Checkpoints December 2023

HA R NE S SI NG AR SSI SWA S WAR MS MS CADETS RESEARCH DRONE TECHNOLOGY FOR BATTLEFIELD ASSESSMENTS

AOG USAFA ALUMNI MAGAZINE

DECEMBER 2023

OUR MISSION:

SERVING YOU. For 100 years and counting.

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DECEMBER 2023 • CONTENTS F E AT U R E S

20 24 30 36 ON THE COVER Cadets research the use of drone swarms to assess injured personnel and provide aid if necessary. See page 95. (Photo by Ryan Hall)

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DEFINING CAMPAIGN IMPACTS

The final months of the Defining Our Future comprehensive campaign in support of the United States Air Force Academy are underway. Meeting the remaining goals will be critically important due to their impact on cadets.

GALACTIC GUIDES

Virgin Galactic pilots Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kelly Latimer ’87 and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Mike Masucci ’85 are transporting paying customers to space. Checkpoints catches up with them ahead of their first mission together.

‘WE HAVE FINALLY ARRIVED’

The Air Force Academy Foundation will soon conclude its nomadic existence as construction of a new administration building, Wecker Hall, adjacent to Doolittle Hall, begins. The AOG and other nonprofits will also relocate to the building.

TOUGH AS BRICKS

Athlete Lt. Col. (Ret.) Sara Whittingham ’96 overcomes debilitating Parkinson’s disease to compete in and finish challenging 2023 Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.

FUTURE FOCUS

The Academy’s Institute for Future Conflict is steadily building a team of subject-matter experts who are helping fill the instructional and training gaps in the institution’s curriculum. Checkpoints explores the expanding efforts to prepare cadets for whatever the future fight entails.

THE FLIGHT LINE 4 6 8

STAFF DIRECTORY BOARD CHAIR JOURNAL GRAD CONNECTIONS

AOG updates, your feedback, news and fun CEO Mike Gould ’76 and President Mark Hille ’97 column p. 8 Letters, check-ins and more p. 10 News from USAFA and grads p. 12 Let’s Be Clear update p. 18 PHOTO ESSAY: Reunion season rocks p. 46 Hille ’97 selected to lead AOG/ Foundation p. 52 Long Blue Line Portal connects USAFA family p. 55 58 ROLL CALL

Heritage and graduate profiles

ONLINE

My Cool AF/SF Job: Guardian Capt. Reynolds ’17 p. 58 Chinnery ’88 helps launch space startups p. 60 Fisher ’76 flies counterdrug flights along southern border p. 64 Gens. Royer and Head inducted as honorary AOG members p. 68 Coach Miranda joins Long Blue Line as honorary member p. 71 74

FROM THE TERRAZZO

Cadet life and the latest from the Academy

CHECKPOINTS ONLINE Expanded coverage of the CASE District VI Awards presented to the Association of Graduates and the Air Force Academy Foundation.

TrueNorth Commons begins to take shape p. 74 Class of 1974 gift provides cadets with space to get away p. 78 From the Hill: News of significance from the Academy p. 82 Stamps Scholars conduct research around the globe p. 84 PHOTO ESSAY: Catching up with mews news p. 88 GRILL West effort has impact p. 92 Capstone project attempts to harness swarms p. 95 98 GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN 103 CLASS NEWS 144 THE FINAL WORD

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TOUGH AS BRICKS Triathlete Sara Whittingham ’96 conquers Ironman World Championships in Hawaii.

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FUTURE FOCUS The Institute for Future Conflict is making a big impact in its initial years of focusing academics and training on the future fight.

24 IMPACT MONTH During the month of November, the Air Force Academy Foundation and the AOG highlighted the impact private philanthropy is having on USAFA and its cadets. Visit AOG on LinkedIn.com to learn more!

GALACTIC GUIDES Pilots Latimer ’87 and Masucci ’85 begin transporting tourists to space with Virgin Galactic team.

EXCELLENCE AWARDS (ONLINE ONLY) The Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation were notified of 12 “Best of District VI Awards” by the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education for organizational engagement and communications efforts over the past year.

YOUR ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES & AIR FORCE ACADEMY FOUNDATION

BOARD OFFICERS

SENIOR STAFF

ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES

Chief Executive Officer: Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Gould ’76 President: Mark Hille ’97 Chief Financial Officer: Katie Willemarck, CPA Senior VP, Alumni Relations & Business Development: Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz ’99

Senior VP, Development & Stewardship: Kelly Banet Special Assistant, President & Boards: Jillian Wood VP, Marketing & Communications/Executive Editor: Wyatt Hornsby, APR

CHAIRMAN

VICE CHAIRMAN

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Brian Bishop ’83

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Cathy Almand ’90

CHECKPOINTS TEAM Managing Editor: Jeff Holmquist Creative Director: Melissa Campbell Photography & Videography: Ryan Hall, Ted Robertson Social Media/Digital: Brittany Weinzierl Obituary Editor: Maj. (Ret.) Tom Kroboth Writers: Steven Lincoln, David Bitton,

S E C R E TA RY

TREASURER

Dr. Ginny Caine Tonneson ’80

Glenn Strebe ’87

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steve Simon ’77, Sam Hastings

Graphic Design: Amy Davis Copy Editor: Lt. Col. (Ret.) Edie Edmondson ’92

AIR FORCE ACADEMY FOUNDATION

CONTACT US 719-472-0300 EMAIL To email a staff member, use the first and last name.

Example: Steve Simon | steve.simon@usafa.org

FIND US ONLINE:

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CHAIRMAN

VICE CHAIRMAN

Alex Gilbert ’87

Steve Dickson ’79

S E C R E TA RY

TREASURER

Dr. April S. Fitzgerald ’87

Jerome V. Bruni ’70

Volume 52, Number 3 Checkpoints (ISSN 0274-7391) USPS 898-080 is published quarterly in March, June, September and December by the Association of Graduates, U.S. Air Force Academy, 3116 Academy Drive, USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475 (Phone: 719-472-0300; DSN: 333-2067; FAX: 719-344-5705; Email: editor@usafa.org). Additional magazine copies may be purchased for $2.50 each, plus $4.60 for shipping. Periodicals postage paid at the U.S. Air Force Academy, CO, and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Checkpoints, Association of Graduates, Doolittle Hall, 3116 Academy Drive, USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475. The editorial board serves the Checkpoints mission by providing a top-quality magazine to the Air Force Academy’s broader community. Together, the editorial team and editorial board collaborate to ensure all articles meet the standards of excellence readers expect from Checkpoints.

The AOG reserves the right to publish or omit submissions at its discretion. Opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions, policy or attitude of the AOG, its officers or the editorial staff. The appearance of advertisements in this publication does not constitute an endorsement by the AOG of the products or services advertised. Copyright, Association of Graduates of the U.S. Air Force Academy, December 2023.

COLORADO ON YOUR

BUCKET LIST? What graduates are saying about working with Roger Hill ’70

It was great knowing

Outstanding Realtor.

our realtor was a

Helped me buy my home,

USAFA grad because

investment properties,

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and a vacation home. His

him right away. Roger

vast knowledge and 30+

was there every step

years of experience are

of the way providing

indispensable. Roger

insight and guidance.

truly has our highest recommendation.

Class of 1989 - T. D. Monument, CO

Class of 1997 - D. H. Castle Rock, CO

Roger is the real deal.

He speaks the same language. He delivered during incredibly competitive marketstwice. FAST, NEAT, but certainly NOT AVERAGE. Class of 2006 J. S. & M. G., married grads Fountain, CO

Roger was the best and knows his stuff. Helped me and my two daughters buy our separate homes in Colorado.

He is family to us.

Class of 1970 - X. V. Centennial, CO

Buying or selling real estate, you need a Broker you can trust. As a graduate with 44 years of real estate experience and 31 years licensed in Colorado, allow me to be your real estate consultant.

Contact Roger at 303-956-5955 or by email: Roger.Hill1970@gmail.com

Roger Hill ’70

Associate Broker Your Castle Real Estate the largest independent real estate firm in Colorado 750 brokers serving the Front Range from Fort Collins to Pueblo.

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B OA R D C H A I R J O U R N A L

Common Ground

By Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Brian Bishop ’83, AOG Board Chair

I

think most of us would agree that Checkpoints magazine is one of the greatest benefits of being a member of the Association of Graduates. Many graduates I talk with tell me that when our Association’s award-winning magazine shows up in their mailbox or inbox, the first thing they do is turn to the Class News section to catch up on what their classmates are doing and “who has seen who.”

Over the years and decades, Checkpoints has evolved. From its humble beginnings as a black-and-white newsprint edition to the publication you are reading today, the magazine has matured into a visual showcase of our U.S. Air Force Academy.

Yet, despite its evolution, Checkpoints still has the same objective that it did at the time of its inception: to tell stories of our Academy and the Long Blue Line.

Under the Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation’s joint strategic plan, our approach to communications is to “tell the story of our Academy, our graduates and the Leader of Character mission with our words and actions.”

Doing that effectively means we must be mindful of and protect our hard-earned brand and reputation (Warren Buffett famously said, “It takes 20 years to build a reputation and five minutes to ruin it.”), share inspiring and informative stories in diverse and effective ways, and ensure that graduates have accurate, timely and helpful information about their Academy and our Association.

Although Checkpoints’ focus is on telling stories about our Academy and graduates, I would argue that at times it has served as an effective medium for us as graduates to share our views on important issues that interest many of us.

It has provided opportunities for

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relevant thought pieces — whether we agree with them or not — from our graduate community typically by way of invited contributors.

Additionally, every issue of Checkpoints includes letters to the editor. Our Association also curates and sends a biweekly newsletter, ZoomiEnews, featuring the latest information about our Academy and graduates. Plus, we post timely content on our Association’s social media channels.

The Association continues to explore the most effective means of connecting with the broader graduate community and ensuring an array of voices are heard.

Fortunately, we as graduates already have a lot we can agree on. We agree that our Air Force and Space Force — indeed, all of the service branches — are vital to the nation’s security.

I hope we’d agree that our Academy experience, for all its adversity and freneticism, ultimately shaped us as leaders of character; that USAFA’s timeless mission matters greatly; and that the profession of arms requires a special commitment and the very training each of us received.

I would hope we’d agree that today’s cadets face a challenging future in which conflict will look different than what previous generations faced — and, for that, they need the Long Blue Line’s full support.

I'd hope we’d agree that the honor code matters and is a lifelong commitment. I think we would all agree, too, that the core values — Integrity First, Service Before Self, Excellence in All We Do — are far more than words; like the honor code and the oath of office, they should define a USAFA graduate for life.

Although we agree on much (perhaps with some nuances), our perspectives on

the issues of the day vary.

Because our growing Association is dedicated to engaging every member of the Long Blue Line, we are exploring enhanced opportunities for graduates to share their views. We need to adapt to an ever-changing environment so we can receive feedback and nurture thoughtful, constructive discourse among graduates.

We cannot, however, sacrifice the quality of journalism and editorial standards for which Checkpoints is known. We cannot sacrifice our commitment to bringing all graduates together and meeting together on the expansive — and cherished — common ground we share.

What can we do?

As part of our ongoing commitment to connecting with the broader graduate community and ensuring voices are heard, we are providing an expanded opportunity for feedback in Checkpoints by doubling the word limit for letters to the editor, effective in this issue.

The maximum word count for a letter is now 400. You can learn more about our letters-to-the-editor requirements in the State of Mind section.

Final note: If you are not signed up for ZoomiEnews, please do so by visiting usafa. org/membership/newsletters. It is a fantastic source of timely information. Also, be sure to connect with our Association on social media.

We encourage your input, feedback and continued engagement.

Sincerely,

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Brian Bishop ’83

REMEMBER YOUR DAILY IMPACT WITH THE BEAUTIFUL 2024 AIR FORCE ACADEMY FUND CALENDAR The Air Force Academy Fund calendar has become a highly anticipated tradition representing connections and memories. The calendar is sent to all 2023 Air Force Academy Fund donors.

Make your gift today and receive the 2024 Air Force Academy Fund calendar as our gift of thanks.

Your gift is helping the Academy develop effective military officers and leaders of character who apply their training in defense of our nation. All gifts, no matter the size, strengthen the Academy and make a meaningful impact.

Reserve your 2024 calendar now by supporting the Air Force Academy Fund at supportusafa.org 2024 Air Force Academy Fund Calendar Photo courtesy of 2nd Lt. Thomas McCloskey ’22

FROM THE CEO & PRESIDENT

The Ties that Bind

By Mike Gould ’76, CEO, and Mark Hille ’97, president

cademy graduates share a special bond, forged by experiences and traditions we hold dear and sharpened by our enduring commitment to service above self. These bonds of service and sacrifice matter as much today as they have at any time in our history.

Each passing day, the headlines bring greater awareness of mounting threats to our nation and to freedom around the globe. This is the landscape into which USAFA cadets — future Air Force and Space Force officers — are coming of age. They will be on watch when many of these challenges unfold — and our task at the Association and Foundation is to help ensure they are ready.

Our mission as the Association and Foundation is, together, to support the Academy amidst these challenges, to serve our graduates as they continue to serve our nation, and to preserve and strengthen the bonds that build the heritage of the Long Blue Line.

This fall gave us the opportunity to renew and reinforce those bonds at reunions, tailgates and affinity group gatherings, as well as in chapters.

Nearly 6,000 graduates returned to the Academy for their class reunions, which is a steady increase in grad participation since COVID. Amidst the gathering and revelry, attendees met with USAFA senior leaders and experienced the Institute for Future Conflict, exploring the Academy’s efforts to provide future officers with the education and training necessary to respond in defense of our nation.

Additionally, several classes saw upclose the impact of their direct support and the role they play in the Academy’s future.

Members of the Class of 1978, who have contributed nearly $22 million

A

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since their previous reunion, toured the Madera Cyber Innovation Center, now in the final phase of construction.

The Class of 1974 dedicated the Forevermore Overlook and presented it to their legacy class, the Class of 2024. And the Class of 2003 is underway in raising $100,000 for a Cadet Summer Research Program endowment.

The fall also gave us the chance to share our vision for the future of the Association — one that must be both present and relevant in the lives of all graduates.

The 2022 graduate survey (usafa.org/ gradsurvey2022) told us we must focus on key moments in graduates’ lives and careers: beginning at inprocessing, through a cadet’s four years at USAFA, during the first assignment and at earlycareer transitions, at reunions, within chapters and affinity groups, to the moment when families and classmates gather to remember their loved ones. The Association must be useful during times when graduates need us most.

The survey also revealed the need for our Association to actively connect with younger graduates, especially those within 10 years of graduation — a critical window of time to capture lifelong engagement.

At several gatherings throughout the spring and summer, in Chicago, Los Angeles, Dallas, Omaha and the Bay Area, we met with more than 300 graduates, many under the age of 40. The mood was enthusiastic and expectant, with a strong sense that rising generations of Academy graduates are prepared and eager to step forward in leading and serving their community. It was the first event many had attended as a graduate. Several expressed interest in gathering again soon.

This could appear as though we are forgetting graduates who have long served

the Academy and the AOG. Far from it.

In addition to reunions, chapters and other ways to connect, the Association has increased support for graduates, spouses and families who are navigating the loss of a loved one through an expanded team dedicated to Next of Kin and Gone But Not Forgotten programs. We owe our very best to those who have faithfully served and will continue to uphold this sacred trust.

The ties that bind us across the generations include our enduring core values, our honor code and the oath of office, together with the Academy’s timeless mission to develop leaders of character trained in the profession of arms and prepared to defend our nation.

It is our hope that in this moment, when so much of what we see aims to pull us apart, Air Force Academy graduates will find unity in the values we share, the experiences that molded us, and the duty we hold to something greater than ourselves. We urge every graduate to seek opportunities locally and nationally to gather, support each other and do what we can to help our Academy. The Academy has a rich and growing history and a bright future ahead, and we encourage you to be a part of it.

In the meantime, our team will continue to faithfully support our Academy, serve our graduates and preserve the deepening heritage of the Long Blue Line. Thank you for making this possible.

On Jan. 1, 2024, Mark Hille ’97 becomes CEO of the Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation. Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Gould ’76, who has served as CEO of both organizations since 2020, moves into a new role as executive vice chair.

GRAD CONNECTIONS • LETTERS + FEEDBACK

STATE OF MIND Feedback, insight and fun from Falcon Nation

Why Merit?

The USAFA Class of 2027 nails it with precisely the right focus and motto, “All Earned, Nothing Given” (September Checkpoints, p. 16), in internalizing the virtue of merit from their inception in their journey through the Academy.

Merit is as old and as foundational to this Republic as the American military itself. On 7 August 1782, George Washington, our first equal opportunity general, established the Badge of Military Merit, intended for the common soldier, breaking with the European tradition of decorating only officers for meritorious acts. War Department G.O. 3, 22 February 1932, created the Purple Heart Medal bearing Washington’s likeness on the front, and on the obverse the inscription “For Military Merit.” Today, those who would redefine our core concepts in order to cancel them stigmatize merit’s derivative, meritocracy, as the tool of an unacceptable status quo. More acceptable to their thinking, perhaps, is “merit-based” really synonymous with meritocracy?

What is meritocracy, the merit-basing of choices? Wikipedia defines it as “holding of power or authority by people on the basis of their ability.” In the military context, it is our commitment to our people that their accession to command, and that of those appointed over them, is based on the best military merit (=meritbased) and skill sets for leadership appropriate to the challenges at hand and the diverse forces they command. Knowledge of its preeminence and our warriors’ faith in its constancy in our selection processes imparts legitimacy to leaders who may have to ask supremely difficult sacrifices of those they lead. Meritocracy is the obverse of careerism amongst our aspiring rising leaders.

Confidence in it frees them to excel and grow in their current jobs, rather than maneuvering for the next jobs they think will best enhance their careers. It allows them to focus on self-improvement and continuing education, rather than on self-promotion.

What is meritocracy not? It is not dispensable. It is not negotiable, not if we wish to field world-beating warfighting forces in pursuit of essential national interests, an imperative increasingly evident and likely as we view events in the Middle East, Eastern Europe, and the Straits of Taiwan. Merit, meritbased and meritocracy are therefore not subject to contemporary redefinition to serve transient social and political agendas. This cardinal virtue, by whatever name, is worthy of our best and vigorous defense, and worthy of 2027’s embrace.

Fighting Marxism

— Col. (Ret.) Leonard “Lucky” Ekman, Class of 1963

While I agree with my classmate JC Miller — re: the work of Tara Dunn ’07 related to the treatment of Black people in the armed forces — I respectfully disagree with his words: “In these days of inflated concerns regarding DEI, Critical Race Theory (CRT), et al.”

With little effort, these concepts can be traced to Marxist “critical theory,” which seeks to divide our nation, and our armed forces, by race, gender or class. Such methods do not solve racial inequities; rather, they cause further division and play into the hands of those who seek to divide us.

Personally, growing up in a small town that was 50/50 Black and White people, I experienced firsthand both White on Black racism, and vice versa. To overcome such bias, the solution was showing respect for the other person regardless of race, or any other characteristic.

Just for the record, I did not have “White privilege.” My ancestors worked, and some died, as miners. I was the first family member to attend and graduate from college. Many friends, both Black and White people, overcame discrimination to lead successful lives, with these common threads: resist hatred, create good will and work hard.

JC Miller must remember that we had nine classmates KIA in Vietnam, including our CS-19 member, Capt. Craig Paul, during Linebacker II in December 1972.

More recently, we lost Col. Doug Mang, another classmate from CS-19, due to Agent Orange exposure while flying B-52s from Utapao RTAFB, Thailand, during the war.

Along with many other classmates and graduates who served in Southeast Asia, I have experienced the consequences of Agent Orange exposure. Many have paid the price for their service, but we all fought Marxism, the very same philosophy behind DEI and CRT. In light of their experience, many graduates who served in the war, and who fought this tyrannical political philosophy, find its Marxist roots highly insulting and objectionable, as well as divisive, especially in the schooling of our children and in the training of the armed forces.

(EDITOR’S NOTE: This is a precursor to a future article by the author of this letter advocating an apolitical and purely merit-based military.)

— Lt. Col. (Ret.) Gary M. Bone, Class of 1969

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LETTERS + FEEDBACK

Checking In With Checkpoints Col. (Ret.) David (Flip) Filippi ’80 took Checkpoints to the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial on Sept. 4. He and his wife, Debbie, visited Paris and made their way out to the memorial site located not far from Versailles.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kevin Sutton ’93 and his son, Logan, took Checkpoints along to the southernmost point of the United States — the island of Key West, Florida.

(From left) Col. (Ret.) Greg Rosenmerkel ’88, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Matt Crafton ’90, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Chris Findall ’87 and Col. (Ret.) Chuck Smiley ’79 are pictured with Checkpoints while visiting the 823d RED HORSE Squadron at Hurlburt Field, Florida.

All served at the 823d and spent many overseas deployments together.

Want to check in?

Send us a hi-res (300 dpi) digital image of you and your Checkpoints magazine at a unique locale or event, and your photo could end up on the Grad Connections page in the magazine. Include your name, city and state, class year, and a short note about where you are pictured and what you are doing, and email it to editor@usafa.org.

Academy graduates display their collective Long Blue Line pride, along with Checkpoints magazine, while playing in the D.C. region’s Capitol Alumni Network softball league.

Find the Falcon The winner of last quarter’s “Find the Falcon” contest is Col. (Ret.) David Torres-Laboy ’89. He was among the 32 Checkpoints readers who reported finding the red Falcon — hidden on page 8 — in the September 2023 edition.

Thank you to all the readers who participated in the past quarter's contest!

Letter Guidelines Checkpoints welcomes the feedback of our readers.

The editorial staff reserves the right to limit the number of letters on a particular topic, decide on the publication of letters, and edit letters for length and accuracy. Letters may include corrections, clarifications or criticisms of specific content. To be considered for publication, letters must: • • •

Locate the Falcon hidden in the magazine and send its location — along with your name and contact information — directly to editor@usafa.org to be entered into a drawing for a $25 gift certificate at the AOG Gift Shop. Deadline for entry is Feb. 4, 2024.

Directly reference content that was published in Checkpoints magazine within the past two issues.

Be 400 or fewer words in length.

Include the writer’s full name, phone number and graduation year (if an Academy graduate) and be emailed to editor@usafa.org.

Letters will not be published if they: • Contain information that is promotional in nature.

• Are anonymous.

• Contain personal attacks.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 11

GRAD CONNECTIONS • NEWS

THE

TRANSMISSION USAFA news from around the globe ... and beyond

BEAVERS TAKES NEW ROLE

Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Leslie A. Beavers ’91 is the new Department of Defense principal deputy chief information officer (CIO).

She assists the CIO in advising the secretary of defense on information management, information technology and information assurance, as well as non-intelligence space systems; critical satellite communications, navigation and timing programs; spectrum; and telecommunications matters. Gen. Beavers also leads engagement with the defense agencies’ and field activities’ CIOs and drives strategic resource planning across the IT and cybersecurity domains. Prior to joining the CIO, she served as the director of Intelligence Surveillance and Reconnaissance Enterprise Capabilities.

DALBY ASSUMES VP ROLE

Michael Dalby ’81 has joined The University of Texas at El Paso as the new assistant vice president for innovation, commercialization and economic development. Dalby’s primary role is to work with faculty, staff and students to encourage entrepreneurship and commercialization of innovative technologies developed through research. Dalby was previously the president and CEO of the Greater Naples Chamber of Commerce and the Columbus Chamber of Commerce in Florida and Ohio, respectively.

BARRY RECOGNIZED

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) John Barry ’73 was inducted into the Colorado Aviation Hall of Fame this fall. In addition, Gen. Barry was recognized by the Denver Business Journal as one of 2023’s Most Admired CEOs. He has served as the president and CEO of the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum in Denver, Colorado, since 2017.

HALL CLASS INDUCTED

On Sept. 14, Air Force Athletics inducted its 10th class into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame. The class consisted of football record-holder Chad Hall ’08, women’s soccer All-American Lt. Col. (Ret.) Tracy Healy ’96, two-time NCAA champion gymnast Marci (McGlinn) Hurlbert ’85, water polo record-holder Col. (Ret.) Ben Phillips ’75 and the 2009 hockey team.

GRADUATE STARTS NEW ROLE

Gihan Seneviratne ’96 is the new director general for engineering 12 · usafa.org

for the Sri Lanka Air Force Headquarters. He is the first USAFA graduate and Sri Lankan international student to serve in that position.

GRADUATES ELECTED

Two USAFA graduates were recently elected to the Air & Space Forces Association’s board of directors. Col. (Ret.) Bill Harding ’82 was elected as a national director at large. Harding is the former president of AFA’s Schriever Chapter. He has co-chaired AFA’s Space Working Group for more than two years, a group that was pivotal in AFA’s rebranding to the Air & Space Forces Association. Gen. (Ret.) Robin “Baba” Rand ’79 was also elected as an at-large national director. Rand is currently chairperson of the board for the Arnold Air Society & Silver Wings.

ALDAZ RECOGNIZED

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Joe Aldaz ’83 was recently recognized at the Association of Colorado Chambers Annual Conference as the “Chamber CEO of the Year.” Aldaz was recognized for his work as the president and CEO of the Colorado Springs Hispanic Chamber of Commerce.

VALENTINE JOINS SKYDIO

Col. (Ret.) Mark Valentine ’92 recently joined Skydio, an AI drone company, as the president of global government. Prior to his current role, he led the national security team at Microsoft and built the federal business at Scale AI.

ELLISON JOINS FACULTY

Dr. Ciani Ellison ’14 has joined the Department of Radiation Oncology as an assistant professor at the College of Medicine at University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. She received her medical degree at the Medical College of Wisconsin, where she remained for her internship in internal medicine and residency in radiation oncology and served as chief resident.

JONES TELLS SHUTTLE STORIES

Dr. Tom Jones ’77, former Air Force pilot and veteran NASA astronaut who participated in four Space Shuttle missions, has authored a new oral history project on America’s iconic spaceship titled “Space Shuttle Stories: Firsthand Astronaut Accounts from All 135 Missions.” Smithsonian Books published and released the book on Oct. 31.

GUNN-GOLKIN APPOINTED FELLOW

Lt. Col. Anna Gunn-Golkin ’05 has been appointed to the 2023-24 class of White House Fellows. A lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Space Force, she is placed at the Office of the Second Gentleman. Most recently, she served as the commander of the 3rd Test and Evaluation Squadron, leading a team of guardians in the development and execution of first-of-a-kind missions to protect and defend space capabilities.

TOWNSEND HEADS TO EIELSON

Lt. Col. Paul “Klaxon” Townsend ’00 has assumed command of the 354th Fighter Wing at Eielson Air Force Base, Alaska.

Townsend previously served as the vice commander of the 48th Fighter Wing at Royal Air Force, Lakenheath, England.

WOLTERS HONORED

General (Ret.) Tod Wolters ’82, former commander of U.S. Air Forces in Europe – Air Forces Africa, will receive USAFE’s Order of the Sword in the spring of 2024. Established and bestowed by the enlisted force, the Order of the Sword recognizes an individual for their remarkable contributions to enlisted personnel.

MAGRUDER LEADS THE 24TH

Col. Daniel Magruder ’03 has assumed command of the 24th Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. He has not only commanded at the flight, squadron and group levels, but he has also served in a variety of high-level positions, including being the chief of staff of the Air Force’s speech writer.

MOSS JOINS BOARD

Dana Moss ’99 has joined the board of directors for Navidea Biopharmaceuticals Inc., a company focused on the development of immunodiagnostic agents and immunotherapeutics. Moss previously served as the chief legal officer and corporate secretary at Sequencing Health Inc.

LEE LEADS SCHOOL

Col. Kevin Lee ’00 now commands Air University’s Squadron Officer School in Alabama. Col. Lee and his team are responsible for educating more than 4,200 Department of the Air Force and international officers annually. His previous assignment was as the commander of the 409th Air Expeditionary Group in Niger.

CRIMMINS LEADS JFSC

he oversees its three schools: Joint Advanced Warfighting School, Joint & Combined Warfighting School, and Joint Information School. He is the former assistant adjutant general for the Air National Guard, Joint Force Headquarters, Arkansas.

RAY JOINS NONPROFIT

Gen. (Ret.) Tim Ray ’85 has been elected president and chief executive officer of the nonprofit organization Business Executives for National Security (BENS). He joined BENS following a 36-year military career where he most recently commanded U.S. Air Force Global Strike Command concurrently with command of U.S. Air Forces Strategic - Air, U.S. Strategic Command.

ROBERTS LEADS 914TH

Col. Randall Roberts ’96 has assumed command of the 914th Mission Support Group at Niagara Falls Joint Reserve Station, New York. Col. Roberts previously served as the 442nd Mission Support Group commander at Whiteman Air Force Base, Missouri.

ALFARO ASSUMES COMMAND

Col. Michael Alfaro ’02 assumed command of the 366th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home Air Force Base, Idaho. Col. Alfaro most recently commanded the 4th Operations Group at Seymour Johnson Air Force Base, North Carolina.

KIRBY JOINS BOARD

United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby ’89 was elected to the board of directors for CVS Health. Kirby serves on several boards of directors, including United Airlines Holdings, Sonifi Solutions and the U.S. Air Force Academy Foundation.

WOLFORD JOINS IDA

Col. (Ret.) Bryan T. Wolford ’93 has joined the Institute for Defense Analyses (IDA) as an adjunct research staff member in the System Evaluation Division of IDA’s Systems and Analyses Center. IDA is a nonprofit corporation that operates three federally funded research and development centers in the public interest.

HAYDE LEADS 505TH

Col. Ryan Hayde ’01 is the new commander of the 505th Command and Control Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. Prior to becoming the 505th commander, Col. Hayde served as the vice commander, 23rd Wing, Moody Air Force Base, Georgia.

Maj. Gen. Thomas Crimmins ’90 has become the 37th commandant of the Joint Forces Staff College. As commandant, Checkpoints · December 2023 · 13

GRAD CONNECTIONS • NEWS

WRIGHT ASSUMES NEW ROLE

Maj. Gen. Parker Wright ’96 now commands the Curtis E. LeMay Center for Doctrine Development and Education and also is deputy commander of Air University. Gen. Wright’s previous position was as director of intelligence and information for North American Aerospace Defense Command and U.S. Northern Command, Peterson Space Force Base, Colorado.

WOLFE JOINS FIRM

Col. (Ret.) Chuck Wolfe Jr. ’80 has joined Heritage Financial Consultants LLC as a financial planning professional working out of Naples, Florida.

TREADWELL JOINS SILVER STAR

Steve Treadwell ’91 is the new chief executive officer of Silver Star Properties REIT Inc., a self-managed real estate investment trust that is currently repositioning into the self-storage industry.

Prior to joining Silver Star, Treadwell was CEO of SpareBox Storage, a remote self-storage business with more than 100 locations across nine states.

RADUENZ TAKES OWNERSHIP

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Brian Raduenz ’88 is the new owner of two North American Hockey League teams — the Austin Bruins and Rochester Grizzlies. Raduenz is the founder and chief executive officer of AEVEX Aerospace, an aerospace and defense company specializing in aviation-based technology solutions for the U.S. Department of Defense and intelligence community.

COUCH TAKES NEW ROLE

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Thomas Couch ’81 has been hired as the city of Easley, South Carolina’s new city administrator. He previously served as utilities director with the city of Camden.

MANTZ ASSUMES DIRECTOR ROLE

Col. Robert Mantz ’89 has assumed the role of principal director for renewable energy generation and storage at the office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Research and Engineering. In this position, he spearheads the strategic direction for implementing renewable energy solutions across the Department of Defense while coordinating scientific and technical development activities. In addition, he was named an Electrochemical Society fellow in the Class of 2023.

ARCURI HIRED AS VP

Col. (Ret.) Scott Arcuri ’90 is the new vice president of operations for Operation Homefront, a nonprofit organization that helps build strong, stable and secure military families. Col. Arcuri will be responsible for six regional teams that operate across the U.S., along with supervising the family support services team.

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He will oversee programs such as the Back-to-School Brigade, Holiday Meals for Military, Star-Spangled Babies showers and other programs.

SHEETS LEADS 23RD WING

Col. Paul E. Sheets ’00 took over leadership of the 23rd Wing at Moody Air Force Base in Georgia. Previously, he was vice commander of the 355th Wing at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base in Arizona. He has more than 2,700 flight hours in a variety of aircraft.

ALLEN GAINS COO ROLE

Brian Allen ’04 is the new chief operating officer for Medical Center of the Rockies in Loveland and Poudre Valley Hospital in Fort Collins, Colorado. Allen, who has served in leadership roles at hospitals in Texas, Florida and Virginia, most recently served as chief operating officer for HCA Healthcare Del Sol Medical Center in El Paso, Texas.

WICKERT TAKES COMMAND

Col. Douglas Wickert ’95 has assumed command of the 412th Test Wing at Edwards Air Force Base, California. Col. Wickert was most recently the permanent professor and head of the Department of Aeronautics at the United States Air Force Academy.

TOUSSAINT TAKES INTERIM ROLE

Col. (Ret.) Gregory Toussaint ’76, associate professor of pediatrics and associate dean for clinical skills education, has agreed to serve as the interim dean of the Boonshoft School of Medicine. Dr. Toussaint previously served as assistant dean and director of admissions in the Office of Student Affairs and Admissions and director of the pediatrics clerkship at the Boonshoft School of Medicine.

JONES HIRED AS CCO

William “BJ” Jones ’85 has joined NewAmsterdam Pharma Co. as its first chief commercial officer. NewAmsterdam is a clinicalstage biopharmaceutical company developing oral, non-statin medicines for patients at high risk of cardiovascular disease.

Previously, he served as CCO of migraine and common diseases at Biohaven Pharmaceuticals.

ARMAGOST ASSUMES COMMAND

Maj. Gen. Jason Armagost ’92 is the new commander of Eighth Air Force and the Joint-Global Strike Operations Center at Barksdale Air Force Base in Louisiana. Prior to his new command, he was director of strategic plans, programs and requirements at Headquarters Global Strike Command.

BLACKWELL BEGINS DEPUTY ROLE NEVIUS PROMOTED

Brig. Gen. Heather W. Blackwell ’97 recently assumed duties as the deputy commander of Joint Force Headquarters - Department of Defense Information Network. She previously served as the director of cyberspace and information dominance at Headquarters Air Combat Command, Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia.

CDR (Ret.) William “Bill” Nevius ’78 has been named vice president and general manager of Anokiwave Inc.’s aerospace and defense portfolio. He leads the company’s strategic defense accounts. He joined Anokiwave in March of 2020. Prior to joining Anokiwave, Nevius held positions within Ball Aerospace.

JAMES LEADS AIRPORT

Matt Molchan ’90 has joined Radioisotope Life Sciences (RLS) USA Inc. as senior vice president of business development. Prior to joining RLS, he served as president and CEO of Digirad, a medical device manufacturer and health care service provider.

Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Darren V. James ’90 is the new director of MidAmerica St. Louis Airport. Gen. James had been serving as assistant director at the airport. His final military assignment was special assistant to the commander of Air Mobility Command, headquartered at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois.

CORCORAN SERVES AS ADVISER

Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Charles “Corky” Corcoran ’92 is the new strategic adviser for Scientific Systems, a leader in intelligent autonomous systems. Gen. Corcoran’s primary role will be offering strategic guidance on issues related to multi-domain integration and advancements in manned-unmanned teaming, as well as advising on doctrine and procedures from the tactical to policy level. His most recent military role was as assistant deputy chief of staff for operations at USAF Headquarters.

STROUSE ASSUMES COMMAND

Col. Timothy M. “Splash” Strouse ’03 has assumed command of the 192nd Maintenance Group at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. Previously, Col. Strouse served as the commander of the 192nd Aircraft Maintenance Squadron. He concurrently serves as the director of current operations (A3), Joint Force Headquarters, Virginia National Guard, in Richmond, Virginia.

EBERHART HONORED

Gen. (Ret.) Ralph E. “Ed” Eberhart ’68 is being recognized as the 2024 Citizen of the West by the National Western Stock Show. This award recognizes those who embody the spirit and determination of the Western pioneer — a true representative of Western lifestyle, ideals, agricultural heritage and traditions.

Gen. Eberhart’s active-duty military career spanned 36 years.

His most significant contributions came during his tenure as commander of U.S. Northern Command and commander of North American Aerospace Defense Command at the time of the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

THOMPSON APPOINTED

Lt. Gen. (Ret.) John F. Thompson ’84 has been appointed to a nine-year term on the Wright State University Board of Trustees.

Gen. Thompson previously served as commander of the Space and Missile Systems Center at Los Angeles Air Force Base.

MOLCHAN JOINS RLS

LACOUTURE TAKES COMMAND

Col. Christopher K. Lacouture ’96 is the new commander of the 908th Airlift Wing at Maxwell Air Force Base, Alabama. Col. Lacouture will be responsible for the wing’s transition to becoming the formal training unit for the MH-139A Grey Wolf helicopter, the aircraft selected to replace the aging UH-1N Huey fleet and mission sets. He is the former director of operations, plans and programs for 22nd Air Force at Dobbins Air Reserve Base, Georgia.

WALMSLEY WINS

Jim Walmsley ’12 took first place in the Ultra-Trail du MontBlanc race, a world championship of ultra-distance mountain trail running. He was a stand-out cross crountry runner at Air Force.

BROOKS JOINS STAFF

Derek Brooks ’11 has joined Air Force men’s basketball as an assistant coach. He most recently was an assistant coach for Siena College’s basketball team.

SPEES PROMOTED

Jason Spees ’95 is the new chief executive officer for Impulse Dynamics, a medical device company assisting people with heart failure. Spees joined Impulse Dynamics in 2021 as president and chief commercial officer. He was previously senior vice president of sales and marketing for Biotronik.

DEGRAAF LEADS SUBSIDIARY

Maj. (Ret.) Dave DeGraaf ’93 was named chief executive officer of JR Automation, the Holland-based subsidiary of Tokyo-based software company Hitachi Ltd. DeGraaf came to the new role after serving as CEO of Holland-based Volta Power Systems.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 15

GRAD CONNECTIONS • NEWS

HILL PROMOTED

the firm’s women’s business program and has been committed to elevating diverse voices at Finnegan.

THEWES JOINS MARCUS

Col. (Ret.) Richard Bowman ’74 and wife, Peggy, of Beavercreek, were honored by Ohio’s Department of Aging for their 60 years of combined service to their community by being inducted into the Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.

Patrick Hill ’08 is the new business services manager for the Credit Union of America. He was previously an assistant branch manager and member support manager for the organization.

Ken Thewes ’87 is the new senior vice president of marketing for Marcus Theatres. The company touts 79 locations across 17 states. Thewes previously was chief marketing officer for Regal Cinemas.

JACOBSON INDUCTED

Col. (Ret.) Erik Jacobson ’99 was inducted into the Shakopee, Minnesota, High School Hall of Fame. The alumni association selects people who have demonstrated excellence in personal achievements and careers, combined with contributions to their communities. He’s a command pilot with more than 2,800 flying hours, including 1,460 combat hours. Col. Jacobson’s final military assignment was at the Pentagon in the Office of the Under Secretary of Defense for Intelligence and Security.

CHANDLER INDUCTED INTO HALL

Gen. Caroll “Howie” Chandler ’74 was inducted into the Joplin, Missouri, Schools Foundation Hall of Fame. After graduating from USAFA, he became a fighter pilot in F-15 and F-16 aircraft, before transitioning into leadership roles. Gen. Chandler later became vice chief of staff of the Air Force.

