. Sundsted

1805 Macadams Place

Alexandria, VA 22308 (240) 338-9839

Michael.sundsted@whmo.mil

Class Website: www.highflight.com

(Three Sabre Society Donors)

(Editor’s note: We did not receive an inputfrom Mikefor this issue. Please send himyour updatesandphotosfor the next issue.)

Craig Allen 440 Willow Court Warrensburg, MO 64093

H: (660) 747-8088

C: (660) 864-5374

keggerallen@embarqmail.com

Season’s Greetings! It’s been a great, but cold fall so far here in Missouri. Couldbe a roughwinter, as they are reportingrecord amounts ofearly season snow out in Colorado and Idaho. Definitelytime to make the trek across Kansas on 1-70 to hit up the old favorite spots this ski season— Winterpark, Arapahoe Basin and Beau Jo’s Pizza in Idaho Springs. Ifyou’vealreadymade the trip andgotten some ski days in, let me knowthe snow report.

I recentlyheardfromRyan “Shooter” Craycraft, who is enjoyinghistimeinHeidelberg,GermanyatDTRA. Hesaidtheir Armybasehouse is straight out ofthe 1950s, butthatthey’ve managed to get over it (being in Heidelberghelps a lot). He travels all over Europewhile fulfillinghis duties as a treaty inspector,concentratingprimarilyon EasternEurope. I asked himifit was challenging or a bit diceygoinginto countrieslike Czechoslovakia andhe said, “Czechoslovakia? It’s like goiri intoWisconsin”. Shooter andwife, Shannon,planto bethereforawhile, in caseyouneed acontactinthe area. They recentlyrendezvousedwith Connor“Smash” Blackwoodfor aweekend, spendingtimeinRotenburg,PlaymobileParkandNuremberg. Connorrecentlywent to backto Lakenheath,Englandfor a second time to flythe F-15C. Hehadbeen ontheUSAFEstaffatRamstein. Waytoworkthe overseas long-tours. Hereisa picturethey sent from their Europeanvacation.

Ryan Craycraft and Connor Blackwood with their kids on a bridge in Nuremberg. Another ’94 grad showed up here atWhiteman AFB with me, Mike “Dash” Wittrock. Dashreturned to the B-2 after a stint on theACC staffat Langely. He quicklygot re-checked out in the B-2 and nowworks in the OperationsSupportSquadron. Also sightedhere atWhiteman was Mark“Cougar” Rusk, who stoppedthrough on hiswayhome to Randolph. He hadbeen on a T-38 trainingmission, which convenientlyincluded an overnightinAnnapolis,where 1

left

LtColBradWensel, LtCol GeorgePetty,LtColMichaelWeiss, Lt Col Michael Florio, Lt Col Kenneth Callahan, and Lt Col Dave “Kumo” Kumashiro.

From left areJebBuck, MikeKravitz (’09), andStewartAnderson. DCNews. Finally, a few notes from around town. Donna (Ward) Boyce sent me an e-mail to let me know she’s still around. I used to run into her in the Pentagonhallwaysquite a bit, butnotrecently. Shehas moved over to Bolling AFB where she is the 11thWingIG. I thinkshe’s alreadyhadherIGindoctrinationbecause she saysshe’s alwayshappyto help! AndmyoldTarantulabuddy, Bob Seifertwho’s flying at Andrews AFB recentlydeployedA1 Udeid for six

believehe attended a prettygoodfootballgame. Cougaralso gave a first-hand account ofthetailgateandpromotionpartythrownbyEricBulgerinAnnapolis thatweekend. Eric’s pin-onto LtColcoincidednicelywiththeAirForce v. Navy game and he combined it all into a large weekend. AlthoughAir Force lost a tough game in overtime to Navy MarkandEric said it was a greattime.

Alittlelight on the input this quarter, so you’regetting a Keggerand Colleen Allenupdate: We’vemadethe Kansas CityMarathon an annualtradition during our time here inMissouri. Wejustspenttheweekendup there forthe race and some good times in downtown KC. Colleen cruised through the half marathonthisyear, after doing the full marathon lastyear. I participatedby knocking out the 5K. I highlyrecommendthe 5Kifyou’rethinking about entering a big race.. .it’sthe perfect distance. Afterthe race we hitup most ofthe hot spots inKC the Power and Light District, Jack StackBarbeque andthe Plaza. It was a greatweekend, allmade possiblebyColleen’s parentswho flew upfromTexas to watch our threelittlegirls. Belowis a picture ofus at thefinish line afterthe race.

Colleen and CraigAllen in Kansas City.

That sums up the input I gotthis quarterandI’m allowed three pictures. So, we’ll go to the archives forpicture numberthree this time. Here is a picture of a couple cadetsyoumayrecognizefrombackinthe early90’s—JeffDalrymple andNoah Hardie.

second child, a daughter. A double congratulation to the Meyeringfamily is definitelyin orderthere. Brad Seger is here at Sheppard as well, enjoyinglife in the Reserves and the airline world. Brad says to fly Delta. FlyDelta a lot.

CadetsDalrympleandHardie

I knowJeffis doinggreat down in SanAntonio, but Noah has been “offthe net” for a while. Ifyou have a fix on him, let me know. Anyway, have a great Holiday season andski season. Send me a picture and an update; otherwise I’ll have to break out more old photos.

R. Travis Koch

100 Trieste Blvd.

Panama City Beach, FL 32407

Home: 850.249.8820

Cell: (850) 499-8242

richard.koch@tyndall.af.mil

traviskoch@yahoo.com

Hey, it’sJamieMoss andwelcome to the Classof1995winterupdate. Thanks toTravandBuckforthelastupdates. Bythis time, the 0-5 promotionboardis outandcongratulations to thosewhogetto changetheiroakleavesfrombronze to silver. Besideswhatyou see on Facebook, here are some random updates from the 37th USAFAclass.

Dan and RaquelWasilausky are working down at HurlburtField, and both were recentlypromoted, alongwith legendary“Fishingwith Tom and Dan” outdoor expedition team member and fellowMach 1 buddy, Tom Colvin. Tom is up in D.C. workinghis sharp wit and expertise in the 5-sided maze. My newest neighbor down the street and fellow KTPer, Chad “Brew” MeyeringisthelatestENJJPTaddition on theT-38 side, as well as an 0-5 select. Bythe time this goes to print, He andwife, Kelly, will have welcomed their

SteveLygren andfamilytakingin a Yankeesgame at theBallpark.

Steve Lygren and family are doingwell, flying and instructing the T-6 and workingmultipleTexan II syllabi. I recentlylost a 6-pack on thefields offriendly strife to Poker. I’m sensing a 6-packofSchaferLightis in his future. Pokerand I recentlyhad the chance to give our spouses a T-6 taxi ride.

JamieandKimberlyduring theENJJPTSpouse TaxiDay.

Poker’s friendJeremiahMonkisthe 19thAF executive officer, alongsideMike Matesick. Theymentioned theythoughtheyenjoypushing staffpackages, they’re both readyto return to flying.