REYNOLDS EARNS RANGER TAB

Capt. Daniel Reynolds ’17 graduated from the U.S. military’s Ranger School — the first Space Force guardian to earn a Ranger tab. In his current role, he’s helping test the Space Force’s satellite communications capabilities as a test director with the 4th Test and Evaluation Squadron, Space Delta 12.

KATZER TAKES COMMAND

Col. Dee J. Katzer ’95 is the new commander of Detachment 8 with the Air Force Installation and Mission Support Center at Joint Base Langley-Eustis, Virginia. He’s a career civil engineer.

WHITNEY QUALIFIES

Tom Whitney ’10 finished the Korn Ferry Tour in 21st place this year, qualifying him for a PGA card for the first time. He joined the Korn Ferry Tour in 2017, and the past season was his best as a professional golfer.

FERRILL HONORED

Attorney Elizabeth Ferrill ’98 was recently named a Diversity Champion within intellectual property law by World Intellectual Property Review. As a partner at the law firm Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, she has been instrumental in 16 · usafa.org

BOWMANS HONORED

LEUTHOLD JOINS HALL

The Crawford County (Ohio) Veterans Hall of Fame recently honored Maj. (Ret.) Mark Alan Leuthold ’79 along with five other inductees. Leuthold’s military career included flying HC-130 aircraft, contributing to vital research and development efforts, and earning a master’s degree in systems management from the Air Force Institute of Technology.

DEPALO JOINS COUNTY STAFF

Col. (Ret.) Lee dePalo ’86 is the new director of community and veterans services in Manatee County, Florida. He previously was chief operating officer for an emergency management startup.

Prior to that, he was the regional administrator for the Federal Emergency Management Administration in Colorado, Montana, North Dakota, South Dakota, Utah and Wyoming.

SCHMITT TAKES COMMAND

Col. Ernest Schmitt ’01 is the new Space Delta 4 commander with the United States Space Force. He was previously commander of the 16th Space Warning Squadron at Peterson Space Force Base in Colorado.

KOCHANOWSKI OVERSEES ALASKA RESOURCES

Forgiveness “Givey” Kochanowski ’01 is the new Anchorage office director for the Bureau of Ocean Energy Management.

Kochanowski oversees the management of energy and mineral resources off the shore of Alaska, which comprises more than one billion acres adjacent to more than 6,000 miles of coastline.

Kochanowski has served in a variety of leadership positions in Alaska within the federal government for several years.

COFFIN LEADS PROGRAMS

Dr. Timothy Coffin ’88 is the program director for newly established health informatics and bioinformatics programs at Hood College in Maryland. An emerging and multidisciplinary field, health informatics uses information technology to collect, analyze and safeguard health care data. Dr. Coffin is also the founder and CEO of Celtiq LLC, a consulting firm specializing in government health care solutions.

G R A D U AT E C O N N E C T I O N S

Milestone

By Col. Matthew S. Husemann ’00 USAFA Vice Superintendent

T

he end of 2023 will mark another milestone in the Let’s Be Clear Campaign, as the Academy concludes phase two of USAFA’s cultural reset to drive down the prevalence of sexual harassment and violence.

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III also recognizes the damage that continued increases in sexual harassment and violence causes to our institutions and our people and has directed additional actions to prevent harmful behaviors at the military service academies.

In August, Secretary Austin directed several courses of action in a public memo, including establishment of the Service Academy Climate Transformation Task Force (CTTF). Academy leadership participates in these CTTF meetings, working with Department of the Air Force representatives to understand the Academy, our programs, our cadets and our climate. Eradicating the corrosive problem of sexual harassment and assault from our military service academies will require support from across the Department of Defense as well as across our Academy community.

These departmental actions are aimed at transforming the climate of the DOD's three military service academies over the next two years. We are working to integrate USAFA’s Let’s Be Clear campaign, which kicked off in April 2023, as the foundation for the larger efforts by

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the Department of Defense, so that we can make determined progress in eradicating such harmful behaviors.

PHASE DESIGN The initial campaign design for Let’s Be Clear included a three-phase construct designed around the Academy’s calendar. Aligning phases to the academic calendar created natural inflection points and allowed us to implement new policies and programs at phase one, which included actions that needed to be in place before Inprocessing Day. This allowed us to lay the groundwork for our culture reset with the arrival of the Class of 2027.

Phase two runs from Inprocessing Day through Dec. 31, encompassing most of the summer sessions as well as the fall semester.

Phase three actions will occur during the spring semester of 2024. The aggressive timing for each of the phases is necessary because Academy senior leaders, faculty and cadets need to take immediate action to reset USAFA’s culture.

As we reviewed and assessed our campaign, it became apparent we needed to add a fourth phase designed to transition to a steady state for enduring change.

Phase four has no end date, as we need to maintain constant vigilance on our culture and trends to maintain the positive results of the Let’s Be Clear campaign.

PREVENT UNHEALTHY BEHAVIORS The 47-month plan for the Cadet Wing initially focused on three-degrees and their responsibilities. The review expanded to each class year, defining development around the Leader of Character Framework while also bringing in Air Force doctrinal changes around mission command.

The new version of the 47-month plan is not quite ready for publication, but it provides a thoughtful approach to requirements of each class year and deliberate development for each cadet.

USAFA also conducted a thorough review of all curriculum — across the military, athletic and academic programs — to identify and correct any potential mixed messaging that was occurring as it relates to harmful behaviors, a leader of character and cadet development. Taken as a whole, the curriculum review and 47-month plan updates provide a more deliberate process moving forward for developing the leaders of character our nation needs.

A cadet-driven initiative in this line of effort focused on available on-base activities and opportunities for recreation. Cadets identified a lack of awareness regarding recreational opportunities, and the Cadet Wing worked with the 10th Air Base Wing to review all of the offerings available on base while de-

signing communications engagements to educate cadets. The team also created additional feedback avenues to review offerings, interest and participation to better meet cadets’ needs.

RESPONDING TO HARM The Integrated Prevention and Response office, formerly known as the Sexual Assault Prevention and Response office, has continued to hire additional personnel. The team worked closely with the Cadet Wing to create office space in the dorm areas of Vandenberg and Sijan halls. The new spaces have proven effective at enhancing opportunities to reach out and engage cadets.

This initiative is an update from phase one, as we worked to classify and hire the new positions.

The Cadet Wing has re-energized training and guidance related to safety and “knock it off” language for all training programs. “Knock it off” is a common phrase across our Air Force and should be a part of our training lexicon.

This additional training is focused on basic cadets and four-degrees, so they know they have the power to stop a potentially unsafe situation.

ACCELERATING ACCOUNTABILITY The available data points on the climate and culture of the Cadet Wing, and the Academy as a whole, are tied to annual surveys, with limited opportunity for spot checks.

USAFA’s Integrated Prevention and Response and Equal Opportunity offices worked together to develop short surveys that cadets can easily access more frequently for a clearer sight picture on prevention and response programs.

Through these pulse surveys, we hope to identify and stop harmful behaviors from occurring and to remove barriers to reporting.

As we refine the pulse survey, the second generation of surveys will be available to cadets through an easily accessible application platform.

Another data source to identify trends related to climate and sexual harassment is the addition of three questions during intake paperwork at the Cadet

Clinic. From these questions, medical staff can manage any abnormal responses and provide further resources as needed. These varied efforts give senior Academy leaders greater insight, enable us to track progress on different initiatives and take quicker action to combat harmful behaviors without sacrificing HIPAA protections.

CHANGE UNDERWAY Let’s be clear: Change is happening during this campaign. We do not yet have data related to prevalence of sexual harassment and violence, but the many initiatives from the campaign, the Department of the Air Force and the Department of Defense will drive a cultural reset. This reset will make Air Force and Space Force leaders of character for the future fight focused on dignity and respect.

At the end of October, the cadets planned and hosted Take Back the Night, featuring survivors who shared their stories to promote healing, restoration and understanding. The cadets

who led Take Back the Night wanted to highlight our culture reset by putting a face to the statistics of sexual assault and encouraging reporting. Seeing their fellow classmates speak on their experiences can inspire cadets to prevent unhealthy behaviors, respond to harm with courage and accelerate accountability.

We have set a quick pace for Let’s Be Clear in order to meet the urgent need to drive down the prevalence of sexual harassment and violence and to protect USAFA’s cadets. We will not sacrifice safety for speed, taking deliberate actions so that USAFA’s cadets, faculty and permanent party are safe from sexual assault, sexual harassment and other harmful behaviors.

This issue affects our entire Academy community, and we continue to welcome input and insights from our alumni. Together, we will make enduring change as leaders of character in this effort.

Cadets view remarks and reflections and clothes worn by sexual assault and violence survivors — at the time of their assault — on display as part of the Clothesline Project Exhibit. The exhibit was on display in the Permanent Professors' Art Gallery in Exemplar Hall from Oct. 23 to Dec. 15. (USAFA photo

by Trevor Cokley) Checkpoints · December 2023 · 19

F E AT U R E

DEFINING CAMPAIGN IMPACTS

The donor-supported Madera Cyber Innovation Center in the background during the Parents Weekend Parade at Stillman Field.

(USAFA photo by Trevor Cokley)

DONORS HELP FOUNDATION FLY PAST ORIGINAL GOAL

By Steven Lincoln

F

rom new approaches to curricula to new construction, the Defining Our Future comprehensive campaign in support of the U.S. Air Force Academy is living up to its name.

The generosity of nearly 18,000 donors since the April 1, 2018 kickoff of the campaign is defining the skyline of the Academy, the mental and academic preparation of future officers, and the ways visitors and fans interact with the nation’s youngest service academy.

In October, the Air Force Academy Foundation and Association of Graduates announced the fundraising goal for the Defining Our Future comprehensive campaign had increased to $300 million, up from its original goal of $270 million.

“From the start, Defining Our Future has focused on supporting the U.S. Air Force Academy in its mission to develop the leaders of character our Air Force and Space Force require to protect and defend our nation,” said Alex Gilbert ’87, chairperson of the Air Force Academy Foundation board of directors, in September when announcing the increased $300 million goal. “We’re proud to have reached the original fundraising goal 16 months ahead of schedule. A lot of work remains, however, to fully fund key Academy projects and broaden graduate participation in the campaign.”

Defining Our Future is a seven-year campaign (20182024) conducted by the Air Force Academy Foundation and Association of Graduates to raise private support for Academy programs and projects focused on academics, military training, athletics and character development.

The campaign connects philanthropy to signature projects at USAFA that directly benefit cadets. The Academy, with cooperation and support from the Foundation and AOG, has made significant progress on these priorities since the beginning of the campaign.

Since the campaign publicly launched in the fall of 2021, the Air Force Academy Foundation and Association of Graduates have added initiatives requiring do-

CAMPAIGN PROGRESS SO FAR • Establishment of the Institute for Future Conflict, with plans for continued growth and improvement.

• Construction of the Madera Cyber Innovation Center, which is currently slated to open in the summer of 2024.

• Modernization of Falcon Stadium to enhance the fan experience and generate additional revenue from events, benefiting the entire athletics mission element.

• The Martinson Honors Program, which expanded the Academy Scholars Program to attract and challenge top-tier, college-bound students who want to serve their country.

• Continued enhancements accross the Center for Character and Leadership Development programs and initiatives in service to the Academy’s mission of developing leaders of character.

nor support. Successfully meeting the new $300 million goal of the campaign through private support will mean the Academy, Foundation and AOG have been able to make progress on original priorities while taking of new opportunities important to the USAFA mission.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 21

ABOVE: This fall, the donor-supported FalconSAT program launched and now operates its FalconSAT-X satellite.

RIGHT: Donors helped equip the Multi-Domain Lab to prepare cadets for possible conflict scenarios. (USAFA photos)

“Eclipsing the original fundraising goal 16 months early is a momentous achievement that came with a lot of tireless effort and teamwork,” said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Gould ’76, CEO of the Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation. “We thank all of the generous donors to date who have stepped forward because they are inspired by the cadets and believe in the Academy’s mission to develop leaders of character for the Air Force and Space Force.”

“But,” Gen. Gould added, “the work isn’t done, and I ask all graduates to get involved. Let’s support our beloved Academy and pay it forward.”

Participation is a key priority in the campaign’s final yearlong push, and it can be defined many ways. In addition to philanthropic support, the Academy benefits from graduates, families and friends

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volunteering, sponsoring cadets and engaging in networking events. Graduates, especially, can participate by attending a class reunion, mentoring cadets and fellow graduates, getting involved with a chapter or affinity group, and joining the

Association of Graduates.

Increased engagement and consistent participation strengthens the Long Blue Line and fosters pride and current awareness of the Academy’s programs, Gen. Gould added.

The final two objectives of the campaign are deepening institutional pride among all members of the Long Blue Line and expanding awareness and understanding of philanthropy’s impact on the USAFA mission. While the federal government and U.S. Air Force adequately fund core Academy needs, private support is required to enhance and maximize cadets’ educational and leadership opportunities.

Kelly Banet, senior vice president for development at the Air Force Academy Foundation, pointed to specific priorities requiring additional private support, including the Institute for Future Conflict, the Falcon Stadium modernization underway, ongoing opportunities within the Madera Cyber Innovation Center now under construction, and the TrueNorth Commons development, specifically Hotel Polaris, also under construc-

tion (see story on page 74).

The Academy plans to build an iconic display commemorating the Tuskegee Airmen at Davis Airfield, which will require philanthropic support. Enhancing the Doolittle campus, including a heritage plaza connecting Doolittle Hall and the planned Wecker Hall to serve as the Foundation headquarters and to house Foundation and AOG staff, is another priority (see story on page 30).

“We based the decision to increase our campaign goal on the need to both meet project goals and broaden participation, especially among graduates.

We’ll continue to introduce impactful, gratifying ways for graduates and all who care about the Academy to get involved and participate, no matter where they are in the world,” Banet said.

The success of the Defining Our Future campaign so far can be attributed

to a broad base of support, including major gifts from individuals, corporations and foundations; a range of class giving reunion projects; graduates who have chosen to include support for the Academy in their estate plans; and the 1Day1USAFA day of giving program that has engaged thousands of graduates and cadet family members.

“Philanthropy is an expression of one’s values, and the message donors have sent thus far is clear. They feel strongly about the Academy’s mission and its vital role in our nation’s defense. Thanks to their engagement, we stand on a solid foundation, built over years, and look forward to meeting all project goals and expanding participation in the coming months,” said Mark Hille ’97, president of the Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation.

Class reunion gift projects, such as the Class of 1979's Spirit 03 Memorial dedicated this spring, impact all areas of the Academy. (Photo by Ryan Hall) Checkpoints · December 2023 · 23

F E AT U R E

GALACTIC GUIDES

By David Bitton

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Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kelly Latimer ’87 and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Mike "Sooch" Masucci ’85 are delivering paying customers to the edge of space.

The rocket motor on VSS Unity ignites after the spacecraft is released from the mothership, VMS Eve, during a November spaceflight over New Mexico commanded and piloted by Air Force Academy grads.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 25

Rocketing into space over the New Mexico desert, two Air Force Academy graduates look over at each other and smile.

Pilots Lt. Col. (Ret.) Mike “Sooch” Masucci ’85 and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kelly Latimer ’87 are making dreams — including their own — come true as Virgin Galactic begins offering commercial spaceflights out of Spaceport America.

In early November, the Academy grads piloted VSS (Virgin Space Ship) Unity together for the first time during Galactic 05, a research mission that was the company’s sixth flight in six months.

“Seeing the curvature of the Earth, its atmosphere and the blackness of space is absolutely incredible,” Latimer says.

Each suborbital flight lasts about 15 minutes, once the spaceship detaches from the mother ship and ignites its powerful rocket. VMS (Virgin Mother Ship) Eve and its two pilots carry the spaceship and its two pilots, up to four passengers plus its payload for about 45 minutes, climbing to around 45,000 feet before releasing the spaceship.

As the roughly 30,000-pound Unity drops away, the equally heavy Eve naturally jumps up.

Then the spaceship's rocket motor ignites, pushing the spacecraft beyond the speed of sound and creating a sonic boom that onlookers can hear.

The spacecraft immediately pitches up and the motor burns for about a minute. The sky quickly turns from blue to black as Unity pushes beyond Mach 3 before reaching a height around 290,000 feet above the Earth.

Once the motor cuts off, the passengers unstrap and have about three minutes to float freely and conduct planned research.

The spacecraft is inverted, allowing clear views from multiple small windows, before decending through the atmosphere, circling down as a glider before landing.

On clear days, the public can witness an entire mission from launch to land-

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Mike "Sooch" Masucci ’85 and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kelly Latimer ’87 show off an Air Force flag after taking it to the edge of space during the Galactic 05 research mission.

ing from Elephant Butte Dam, just east of the small town of Truth or Consequences.

With around 800 tickets currently sold, according to Virgin Galactic, there should be flights launching from Spaceport America for years to come.

(Approximately 600 customers paid $250,000 for a future flight before prices increased to $450,000.)

A visual representation of the flight profile for Virgin Galactic spacecraft, VSS Unity.

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SPACEPORT AMERICA FAST FACTS • Spaceport America is the first purpose-built commercial spaceport in the world • Located on 18,000 acres in the Jornada del Muerto desert basin • About 55 miles north of Las Cruces, New Mexico • Adjacent to U.S. Army White Sands Missile Range • Sits within 6,000 square miles of rocket-friendly, restricted airspace ABOVE: Spaceport lounge is where staff and guests can enjoy a meal and watch a spaceflight.

ABOVE RIGHT: Virgin Galactic operates out of this Gateway to Space building.

(Photos by Ryan Hall)

LATIMER Latimer studied astronautical engineering at the Air Force Academy, with the goal of someday flying in space as an astronaut. Today, she’s happy to call herself a spaceship pilot and the director of flight test for Virgin Galactic.

She credits her time at the Academy for shaping her into the leader she is today,

• Includes a 12,000-by-200-foot runway • Low population density nearby and 340 days of sunshine each year • Virgin Galactic is the anchor tenant of Spaceport America • Virgin Galactic has a 20-year lease for the Gateway to Space terminal building

saying she was shy when she arrived at USAFA but graduated with confidence in her abilities.

“Preparation, teamwork, setting goals, overcoming adversity and pushing forward were crucial,” she says.

Latimer’s last assignment in her 20-year military career was as commander of the 418th Flight Test Squadron at Edwards

Air Force Base in southern California.

“It was the most rewarding position I had,” she says. “It made use of all the leadership skills I learned at the Academy.”

Her first civilian job was working as a NASA test pilot at Edwards. One aircraft she flew was a modified 747 with a big telescope in the back. The rear door opened during flight, allowing the crew to observe astronomical phenomena while traveling all around the globe.

Next up Latimer took a job at Boeing, where she flew a variety of aircraft, from a C-17 cargo plane — which she flew operationally — to a modified 767 air refueling tanker.

In 2015, Masucci called Cadet Squadron 11 mate Latimer to gauge her interest in a pilot opening at Virgin Galactic.

“He said, ‘If you ever thought this was something you wanted to do, now is the time,’” she remembers. She jumped at the chance.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 27

The lifelong dream of traveling to space was inching closer for both of them, just as it has for 40 other Academy graduates selected for astronaut training by NASA. Latimer spent her first four or five years at Virgin Galactic as chief pilot of a modified 747 used to launch small satellites into space. That operation eventually spun off into its own company, Virgin Orbit, before filing for bankruptcy and shutting down earlier this year.

During her eight years with the commercial space company, she has also test-flown the mothership, Eve. Eve and Unity are housed in a futuristic three-story terminal building called Gateway to Space, a commercial spaceport that includes training areas and operational facilities.

The Galactic 05 research mission on Nov. 2 was Latimer’s third space flight and Masucci’s sixth, but both agree sitting next to an Air Force Academy graduate was special.

“Both of us have had the dream to travel to space, and to get to do it together was really, really special,” Latimer says.

She says she expects space tourism to expand rapidly over the next 10 to 20 years.

“I think civilians will have orbited the moon 10 years from now, and they may be looking at missions to Mars,” Latimer says. “It’s taken a long time to get here, but now that we’re here, it’s really, really incredible.”

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kelly Latimer ’87 shows off a "Fly Like a Girl" sticker she took to the edge of space during the Galactic 05 research mission.

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MASUCCI From a young age, Masucci was looking up into the night sky and dreaming.

After all, he came of age while NASA tested, trained and prepared to land Americans on the moon. Astronaut Neil Armstrong stepped on the moon’s surface in July 1969 to the amazement of many watching on television.

Masucci was hooked. He followed the developments of America’s first space station, Skylab, and the accomplishments of the 30-year Space Shuttle program, which, when including repeat flyers, took 852 people on 135 missions.

Out of high school, Masucci applied to the only two undergraduate institutions offering astronautical engineering: MIT and the Air Force Academy.

He earned his private pilot’s license through the Academy’s Aero Club, joined the flying team, and participated in the gliding and parachute programs.

“I was very airmanship and aviation leadership-focused, which was critical to my career,” Masucci says. “I made great friends and learned the importance of being a good teammate.”

He attended pilot training at Vance Air Force Base and stayed on as a T-38 instructor. Piloting the U-2 at Beale Air Force Base was up next before becoming an instructor and evaluator in the highaltitude reconnaissance aircraft.

From there, he went to Edwards Air Force Base as a test pilot and later taught at the test pilot school. He ended his military career after a variety of com-

ABOVE: Mike "Sooch" Masucci graduates from the Academy in 1985.

mand positions, including leading the U.S. military’s oldest flying unit, the 1st Reconnaissance Squadron, which trains U-2 and RQ-4 Global Hawk pilots for high-altitude intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance missions.

This squadron, originally named the 1st Aero Squadron, was the first tactical aviation unit to participate in American military action. In 1916, the squadron pursued Mexican revolutionary Francisco “Pancho” Villa in northern Mexico after he and his men raided Columbus, New Mexico, killing 18, including 10 servicemen.

“The 1st Aero Squadron’s military ac-

VIRGIN GALACTIC VEHICLES/ROCKET VMS Eve

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Eve is piloted from the right fuselage allowing the pilot in the left seat to have a clear view of Unity prior to and during release Eve’s left fuselage acts to balance the aircraft but does not carry passengers

tions started right here in New Mexico,” Masucci says. “It’s very interesting to have the connection that more than 100 years later, commercial spaceflight is happening about 100 miles away.”

Now having gone into suborbital space six times, Masucci — lead instructor pilot for Virgin Galactic — says things are starting to slow down for him on a spaceflight. Though he remains busy running through procedures and checklists, he makes sure to look around and appreciate his role in bringing space travel to the masses.

“Going into space is definitely a lifealtering experience,” he says. “Earth is so bright, and there is a little teeny, thin band of atmosphere around this precious spaceship we call Earth that is floating in the dark void of space. Everything you know is down there, and it just reemphasizes how precious that is.”

Masucci, who first went to space on a test flight in February 2019, says he loves providing customers the opportunity to experience space and to feel weightlessness.

“We get to fulfill someone’s lifelong dream of going to space,” he says. “Seeing them floating around experiencing weightlessness is very gratifying.”

After retiring from the Air Force, Masucci chose to work for a private charter company for five years, flying customers around the world.

• Wings/booms rotate upward, effectively folding the ship in half, creating a shuttlecock effect • This increases drag, slowing the ship down during reentry • The wing system then returns to its flying configuration, allowing Unity to glide to landing

“I learned a lot about customer service while taking care of our passengers,” he says. “When I interviewed for the job with Virgin Galactic 10 years ago, I learned my commercial customer experience background is what distinguished me from other test pilots and got me the interview.”

Masucci says he also learned things during his time at the Academy that have helped him throughout his military and civilian careers.

“I left the Academy with a good sense of what’s really important,” he says. “Integrity and honesty are at the top, and then hard work and perseverance come quickly after that.”

Masucci is excited to see what future Space Force guardians, including those graduating from the Air Force Academy, take on in the coming decades.

“I fully expect Space Force cadets down the road in their careers to be integral to commercial spaceflight,” he says. “They should be very excited about where they are graduating into.”

He also sees how private industry like Virgin Galactic — founded in 2004 by British billionaire Sir Richard Branson — may be able to assist future guardians at the Air Force Academy.

“We could easily provide some potential training, requirements, obligations and fulfillments that Space Force cadets may need down the road,” Masucci says.

Thrust: 319,000+ newtons (approximately 71,000 pounds) Trivia: Holds the Guinness Book record for the most powerful hybrid rocket used in human flight

“If we have a good relationship between the government and commercial sides, technology and capability will move forward at a much faster rate.”

WHAT’S NEXT Virgin Galactic is working to move faster into the future with its next generation of spacecraft, known as Delta class spaceships.

Instead of having one spaceship, Unity, which the company plans to continue flying, multiple Delta class spaceships will join the fleet.

The new Delta spaceships will hold six passengers, compared to Unity’s four, and be able to fly multiple times per week, compared to Unity’s onemonth turnaround between flights.

Latimer says Delta-class test flights will likely occur in 2025, with commercial operations beginning as soon as 2026.

“This is really groundbreaking,” she says. “Many more people are going to have the opportunity to experience this.”

Latimer and Masucci both admit they are thrilled to have a role in making space tourism a reality.

“It’s a sensory overload experience, and to be able to share that with a friend, a fellow Academy grad and a professional colleague, it’s just an amazing experience,” Masucci says. “It’s been a wild ride, and I’m looking forward to many more.”

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 29

F E AT U R E

’We Have Finally Arrived’

A new administration building and plaza will help the Air Force Academy Foundation and Association of Graduates more effectively achieve their missions.

By Steven Lincoln Rendering of Wecker Hall and Yost Plaza.

F

or more than 30 years, Doolittle Hall, the headquarters for the Air Force Academy’s Association of Graduates, has greeted graduates, Academy appointees, cadets, families and dignitaries, all in the spirit of strengthening the Long Blue Line.

The Air Force Academy Foundation, with its philanthropic mission of support, has operated in tandem with the AOG for more than a decade, but without a permanent home of its own.

Since 2020, the two organizations have worked even more closely together with a joint CEO, creating efficiencies, aligning missions, and collaborating on events and projects.

This fall, the organizations announced their most recent collaboration: a new philanthropy-funded administration building.

While the building, to be named Wecker Hall, will serve as Air Force Academy Foundation headquarters, it will house both Foundation and AOG staff and provide space for other nonprofits dedicated to the USAFA mission. It will be just west of Doolittle Hall, which will continue to serve as the alumni center and an event space.

“Wecker Hall will fulfill our current needs and provide both organizations some room to grow while becoming more cohesive and efficient,” said Mark Hille ’97, president of the AOG and Foundation.

Wecker and Doolittle halls will be connected by an outdoor plaza honoring graduates and major donors and serving as an inviting entrance to the Heritage Trail to the north.

WECKER HALL Bill ’63 and Mary Linn Wecker of Jackson, Wyoming, are the lead donors for the new 25,800-square-foot headquarters building.

Named in their honor, Wecker Hall will, for the first time, bring together the entire staff of the Foundation, which for 16 years has operated from disparate, temporary office spaces.

The Foundation currently has offices in Doolittle Hall, headquarters of the Association of Graduates, and in

Bill '63 and Mary Linn Wecker.

the 10th Air Base Wing headquarters building near the South Gate.

Bill Wecker flew more than 100 combat missions over North Vietnam in the F-4. Later, he became the Air Force chief of protocol in Berlin.

After seven years on active duty, he separated from the Air Force and completed his Ph.D. in statistics and applied mathematics, eventually becoming a professor at the University of Chicago. He was named an Air Force Academy Distinguished Graduate in 2021.

In 2007, Dr. Wecker and Terry Drabant, a 1965 USAFA graduate, co-founded the Air Force Academy Foundation (then known as the USAFA Endowment) to help donors effectively engage with the Academy. At the time, the Air Force

Academy Foundation and Association of Graduates operated separately.

Dr. Wecker described office space for the Foundation in the early years as inefficient and unpleasant, and yet the Foundation recruited strong talent to both its board and staff and remained steadfast in its commitment to supporting the USAFA mission. He says he is happy to see that Wecker Hall will be the complete opposite of what the early years looked like.

“The new Foundation headquarters building will bring the entire staff together so that they can work more effectively and enjoyably in a firstclass working environment,” he said.

“We have finally arrived. From a small startup operation with grand ideas and no track record to what the Air Checkpoints · December 2023 · 31

Air Force Academy Foundation and Association of Graduates leaders participate in a ceremonial groundbreaking for Wecker Hall and Yost Plaza. Left to right: Mark HIlle ’97, president; Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Brian Bishop ’83, chairman of the AOG board; Bill Wecker ’63 and Dave Yost ’69, Air Force Academy Foundation board directors; and Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Gould ’76, CEO. (Photo by Ryan Hall)

Force Academy Foundation is today — more than $400 million raised to benefit cadets. And now a Foundation headquarters building to match that accomplishment.”

YOST PLAZA The plan for the Doolittle campus includes reimagining the land between Wecker Hall and Doolittle Hall to connect the buildings, serve as a plaza for small gatherings and showcase two sculptures. It will be called Yost Plaza in honor of Dave ’69 and Jean Yost.

“This is one more step toward bringing the AOG and the Foundation together and creating an organization that will serve the Long Blue Line far better and more effectively than in the past,” said Yost, a 2016 USAFA Distinguished Graduate.

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Yost Plaza will include the existing Pegasus statue and a new feature, a seven-foot replica of an Air Force Academy ring.

“It is probably the one symbol that has endured from the beginning of the Academy,” Yost said. “Almost everyone who has an Academy ring can remember the night when they got it.”

In addition to connecting graduates to each other, the ring will serve as a recognition of donors whose major contributions have impacted the Academy.

Such recognition is especially close to Yost’s heart. For years, he chaired the stewardship committee as part of his devoted service on the Air Force Academy Foundation Board of Directors.

“We’re going to note the large

financial donors who have contributed throughout the history of the Air Force Academy,” he said. “We are hopeful it will be inspirational to other donors.

It also will serve as a legacy for those donors, their families and their descendants when they come to the Air Force Academy.”

GROWING DOOLITTLE CAMPUS In 2022, the Air Force Academy Foundation and Association of Graduates formed a joint mission: to support the Academy, serve graduates and preserve the heritage of the institution.

The boards of the Air Force Academy Foundation and the AOG conducted a ceremonial groundbreaking for Wecker Hall and Yost Plaza during their October meetings. During the ceremony, Lt.

Gen. (Ret.) Mike Gould ’76, CEO of the organizations, expressed his gratitude for the Weckers’ involvement from the beginning of the organization.

“We are turning the Doolittle campus into a destination for graduates, parents and visitors alike,” he said. “To Bill and Mary Linn Wecker, we say a hearty thanks for their extraordinary leadership, generosity and vision from back in 2007.”

Hille, who becomes CEO of the AOG and Foundation in January after serving as president for the past two years, shared his enthusiasm for the additions to the landscape.

“Our staff is grateful for every gift in support of our Academy — but Wecker Hall and Yost Plaza are especially personal to all of us. This will be our new home,” he said. “There is no doubt that Doolittle Hall has served us well for more than 30 years and will continue to be our alumni house and the center of heritage and events missions. In the coming years, we will refresh and renovate Doolittle Hall to maximize

its utility for our next chapter. But we will finally have a purpose-built office to house our whole team — one that will encourage connection and is designed to support our future.”

Construction of Wecker Hall and Yost Plaza is scheduled to begin in early 2024.

The Weckers’ gift was given as part of the Defining Our Future comprehensive campaign in support of the U.S. Air Force Academy. The $300 million fundraising goal of the campaign includes support for a multitude of key Academy programs and projects that encompass academic, athletic and heritage programs as well as projects that enhance the cadet experience.

The Air Force Academy Foundation and Association of Graduates are still actively fundraising for the Wecker Hall and Yost Plaza projects.

Support these projects at www.afacademyfoundation.org/WeckerYost or call 719-472-0300 for more information.

Artist rendering of Wecker Hall.

Checkpoints · June 2023 · 33

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ROLL CALL

Tough as Bricks

Ironman competitor with debilitating disease proves her mettle

By Jeff Holmquist

A

s she crosses the finish line during the 2023 Ironman World Championship in Hawaii, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Sara Whittingham ’96 bursts into tears when her husband engulfs her in a joyful hug.

While her finish in the grueling triathlon doesn’t place her anywhere near the top of the leaderboard — 1,923rd out of 2,037 competitors — Whittingham and her small entourage celebrate like she’s won. The moral victory actually comes from beating the odds and successfully fighting back a progressive disease.

Diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in November 2020, Whittingham is persistently trying to maintain her physical fitness despite the inevitable course of the disease. Finishing one of the most challenging triathlons in the world is proof that her efforts are bearing fruit.

“My time was probably my slowest Ironman ever, but the goal was to get to the finish line,” she admits. “I was hoping to make it across the line with a smile on my face, but I was crying my eyes out. It was everything I hoped it would be.”

In completing the challenge, Whittingham swam 2.4 miles in the Pacific Ocean, biked 112 miles on a mountainous route, and finished with a hilly, 26.2-mile marathon run. She finished in the dark of night in just over 15 hours and 40 minutes. The top female finisher, Lucy Charles-Barclay, had finished hours earlier — in 8:24.

“It was never about my time,” Whittingham says. “It was about being able to accomplish something that I wasn’t sure I was going to be able to accomplish. I worked so hard, so I was very emotional at the finish.”

ATHLETIC ENDEAVORS Whittingham grew up in Steamboat Springs, Colorado, and always loved competing in sports. She remembers attending summer sports camps at the Air Force Academy during middle school and high school to improve her athletic abilities.

“I fell in love with the idea of pushing myself to the limit,” she explains.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Sara Whittingham ’96 reacts after finishing the VinFast IRONMAN World Championship on Oct. 14 in Kailua Kona, Hawaii. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images for IRONMAN)

36 · usafa.org

Her hard work paid off as she was crowned state champion in the mile and two-mile runs as a high school junior and senior. Her high school cross country team also was tops in the state those years.

Ultimately, Whittingham was heavily recruited by various colleges — Stanford, Yale, Utah State and Colorado among them — to compete for them as a runner.

The daughter of a Marine, she decided to attend the Academy instead.

“First of all, as a cross country runner, there’s no better place in the world to train,” she says, “with the amazing trails, the hills and the altitude. Second, I was really impressed with the coaching staff — Coach (Ralph) Lindeman and Gail Conway (’84), who recruited me.”

For Whittingham, USAFA turned out to be the perfect fit. She ran track and cross country all four years, earning 11 varsity letters. She missed the maximum potential 12th letter due to an injury during one indoor track season.

CAREER GOALS As graduation approached, Whittingham applied to medical schools in an effort to become an Air Force doctor.

She hoped to become an orthopedic surgeon, but none of the medical schools offered her an immediate spot.

Instead, she served as an aircraft maintenance officer at Kelly Air Force Base in Texas for two years while studying hard for the Medical College Admissions Test.

“I kind of took a circuitous route to get to where I ended up,” she laughs.

Once accepted, Whittingham attended the Tulane University School of Medicine through the Air Force’s Health Professionals Scholarship Program.

Following an internship in internal medicine at Wilford Hall Medical Center, Whittingham shifted her career goals and became a flight surgeon.

Her first assignment was with an F-16 squadron in Korea.

“I have more crazy stories from that year than any other year of my life,” she recalls. The assignment included a consequential deployment to Malaysia.

Her next job was at Travis Air Force

Base in California, where she worked frequently in the hyperbaric medicine unit. An anesthesiologist there convinced Whittingham to consider that medical specialty for a career.

“It ended up being a perfect fit for my personality, my career and my life goals,” she says.

Whittingham deferred her military commitment to complete a civilian anesthesia residency at the University of Utah. She then returned to active duty as an anesthesiologist at Nellis Air Force Base in Las Vegas.

During that assignment, Dr. Whittingham’s unit was deployed for six months to Afghanistan, where she cared for American patients as well as Afghan nationals and children.

“The cool thing about my deployment was all the Academy grads who were there,” she remembers. “All of us were at that point in our career when we were paying back our commitments and we were all there in Afghanistan together.”

Dr. Rachel (Call) Hight ’94 — former Falcons cross country team captain — was the chief trauma surgeon. Dr. David Walick ’93 was serving as a psychiatrist.

Her best friend from the cross country team, Dr. Kshamata “Dolly” Patel Skeete ’96, was an orthopedic surgeon, and Dr. Brian Groat ’97 was the ophthalmologist.

“It was like an Academy reunion,” she reports. “That made the experience a lot better.”

Later, Dr. Whittingham transitioned into the Air Force Reserve, serving out the rest of her flight surgeon career at Hill Air Force Base in Utah, while also working full-time as an anesthesiologist at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City. She retired from the military in 2019.

TROUBLING HINTS Through medical school and her early career, Whittingham kept in shape. She qualified for the Air Force triathlon team in 2002 and competed as an active-duty officer in the Hawaii Ironman event for the first time.

She took a hiatus from the sport after getting married and having kids and as she finished her residency.

“Life was hectic,” she admits.

In 2016, Whittingham started training again with the goal of making it back to Hawaii. She was making good progress by 2017, finishing Ironman Arizona in a decent time. She was even faster in 2018.

In 2019, she engaged with a new coach with the goal of improving her time.

“But despite working extra hard, I was two hours slower,” she recalls. “In hindsight, it was because of Parkinson’s.”

Prior to her diagnosis, Whittingham noticed increasing stiffness in her joints and overall fatigue. In addition, her voice would trail off at the end of sentences, which her husband noticed.

“There were just a lot of unusual things that had been happening that I didn’t really think anything about,” she says.

In 2020, while sitting on the couch with her husband, Dr. John Langell, Whittingham’s arm started shaking uncontrollably. She stood up to shake it off, but the shaking wouldn’t stop. She immediately Googled the symptom, and articles about Parkinson’s disease appeared at the top of the search list.

“When I learned about Parkinson’s in medical school, I always pictured an elderly man hunched over and shuffling about,” she says. “I never really pictured somebody like me. I was young, I was healthy, and I had no family history of any weird neurologic diseases.”

The more she read, the more she recognized the symptoms she’d experienced for years. A short time later, her neurologist confirmed the diagnosis.

“I was pretty devastated,” she recalls.

“I struggled with that reality the first year. I had a lot of anxiety and depression. The neurologist said I was going to have a full life, but in my mind I pictured myself being disabled in five to 10 years and being in a wheelchair.”

REUNION BOOST When she attended her 25th class reunion in 2021, Whittingham remembers joking with classmates that they could decorate her walker at their 30-year gathering.

“I was trying to make light of the situation, but recognized that I was Checkpoints · December 2023 · 37

headed down that pathway,” she says. “I was still trying to come to terms with it.”

She gained 30 pounds as she adjusted to new medications, scaled back on exercise and stopped competing altogether.

“I had one doctor early on tell me that I shouldn’t be running at all because people with Parkinson’s have an increased risk of falling,” she reports.

“In fact, falls are the biggest cause of morbidity and mortality for people with Parkinson's, but that’s generally older people. We know now that younger people need to stay as active as possible and practice balance, plus strength and cardiovascular exercise.”

Fortunately, Whittingham enrolled in a clinical trial at her workplace, Cleveland Clinic, designed to study the impact of cycling on holding Parkinson’s progression at bay. She received a Peloton stationary bike, a fitness tracker and a suggested aggressive exercise routine.

“I could tell the difference right away,” she says. “It helped a lot with my anxiety, the stiffness and my ability to focus. And it helped me mentally.”

Even though the results of the clinical trial have yet to be published, Whittingham is convinced that maintaining physical fitness makes a huge difference for Parkinson’s patients.