Need to talk to your assignment chiefandwishyou had classmates on the “porch?” Well, ifyouflyVipers,you’re in luck. DrewRydland andChris Kibble are sitting down in Randolph, wheeling and dealing dwindling F-16 assignments and becoming everyone’s new best friends. They ask ifyou’re ever in the neighborhood, stop by and chat. Look for the good-copbad-cop routine. I highlyrecommend it.

Jon “Meat” Tinsley sends his greetings from northern Florida. “Nottoo muchhere atTyndall. Brian "Split" Shafer is here at theWEG as the ChiefofAP and backin the Eagle. I justmade the transition to the FLANG, sittingSODO at the AOC andstillflyingtheViperwiththeWEG.” I can see our class is spreadfarand wide, fightingthe goodfight.

Adam Velieand son Noah enjoying a dayat thepumpkinpatch. AdamandSuzannaVeliehavewelcomedtheirnewest addition, a beautiful son Noah.Adam’sworkingforBooze,Allen, and Hamilton in Colorado Springs. He oftentravelsabroadworkinghis secret squirrel missionsand speakingin sUategic terms. Not too bad for a historymajor. A beer at the Golden Bee awaits.

Pete Swanson rang in from the (new) land of Favre. Pete and family are doingwellwithhis investmentbusiness and providing USAFA withfreshMinnesotan cadets as an Admission Liaison Officer (ALO). SpeakingofALOsfrom the great white north, Mark Hanson was recentlyselected to be the USAFA

Class News

Liaison Officer Director forthe entire state ofMinnesota he'll be relying on fellow ’95ALOs Jamie Lindman and Pete Swanson to make him lookgood!

Received a quickemailfromfomierinvertedThunderbird, Ed “Pinto” Casey.

“Just showed up at my newjob in DC day one today. Nice to be backfrom Navyland and on the globalagain. Only95ers I know are here in SAF/IA are Lt Col MikeThompson,MajJasonEvenson; probablymore—justhaven't had a chance to walk aroundyet. Maj Nicole Malachowski ('96) is here in SAF/IA weapons divisionwith me as well.

Bryan Patchen rang in from across the pond, Germanythat is. Bryan has battled cancer andwon, completed severalmarathons, now has 20/15vision afterPRK, andis generallykickingbutt.Brandi and Bryan are quite the travelers too, ifyou’ve ever checked out their Facebook page.

EverflySouthwestout ofHouston? Well, maybeyou should. Southwestpilot andfellow classmate Chad Green and family have recentlymoved from San Antonio to Houston. Chad’s piloting737s out ofHobby. Fookthem up ifyou’re inthe area. Wife Suzanne and son Jack are enjoyingthe new digsandtheshorter commute for dad.

I’ll endwith some interestingstatistics on our goldenclass, the37th to graduate from the Zoo:

994 graduated (4 not commissioned, 11 foreign cadets)

20 cross commissioned (12Army, 4 Navy, 4 USMC)

636 are still on active duty

4 deceased on active duty

4 deceased non-active duty

3 retired

336have separated

4 active Guard

4 active Reserve

Have a greatThanksgivingand Best Regardsya’ll.

r

Melissa S. Cunningham 5785 Ft. Wright Oval Fairchild AFB, WA 99011

W: (509) 247-2525/DSN: 657-2525

H: (509) 244-9775

Melissa.cunningham@fairchild.af.mil fchdrider@msn.com

Theholidays are alreadyupon us. Where does the timego? Ifyou are like me, you stillhave a majorityofChristmas shoppingyet to do. Youknowwhat they say, ifyouwait until the last minute, it onlytakes a minute. Wait, maybe that onlyapplies to SAMI prep and not so much to Christmas shopping. I should probablyget on it. I’m actuallyspendingthe holidays solo thisyear as Fred is deployed to Kyrgyzstan. He’ll be backin lateJan, so we’ll postpone opening the gifts (the ones I haven’t gottenyet) untilthen. I’mhopingthe record snowfalls we gotlastyearwill hold out until then too. Agirl can alwayshope. Well, I’ve gotten some greatupdates to share with you all. Some are a little dated because I hit myword/picture limit last time before I could squeeze everything in but here goes...

LoriandReid withenjoyingDisneyWorld with theirsons, EmmettandFoster. First up is Lori (Edinger) andReid Rasmussen. They are bothAGRswith the PAAir National Guard in State College, PA. They are taking a vacation from HappyValley to attend school at Maxwell. Lori is inACSC and Reid is in SAAS. Bothprograms are goingwell andtheyhave enjoyedbeing at one bigreunion forthe yearwith many ’96ers. Lori saidthat about 80% oftheACSC “First 50” are 96 grads—whichprobably means that they are having a great time!

I also received a note from PK Carlton who is attending SAASS alongwith Reid. PK and hiswife, Lindsey, are doinggreat! Theywelcomed PKIVinto the world in Oct 08 so their world has changed significantly now that they are chasing around a one year old. PK said the smiles, laughter andjoy are so much fun that youwonderwhatyou ever did beforeyou had kids.

“My Dad Drives a Jet.”PKand little PKIVat an airshow.

We have quite a fewclassmates in the SAASSXIXclass: ParkerWright (Intel), MegMartin (C-17), Steve Fino (F-15C), Randy “Nomad” Oakland (F-15C), Brent Borchers (Services) and Bill “Small” Fry (Intel). Yioutula (Chilagaris) Shilland is also at Maxwell while herhusband, Glenn, attends SAASS. Paul Birch and Myrna Hsu graduated inthelast SAASS class. PKthought that Paul had moved on for a one-year remote inAfghanistan and Merna headed to a staffposition.

Partyof7—TheBarneyFamily travelsEurope.

I got a greatupdatefromRyanBarney. The dayaftergraduation, he married the formerAmber Lee ofIola, KS. Ryan attended pilottraining at Columbus and Corpus Christi. Flyingthe C-130, theyspent 4 V2 years at Little Rockand then 3 of the best years oftheir life in God’s country or the Great Land at ElmendorfAFB. They decided to keep the house inAlaska, with grandplans to return and continue the good life after 2016. In 2005, Ryantransitioned to the C-130J andreturned to Fittle Rock to help start the C-130J schoolhouse.

AlongthewayRyan &Amberhavebeenblessedwith3 boys and 2 girls. Needless to say, they are alwaysbusy and Ryan creditsAmber with taking the brunt ofthe responsibility duringthe manytimes thathehas not beenaround. In 2007, theydecided to pursuethe ItalianAirForce C-130Jexchange position in Pisa, Italy. Theyhave been in Italy 1 yearwith 2 left on the assignment. He conveyedthatlife in Italyawayfrom the ‘standard’ supportnetworkof a USMILunit has its challenges, especiallyfor a familyof seven. But, it also hasbenefits, particularlythe travel. Theyhavevisited many places in Italyand Europe. Theymiss camping in the 5thwheel in the States, but he says “an agriturismo” inTuscanywill do for now.

JohnnyVargas, his daugh terIsabella andafriend on the way theAF/Navy game.

JennHammerstedtsent me this cute photo ofJohnnyVargasandhis daughterIsabella on thewayto theAF/Navyfootballgame. Itwas too cuteto pass up. It’s never too earlyto start converting new Falcon Fans! Johnny and hiswife, Kristal, are doinggreat. Theyalso have anotheraddition to theirfamily, Jaxon. I hopetheyhave little Jaxon hooked up with a #48 jersey too.

Again, have a wonderfulholiday season andplease remember to send me a photo or update as you are mailing outyour Christmas cards thisyear. Have a HappyNewYear! Wishingyou all the Best! Mel

Melvin E. Maxwell, Jr.

756 Granite Drive Ofallon, IL 62269

mel_maxwell97@hotmail.com

melvin.maxwell@ustranscom.mil

Hope this update finds you well. It's mid-October as I write this update, midwaybetweenAir Force football gameweekends againstNavyandArmy. Thefamilyand I madethetrip to Annapolis in earlyOctoberto ensure the new daughter was properlyindoctrinated into the tradition ofServiceAcademy football. We had a greattime andgot to tailgatewith classmates Shira (Ravitz) Worley,Tracy (Waller) Hasse, BrianWitkowsky, and Samantha (Glinski)Weeks.

Samantha, alwayslooking to pass on news, told me that Lee Guthrie and Abby (White) Ruscetta were representingtheAir Force triathlon team in the Ironman Hawaii the followingweekend. I checked the results online and Lee finished the2.4-mile swim, 112-mile bike, and 26.2-mile run in 10 hours 26 min 44 sec and Abby finished in 11 hrs 16 min 34 sec. You guys are amazing...congratulations on the greatresults.

Back to the game had a couple chance encounters with classmateswhen I bumped into DaveLyons inline to the port-a-pottybefore the bouncycastlehe rentedforhiskids arrived at thetailgate location. Ifmymemory serves me correctly, Dave flies B-1s but was assigned toACC staffat Langley. Inthestadium, I ran into the Melissa (Feyereisen) Laughrey and her new son, Liam. Liam, Melissa's 3rd son, was bornAugust31st, 2009. Since we didn't come out on top at Navy, we boughtplane tickets to go to theAirForce-Armygame in Colorado Springs. Pat Suermann,who is headed offtoAfghanistaninFebruary, tipped me offthat ESPN College Gamedaywould be there forthe game so we tookthat as addedincentive to getbackto Colorado Springs, see some more classmates, andhopefullyletthebabyexperience anAir Force victoryin a service academygame.

Congratulations are in order for Greg Pickette and his wife, Lyz, who wel-

corned theirfirst son, Bennett Forrest on Aug7,2007. Greg was luckyenough to get home from his short tour in SaudiaArabia to make it for the birth and spent aboutsixweekswith mom and son. Gregrecentlygotword thatafterhis Saudi tour, he andfamily are headed to Davis-MonthanAFB inTucsonwhere Gregwill beworking 12AF Stan/Eval.

Valarie (Weber) andJesseLongmaygetthe class award forbest Checkpoints photo ever. This past summer, while they were escorting a group ofcadets doing a language immersionin China,Val andJessefoundthisbrilliantlynamed cafe in Nanjing. Jesse is currently atYokotawhileVal is at ACSC.

Check out the name ofthis cafe!

Some quickupdates on theway out. Christian Basballetook a breakfrom studyingand commented on myfacebook status lookingforlastminute class news. Christian, Jim Smith, Jason Rueschoff, Joe Sheffield, JeffGeraghty, andJeffNelson are at School ofAdvancedAir and Space Studies at Maxwell AFB, AL. Noah Oviedoandhiswife hadtheir second child, babygirlCaseyin April and Noah scored his dreamjob in medical device sales with St. Jude Medical. Perennial bachelor Brad Holtmeier got engaged to his girlfriend JordanJudd this past September (bythe way --1 called it two weeks earlier when Holt putpictures oftheir new dog on Facebook).

As I write this, DJ Learyand hiswife, Jean, are expecting their second child anyday now. Mike Baileyand I shared a fewbeerswithMarkKilgorewhenhe dropped in to StLouis on business in earlyAugust. Markis a SeniorPrincipal at Infosys Consulting, doing a lotoftravel out ofhis home in Phoenixwhere Mark andhis wife have 3 daughters (atlast count).

Let’s finish offthisupdatebycongratulatingthose97ers who came out on the Lt Col (Line of the Air Force) promotion list two below the zone: Andrew Allen, Heather (Wyatt) Blackwell, Phil Born, Sean Bradley, Kim (Reed) Campbell, Peter Gryzen, Ryan Keeney, Tim Kuehne, Brian Laidlaw, Chris Leonard, Michelle (Gadus) Pryor, Jason Rueschoff, and ChrisWelch. (Note: This is based on my review ofthe list compared against our yearbook and some corroboration through the grapevine—there could be some female married classmateswho I mighthave missed.) Congratulations as well to all those 97erswlio came out on thelastlookIntermediate DevelopmentEducation and Consolidated SupportSquadron Command lists this past October. I don't know aboutyou all, but I'm starting to feel like a grown up. That’s all I have for this round. Until next time.. .Mel.

Pat Fox

1520 Pershing Dr., Apt. E San Francisco, CA 94129 pmf6@pge.com

Thisismyfirstshot awriting a classupdate, so thinkofitasaworkinprogress... Mywife, son, and I live in San Francisco these days. (Seephoto at top ofnext page.) A couple ofmonths back I ran into John Lee, Marc Segal, and Greg Hietpas on theirway to theFolsom StreetFair (it’sworth Googling). Marc flies for FedEx, Greg is with United, and, in addition, all three fly KC-10s in the Travis Reserves, andall three are married with a little ones - which begs the question, why are theyattending the Folson Street Fair? Also in the Travis Reserveswiththem are ChuckWhitehead (UPS), KirkEknes, andGuyjohnson (UPS). The big news out ofTravis is that Guymade major.. .in his firstpromotion board!

I heard from Kerrie (Gribuski) and Matt Dunker. After finishing business school at Cornell and a briefstay in NewYork City, they moved to London, where they’ve been for the last three years. Matt works for JP Morgan and

From leftareJayWorley '96, Louella, MelandMikaylaMaxwell, Samantha (Glinksi) Weeks, Tracy (Waller) Hasse, Brian Witkowsky, Dawn Wagner ’96, andShira (Ravitz) Worley

Greg,Lyz, and Bennett Pickette

Foxes andLees:Pat,Lindsay, ConorFoxandDustine,Maddy, andJohn Lee. Kerne raisestheirthree greatkids (seephoto). Theytook a longtrip backto the states this summer andwere ableto catchupwithCami (Gage) andDaveStock ('96), Malia Keck ('99), MonaAlexander, Felicia (Bell) and JeffMohr, Lynn Alexander, Alessia and Charlie Toth ('01), Brian Pendergast ('97), Mackie Contreas (’97) and MikeMay ('95). Jeffand Felicia are livingjust north ofthe Springs andwould love to hostanyclassmates comingbackto visittheAcademyjust sendJeffan email atjeff.mohr@hotmail.com.