Eventually, Whittingham’s fitness level improved to such an extent that she joined her daughters on short races.

“They were beating me, but that was OK,” she chuckles.

Later, she trained and competed in half marathons, and then worked up to 70.3-mile triathlons and then the full 140.6-mile distance.

“Looking back, going to my Academy reunion helped redirect me on a positive trajectory,” she says. “At my reunion, I was surrounded by people who remembered me when I was invincible and when I was at my best. They had no doubt that I was going to kick Parkinson’s butt.”

CHANCE OF A LIFETIME After finishing the Ironman 70.3 (Half Ironman) World Championship in October 2022, Whittingham felt she was ready for a return engagement to Hawaii.

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Lt. Col. (Ret.) Sara Whittingham ’96 first served as an aircraft maintenance officer but later was a flight surgeon following completion of medical school. (Submitted photo)

She knew she couldn’t qualify based on time, so she shared her Parkinson’s journey in hopes that race organizers would find her story compelling enough to offer her a spot. Each year during its television coverage, NBC highlights several inspiring stories of racers who have overcome obstacles in life.

When she didn’t hear a response, however, Whittingham assumed the answer was no. But in early August, just nine weeks before the Ironman Championship, she was offered the chance to race.

“I was shocked,” she says, admitting she was a bit overwhelmed by the limited time she’d have to prepare. “I think my jaw hit the floor, but I figured that this was probably a once-in-alifetime opportunity. I decided I would give it a go and see how it turned out.”

In the days leading up to the race, Cleveland Clinic’s communications department shared Whittingham’s story and upcoming challenge with producers at NBC’s “Today” show.

Days before heading to Hawaii, Whittingham was interviewed by “Today” personalities Hoda Kotb and Jenna Bush Hager in New York.

“I have a new appreciation for how much work goes into producing every

little piece,” she says. “It was a full day of filming for a three-minute video segment.”

The media exposure allowed her to shine a light on the need for physical fitness among Parkinson’s patients.

“I’m trying to give hope to people who are going through something like this or needing to come to terms with a difficult diagnosis,” she says. “A diagnosis like this is going to change the trajectory of your future, but it doesn’t mean you need to stop doing the things that you love.”

The appearance also gave her the chance to advocate for military veterans who suffer from early-onset Parkinson’s disease. While Whittingham can’t conclusively say that her exposure to burn pits during her Afghanistan deployment contributed to her disease, she says she knows of three other Academy graduates from her era who also suffer from Parkinson’s. She feels those numbers are statistically significant.

“I think it’s worth looking at the data and seeing if there are trends,” she says.

“If there is something that contributed to it, I want to make sure that we can prevent that same thing from happening to other people. And I want to ensure that the people with Parkinson’s get the care that they need. We owe it to our veterans to investigate this further.”

HAWAII BOUND This year marked the inaugural allfemale Ironman World Championship.

Whittingham says the positive energy in Hawaii was palpable from the minute she stepped off the airplane.

“I met so many amazing women from all around the world,” she reports, “all of whom had amazing stories.”

Shortly after arrival, she and her husband were told they would be the primary subjects of a video documentary recounting their story.

“I didn’t quite realize what that meant,” she admits. “I had cameras on me the entire week, which was a different experience.”

Whittingham was assigned bib #1984 for the race and competed in the 45-to49 age group.

While she finished 323rd out of 333 competitors during the opening swim, Whittingham happily reports that 100% of the women who entered finished the ocean challenge. Ultimately, more than 97% of all competitors crossed the Ironman finish line.

At the 75-mile mark of the stage-two bicycle race, Whittingham wondered if she needed to withdraw. Her heart rate was high, and she was overheating.

At an aid station, she packed her jersey with ice and caught up on her necessary Parkinson’s medication. Several aid volunteers said a prayer, and she was on her way again.

“Knowing that I still had over two hours left on the bike and then a marathon after that, I was a little concerned I wouldn’t finish,” she says. “But I did the math and figured out how fast I needed to go during the marathon and realized that I could make it.”

When she approached the finish line, Whittingham’s husband and three of her former Falcon track and cross country teammates were on hand to cheer her on.

Lt. Col. Jana Kokkonen Reed ’95 handed her a flag that had flown over Afghanistan during their earlier deployment. Whittingham raised it above her head for the photograph at the finish.

Lt. Col. Sierra Gould Suhajda ’97 and Tara Sweeney ’95 were also there for the celebratory moment.

“One of my main goals was not to

end up in the medical tent,” she says.

“As we walked by the medical tent, they asked me if I needed to go in. I was like … nope, I’m good.”

HIGH EXPECTATIONS Whittingham is quick to draw parallels between her time as a cadet and her effort to compete in the Ironman World Championship.

“As an Academy grad, there’s so much expected of you,” she explains. “You can’t even fathom how you’re going to accomplish all of the things that you need to accomplish to be able to graduate from the Academy.”

She says facing the Ironman challenge is eerily similar.

“When you first hear what an Ironman entails, the first thought is there’s no way I’ll ever be able to do that,” she says.

As a consequence, crossing the finish line in Hawaii provided the same feeling of exhilaration as when she threw her hat in the air at her USAFA graduation.

“It felt like the culmination of years of hard work, with some doubt about whether or not I would make it,” she says. “But I accomplished something that not too long ago I didn’t even think was possible.”

FUTURE FOCUS Whittingham plans to continue her exercise regime for the foreseeable future. She also plans to compete in mara-

Whittingham's former Falcon teammates used chalk to offer encouragement during the Ironman World Championship race.

thons and triathlons as she’s able.

“I realize I’m going to keep getting slower, and the races are going to keep getting more and more difficult for me,” she admits. “But I think just having the ability to be out there and competing is good for my mental health … having a goal and something to aim for. It’s also good for my physical health.”

One life lesson she recalls from her four-degree knowledge memorization is setting high but achievable goals for oneself. That’s how she intends to live her life moving forward.

“Who knows what the future holds and how quickly my disease is going to progress,” she says. “But if I can make it back to Hawaii four to six years from now, that would be amazing. But I’m not going to be disappointed if I’m not able to do that. We’ll just see how it goes.”

However the future unfolds, Whittingham says she can count on her fellow USAFA graduates to continue to cheer her on.

She laughed at the sight of chalk art she discovered etched on the pavement at one transition station during the Hawaii race. “Tough as Bricks,” the 1996 class motto, was offered as encouragement from her former Falcon teammates.

“That was awesome,” she says.

“At my reunion, I was surrounded by people who remembered me when I was invincible and when I was at my best. They had no doubt that I was going to kick Parkinson’s butt.”

— Sara Whittingham ’96 Checkpoints · June 2023 · 39

F E AT U R E

FUTURE FOCUS Visionary donor support helps make IFC a reality

By Jeff Holmquist

“Victory smiles upon those who anticipate the changes in the character of war, not upon those who wait to adapt themselves after the changes occur.”

— Giulio Douhet The following is the first in a series of Checkpoints stories focused on the Institute for Future Conflict and its mission of preparing cadets for the future fight. A series of complementary videos on the topic will also be available at usafa.org.

40 · usafa.org

O

ut of the blue, former USAFA Dean of the Faculty Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Erv Rokke ’62 called thenCol. Linell Letendre ’96 with a request.

A group of dedicated graduates was working on something called “The Big Idea,” conceived by Dr. Paul Kaminski ’64 in 2016, designed to help focus instruction, research and training at the Academy on future warfare, and Gen. Rokke wanted her thoughts.

The permanent professor and head of the Department of Law agreed, dropping off her son at soccer practice and heading to a local coffee shop to contemplate and write.

“I was immediately taken with the idea,” she remembers of that day in 2019. “I had seen some of the pockets of effort where the Dean of the Faculty organization had been shifting and thinking about the future fight, but this struck me as a real opportunity.”

The soon-to-be dean was aware of the National Defense Strategy’s move away from its singular focus on the Global War on Terror and more toward deterring near-peer competitors such as Russia and China, which had succeeded in narrowing the military capability gap that once existed. She was anxious for the Academy to be proactive in addressing that strategy shift.

In short order, Gen. Letendre, who became dean in October 2019, shared a preliminary list of steps the Academy could take to better focus its collective attention on great power or strategic competition.

“We wanted a holistic approach that would pull together not just the different departments across the Academy, but the different research centers as well as across the Cadet Wing and the Athletic Department,” Gen. Letendre recalls.

As Academy senior leaders and key supportive alumni — Kaminski, Rokke, John Fox ’63 and Gen. (Ret.) Gregory

“Speedy” Martin ’70 among them — further discussed the topic, a framework for the effort began to crystalize.

“We started to iterate, and more people were brought into the conversation,” she says. “When you get a lot of great minds working on a single idea, it all starts to gel.”

In November 2019, shortly after Gen. Letendre took over as the new dean, the Academy officially launched the Institute for Future Conflict (IFC) and put the transformational effort into motion.

Generous donations by USAFA graduates provided the seed money to get the IFC off the ground. Today, the IFC is a fundraising priority of the Defining Our Future comprehensive campaign in support of the Air Force Academy, with nearly $7.2 million raised at press time.

“You can have a lot of great ideas, but unless you also have the resources behind them, it’s difficult to hold those ideas together,” Gen. Letendre explains.

“It is investment by our graduate community, corporations and others that take big ideas, put them into action and yield fruit. We needed that sprinkling of investment dollars to enable the IFC to take root.”

USAFA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Richard Clark ’86, whose key institutional priorities include preparing cadets for future conflict, reached out to former Falcon football teammate and soon-to-be-retiree Lt. Gen. Bradford “BJ” Shwedo ’87 to gauge his interest in helping stand up the institute.

“He said he needed a favor,” Gen. Shwedo remembers. “I did what a friend does when asked for a favor. I said yes.”

With Gen. Shwedo’s varied military background in cyber, space and intelligence, Gen. Clark felt he was the perfect fit for the role.

“I was so lucky to have had the background that I had,” Gen. Shwedo says.

“I’d mostly been involved in future warfare.”

EARLY SUCCESSES Over its relatively brief history, the Institute for Future Conflict has steadily evolved into a robust resource that rallies cadets, faculty and staff to better anticipate and prepare for the future fight. Everyone involved obviously takes seriously former Chief of Staff of the Air Force (now chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff) Gen. Charles Q. Brown’s imperative to “accelerate change or lose.”

A combination of government funding and private philanthropy allows the IFC to hire subject-matter experts and researchers conversant in current and emerging trends in warfighting.

“We could not afford the expertise we have at government rates,” Gen. Shwedo reports. “The support from the Air Force Academy Foundation absolutely helps us out along those lines.”

Gen. Letendre says the IFC team helps fill in the knowledge “gaps and seams” identified across the Academy’s faculty and staff.

Because the IFC is a recognized entity within the Department of Defense, the Academy can bring in Intermediate Developmental Education (IDE) fellows to beef up research and instructional capabilities even more.

“That enables us to bring in the best and brightest from the operational Air Force and the Space Force,” Gen. Letendre explains. “We keep them here for two years and then send them back out to the Air Force and Space Force.”

IFC personnel bring a wealth of knowledge and experience with them — everything from cyberwarfare, information warfare and artificial intelligence to hypersonics, autonomous swarms, nuclear deterrence and more.

Those backgrounds — in concert with expertise within the existing faculty — have opened up the future warfare aperture for USAFA cadets.

“We’ve got to make cadets aware that

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 41

The Institute for Future Conlict team includes among others (from left) Maj. Gen. (Ret.) David Scott ’78, Dr. Gregory Johnsen, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Bradford Shwedo ’87, Dr. Madison Walker, Dr. David Arceneaux, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) David Stilwell ’87, 2nd Lt. Calvin Swafford ’23 and 2nd Lt. Timothy Whetstone ’23.

warfare doesn’t just mean bombs, bullets and F-35s anymore,” says Brig. Gen. (Ret.) David Stilwell ’87, the IFC’s Fox Fellow for Future Pacing Threats. “It also means information, political, financial and economic warfare.”

The IFC team also aims to help cadets understand the fluid nature of future capabilities so they are ready to adjust and adapt when necessary.

“We always want to be exploring capabilities that are a little further out … beyond the headlights,” Gen. Stilwell says.

“So we can anticipate the changes that are coming.”

One example of the IFC’s early successes, Gen. Letendre notes, is the enhancement to the Academy’s data science instruction, bringing cadets up to

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speed on that critical warfighting tool.

A data science expert within the IFC is currently reviewing the curriculum of every USAFA department to infuse data across the entirety of the course of instruction.

“We can’t be that agile and nimble without IFC as a structure,” she says.

DETERRING COMPETITORS Researchers and fellows within the IFC first and foremost emphasize deterrence, according to Gen. Shwedo.

“Maybe we can win without shooting,” he explains. “What the Institute for Future Conflict wants to do is have cadets so well trained, organized and ready that the bad guys don’t want to go to war.”

But if conflict does occur, Gen. Shwe-

do adds, the IFC team is helping to ensure our nation’s military maintains its competitive advantage over potential adversaries.

“Quite honestly, I felt like we weren’t ready for great power competition,” he says. “When I looked at all the tools, training and capabilities that we have, we were not prepared.”

The institute is actually helping guide the entire military toward a more robust conversation about future warfare, he says. IFC team members frequently participate in conferences, panel discussions and military gatherings to share their perspectives on deterring competitors and winning the next conflict.

Using a certified sensitive compartmented information facility adjacent to

its offices in McDermott Library, the IFC joins three classified briefings a week with the Pentagon to discuss developing global threats and emerging technologies to benefit warfighters.

Thanks to an effort to secure top secret clearances for all cadets, the briefings frequently include future Air Force and Space Force officers.

“It’s an opportunity I didn’t have as a cadet,” Gen. Shwedo admits. “It’s very insightful for cadets because they rapidly find out that all of this is real … and this is where we’re going.”

PROMOTING PARTNERSHIPS The IFC certainly doesn’t operate on an island, Gen. Shwedo says. It takes cooperation across all Academy mission elements to successfully anticipate the everchanging warfighting environment.

Apart from the IFC’s working relationships with the academic, military and athletic departments, the institute partners with the Center for Character and Leadership Development, AFCyberWorx, the UAS Center, CyberCity, Cadet Space Operations and others to

ensure the greatest effect for cadets.

“It’s fun to watch across the enterprise all of the different organizations doing future warfare,” Gen. Shwedo says. “And I don’t care who gets the credit for it. We all understand that we’ve got to get these cadets prepped. We’re all marching in the same direction to make sure that cadets don’t have to fight World War III.” A critical tool in preparing cadets is USAFA’s new Multi-Domain Lab, which gives cadets a taste of the joint fight through a realistic, simulated scenario. The lab is equipped with interconnected simulators and command-and-control capabilities that effectively put cadets through the fog and friction of war.

“It’s a pretty amazing facility,” Gen. Shwedo reports. “It’s helping us transition from being very airpower-centric to helping future officers use all the tools in their toolbox. We’re making investments in space and cyber capabilities to make sure they understand how to utilize those tools, too.”

LEFT: C1C Connor Peterson walks USAFA Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Gavin Marks ’96 through an F-35 simulator exercise.

RIGHT: During CORONA Week at USAFA this fall, Secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall III met with cadet "Control Freaks" to talk about future conflict training and research.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 43

He laughs when comparing the current lab to his experience as a cadet, when he and his classmates conducted wargaming by rolling dice and moving a model airplane around a tabletop.

“I compare and contrast what Grog the Caveman had,” pointing to himself, “and what they have right now. It’s two different worlds.”

The IFC is beginning to reach out to sister service academies and ROTC programs to involve them in future conflict conversations and multi-domain simulations. By developing those relationships across the services early, future warfighters will be more likely to understand their military partners and take advantage of what they bring to the fight.

IN GOOD HANDS Throughout the fall reunion season at USAFA, Gen. Shwedo says he briefed hundreds of fellow graduates about the progress being made at the IFC. When they hear the updates, he says alums are almost universally impressed. Some even ask how they can help with the effort, so the IFC has amassed a list of willing volunteers and their respective expertise in case they can meet with cadets in the future and share their stories.

“Grads should be excited about what’s going on,” Gen. Shwedo says. “These are amazing cadets who are willing to devote their life to our country.”

Gen. Stilwell offers similar assurances to fellow alumni. He says the IFC team is fully committed to the ongoing effort.

“I don’t want this to sound trite or cliché, but we’re all patriots,” he says.

“Everyone is here because they want to be. Everybody’s here for one purpose only, and that’s to anticipate the changes in the character of war rather than wait to react after those changes occur.”

Gen. Shwedo says the focus on future conflict still has room for further growth, but he’s confident progress will continue with the help of donor support.

“Anybody who’s ever worked for me

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will tell you that I’m the most impatient man on the planet,” he admits. “I always want to go faster and get better.

But I’m encouraged … we’ll get there.”

Gen. Letendre says she’s looking forward to witnessing how the IFC evolves over the next five years or more.

“Nothing ever works as fast as you would like it to,” she says. “But sometimes if you go fast, it fizzles out. So, I think we’ve been operating at the right tempo … such that it’s here to stay.

“I hope that it continues to grow and impact cadets, faculty, coaches and AOCs so that they couldn’t imagine life at USAFA without the IFC.”

The Academy's Multi-Domain Lab provides cadets with hands-on simulations that mirror possible future conflict scenarios.

ROLL CALL

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A 2003 grad reacts to missing a putt during a reunion golf tournament.

About 6,000 alumni, family members and friends converged on USAFA during reunion season this fall. They enjoyed a variety of activities as they reconnected with classmates and learned about the current state of their Academy.

46 · usafa.org

ABOVE: Members of the Class of 2003 and some family members compete at an indoor Nerf battle arena at Dart Wars North during their reunion in Colorado Springs.

BELOW: Class of 1998 grads take a picture together on the Terrazzo while visiting the Air Force Academy during their 25th class reunion.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 47

REUNIONS TOP CENTER: A member of the Class of 1983 talks with cadets during lunch at Mitchell Hall.

TOP RIGHT: William "T" Thompson ’73 asks senior Academy officers a question during a leadership briefing.

BOTTOM RIGHT: Jennifer Gibson ’14 points out things on the Terrazzo while attending her husband's Class of 2013 reunion.

BOTTOM CENTER: Members of the Class of 1963 participate in a cup-turning memorial ceremony at the Air Force Academy during their 60th class reunion.

BELOW: Class of 1983 grads visit the assault course at Jacks Valley during their 40th class reunion.

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Checkpoints · December 2023 · 49

Members of the Class of 1988 and Class of 1993 arrive on the Terrazzo.

Members of the Class of 1993 greet one another on the Terrazzo.

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REUNIONS A member of the Class of 1968 talks with a cadet near the Graduate War Memorial on the Terrazzo.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 51

HANGAR

Passing the Baton AOG, Foundation prepare for leadership transition at the beginning of 2024

By Jeff Holmquist

L

“We bear a sense of responsibility to the Academy that shaped us. It’s too important for us not to give our very best every day.”

— Mark Hille ’97

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ooking northwest from his Doolittle Hall office window, Mark Hille ’97 enjoys a clear view of USAFA’s skyline. It serves as a constant visual reminder of the Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation’s enduring mission, along with his personal commitment to the institution that helped shape him over four challenging years.

“I wasn’t much of an impressive cadet in terms of military performance,” he recalls as he glances toward the Cadet Area.

“But for me, what happened in and out of the classroom was transformational.”

Those experiences, he says, laid a solid foundation for his future career in higher education advancement that eventually landed him back at his alma mater in a supporting role.

And now that Hille is poised to take over as chief executive officer of the AOG and Foundation on Jan. 1, he says he’s determined to do everything he can to support and strengthen the Academy and enhance cadet educational experiences.

“We bear a sense of responsibility to the Academy that shaped us,” he admits. “It’s too important for us not to give our very best every day.”

LEADERSHIP CHANGE Hille takes over as CEO as Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Gould ’76 transitions into a new role. Gen. Gould was the first to fill the joint CEO role in 2020 as the AOG and Foundation boards elevated efforts to

bring the two nonprofits closer together.

In his new role, Hille will report to both boards and oversee strategic direction and operations to achieve greater impact for graduates, the Academy and the heritage of the institution.

Hille says he’s honored to take over as CEO during a time of organizational transformation. Thanks to a recently completed graduate survey, the AOG and Foundation together are focusing efforts on becoming present and relevant in the lives of all USAFA alumni.

That means enhancing some existing membership benefits and launching new initiatives while shedding programs that haven’t been as effective.

“While we’ve come a long way, much important work remains to prove our relevance in the lives of all graduates, enhance the value of membership, broaden participation and expand support of our Academy — a mission that unites us,” he says.

The path forward won’t be easy, Hille admits, as communication and engagement preferences change with each new generation of graduates.

“At a time when alumni participation rates across the country are at record lows, and membership in organization’s like this one is substantially different than it was a generation ago, it’s a challenge,” he says. “Even patterns of contributing and volunteering are quite different.”

With the average age of an Academy grad now sitting at 46 years of

age, Hille, who turns 49 this summer, suggests that efforts to engage younger graduates must be a high priority when looking to the future of both the Association and Foundation.

He says nearly 40% of USAFA graduates still serve in uniform — active duty, Guard and Reserve — which presents its own challenges to remaining in contact as addresses frequently change and the pace of work and family limits the opportunity for active participation.

Nonetheless, Hille says the organizations will use their common vision to guide ongoing efforts.

The vision reads: “To be an Association and Foundation of influence and impact, supporting the Academy’s enduring mission of developing leaders of character for the nation and providing a lifetime of service to the Long Blue Line.”

To maximize such collective impact, Hille says many more graduates must join together to be engaged and involved.

“If we’re going to be an Association and Foundation of influence and impact, we can’t do it with just a third of us or a quarter of us,” he says. “We’ve got to have the whole community on board.”

A HOMECOMING An acquisitions officer upon graduation from the Academy, Hille returned to the Academy in 1999 as alumni programs liaison on active duty, working for Academy legend Nancy Burns and for the 14th Superintendent, Lt. Gen. Tad Oelstrom ’65. Both had a strong influence on his early development and interest in higher education.

His final active-duty assignment was as executive officer for the Academy’s Athletic Department, under then-Athletic Director Col. (Ret.) Randy Spetman ’76.

TOP LEFT: Mark Hille ’97 (right) and AOG Board Vice Chair Cathy Almand ’90 present the Young Alumni Excellence Award to Maj. Julian Gluck ’12.

TOP RIGHT: Hille speaks to a group at Doolittle Hall.

LEFT: Hille offers a few words at the dedication of the Outdoor Leadership Tower earlier this year.

ABOVE: Hille speaks during an event.

When it came time to transition from the military, Spetman encouraged Hille to pursue opportunities in college development and alumni engagement.

“I enjoyed being a part of an undergraduate institution,” he explains.

“Lives are changed in those four years, and it is rewarding to be part of it.”

Hille wasn’t cut out for the faculty route — “I wasn’t quite smart enough,” he says. So, a role in administration building off his assignments at the Academy seemed a logical option.

He spent two years at Valparaiso University in Indiana before returning to the Academy as regional director of development for the AOG, reporting to then-AOG President and CEO Col. (Ret.) Jim Shaw ’67 and campaign director Sean Pieri, who further devel-

oped his understanding of the field.

“So many people encouraged and supported my interest in this work in those early years,” Hille says.

In 2010, he became the first employee of the newly launched USAFA Endowment, now known as the Air Force Academy Foundation.

Then in 2013, he moved to Colorado College in Colorado Springs, where he helped lead its successful $465 million campaign, with additional responsibility for alumni relations and development functions across the institution.

RETURN ENGAGEMENT In 2020, when Gen. Gould was looking for the next generation of leadership to help plan and launch the public phase of the Defining Our Future comprehenCheckpoints · December 2023 · 53

Mark Hille ’97 meets with grads during a variety of events including the Long Blue Line Social and the Wecker Hall groundbreaking ceremony.

sive campaign in support of the Academy, he gave Hille a call. It was perfect timing, Hille says, because Colorado College was in the midst of a leadership change.

The mission of the Academy — developing leaders of character for the Air Force, Space Force and nation — was what drew him back, Hille says. The fact that young people continue to volunteer in service to the country was another reason to return and help however he could.

“It’s what attracts so many of us and inspires us to continue to stay involved and give time, effort and energy,” he says. “That’s why our donors contribute.

That’s why our Association members contribute and volunteer.”

Hille served as president and chief operating officer of the Foundation until 2021, when he was named president of both the AOG and Foundation.

Even though the organizations now operate under a shared vision, mission and strategy, each continues to exist as a separate nonprofit, governed by their respective boards, with some joint committees to ensure alignment.

In the days ahead, Hille says the AOG and Foundation’s team of dedicated employees will strive to build on the momentum from recent engagement and private philanthropy.

“We’ve seen the landscape begin to change as a result of classes and individuals,” he says. “And we’ve seen the way the Association connects people.

It’s significant.”

In the closing months of the $300 million comprehensive campaign, Hille says additional support for Academy priorities is needed.

“We should never absolve the federal 54 · usafa.org

government of its primary responsibility to appropriately and generously resource the Air Force Academy,” he says. “However, the needs of a modern university are immense. We care too much about this place to stop short of anything less than excellence in terms of facilities, programs and support for cadets and graduates.”

ADVISORY ROLE At the start of 2024, Gen. Gould, who served as USAFA’s 18th superintendent, shifts to a new advisory role, as executive vice chair, for both the AOG and Foundation boards.

As executive vice chair, Gen. Gould will occupy an ex officio voting position on both boards of directors. He will advise the boards; focus on high-level strategic efforts at the USAFA, U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force levels; and continue to champion the joint mission and vision.

“Serving as CEO of the Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation has been a great honor,” Gen. Gould says. “Looking back on all we’ve achieved together, I’m extremely proud of our progress.”

Gen. Gould says he’s now ready to relinquish the day-to-day operations and strategic direction of the organizations to his capable successor.

“I couldn’t be prouder of Mark Hille as our new CEO,” he says. “He brings what we need, now and into the future. This is the perfect time for this transition, because Mark and the rest of the leadership team are doing a phenomenal job, and I’m totally confident they will continue to move the organizations forward.”

When reflecting on his tenure as CEO, Gen. Gould pointed to the public

launch of the Defining Our Future comprehensive campaign, the expansion of membership for all in the AOG and the securing of financing for the TrueNorth Commons development at the Academy’s North Gate as key achievements.

He also counts the Madera Cyber Innovation Center, Falcon Stadium upgrades, the launch of the Institute for Future Conflict, the enhanced Martinson Honors Program, establishment of the Fred and Linda Milanovich Chair in Computer and Cyber Science, the long-awaited Air Garden restoration, the Planetarium restoration and upgrade, the Air Warrior Combat Memorial installation, the Doolittle campus master plan, the Jolly Green Giant display, and cadet travel and cultural immersion program expansion among the huge wins on behalf of the Academy over the years.

He says he’s also proud of the progress being made on closer partnerships with all of USAFA’s supporting nonprofits — ARDI, Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation, Friends of the Air Force Academy Library and Falcon Foundation.

“We’ve got a graduate community that really cares about USAFA,” Gen. Gould says. “And our whole team, whether as part of the AOG or Foundation, has been working toward the common goal of supporting our Academy.”

HANGAR

Online platform offers connectivity capability for the USAFA community

By Jeff Holmquist

W

hether it’s on LinkedIn, Facebook or Instagram, USAFA graduates like to connect.

But now there’s a new comprehensive online resource that offers graduates, cadets and Academy permanent party members the chance to easily and securely link up to expand their personal network, assist classmates and stay informed.

“The portal is remarkable,” says Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz ’99, senior vice president for Alumni Relations & Business Development.

“It’s your one-stop shop for connecting back to those tied to your alma mater.”

The Long Blue Line Portal launched earlier this year, replacing the AOG’s former ZoomieLink platform.

When ZoomieLink launched in 2019, it was patterned after LinkedIn functionality but specifically targeted to Academy graduates. It didn’t work.

“In retrospect, our model failed because there was already a highly successful LinkedIn platform,” Walkewicz says.

Following a 2021 research study and survey of the entire graduate

community, the AOG discovered that alumni were asking for different member benefits that included ways to better connect. Among some of the key findings was a desire for more job transition resources as well as expanded mentorship opportunities among graduates and cadets.

The AOG tweaked its existing ZoomieLink tool to meet all of those suggestions.

Over several months, the AOG worked with its technology vendor to create a much more robust connection center for the USAFA community and tested the concept among key constituents. Feedback on the new platform was promising.

Now that the new platform is live, more than 6,300 graduates have joined the Long Blue Line Portal so far. The goal is to have at least 10,000 graduates engaged within the platform by the end of 2024. There’s been a big influx of graduates signing up since promotional efforts increased in August, Walkewicz reports.

“We’re trying to get the word out a little bit more,” says Sarah Hannen,

AOG transition specialist and Long Blue Line Portal specialist. “Whenever I talk to grads, I put in a plug for this great new resource.”

ADDED FEATURES The new portal can only be fully appreciated by easily signing up and checking it out, Walkewicz suggests.

“There’s a feeling of positivity,” Walkewicz says. “We’re embarking on the start of something special.”

When logging in, platform participants have a multitude of ways to connect with fellow graduates, cadets and current USAFA faculty and staff.

Users can search by career categories, geographic regions, personal interests, company names, class year, cadet squadron number and such. Search results show the picture of a graduate with their biographical and contact information.

“It’s genuine communication and connection at your fingertips,” Walkewicz explains. “So, if I'm traveling to Boston, I can look to see what fellow grads are there and reach out to see if they want to get together for coffee.”

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 55

Or if a graduate is moving to a new city, Walkewicz adds, they can reach out to alumni living there for housing advice or for recommendations on a good restaurant.

Another new feature allows Academy faculty members to search Long Blue Line Portal users, determine an individual’s subject-matter expertise and connect to see if the graduate might be a guest speaker for a class or symposium.

Cadets who join the platform can see all graduates and reach out to ask advice, develop mentorship opportunities, or just seek insights about life in the Air Force and Space Force. Graduates are not able to directly contact cadets through the portal unless the student initiates the connection, Walkewicz assures.

Once a cadet graduates, however, their profiles will switch to full connectivity across the platform, she adds.

GROUP EFFORTS Portal participants also will encounter a long list of established groups that they can join — everything from classspecific and squadron-specific groups to affinity group choices.

As an example, one established group within the Long Blue Portal is for pilots. Nearly 150 alumni are already networked within that group.

Another group is targeted to entrepreneurs, with more than 100 graduates already connected.

“We’ve got a real estate networking group in the portal, where all of our grads who are in real estate connect,” Hannen reports. “That’s one of our more active groups.”

The AOG is currently reaching out to every class scribe, asking if they’d like to set up a group in the portal in order to easily gather classmate career and personal updates for inclusion in the Class News section of Checkpoints magazine.

“We think this could be an effective means for the scribes to communicate with classmates,” Walkewicz says. “Just

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imagine the real-time information that they could capture and classmates could share with one another.”

According to Walkewicz, groups can be either public or private. Private groups, such as the ones set up for several affinity groups, require approval for an individual to join.

Each established group within the platform requires an AOG administrator and a group administrator. Those individuals have the ability to send out mass notifications to the entire group, or subsets within the group, to get the word out about topics of interest.

“They’re able to instantly message other members of the group, eliminating the need for eblast requests,” Hannen describes. “It’s really a great tool.”

The portal also serves as a virtual billboard for upcoming events of interest to graduates and the entire Academy family.

As more and more graduates sign up within the portal, AOG chapters, affinity groups, class officers and special interest groups will use the connection functions to send out alerts about watch parties, tailgates, Founders Day gatherings, socials and more to portal members opting in with those groups.

The sky’s the limit for the groups that can be established, Hannen says.

Graduates wanting to form a new group are required to fill out a request form, and then Hannen sends along a training guide that walks them through how to set things up. She’ll even schedule a video call to help graduates through the process if necessary.

“It is a pretty simple platform to use, but we’re definitely here to support until they feel comfortable within the group,” she says.

REUNION UPDATES For next fall’s reunion season, Hannen says the AOG will set up groups within the portal for each of the returning classes.

That way all communication about the reunion schedule, hotel information and registration links can be readily available, for quick relay and accessibility.

Going forward, she adds, all future reunion classes will be encouraged to communicate through this exclusively USAFA platform.

“People will be able to quickly ask questions and get answers,” she says.

“All the information will be housed in one place.”

TRANSITION RESOURCES One of most exciting new additions within the portal is the valuable job board and corresponding resources, where industry partners and others seeking to employ Academy graduates post job opportunities throughout the country and around the globe.

“You can actually look at jobs at various companies and see profiles of other grads who currently work there,” Walkewicz explains. “Then you could go directly to that grad and ask questions, such as ‘Do you like working at this company,’ etc.”

In addition, USAFA graduates who own businesses can post job openings if they’re looking to hire fellow Academy graduates for certain positions.

“We get feedback that other colleges and universities network like this better than we do,” Walkewicz said. “Now we have the portal that makes stronger career connections possible — another step forward at meeting our grads’ needs.”

The portal also includes a directory of grad-owned businesses, so the USAFA family can support them when possible.

GROWTH POTENTIAL With so many new features available to connect, Walkewicz says she’s excited to see how the Long Blue Line Portal takes off in the coming months.

“The portal is really the hub for the entire USAFA community,” she says. “Our grads told us what they needed in order to connect, and we’ve created an avenue for them to be involved as much or as little as they want.

The message is that we heard you through the survey, and the Long Blue Line Portal is here.”

Hannen says the goal is to get as many graduates engaging within the portal as possible. And as more people join, the true value of the platform will shine through.

“We also plan to roll out a robust mentorship program so grads can give back to young alumni or cadets,” she adds.

“When we rolled out ZoomieLink, we were just scratching the surface,” Walkewicz adds. “But the surface wasn’t what grads asked for. Grads asked for a way to find other grads, to better support grads in transition and opportunities to help and give back. The Long Blue Line Portal is that place. It’s our community to engage and strengthen our incredible alumni network.”

Please offer feedback once you have experienced the portal. Send suggested edits to sarah.hannen@usafa.org.

WANT TO LEARN MORE? SCAN THE QR CODE TO CREATE YOUR PROFILE AND START BUILDING VALUABLE CONNECTIONS!

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 57

ROLL CALL

[ My Cool AF/SF Job ] MY RANK, NAME AND CLASS YEAR: Capt. Daniel Reynolds, U.S. Space Force; USAFA Class of 2017

HOW IS MY ROLE IMPACTING THE SPACE FORCE AND/ OR THE NATION? I work daily on the next generation of satellite MY COOL JOB: communications capaCHIEF, TACTICAL SATELLITE COMMUNICATIONS, bilities that will be impleTESTING BRANCH, 4TH TEST AND EVALUATION mented at a tactical level SQUADRON, SPACE TRAINING AND READINESS COMMAND to ensure that our joint force can accomplish any mission in any circumMY CURRENT ROLE: stance. Space is a rapidly Integrated test director and combat changing domain, and to resiliency operational evaluator win within it requires innovation, initiative and a warrior culture. In my WHAT MAKES MY JOB SO COOL? role, I get to serve with guardians as they exEvery day, I have the privilege of work- emplify these ideals to bring quantifiable efing with guardians, soldiers, sailors, airmen fects to the warfighter. and Marines as we strive to become a more lethal, cohesive and superior joint force. By WHAT ELSE HAVE I BEEN UP TO? interacting closely with our nation’s premier I recently had the honor of graduating warriors, I gain valuable insights into how from the U.S. Army’s Ranger and Sapper the space test community can continue to Leader Courses, our nation’s premier comdevelop combat-credible systems that will bat leadership schools. Becoming ranger and fulfill the needs of the end user: the service sapper leader-qualified has, and will forever member at the tip of the spear who is imple- be, a joint force multiplier for any guardian menting our space systems to ensure a safe, who chooses to rise to the challenge. Learnreliable and capable domain for our nation ing how to lead joint force teams in combat and our allies. while simultaneously developing the grit, resilience and innovative leadership style required to win across an exponentially com58 · usafa.org

plicating global battlespace are the outcomes of both Ranger and Sapper schools.

OTHER COOL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS Through USAFA, I was able to attend MIT for my first assignment as a second lieutenant and earn my master’s in aerospace engineering. The Department of the Air Force has also allowed me to take part in the Language Enabled Airmen Program.

In LEAP, I have the unique opportunity to develop, maintain and exercise the German language in support of our global mission.

Capt. Daniel Reynolds proudly displays his Ranger and Sapper patches.

“Space is a rapidly changing domain, and to win within it requires innovation, initiative and a warrior culture. In my role, I get to serve with guardians as they exemplify these ideals to bring quantifiable effects to the warfighter.”

— Capt. Daniel Reynolds ’17 Checkpoints · June 2023 · 59

ROLL CALL

LAUNCH LADY Chinnery ’88 serves up career of impact within emerging commercial space industry

By Jeff Holmquist

"Space Made Simple" is the rallying cry at Loft Orbital, Anne Chinnery's latest foray into space startups.

60 · usafa.org

F

or as long as she can remember, Anne Chinnery ’88 wanted to be an astronaut.

But while the opportunity to experience space has yet to materialize during her 35-year career, she hasn’t given up hope.

“If somebody offered me a chance to go right now, I certainly would in a heartbeat,” she chuckles. “But actually, I’m very happy with the career I’ve had.

And I’m also very comfortable with the impact I’ve had in space without having gone to space.”

Since leaving the military in 1999, Chinnery has served in a variety of roles with startup commercial space companies that have challenged her and maintained her skyward focus.

Her most recent adventure was as vice president of flight systems with Loft Orbital.

“There’s always a lot to do in startup environments,” she says. “And it’s always a lot of fun.”

The company is best described as “space as a service,” offering clients the opportunity to gather data and conduct research without the expense of building and launching satellites on their own.

Loft Orbital builds, tests and deploys satellites that deliver sensors and other tools into low-Earth orbit to provide access to observational and data collection capabilities for customers like NASA and Ball Aerospace. The company delivers a ride to space more affordably and quickly — typically in months rather than years.

The company uses other commercial space companies — most notably SpaceX — to handle the actual launches.

LOFTY GOALS In her teens, Chinnery joined the local Civil Air Patrol and soon found out about the United States Air Force Academy. Even though none of her immediate family had been in the military, she thought serving her country would be a “big adventure.”

She also recognized that attending a

service academy improved her chances of becoming an astronaut, so she applied to USAFA and received an appointment.

“I had to kind of convince my parents, because they were a little reluctant,” she recalls. “They didn’t really understand that a service academy is an actual college. They were pretty supportive once they came around.”

Chinnery recalls her Academy experience as challenging but amazing.

“I wouldn’t trade it for anything,” she says.

She was part of the Honor Guard during her four years, and that extra-curricular activity taught her much about leadership and being part of a team.

“I found, in the Academy environment, it’s really helpful to have something to take you away from schoolwork a little bit,” she says. “The Honor Guard provided that perfect balance for me.”

By the time she graduated, Chinnery says her time as a cadet gave her the confidence she needed to thrive in her career.

“It taught me what being a leader was all about,” she adds. “Not that I was necessarily good at being a leader at the time, but that early foundation came back to me later.”

OFF WE GO An astronautical engineering major, Chinnery says she was well prepared for her future Air Force career.

“I loved astronautical engineering because it was right up my alley in terms of space,” she says. “And it was an amazing program.”

Her initial active-duty assignment was in space acquisitions — working with contractors that built, launched and operated space systems for the U.S. military.