TheDunkerFamily: Anderson, Kerrie, Sloane,Avery, andMatt. AlsocheckinginfromEuropewas Lauren (Eckert)Myers, sheandRobmoved therefrom Hawaii lastApril. Rob is still in theNavyand Laurenisworking as a USAFAliaisonofficer,theyhave a little daughterand one inthe oven. Lauren keepsupwithBeth (Crimmel) MakrosandJannell (Zicarelli) MacAulay,who both share the dubious fate ofbeing married to AFA lacrosse players, Rob MakrosandChrisMacAulay. BethandRob are stationed atWhitemanAFB and flytheB-2. JannellandChris are atTraviswhereJannell mns theKC-10 schoolhouseandChris is a maintenance officer, althoughChris iscurrently on ayear remote. Anotherlaxupdate came from MatanMeyer(’99) who came through SanFrancisco andtold me thatShane V-Chips”Vesleywas hismissioncommandeer on hislastdeployment toAfghani- stan. SoundslikeV-Chipshas come alongwayfromwhenhe hadto have Brett“Burrito”Schumerfillhislunchplate atthe lacrosseRAMP table.

SeanFinnan, who I beatup infreshmanboxingclass, reluctantlygave me an update. He andwife,Adrien, have a littlegirlandbabynumbertwo dueinMarch2010. Seanis on a stafftour at the Pentagon and ran into a fewpeople at the disappointingNavygame in October. My oldThermo lab partner, Ron “BigJenks’’Jenkins, was there -1 have no ideahowIwouldhave passed that classwithout the tutoringfrom mytwo lab partners, Jenks and ChaseManeius (MIAsince graduation), crazyhowno one elsewas too excited to haveeitherofthem intheirlab group. BigJenks is inOmahaflyingRC-135s. Paige (Wyatt) andWade Henning were at the game withtheir two kids. The Henning clan pulled up to theAFAtailgate in a Saturnwith a customized license platereading‘NTEGRITY’ - Wade was always one to live thevalues.

WingKnowledgeBowlAce, Brian Quinn, islivinginLouisville andflyingfor UPS. He stillkeeps in close contactwithhisfreshmanknowledgestudypartner, Mike Gismondi,who is livingandworkinginNYC. Quinngotmarried in March of2008 and Giz is due to walk down the aisle in Mayof2010. Both of themrequested I give a shout-outto fellowRat’sJackFlyntandDoylePompa. SoaringIP extraordinaire,JeremyJones, gaveup a career flyingF- 15s to go to businessschool atUTAustin; upon graduationhe’s offto workforGoldman Sachs in HoustonwithTravis Lauritsen. Jeremyandhis wife, Rachel, are expectingtheir first child in February2010. AnotherformerF-15 pilot, Kevin Homburg, isflyingthe F-22 at Langley. Kevin andhiswife,Amy, have two little boys. Kevinhas been busyhelping classmate and fellowRaptorpilot, Brad

Spears, with lessons on howto operate the canopy.

In eachwrite-up I’dlike to give an update on a classmatewho did not make itallthewayto graduationdaywiththe rest ofus...afterbarelymanagingto get past the academic, physical, andmilitaryrigors ofthe P-School, ScottCollins optedforfouryears at Cornell ratherthan theAcademy. Collins played football anddidAF ROTC in Ithaca; aftergraduationhe spenteightyearsflyingC5s, andis nowtrainingSaudipilotsoutsideRiyadhwhereheliveswithwifeand daughter.

On a serious note - to all deployed overseas andyourfamilies backhome, our thoughts andprayers are withyou andThankYou.

James W. Busch

(830) 734-2411

DSN: 732-5142

buschfl6@yahoo.com

james.busch@laughlin.af.mil

(Five Sabre Society Donors)

Shiners - greatseeingeveryone at the reunion andthanksagain to everyone who helped out, especiallyMichelleNunez andAmyNesbitt. Send me your pictures/stories and I'll getthem into the next Checkpoints. James

Jason Simmons

3524 Lakeside Drive

Shreveport, LA 71119

Simmons@USAFA2000.com

Jason.Simmons@us.af.mil

Two Grand, I’ve been told bymultiple classmates that I had to share BarksdaleAFB’s Oktoberfest promo materialwith everyone. Mywife and I were asked to be part of a photo shoot the first week of September to advertise the base’s Oktoberfest. We didn’tknowadswould include us inbanners, life-sizedposters, bartable centerpieces, and even a paintedstick-your-head-through-for- a-picturebillboard. Anyway,here’stheversionfromthe frontpage ofBarksdale Life(ServicesMagazine)... enjoy. (See photo at top ofnext column.)

So, nowbeingTDYto LacklandAFBto stand-upthe624thOperationsCenter (Ops Centerforthe new CyberNAF - 24AF), Ijumped at the chance to attend Lackland’sversionofOktoberfest. As I was gettingreadyforanotherbier, I ran into BillDains. Asarecap, BillleftactivedutyfortheAF Reserve andhadjoined the SanAntonio Police Dept. He relayed to me some good news, but also somethinggivinghim lots ofworklately he is nowthe Commander, 433rd SecurityForces Squadron out at Port SanAntonio (oldKellyAFB). Eric Bixby andwife, Rachel, have PCSed to San Antonio; Eric is leading up the 24 AF Commander’sAction Group andloving everyminute ofstaffwork.

CaptJasonSimmonsandMajMelissaSimmons.

I also heardfromRob Brooks; heis stillteachingT-38s at ColumbusAFB, and like manyUPT IPs, receivedwordthis past summer thathe’llbe there for a 4th year. He notes thatit's not allbad, thoughsince assignmenthas been a good one for his family. Back in November Rob’s wife, Jenny, gave birth to their daughter, Lydia, and they are experiencing all the joys ofparenthood for a secondtime. Additionally, it’sgiventhem thetime to trainforthe St. JudeHalf Marathon inMemphisthisDecember thiswillbeJenny’s3rdhalf, andRob’s 1st. They’re bothlookingforward to crossingthe finishline togetherthis time. Rob says thatifyoufindyourselfstumblingthroughMississippi in need ofa place to stay, givehim a call! Ross andEvelyn (Andersen) Schumerwelcomed their daughterElorainto theworldbackinAugust. Both Ross and Evelyn are both stationed at USAFA - Evelyn is teachingin the PhysicsDepartment and Ross is an OrthopedicSurgeon.