Next, Chinnery worked in intelligence at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio. Her final assignment took her to Vandenberg Air Force Base in California, where she was involved in space launch.

“That specifically prepared me for the second half of my career … as a civilian,” she says.

After 11 years in uniform, Chinnery decided it was time to transition out.

“I liked the U.S. Air Force a lot,” she says, "but the roles that I ended up with in the U.S. Air Force were not super exciting from a military perspective. That was a little bit of a letdown for me.”

STARTUP MENTALITY Fresh from active duty, Chinnery was excited to take her innovative mindset to a series of startup companies in the private sector.

In 2003, she joined SpaceX (Space Exploration Technologies) as employee No. 26.

“I stayed with them for the next 11 years,” she says. “That was really an amazing part of my career. I look back on that now with a lot of pride.”

Chinnery held a host of positions with the company through the years, including jobs in safety and launch operations. She ultimately became director of launch and director of launch engineering.

“As with most startups, I ended up in a bunch of different roles,” she says.

Among the highlights during her tenure were the first launches of the Falcon 1 and Falcon 9 rockets. She also worked closely with SpaceX’s Grasshopper program, testing the company’s innovative landing systems.

“I was lucky enough to be born at a great time,” she admits. “In the early 1990s, I was a little sad because the Apollo era — when they rapidly turned around new designs and ideas — was gone. But when I fell in with SpaceX, all of a sudden those days were back.

There was rapid prototyping and rapid testing, and we got to launch so fast. We had some failures along the way, but ultimately it was successful.”

Those early SpaceX efforts helped break open the commercial space industry for many others, she says.

“There was a feeling back in the ’90s that it really took big corporations or countries to do anything meaningCheckpoints · December 2023 · 61

“It [her time as a cadet] taught me what being a leader was all about … Not that I was necessarily good at being a leader at the time, but that early foundation came back to me later.”

— Anne Chinnery ’88

ful in space,” she says. “Now we know that’s not true. We’ve seen an explosion of space entrepreneurship and small companies doing all kinds of different things. It’s really exciting to see the industry flowering in this way.”

By the time she left SpaceX, the company had grown to 3,000 employees.

Being part of a startup that grew rapidly set her up for follow-on jobs in space, Chinnery says.

NEXT CHAPTER After her time at SpaceX, Chinnery took a couple years off to recharge. She moved to Texas to be near her sister and eventually started searching for her next career opportunity.

“Because I was in early enough with SpaceX, I’m pretty financially secure,” she says. “Now I pick jobs that I think are going to be fun and interesting, as opposed to being more concerned about career growth or financial aspects. That’s a fun time of life to be in.”

She joined Firefly Aerospace in 2015 as director of launch and test, then later became software manager, director of avionics and finally vice president of launch and test operations for the startup.

“Being vice president of launch and test was probably the most fun job I’ve had so far,” she says. “Taking full rockets out to the launch site, assembling 62 · usafa.org

them and getting them off the ground was amazing. Especially Firefly’s first launch ever.”

Chinnery admits the space launch business can be both exciting and nervewracking at the same time.

“One thing about launch and launch vehicles is there’s tons of drama,” she says. “There’s lots of stress and uncertainty on those first flights, but the payoff when you finally succeed is just amazing. I love that.”

A NEW ADVENTURE Back in Colorado, Chinnery says she’s appreciated her most recent startup experience with Loft Orbital, especially making space more accessible for smaller companies.

As for the future, Chinnery says she hopes to remain in the space business

for the foreseeable future, adding that she still has much to contribute to the burgeoning industry.

“I thought about applying to become an astronaut at one point in my 30s, but I knew that my chances were pretty slim. A lot of people want to be astronauts, so there’s plenty of competition,” she says. “But I feel like I’ve made my own impact in space in my own way.

Not that I’ve done any of this on my own. I’ve worked with some amazing people along the way.”

Overall, Chinnery says her career has been a wild ride.

“I had big dreams when I was young,” she says, “but I don’t think I could have anticipated then some of the amazing things that I’ve had a chance to experience.”

ROLL CALL

Duty, Honor, Country As a counterdrug officer, Fisher ’76 helps curb trafficking at the border

By David Bitton • Photos by Ryan Hall

The steel border wall between Mexico and the United States cuts across the landscape. (Photo by Alan Fisher)

O

n an October afternoon, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Alan Fisher ’76 guides his single-engine Cessna 182 south from the small Las Cruces Airport.

Below, creosote bushes, mesquite trees and an abundance of red soil dominate the desert landscape. Fisher points out the Aden Lava Flow Wilderness — one of the few landmarks in the barren landscape — while quickly passing by.

After about 15 minutes, the Civil Air Patrol (CAP) aircraft steers east to follow along the U.S. and Mexico border.

The 18- to 30-foot, steel border wall stands as a visible dividing line between the two countries.

At this point, Col. Fisher would typically settle in for one of Las Cruces Squadron’s twice-weekly, roughly fourhour drug interdiction flights where he, 64 · usafa.org

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Alan Fisher ’76 in his pecan orchard.

“We try to be involved in the community as much as possible, allowing cadets the chance to provide community service while building their civil responsibilities.”

— Lt. Col. (Ret.) Alan Fisher ’76

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Alan Fisher ’76 prepares to fly a Cessna 182 out of the Las Cruces Airport.

a mission observer and a scanner would look out of the aircraft for unusual activity below. But on this day, Col. Fisher is flying with Checkpoints magazine team members while describing his role.

“We patrol and pass that information to law enforcers on the ground through the onboard communications,” Col. Fisher explains. “We assist authorities to eliminate illicit drug use, production and sale to keep it off the streets. CAP does not get involved in law enforcement activities."

For the past 15 years, Col. Fisher has been participating in the counterdrug program along the U.S.-Mexico border between Arizona and Texas.

Col. Fisher, who served as the Las Cruces CAP Squadron commander for more than a decade during the 1990s and 2000s, has served as the New Mexico CAP Wing counterdrug officer for the past seven years.

“I’ve helped stop several hundreds of pounds of drugs along the border, but stopping human trafficking has been our biggest activity lately,” he says.

Col. Fisher explains that the Civil Air Patrol, the Air Force’s civilian auxiliary, assists with a variety of aviation mis-

sions from search and rescue to the efforts on the southern border.

“The Air Force auxiliary works with other resources of the military to back up law enforcement agencies," he says.

According to a 2021 Drug Enforcement Agency report, most drugs including heroin, methamphetamine and fentanyl enter the United States illicitly across the Mexican border.

Col. Fisher schedules the semiweekly flights and occasionally flies the missions, looking for illegal crossings into the United States from Mexico.

“My main reason for being involved is to help enforce the law and to protect the southern border,” he says. “We’re all doing this out of a sense of duty for our country.”

For the past 30 years, Col. Fisher has also volunteered with the Civil Air Patrol cadet program. He helps provide cadets with opportunities to lead and learn while sharing his love of aviation to inspire the next generation of leaders.

“Civil Air Patrol is a great avenue to expose young people to the aerospace environment,” Col. Fisher says. “We show them the military and civilian opportunities that exist.”

Nearly one in 10 cadets entering the Air Force Academy got their start in the Civil Air Patrol.

Col. Fisher enjoys taking CAP cadets airborne above the cactus-covered Southern New Mexico desert, where students learn the basics of controls, instrumentation and maneuvers over multiple flights in a Cessna 182 or 206.

Once cadets start feeling comfortable behind the controls, the 69-year-old with bright green eyes and a wiry mustache throws them a curveball.

“One of my classic lines is, ‘Oh, my heart feels bad. I might not make it. You have the controls.’ That’s a great learning opportunity,” he says with a wry smile. “If it could mean your life, you better listen and learn. That’s one of the best motivators I can think of.”

Col. Fisher and several other senior adult squadron members attended a weekly squadron meeting in late October where cadets, aged 12 and up, spoke about what they learned at a conference in Santa Fe and how they assisted during the Las Cruces Air & Space Expo at their local airport.

“We try to be involved in the community as much as possible, allowing Checkpoints · December 2023 · 65

cadets the chance to provide community service while building their civil responsibilities,” Col. Fisher says.

With Spaceport America about an hour’s drive north, the Las Cruces squadron also supports an annual intercollegiate competition where rockets — some 12 feet tall — are launched up to 30,000 feet in the closely controlled White Sands Missile Range airspace.

AIR FORCE CAREER Col. Fisher studied bioenvironmental engineering at the Academy and attended flight training at Laughlin Air Force Base, Texas, where he met his future wife, Melissa, a nurse and fellow second lieutenant.

He learned to fly the T-37 and T-38 and stayed at Laughlin as an instructor. During that time, he was part of a program that trained military personnel from Saudi Arabia, Nigeria, Kenya and Iran to pilot export versions of American planes.

“It was incredible to fly with different students from all over the world,” Col. Fisher says.

Next up, he flew KC-135 tankers and traveled the globe out of Castle Air Force Base, California.

From there, he earned a master’s degree in zoology at Texas A&M, before returning to the Academy to teach in the biology department while also flying the Cessna T-41.

In the early 1990s, Col. Fisher was a KC-135 flight commander at K.I. Sawyer Air Force Base in Michigan. He deployed for Operation Desert Storm and flew 60 combat support missions over Saudi Arabia during seven months of conflict with Iraq.

His final assignment came in 1993 when he commanded the Air Force ROTC program at New Mexico State University while teaching aerospace studies courses. He was also asked to start a Civil Air Patrol squadron at the university, which led to decades of service after Col. Fisher retired from the Air Force in 1996.

Wanting to establish roots for his fam-

66 · usafa.org

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Alan Fisher ’76 has volunteered with the Civil Air Patrol for 30 years, which includes attending weekly meetings with cadets from the Las Cruces Squadron in southern New Mexico.

ily, which by now included two young children, the Fishers bought a home on a four-acre pecan farm in Las Cruces.

PECAN FARM Col. Fisher's parents grew up in farming country in Iowa and he was taught not to be afraid of a hard day’s work. He and his wife raised their son and daughter the same way.

He’s now passing that knowledge and work ethic to his grandchildren. His 6-year-old grandson loves riding a tractor through the rows of trees.

“The pecan farm lets kids be kids, but it also helps them learn about equipment, economics and biology,” Col. Fisher says. “I have a small farm and thankfully I’m not living off it, but it did help send the kids to college.”

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Alan Fisher ’76 has served as the New Mexico Civil Air Patrol Wing counterdrug officer for seven years.

The four acres have 160 mature trees and Col. Fisher is hoping they produce roughly five tons of pecans during the December harvest.

Col. Fisher explains that he plans to harvest roughly the first 2,000 pounds of pecans and sell them in the community market. Then he’ll have a larger company come in with their big shakers, sweepers, harvesters and trailers to collect the bulk of the pecans and haul them to a cleaning plant.

From there, the pecans are shelled and weighed, a certain percentage of nut meat is established, and the commodity market determines the price.

According to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, New Mexico is the coun-

try’s second-largest pecan producer, behind Georgia. In 2022, New Mexico produced 79 million pounds (in-shell basis) of pecans, or 28.7% of the 275 million pounds nationwide.

Southern New Mexico — including the Las Cruces region — is a good place for pecan trees to grow due to the sunshine, climate and soil.

“Las Cruces has more than 200 nights that are frost-free, which is needed to allow the nuts to reach maturity,” Col. Fisher says. “The 320-plus days of sunshine a year doesn’t hurt either.”

Col. Fisher enjoys sharing the farming lifestyle with others.

“I love farming and I got the opportunity because I went to and taught

biology at the Academy,” he says. “I’m happy to be able to use my Academy background to support future generations.”

During harvest, Col. Fisher hires young people — including Civil Air Patrol cadets — willing to work hard.

“While they are raking and picking up nuts, I tell them this is why they need to get an education,” he says. “I come back to farming by choice because it is a nice lifestyle.”

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 67

ROLL CALL

Two Retired Generals Earn AOG Honorary Membership Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Erlind Royer & Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Jim Head

By Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steven A. Simon ’77

T

he Association of Graduates awards honorary membership to those whose service to the Academy goes well above and beyond the call to duty. Two individuals, Brig.

Gen. (Ret.) Erlind G. “Lindy” Royer and Brig. Gen. (Ret.) James H. Head, exceeded that lofty requirement and were honored with membership during a Doolittle Hall ceremony on Nov. 15.

Fittingly, the two leaders were inducted at the same time, as their careers and achievements have overlapped a great deal. Both occupied senior positions on the Academy faculty and later in leadership roles for the nonprofit Friends of the Air Force Academy Library. They also coauthored a book together.

Both demonstrated excellence early on, earning Distinguished Graduate status from their ROTC units — Gen. Royer from Montana State University in 1961 and Gen. Head from the University of Kansas in 1964. Both went on to get their doctorate and report to the Academy faculty in the late 1960s.

Gen. Royer received a Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Illinois. In 1969, he came to the Academy, where he taught and served

as director of the Radio Frequency Systems Laboratory in the Department of Electrical Engineering.

Gen. Head earned his Ph.D. in physics from the University of Kansas in 1968. His first assignment was as a physics instructor at the Academy, where he later became director of the Nuclear Radiation Laboratory and director of the Advanced Physics Division.

The two officers left the Academy in

the 1970s for career-broadening assignments, gaining valuable skills and experiences that later benefited the Academy upon their returns.

Gen. Royer was away from 1973 until 1983. He served at Electronic Systems Division at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts, and at Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium. While at SHAPE, he wrote and obtained approval of the first NATO

Brig. Gen. (Ret.) James Head (left) and Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Erlind Royer celebrate their joint induction as honorary members of the AOG. (Photos by Ryan Hall) 68 · usafa.org

policy for electromagnetic pulse protection of war headquarters, as well as the first NATO command and control plan.

He also furthered his education, attending the Armed Forces Staff College and National War College.

Gen. Head departed the Academy in 1974 for 13 years, starting with a oneyear tour on the Air Staff as a special projects officer responsible for analyzing and reporting on politico-military affairs in Western Europe. He then went to London on exchange with the British Defence Intelligence staff, where he analyzed Soviet and Chinese fighter aircraft performance. Following Air Command and Staff College, he was assigned to the Air Force Foreign Technology Division at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, as a directed energy weapons analyst and later as chief, Future Systems Division, responsible for specialized, long-range intelligence forecasts in support of weapon systems acquisition. Finally, he served at the Air Force Weapons Laboratory at Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico, where he planned and directed Strategic Defense Initiative (“Star Wars”) research on neutral particle beam weapon technologies.

Gen. Royer returned to USAFA in 1983 and became permanent professor and head, Department of Electrical Engineering. In 1984, he added another responsibility to his duties — director of the Microcomputers in the Dormitories Project. When completed in 1986 for one-third of its estimated cost, it was the world’s first academic local area network with every student, faculty member and staff member connected to all academic computing facilities. He became dean of the faculty in 1987.

In 1987, Gen. Head returned to the Academy with an appointment as permanent professor and head, Department of Physics. While there, he led the effort to establish nationally recognized research efforts in lasers and optics, space physics, and physics education. He also negotiated an agreement with Air Weather Service to provide manpower and laboratory equipment to stand up the Academy’s meteorology minor (now a major). In addition to his command of the Depart-

LEFT: Brig. Gen. (Ret.) James Head (left) accepts his honorary member designation from Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steve Simon ’77.

BELOW: Brig.

Gen. (Ret.) James Head speaks to the Doolittle Hall crowd during the Nov. 15 ceremony.

ment of Physics, he served two terms as vice dean of the faculty, first from 1994 until 1996 and then from 2004 to 2006.

In 1992-93, Gen. Head spearheaded the development of the Academy’s civilian faculty program in response to a congressional directive. He coordinated and interacted with senior Air Force officials, as well as counterparts at other service academies, facilitating the smooth and successful transition of the Academy’s faculty from virtually all military to one with a significant civilian presence.

He also served as the officer representative for the Academy men’s basketball team for six years and, with his spouse, Donna, researched and co-wrote Hiking

the Air Force Academy, a guide to trails and wilderness areas throughout the Academy.

After retirement, both officers continued to serve the Academy.

Gen. Royer worked in the private sector following his 1991 retirement, and then returned to the Academy in 1998 as a distinguished visiting professor in electrical engineering, a position he held for five years. He then served as a volunteer mentor to cadet design project teams before occupying the Phillip J. Erdle Chair for Engineering Science, where he helped establish the computer engineering and systems engineering majors, in addition to teaching. After that, he helped establish the Academy Center for Unmanned Checkpoints · December 2023 · 69

RIGHT: Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Erlind Royer speaks to the assembled crowd.

BELOW: The honorary member awards await their presentation to the honorees.

BELOW: AOG Board Treasurer Glenn Strebe ’87 (left) and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steve Simon ’77 (right) present Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Erlind Royer with his honorary membership.

Aerial Systems Research (ACUASR), and then worked to integrate the remotely piloted aircraft program with the ACUASR. After his retirement in 2006, Gen. Head continued his support of Academy basketball, this time as president of the booster club Friends of Air Force Basketball, a position he held for 10 years.

Under his guidance, the club provided tens of thousands of dollars to benefit the men’s and women’s teams and their cadet-athletes.

More recently, however, Gens. Royer and Head’s connections and contributions to the Academy have been even closer. Both have been active in the Friends of the Air Force Academy Library for years and both currently serve 70 · usafa.org

in leadership positions. Gen. Royer is the president of the organization, and Gen. Head is its secretary.

Finally, they joined forces to research and write A History of the Permanent Professors of the United States Air Force Academy. The book describes the establishment of the Academy and its academic program and traces its evolution over the decades. It profiles the Academy’s first 100 permanent professors, from Robert F. McDermott to David J. Caswell. The authoritative work was published in 2018, with the AOG hosting the book launch and a celebration event in Doolittle Hall.

The AOG bylaws govern the honorary member program: “Honorary mem-

bership may be awarded to non-graduates who have rendered outstanding and conspicuous service to the Air Force, the Academy and/or the AOG. Honorary members must be recommended by a member of the board and receive at least 80% acceptance by all members present at a quorum of the board.

Honorary membership is limited to 25 living persons.” Both retired officers received unanimous support.

At the induction ceremony, Gen. Head reflected that, “This recognition was totally unexpected and beyond my imagination. It was not even a dream... just not ever a consideration in my mind. I am thankful to the AOG and for all who helped me along the way ... mentors, colleagues, and especially family. I am truly humbled by this honor.”

Gen. Royer offered similar thanks and thoughts, and his remarks included a humorous riff on the early difficulties he had with the personnel system, which could have derailed his career.

Fortunately, he persevered.

Gens. Royer and Head are among the fewer than 50 people to receive honorary membership in the AOG. The first honorary membership was awarded on Oct. 3, 1981, to Mrs. Gail McComas, the Academy’s first Cadet Wing hostess, who served from 1955 until 1977.

Other selectees include former Arizona U.S. Sen. Barry Goldwater, World War II aviation hero (and AOG headquarters building namesake) Gen. Jimmy Doolittle, and former Dean of the Faculty Brig. Gen. Robert McDermott.

ROLL CALL

AOG Honors Longtime USAFA Golf Coach Lt. Col. (Ret.) Gene Miranda

L

t. Col. (Ret.) Gene Miranda was inducted as an honorary member of the Air Force Academy’s Association of Graduates (AOG) during a ceremony Aug. 21. In accepting the honor, Miranda said he felt privileged to coach so many cadets of high moral character through the years, and he is grateful to join them as a member of the alumni association.

“You did an awful lot in four years,” he told USAFA graduates and former golfers in the audience, “and when you graduated, you joined the Association of Graduates. It took me 55 years to join, but it was worth the wait.”

In front of a crowd of family, friends, colleagues and former players, Miranda recounted numerous stories from his long USAFA career.

He recalled the pride he felt in one golfer who penalized himself by two strokes when he reportedly saw a few grains of sand move in the trap during his backswing. Players are not allowed to ground their club inside a sand trap.

“Ordinarily, walking off the green when your top player starts the tournament with a triple-bogey seven, I wouldn’t be a happy camper,” he admitted, “but in this case, I felt so good. My player had the integrity that if there was any doubt, he was going to penalize himself.”

Miranda shared a few funny stories, including the prank the team

would play on him at every airport — summoning him to pick up the white paging phone in each terminal.

“That was the duty of the freshmen on the team,” he reported, “and they would do it in Spanish. I don’t even speak Spanish. All those little things like that they did to tease me … it was fun.”

Miranda laughed while recalling a story about one player who accidentally left his putter in his hotel room. The coach drove back to retrieve the forgotten club in time for the tournament.

Miranda found the putter under the covers of the player’s bed, with the head of the putter resting on its own pillow.

“I take it back and hand him the putter,” Miranda recollects, “and I told him ‘you gotta get yourself a girlfriend.’”

Miranda thanked the AOG board of directors for the honorary membership and thanked his former players for his many fond memories.

“There aren’t enough words to describe how I feel about this award,” he said.

“I’m honored.”

AOG board member Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Hans Mueh ’66 (left) and Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation CEO Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Gould ’76 (right) present Lt. Col. (Ret.) Gene Miranda with his honorary membership.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 71

In 1963, Miranda entered the Air Force and served 20 years on active duty, retiring in 1983 as a lieutenant colonel.

He served three different stints as USAFA golf coach — 14 years on active duty and 14 years as a civilian.

He compiled a phenomenal dual meet record of 185-5, with his players qualifying for the NCAA finals 14 times.

Miranda coached 10 All-American golfers, and his teams won more than 50 college tournaments.

His primary job was as a tenured associate professor of physical education at USAFA, teaching combatives such as wrestling, boxing, judo and unarmed combat.

During his career, he is credited with starting golf camps at USAFA in 1980.

The camps continue today, with 150 children participating each summer.

Miranda was inducted into the Golf Coaches Association of America Hall of Fame in 1997 and the Colorado Golf Hall of Fame in 2010. In 2015, USAFA honored Miranda by inducting him into the Air Force Athletics Hall of Fame.

In 2003, then-USAFA Director of Athletics Col. Randy Spetman ’76 renamed the Falcon Invitational, the Academy’s annual golf tournament, the Gene Miranda Falcon Invitational in his honor.

“Obviously, Coach Miranda goes well above and beyond meeting the requirements of outstanding and conspicuous service to the Academy,” said Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Gould ’76, CEO of the Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation at the induction. “He personifies what we stand for and who we are as the Long Blue Line. Gene, thank you for all you have done and continue to do for our Academy.”

Gen. Gould noted that Miranda’s connections within the golf industry on the West Coast allowed Falcon players to experience some of the finest courses during spring break trips. Those opportunities to play the challenging courses led to success in various tournaments.

“You’ve been like a father to so many of us,” Gen. Gould shared. “Your im72 · usafa.org

LEFT: New honorary AOG member Lt. Col. (Ret.) Gene Miranda shares a few stories during the Aug. 21 event.

BELOW: Surrounded by family, friends and former colleagues, Gene Miranda listens to various presenters.

(Photos by Ryan Hall)

pact goes well beyond some of the statistics and all the halls of fame.”

Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Hans Mueh ’66, former USAFA athletic director and longtime friend of Miranda, shared a few stories from his decades of knowing the golf coach.

In particular, Gen. Mueh said Miranda was well known for the high standards he set for his golfers — expecting all to follow golf rules and golf etiquette, plus paying attention to personal appearance, behavior and sportsmanship.

“His long, positive impact on future leaders in our Air Force is obvious,” Gen. Mueh said. “Gene was my golf coach, too. I took off 10 strokes in the time that I knew Gene. He was an amazing teacher, but more than that he was a mentor, an amazingly patient listener,

a brilliant philosopher, and the perfect inspiration for these young and impressionable future officers. I’m so deeply honored to be part of this very special recognition for you. It’s long overdue.”

Honorary membership is among the highest honors that the Association of Graduates awards and is reserved for individuals who have rendered outstanding service to the Air Force Academy and the Air Force.

In the entire 58-year history of the AOG, fewer than 50 individuals have been designated an honorary member.

Just 25 living individuals can be designated as honorary members at any given time. Among previous honorees are Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Mal Wakin, Gail McComas, Sen. Barry Goldwater and football coach Fisher DeBerry.

THE SABRE SOCIET Y Introducing a refreshed and improved Sabre Society that will enhance your experience and impact while deepening your connection to the Academy

These new tiers provide an exciting opportunity to join the Sabre Society, renew your commitment or increase your investment.

Your Sabre Society-level gift to the Air Force Academy Fund plays an important role in defining our future.

G IVE NOW AT

w w w.afacademyfoundation.org/AFAFGive

T E R R A ZZO

Academy Front Door Taking Shape New development to create enhanced visitor experience

By Steven Lincoln

Construction of Hotel Polaris and the Hosmer Visitor Center at North Gate. (USAFA photo by Trevor Cokley)

T

he story behind the TrueNorth Commons development, currently under construction just outside the U.S. Air Force Academy North Gate, is equal parts inspiration, aspiration and reciprocation.

More than a decade ago, Dan Schnepf ’83, founder and president of Matrix Design Group in Colorado Springs, found inspiration when he met with then-Superintendent Lt. Gen. Mike Gould ’76 to discuss options for moving the Barry Goldwater Visitor Center outside the Academy gates. The number of visitors to the Air Force Academy had declined after the 9/11 terrorist attacks and the resulting increased security at the Academy’s two entry points.

In his post-Air Force career, Schnepf had been involved with the Department of Defense during the arduous base realignment and closure process. He helped communities and DoD officials figure out how to use public and private resources to “make something good economically out of bases that had closed,” he said. That experience and his years in real estate development gave him what 74 · usafa.org

he needed to think through a vision for a new visitor experience for the Academy in a post-9/11 world.

The meeting between Schnepf and Gen. Gould spurred ideas to help pay for the visitor center move, including with Regional Tourism Act tax revenue, which is part of the aspirational City for Champions initiative to “add dimension, energy and economic vitality” to the Pikes Peak Region. By adding a hotel as well as retail and office space to the development plan, Schnepf believed the resulting taxes and profits could be used to pay for the rest of the project, now known as TrueNorth Commons.

As part of the overall vision, Schnepf wanted the hotel to be operated as a nonprofit entity, with the “profit” — after payoff of the bonds — benefiting the Air Force Academy through the Air Force Academy Foundation.

“This is one way I could give back to my Academy,” he said. “It shows my gratitude for the institution, and I am blessed to be able to do this for our Academy.” In other words, reciprocation.

The TrueNorth Commons projects

were financed through public-private partnerships among the Air Force, Schnepf ’s Blue & Silver Development Partners, the Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation, the city of Colorado Springs, and the national nonprofit organization Provident Resources Group.

UNDER CONSTRUCTION Hotel Polaris, operated by CoralTree Hospitality, and the new Hosmer Visitor Center will flank North Gate Boulevard between Interstate 25 and the North Gate security checkpoint. Each will have its own parking area, and a pedestrian bridge over North Gate Boulevard will link these two anchors of TrueNorth Commons.

“This is a transformational project for the Academy,” said Mark Hille ’97, president of the Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation. “By moving the center outside the North Gate, it will make a huge difference in our visitor count, and the hotel will generate as much as $10 million a year, in 2018 dollars, for the Founda-

tion and AOG once the bonds are paid off. Dan’s vision and planning is a true game-changer for philanthropy at the Academy.”

The hotel will open in late 2024. With 375 rooms as well as ballrooms and meeting space for conferences, Hotel Polaris will be the second-largest hotel in Colorado Springs behind the Broadmoor. The management has already started booking the hotel conference space.

Hotel guests will have plenty of amenities: a full-service restaurant on the main floor, a 1950s-themed diner, a full-service restaurant and bar on the ninth floor, a poolside café, a full-service spa, and a fitness center. The west side of the hotel also will feature a large sun deck, an outdoor pool, firepits, an outdoor game area and a rooftop lawn area with expansive views.

Two flight simulators, unique to Hotel Polaris, will also delight guests.

Schnepf said the hotel will be an inviting destination for graduates who are attending a class reunion, celebrating career or life milestones, or participating in a hosted meeting. Many of the design touches throughout the hotel pay homage to cadet and Academy experiences.

As guests move throughout the hotel, those design touches give way to the breathtaking west-facing views of the Rampart Range, from Cheyenne Mountain to Pikes Peak to the city of Monument. The Cadet Area of the Academy is a focal point directly west of the hotel as well.

The Hosmer Visitor Center, with its unique design evoking four wings in flight, will entice hotel guests, graduates, cadet families and other visitors who see the structure just west of Exit 156.

Its exhibits will incorporate state-

of-the-art technology and experiential storytelling to illustrate a day in an Air Force Academy cadet’s life, as well as a cadet’s four-year journey from inprocressing to graduation. The Hosmer Visitor Center also will be an official Colorado Welcome Center, providing visitors with local and statewide travel information, area-specific brochures, detailed maps, and free travel consultation and advice.

The Hosmer Visitor Center is named for Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Bradley C Hosmer ’59 and his spouse, Zita, thanks to a generous gift to the Air Force Academy Foundation from Jerry ’70 and Pam Bruni of Colorado Springs. Gen. Hosmer was the first graduate of the Air Force Academy, its first Rhodes scholar, and the first Academy graduate to serve as superintendent, from 1991 to 1994.

The Academy hopes to open the Hos-

Artist rendering of a completed Hotel Polaris with the Hosmer Visitor Center in the background.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 75

LEFT: A construction worker cuts a metal piece to the correct size on the third floor of Hotel Polaris in November.

BELOW: The Presidential Suite on the ninth floor offers a grand view of the Air Force Academy and the Rampart Range. (Photos by Ryan Hall)

mer Visitor Center by December 2025, once exhibits have been installed.

The Air Force Academy Foundation has raised $16 million already and is focused on raising another $20 million for the hotel and visitor center projects.

This generosity from donors will help accelerate paying down the debt incurred by issuing bonds. The hotel property can then be turned over to the Foundation earlier to help fund other priority projects at the Academy.

Graduates may find additional reasons to visit TrueNorth Commons once the office building is built and occupied. The building will feature a sensitive compartmented information facility (SCIF) to accommodate meetings among military leaders, cadets, defense contractors and defense experts in industry.

76 · usafa.org

GIVING BACK Schepf is excited to share TrueNorth Commons with fellow graduates and the public.

“I have been a member of the Foundation board since 2010,” Schnepf said.

“I always thought to myself, looking back at my life and seeing the successes, what do I attribute it to? I think most people would say their family, upbringing and, most importantly, their educational experience. I got that amazing education free of charge at the Air Force Academy. And I’ve always felt that we all need to give back.”

He was inspired by Gen. Gould’s leadership. Gen. Gould served as Schnepf ’s golf coach and his associate AOC in Squadron 14.

“Inspired leaders drive aspirational

ideas,” Schnepf said. And in a little more than a year, Schnepf will be able to see his latest project benefit his alma mater, the place where he also was a cadet wrestler, where he taught civil engineering as a young officer, and where he learned valuable lessons about leadership and leaning into one’s strengths.

The Air Force Academy Foundation and Association of Graduates are still actively fundraising for the TrueNorth Commons projects. Support these projects at www. afacademyfoundation.org/ TrueNorth or call 719-472-0300 for more information.

THE FOUNDATIONS OF

GENEROSITY Don Avery ’78 is grateful for the training and education he received from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He and his wife, Fara, honor that foundation through generous philanthropy and service. When they updated their wills, they included a bequest to the Academy. Avery has remained connected to the Academy by leading his Class of 1978 45th reunion gift committee, serving as president of the Central Georgia AOG chapter and supporting the Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation and Air Force Academy Foundation.

Read their story at

legacy.usafa.org/cp1

Without the foundational principles the Academy instilled in me, my life may have been very different. Returning some of the blessings we have received is important to Fara and me, as I hope it is to all in our graduate community.

— Don Avery ’78 To learn more about supporting the Academy with a gift or by making a future bequest in a will or trust, contact: Office of Gift Planning legacy@usafa.org 719-472-2059

T E R R A ZZO

Class Act Class of 1974 gift provides outdoor space for cadet contemplation

By Jeff Holmquist

The ceremonial ribbon-cutting included (from left) AOG and Foundation CEO Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Gould ’76, Col. (Ret.) Ed Whalen ’74, Class of 2024 President Adedapo Adeboyejo, Ambassador Jim Smith ’74 and Superintendent Lt. Gen. Richard Clark ’86.

W

ith the snip of several oversized scissors, representatives from the Class of 1974 officially opened the first phase of the Academy’s newest amenity during a ceremonial ribbon-cutting ceremony on Nov. 17.

During the gathering, Col. (Ret.) Ed Whalen, class president, thanked his classmates for their generosity; the gift committee for its hard work and persistence; and the Academy, AOG and Air Force Academy Foundation leadership for their support.

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Referring to the class’s motto, “To Meet the Challenge,” Col. Whalen says the class achieved a new participation record for the project and indeed met the challenge.

The Forevermore Overlook is a $1.1 million class project designed to provide current and future generations of cadets with an outdoor space for contemplation, conversations and more.

The four-year effort to make the overlook a reality began in late 2019 as the class discussed a possible gift to USAFA in celebration of its upcoming 50th reunion in 2024.

Col. Whalen soon organized a gift committee to explore options. Members include retired Ambassador James Smith, Gen. (Ret.) Duncan McNabb, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Richard Haynie, Nathan Rosenberg, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Warren Priddy, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Donald Clement, William Sims and Col. (Ret.) Tom Hayden.

Col. Whalen also simultaneously launched a Legacy Committee to connect with 1974’s legacy class — the Class of 2024 — to help gather ideas for a gift to benefit the entire Cadet Wing.

The committees met for the first time in

Class of 2024 cadets check out the Forevermore Overlook trail following the ribbon-cutting ceremony. (Photos by Ryan Hall)

early 2020 and determined that the eventual project should be unique to USAFA. “We wanted to provide them something we did not have during our time at the Academy,” Ambassador Smith explains. “At one point in our discussions, someone asked, ‘Where did we go to just get away?’ It was crickets. We didn’t have an answer for that.”

The discussion led Gen. McNabb to suggest a possible trail up the hill west of the Cadet Chapel.

“That became the genesis of the Forevermore Overlook,” Ambassador Smith reports. Of the three possible projects presented to the class for a vote, the overlook received the most votes by a large margin.

According to Ambassador Smith, the class’s choice was confirmed when a group of classmates later walked up the hill to scope out the site. On their way up, they happened upon a cadet who was chilling out in a hammock hung between two trees.

When asked what she was doing, the cadet replied, “This is where I go to get away.”

“We knew from her that we were onto something special,” Ambassador Smith says.

The Class of 1974 rallied behind the project, with more than 40% of the class donating to the cause. The overall fundraising goal was reached well before construction began.

In the spring of 2021, the Class of 1974 invited 50 cadets from all four classes to walk the trail site and offer their thoughts and suggestions. Cadet enthusiasm for the idea was overwhelming, Ambassador Smith reports.

The class then engaged several engineering students from the Class of 2024 to help in the early design process. The Smith Group (no relation to Ambassador Smith) was brought in to put together the final plans for the overlook.

What emerged was a plan for a trail

The Forevermore Overlook is a $1.1 million class project designed to provide current and future generations of cadets with an outdoor space for contemplation, conversations and more.

and a series of four seating and gathering areas for cadets to use for personal reflection, for group conversations or just to get away. Each location is designed to take full advantage of the majestic views.

In addition, there will be plenty of trees Checkpoints · December 2023 · 79

near one node for cadets to hang their hammocks and decompress.

“The overlook will become a place of contemplation where cadets can read, think and imagine their future — without venturing far from the Cadet Area,” Ambassador Smith says.

This project was subsequently approved by the Academy Facilities Board and by multiple offices within the Air Force.

“We faced many challenges with the idea itself because, in the original design plan for the Academy, it had been established that nothing could interfere with the backdrop of the Cadet Chapel,” Ambassador Smith says. “So, if you are standing on the east side of the Chapel looking west, you cannot see the trail or any of the four meeting nodes.”

By the mid-November ceremony, a portion of the trail, the trailhead and the first node had been completed. Work will continue through the spring, when the finishing touch will be added — new trees that will help solve an erosion problem on the south side of the hill.

The hope is to have the project finalized before the Class of 2024 graduates, so the Firsties can be among the first to enjoy their Legacy Class’s gift.

80 · usafa.org

The Class of 1974 will officially dedicate and present the completed Forevermore Overlook to the Academy at its 50th reunion in the fall of 2024.

“To say we are excited about the project is an understatement,” Ambassador Smith says. “As we approach our 50th reunion, many of us realize we are at a point in our lives where our task is to plant trees knowing that we may never enjoy the shade. We think we have planted a good tree.”

During the ribbon-cutting ceremony, USAFA Superintendent Gen. Richard Clark ’86 thanked the Class of 1974 for their perseverance in making the project a reality.

RIGHT: The trail includes four separate nodes with great views of the Academy and mountains.

BELOW: The finished Forevermore Overlook should be ready by next spring and offers a challenging hike up.

“It wouldn’t be an Academy project if it didn’t have challenges, right?” he told the crowd. “And nothing that’s worth it is easy. This wasn’t easy, but it is well worth it. It’s just a beautiful gift to our cadets and to the Academy as a whole.”

The Forevermore Overlook will be a great addition to the Academy and will be enjoyed by cadets for years to come, he said.

“Amidst the hustle and stresses of cadet life, this space will allow for a quiet point of reflection for study, deep conversation, of solitude, and just basically time to be a person,” Gen. Clark said.

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T E R R A ZZO

From the Hill GATHERING SUPPORTS SURVIVORS About 200 U.S. Air Force Academy cadets, faculty and staff supported sexual assault survivors in taking control of their trauma at a “Take Back the Night” event Oct. 24.

Take Back the Night is the oldest worldwide stand against sexual violence, with the first event in the U.S. in 1973. The Academy last hosted the event in 2015.

Organizers said they hoped that this year’s event provided a meaningful opportunity for survivors to share their stories in a supportive environment to promote healing, restoration and understanding.

Helping agencies on hand included Integrated Prevention and Response Office staff, a military and family life counselor, a chaplain, the Peak Performance Center, the Victims Council, the Family Advocacy Program and Go Team Therapy support dogs.

In addition to the Take Back the Night events, the Academy also sponsored The Clothesline Project that was on display throughout October in the Exemplar Hall Art Exhibit. The Clothesline ProjScan the QR code to read a powerful poem written by a sexual assault survivor and Class of 2025 cadet.

The poem was read at the "Take Back the Night" event.

82 · usafa.org

ect brought awareness to the issue of violence and contained survivor-donated clothing items that share the message that clothing does not indicate consent.

Take Back the Night will likely become an annual or biannual event at the Academy. The event aligned with the Academy’s efforts toward a culture shift through initiatives such as the Let’s Be Clear campaign and Encouraged to Report.

sunlight with acetate to feed plants.

Scheduled to launch into orbit in 2024, this research explores how food will be grown — and oxygen produced — in support of long-term space exploration.

Letendre will enter pilot training following her time at Oxford. She is the 44th Rhodes scholar in the history of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

CADET RECEIVES RHODES C1C Madelyn Letendre has been selected for a Rhodes scholarship, a fully funded postgraduate program in the United Kingdom.

The Rhodes scholarship is the oldest international scholarship program, enabling students to study at the University of Oxford. The program dates back to 1902, and its scholars are eligible to apply for most postgraduate programs offered at the university.

Cadet Letendre is a biochemistry major with a philosophy minor and will commission into the Air Force in May 2024.

At Oxford, she plans to pursue double master’s degrees in clinical and therapeutic neuroscience and public policy.

At USAFA, Letendre’s undergraduate research has focused on military family disability support systems. She helped launch a military program at the Autism Society of America and assisted in writing a book chapter on disability education at the University of Sydney.

Her chemistry research helped solve a biology challenge in space, replacing

C1C Madelyn Letendre

FALCONSAT-X LAUNCHES Academy cadets watched the launch of their FalconSAT-X satellite from the Department of Astronautics Space Systems Research Center on Nov. 11.

The satellite launched from SpaceX’s Falcon 9 mission at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California.

Firsties from each Academy class since 2019 worked on FalconSAT-X

Cadets watch the deployment of FalconSAT-X on SpaceX’s Falcon 9 at Vandenberg Space Force Base, California, from the Department of Astronautics Space Systems Research Center Nov. 11. (U.S. Air Force photo by Justin Pacheco)

through the Department of Astronautics’ FalconSAT program.

Cadets design, analyze, build, test and operate small satellites hosting technology experiments funded by the Air Force Research Laboratory. The Cadet Space Operations Squadron conducts daily operations for on-orbit FalconSATs. On Oct. 24, 1997, the Department of Astronautics launched its first orbiting spacecraft, Falcon Gold, on an Atlas rocket. The Academy later launched seven additional satellites before FalconSAT-X. Most recently, FalconSAT-6 launched in 2018, followed by FalconSAT-8 in 2020. Cadets continue to operate both satellites.

The FalconSAT program aims to develop and operate small satellites that support various scientific and technological experiments.

These micro-satellites conduct meaningful experiments and collect valuable data.

Approximately 50 cadets majoring in STEM disciplines perform satellite design, development and testing as part of their senior engineering capstone course. An additional 75 to 100 cadets, representing all class years and majors, operate the spacecraft as part of the Cadet Space Operations Squadron.

FLYING TEAM COMPETES The USAFA Precision Flying Team captured its 37th consecutive National Intercollegiate Flying Association Region

1 Safety and Flight Evaluation Conference championship. The Academy has won the competition every year since 1987.

The 557th Flying Training Squadron hosted this year’s SAFECON regional competition at Davis Airfield at the Academy.

USAFA team members took first place in 11 of 15 categories, including the Flight Events and Ground Events championships. Cadet 1st Class Alex Scatena was named top pilot.

The Academy team again has qualified for the NIFA National SAFECON Flight Competition in Janesville, Wisconsin, scheduled for May 2024.

The Flying Team flies the T-41-D Mescalero in training areas around Davis Airfield and the Colorado Springs Airport. Cadet pilots fly the T-51A Deathhawk for regional and national competitions.

TODOS SOMOS, SOMOS UNO From Sept. 15 to Oct. 15, the U.S. government celebrates the countless contributions to our culture and society of more than 60 million Hispanic Americans, Latinos, Latinas and Latinx-identifying people. This fall, the USAFA Prep School’s Hispanic Heritage Club joined in celebrating the indelible mark Hispanic Americans have made on the government, culture and economy through multiple engaging outings and events.

The Hispanic Heritage Club, under

the direction of Ofelia Mislyan, Cadet Candidate Joseph Gutierrez and Cadet Candidate Mario Arias, led Day of the Dead celebrations, a movie night, and the distribution of concha (Mexican sweet bread) that was made fresh in a local panaderia. The events included a meet-and-greet with the Prep School’s newest Hall of Fame inductee — the Honorable Alberto R. Gonzales (USAFA PS ’75), the 80th United States attorney general.

“It was mind-blowing to hear Judge Gonzales speak of his experiences,” C/C Gutierrez says. “I asked him how his Hispanic background played in his success, and he advised me to think about the places and people we come from not as barriers but as gifts that help us live up to our potential.”

C/C Gutierrez and members of the Hispanic Heritage Club are already living up to Judge Gonzales’ advice. The club’s primary focus is Spanish language education, including the creation of opportunities for cultural immersion.

The club’s efforts over the past month align with the Prep School’s ongoing commitment to diversity and is reflected in the work of current Prep School staff across every mission element. Recently, the Prep School was awarded the 2022 USAFA Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Innovation Team Award, an achievement that has qualified the team to compete against other D&I teams across the Air Force this year.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 83

T E R R A ZZO

Going Global Stamps Leadership scholars engage in hands-on learning

By Sam Hastings

84 · usafa.org

When Cadet 1st Class Eileen Zhao applied for the Stamps Leadership scholar program, she was drawn to how customizable her experience could be. “I thought it was a great opportunity to do a set of research that was unique to my interest,” she said.

Zhao, a biochemistry major with a minor in Chinese, spent 10 weeks during the summer of 2023 conducting lab research at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Her internship centered on a clinical trial for a nanoparticle chemotherapy drug. This allowed her to observe and learn the multiplex immunohistochemistry technique, analyze data using machine learning, and work independently to stain and analyze tumor samples.

C1C Eileen Zhao during her work as a research intern in Dr. Intidhar LabidiGaly’s lab at the University of Geneva in Switzerland.

“I have been able to contribute to a field of research that I am truly passionate about and have grown to be a more culturally competent individual,” she wrote in her after-action report.

STAMPS LEADERSHIP SCHOLAR PROGRAM Nearly a decade ago, a partnership between the Stamps Family Charitable Foundation and the Air Force Academy Foundation established the Stamps Leadership scholars program at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Beginning in their junior year, each Stamps scholar receives a $22,000 grant to pursue individual research interests, internships and cultural immersion experiences in locations worldwide.

The USAFA program launched in 2014 and assembled its first cohort of three cadets from the Class of 2016.

In the following years, donor support and increased program awareness helped cohorts grow to five cadets. Today, the Martinson Honors Program — made possible by a gift from John Martinson ’70 — funds additional opportunities, expanding each cohort to 10 cadets.

Stamps Leadership scholars are selected through an application process that draws the top cadets in each class who demonstrate exceptional academic performance and leadership abilities. Stamps Scholars from the Academy have earned Rhodes, Marshall and Truman scholarships, representing USAFA at many of the world’s best higher education institutions.

Cadet 1st Class Cosmo Cao, a biochemistry major with a minor in Chinese, began his summer research spending 10 days in Wellington, New Zealand, as a field research assistant with an organization dedicated to predator and invasive species eradication.

He spent the remainder of his summer in Canberra, Australia, working with a program hosted by the U.S. Embassy and the Australian Strategic Policy Institute (ASPI). Cao describes this experience as one of the most transformative in his cadet career. “Being able to serve as a translator, having a lot of input and essentially learning what the operational diplomatic world is like was fascinating,” he said.

In collaboration with ASPI, Cao learned to conduct opensource research and navigate complex Chinese primary sources. He then had the opportunity to submit his research for publication in the ASPI online journal.

Cao also visited the Australian Defense Force Academy and toured the Canberra Deep Space Communication Complex in the Tidbinbilla Reserve.

STAMPS LEADERSHIP SCHOLARS SPOTLIGHT The following spotlights represent only a sampling of the realworld learning and hands-on problem-solving Stamps Leadership scholars engage in.

LEFT: C1C Emma Finch on the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania.

The dormant volcano is the African continent's highest peak at 19,341 feet.

C1C Cosmo Cao meeting Australia’s iconic wildlife while interning in Canberra.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 85

Cadet 1st Class Mihiri Fernando,

a systems engineering major, attended the Society of Women Engineering Conference, which later led to spending six weeks of her summer working with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) Lincoln Laboratory in Lexington, Massachusetts. Her work involved using artificial intelligence and machine learning to recognize pilot errors.

Fernando’s project explored options to assist pilots during stressful situations. “My goal is to reduce preventable accidents for pilots,” Fernando said.

She used a virtual reality headset to investigate how well the software — developed by Northrop Grumman — detected mistakes and how accurately it provided feedback. She then analyzed this data and compiled and presented her findings. She hopes to share that presentation more broadly in the future.

Fernando’s research applies directly to her career in the Air Force, as she is slotted to attend pilot training after graduation. “I would be happy flying anything for the Air Force — ideally the F-35,” Fernando said excitedly.

C1C Mihiri Fernando during her internship at MIT’s Lincoln Laboratory.

Cadet 1st Class Alexandria Griffith,

a data science major, used her Stamps funding to advance her research, academic and career goals.

Griffith first traveled to Israel to attend the Cybertech Tel Aviv conference during her junior year. Before starting her research this summer, she interned at the White House with the Office of the National Cyber Director. Her re86 · usafa.org

search included traveling to Singapore to attend a symposium hosted by the Association for the Advancement of Artificial Intelligence, participating in the Gartner Security and Risk Management Summit in Tokyo, and touring several universities in the U.K. “I am going to get my master’s in AI after graduation, and then I hope to get placed in a lab that works on AI development for Air Force applications,” she said. “I am interested in applying AI to cybersecurity.”

cultural sites, and aviation and aerospace companies to learn more about warfare and the impact of culture. Her summer concluded with a short visit to Hawaii to learn more about the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command and to better understand the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor in 1941.

C1C Regan Hansen inspects a control jet interaction model nose cone in the Department of Aeronautics Trisonic Wind Tunnel. (USAFA photo by Trevor Cokley)

Cadet 1st Class Madelyn Letendre,

C1C Alexandria Griffith at Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto, Japan. The shrine is famous for its thousands of vermilion torii gates.

Cadet 1st Class Regan Hansen, a double major in aeronautical engineering and applied math, traveled to Australia, spending more than five weeks at the University of New South Wales (UNSW) Canberra. She explored the development of new methods to control hypersonic weapons.

Hansen is part of the University Consortium for Applied Hypersonics control jet project at the Academy. Her research at UNSW has equipped her with knowledge and skills that will directly impact her academic work at USAFA and future work in the Air Force.

“I learned the process, equipment and method of digital image correlation (DIC) in hopes of transferring this knowledge to the USAFA Aeronautics Laboratory to aid in USAFA’s implementation of DIC as a measurement tool,” Hansen shared in her after-action report.

Following her time in Australia, Hansen traveled to Japan for a cultural immersion experience, visiting monuments,

a biochemistry major with a minor in philosophy, focused her research on disability education and policy.

In Washington, D.C., she interned with the Autism Society of America, helping launch a new program to ease transitions for military children. Letendre also attended conferences about dismantling ableism and coordinated with potential key project members. “I learned about policy for disabilities surrounding the future fight — how we handle PTSD, rehabilitation and getting people back into the fight,” Letendre said.

She then traveled to Sydney, Australia, for a research internship with Dr. David Evans at the University of Sydney. Her research concentrated on improving STEM inclusion in education and the workplace. Letendre helped synthesize research in that field and wrote an introductory chapter for Evans’ book.

Her summer concluded with a visit to Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, where she shadowed an autism therapy program, developmental pediatrics, children's psychiatry, speech therapy, research psychology and a research group at the Air Force Research Laboratory.

Recently, Letendre was selected for a highly competitive Rhodes scholarship, a fully funded postgraduate program at

the University of Oxford in the United Kingdom. She will pursue a double master’s degree in clinical and therapeutic neuroscience and public policy.

Cadet 1st Class Emma Finch, a data science major, accompanied Cadet 1st Class Alexandria Griffith to Israel.

This past summer, she investigated the role of data analytics in health care at the FAME Medical Center in Karatu, Tanzania. Finch also visited Zanzibar, explored the Ngorongoro Crater and climbed Mount Kilimanjaro.

Alabama Birmingham Medical Center.

Yoon visited international organizations in Sweden, Peru, Chile and Thailand.

C1C Kelly Yoon (second from right) testing bacteria for antibiotic resistance in the lab at the Instituto de Ciencias e Innovación en Medicina at Universidad del Desarrollo in Santiago, Chile.

C1C Madelyn Letendre visiting the Sydney Opera House during her research internship at the University of Sydney in Australia.

C1C Emma Finch at the Ngorongoro Crater in northern Tanzania.

Cadet 1st Class Isabella Mullally,

The Class of 2024 cohort includes four additional scholars: Cadet 1st Class Isobel Dernlan,

a double major in political science and foreign area studies with a minor in Russian, traveled to Romania to conduct independent fieldwork on gender, intersectionality and security. In early 2023, Dernlan was selected for a highly competitive Harry S. Truman Scholarship. She is the 24th Truman Scholar in the Academy’s history.

a biochemistry major with a minor in Spanish, focused her research on applying biomedicine to Latino communities.

Mullally traveled to Spain, where she experienced biomedical research in a civilian lab while improving her understanding of Spanish culture and language.

C1C Isabella Mullally at the August Pi i Sunyer Biomedical Research Institute, a converging point for biomedical research in Spain. Mullally worked on mitochondrial regulation of cell death.

C1C Isobel Dernlan taking a break from her research — exploring racial, ethnic and gender discrimination in Romania — to make papanași, traditional Romanian cheese doughnuts.

Cadet 1st Class Kelly Yoon, a biology major, visited and corresponded with various nongovernmental organizations, governments and military organizations to learn about global health initiatives.

She toured the Doctors Without Borders headquarters in New York City and shadowed the U.S. Air Force Special Operations surgical team at the University of

NEXT UP ON THE GLOBAL STAGE The expansion of the Stamps Leadership scholar program — due primarily to increased visibility and private funding — has had a profound impact on these cadets. The program’s history of success has also paved the way for future opportunities.

As graduation approaches for the Class of 2024, a new group of Stamps Leadership scholars from the Class of 2025 is preparing for its own summer research experiences around the world. Planning began this fall, and many cadets already know what they hope to accomplish.

The Stamps Leadership Scholars program is administered by Dr. Helen Meisenhelder, director of graduate studies and scholarship at USAFA. THE STAMPS FAMILY CHARITABLE FOUNDATION E. Roe and the late Penny Stamps founded the Stamps Scholars Program in 2006 to enable extraordinary educational experiences for exceptional students.

Today, it is an internationally prestigious scholarship program and community that helps outstanding students become meaningful leaders.

Private support for the Stamps Leadership Scholars program allows cadets to advance academically and hone their leadership skills on the world stage. Gifts can be made online at www.afacademyfoundation.org/ stamps.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 87

T E R R A ZZO

Mews

News

Cadet Falconry Team cares for, performs with majestic birds

C1C Ryan Messer flies Ziva, a 9-year-old white-phase Gyr-Saker hybrid falcon during a halftime performance of an Air Force 88 · usafa.org Academy football game at Falcon Stadium.

T

here’s quite a history behind USAFA’s high-flying mascot. The Class of 1959 chose the falcon as the institution’s

symbol.

When the falconry program began at the Academy, experts warned that the birds would never be able to perform in front of huge crowds such as at football games. But on Oct. 20, 1956, the first official flight took place during halftime of a Falcons football game.

“My favorite falcon is the one I work with the most — Ziva. She is one of the flyers, meaning she flies during the halftime show at football games and during various parades. Ziva is a 9-year-old, whitephase Gyr-Saker hybrid, meaning she has two different breeds in her.”

-C2C Katarina Schultz,CS-26

C2C Katarina Schultz carries Ziva off the football field following a performance.

Falcon handlers watch a halftime performance.

Ziva following a successful flight.

A few years later in 1960, the Academy’s first gyrfalcon, named Atholl, arrived at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver — a gift from the King of Denmark.

Today, a team of 12 cadets (three each from the four classes) takes care of the daily needs of the falcons. The job isn’t just showing off the majestic birds in front of large crowds at Falcon Stadium. Each weekday, immediately after school, the cadet team members walk to the mews to feed the birds, clean the cages and exercise the falcons.

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C3C Avery Taylor weighs Karena, a 9-year-old Gyr-Peregrine hybrid falcon.

ON AVERAGE, THE FALCONRY TEAM PARTICIPATES IN 120 TO 150 EVENTS A YEAR — AT USAFA, IN THE COLORADO SPRINGS AREA AND ACROSS THE COUNTRY. 90 · usafa.org

Karena flies during a halftime performance at Falcon Stadium.

THE USAFA MEWS CURRENTLY HOUSES 11 FALCONS. THE BUILDING’S CAPACITY IS 12 BIRDS. C1C Elena Castaneda releasing Kuzco, a 2-year-old Peregrine falcon during a training session.

“My least favorite part of being on the Falconry Team is missing opportunities elsewhere at the Academy. We are a limited-onseason team, so I’ve missed out on intramural sports and squadron training events, as well as sacrificed the opportunity for semester exchange programs. But I wouldn’t trade being a member of the team for anything else.”

-C1C Evan Komschlies, CS-09 C1C Evan Komschlies holds Eclipse, an 18-year-old Gyrfalcon.

Zorro, a 2-year-old

Checkpoints · December Aplomado falcon.2023 · 91

T E R R A ZZO

GRILL Time Summer internship serves up real-world impact for USAFA’s Multi-Domain Lab

By Jeff Holmquist

F

our cadets experienced a satisfying summer GRILL season at the Air Force Research Laboratory (AFRL) in Dayton, Ohio.

While they didn’t produce any barbequed delicacies during their six-week assignment at the Gaming Research Integration for Learning Laboratory (GRILL), the cadets proved to be red-hot innovators on the simulation development front.

C1C Jayden Talt, C1C Tyler Wright, C1C Daniel Hayase and C2C Michaela Kovalsky made up the Cadet Summer Research Program (CSRP) team that spent time at AFRL innovating on behalf of USAFA’s two-year-old MultiDomain Lab (MDL). Their efforts helped establish the foundation for adding space wargaming to the lab’s realistic simulation exercises designed to better prepare cadets for the future fight.

GRILL is AFRL’s STEM-based program that allows middle school and high school students in Dayton to apply game-based technology to address Air Force and Space Force education and training needs.

Two years ago, Dr. Winston “Wink” Bennett, who serves as AFRL’s warfighter interaction and readiness division product line lead, suggested the program expand to involve USAFA cadets as well. A new USAFA-based program known as GRILL West was launched out of conversations with Dean of the Faculty Brig. Gen. Linell Letendre ’96.

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Terence Andre ’87 has 92 · usafa.org

The Cadet Summer Research Program team (from left) included C1C Daniel Hayase, C1C Jayden Talt, C2C Michaela Kovalsky and C1C Tyler Wright.

been the boots on the ground at the Academy for the past year and a half to ensure the program starts strong.

ACCELERATING CHANGE Prior to then-Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Charles Q. Brown Jr., who now serves as chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, issuing the imperative “accelerate change or lose,” GRILL was facilitating advancements in modeling and simulation to better equip airmen and guardians.

“We’ve been accelerating change the whole time the GRILL has been

around,” Bennett says. “We’re all about pushing technology and innovation out of the lab and into the operational context. But another piece is building a workforce foundation so we can continue to accelerate that change.”

Launched in 2007, the GRILL mission is twofold: utilize gaming technology to advance realistic training opportunities and inspire young people to pursue careers in STEM-based fields.

“We’re making sure that the Air Force and our research community have access to a workforce that’s capable and competent in STEM-related career fields …

Lt. Col. (Ret.) Terence Andre ’87 (left) worked with the GRILL West team through their summer experience.

because that’s where the demand signal is the highest,” he says.

According to Bennett, the GRILL concept is highly successful on that front.

“There are a couple hundred students and interns who have been through our game lab who are now out working for contractors supporting the Department of Defense — or actually employed by Air Force Research Lab and other operational commands — using the knowledge they got from the GRILL,” he reports.

Because of the success on the middle and high school levels, getting USAFA cadets involved in a similar but more advanced way made sense, Bennett says.

Col. Chris McLernon, the Academy’s director of research at the time, coordinated the first cohort of cadets involved in GRILL West during the summer of 2022.

“We give the students a challenging problem and hope that they’ll be inspired to figure out solutions,” Bennett says. “But it also gives them skills in problem-solving, interacting with other folks, and coming up with new and different ideas based on existing data.”

RAMPING UP Six cadets were involved in the inaugural GRILL West summer experience.

They helped develop a virtual reality simulation and interface control for a detector/jammer of small, unmanned platforms. Those cadets carried over those newly developed GRILL skills to capstone projects during their firstie year.

Andre then spent the 2022-23 academic year interacting with those cadets

The GRILL West cadets test out their Coalition Space Operations Console at AFRL in Ohio. (Photos submitted)

and others to help identify the GRILL West team that would spend part of last summer at AFRL. “For the last year and a half, we’ve been in startup mode,” he says. “I’ve been a dot connector, connecting the dots between cadets, faculty, AFRL and industry.”

Andre says computer science, electrical and computer engineering, and systems engineering majors seem to work best at GRILL West.

“The technical majors align better with the GRILL experience because they’re going to be using tools that we often use in creating virtual reality, augmented reality or simulation-based solutions,” he says. “We need cadets who are comfortable with programming languages.”

The four cadets selected for the most recent research opportunity — Talt, Wright, Hayase and Kovalsky — proved they were up to the challenge, Andre says.

CRUSHING IT During last spring’s Culminating Exercise (CULEX) involving the Class of 2023, the Academy’s Multi-Domain Lab identified gaps in its realistic overarching simulation as it relates to space operations.

“The feedback from cadets in space operations was they didn’t have a whole lot to do,” Wright says of the inaugural multi-domain CULEX. In response, the MDL tasked the quartet of STEM-minded cadets with tweaking METIS, the MDL’s cyber-effects simulator for space, to improve the training experience for future space operators.

“We’re making sure that the Air Force and our research community have access to a workforce that’s capable and competent in STEMrelated career fields … because that’s where the demand signal is the highest” — Dr. Winston “Wink” Bennett Wright, the designated cadet-incharge for the GRILL West effort, says the team was finished with its original GRILL task in days and then took their work to the next level.

“After we finished up in METIS, we decided to make a game with more fidelity,” he reports.

Coordinating with MDL leadership, the GRILL West innovators began work on a new Coalition Space Operations Console (CSOC).

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With the help of Air Force Research Laboratory scientists and staff, the four-person GRILL West team went above and beyond the call of duty in helping develop a space operations simulation for USAFA's Multi-Domain Lab.

It took the team about three weeks to create the simulation and begin testing it.

Built in Unity, a game development engine, the console is easy to use and simple to adjust for future simulation scenarios, Wright reports.

“We hope that CSOC can help cadets get excited about space for years to come,” he says.

The CSOC project is now in the hands of MDL game development experts who are adding the necessary application programming interfaces so the console can be added to USAFA’s wargaming system.

REAL-WORLD PROBLEMS Talt says he was fortunate to be part of the research opportunity with GRILL West.

“The summer experience was incredible,” he says. “Getting to work with the GRILL exposed us to real-world problem sets associated with working with a customer.”

He adds that the GRILL staff was extremely helpful in the team’s understanding of software development.

“Whenever we hit a stalemate, the staff at the GRILL would immediately be willing and able to help and explain it in a way that made sense to us,” he says. “They facilitated an environment 94 · usafa.org

where learning and asking questions was encouraged.”

Wright offered similar praise for the program.

“I had an awesome time and learned a lot about developing a product for a customer,” he says. “The environment of the GRILL was awesome. The staff there was willing to coach us through difficult technical problems and made sure that we learned how to tackle them in the future instead of just solving them for us.”

The GRILL leadership and MDL officers were equally thrilled with the GRILL West results.

“It was stunning with what the cadets accomplished,” Andre says. “These four cadets were just knocking it out of the park and working on it together. This was the best group with complementary skills that I’ve ever seen. They really did work well as a team.”

“It was a phenomenal piece of work that they did in a very short period of time,” Bennett adds. “It really was a great success for them and for us this summer.”

During a briefing for Institute for Future Conflict (IFC) senior leaders in August, the four cadets demonstrated the work accomplished during the summer. IFC Director

Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Bradford “BJ” Shwedo ’87 was impressed, noting that the enhanced space simulation will help prepare cadets for the future fight.

“We need to make sure that the cadets who go through the Multi-Domain Lab have an understanding of space operations, even though they may not become space officers,” Gen. Shwedo told the cadets. “But second, we need to get future space officers ready for that next challenge. That’s the expectation of the Department of the Air Force.”

He congratulated the GRILL West team on their consequential efforts.

“You guys did a great job,” he said.

“This gets the Academy closer to becoming the place for space.”

LONG LIVE THE GRILL According to Bennett, the hope is GRILL West will continue to evolve and help cadets learn critical software development skills while also solving real-world challenges.

The program could potentially be part of a new modeling and simulation center of excellence under consideration at USAFA, he says, which could provide a more reliable funding source.

“It may help us get a sustainable presence at the Academy,” Bennett says.

T E R R A ZZO

Harnessing

SWARMS Cadets help develop drone technology for combat medical assessments

By David Bitton • Photos by Ryan Hall

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Checkpoints · December 2023 · 95

Cadet 1st Class Lizzie Kim learns to fly a drone on the Air Force Academy athletic fields as part of her senior capstone project.

High above the athletic fields nestled along the Rampart Range, drones buzz across the clear blue Colorado sky.

Cadets majoring in electrical and computer engineering are busy testing and troubleshooting unmanned aircraft they built and programmed as part of their firstie capstone project, including four who are working to use a swarm of drones to swiftly assess an injured individual before quickly dispatching medical care.

Earlier this autumn, Cadet 1st Class Lizzie Kim and her teammates were in the research phase of programming a swarm of four drones to autonomously search a specified area for an injured airman. Onboard sensors determine the victim’s temperature and breathing rate before sending in a fifth drone with appropriate medical supplies.

“It’s a really cool project and it’s applicable to the real world,” says Kim, who plans to work as a developmental electrical engineer in the Air Force after graduation. “It’s not a project created for us to learn that is limited to the Academy. I can totally see this being something used in the operational Air Force.”

Kim appreciates the department staff’s dedication to ensuring cadets learn beyond the classroom.

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HERITSCH Lt. Col. (Ret.) Scott Heritsch ’96, a former F-16 pilot and test pilot, is a department researcher tasked with helping prepare cadets for their military careers.

“Our primary goal is to bring an operational sense to their projects,” Heritsch says. “This is an academic institution, but it’s the only one in the world — save the other academies — that has to produce cadets that have to take their academic experience and operationally apply it immediately.”

He says getting cadets out of the classroom to test their drones is an important part of their learning.

“We get out of the lab and into a natural environment to see how that affects the capabilities of their systems,” Her-

2nd Lt. Nick Ells ’23 uses a laptop to set a perimeter for a drone to fly within as Cadet 1st Class' Thomas Lickert, from left, Hilary Nolen and Ryan Lilly look on at the Air Force Academy athletic fields.

itsch says. “It’s important that if a drone isn’t doing what’s expected that the cadets know where to focus their energies.”

He explains that there are benefits to having future officers understand how to program unmanned aerial systems instead of buying commercial off-theshelf technology.

They learn the principles inherent in hardware and software integration of operational systems that will give them a strong understanding of where the values and challenges are within these types of systems as they become engineers, operators and/or acquisition officers.

From an operational pilot perspective, Heritsch continues, a lieutenant or captain flying an autonomous drone in combat will have better intuition if the

platform reacts unexpectedly.

“If it’s not doing what it should be doing, I would love for the lieutenants to say ‘and I think here’s why,’ making it more likely they will be able to apply fixes in the field as well as better employ these systems,” Heritsch says.

“Ultimately, what we would like to see is future leaders who understand that when you start putting multiple AI [artificial intelligence] elements together, they start getting this emergent behavior that actually can be better than what you predicted or simulated.”

LILLY Cadet 1st Class Ryan Lilly is also part of the capstone group flying drones for the first time at the athletic fields.

The capstone project is part of a Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency Triage Challenge, aimed at helping medical responders quickly and accurately respond to mass casualty incidents.

“It’s really inspiring and motivating to be working on this project,” Lilly says.

“It’s really nice to think that our project could move forward and be used in the future for triage and casualty care.”

The team worked on getting its casualty detection and vital sign monitoring up and running during the fall semester and will spend next semester getting it to

function properly with moving drones.

Lilly likes his team’s approach.

“We aren’t using fancy, military-grade drones and instead are building them in our department,” he says. “We’re also using open-source items for our person detection and casualty detection from the air. The fact that we’re trying to make a low-cost, more-accessible solution is probably one of the more interesting parts about it.”

SHAUGHNESSY Cadet 1st Class Keeley Shaughnessy is part of a three-person capstone team programming drones to detect and track unmanned aircraft.

“This is the future of warfare,” Shaughnessy says. “We are working hard to develop an algorithm to follow a target and understand it’s an ambitious goal, but we really want to get there. Being able to work on something that has real-world application is the best learning experience you can have. The Academy and its mentors do a great job of pushing us in the right direction.”

YARBROUGH Capt. Brian Yarbrough ’16 is one of those mentors and also the recruiting officer, continually working to encourage more cadets to major in electrical and computer engineering.

He says the next few classes of firsties should be larger than this year’s class.

“We’ve been trying to grow because the Air Force and the U.S. desperately need electrical computer engineers,” Yarbrough says.

Another selling point Yarbrough has on his side is

“The electrical and computer engineering department is all about working with cadets to train them how to manage complexity, and then go build solutions for today and tomorrow’s Air Force and Space Force.”

— Capt. Brian Yarbrough ’16 that everyone in the major from the Class of 2023 who wanted to attend graduate school got the opportunity.

With then-Chief of Staff of the Air Force and now Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Charles Q. Brown’s “accelerate change or lose” initiative, airmen and guardians need to quickly iterate on systems, but not to the point of recklessness. By combining cutting-edge software tools with industry best practices from the technology and flight test sectors, cadets are getting a taste of what accelerating change needs to look like.

“The electrical and computer engineering department is all about working with cadets to train them how to manage complexity, and then go build solutions for today and tomorrow’s Air Force and Space Force,” Yarbrough says. “I’m passionate about leading teams to go get after big nasty problems that America needs us to solve. If I can equip and inspire cadets to go do that, it’s pretty fulfilling at the end of the day.”

FAR LEFT: Col. (Ret.) Scott Heritsch ’96 watches as Cadet 1st Class Ryan Lilly flies a drone as part of his senior capstone project.

LEFT: Cadet 1st Class Hilary Nolen prepares a drone for flight.

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GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN Henry L. Howe, ’61 Lt. Col. (Ret) Henry Howe, age 84, died April 26, 2023, following a hemorrhagic stroke. Born Jan. 22, 1939, in Stevens Point, Wis., he grew up in South St. Paul. Minn. He was active in Civil Air Patrol in high school, serving as cadet commander his senior year.

He entered the third class of the Academy, graduating with a rating of navigator.

His 28 years of service included worldwide assignments as staff officer and engineer.

He served as a navigator instructor and flight examiner; navigator of reconnaissance aircraft in Vietnam, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross; and manager and engineer for defense projects. He earned a MS degree in electrical engineering at Colorado State University.

Following retirement from the USAF, Henry worked as an avionics systems engineer for military contractors, including avionics integration for Apache helicopters, T-38 AUP, and engineering leader for change proposal design and prototype phase of the C/KC-135. He retired from corporate work in 2004.

He married Peggy Ogden in 1964, and they were blessed with son Eric and daughter Tricia. They enjoyed his three-year tour in West Germany.

Upon Peggy’s retirement in 2011, they moved to Georgetown, Texas.

Henry loved to travel. Peggy and he toured the seven continents. In 1969, before his deployment to Vietnam, they drove a cab-over-camper from Colorado to Alaska. He converted a maxi-van for camping so that the family could tour Europe 1977-1980.

Henry promoted men’s ministries in congregations after his seminal experience in an Academy chapel small group. He served on the national board of Lutheran Men in Mission and was a leader in the men’s retreat, “One Year to Live.” He served as interim executive director of a Christian camp near Denton, Texas. He initiated the Texas Ramp Building Project for his church in Georgetown. He was a leader of a Boy Scout troop and commander of a Civil Air Patrol squadron.

While in Georgetown, he served for five years as director of communication for the Texas Wing Civil Air Patrol. He was an enthusiastic supporter of Peggy in her 35 years as an ordained Lutheran pastor. He was interred at the Academy columbarium on Nov. 9.

Henry is survived by Peggy, his spouse of 58 years; son Eric and daughter-in-law Elizabeth Elz; granddaughter Acadia; daughter Tricia and husband Tom; and other family scattered across the country. (Peggy Ogden-Howe, Henry’s wife)

Thomas Hutchison, ’62 1st Lt. (Ret 1964) Dr. Thomas “Tom” Hutchison was born in 1941 in McKeesport, Pa., the son of William and Elizabeth Hutchison. He passed away April 22, 2023, in Tucson, Ariz.

Tom loved sharing a good laugh, just as he loved teaching and learning, and almost as much as he loved competitive games.

He battled cancer like a warrior and looked adversity straight in the eye. Above all else, he was a man of stoicism, courage and determination. He graduated from USAFA in 1962 and enjoyed his college days as a member of the swim team, the water polo club and the golf team. He was admired by fellow cadets for his experience, exploits, cheerfulness and for being a good friend to so many.

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Tom was an accomplished parachutist, became a member of the 1st Air Commando Wing Combat Control Team, and was assigned duty as Air Force liaison officer to a U.S. Army Special Forces Team. He was recognized as a man of grit, and a hero, being the first graduate to be awarded both the Bronze Star and the Purple Heart after suffering a head wound and losing an eye in the Vietnam War. Tom went on to earn his MS and Ph.D in aerospace engineering from the University of Arizona. He cheered on the Wildcats with devotion, but he was forever loyal to the Falcons, even hosting the Falconer and the beloved Falcon mascot in his home. He lived in Tucson, Ariz., for more than 20 years, raising his family with his high school sweetheart, and first wife, Lisette. He made a career of rockets and missiles, and in his downtime, he played handball, sought adventure, and enjoyed nature, camping, fishing and hunting at every opportunity.

Tom remarried in 2007, and he and wife, Dorothy (Dee), lived in Grapevine, Texas, until they returned to Arizona. In retirement, Tom loved to travel, was an avid sports fan, read books with devotion (history notably), became a student of baking, participated in the National Senior Games (alongside his sons), and was a steadfast supporter of the nearby American Legion.

He is survived by his children, Stephen, David, Deanne, and Alina; his stepdaughter, Carrie; his grandchildren, great-grandchildren, and his sister Mary. Tom is preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy; his brother William E. Hutchison (USAF colonel); and his parents. Services and inurnment at USAFA were held June 26, 2023. (Submitted by his children.)

Joe F. Peters, Sr., ’63 (Editor’s note: Maj. (Ret) Peters died on May 17, 2023, in Sallisaw, Okla. Joe wrote the following for Checkpoints.)

My Friends. Welcome to Joe’s last do-sedo. It has been an awesome gig.

I was born on June 29, 1938, to Grady and Pluma Peters. They lived on ancestral farmland in the Seven Oaks Community.

Dad was not much for burning daylight. He would say just getting by is not enough if you want to get ahead. I went to high school at Sallisaw, graduating in 1956, as a member of the State Honor Society.

I enlisted in the United States Air Force on and May 30, 1956. Basic Training was at Lackland AFB. I was assigned to the USAF Security Service. I attended and graduated from Russian language school at Syracuse University and served overseas in Japan from 1957-1958. In 1959, I won a competitive appointment to the USAF Academy, (a mustang) where I attended from 1959-1963. I came back to Oklahoma to complete pilot training at Vance AFB. As a pilot, I flew the B-52, Strategic Air Command; Andersen AFB, Guam and McCoy AFB; as aircraft commander, C-130, Clark AB, Republic of the Philippines from 1968-1969; instrument instructor pilot and flight commander, C-130, Dyess AFB, from 1970-1972; operations officer, Indian Mountain AFS, 1972-1973; Aircraft Quality Control Office, Rhein-Main AFB, Germany, from 1974-1975; and as 12th AF Operations Plans Staff Officer, Bergstrom AFB, from 1976-1980. I retired from active duty on Sept. 30, 1980, after serving two tours in Viet-Nam. I have wrecked two cars, one truck, two airplanes, and totaled a big Harley Hawg. I was thrown from a horse twice and jumped out of a few airplanes just to keep the blood from calcifying.

I returned to God’s country as a happy single man in 1990, with the intent to stay that way. Then I was introduced to a pair of twinkling blue eyes hiding within a cheerful disposition. I bit it hard. Trudy Ales, RN, and I were married on Aug. 22, 1992. In 1995, at her suggestion, I opened

a small accounting office. What I did not realize was what Trudy really meant: “Why don’t you open an office so I will have a place to start a business.” The rest is history.

Peters Agency Care Management was founded in August of 1995.

Through the years we have added home health, provider services, hospice, and palliative care; 30-plus years of happily serving our community of Sallisaw.

Richard A. Shutack, ’63 The Class of 1963 and our USAF Academy lost an incredible patriot and friend on August 15, 2023.

Lt. Col. (Ret) Richard Andrew Shutack was born on May 29, 1939. He was selected “Most likely to succeed” at Bound Brook High, N.J., after excelling in football, baseball and serving as student body president.

This earned him an appointment to the USMA and a football scholarship to play quarterback for Lehigh University.

Dick continued to pursue his real passion, to serve as an Air Force officer and pilot. He and his USAFA ’63 classmates were the first class to spend all four years on these hallowed grounds. He balanced the rigor of cadet life by competing and excelling in the boxing ring and intramural football field. His USAFA yearbook states, “Dick’s consistently pleasant disposition was only replaced when he donned boxing gloves to engage in the manly art of organized street fighting.” Dick made lifelong friends at the Academy and mentored many cadets and future leaders throughout the decades that followed.

Dick was known as a great leader who had an exemplary flying career.

He served our great nation flying the B-52 at Warner Robins AFB, Ga., and KC-97s and KC-135s in the Illinois ANG. He retired after a distinguished 25-year military career, which complemented a successful 30-year career with Delta Airlines. He had the distinct honor of serving as the Chicago chief pilot for six years and was beloved by his pilots for his fairness and friendliness. His constant smile never left his face.

Dick made friends easily and was loyal to all. What most people liked about Dick was his self-deprecating humor. He never took himself too seriously and knew he was just a passing flicker of light in an endless universe full of God’s magnificence.

Dick loved his life, his friends, Air Force football, and God’s incredible landscapes which are best appreciated from the cockpit at 30,000 feet.

Yet nothing could compare to his family. He loved his wife of 60 years, Lynne, and their three children, Scott, Kevin, and Nicole. They were further blessed with two beautiful daughters-in-law, Sue and Courteney, and a terrific son-in-law, Mark. Dick and Lynne’s lives were further fulfilled as God gifted them with seven loving grandchildren: Katelyn, Chet, Andrew, Cameron, Madelyn, Owen and Ellie. May God bless and protect you on your final flight west, Colonel Shutack.

Dick was laid to rest with full military honors at the USAFA Cemetery on September 15th, 2023. (Scott Shutack, USAFA 1987)

William T. (Bill) Sakahara, ’64 William T. (Bill) Sakahara of Mission Viejo, Calif., passed away on May 18, 2023, while traveling in Japan. He was born Sept. 12, 1942, in Fresno, Calif.

Growing up in Gilroy, Calif., Bill was part of a hardworking, close-knit family of vegetable farmers. Bill reported to USAFA on June 27, 1960. He spent time in the 46th BCTS, CS-17 and CS-22. Well known for his modesty, quick wit and “stick-toit-tivity,” Bill was on the Commandant’s and Dean’s List. He was also on the Sabre Drill Team as a Doolie and the CS-22 Wing Champion LaCross Team as a Firstie.

Following graduation, Bill attended UPT at Vance AFB, Okla. Following UPT, he married his beloved Janet. From there, he flew the F-4 Phantom II at various fighter bases including Nellis AFB, Nev., where he served as flight instructor, Red Flag Program manager and USAF Fighter Weapons School F-4 Flying Division commander.