Elora, andEvelyn (Anderson) Schumer

Susie (Murphy) andDaveAdamsonhavehad a couplechangesintheirlives since theylastcheckedin. Overthe summer, theycompletedtheirinstructor tours in Pensacola andhavenowPCSed to Eglin and HurlburtField, respectively.ThenbackinApril,theywelcomed theirdaughterJenniferinto the family. Older brotherThomas is veryhappywith a new house, new preschool, andthey are allenjoyingtheirassignment.

Rob Ellis and wife,Amy,just added their third kid to the mix Donovan Josiah was born on Sept6th; hejoinsShelbyanne (4) andMarilyn (2). They are currentlyin Missouriwrappingup theirmissionarytrainingwithNewTribes Mission. Theywill graduate in December after 3 and 1 /2 years ofBible and churchplantingtraining in order to serve as full-time overseas missionaries.

They are planning on servingin EastAfrica (Tanzania or Mozambique) beginning summer of2010. Rob and his familywill spend the first fewmonths of 2010 raisingfinancialsupport, developingministrypartnerships, andvisiting with familyand friends since overseas terms typically are a duration of4 years.

Well,bythetimeIpollforCheckpointsUpdates, some ofour classmateswill havepinned on Major. Congrats to all those thatdoandIknowwe takeup abigchunkofpromotees, so that should start soon, but I knowI won’t be correctingmyuniformsuntil the end ofFebruary. Send some pictures ofpromotions andespeciallyanyshared classmatepromo parties and as alwayspicturesand news ofwhat’sgoing on inyourlife.

I close out with some sad news as I noted via email. On October 16th, our classmate, Jon Friedman and his wife, Katie, welcomed theirsecondbabyboy, Quinn KatFriedmaninto theworld. However, afterthe delivery, Katie started to have some complications andpassed awaylate that night. Jon we are all sorryforyour loss and send you, your boys, Clark and Quinn, manyprayers. AFacebookmemorialandMemorialFundhasbeen set up (fromFacebook, search “Katie FriedmanMemorial’’ and be sure to view the “Info” tab). That’s it for now - stayin touch and staysafe!

Jason “Cueball” Simmons

Faith (Hitchcock) Dunn 6423 NW 94th Court Johnson, IA 50131 Faithd03@hotmail.com

Hi all,

Itis thattime againfor our Fallupdate. I did not getmanyupdates this time so please visit our Class of2001 Facebook site or email me anyupdates and picturesyouwouldlike to share. I am hearingmmblings about our classbeing up forMajor so please let me knowhowthat goes!

JoeMonaco is stayingbusy. He is stillflyingC- 17s as a C-17Weapons Officer andPCSd to Hickam this summer aftergraduatingfromthe USAFWeapons School alongwith 6 other USAFA grads (2 other ’01ers). He andhiswife, Marcie,justhadtheir5thchild on Oct 14th, ZacharyQuentin Monaco!

AudraLyonsPCSd to NellisAFB, LasVegasinAugandFrank joined herin September. She is theA1 forthe USAFWC and Frank is doingCyber-warfarewith the 57thInformationAggressors. Evan GardnerPCSd to FortDrum, NYto be an Air Liaison Officerwith theArmy. AlexPrice separatedfromthe AF and moved to DC with his wife and is now a GS analyst with the DIA. Mike Uedais currently at SatherAir Base in Iraq;Lucy (Garcia) andtheirboys are home inArkansas. MattShrull andhiswife,Jamie,justhad their first little boy, Rowyn. They are at Hurlburt Field FL. Dave Penuela is currentlyflyinghelos inAfghanistan and spent manyhours supporting the recent elections.

andRobEllisshortlyafterDonovan's arrival!

MandyHutchisonis inAfghanistandoingCSAR and MEDEVACwithAndy Gray, PhilBryant,KyleKimberlin, andTavisMcDevitt. She ran into MattHall who is doingWG Safety there as well. Tom Harley's back at home station (Kadena), gettingready to swap places with them over the holidays.

DrewBlase sent a quickupdate thathe PCSd out to FtRiley, KS to be an ALO withtheArmyandgotmarriedalongtheway. DanHell andhiswifewelcomed their secondbabygirl,Addison, inAugust. GiveyKochanowski and hiswife, Chelsie, welcomedtheir second child, a boythey named Bering inAugust. They are in Germanywhere Givey works for the GSA. We hear that Tony Mariapainjustgot engaged to a ladyhe met in Colorado. Brent Bakandhis newwifePCSdtoJapanwherehissponsorwasJim Schiess - thatspellstrouble!

Ross,

Shelbyanne,Amy,Marilyn, Donovan,

NickJohnson, ChrisJones (’03),FrankLyons, Evan GardnerandAudraLyons in Vegas.

Class News

Mike and I got to catchupwithMarkLennon as he passedthrough town on hisway to Denver. He is flying in Spokane and lovingit. Jordan Collins is still up at FairchildwithfellowOlersWillSoto, MarkLennon, andMcKayMorgan. Jordan will be leaving next summer for an assignment to fly C-37s out of MacDill. He ran into Kylene (Grove) Ruthwhen he was at Nellis for Red Flag and got to see her son and husband,Andy. JD Foy is in the PhoenixMobility program at McGuire andliving in Philadelphia. Raul andAngela (Feldmann) Ochoa are still at Little Rock and are both execs, Raul is at the OG andAngela is at theWing. Ian Swayze is workingfor Lockheed Martin and moved from Newjerseyto Maryland andrecentlygotengaged. Jordan was also at a conference withNancy (Rosenow) Badgett (C- 130s at Dyess) andJayAgnew (C-130s at Ramstein) at ScottAFB and they seem to both be doingwell. MikeRossi got married inAugust as wellwith Erich Kunrath, CraigSciantarelli, and Joey Sullivan in attendance.

Nothing much else to report. Mike and I are keepingbusywith work and Grant. We willfind ourselves even busier next year as I am expecting our second child around Mother’s Day! Until our next update - take care! Faith

Amy Kauvar

806 Magnolia Bend San Antonio, TX 78251

215-280-1760

amykauvar@gmail.com

Class Website: www.usafa02.org

2002 - HappyFall of2009! Last time we heard from Kris Merritt and about the successful birth oftriplets.

IJess Lotridgejust finishedherresidency atTravis in FamilyMedicine and is now headed to Kunsan for a year. Let’s hope that followswith an assignment ofchoice to some fabulous location!

Ryan Bell sends greetings! He and his wife, Adriane (Ostwald ’04), were married in 2006 while on leave from hissecond trip to Operation Enduring Freedom (Afghanistan). Afterhis third deployment, he was lucky to spend a yearwith the Marines and attendingExpeditionaryWarfare School at Quantico. This istheMarineversion ofSOS. Adriane graduated from medical school at USUHS and also crosscommissioned to theArmy. Followinggraduation,theyboth received assignments to Ft. Lewis,WA. She is now working through her residencyin FamilyPractice at MadiganArmy Medical Center, and Ryan took command of a 256-man infantrycompany (HighlanderCompany, 2nd Battalion, 3rd InfantryRegiment, part ofthe 3-2 StrykerBrigade Combat Team) in February 2009. Ryan is now preparing for a onemonth-long unit deployment to the NationalTraining Center inApril. Followingthis, hewill be offto Iraq inAugust for one year. He is looking forward to his fourth trip now being first in command. Good luckRyan! Be Safe and God Speed!