Staff assignments included a Pentagon tour as action officer in the TAC Division of the Air Operations Readiness Directorate, where he was a recognized expert in fighter operations, weapons and tactics. Bill was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, two Meritorious Service Medals, seven Air Medals and two Air Force Commendation Medals.

In civilian life, Bill lent his expertise in several Southern California job settings, including manager of the Mission Analysis Department for LORAL and Ford Aerospace and business development manager for Lockheed Martin. He even found time to run a small business, a coffee bar at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station.

As their family grew, Bill and Jan assumed ever more grandchild caregiver duties. They delighted in watching those kiddos grow and being a part of their lives. They indeed felt fortunate to be so involved with family, remaining healthy and mobile and staying busy in retirement.

Bill is survived by his wife, Janet Yukiye Sakahara; daughters Kristin (Kendall) Cummings, Robin (Daniel Allen) Sakahara and Karin (Kenn) Kashima; grandchildren Kaitlin Cummings, Sumiye and Shiogo Allen and Kayla and Kenna Kashima; great-grandson Takashi King; brothers Gene (Kathryn) and Dale Sakahara.

A memorial service, attended by Bill’s friends, family and church family, with full military honors, was held at Orange County Buddhist Church in Anaheim, Calif., on July 1, 2023. It was a loving, respectful and encouraging tribute to a life well lived. (Submitted by Bill’s family and USAFA ’64 classmate, Doug Jenkins.)

Gone But Not Forgotten Notifications

If you know of a graduate’s death, please notify the Association of Graduates by emailing deceasednotifications@aogusafa.org or by calling 719-472-0300. The AOG will then contact the next of kin and provide information on how to submit a Gone But Not Forgotten obituary to Checkpoints magazine. Due to editorial and print deadlines, please visit usafa.org for the most up-to-date information about graduate deaths.

Checkpoints · December 2023· 99

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN Michael A. Parmentier, ’66 Col. (Ret) Michael Parmentier passed away on May 10, 2023. Michael was born and died in Washington, D.C., but grew up in Meriden, Conn. At the Academy he was a proud member of 13th Squadron and treasured life-long friendships with his Red Tag classmates. Michael excelled in the classroom, as an athlete and as a member of the Catholic Choir.

Michael earned an MS in computer science from New York University. After NYU, Michael served in the Pentagon’s AF Data Services Center. He then represented the Air Force at the Rand Corporation in California and studied policy analysis at the Rand Graduate Institute, was ABD (all but dissertation) for his Ph.D and earned a master’s degree from the institute. Michael joined DoD and Robert McNamara’s “whiz kids” group in Program, Analysis & Evaluation. He was the PA&E focal point for establishing and funding the U.S. Central Command and the Special Operations Command.

As a Senior Executive Fellow, Michael attended the Kennedy School for Government at Harvard and studied public policy.

As director of Readiness and Training and a member of the Senior Executive Service, Michael conceived, developed and captured funding for the Advanced Distributed Learning (ADL) program. ADL created the Sharable Content Object Reference Model, SCORM, now the standard for online learning and training. Michael presented keynotes and chaired panels worldwide on a wide spectrum of learning technologies. Due to these contributions, Michael was inducted into the U.S. Distance Learning Association Hall of Fame.

Post DoD, Michael was an executive at Booz Allen Hamilton for 10 years providing vision and leadership for their Learning Team. Subsequently, as a consultant to BAH he facilitated the APEX program, a charm school for new senior executives across DoD. At NYU, Michael met Gail Tobin. The couple shared a loving 54-year marriage and raised two wonderful sons. Michael and Gail enjoyed travel throughout the U.S. and overseas destinations. They prized family time in both Vienna, Va., and Vero Beach, Fla. Michael is survived by Gail, son Kyle (Ilga), son Chris (Courtney), sister (Leslie) and two beautiful granddaughters, Kaija and Charlotte. As a renaissance man Michael enjoyed playing golf; critiquing baseball; gourmet cooking, deboning Turkeys ala Julia Child and baking many memorable trays of cookies. He was skilled at NYT crosswords and sudoku.

Michael’s family, friends, and colleagues delight in remembering his positive attitude, smiling eyes and perpetual grin. Known for character, honor, and intelligence, Michael was a wonderful son, husband, father, brother and friend. (Michael’s loving family)

Thomas J. Eaves, Jr., ’68 Maj. (Ret) Thomas J. Eaves, Jr., passed away on Aug. 12, 2022, in Agoura Hills, Calif. After graduation, Tom married the love of his life, Elizabeth Clanan. They have two daughters. In Vietnam, he flew a C-47.

He briefly worked in Tehran, Iran, for EDS. The assignment was cut short due to the revolution and he and the family were evacuated.

Years later he went back into the Air Force.

He flew the KC-135 until retirement.

Throughout his second Air Force tour, he received multiple awards 100 · usafa.org

– most notably – the Bronze Star. USAF Commander in Chief General Charles A. Horner’s letter explains why.

“Major Eaves was the single critical member that designed and built the software program that executed the Desert Storm air campaign. This operation required the largest armada of tankers in history, resulting in more than 19,000 KC-135 and KC-10 sorties, more than 76,000 receiver aircraft, and more than one billion pounds of fuel offloaded to the Multi-National Coalition Forces. The historical size of this refueling campaign required revolutionary computerized methods to plan and execute a daily Air Tasking Order (ATO) that was five times greater than ever before. At no time in the history of airpower has a tanker planner been required to mate more than 300 tankers and more than 1,500 receivers into 60 air refueling tracks in successive 24-hour periods on a continuing basis.

“Timeliness was the critical factor in the war-time scheduling process.

Major Eaves’ software resulted in 99 percent savings in manhours and ATO errors. The astounding difference was immediately evident—the eighthour planning time required to manually transfer data was reduced to eight minutes. There was no manual intervention required—thus no errors! His innovation substantially reduced the planners’ workload and greatly increased the accuracy of the Desert Storm ATO. His progress now provides the solution to the air refueling problems once considered unsolvable by previous programmers. Brig. Gen. Caruana stated that, ‘Tom has forever changed the way we will prosecute a war.’ Major Eaves’ software programs were used

by Rome Laboratories as the “heart” for the air refueling algorithms of the Advanced Planning System, the future for joint service operations.

“Major Eaves was the architect who designed and built the software program which was singularly and directly responsible for the overwhelming success of Operation Desert Storm and the liberation of Kuwait. His superb performance during six months at USCENTAF Headquarters in Riyadh truly merits award of the Bronze Star medal.” (Elizabeth Eaves, Tom’s wife)

Steven B. King, ’79 Col. (Ret) Steven B. King, 66, of Kissimmee, Florida, passed away on May 12, 2023.

Steve was born on Jan 9,1957, to Theodore (Ted) and Joan King in Littleton, N.H. His family relocated to Hot Springs, Ark., when Steve was 5 years old. He attended Lakeside High School in Hot Springs where he was a star student and athlete. Upon graduating from Lakeside High School in 1975, Steve was selected to attend the U.S. Air Force Academy (USAFA) in Colorado Springs where he was a member of the USAFA water polo team.

Steve was commissioned as a second lieutenant with the USAFA, graduating class of 1979. Steve became an Air Force pilot, retiring after 27 years as a colonel. During that time, he served in varying positions across the United States, Europe, Philippines and Afghanistan. He was a command pilot with more than 3,900 hours flying helicopters (HH-53E), tactical airlift (C-130E) and tanker aircraft (C-141). Following his 2006 Air Force retirement, he worked for Booz Allen Hamilton until 2016.

Steve is survived by his wife, Arlene (Col., U.S. Army, retired) whom he met when they served at the U.S. Transportation Command at Scott Air Force Base, Ill. Steve and Arlene married in 2002. He is also survived by his stepson Darryl Beatty (Mary Ellen), his daughter Sara King, his son Adam King (Emily), his grandchildren, Declan and Amelia Beatty, his mother, Joan, and many loving family members. Steve was predeceased by his father, Theodore King.

Steve was an avid athlete. An ardent cyclist, Steve bicycled twice across the U.S. and down the Pacific Coast with America By Bicycle. He also

swam the Maui Channel Swim, participated in the Hawaii marathon and several triathlons throughout the years. He and Arlene pedaled their tandem bike six times in the Wichita Falls, Texas, Hotter ‘N Hell Hundred. In retirement, Steve spent his time playing with his grandchildren, cycling, swimming and participating in community events. Following his 2017 injury, he established SolAbility, a group for those with disabilities, in his retirement community, Solivita.

Initial services were held at St Rose of Lima Catholic Church, Kissimmee, Fla., on June 14. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to the Christian Activity Center in East St Louis, Ill. (540 N. 6th Street, East St. Louis, Ill. 62202) the organization Steve was cycling to raise money for during his last cross country bike ride in 2017. (Col. [USA, Ret] Arlene King, Steve’s wife)

Michael F. B. Fleck, ’88 It is with profound sadness that we announce the passing of Col. (Ret) Michael Francis Buch Fleck on Sept. 12, 2023, after a long battle with osteosarcoma. Mike was born in New York and moved overseas as a child.

Upon returning to the United States, his family moved to California, where Mike developed his interest in flying. From California, the family moved to Iran and then New Jersey. After his father retired, they moved to North Carolina, and Mike earned his private pilot license. Mike began his career at the Air Force Academy, where he was a member of the swim team and the parachute demonstration team, Wings of Blue. He earned a degree in astronautical engineering and was named parachute demonstrator of the year as a senior.

After pilot training at Williams AFB, he remained as an instructor pilot before being assigned to Travis AFB flying the C-5 Galaxy to places as remote as Antarctica. He was then assigned to Beale AFB where he flew the U-2 Dragon Lady and T-38 Talon. Mike invested heavily in his personal and professional development, earning three master’s degrees by the end of his career, including one from Harvard. He completed a oneyear combat deployment in Iraq as the Multi-National Force J-5 director, a vital role in rebuilding Iraq. Mike also commanded the Mission Support Group at Tyndall AFB and was chief of Strategy and Plans Division for the Secretary of the Air Force/International Affairs, flying around the world with our highest elected officials.

Mike finished his distinguished career as Air Force Legislative Liaison at the Pentagon. Retiring after 26 years in the Air Force, Mike took an executive position with Textron Weapon and Sensor Systems, and later with Honeywell.

Mike was a devoted father to his children, Scott and Miranda. He loved planning adventures for the three of them, sailing around the Virgin Islands or visiting New York City for the New Year. Mike could not have been prouder when he saw Miranda graduate from Virginia Tech and Scott graduate from Air Force basic training.

Mike is survived by his children, Scott Michael Fleck and Miranda Grace Fleck. He was predeceased by his father, Robert J. Fleck, and sister Carol Richards and is survived by his mother, Kirsten B. Fleck, and her husband Glenn Yeager, his sister Kristine G. Keel, and brother John R. Fleck. (Kristine Keel, Mike’s sister)

Robert C. Hess, ATO Col. (Ret) Bob Hess, a proud veteran of the U. S. Air Force, dedicated husband, father, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, passed away on Aug. 5, 2023, in Colorado Springs surrounded by family. Bob was born Sept. 9, 1934, in Washington, D.C. and grew up as an Army brat in Baltimore, Md., Munich and Heidelberg, West Germany, and Fort Knox, Ky. After high school, he was highly recruited to play college basketball; unfortunately, he contracted and beat polio when he was only 18. While this setback cut short his basketball career, it opened the door for a lifetime of Service in the Air Force.

On Jan. 28, 1954, he reported to Lackland AFB to begin Aviation Cadet Training. He was commissioned a second lieutenant and awarded navigator wings at Harlingen AFB on March 22, 1955. Bob received a second aeronautical rating as a radar observer at Moody AFB on Oct. 31, 1955.

While at Moody AFB, he was interviewed by the newly designated vice commandant of cadets, Col. Ben Cassiday, who selected him to serve as an air training officer at the fledgling Air Force Academy. 2nd Lt. Bob Hess reported to Lowry AFB on May 15,1956, as the youngest of 134 ATOs, where he helped establish the highest standards and traditions for cadets that set the strong foundation for every single graduate of the Long Blue Line.

Bob earned his third aeronautical rating and pilot wings on Nov. 22,1958, at Webb AFB. During his flying career, Bob flew 6,002 hours in aircraft including the T-29, B-25, T-34, C-47, T-28, F-89, T-33, T-37. T-38, T-39 and C-123.

During his Service to the nation, Bob served with distinction in South Vietnam, South Korea and bases across the United States. In Vietnam, he spearheaded testing for night, low-level, blacked out paradrop tactics in support of U.S. Special Forces in Southeast Asia using modified C-123s.

As the director of Plans and Programs at USAFA, he wrote and executed the plan that brought women to the Academy in the Class of 1980. Also, while at USAFA, Bob served as Gen. Chappie James chief pilot and flew Bob Hope to the Academy to perform one of his famous USO shows.

In his last assignment, he helped stand up U.S. Central Command in the aftermath of the Iranian Hostage Crisis.

Bob is survived by his wife of 66 years, Kaye Hess; three children; eight grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren. (Derek Hess, ’80, Bob’s son) At presstime, we learned of the deaths of the following graduates and ATO. Col. (Ret) Karol J. Bobko, Class of 1959, who died on Aug. 17, 2023, in Half Moon Bay, Calif.

Gen. (Ret) Michael C. Carns, Class of 1959, who died on Oct. 11, 2023, in Falls Church, Va. Mr. Howard D. "Dale" Davis, Class of 1959, who died on July 28, 2023, in Sedona, Ariz.

Mr. James A. Bilello, Class of 1960, who died on Oct. 23, 2023, in Denver, Colo.

Mr. William D. "Bill" Siebecker, Class of 1960, who died on July 16, 2023, in Brandon, Fla. Col. (Ret) Donald R. Danborn, Class of 1961, who died on July 4, 2023 in Aarvada, Colo,

Gone But Not Forgotten Notifications

If you know of a graduate’s death, please notify the Association of Graduates by emailing deceasednotifications@aogusafa.org or by calling 719-472-0300. The AOG will then contact the next of kin and provide information on how to submit a Gone But Not Forgotten obituary to Checkpoints magazine. Due to editorial and print deadlines, please visit usafa.org for the most up-to-date information about graduate deaths.

Checkpoints · December 2023· 101

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN Lt. Col. (Ret) Worth R. McCue, Class of 1961, who died on Sept 4, 2023, in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Maj. (Ret) John F. Helinski, Class of 1963, who died on July 5, 2023, in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Col. (Ret) Bryant P. Culberson, Class of 1963, who died on Sept. 14, 2023, in Wetumpka, Ala. Mr. Edward G. Reisdorf, Class of 1963, who died on Oct 19, 2023.

Lt. Col. (Ret) Thomas K. Kullgren, Class of 1964. who died on Aug. 8, 2023, in Midland, Mich.

Capt. (Ret, Navy) Alfred J. Mateczun, Class of 1964, who died on Oct. 14, 2023, in Frederick, Md. Brig. Gen. (Ret) James W. "Jim" McIntyre, Class of 1964, who died on July 10, 2023, in Rye, N.H. Mr. Dennis M. Nagy, Class of 1965, who died on Aug. 5, 2023, in Vienna, Va. Col. (Ret) Roland J. Page, Class of 1965, who died on Sept. 25, 2023, in Titusville, Fla. Col. (Ret) Jock P. Patterson, Class of 1965, who died on July 29, 2023, in Hampton, Va. Lt. Col. (Ret) Kenneth F. Boehringer, Class of 1966, who died on Sept, 23, 2022, in San Antonio, Texas.

Mr. Stephen R. Elm, Class of 1967, who died on Feb. 19, 2023, in Kalispell, Mont.

Dr. Col. (Ret) Theodore L. Willke, Class of 1967, who died on June 17, 2023, in Pittsburgh, Pa. Maj. (Ret) LeRoy G. Barco, Class of 1968, who died on July 17, 2021, in Albuquerque, N.M. Mr. Michael G. McCalley, Class of 1968, who died on April 27, 2022, in Orange, Calif.

Mr. Clark L. Mobley, Class of 1968, who died on Oct. 29, 2022, in St. Augustine, Fla. Mr. William A. Denney, Class of 1969, who died on Sept. 7, 2023, in Kansas City, Mo. Lt. Col. (Ret) George S. Zier, Class of 1969, who died on Oct. 1, 2023, in Richmond Hill, Ga. Lt. Col. (Ret) Henry Joseph "Hank" Happ, Class of 1972, who died on Oct. 30, 2023, in Albuquerque, N.M. Col. (Ret) Gregory W. "Bill" Cummins, Class of 1973, who died on Aug. 6, 2023, in Asheville, N.C. Mr. Dennis E. Haugh, Class of 1973, who died on Oct. 24, 2003, in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Mr. Paul R. Manley, Class of 1973, who died on Sept. 27, 2023, in Bethesda, Md. Col. (Ret) Milton J. Miller, Class of 1973, who died on July 19, 2023, in Scottsdale, Ariz.

Mr. Richard M. Ulmer, Class of 1973, who died on Oct. 26, 2023, in Denver, Colo.

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Lt. Col. (Ret) James A. Nemetz, Class of 1974, who died on June 23, 2023, in Phoenix, Ariz..

Col. (Ret) Mark B. "Buck" Rogers, Class of 1975, who died on Oct. 14, 2023, in Boerne, Texas Mr. Rodolfo Saavedra, Class of 1975, who died on Sept. 28, 2023, on Montevideo, Uruguay.

Mr. Theodore G. Stallone, Class of 1975, who died on Aug. 5, 2023, in Brighton, Colo.

Col. (Ret) Stephen J. McNamara, Class of 1976, who died on Sept. 30, 2023, in San Antonio, Texas.

Maj. (Ret) Lin A. Riley, Class of 1976, who died on Aug. 7, 2023, in New Braunfels, Texas.

Lt. Col. (Ret) David G. London, Class of 1978, who died on Aug, 20, 2023, in Dayton, Ohio.

Lt. Col. (Ret) Gerald W. "Jerry" Pellett, Class of 1978, who died on June 26, 2023, in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Lt. Col. (Ret) John R. "Bob" Kluttz Ennis, Class of 1979, who died on Aug. 13, 2023, in Parker, Colo.

Col. (Ret) Dennis F. Hilley, Class of 1979, who died on Sept. 26, 2023, in Valparaiso, Fla. Mr. Michael J. Jakobi, Class of 1981, who died on Sept. 2, 2023, in Cincinnati, Ohio.

Maj. (Ret) Jeffery M. Riles, Sr., Class of 1982, who died on Aug. 24, 2023, in Sun City, Ariz.

Ms. Katherine L. Kalish, Class of 1983, who died on Oct. 17, 2023, in Englewood, Colo.

Lt. Col. (Ret) Johnny R. Gresham, Class of 1985, who died on June 17, 2023, in Crane Hill, Ala. Lt. Col. (Ret) John P. Dewine, Class of 1986, who died on June 4, 2022, in The Woodlands, Texas.

Ms. Annette M. Stephens, Class of 1988, who died on April 11, 2023.

Mr. Gregory A. Wright, Class of 1988, who died on Sept. 27, 2023, in Colorado Springs, Colo.

Lt. Col. (Ret) Michael K. Carney, Class of 1994, who died on Sept. 21, 2023, in O'Fallon, Ill. Mr. Timothy E. Heider, Class of 1994, who died on Aug. 23, 2023, in Chicago, Ill. Mr. Marcus R. Blakely, Class of 1995, who died on July 27, 2023, in Centennial, Colo.

Mr. Robert W. Colby, Class of 2007, who died on Sept. 23, 2023, in Fort Worth, Texas.

Capt. Blake A Branton, Class of 2014, who died on May 11, 2023, in Washington, D.C. Mr. Arthur F. Harre, Air Training Officer, who died on Aug. 17, 2022, in Fishers, Ind. Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of these graduates and Air Training Officer.

CLASS NEWS 1959

USAFA’s oldest living grad, Paul Lasen, has found an unusual air museum. An air museum in Hood River, Oregon, has a large inventory of aircraft and vehicles from the early 1900s. Check it out on YouTube! He has relayed that when he was a college student tending bar in Ogden, Utah, a lady was reading palms. When she got to him she said, “You have a very long lifeline. You will live a very long life.”

Now for the, “Believe it or not” part. From Paul, “I am in the process of upgrading and selling a Bonanza A-36 and a Bonanza F-33A. I hope to have them sold by the end of the year and finally retire from flying. The A-36 will be on the market in a week or so. The F-33A will take a month or two before it is ready. The F-33A was one that I bought in 2001 and sold in 2015. That owner now has physical problems so I bought it back to upgrade it and sell it.” Yes, as Paul approaches the big 90 on Nov. 22, he is climbing down from the clouds.

Don Livingston is back to picking up women … again! He is bringing Eugenia Penn and Jo DeSantis to the reunion! Way to go, Don. The west coast contingent, led by Gene Vosika, Bill McLain, Craig Schaum and others had a get together, but the photo came through too blurry to print. Sorry.

Jack Hundemer again proved himself to be a hardy pioneer, making the trek from Cincinnati to Winter Haven through the treacherous passes and the blockade known as Atlanta. He now has another home that is 45 minutes from his prior by golf cart. He expresses the plight of many snowbirds in Florida: “I’m in real estate hell owning three houses and can only afford one. So goes the journey as I begin my 90th trip around the sun. I’m closer to 90 than 89 since I’m claiming the three months in orbit as a passenger, being a part of this incredible universe. Thanks, mom.

Best wishes for the remainder of our journeys.

Another of the many coincidences in life happened at Betty Reeves’ funeral at USAFA. One of the attendees, ex-airline pilot Tony Wood, wanted to go to USAFA but was turned down for a physical reason. After he retired from the airline his interest became the Fort Worth Aviation Museum. In the museum is an F-4C flown by Ed Montgomery when he was hit by a missile, but limped back to base. Ed’s replacement shot down a MIG with it. The museum is downsizing so Ed and Tony agreed to work to save the F-4C as the work proceeds. Small world!

Bill McClain’s family has made the news again as Bill’s grandson, Max Graves, graduated from USAFA with the Class of 2023. He was commissioned into the USMC at a local distillery in Colorado Springs. Those Marines know how to do things well. Or did Bill set this up?

The sad news of the quarter is that we have lost six more of our classmates, Mike Carns, Howard Dale Davis, Karol Bobko, Bob Dwyer, Tony Seizys and Steve Hamer. Mike is USAFA’s first vice chief, Karol is USAFA’s first astronaut who was highlighted on the Today Show and Bob was the adjutant general of the State of Nevada National Guard. That leaves 81 of us, if my math is correct.

Dick “Dusty” Trail with Dave Fulkerson.

Dick “Dusty” Trail has just completed his annual pilot proficiency check as a Certified Flight Instructor (CFI). For many years, Dick has been teaching folks to fly and giving proficiency checks to local pilots at McCook. He is being congratulated by the other CFI at the airport, Dave Fulkerson, former RC-135 pilot at Offutt.

The aircraft in the background is his 1946 Aeronca 7ac Champ. Trail also serves on the Nebraska Aeronautical Commission.

Jim Reed is asking for some of us classmates to proofread our class history information and the “Flag” information before the reunion. Looking forward to the reunion with hope to see as many as possible there. A lot of us are looking forward to seeing the newest USAF fighter, the F-35 at Eglin AFB. However, the best of all is getting together with our ’59 band of brothers, our families, and friends!

Thought for the Quarter: “A lie doesn’t become truth, wrong doesn’t become right, and evil doesn’t become good just because it is accepted by a majority.” Booker T. Washington

Members

89%

Top Class - Gold Sabre Society Donors

19

Top Class - Gold Polaris Society Members

tennis paddle and a whiffle ball. While Jerry and Betty soon became good enough to play and win in some senior tournaments, various ailments kept Jerry away from the game for several years.

This year, however, the couple qualified to play in the National Senior Games. Although another problem kept Jerry from playing, he did witness Betty’s winning a gold medal in her age group.

Sid Newcomb reports that he had back surgery in July. It was perfect−no side effects. Marvann had much more serious back surgery in September.

She’s convalescing very well, taking short walks, wearing a back brace, but no longer needs a stroller! Sid sums up with, “All in all, as 80-plusyear-old farts (Nulli Secundus), we are super blessed with a magnificent family, great church, many good friends with whom we play lots of rummy-cub, canasta, and poker.”

Karen Burshnick had knee replacement surgery in August and is recovering nicely. “The implant doesn’t hurt at all, but I have to strengthen all the supporting structures, which is painful but going very well. I am walking and using a cane or rollator. My goal is to walk without assistance.”

Diana Pupich says that the “Pupichs had a family reunion in Thousand Oaks/Camarillo area in July. About 80 attended including Alex, who is now chief pilot; SWA LAX, Jill, both of George’s grandsons and Diana.”

Bill and Barb Hales are still living happily in Greenville, SC. Bill adds, “We still travel to Hilton Head Island at least once a year and to Florida at least once a year to visit with our son and family.

We’re into road trips since we own Tesla cars and enjoy driving them. Barb and I continue to enjoy good health and are very active in a sports club where we work out about five days a week.”

Bill Carnegie has an interesting story about his flying a vintage sailplane. It’s too long to relate here, but it has been posted on the class website in Stake Your Claim. Check it out.

Charlie Liggett checks in with, “Kathy and I completed our sixth world cruise earlier this year.

This trip nearly five months, starting in Sydney and ending in Fort Lauderdale. One stop that may be of interest was Ho Chi Minh City, formerly Saigon. Probably many of you had a drink at the bar atop the REX Hotel.

6

–Dick Carr, 3612 San Sebastian Ct., Punta Gorda, FL 33950; H: 941-637-8272; C: 941-585-8280; dickc59@embarqmail.com; with Dusty Trail, dickt@swnebr.net; FB: USAFA Class of 1959

1960

A new racquet game called pickleball caught Betty de la Cruz’s interest several years ago.

This quirky sport, with its odd rules and strange terminology (e.g. kitchen and dink), is played on a court about half the size of a tennis court using a larger-sized, fancy, table-

Charlie and Kathy Liggett at the Rex. Paul Sullivan says that he and his wife Lynn Hart “… have been together in south Phoenix for about eight years; I’ve been here in AZ since 2003 Checkpoints · December 2023 · 103

CLASS NEWS full time, and love it. I’m still playing tenor banjo and am now settled into a quintet, Cimarron Sidekicks. We do about two gigs a month at assisted living facilities and community centers, and it’s fun.”

Judy Bronson reports for Howie that, “The Bronson family just welcomed their third greatgrandchild. Two boys and a girl. They are so much fun. Henry, Gabriella and Luca.”

Norm Haller says that he and Liz are, “Staying in touch with ever-growing family, attending family functions when possible, and otherwise keeping up with house and large yard plus 1 1/2 year-old puppy.”

Dave Sweigart contributes, “… On Friday of Memorial Day weekend, I played all 18 holes with the chest pressures coming and going the entire round. Saturday morning I decided to go to the emergency room before I had a heart attack. I ended up with a two-day stay in the hospital. My reason for boring anyone with my story is to pass on an important message. Don’t do what I did by ignoring symptoms of something not being right!

My second news is that Camille and I are moving to Blue Skies of Texas West (formerly Air Force Village) near San Antonio at the end of this year.

I seriously recommend everyone take a look at it on Google and see if it fits your final retirement plans.”

John and Deanne McCullough, “… just spent a week in our old haunts in MN visiting family and old friends. It will surprise you to know there was no fishing included. Either Deanne is getting more assertive or I’m getting soft! The highlight of the trip was spending time with our new greatgranddaughter, Olivia Claire. She was 5 months old.

John McCullough: Olivia Claire and “brothersin-law with chicks.”

Bill Kornitzer adds, “Most people downsize when they get older, but we did the opposite.

We started building a house when COVID started in 2020 and finally moved into the new home in March of this year. We lived in a condo for over 20 years, but now have space for at least some of our 14 grandchildren.”

Don Wolfswinkel’s wife, Donnie, sends this unwelcome news: “You may or may not be aware, Don is suffering from severe dementia.

He is presently home as we live in an over-55 community, although we are starting to use daily home health services. Please keep us in your prayers as this is a horrible disease for all concerned.”

Nulli Secundus

Members

94%

Sabre Society Donors

10

Polaris Society Members

2

–Ken Alnwick, 20522 Falcons Landing Cir., Potomac Falls, VA 20165-7595; 703-509-7191; kjalnwick1@gmail.com; Class Website: www.usafaclasses.org/1960/afa60.html

1961

We lost one classmate this quarter, Worth McCue. Jan and Randy Cubero, Anne and Tom Eller, Theda and Bill Foster, Erna Haring, Dean Jones, and Carly and Terry Storm represented our class at services for Worth at the Academy Cemetery on 22 September.

A funeral was held for Charlie Croll on 26 October at the USAFA Cemetery. Per his request, there is no obituary.

Ginger and Mark Anderson continue to enjoy life at their retirement community in Boerne, TX, (20 miles NW of San Antonio). Mark still plays golf a couple of times a week (if the weather is good) and both are active in the church. No serious health issues as of today.

Bob Best said that as fall creeps in, all is quiet on his wooded two-acre peninsula. Falling leaves obstruct the view. He now has reason to give thanks for his cadet summer trip to Fort Benning. He finds that the practice he had at parachute landing falls is finally coming in handy. The problem is just finding a soft place to fall.

The Tom Brophy family had a reunion in August.

The picture shows the house and most of the participants. They spent a week together in Gulf Shores, AL, and were able to muster 30 folks across three generations. Their kids (all in their 50s and 60s) still like one another and it was great just to be together. Played cards, played golf, ate too much, and told stories ... they’re ready to do it again!

Brophy family reunion.

George Buchner and Susan Wearly transitioned between Nye, MT, and Mesquite, NV, during

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the spring and summer. George made a side trip to San Francisco for winos and derelicts in May. George and Susan did some fishing, rafting and hiking in Montana and some minor golfing in NV. Mike and Ruth Quinlan visited Ruth’s daughter and son-in-law in nearby Absarokee, MT, in September. The group shared some Emeritus grape juice on the banks of the Stillwater River. George attended the Daedalian Airpower Symposium in Las Vegas, Oct. 25-27 with Dean and Wayne Jones. George and Susan later attended the First Four reunion and Air Force/ Army football game in Denver Nov. 3-4.

Bruce Hinds has finally figured out that there are advantages of tropical weather over winter in the mountains (like not being frozen). He usually goes hunting followed by hitting the ski slopes this time of the year, but this year he and some of his ski buddies from Aspen have decided that fishing in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, for several weeks is a good choice.

Hector Negroni says that he is still 95% blind but thankful to be alive.

Les Schneider, his wife, Debbie, and his daughter, Heidi, moved from St. Louis to Charlotte, NC, in June. Debbie is still a flight attendant for American and flies out of Charlotte.

They are enjoying their new home. They hosted a family week at Carolina Beach in July, attended by all the children (7), spouses (2) and two of their grandchildren. They are taking advantage of their location and enjoying frequent trips to the mountains and nearby points of interest.

Schneider family get together.

In September, Jack and Linda Taylor sailed for 10 days on a Uniworld boat from Budapest to Nuremberg up the Danube to the Main River, then to Prague. Besides a wonderful 10-days cruising, they were struck by the frequency that tour guides in Hungary, Austria and the Czech Republic brought up the effects of the Russian occupation/ Cold War days on them. Remember, it’s been only about 30 years since the Iron Curtain countries were freed. They had nothing good to say about Russians and communism. While in Prague, they spent time at nearby Theresienstadt, the Nazi prison. Unlike the other camps, this wasn’t a death camp but where they sorted Jews for the death camps. Also, it was a phony showcase for 1943 Red Cross inspectors who visited to see how well the prisoners were being treated. All of the Jews on display were later killed. Google it. We must never forget.

Tom Wilson recently returned home from a week’s trip to Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine

and western NY. Primarily, the purpose was to visit a granddaughter and her husband before they left for about three years in Brussels. Plus, to sightsee in three states that he had not visited in the past, as well as to see the baseball HOF in Cooperstown. Mission accomplished! Tom has only two more states to visit to complete being in all 50 — Idaho and Montana. (Note: Brace yourself, George Buchner, for a visit next spring or summer! You are properly warned). Tom looked forward to the joint reunion at the Army game in Denver!

Nelson and Teri O’Rear are enjoying memories from events surrounding the football weekends when Air Force played Navy in Annapolis and they lived in northern Virginia. Most of those weekends, Bill and Theda Foster hosted in their home our local and out-of-town classmates, spouses, widows and friends. While we preferred winning those games, enjoying that companionship was always fun. One year, Brice Jones also hosted a very nice affair in Maryland.

Thanks again, Bill, Theda and Brice.

Members

93%

Sabre Society Donors

12

Polaris Society Members

4

–Nelson O’Rear, 50582 Stonington Dr., Granger, IN 46530-8243; 574-273-2597; enoandtjo@gmail.com

1962

As is often the case, I greet another quarter with a mixture of pride and sadness. Pride to be associated with a group such as the ’62 Redtags, and sadness at the losses. I take pride in Tuck McAtee being inducted into the Virginia Aviation Hall of Fame on 6 November. Tuck joins George Harrison as a recognized contributor to aviation and a recent inductee to a state-wide hall of fame organization. Tuck has been flying since he was 16.

He flew the F-100, F-4, F-104, F-15 and F-16. He is a graduate of both the USAF Test Pilot School and the Fighter Weapons School, and he has taught at both.

After retirement, Tuck joined General Dynamics where he continued his aviation-related work as an engineering manager and program director for the Advanced Tactical Aircraft. Is there any doubt why I am proud to call Tuck “classmate?” I hope to have a picture of Tuck’s induction in the next issue; my submission deadline was too early for me to have one in this issue.

Some of you know that Al Mosher suffered a stroke some months ago. I spoke to Al as I submitted this. He is improving and working his way back to his previous capabilities in terms of

issues like movement and speech. Al’s attitude remains positive. We all wish him strength as he recovers from this.

I have said that I believe there are two people who have done more than others to keep our class integrated and informed. Those two, in my opinion, are Jack Jamba, our scribe for years, and Bob Felts, who has served as our class network systems administrator. Bob announced in August that the email lists that he ran as administrator (with the exception of “rtb.notify”), would soon be closing. In spite of that, the “rtb.general” net manages to somehow keep going, even if temporarily. After that announcement, Tom Young, began efforts to develop a similar service through Facebook. I am not certain how this evolves going forward; however, I am convinced that it is important and valuable for us as a class to remain in touch, and we owe those who try to make that happen a debt of gratitude. We may not always agree on issues, but it is important that we talk to each other.

And then there is the sadder side of the ledger — our losses. Mitch Eckel died in July from complications associated with lymphoma. Mitch always had a pleasant word and a smile for his classmates. He was an extremely accomplished man, though you would never know that from talking with him. After pilot training at Williams AFB (and the fact that he was at Williams says something about Mitch’s academic performance at USAFA), Mitch was initially assigned to B-47’s.

After two or three years he was sent to fly C-130’s.

He was at Nha Trang in Vietnam. My guess is that the combination of B-47’s, C-130’s, and Nha Trang convinced Mitch that he could do better outside the Air Force than inside (as I say, he was smart).

Mitch decided to try the practice of law. He was accepted by every law school that he applied to.

He elected to study at Harvard and was the first USAFA graduate of the Harvard Law School. Mitch went on to practice law in Massachusetts and was a partner in several different firms. He later formed his own law firm specializing in estate, tax, and elder law. We lost a good man when Mitch Eckel died.

We also lost John Luebbermann in September.

I have had little luck in finding information on John’s life and career as I prepared to write this column, but Rick Perlotto helped me out, supplying information only a friend could.

Thanks, Rick. After graduation, John received his wings at Laredo. He was assigned to SAC where he piloted KC-135’s. John volunteered for and flew F-100’s at Tuy Hoa in Vietnam. After Vietnam, John returned to SAC, though he served two tours as an air attaché in Chile. After retirement as a colonel from the Air Force, John served as a deputy sheriff in Sacramento County, CA. He later retired from that position and moved with his family to Kerrville, TX. I regret that I do not have more detail on John’s life and career and that lack of information leads me to suggest the following: We should all think about the events in our lives that we would like to have remembered after we are gone and write a short paragraph that your family can find when you are gone. They (and others) will be glad you did.

One of the saddest bits of news we got was that Pete Robinson was hospitalized with metastatic bladder cancer. As I write this (late October), he is in hospice care. I never had the opportunity to be in a unit with Pete, so, in a sense, I came to know him through the comments he made on “rtb.general,” and occasional conversations when we spoke at class reunions. I always found his comments to be among the best — always on point, and always among the wisest. Pete never took sides politically, and he never attacked anyone for their views. If we lose Pete — and I fear we will — we will have lost one of the finest intellects our class produced.

Members

85%

Sabre Society Donors

16

Polaris Society Members

2

–Bob Lightsey, 3105 Cunningham Dr., Alexandria, VA 22309; H: 703-360-5320; C: 703-772-2061; bob.lightsey@gmail.com

1963

Gone But Not Forgotten: The Association of Graduates has informed us of the death of two classmates: Lt. Col. (Ret.) Richard A. Shutack and Col. (Ret.) Bryant P. Culberson. Bryant Culberson passed away on 14 Sep in Wetumpka, AL. His obituary can be found at Gassett Funeral Home and Crematory. Dick Shutack, CS-02, passed away on 15 Aug in Colorado Springs, CO. His obituary can be found at Swan-Law Funeral Directors/Dignity Memorial.

60th Remembered: For those of you who could not join us for the week, we truly missed you and wished you could have joined us. What a great week it was! The turnout was remarkable: We had 144 classmates there and 140 guests. With the exception of a few canes/walking sticks and other devices to keep us up on our feet and moving right along, you would never know we were all octogenarians!

Even a number of couples were celebrating their 60th wedding anniversary. Four bottles of champagne at our table! Two hundred sixtyfour attendees were at the banquet. I even saw a number of grandchildren, including one of my own. Lots of very active and involved old guys! The Cup Turning Ceremony was moving: 51 cups! The squadron night was great fun. The hotel provided 15th Squadron a van for our trip out and back to Biaggi’s restaurant and Briargate. Delicious food, constant stories et al. and we had David Nuss’s son, Stephen, as our special guest.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 105

CLASS NEWS Jim Hanam reported on a successful D.C. and Atlanta group reunion at Ed and Carol Pickens’ mountain retreat in Lost River, WV. Dick Guild’s baby back ribs and brats were the menu of choice.

By the time you receive this issue of Checkpoints, it will be near Christmas. Linda and I want to wish you happy holidays and be safe out there!

Members

88%

#3 Class - Bronze Sabre Society Donors

37

Polaris Society Members

11

Ken Kopke turning the cups.

Gill Merkle has posted many of Jimmie Butler’s reunion photographs and other videos for our 60th.

The website URL is usafa63.org. Navigate down the left column and select Related Sites. You will find USAFA Class Histories there. Go there and then select Academy Archives. Once there, type in 2023 and select All Types. From then on, you will find many options, the best of which is the 60th reunion. From that point on, select any line and enjoy! As usual, you will find John Borling to be very entertaining.

Change of Command: One bit of news you may have already become aware of: we have almost a new set of class officers. Class President Vic Thacker replaced Jim Diffendorfer. Ev Vaughn is taking on the treasurer’s job and Jim Kuhn will take on the reunion committee. Pres Davis and Les Denend will continue in their jobs as secretary and vice president. You should receive or already have the list of class officers and advisors with email addresses included. If not, drop me an email.

How about those Falcons? Seven wins, including the win over Navy last Saturday. My dad, USNA Class of 1940, is turning over in his grave.