AlKellyis now livingin Seattle as a SpecialAgentforthe FBI. He separated in 2007 and seems to be enjoyinghis new career.

I would love to hear from more ofyou. Hope all is well and have a safe Holiday season.

Susan Lynn Doyle

(937) 760-1076

susan_doyle@post.harvard.edu

HeyBongers, I didn't receive anyupdates this time around. Please spread the word so we can keep up with our classmates. I’ll take updates and pictures at anypointthroughout theyear. Ifwe miss a deadline thenyour submissionswill be first in the next issue. Thanks for all ofyourresponses up to this point. I hope you are all doingwell and ifyou're ever in DC drop me a line. Take care, Susan.

Breezy (Long) Heddinger

Cell: (719) 213-3205

breezy.heddinger@usafa-grads.com

windy04@gimail.af.mil

breezy.heddinger@usafagrads.com

Autumn greetings, 2004. Hope you all had a warm, but not-too-deployeddesert-sandy summer. We have a coupleupdates to share, and I hope to hear fromyou again this quarter.

GregZenceyhas been enjoyinglife stationed at RamsteinAB. He has been flyingwiththe 37thAirlift Squadron and has had some incredible missions all over Europe. Greghas also enjoyedtraveling forfun around Europe and has hadthe chance to see numerous European countries. Sadly, his time stationed in Germany is coming to an end, as he will be moving to DyessAFB, TX, in December to continue flying in the C-130 community.

Tom Filbert has had an incrediblybusycouple ofyears balancing his two careers in the civilian and USAF Reserve spheres and spendingtime with his beautiful family.

Afterleavingactive dutyandworkingonlyfourmonths in a civilianjob, Tom became a casualty ofthe economic downturn. In spite ofthe monumental stress ofbeingbetweenhouses andjobswith a buddingfamily to support, Tom and hiswife, Leslie, pulledtogether, and actually came out ahead in the end. Tom’s new companyis much closer to home and much more flexible with his militarycommitments. And this fantastic newjob? Makingdiamonds! Tom is becoming a regularexpertworkingthrough the dynamic processes we dreaded inThermo, Chem, and Engr Mech, and theyproduce industrial grade diamonds used for cutting and grinding.

Outside his civilian profession, life in the Reserves is going well for Tom, too. At first, he said he felt like the lone academygrad in the Reserves, but nowthat he has run across more and more, at all ranks, it's not so lonely anymore. In fact, Tom says he rather enjoys the “citizen-soldier” thing. As forfamilylife, what couldbe sweeter than another son? Well, maybe a sugar-and-spice daughter...? Haha. Actually, Tom and Leslie absolutely adorelittlePatrickBennett,who is nowjust over one yearold. Gabe andPatrick have bothbeen great, andtheirproud papa can alreadytellthatthey' re going to be Brothers forever—alreadyplayingwelltogether, AND teasing/harassing eachother! Anyone can see howhappythe Filbertfamilyis. In thephoto, from leftTom identifies everyone for us: Leslie, Mickey, Gabe (classof2028?) Minnie, Patrick (class of2030?), and Tom.

TheFilbertFamily, DisneyWorld2009.

On a side note, ifanyone still has a pic ofthe ROTC “guest” hangingfrom the pylon ofthe F-4 that one year during the leadership conference...Tom is lookingfor a copy (bigblockbluescuda@yahoo.com).

Have a warm andhappyholiday season, ’04, andwe’ll see you on the other side in 2010 (geez, we’re gettingold).

Visit the AOGWeb Site.

Merchandise, Gone But Not Forgotten and more!

www.usafa.org

Kris,Cooper, Lucas, and Noah Merritt

Paula Delapasse

196 Cambria Drive

Beavercreek, OH 45440 (225) 603-4450

jpdelapasse@gmail.com

paula.delapasse@wpafb.af.mil

Here’s a toast to Capt MarkMcDowell...

“IwillrememberMarkas a truefriendwith a smilethatlitup theworld! That was theresoundingtheme ofthosewho stood to share stories at thereception sponsoredbyhis home unit ofthe 336th FighterSquadron from Seymour JohnsonAFBfollowingthetouchingintermentceremonyatArlingtonNational Cemetery on October 15th. The ceremonywasheld at the OldPostChapel on Fort Meyer, where there was standing room onlyand even that was limited. Nearlyallrankswere present, rangingfromAirmanto FourStarGeneral. Atthe conclusionofthe ceremony, a horse drawn carriagecarryingMark’s bodyled a processionto Section60. Markwas laidto restwithfullmilitaryhonors among otherfallenheroesfromOperationsEnduringandIraqiFreedom. Under an arrayofcolorful umbrellas, his friends and familyquietlyhonoredhislife as thecoldrelentless rainfell. The all-too-familiar sound ofthe rifle volleys shookthe silenceandthesomber tones ofTapsplayed,bringing tears to everyeye inthecrowd. Asthe crowddispersed, the soundof clinkingmetal was heard as manyplacednickels on the casket—myfirstexposure to theAirForcetradition, “Put a nickel in the grass, and save anotherpilot’s a—.

“Here is a storyfromthe reception: One ofMark’s squadron mates went to Lowe’s shortlyafterthe date ofMark’s accident to pickup a few screws thathe needed. Whilehe stoodstaring at the plethoraofscrews available, a kind clerkaskedifhe couldhelp locate something. As theylooked together, the man asked ifhe was in the military-perhapsthe haircut gave it away-andthen ifhe was inthe336th. He repliedthathe was indeed. Nextthe clerkaskedifheknewMark. ApparentlyMarkhadstoppedbyLowe’s one day afterwork, while still in his flight suit. The clerkhad helped him, andhad commented on howcool his squadronpatch was. Withouthesitation Mark ripped his patch offhis shoulder and gave it to the surprised clerk. Mark’s patch is now proudlydisplayed on the clerk’s car visor. The clerk said that uponhearing ofMark’spassing, he had a “CaptMarkMcDowell” name tape made, and now has that displayedalong-side his patch. Then, withheartfelt sympathyand true sincerity, this clerklookedthe squadron mate in the eye andtoldhimthathe missedMark.

“The Chaplainthatconductedthememorialread a poem called“The Dash” by Linda Ellis. It’s safe to saythat Mark McDowell filled his dash with love, thoughtfulness,sincerityandkindness. I considermyselfluckyto havecalled him myfriend, but most ofall I am thankfulforhe showed me howrich a life can be. I hope to spendmydashin as meaningful a manner as hedid.” Written byCindyDawson Finke.

“BeingMark’s roommate gave me a greatperspective on the kind ofperson he was. As a four degree he alwayswanted to do more. Everytime we would walkdownthehallshewould greetupperclassmanwiththe same enthusiastic smile and shout, even on his bad days. YetI rarelyrememberMarkhaving manybad days.

“During the first night ofrecognition, Lt. Gen. Dallagerwas makinghis rounds and Markdidn’t waste anytime in challenginghim. Markpaid forit withpush-ups, andlet me tellyouLt. Gen. Dallager was in muchbettershape thanyouwould think! He was always so focused on challenging himselfhe

Markand his wife, KatieBultemeierMcDowell (’06). would even race me back from Arnold Hall every time we returned from a briefing. Ifyou ever remember two 4-degrees in blues sprintingfull speed all thewayto Eagle 8, it was probably us. That’sjustthewayMarkwas; it was all or nothingallthe time.

“Mark’s love oflife and people was always apparent. Everyouting we ever went on we would meet new Mends. We travelled to EuropetogetherandMark hit it offwith a Marine Colonel on our flight over the pond. When we landed, we had a free place to stayfor our whole two weeks there! The Colonel’s wife even made us dinner most nights!

“IfyouknewMarkat USAFAyouknewabouthisJeep. Itwas the standard old mid-90s Jeep Cherokee. OnlyMark’sjeep would billow a chimney’sworth of smokefrom underthehoodeverytime he startedthething. I don’tthinkhe ever figured outwhyitdidthat. Driving on thebackroads ofColorado goingthrough snow drifts at 50 mphprobably didn’t help the situation much though. Orit mayhave been the time we hit a deer in the thing and he had to replace his whole front end.

“As I said before, Mark never reallyfailed that much but manypeople don’t knowthat he didn’t initiallyget into ENJJPT. He alwaysworked hard but this instancethoughhewasn’tgoingto beableto getthetopspot. He calledanditwas one ofthefirsttimesthathe wasever upsetaround me. I didn’tknowwhatto say, tryingto cheerup yourbro is a difficultthing to doforguys I guess. About aweek laterhowever, Markgot acallfromhisAOC. HetoldMarkthat an ENJJPTslothad opened up and thathe was going to gethis chance at the onlyguaranteedT-38 trainingbase there is. As everyoneknows now, he did exceptionallywell there, as well as at hisfollow-ontrainingto provethathe was worthyoftheopportunity.

“Markknewmebetterthananyone atUSAFA, Wetoldeachotherthingsthat no one else knewbecause we hadunbreakable tmstwith each other. Atthe end of hisspeech to me on myweddingday, hetold me thatheloved me. I’ll never forget that moment andsinceitwas one ofthelastpersonal momentswe had, I cherish that we had it. Markheld thatwordclose andused it sparingly. It meant a lot to him to love someone and ifhe did, helovedyou passionately. He knewhe was goingto marryKatiejusttwoweeks intotheirrelationship.Hepushedhimselfto learn as much as he couldfrom others in orderto be thebesthusbandhe could possiblybe to her. He wantedhis relationshipwith Katie to be his greatest accomplishment, andMarkwas a man ofmanygreataccomplishmentsalready.

“I’m privileged to have knownMark for the short time that I did. He was a greatfriend, leader, pilot, andhusband. Helivedhislifewith excellence, grace, andhumility, andI’m sure that ifGodwanted companywithhimtodaythathe could find no better man.” Written byDustin Long.

Felisa (Hervey) Dyrud

5434 S. Monrovia Ave. Tucson, AZ 85706

felisa.dyrud@gmail.com (719) 352-5991

Facebook group:”Feel the Fire”

Class of2006,

Firstly, here is a letterfrom Paul Capon on what our class has come together to do for the familyofour classmate, JesseAlne:

Asyou may remember, on 19November2008 we lost one of own, JesseAlne, in a deadly motorcycle accident. He was wearinghis class ringduring the incidentand his ring was never recovered.Jesse'sparents, ScottandJodyAlne, inquired aboutrecoveringthe ringas a remembrance oftheirson. As a policy, only USAFA members andclassmates may request an AcademyRing to bemadeandpresented. As theClassof2006 wecampaignedandbroughtinenough moneywhichhas now allowedfor the replication and purchaseofJesse's original ring. Thering will bepresented to theAlnefamily on behalfofour class. This campaign was a boldaction accomplishedby our class... thankyou to each of

Membersofthe4thFighterWingHonorGuardstandguardat the lockers of fallen 336th aircrew, CaptainsMarkMcDowelland Thomas Gramith.

Class News

you whoparticipated. Itconfirms the unityand care that we haveforourclassmates and theirfamilies, as well as embodies the principals that our class developed over thefouryears we spenttogetherat theAcademy. Thanksagain foryourdonationsandefforts, andstaysafe wherevertheAirForce or Civilian life has takenyou. 1st Lt Paul Capon, Class Secretary

Whatfollowsis an excellent assortment ofgood news... congratulations on alltheweddings and accomplishments!

BackonApril4th2009,AliciaTompkinsmarriedZach Careyin Houston, TX. Here is a gorgeouspicture ofthem.

AliciaandZach

AfterMeredith Benson’s sixmonthdeploymentwith theArmy as an intelligence officer at FOB SalernoAfghanistan, she married Paul Doran (’04) on April 18,2009 in Minneapolis, MN. Raegan McDowell andKevin Heath (’04) were bothinthewedding.AcademyfriendsfromJapan,Germany, andthroughouttheU.S. flewinforthewedding. Paulis anA-10 pilotcurrentlyinQandahar, Afghanistan.Meredith andPaullive inTucsonwiththeirnewyellowlab,Maggie.

wedding in Sandestin, FL on July, 25th 2009. It was a mini Eagle 8 reunion. Pictured are fromleft areTiffanyandJoeTemple (Pope C-130), Fiona Rees and Jack Green (LaughlinT-6 FAIP mafia), Ali Freiman (UTAustin Grad School), Jackson (HurlburtU-28) and Purvi (Eglinweapon's tester), and Dani and MichaelLebovitz (RobinsE-8C). Not pictured but in attendance fromEagle 8 is William Carpenter who is in Intel. Other ’06 grads present were Jeff Kukuruda,JJHoman, andDanielParrish. DaniandMichaelmoved toWarner Robins, GAinMay, where LanceAnders is also stationed, flyingthe E-8. Lance was deployed to Al-Udeid in the Fall.

Ryan Bakerhasjoined theweekendwarriors ofthe Maryland Guard, while takinggraduate classes at the UniversityofMaryland-College Park. He is discovering what it’s like to be a “real” college student.

Take care, each ofyou. Felisa Dyrud

Casey Bayne

6925 Clovercliff Drive Rancho Palos Verdes, CA 90275 (310) 343-5969

checkpoints@caseybayne.com

MeredithandPaul’sWeddingParty

JamesTrimbleandGinnyMillerwere married Saturday, October24th, 2009.

Jacob Fingerson married his high school sweetheart, Autumn Konz, on August 15th, 2009, at an outdoor ceremonyinGatlinburg, TN. CoryandMissy (Martin) Fale were in attendance, and Missyread one ofthe passages.