He played center for the Navy in ’38 and ’39. The upcoming game against Colorado State is a bit worrisome for me. Get through that one and an undefeated season is not out of the question.

I received an email just yesterday, 22 Oct from Ralph Wetterhahn that included a selection of photographs of his recent experience in September prospecting at the Roaring Camp Mining Company. He has done this before.

Thar’s gold in them thar mountains!

In the photograph, Ralph uses an impact drill to search for the gold. He says, “Note that boulder looming above my head. Remember, gold fever has no known cure.” The other part of the photograph confirms he did find some gold.

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Attendees were Bob and Ve Kennedy, Ed and Caroline Pickens, Dick (NoBody) Guild, Doug and Jan Hardgrave, Fred and Linda Frostic, Jim and Maureen Hannam and Bud and Joyce Gilligan.

–Norman I. “Skip” Lee, 63119 E. Cat Claw Ln., Tucson, AZ 85739-2058; H: 520-825-7980; C: 520-241-3498; 54wrs63@gmail.com; Class Web Site: www.usafa63.org

1964

Class of 1963 Leader Challenge Tower For decades to come, future airmen and guardians trained in the profession of arms at our U.S. Air Force Academy will forge their leadership skills on the Leader Challenge Tower at the Outdoor Leadership Complex, built by the Class of 1963 and dedicated to a true exemplar in Gen. (Ret.) Ron Fogleman ’63.

Read more in the The Final Word section of this magazine.

In closing, last night, along with many of our classmates inhabiting the Arizona desert, I saw the unexpected/unbelievable victory of the Diamondbacks defeating the Phillies in Game 7 and are going to the World Series! Both teams were wild Ccards, but the DBacks were 14 games behind the Dodgers in the NL West! Their next opponent will be the Texas Rangers, who I believe have played in the fall classic twice with no wins.

Both after they moved from Washington, D.C. (Senators) in 1972. The DBacks beat the Yankees in the 2001 World Series in seven games. That team had a bunch of stars playing for them, especially the pitching. This team has only three or four players over three years in the majors.

The “Team of the Future” showed up early!

Reunion Planning: August 2024! Arrive on 14 Aug (Wed.) and go home 17 Aug (Sat.). This will be the last formal (I.E., with AOG support) reunion, but why not a “64th 64” reunion in 2028?

Memories: Claude Billings forwarded a note from Joe Liro about Joe’s memories of the death of JFK. “I was the squadron commander of the 21sq in the fall of 1963, Lance Sijan was my first sergeant.

Lance and I had a professional and congenial relationship and we were rarely at odds with each other, until the day that President Kennedy was shot. They announced the President’s death from the tower and dismissed the wing. Some were in visible shock, some cried, some held each other.

I made my way back to my room to change clothes — I had a navigation training flight leaving that afternoon (Do they still have those?) for DavisMonthan AFB. Many questions, but Lance’s took the cake. ‘Sir, we’re scheduled for a SAMI this Saturday.’ Ever mindful of the troops, Lance asked, ‘Will you be changing that to an AMI?’ I reminded him that the president had just been killed and that this was no time to be concerned about the corners of our sheets or the arrangement of our drawers or whatever. When I returned, I sought out Lance and he me. We apologized to each other, as gentlemen do.”

Joe included the picture below of the 21st Squadron.

The 21st Squadron at a noon meal formation?

Gone But Not Forgotten: Jim McIntyre passed away in July in New York; Tom Kullgren passed away in Michigan in August and will be buried at USAFA; and Al Mateczun died in Maryland but will be buried at the Santa Fe National Cemetery

in New Mexico. Al served eight years as an Air Force pilot, went to medical school and served as a Navy doctor (captain).

Memorial: Jack Hudson, who died in 2002, was inducted posthumously into the Georgia Military Veterans Hall of Fame in November. So far out of 177 inductees, Jack is the only inductee that is the recipient of the Air Force Cross.

Remember the aircraft wing that was being rebuilt in the Cadet Woodshop? Nick Lacey wrote a summary of his memories about the Taylorcraft and Waco aircraft flying that he, Jack Hudson and Frank Packer did while cadets — at a time the Academy said you couldn’t. Jack and Frank were caught and given Class 3 confinements. While they were serving their time, the Waco had an accident and the lower wings were damaged badly. Before the start of their weekend confinements, Jack and Frank carried a damaged wing panel to their rooms and worked on rebuilding. (All that I can remember about it is that I could see the wing in the woodworking shop when I walked by, but one day, it had totally disappeared.) This aircraft had an earlier incident that brought a lot of unwanted attention. While flying in the Washington, D.C. area, the engine died and Frank Packer had to dead-stick land it on the seventh fairway of the Army Navy Country Club. Of course, it made the papers and the Academy found out about it.

I hope Nick puts this story all together and submits it for the 1964 class history website. It’s a great story.

Members

85%

Sabre Society Donors

27

#2 Class - Silver Polaris Society Members

15

–Bob Hovde, 206 Walker Ave., Huntsville, AL 35801; H: 256-532-3923; C: 256-348-9794; bob@hovde.us

1965

Greg “Pappy” Boyington Jr. visited Tom Owens for lunch at Tom’s retirement community in Potomac Falls, VA. Greg, class of 1959, lives in California and comes to the east coast annually to visit family. Greg, long-time friend of Tom’s, was his flight commander in the early 70s at Holloman AFB. As always, a great visit remembering times past!

Greg Boyington and Tom Owens.

The Waco that Frank Packer landed at the Army Navy Country Club.

Another ’64 Honor: Phil Roberts called to say that our own Fred Gregory has been selected for entry into the National Aviation Hall of Fame next year. Congratulations, Fred! Speaking of Fred, he hit the Facebook crowd with the following: “After a successful hip replacement and the installation of a pacemaker, today I got into and drove my yellow car for the first time in two months. Both of us were excited beyond words.”

Fred shows the only way to recover from a hip replacement.

Note: By the time you see this article, we’ll only be eight months from the reunion. It’s time to start planning for real!

with his son, Joe LeMire with “adopted daughter” Danika, Tom with Emily Murawski, and Mary Olsen (Dick Olsen’s widow) with John Coon. Medical problems canceled participation by Charlie Thomas, the Schillings and the McCrackens. Their absence got us thinking about getting together before the 2025 class reunion. There’s talk of connecting in New York City in 2024. Our mini reunions have attracted most of 5th Squadron.

We’ve missed a few members who live in the states and two who’ve retired overseas (Jack Corman in Thailand and Jack Haas in Belgium).

John C. Blackmar and Betsy have moved from Monument, CO, to Baldwin City, KS. 917 Tauy Woods Dr., Baldwin City, KS 66006.

Dave Connaughton and Michael Ditmore, co-editors of the Dodo back in the day, have just published a 500-page compendium of that infamous publication. Titled ’The Dodo Lives: the Very Best of the Dodo,’ the 8 1/2 x 11 paperback sifts through over 60 years of news and humor by and for cadets. The worst of the Dodo has been expunged (there were some ugly years). What remains will carry you back kicking and screaming to those halcyon days: bagpipes on the Terrazzo, buffer parties on Friday nights, boxers folded 5x5,” and so much more. Available on Amazon.

Tom Murawski: “During a full week of sunshine in Seattle, 5th Squadron held its first reunion since COVID. At our private lunch in Boeing’s Museum of Flight, we heard from Thomas Imrich, the pilot who tested the first 747. Then he took us on a tour of that very same plane. The speaker at our final dinner was Adm. William Owens, retired vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He talked about the urgent need to repair U.S. relations with China. Other highlights included visits to Pike Place Market and the Chihuly glass museum. We took in views of Seattle on our dinner cruise and from the Space Needle.

The reunion was arranged by the Ditmores, Michael (of Dodo fame) and Rebecca. They were joined by Whitey Thompson, Bart Raspotnik

Bart Raspotnik and Joe LeMire at Boeing’s Museum of Flight in Seattle.

More from Tom: Here in C Springs, I go for coffee now and then with Ed Ladouceur, who is as sweet at 90 as he was when he directed the Catholic choir. His gentle way helped this cadet and a good many others get through doolie year.

Across his Academy decades, Ed walked all 33 segments of the Colorado Trail, and today he’s a regular at the local gym. (I gotta exercise more).

The photo shows us during our few days together last year at a New Mexico monastery.

Tom Murawski with honorary AOG member Ed Ladouceur.

Members

83%

Sabre Society Donors

30

Polaris Society Members

6

–Bill Roberts, 9870 E. Golden Currant Dr., Tucson, AZ 85748-7897; 520-342-8002; scribe@usafa1965.org; usafa-1965.org; FB: USAFA '65 Best Alive

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 107

CLASS NEWS 1966

Greetings, Redtags! Our AOG honored Hans Mueh as a Distinguished Graduate at an induction banquet in August.

Dick Oliver gave this account of the evening: “It was a grand and splendid affair, held in the Arnold Hall ballroom with a sumptuous meal professionally catered by the Falcon Club staff! It also included two other new DG’s: Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Susan Desjardins ’80, first female commandant, and Gen. (Ret.) David Goldfein ’83, the 21st CSAF — pretty distinguished company! Hans certainly had a stellar career, highlighted by retiring as head of the Department of Chemistry and vice dean with 38 years of service, and then 11 more years as the first civilian director of athletics; not to mention his many years of service as an AOG/Falcon Foundation board member. Hans is our third ’66er to earn DG status; preceded by Dick McConn in 2011 and Randy Jayne in 2018.”

Redtags celebrate Hans Mueh’s induction as a Distinguished Graduate. Standing: Bill Riley, Art Suro, Jim Tilley, Hans Mueh, Tom Brandon, Terry O’Donnell, Jim Murphy, Bob Gravelle and Vic Andrews. Kneeling: Larry Bagley, Dick Oliver, Phil Dibb, Dan Cecil and Marty Daack.

(Not shown, Geoff Egge).

Hugh Gommel writes that he, Dale Elliott and Gary Eglinton attended a Wings of Valor event honoring Vietnam air war veterans. It was sponsored by the Wings Over the Rockies, the F-100 Super Sable Society, and the Air Force Historical Foundation. The dinner event was held in a large hangar at Centennial Airport with some great flybys and multiple static aircraft displays. Gen. (Ret.) Ron Fogleman, ’63 was the featured speaker. At this same event, Gary and Tom Brandon led a panel discussion on close air support. Gary’s presentation focused on the importance of coordination and communication among all participants in a battle involving close air support, with examples illustrating poor and good coordination and communication. He described an example of good coordination from his F-100 days in Vietnam: “I was leading a flight when then-captain (Gen. Ret.) Ronald Fogleman ’63 was shot down, ejecting right in front of me after I had penetrated an overcast over the target. His wingman, Andy Fornal, joined my flight temporarily as number three. In less than two minutes, Fogleman (still descending in his parachute) was on his hand-held survival radio saying there were people shooting at him from a hooch directly under him and he could hear

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the rounds whizzing past him and impacting his parachute canopy. I rolled in immediately, selected all four guns and put 200 rounds of 20mm cannon fire into the hooch, flying under Fogleman in the process. The crew of a Cobra gunship were the heroes of the day, flying Fogleman out of that rice paddy clinging to a skid.”

Redtags in Yellowstone: Dick Borowski, Roger Carlton ’67, Dan Radke, Steve Amdor ’65, Vic Andrews, Tom Brandon, Hans Mueh, Marty Daack, Art Suro, Rusty Gideon, Tip Galer, John Marshall and Hugh Gommel.

Dale Elliott, Gary Eglinton and Hugh Gommel at Wings of Valor.

Gary said Tom Brandon’s presentation also included great stories and photos that he had taken when he and Gary were together in the 531st TFS Ramrods at Bien Hoa, along with Tom Kaiser, Hugh Gommel and Denny Fink.

After Gary’s tours in the F-100 at Luke, Bien Hoa, Torrejon and Incirlik, he transitioned to the F-4E at George, Torrejon and Incirlik, and then decided to go to medical school in 1973, specializing in maternal-fetal medicine (MFM).

He progressed in academic medicine during various assignments in the Air Force and as the consultant to the AF Surgeon General for OB/ GYN. After retiring as a colonel in 1989, he joined Georgetown University as director of MFM. From 1999 to 2016, Gary was the chairman at NewYorkPresbyterian Queens Hospital. He still works there remotely and is also a professor of obstetrics and gynecology at Weill-Cornell Medicine, in Manhattan. Gary says “I still miss flying and I would not give up those seven years of flying for anything.”

Hugh Gommel claims to be only “semi-retired” since he moved to Colorado six years ago to be near most of his kids and grandkids. He still instructs in the Cirrus aircraft and has a consulting company that helps buyers and sellers of Cirrus aircraft. Once he got to Colorado, he discovered a severe shortage of private hangars, so he formed a development company and “stays just busy enough building hangars … 45 so far.”

Our Redtag fisherman gathered in Yellowstone again this year to fish and tell stories. Rusty Gideon wrote “It was a picture-perfect week weather-wise and fishing-wise, too. For a change, most everyone had a tale and a photo of the big one they CAUGHT, not the big one that GOT AWAY. Tall tales, great life-long friends, fantastic fishing — altogether a wonderful week.” Rusty says that anyone who can still walk, throw a fly, and tell tall tales about fishing or flying is welcome to join this gang next August. Write Hugh Gommel for details.

Take a look at our class website (classof66. usafagroups.org) to see the class news and other great USAFA nostalgia. Currently, there is an expanded section on Hans Mueh’s DG award, Christmas music from the Cadet Chorale and memorabilia from the Bluebards.

Until next time … Happy Landings!

Members

85%

Sabre Society Donors

32

Polaris Society Members

6

–Ryan Denny, 1635 Mary Todd Ln., O'Fallon, IL 62269; 618-670-2298; ryanden@aol.com

1967

Happy autumn to all — New Mexico weather has been especially glorious recently, allowing for a “best ever” Balloon Fiesta. I hope the weather is good for you too, wherever you are.

How about the football team?

7-0 with a victory over Navy. Now — beat Army!

From a longer note from Bob Muldrow: “…

The chapel remains a big white box. Completion date may be 2026 or even later. The visitor center is jutting out from the north side of the North Gate road and across the street is a pretty big hotel. They may be completed next year. It should be interesting to see how they fit with the other themes at the Academy … the Prep School facilities will be leveled and replaced in the coming years. The same with the cyber labs — new construction will be coming, even some new look to the overlook, the confidence (course) in Jacks Valley, (sic) tearing down the bleachers on the east side of the stadium…”

From Gary Willis: “… on 16 Sep 2023 the Military Writers Society of America awarded a gold medal to my history of the FAC unit I served with in Vietnam. “Red Markers: The Rest of the Story,” is my second book about the detachment that

supported the Vietnamese airborne division. The first effort garnered a silver medal. The 175 officers and enlisted men who served in the unit included 15 USAFA grads, with Bruce Freeman and me the only ones from ’67. Several years ago, we dedicated a plaque to the unit at the Academy’s SEA Pavilion … I am in good health six months out from a knee replacement — working on that “promised” full recovery at one year. My wife, Robin, has declared herself a member of the cancer survivors’ club.

After chemo and surgery for ovarian cancer — “no residual malignancy noted” — she is getting maintenance chemo every three weeks for a year to prevent recurrence. We are headed out week after next to a reunion of the Red Marker FACs and the men we supported on the ground.”

An interesting true story of Doug Ferguson’s resting place: “He was declared MIA in Laos in 1969. His sister, Sue Scott, became very active in the MIA/KIA organization and is still on the board of directors. When Laos finally allowed it, she made numerous search trips to the country with them.

(His) original MIA plaque/marker was placed in the Academy Cemetery at one of our reunions — the 40th, I believe, and one of our classmates, Tom Harp, a friend from … Cadet Chorale days, presided over our small remembrance at that time. Doug’s remains were finally recovered in April of 2013, identified in Hawaii in February of 2014 and returned to SeaTac in May of 2014. Doug was buried in Tacoma, Washington, his hometown, on May 1, 2014.

While attending our 55th reunion in 2022, we were … stunned to learn that (Doug’s) plaque/ marker had recently been removed from the Academy Cemetery. No one knew who authorized or ordered the removal, where it went or why it had been removed. After a lot of “detective work” by some CS-16 guys and Tom Griesser and Roger Carlton, the plaque/marker was found on Doug’s grave in Tacoma, but (no one has determined) who ordered or authorized the removal. It wasn’t Doug’s widow nor his sister, it wasn’t the Academy mortuary office or any of the CS-16 guys. Best guess is the VA, but no one is claiming credit. The VA authorizes one plaque/memorial for a deceased veteran, so the CS-16 guys took up a collection, ordered a second one and asked that it be placed in the Academy Cemetery this past summer. It was placed in the Academy Cemetery then and honored by seven of our classmates shown in the below attached picture.” The purchase “… was a CS-16 effort and not any one of us.”

1968

Doug’s plaque.

Our 55th was a year ago — hard to believe. You may remember the slide show prepared by Pete Knepell for our final gathering — a great synopsis of our Academy years. Doc Halliday recently inquired about whether the slide show was still available and Pete was happy to respond. Here is his info to Doc: “I just tried the link out on my wife’s computer (Mac) and mine (PC) and it still works … If you are still having problems, write me back…” I could not place the Google link in this article so — if you want to get (re-)connected to that slide show — contact Pete directly (or I can forward requests).

From Owen Ashbrook: “… Karol and I recently traveled from Maryland to Oak Harbor, WA on Whidbey Island … In addition to being tourists in Seattle, we had the opportunity to meet with Lex Page in Astoria, OR.”

Owen and Karol Ashbrook and Lex Page in Oregon.

Keep me in the loop of your activities and pics.

I almost inserted a pic of me with the Oscar Mayer Weiner mobile in this.

That’s all from me for this quarter. God bless the troops and their families and guide our leaders to find a just way through these troubled times.

Vaya con Dios!

Members

81%

Frank Chuba, Roger Carleton, Gary Koldyke, Patrick Finnegan, Paul Henry, Jeff Schofield and Pete Knepell. All of the CS-16 guys were there in spirit as well.

HELLO ’68! Our 55-year reunion was incredible with beautiful weather, a winning football game, and many “old” faces to match up with the cadet photos on our nametags. Many thanks to Gary Hoffman and our reunion committee for putting on such a truly first-class event.

Sabre Society Donors

29

Polaris Society Members

13

–Larry Wilson, 13100 Pinehurst Ave. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87111; 505-291-8949; Lwilsn628@aol.com

Last Call at Chez Janssen. From L to R: Gene Rose, Don Caughlin, Chuck Jones, Garry Dudley, Barney Mills, Steve Staley, Pat Russell, Dale Oderman, Mark Torreano, Gary Hoffman, Bill Wood, Rock Buraglio, Doug Wilson, Duey Mrosla, Jim Thompson, Carl Janssen, Frank Palermo, Ben Stevens and Neal Starkey.

FINI-FLIGHT AT THE JANSSEN’S: After decades of providing a place for classmates and friends to get together for Dark Ages parties, following classmate funerals or memorial services, and a variety of other social occasions, Carl Janssen and his bride, Debbie, decided to pull up stakes and down-size to a comfortable and new set of living quarters nestled in the shadow of the Garden of the Gods. As a fitting gesture for a last hurrah, they co-hosted a final party with Garry and Tina Dudley. Many thanks to Carl and Debbie for their years of friendship and service to the Class of 1968! Additional information may be found on our class website under photos.

TIDBITS FROM THE REUNION: Jim and Brinda Thompson were unable to attend the reunion because they were in Ghana. I have asked Jim to send me a trip summary and some photos. Cecil Castro and an entourage of Armando’s and her children attended our gala. Mark Torreano hosted the family and Jim and Marcia Reese participated in making the family feel welcome. Steve Staley’s vocals are still magnificent, as witnessed during the memorial service at Arnold Hall. Gene and Jan Rose’s after-reunion Sunday social was incredible with a panoply of delicious options for food and beverage and gracious hospitality to spare. Dr. Mark Danney told me of his fulfilling medical career and mission work in Angola. I am hoping that Mark will follow up with some photos and stories about his journeys. I saw many photos being taken and hope that you will see fit to share them with Pat Russell and me. Please send the names of those in the photos and any stories that can be told in public. ’68ERS AND NEW BEGINNINGS: After several years of friendship, visiting back and forth, Mike Nash and Val Gosnell realized they were in love and wanted to spend the rest of their lives together. They had a small family wedding on June 17, 2023 at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Littleton, Colorado, with their combined grandchildren as attendants. See the class website for their beautiful wedding photos.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 109

CLASS NEWS

Newlyweds Mike Nash and Valerie Gosnell. ’68ER SELECTED CITIZEN OF THE WEST: It was a pleasure to read about one of our very own receiving well-deserved recognition for the meaningful achievement and impact he has had upon our nation. In an article from the Sept. 25, 2023 edition of the Denver Gazette, it reads: “The National Western Stock Show has picked a former commander of the U.S. Northern Command and the North American Aerospace Defense Command as the 2024 Citizen of the West, an honor the group bestows on an individual who embodies the ‘spirit and determination of the Western pioneer.’ The honoree is retired Gen. Ralph E. ‘Ed’ Eberhart, who has had an illustrious career in the military. ‘He exemplifies our Western way of life and all the qualities befitting a great Citizen of the West,’ the group said in a statement.

Each year, the National Western Stock Show picks an individual whose life personifies that ‘true representative of Western lifestyle ideals, agricultural heritage, and traditions.’ Eberhart, the 45th Citizen of the West, will be honored in a ceremony in January.” Ed, your classmates send you our heartiest congratulations for this latest honor and your selfless service to our country.

passed away in St. Augustine, Florida in October 2022. Notice of his death came during our 55-year reunion. We also received notice of the recent loss of Rocky Gaines’ wife, Lynn, and the current battle our classmate Chuck Jones is facing with small cell lung cancer. Please keep all of them in your thoughts and prayers.

THAT’S A WRAP: Mind the flak; keep ‘em flying, and keep those cards, letters, emails and photos coming to Pat Russell and me. Reunion photos and news are most welcome! Ciao for now.

Tim

Members

83%

#2 Class - Silver Sabre Society Donors

60

Polaris Society Members

16

–Tim Davidson, 9712 Hidden Valley Rd., Vienna, VA 22181-6094; H: 703-255-5313; C: 703-7726052; timd1968@gmail.com; www.usafa68.org

1969

Greetings, ’69! Another quarter in the rearview mirror, another chance to tend bucket lists important or frivolous, and a USAFA football team like none we’ve seen in many a year. Hope we can run the table and rival our teams of ’85 (especially) and ’59. Fingers crossed, meat wagon ready, Go Falcons. Rah! First up is the irrepressible Wally Moorhead, who in September’s Air, Space & Cyber Conference received the AFA Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of all the pioneers of Red Flag. A weighty award, to be sure, and proof that the best minds are serving the nation’s future in air and space. Congratulations, Wally, and thanks from all us ’69ers.

Coincidentally, my dad was also a proud “caterpillar” two-timer, and like Tom Keck’s dad, flew B-24s until mighty B-17s were available.

How fortunate all three of our fathers, and so many more, survived World War II, and were able to relate the travails and horrors of that war (sometimes little, due to the times). Sharp salutes to all who saw duty in the grisly cauldron that was World War II, in all theaters of action. A comparatively small world, it was laced with great men and women of spunk and courage. May we, and our offspring, never forget. We need more desperately than ever to carry on the traditions of the greatest generation.

From Pennsylvania’s smack-dab middle comes Paul Demmert, ensconced in the town of Julian. During Paul’s 40-year career, he specialized in environmental science and communications, meteorology, tech software development and a CSAF-directed analysis of the AF’s execution of Operation Allied Force against Serbia (1999). As with most of you, there is much more, but you get the drift — another stellar classmate with star power.

And, some 100 miles to Julian’s east lurks the wildcat himself, who with wife, Lynn, has been absorbed in European elegance before the new law on entering the EU kicks in. The ‘cat always thinks ahead — he told me so! And proof forthcoming is Team Phillips’ visit to the British Isles, which included ritualistic pictures at the Blarney Castle (kisses in order here) and at St Andrews (where the elusive search for ‘par’ unfolded). Pictures next time.

A cadre of six Tiger Tens with five special ladies of note celebrated tenth’s excellence and memorable times of the past with a trip down the mighty Mississippi, aboard the venerable American Queen. The group enjoyed fabulous reminiscing and many a laugh during a historic heartland cruise from New Orleans to Memphis.

A trip both full of the past and meaningful in itself.

Doolie 7th Squadron Breakfast. From L to R: Dave Kozak, John Rominger, Jim Reese, Roger Sorensen, Gary Vasek, Bill Fridinger, Richard Vihel and Tim Davidson.

Tiger Ten goes nautical: Ken Medlin, Dave Henry, Chuck Jackson, Rick Olafson, Jim Downey and Barry Creighton.

ORIGINAL BAND OF BROTHERS: The gathering of those of us who went through the right-of-passage in 1964, known as Basic Summer, carries a special bond of personal and group achievement that cannot be easily defined by some psychotherapist’s Freudian description of human emotions. Our commitment to one another during tests to our physical, mental and spiritual essence is something that endures for a lifetime. It was good to have our band back together, again! Please send your squadron’s Doolie breakfast photos to Pat Russell and me with names, anecdotes, and stories, as appropriate.

THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS: We were saddened by loss of our classmates. Clark L. Mobley, who

Roy and Lindsay Coppinger spared no expense in hosting a lovely dinner at their sprawling home in Portland’s great and green outdoors. Guests Dick Swanson, Jeff and Judy Tobolski, Tom and Fran Stein ’70 grad, and Jean and I enjoyed wonderful salmon with all the ‘fixins — a longtime specialty of Roy’s — with home-grown fruits and veggies, highlighted by fresh-picked blackberry crisp. Brother Tobolski was kind enough to educate the group on the intricacies of irrigation, water pressure levels and systems that permitted salmon to reach reproduction habitat.

A perfect evening. The next day, the four ’69ers squeezed in some golf at Swannie’s home course — fortunately, no one was injured!

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Wally in the aftermath of his well-deserved award.

World War II brought many of us together through our fathers. Pete Melley sent a note in honor of USAF’s birthday, and shared that his dad, Pete’s hero, a top-turret gunner on B-17s out of England, considered himself “a member of a special force beyond the Army;” having survived two shoot-downs, Pete’s dad was twice honored with the ceremonial golden caterpillar.

–Lindsey Parris, 9 Tilbury Ln., San Antonio TX 78230; 703-869-0642; howardparris@comcast.net

1970

Relaxing at the Coppingers.

Other items of note: Yet to yield to pickleball? You’ll appreciate that families Brummitt, Nelson and Kirby all attended the 2023 US Open Pickleball Championships in NYC. Records were broken.

Mike Chipman’s Diamondbacks shocked the pro baseball world! Amazing comebacks, thrilling plays — closest most of us will ever get to World Series rings, win or lose. Salute, Mike!

Stick Turner and his new Cirrus aircraft, a plane Jeff Grime also owns, made three trips to USAFA of late, honoring: a USAFA sponsor of our era, the AWC Memorial (Robin Olds) and the “Back from Jacks” march with the Class of 2027.

With 69’s average age rising and probabilities of death climbing, be aware of classmate losses; this third quarter is unfortunately no different. Late notifications since the last quarter include William (Bill) Ross, who passed on April 6, in Kingwood, TX, laid to rest at the USAFA Cemetery on 23 June. Condolences to Mrs. Kathryn Ross, 2303 Millvale Dr., Kingwood, TX 77345. Sadly, Richard Bassi’s wife, Linda, was buried on June 26 at the USAFA Cemetery. Her obituary can be found at dignitymemorial.com. More recently, ’69er Bill Denney passed on September 7 in Kansas City, MO. A private graveside service was held for the Denney family at Mt. Olivet Cemetery, Kearney, MO. Condolences may be left online with his obituary. Fly high with honor, ’69ers.

There have been some difficulties in receiving timely information as regards classmate deaths. Though most notifications filter through the Gone But Not Forgotten team at the AOG, some do not. Please help track losses by informing the AOG if you pick up information, or alert me.

Meanwhile, most of you are aware of the battles that brothers Bud Speace (cheerleader non-pareil) and John Brummitt (69’s varsity tennis ace) are fighting. Please keep them in your thoughts.

Salute, ’69.

Respectfully, Lindsey

Members

80%

Sabre Society Donors

49

Polaris Society Members

18

Holy Falcon feathers! It’s 23 Oct and the boys just beat Navy in a hard-fought battle. Army is looming on the horizon as I write this. The Falcons are undefeated and ranked 19th in the nation but have a difficult stretch of games ahead. I really liked the Doolittle Raiders legacy uniforms.

I see a few men will be flying in for the Army game — Disosway, Katosh, Kelly, Lipp, Peterson, Massey and McGee to name a few. Hope the boys rooted us to victory. As you know, I often present the Outstanding Wrestling Award in honor of Dick Christy. For the past three years, I have given it Wyatt Henderson — an All-American wrestler.

Today I learned he won the Under 23 World Championship in Romania. I know Dick would be thrilled with this remarkable accomplishment.

I see the usual Colorado classmates at football games. But a few games ago it was great to see Jack Trimble, Jim Brechwald, Rick Humke and Rick Sine at a game. Sam Wood was in town visiting Gary Dahlen. I gather they enjoyed some good times in Vail. Enjoyed a nice brunch with Ewigs and Burkes. We relived our days on the hardwood playing intramural basketball when we were teaching here a generation ago. I still cringe remembering Joe go down with a torn hamstring.

Also had a good breakfast with Mike Torreano, Dave Gaw and Bob McKinney.

Some CS-16 men and I went to the Air Force Historical Foundation Symposium in Denver to see Phil Meilinger get the General Carl “Tooey” Spaatz Award for his many contributions to the development and recording of airpower history, strategy and doctrine. Phil gave awesome remarks as did Gen. Fogleman who was the guest speaker.

Nantucket (remember the limerick?).

Mike Torreano, Gary Dahlen, Mark Ewig, Vic Bradford, Rich Downing, Rick Bereit and Roger Hill gave tours of the Heritage Trail to the basics during BCT. Also enjoyed seeing Ashby Taylor at the WWII Aviation Museum here in Colorado Springs. He really enjoys being a docent there.

Watched the college baseball World Series with BJ Bjorkland and Craig and Karen Northrup. Our former player, Paul Skenes, led LSU to victory and then signed a $9M contract with the Pirates.

Hard to blame him for leaving USAFA. Plus he is a great kid and still wants to serve after his baseball career. Greg Gilles, Gary Dahlen, Rick Lesch and JB Gannon did some serious fly fishing in Montana. Rolly and Pam Robison enjoyed spending time in NC with Wild Bill and Denise Stealey. Mike Torreano climbed the infamous Manitou Incline. They had a no smoking policy so I couldn’t accompany him.

Joe and Diane Burke did a cruise that took in much of Croatia and Bosnia. Lipps were in Hawaii when the fire hit Maui. They wound up on Oahu and had a great time. Mark and Karen Miller had an awesome time in Greece. Swaims had a trip from hell to Alaska. Had to battle COVID issues.

John and Marylyn De Filippo celebrated their 48th wedding anniversary in Rome. John and Luci Lu Russ celebrated their anniversary in Albuquerque.

Henry Mitchell and Liz took in the sights in Istanbul. I think Terry and Sharon Dessert were getting ready for a cruise to Norway.

The intrepid foursome of Bob Mack, Rick Lesch, Larry Carr and Jim Mulford shot a 63 to lead all Seventy teams and have a respectable showing at the Service Academy Golf Tournament at Eisenhower.

Seventy still has it!

Honoring Our Classmate. L-to-R: Bob Mack, Larry Tieman, Gary Dahlen, Roger Hill, Phil Meilinger, The Phantom and Dave Gaw. I watched Gregg Popovich’s induction into the Basketball Hall of Fame. Mike Kelly was there.

Popo gave great remarks, but what impressed me the most was that virtually everyone else in the induction class paid tribute to our classmate.

Kudos to classmates who donated on Giving Day at the AOG. Mike Lambert, Paul Rosetti and Bill Clohan each made matching donations of $10K. Once again ’70 led the way. Lamberts have done some traveling to Sicily and Mike was in

Dennis Smiley went to a reunion of the 495th FS in England and told war stories and shared good beer with the young guns. Have been working with Tom Waskow and Craig Northrup to get a C-141 plaque at the SEA Memorial Pavilion. Would like to get an SR-71 and U-2 plaque up as well if any of you men flew those aircraft. Also need some River Rats to step up and put a plaque up. Rick Sine has updated the info for Takhli and he also recently visited with the Three Amigos — Pete Peterson, Jerry McGee and Darrel Massey. Mike Keller was also a visitor at Rick’s.

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CLASS NEWS

The Three Amigos circumnavigating the Olympic Peninsula.

Am reading award-winning author Mike Torreano’s latest book — Fireflies at Dusk. It is an awesome book and if you are a Civil War history buff like me, this is a MUST read. Would be a great holiday gift.

Lots of Colorado men attended Patty Schepens’ funeral. Enjoyed catching up with Ed and Marilyn Rashid. On a sad note, John Penny lost his wonderful wife, Stephanie, and Greg Gilles lost his son recently. Deep condolences to John, Greg and their families.

I hope all of you have a wonderful holiday season and that 2024 brings you joy, happiness and good health. Thoughts and prayers to our troops.

forward to attending in 2026, (or if five years is too short a time for your tastes), please let me know, and I’ll collect and collate your responses.

Mike Smith let me know that one of our classmates, Bill Blumberg, has metastatic melanoma; he is on immunotherapy and has by now started radiation treatments. He and Theresa may start a CaringBridge site so that friends and family may follow their story and provide encouragement and positive thoughts.

For you who went to SEA for Third Lieutenant, especially you who might have gone with Tom Berry or Ron Hale, do you still have a copy of your travel orders? One of our classmates needs documentation of his time in that theater. If you can scare up a copy, please let either Ron or me know.

And now to the literary section of the column.

Rus Records has a new mystery novel out; having read it, I recommend it. Andy Ceroni is close to finishing his newest and he says his last novel.

There is also talk of a movie deal, but several of you have heard that spiel before. And just like that, a little bird told me that Daryl Wimberley is sending out feelers for one of his most awarded novels.

Congratulations to all of us who have so avoided mention in Gone But Not Forgotten for one more quarter. — GBA

Members Members

82%

Sabre Society Donors

62

#3 Class - Bronze Polaris Society Members

72%

Sabre Society Donors

42

Polaris Society Members

11

28

–Dick Rauschkolb, 719-310-6928; AOG70@comcast.net

–Paul D. Knott, 5565 Lantana Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80915; 719-570-9162; pk71knott@gmail.com

1971

1972

Is it the end of 2023 already?

The football Falcons are already bowl-eligible, with a conference championship within reach and a realistic chance of holding onto the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. As of the week before the CSU game, Air Force is riding the fourth-longest current winning streak in Division I, and their 7-0 start is the best since the early century. The current USAFA mark is 10 wins, set in 1985. Our 1970 team won their first eight before losing to Oregon. The hockey team started well. On the pro side, the Avs and the Nuggets are just starting their seasons.

It was only two years ago that we had our 50th class reunion, and there are already stirrings about having our 55th. From the point of view of someone who removes a local station from my playlist because they play nothing but Christmas music from Thanksgiving week until the 26th of December, it’s a little easy to start stressing. Of course, I live close enough to the Cadet Area that planning for me is no big deal. If you are looking 112 · usafa.org

Greetings everyone. This is the time of year when we see the hoped-for culmination of the greatest Falcon football season ever. With an 8-0 record, the team has prepared for its second challenge in the annual Commander-in-Chiefs competition, having already beaten Navy, with the Army game just past as we go to publication. Hopes are that our Falcons were successful in taking that trophy once again!

Class news has been a bit light this go-around, so I will get right to it. Please let me remind you all that our Class Senator Dan “Ski” Wagasky has kept us in the loop by sending out timely emails to those of us who are on his master email list throughout the year. If you are not getting the messages from Ski, be sure to check that he has your email account. This way, I am not duplicating things here that he has already sent out. Likewise, you recall that we do have our own classmate, Lee Krauth, on the AOG Board of Directors, in the event you wish to correspond directly with the

board. It’s my belief that Lee and Ski keep in close touch regarding AOG matters.

We continue to endure the loss of our close friends as Father Time keeps a watch on us all.

The latest to be taken from us and who was listed in our last edition of Checkpoints was Dan Cheeseman, who lost his arduous battle with brain cancer. Cheese’s burial service occurred at USAFA Cemetery on 21 August 23 with a great representation of the Class of 1972 to honor him and his family. Classmates who attended are listed in the photo.

L-R both rows: Ski Wagasky, Cope Copenhafer, Curly Chamberlin, Rob Gocke, Ross Wilhite, Skip Morgan, Randy Fitzhugh, Marv Vanderweg, Greg Bishop, Rick Jackson, Chuck Winters, Doug Adamson, Al Pandolfo, Timo Sullivan, Bill Baker and Jim Livingston.

Les Shrum was also present but not in the photo. I am sure the rest of us who were unable to attend, are grateful to these close friends and to Dan’s family for honoring this very special man though we could not all join them.

Just recently, literally while writing this column, I received an email from Class of 1969 Gary Hoe, which he also sent to John Fuss and Gary Grant, reporting that our Hank Happ had suffered a sudden stroke while out with some Falcons and Squids at an Albuquerque sports bar watching the AF-Navy game on 21 October. EMTs quickly got him to Presbyterian Main Hospital and he was lucid, able to speak and connect with those close to him. He asked for CS-27 classmates to be advised of his status, which was done by John and Gary along with Ski Wagasky, also relaying information from friend Gary Hoe, who was keeping close to Hank and Jan for progress reports. While still hospitalized, Hank endured a third and more massive stroke, from which he never regained consciousness and sadly, passed on in the afternoon of 30 October. His kids were able to make it there to be with Jan at his bedside when he died. We do not have service information yet. Many thanks to ’69 Gary Hoe for his personal help to Jan and Hank, and for reaching out to us so quickly. We will have further information later.

That was to be all for this newsletter, but I wanted to put the update of the first paragraph in here as I sign off. No doubt we all know the Falcons had a rough day on 4 November in Denver. They were unable to beat the Black Knights, losing not only the C-I-C trophy but making the season record 8-1.

Comments may be continued on the FB 72 Best In Blue page. That is all. FPA

Members

71%

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Polaris Society Members

7

–Bob Bell, 13 Pacific Ave., Sinking Spring, PA 19608; 302-399-3240; reservist777@yahoo.com

1973

Illustrious Classmates, Our 50th reunion is in the books and a great one it was!

Kudos to AJ Ranft and his team who pulled it off. With 451 classmates and 882 total registered, we acquitted ourselves well. Our class graduated 844 and 107 had gone on before us as of the reunion, so we had 61% of our living classmates attend. That’s pretty amazing. For some, it was the first time back to the Aluminum Womb or at least to a reunion since graduation. It was great to see all of you!

We had plenty of time to reconnect at two receptions, and most squadrons found time to meet individually, as well. From the feedback I received, the part of the reunion classmates valued most was the memorial service. Rev. Tom “Bud” Blase and his team worked with the AOG to develop a program that accurately listed all of our Gone But Not Forgotten classmates. It’s available on the class website, usafa73.org.

Webmaster Craig MacPherson is posting pix to the class website. If your squadron doesn’t have any there, contact your squadron rep (also listed on the website). Many pix have been added to the class Facebook group (see below for URL). We are currently at 311 members and continue to add new classmates to the group almost every week. Even if you don’t “do” social media or are boycotting Facebook for taking sides during the 2020 election, I’d like to encourage you to sign up just to be able to be a part of our online community. It’s free, and there are multiple posts a week.