BryonyVeaterlet us knowthatTanyaKesslermarriedRudyChavez on Octoher 11th. The wedding was held in Castle Rock, CO. Bryonywill be starting Weapons SchoolwithNellis Class 10A.

MichaelLebovitzreportedthe marriage ofPurvi (Desai) andJacksonRane's

1st Lt. Joseph “Joe” D. Helton, Jr.

Some ofyou might have heard alreadybut our classmate, Joe Helton, was killed in action 8 September 2009 by an improvised explosive device (IED) while in Baghdad, Iraqserving with the 732d ExpeditionarySecurityForces Squadron, Detachment 2 (USAF) PoliceTransition Team. I rememberJoebeing such a great guy; he was nice but definitelyhadhis sarcastic, funnyside too. Ifyouhave some good stories about Joe from theAcademyplease send them my way so I can putthem in the next edition.

Agraveside servicetookplace on 17 September2009 at 1400 hours at the GeorgiaNational Cemeteryin Canton, GA. Joe’s familyaskedthat, in lieuofflowers, donations bemade to the lLt Joseph D. Helton Memorial fund at the Association of Graduates;3116AcademyDr; USAFAcademyCO80840-4402. Donations mayalso be made online atwww.usafa.org. I’m sure Joe’s family would love to hearfrom his classmates during this difficult time, please send condolences to: Mrs. JenniferHelton; 2040 NunnallyFarm Rd, Monroe GA 30655-5545 and MrJoseph D Helton, Sr., 3671 RedwingTrail NW, Bremerton WA 98312. We miss youJoe and our classwon’tbe the same withoutyou. Weddings: Edward Salazar sent in a greatupdate; hewrote, “Ijustgot married to mybeautifulwife from Colorado Springs, MaryPico Salazar, lastJuly 11,2009, at the USAFAChapel. Itwas a nicelittle reunionofsome CS-25 Redeye buddieswho helped out with the saberarch: lLtsJoel Brown (also a groomsman), KeithVandagriff, GarrettNikiforoff, MatthewDuncan, andalso 21.t (but

Purvi andJacksonWeddingParty

previouslyc/o 2007 before histwo-yearmission) BradWard. Also, I graduated from UPT atVanceAFB, OK, on July2nd (aweek before the wedding), and we're currently atAitus until we PCS to RAF Mildenhall, UK in Februaryfor KC-135s.” Here is a picture ofthe groomsmen with the bride and groom.

Assignments:TommySteiner’s proudparents wrote that he received HH60Gs to the 41st Rescue Squadron at MoodyAFB, Georgia. GoodluckTommy and we look forward to hearing from you (or your parents) in your future career. Belowis a picture ofTommywith hiswings.

TommySteinergetshis wings.

Other News: Our ring dance speaker, KeniThomas, recentlysangthe NationalAnthem atYankee Stadium forthe openinggame ofthe 2009World Series. Keni is a retiredArmystaffsergeantwho served as a Ranger in Somalia duringthehorrific battle inwhich 18U.S. soldiers were killed in one day. This battle became a bookandlater a movie called “BlackHawkDown. Kenitold me that singingthe NationalAnthem was a true honor and an unforgettable experience. Kenialso released an albumcalled Gunslingerthatis climbingthe countrycharts!

Hawkins,Travis Picou, Bmce Fritz, MichaelAgnew, ErinCoakley,AprilHarker and Kerrie Campbell.

Keni ThomassingingtheNationalAnthem. I didn’t receive manyupdates this time around. I knowhowbusyeveryone is, but ifyou get a secondjust shoot me a quick email letting me knowwhat you’re up to. Hope to hear fromyou all soon!

Trenton Sandberg

450 Illinois Ave., Unit 2 Del Rio, TX 78840 (719) 646-9090

trenton.sandberg@gmail.com

RichterClass, Amanda Pelkowski andTroyKinchen (09) were married on 30 May, 2009. The weddingtookplace at TrinityUnited Methodist Church in downtown Denver. Amanda andTroy met in 2007 while both were involved with theSoftball team at USAFA (Amanda a player, Troy a coach). Theystarted datinghallwaythrough the season, and were engaged in Paris, on top ofthe EiffelTower, duringthe summer of2008. Amanda andTroy are both stahoned at SheppardAFB, TXwhereAmandais the 82d Mission SupportGroup Executive OfficerandTroyis a Contracting Officer in the 82d ContractingSquadron.

Amanda’smaid ofhonorwas hersister, Fizz Pelkowski (13), andbridesmaidwas Leslie Erives. Troy’sbest manwas Blake Duffy (09) Groomsmen included ScottAdamson (09) Hoban Blume (09), and Phil Cunningham (09). The saberguard includedKaseyWilson, Stewart

TroyandAmanda (Pelkowski) Kinchen with theirbridalparty.

Ian Helms recentlyfinishedhis firstyear at OxfordUniversity. He’sworking on a MasterofSciencebyResearch (M.Sc. byResearch) in EngineeringScience undertheHoladayScholarship. Ian’sresearchis inthe“Turbomachinerygroup, focusing on heattransferin high pressure turbine stages injetengines. Aside from school, Ian playsrugbyforExeter College, runs trackforOxford University, andplaysAmericanfootballforOxford. It soundslikehe’s also been doing a bit oftraveling, as well: “asidefrom travellingaroundEngland, we did a fourcountrytour through Poland,Austria, the Czech Republic and Hungary.”

Mike Smith recentlygraduatedwith an MS in Electrical Engineeringfrom AFIT. Shortly after graduation, Mike PCSd to Eielson AFB, AKwhere he will work as the Base EnergyManagerunderthe Civil EngineeringSquadron.

Kendra (Giboney) Tullson ran theAirForce Marathonthisfall and qualified forthe BostonMarathon. Kendra is currentlyworking as a communications officer at HurlburtAFB, FL.

Jet Sadorraalso ran theAF Marathon this fall (making ithis first). He also took a “killer” vacation to visit Cassandra Bustamante in Italy, while also hitting up Portugal. Jet’s also shockinglyproud ofthe fact that he saw his first CountryMusic concert this summer (BradPaisleyand Dierks Bentley). And the best news ofall: Jetwill be getting married sometime in the future.

The first pilots from the Class of2008 have alreadybegun their post-UPT flying careers. Atmydeadlineforthis post, I havethefollowingassignments to report: James Carfagno, UAS to Creech; Mike Riddick,T-6 to Laughlin;Travis Harvey, KC-10 to McGuire; Scott Mixdorf, KC-10 to Travis. Look for many more assignments in the next issue.

Send me goodnews!! Also, parentsfeelfree to send me good news aboutyour son/daughter (because we all now theywon’t).

We still need a volunteer to be the class scribe for the Class of 2009. Volunteers and the class president please contact Tom Kroboth, AOG Class News editor at Tom.Kroboth@ aogusafa.org Thank you.