One of the most important things we did at the reunion besides reconnecting with classmates was to elect new class officers. Thanks to our outgoing officers Ron Scott, president; John Stefonik, secretary; and Kelly McCullar, treasurer. Bill Diffley, out-going VP, has assumed the mantle of president; Jim Parker has stepped up as VP; Kirk Samelson is taking on the secretary responsibilities; Bob Munson will be treasurer; and AJ Ranft and I will continue as class senator and class scribe, respectively. Bill forwarded this brief message: “Allow me to introduce myself as the new president of our class. It is truly an honor to be representing the Illustrious Class of 1973.

Along with me are the rest of the class officers, some new, some experienced. It is a fine and talented mix. Be sure that we will work diligently on our class business.”

Bill hit the ground running. The week after the reunion, he and Mike Mosier delivered copies of our class book, Becoming Leaders of Character: Conversations with the Class of 1973, to the superintendent, the dean, and the director of the Center for Character and Leadership Development. We had already presented the book to the commandant. Bill reported, “In each case it was accepted gratefully and each had been looking forward to it. It is a book our class should be proud of and we can be thankful to Mike Mosier for his work on it.”

At our reunion “hot wash,” Joe Kahoe volunteered to head up a 55th reunion, so I guess that answers the question of when the next one will be. If you’re interested in helping, let me know and I’ll forward your name and interest to Joe. But let me encourage you not to wait until the next reunion to reconnect with old friends. As we age, we inevitably will go the way of all living things. We’ve lost my old roommate Gordy Bendick, Paul Manley, Dennis Haugh and Dickie Ulmer all since the 1st of September this year, and it’s only 27 Oct as I write this.

In other news: Reunion Chairman AJ Ranft was finally able to secure the number 73 for his 2018 Porsche Boxter in the 27th annual Big Bend Open Road Race on 7 Oct. He secured fifth place, missing his goal average speed of 140 mph over the 120-mile course by 0.030 mph. First place averaged 140.001 mph.

Don McMillan and Dennis Boyce completed the 162.5-mile Camino de Santiago in Spain on 16 Sep 23. Pix in the Facebook group.

Here’s a pic of Jack Hudson and Bruce “Orville” Wright at the end of the Memorial to Memorial bicycle ride from the Wright Brothers Monument in Kitty Hawk, NC, to the Air Force Memorial in Arlington, VA. Jack rode the entire 336 miles. Orville joined him in the last mile in his role as president and CEO of the Air and Space Forces Association.

Jack Hudson and Orville Wright at the end of the Memorial to Memorial bicycle ride.

Alan Hoover finished fifth in jet class — silver, at the last Reno Air Races in his CM-170 Fouga. His check pilot for the races was Rick Vandam, who also races in the sport class. Pictures are on Al’s website, TexasFougaJet.com.

“Here’s a toast…to the host…of the men we boast”

Members

81%

AJ Ranft and ride.

“T” Thompson has been voted chairman-elect of the National Speakers Association, to assume the position 1 Jan 24. Congrats, T! Al Dunlap sent a pic of his daughter, Allison, at Everest Base Camp with a handmade sign that said “Happy 50th USAFA Class of ’73,” and in small print, “Hi, 8th Squadron! Love you, Dad!!” Quite a tribute.

Al Dunlap’s daughter, Allison, congratulating ’73 on our 50th reunion.

Sabre Society Donors

36

Polaris Society Members

18

–Mike Arnett, 5285 Copper Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80918; 719-310-8100; class.scribe.73@gmail. com; usafa73.org; FB: The Illustrious Class of 1973

1974

Spreading good news about Rich and Peggy Bowman. They were inducted into the Senior Citizens Hall of Fame in Ohio, on 19 Sep 2023. With 11 of their friends, Rich and Peggy were treated to a sumptuous meal with other inductees being honored by the Ohio Department of Aging. The Ohio State Office recognized them for their ongoing support of the community.

What started as a life-altering major fire in their Beavercreek home in 1994, began a life of helping others through their tragedies. They started the Beavercreek Township Fire Department Auxiliary, Peggy lead and Rich deputy. For most of the next 28 years, they were on call 24/7 to respond to fires and other emergencies. With the auxiliary, they have supported firefighters and fire victims, created citizen emergency response teams, outfitted rehab vehicles and much more. At times, Checkpoints · December 2023 · 113

CLASS NEWS their motorhome was a refuge for hurting families.

They stepped down in 2014, but stay active, as in helping with COVID vaccinations hundreds of miles around Ohio. There is no sign of settling down. Peggy likes the sign from a neighbor’s bumper sticker: “If you rest, you rust!”

In honor of its 50th reunion, the class raised funds for the Class of 1974 Forevermore Overlook.

The project established a series of seating and gathering areas for cadets to use for personal reflection, group conversations, reading, imagining their future or simply getting away without venturing far from the cadet area.

Peggy and Rich at the award recognition.

Semper Gumby is Rich’s mantra for being “always flexible” in the face of what life throws our way. Several classmates are virtual traveling partners with Rich and Peggy, going through the stresses of motorhome dilemmas of broken parts, service station delays and errors, bad weather.

These griefs are sprinkled with their pictures of nature and historical reports of the countryside of the nation/state they visit: Scotland, Belgium, England and our USA! Peggy is consistent with their travelogue. I encourage classmates to sign on to virtual world-tours.

I learned from classmate Dave (Charlene) Hoglund that Bill (Charlene) Frank is responding well to cancer treatment. He has outlived his prognosis. Dave writes “as the former captain of our cross country team, I think his robust vitality has contributed to his longevity in his fight against cancer. He moves a little slow, but he still instructs flying, writes flying articles, and consults for safety for Cirus and Epic Aviation.” Our talk then went on to running. Dave wrote of the cross country team, only he and Fred Fedewa race. Lord willing, Dave is shooting for the Vegas Half 24 Feb 24. “There is a huge difference between 60 and 70 years old ... don’t mean to brag but in 2013 I did Vegas at 1:35, in 2018 I did it in 1:51” Dave added. He runs a 5k once a year in San Diego with their daughter!

Bill and Dave being outfitted by wives.

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Thank you for creating a lasting legacy for cadets among the natural beauty of the Academy’s landscape!

Find out more: falconfunder.usafa.org/1974 1974USAFA@gmail.com Other notes from around the world: Todd Bejsovec recently became operations manager for OnTrac in New Braunfels, TX. Robert Arnold retired as a physician. He moved from COS to Savannah, GA, to be closer to family, grandchildren and of course, 20 minutes to Tybee Island. Robert Ryan left Alexandria to seek dryer countryside in Phoenix, AZ. Don Berryman left Reno, NV, for Iowa. Raymond Haile moved eight miles to be closer to the lake in Tega City, SC. Ray is a contract pilot GVII Executive Jet Management.

Robert Rivas is still active in CAP in IL. Robert retired from Delta. Donald Delach retired four years ago from commercial banking in CA. Allen Andersen retired from Southwest about six years ago and lives in Las Vegas. Allen is still in the “flying” business, testing transponders.

Craig and Rite Anderson have welcomed their new grandchild this summer. They now have one boy and one girl to spoil!! Craig wrote “Happily, it is our son and his wife who live relatively nearby (just 20-25 minutes away), so we will get frequent invitations to babysit and likely respond often!”

Mike “Nash” Carter enjoying life in NC. “With an awesome wife of almost 50 years and 10 grandkids and one great-grandson, how could life be any better? Praise God for his blessings to us.”

Kurt Steeby sent a short note. He works for the 7th Army Training Command in Germany, as the commander’s information systems security manager. They are enjoying the time visiting many countries in Europe, having great food and beer, and have visited at least 100 castles.

The 1974 and 2024 shovel team.

As for the Diggers and Fillers at USAFA: Here is the official start of digging for our 1974 Class Project. From L to R: Class project committee members: Don Clement, Tom Hayden, Ed Whalen, Duncan McNabb, C1C Ade Adeboyejo 24 Class President, Committee Lead Jim Smith, C1Cs Hanna Miller and Ryan Trevino, Nate Rosenberg and Ron Sega. I’m (’74 scribe) hoping to get several pictures from the Nov 17 ribbon-cutting event!

Do some of you help your family, occasionally, by taking grandchildren to and from grade school? It’s heartwarming to participate in our grandchildren’s school event every morning. They stand with their class in sections, outside here on the coast of central California, with hats off their head and right hand over their heart and recite the Pledge of Allegiance. May each of you have a heartwarming event in your lives — often.

Save the Date: Our 50th class reunion will occur Oct. 2-5, 2024. The Falcons will be playing Navy Oct. 5. More info to come out as it happens.

See you there?! May you live long and prosper.

Members

69%

Sabre Society Donors

42

Polaris Society Members

14

–Joe Brezovic, 228 Senior Cir., Lompoc, CA 93436; \832-285-4179; launchops74@gmail.com

1975

Trophy Finds Its Way Home: On 18 August, Brian Duffy, Mark Volcheff, Robert “Trayls” Traylor, and Mark “Tap” Tapper ’80 surveyed the hallowed grounds of the Eisenhower Blue Golf Course and vowed that before the sun set on the Terrazzo that day, the coveted Colorado Tri-Service Academy Annual Golf Championship trophy would once again find itself in Air Force hands. The conditions were brutal.

The temperature was in the mid-80s, the sun kept getting in the players’ eyes, and the wind took the day off; and yet the lads were undeterred. They weren’t playing for just a trophy; they were playing for truth and justice and the natural order of the universe. For despite the seemingly innocent designs of graduates of other institutions that

proudly proclaim nearly two centuries of tradition unhampered by progress, the reality was that they were invaders on Air Force soil, intent on taking something that the gods overseeing the order of the heavens deemed long ago to belong to Air Force custodians. Mark ripped long drives, as he is wont to do, that players twice his size could only dream of. Brian and Tap tag teamed from the fairways and always gave the team a shot at birdie or better, and Trayls contributed as the clutch player with the crucial short game. When the smoke and dust settled, the team had shot 18 under par, and the prizes for lowest score by a pure all-grad team from a single academy, and for low net overall, were theirs. The trophy was once again firmly in Air Force hands. Well done, lads.

We can all sleep well knowing stability has been returned to the cosmos for at least another year.

Ben Phillips was inducted into the AF Athletics Hall of Fame in September. After 50 years Ben still holds the USAFA water polo records for goals, assists and points.

trips are unhurried, and naps are mandated.

Remember watching a documentary on baby sea turtles trying to make it from the nest to the sea before a horde of ravenous predators descended upon them and cut their journeys short? Do you also remember feeling helpless watching that documentary from your overstuffed recliner and wondering why someone with a heart bigger than your Grinch-sized unit wasn’t doing something to help the young turtles? Enter James and Lee Anne Foreman. They are volunteer members of the Network for Endangered Sea Turtles (NEST), which is dedicated to increasing the odds of survival for baby sea turtles near the Outer Banks. Even if the baby turtles make it to the ocean, the temperature of the water can be so cold that it stuns the hatchlings. James and Lee Anne and their fellow volunteers spend several nights of the hatching season to monitor the status of the turtles and ensure the ailing ones are taken to a rehabilitation center. As James wrote, “Loggerhead hatchlings making their way to the sea are more amazing than any noon meal formation!”

of 2025” within earshot of any of its members, you will be greeted with a healthy retort of “Psycho.”

It’s (probably) not an indictment of you, it’s just the class nickname, and a catchy one at that.

GBNF: Rodolfo Saavedra-Ferrere, CS-18. Ted Stallone, CS-11. Buck Rogers, CS-19.

More information about our GBNF classmates and extended stories and photos can be found in Checkpoints Plus at 75bestalive.org.

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–Foster Bitton, 75scribealive@gmail.com

1976

Ben Phillips being inducted by Lt. Gen. Clark.

Scott and Cindy Hammond recently adopted Anne Bonny Pirate of the Carolinas. Bonny is an Australian Shepherd and will spend the next few months using her high dog IQ to train Scott and Cindy to meet her expectations. As all Aussie owners know, she will only shed twice a year, (January through June, and July through December) and she’ll be the star student in obedience school, immediately followed by uncanny displays of selective memory.

Scott and Cindy Hammond with Bonny.

Kevin Burns has officially left the building. He retired from federal service on 30 Sep. It’s about time. Welcome to the land where pickleball rules,

James and Lee Anne Foreman standing guard near the Outer Banks.

Marty Stytz recently gave a seminar on quantum computing in Adelaide, Australia. While he was there, he also visited Sydney where he dropped in on a sports bar by the Sydney Opera House and found an Air Force Academy pennant attached to the wall. Lesson learned: if you’re thinking of traveling across the world to leave a USAFA memo as evidence of the long reach of airpower, you can delete Australia from your list of places to conquer.

As the Class of 2025 nears graduation, we can expect more events to occur in which we, as members of their Legacy Class, will be invited to attend. So far we have an excellent track record in this regard. A member of the AOG staff recently wrote: “The Class of ’75 has the largest attendance at any milestone dinner since I’ve been at the AOG in four years. I am blown away by how many of you are attending such a momentous occasion.

Thank you!” Come to think of it, “Most Support by a Legacy Class” would be a worthwhile title to carry around, and it would provide an accurate portrayal of the members of the class with the highest attrition rate. By the way, if you say “Class

Fellow ’76ers, Martha and I hope your upcoming holidays are blessed and joyous for you and your families.

Sad News: Lin Riley died on 07 August in New Braunfels, TX. Lin was one of my roommates in ‘Dirty 30.’ Steve McNamara died after surgery complications on 30 September in Schertz, TX. Six of our classmates attended his services on 21 October. The significant crowd at his service is a testament to Steve’s impact on many lives. Thanks to Mike Kelly for the notification and for writing the Gone But Not Forgotten input for Checkpoints. Ray Fortner informed me his wife, Ann, died on 30 September after some years of declining health. Ray told me he and Ann had nearly 24 years together. Please keep Lin’s family, Vikkii McNamara and family, and Ray and his family in your thoughts and prayers.

Moving Up/Moving On: The Texas A&M Board of Regents named Mark Welsh the interim president of Texas A&M University. Chris Inglis recently accepted the Milanovich Cyber Visiting Professor Chair at USAFA, says it should put him on the Terrazzo two to four days a month.

Congrats to Mark and Chris!

General Class Stuff: Classmates, THE SPIRIT OF ’76 set an attendance record for any class for any legacy event with our tremendous showing at the Exemplar dinner for the Class of 2026 on 14 September. Prior to that event, the most attendees for any event by any class was 13. The SPIRIT OF ’76 had 41 members of our class in attendance at the 14 September dinner. We had at least one ’76er seated in each of the 40 cadet squadrons that evening. You bubbas are tremendous and I salute all of you! Here’s a photo of most of the attendees near the Air Garden monument.

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CLASS NEWS

’76ers at Exemplar dinner.

I will publish information on future Legacy events as they come around.

I was able to assist Patrick O’Brien with a request for contact information for Mark Welsh.

Greg Boomgaard sent a lengthy note about his 70th birthday events. Says a sexagenarian sounds intriguing while a septuagenarian sounds like a health problem. Byron Hepburn requested contact info for Greg Toussaint, I was able to provide it. I was also able to link with Tous for a drink and to catch up while in Ohio visiting family in September. Thanks, Tous for the visit!

Jimmie Benton had plans to visit Jay Wilderotter’s vineyard near Sacramento when he discovered the business was sold in July. Have not been able to confirm that with Jay. Roger Yauchzy reports Jack and Jan Catton’s pre-Navy shindig was superb, and he also sent a photo of himself, Wes Stowers and Karl Dittmer at the 23 FTE, 52nd TFW reunion in September.

Acceptance Parade, 50 years later.

From left: Jeanine and Marvin Van Every with Steve and Reita Nickel enjoying Greece.

NSTR: Dave Berg and Joe Wysocki.

Classmates, again time to stick a fork in it.

Again, Martha and I greatly appreciate your prayers and support these past several months.

Get your medical checkups. Stay well and healthy.

If you haven’t received an email from me in the past three-six months, I don’t have your current email address. Please update. If you are headed to the Springs, let me and the other locals know.

Keep flying your flags, keep our deployed troops in your thoughts and prayers. THE SPIRIT LIVES! Until next time..................

BEAT ARMY! Beatty

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Included in the group are Paul Pirog (Mary), Earl Enix (Candy), Jim Moschgat (Becky), Joe Niemeyer, Joe Muus (Nancy), Curt Taylor (Terri), Mike Reynolds (Barbara), Bob Eskridge (Sheila), Mike Cimafonte (Donna) and Dana Evert. Thanks to all of these gentlemen for their participation and support. We are off to a terrific start as a legacy class.

Three Clubs: This column has been running since the summer of 1977, so it’s pretty rare to find a first-time contributor. Almost all of you have added some content in your humble scribe’s never-ending search for photographs and nondefamatory verbiage. So it is with great pleasure that I announce that I have not one, but three first-time (or maybe a second-time for one guy) appearances in Checkpoints.

The first first-timer (this phrasing is triggering my AI editor) is my former Chickenhawk squadron mate, Stan Sprinkel (Suzanne). Stan and Suzanne live in La Conner, WA, and are, I think I can safely say, avid sailors. Stan demurs when I call him this, saying that he is living among true mariners; his affinity for old boats makes he and Suzanne devoted maintainers. Whatever, sir, it’s obviously good for you. To wit, this photo.

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Wes “Digger” Stowers, Roger “RamJet” Yauchzy and Karl “Lips” Dittmer.

Bryan Echols updated his contact info.

Doug Loverro also updated his contact info and indicated he will try to attend future legacy events. Ed Morley also passed updated contact info and reports he is still waking up on top of the grass. Stef Eisen reports “the Montgomery, Alabama “Spirit of 76” reps, Stef, Denny Rea and Pat Burbank joined forces and supported the AFA Chapter 108 annual golf tournament.

While no prizes were won for excellence at golf, they had a grand time telling well-rehearsed lies about how great they could have played had it not been for shoulder surgeries, arthritis, open heart surgery, poor eyesight, and even worse, course management judgment.” Mike Henchey inquired about the circumstance on Lin and Steve. Jerry McFarlane inquired about how many ’76ers remain (if my math is correct, we have 850 remaining).

Mike Semenuk inquired about the status of the new Academy hotel. I told him it should be ready by our 50th reunion. Steve and Reita Nickel ran into Marvin Van Every and his wife, Jeanine, in Sorento, Italy, during a recent two-week Biblelands Cruise. They sent this photo taken from on top of the Acropolis in Athens, Greece.

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–Dan Beatty, 12196 Stanley Canyon Rd., Colorado Springs, CO 80921; H: 719-488-1962; C: 719-338-0276; whrlybrd76@aol.com

1977

Greetings from the first snowfall of the 2023 ski season here in Denver. By the time you read this, every ski place here will be full of out-of-staters wrecking their knees and hips.

Opening bid-Ten Diamonds: Our Legacy Class activities continued through the summer, culminating in our presentation of annotated copies of Contrails to the outstanding basics at 2027’s Acceptance Parade. Your humble scribe also spoke at said parade; my remarks were completely out of character in that they were brief, but totally in character as I expressed our collective feelings at being members of an Air Force Academy class. I posted the speech on the class Facebook page for your review. We had a solid group of participants and presenters for this event, as you can see from the this picture.

Stan the Man aboard his well-maintained sloop.

It was great hearing from you, Stan. Safe sailing through the San Juans.

Our second noteworthy appearance is another former Chickenhawk, Tom Atkinson (Pam). Tom, a former JAG, and Pam split their time between Denver and Greece. I caught up with Tom just before they departed last summer and I hope to see him on their return. But it was terrific to touch base with him. Thanks, Tom, and safe travels, folks.

And finally, not just a first appearance, but a first wedding. I’m pretty sure that is the record for this group, and Mark Schubert (Darlene) has it firmly in his grasp. Mark has been a SPACECOM kind of guy throughout his career, working as chief of program control for MILSATCOM at LA AFB and retiring as a civilian in 2018. He and Darlene got married last June.

emails from the holidays and keep your scribe in business. Be seeing you.

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–John “Lou” Michels, Jr., 621 Jasmine St., Denver, CO 80220; loumichels55@gmail.com

Congratulations, Mark and Darlene!

Thanks for the update, Mark. Let’s not make it 46 years until the next one.

One heart — My former roommate, Tony Grady (Donna), has tossed his hat in the ring for the Republican nomination for the U.S. Senate in Nevada. He’s got a tough race, but I can’t think of anyone I would rather see in elected office.

You can reach his campaign website from our Facebook page. Good luck, sir.

Perhaps our most prolific public speaker, Tom Jones (Liz), has another book out detailing his and his fellow astronauts’ experiences on every one of the space shuttle missions that launched over the lifetime of the program. Tom is an excellent communicator, and the book looks like a must-have for anyone who is interested in our space flight history. But what jumped out at me was Tom’s biography, which notes three other books — Skywalking, Planetology and Hell Hawks — a plethora of NASA awards including the Distinguished Service Medal, the Exceptional Service Award, and the Outstanding Leadership Medal, and the fact that Tom spent 53 days working and living in space. My Acceptance Day Parade speech contained an oblique reference to Tom, and our other astronaut, Charlie Precourt (Lynne), as one of the things that makes me proud to be a member of this class. Congrats on the new book, Tom. I’m sure there’s another one percolating in your mind right now.

I got a nice message from Steve Cameron (Kit) with a couple of photos that I will try to publish here or on Facebook. Steve was taking me on a memory lane trip, with a picture of him and our late classmate Mark Tunis in the tunnels when they were both CS-19 troops (before the Purge) and some other incriminating shots. Steve just built an airplane for flying in the backcountry and notes that he can only fly as a sport pilot, i.e., in daytime, in clear weather, and with just one passenger. Sounds safe, but who knows? I mean, a guy who would go into the tunnels...

That will close it out from the front range. By the time you are reading this, I’m hoping we will be remembering a fantastic football season, with a CINC victory and maybe something else. In the meantime, please send me your pictures and

1978

Greetings ’78ers…

As I’ve had to do in several past articles, this quarter starts off with the sad news of three classmates’ passing.

Bill Chamblee passed in May but the AOG wasn’t notified until September. After the AF, Bill taught high school physics in Arlington, VA, for several years. Upon retirement from that, he and Anne moved to Rigny-Ussé, France, living there until his passing. His funeral was held in the town square and Bill was interned in the village cemetery. I don’t know how to contact Anne for condolences, unfortunately.

Jerry Pellett passed in June and was interred in the USAFA Cemetery in September when the AOG was notified. Unfortunately, I don’t know much else but his obit is published at https://obituaries. neptunesociety.com/obituaries/arvada-co/ gerald-pellett-11352810.

Dave London passed in August, however the AOG wasn’t notified. He and Kim have been in Beavercreek, OH, outside of Dayton for several years where Dave was actively involved with the USAF Museum. His obit is at https: //www.glicklerfuneralhome.com/obituaries/ david-g-london/.

Bill and Jerry’s names were read during the class memorial at our 45th reunion but sadly Dave’s was not since we weren’t aware of his passing until very recently. A bit of an awkward segue into reporting on a most successful event from 2-5 Oct. For those of you who were there (and there were quite a few of us from the picture below at the memorial) I think I can say that it was a tremendous time (except for the game but we’ll get to that a bit later). For those of you who couldn’t make it please plan for the 50th, which will be here before we know it!

HUGE kudos to John “General” Paterson and Blake “Buddah” Lindner for all the organizing and spinning dozens of plates for nearly six months.

General has agreed to lead the charge again for the aforementioned 50th … thanks, General! Also great work by the squadron reps for getting the word out in a very timely manner. There didn’t seem to be much heartburn about being informed on events and changes from the many folks that I talked to.

The Colorado Springs Marriott was an excellent headquarters location starting with registration Thursday along with the mixer that night. This was a Corona weekend so of course they had first dibs on just about everything. That forced the class memorial to relocate from Arnold Hall to H-1 … it wasn’t the ideal location but general did a good job of pulling it off and opening the event.

Following Tom Avery’s eloquent invocation, class president Steve Dalby gave an equally eloquent class message. All members who have passed since the 40th were recognized with a member of their squadron acknowledging “absent sir.” We then had two informative presentations by the Institute for Future Conflict (where our own Dave “Limo” Scott is the Academy Foundation liaison) and Computer and Cyber Sciences (former Comp Sci) department.

Those who signed up had lunch in Mitch’s after watching the Noon Meal Formation. After lunch, most of us went to our squadron areas, many of which had unfortunately been moved since our cadet days. That night were individual squadron events culminating in an active day.

The Class of 1978 raised funds in honor of its 40th reunion class giving project to support the Madera Cyber Innovation Center.

The cyber programs at the U.S. Air Force Academy will help cadets prepare for their complex future as officers.

Thank you for leaving a lasting legacy for the Class of 1978 and representing its commitment to duty, honor, our alma mater and our nation.

More info:

falconfunder.usafa.org/1978 On Saturday morning, those who signed up/paid went to the Falcon Nation tailgate at Empower Stadium (Mile High) followed by the game. The traditional pageantry was on full display along with the traditional “prisoner display” where current exchange cadets go to their own side for the duration. As much fun as the pregame events proved to be it was a disappointing game starting with a 61-yard Army run for a TD not quite two minutes into the game.

Despite the very disappointing 23-3 loss, we were still able to enjoy the fellowship of decades of shared experiences. This picture was taken by Ken Charpie after the memorial.

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CLASS NEWS That’s a wrap for this quarter … my sincere thanks to you folks for continuing to send info and I look forward to more stories about the reunion so I can add to next quarter’s article!

God Bless ’78 is Great!

’78 is great.

The next photo was from Mike Spain, who was the first to send a class pic (am certainly hoping for more in the ensuing months). The guys from CS-27 had a nice dinner on Friday night. From L to R are Vinny Gallagher, Phil Farrell, Craig Taliaferro, Marshall Wong, Mike Spain, Rob Harrison and Doug Whitlow.

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the Victor, ID, area with Tom and LeAnn Talbot.

In McCall, ID, he met up with Harry and Jackie Whiting, then parked the motorhome and jetted to France for a month, meeting up with Dr. John Golden and wife Kim for some biking through the Burgundy vineyards.

The annual Class of ’79 Fall Pheasant Hunting Camp outside Myton, UT, was once again a spectacular success (see photo). The hunting was outstanding, but the real gift was getting together with best friends and spending quality time together. Can I get some of that pheasant plumage for trout fly tying?

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–Bob Kay, 40411 Tesoro Ln., Palmdale, CA 93551; 661-974-1417; robert.kay78@gmail.com

1979

CS-27 Friday night dinner.

Finally, before the reunion, Larry James sent a nice shot from the Kennedy Space Center after launching the Psyche mission on a Falcon heavy rocket on 13 Oct from Pad 39A. It’s on the way to the metallic asteroid 16 Psyche for orbiting and studying beginning in 2029.

From R to L are Ernie St Gelais and his wife Marie, Greg Hollister and his wife Sherry, Susan and Larry, his brother and wife, Greg and Diane James. Larry happily reports that the launch was “perfect and the spacecraft is nominal on the first leg of it’s six-year journey to the asteroid.” Larry further reports that Greg (retired colonel) works for Maxar, and Ernie is a software consultant after semi-retiring from the software/internet business he founded. Larry finally states that “I’m still loving being the deputy director at JPL … nowhere else to do these amazing missions!” Well said Larry, and keep up the great work there.

Two more classmates have flown into the sunset since the last Checkpoints. Bob Ennis flew west in August and Dennis Hilley followed in September after fighting Multiple Myeloma for 17 years. You can find links to each classmate’s obituary in the Gone But Not Forgotten section of the AOG website. Mission Complete — Job Well Done — Life Well Lived — RIP Brothers!

Gary Curry was the presiding official promoting his daughter, Malona Cavanaugh (Colorado ANG), to colonel this summer. Classmate Tru (and Deb) Eyre were also there for the ceremony and celebration. In October, Jack Catton (Class of ’76 and our Doolie Wing/CC) and Steve Newbold participated in an Angel Flight Mid-Atlantic golf tournament fundraiser in Warrenton, VA. Always on the hunt for adventure, Craighton Chin joined Mike and Laura Englebrecht for four days of climbing in the Dolomites just a short nine months after Mike had twin-vessel bypass heart surgery. Keep chuggin’ Mike!

CS-18 classmates gather to honor Dennis Hilley. L-to-R: Jack Humphrey, Bruce Bingle, Neal Barlow ’78, Jerry Coleman, Terry Tullia, Mark Cebuhar, Gary Harris, Vance Skarstedt, Dave Sapper, Rick Pearson, Paul Faulkner, Tom English, Glen Ungaro and Pat Shillington.

Perfect launch.

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Doug Trogstad sold his house three years ago, retired from Delta Airlines, and has been traveling in a motorhome ever since. In July he hooked up with Ken and Karen Snoy in Layton, UT, and then spent some time golfing, kayaking and hiking in

Duck Dynasty Crew Casting Session (L-to-R): Tim Hoy, Jim White, Mike Gee, Tim Fyda, Tom Foertsch, Jim Lee, Tru Eyre and Dale Reed.

On the “really retired” front, Tom Clay retired from the Air Force in 2004, but then “really” retired at the end of September after 13 years at SAIC. Chuck Smiley hung up the Blue Suit in 2007 and then “really” retired from Boeing in early 2022. He quickly un-retired by starting a nonprofit food rescue organization in Charleston, SC, called Cuisine Rescue. Tim McLean retired from the National Park Service as a civil engineer/project manager in October. Blackjack (CS-21) squadron mate Mark Reid finally “really” retired after 44 years of Federal Service on Independence Day. Mark said his goal was to beat Thom “T-Mac” McCarthy into “real” retirement. Mark is unsure of retirement plans, but Cindi says his job right now is just to embrace retirement and see how it feels.

Play that one for all you can, Mark, before Cindi realizes you can now actually get things on the to-do list done!

Pattie and I have bumped into several classmates this year at various military reunions. Mark “Pug” Svestka was recently at the 23TFS Fighting Hawks reunion near Valley Forge, PA, and three classmates also attended the Red River Valley Fighter Pilots’ Assn (River Rats) reunion in Bowling Green, KY. We took a photo at the National Corvette Museum in front of a silver anniversary edition that many of you may have purchased as “Firsty Wheels” back in the day. On a side note, Mike Rokes’ father took first place in the River Rats reunion mustache contest. I only managed to finish in the middle of the pack (4th place).

1980

Class of ’79 River Rats and a silver anniversary Corvette (L-to-R): Wade “Lefty” Leatham, Jeff “Jammer” Moore, Tim “Fido” Fyda and Keith “Beast” Trouwborst.

Larry Sandoval traveled to Cusick, WA, in August to pay final respects to Diane Stone (Chapdelaine), Class of ’80 and Gene Stone’s wife of 44 years. Larry is a Catholic deacon and a retired Southwest Airlines captain. He still works as a part-time simulator instructor and crossed paths often in the simulator building with Mark Stearns, Ed Zanowicz, Don Cohick, Steve Sague and Dan Reilly.

The Spirit-03 Memorial Dedication Ceremony honoring classmate and fallen warrior, Paul “PJ” Weaver had a huge turnout and the link to the YouTube video of the event can be viewed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ayUzMXbBl7A The consolidated city-county government of Lynchburg and Moore County, TN, is commonly referred to as dry. The sale of liquor in the Lynchburg area is illegal, despite being home to the huge Jack Daniel’s distillery operation.

One of the distillery tour guides there is fond of proclaiming that he wants to be a Jack Daniel’s whiskey barrel in the next life. When asked why, his answer is simple — these particular whiskey barrels are full of happiness that can’t be bought, on the spot, at any price. So, in closing, I wish each and every one of you a Lynchburg City Whiskey Barrel life — full of joy and happiness that money can’t buy.

In the “On Deck” circle is Geoff Mulligan. Send your updates and photos for the next Checkpoints to geoff@mulligan.com and also ask him about joining the class email list.

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-Jeff "Jammer" Moore, 321 Persimmon Ridge Dr., Louisville, KY 40245; 502-386-7958; bandit292@msn.com

As we begin to step into a new phase of our lives, we likely anticipate spending even more time with those who mean so much to us. Sometimes, our plans are thwarted. In September, Margie (Clark) Varuska’s husband, BJ, passed away after complications from surgery. Hug those you love; cherish the memories.

And when it comes to making new memories — as well as reliving the old ones — Ted Lauer lets us know, “Brad and Michaela Duty once again generously hosted the Quinquennial Tiger Ten Birthday Bash at their home in Alexandria, Virginia! We had a great time partying, catching up, and sharing tips and tricks on Medicare — and how to minimize the dreaded IRMAA. We had a really good turnout, with 10 classmates attending and several others joining the party via a Zoom meeting.” Photo, top row (L-R) is Brad, Mitch Hailstone, Kathy Conley, Peggy (Walker) Bertaina and Paul Smith; bottom row (L-R) is Ted, Tom Broe, Chris Cuellar, Jim Putman and Ed Schmidt.

I chose this picture over the more sedate, orderly one Ted offered.

Birthday Bashers.

In this same vein, Jerry Corbett shared he and Wendy, during some beautiful summer days, had the pleasure of hosting some of their best friends at their place in Sand Point, Idaho. Mark “Ich” Bracich and Sharon plus Chuck “Bino” Miller and Bunny. “We spent much time making music in my back room, played an open mic night, played for the residents at the assisted living facility where my dad lives (he sang with us on one song), and played for some neighbors and friends in my front yard. We all had a great time. Next get-together will be in Las Vegas, that’s where Ich lives.”

In another tie to the past, at the ceremony returning the moniker to CS-19 that all of us knew, Dave Gruber noted, “Tom Mabry, Gene Stewman, Matt Seitz, and I shared an impressive ceremony with current cadets of the re-designated Starship 19 and squadron mates from past years. General David Goldfein ’83, who was a doolie in CS-19 while we were two degrees, and General Terrence O’Shaughnessy ’86, were the guest speakers. In addition to unveiling the new squadron flag, General O’Shaughnessy ’86, who now works for Space X, presented a gift from Elon Musk — a plaque containing a heatshield from a successful test flight that will be the same material used on their future starships.”

Starship 19ers Dave, Matt, Tom and Gene.

History trips: You may remember “Flight Doc” Mike Opatowsky is a docent at the Dallas Love, Frontiers of Flight Museum. He also writes articles for their newsletter and recently submitted another excellent piece. It’s about how the Navy, in late summer 1944, modified a P-51 (ETF-51D) and eventually tried it on a carrier. The idea was to use its range and capabilities in the Pacific. The test pilot reported the margin of safety was not great enough to bring the plane to the operational carrier fleet.

“Debbie and I (David “Flip” Filippi) just returned from a wonderful trip to France. We spent four days on our own in Paris, seeing all the touristy sites — many of which we’ve seen before, but well worth seeing again. Then we boarded a riverboat for a cruise down the Seine to Normandy and back. It was my first time seeing Omaha Beach and the Normandy American Cemetery. Powerful, moving, somber. But the highlight of our trip (for me) was seeing the Lafayette Escadrille Memorial, situated not far from Versailles. (See his photo in the Checking in With Checkpoints section.) I’ve always had a strong interest in WWI aviation; in fact, I gave a couple of stage lectures on the topic while teaching at ACSC in the mid-’90s. So, visiting the memorial has always been high on my travel must-see list. We — just the two of us — were fortunate to be guided on a personal tour of the grounds, memorial and crypt by a member of the American Battle Monuments Commission. All else is going well here in northern Virginia. Happily enjoying our retirement years, mostly catering to the demands of our 10-year-old beagle.”

I’ve put the following words in this section because the Smithsonian is a repository of our nation’s history. Craig, proud husband of Janet (Libby) Wolfenbarger, without her knowledge, slipped me some news. “She was recently notified by the National Portrait Gallery, part of the Smithsonian Institution, that her portrait, along with those of General Dunwoody and Admiral Howard, will be unveiled and on display starting 28 August.

These were the first female four-star generals and admiral in the Air Force, Army, and Navy.”

Last issue, continued. I mentioned how Fritz Wiegman now teaches in the FedEx B777 simulator with Delta Professional Services.

It seems he’s being joined by another United Airlines retiree, Allen Baker! Additionally, Allen is finishing a civil engineering master’s degree from Purdue University.

You also learned how Mike and Karen Angarole were putting the finishing touches on their Nashville dream home. It was a long process with many administrative obstacles. Well, based on the below photo, they were blessed to celebrate the Big Day. (Mike did the same honors for his 94-year-young mother, too!)

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CLASS NEWS

Crossing the dreamhouse threshold.

Jack Berkebile and Darren McKnight in London.

Keep dreaming … and all my best to you and yours, always, but especially during this Christmas/holiday season. Don

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Fellow Detroit Lion fan, Dan Bell, is enjoying the year (so far) with me and a few others. Dan and Jennifer are doing great in SE Michigan with four grandkids (three nearby, one in NJ). Dan is still plugging along with GE Aerospace. Dan No. 2 ’07 was one of the pilots on Dan’s flight to Seoul in May (see pic). A life highlight for dad. Dan and Jennifer are going to Korea for two weeks this fall and are hopeful to have their son as the pilot for one or both flights. Dan and I commiserate almost weekly as Detroit’s season unfolds.

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–Don Myers, P.O. Box 153, Tyrone, GA 30290-0153; dmyers80@hotmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 1980; usafa80.org

1981

Hey ’81! I am drafting our winter article after we dominated Navy! This has been such an exciting and historical AF season. It will be a bit weird to watch Army-AF at Mile High in a couple of weeks. I am completely refreshed after a beautiful week in Maine with the fall colors and Aroostook County potato trucks rolling. I even had lunch in Drew Grant’s hometown of Houlton, Maine. Twice! Maine is awesome!

Class News: Deacon Bernie Schwartz was ordained in June and had several ’81ers in attendance — Jay and Theresa Santee, Reverend Jan Dantone (Wiley) and Hal, and Tom Maloof.

Bernie is now settled and busy as a deacon up north in Sterling, CO. Barry Thoma had lunch late this summer with the Basics just back from Jacks Valley. He said to rest assured they (2027) are impressive, loyal and anxious to serve! Gene Stitt is still flying 330s out of Detroit for Delta. They live Northeast of Indianapolis but plan a move west (Montana) when he retires. They spend time at their Bozeman, MT, condo and Gene keeps busy with hobbies and a lab puppy. I ran into Mike “Bloomer” and Lori Bloomfield at the SDSU-AF game. Mike had gone to the AF-Sam Houston State game earlier in the season. He was also enjoying retired life. Darren McKnight enjoyed some London pub food with Jack Berkebile in August.

Jack is still flying for American and Darren is doing his Space safety “stuff.”

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Dan Bell with son, Dan ’07.

I still get tips/advice/praise/ridicule from my scribe predecessor, Dennis Ward, and congrats on my retirement. Like Dan Bell, Dennis and I are lowly Lions fans. Dennis said they are spending more and more time at their retirement home in Eastern Tennessee. They are on an Alaskan cruise with Bud and Becky Rafferty. Scott Land reminded me that his father-in-law (who swore Scott in back in the day at the cadet library) flew F-4s with Robin Olds and was the first AOC for the brand new CS-40 when the wing expanded. He gave Scott a flag flown over the cadet area in the daily rotation back in the 70s. Tanya did some minor repairs and Scott proudly flies the flag at his house. One of those “neat” stories to share. (may post flag picture on our FB page) I got cc’d on an email about the amazing Vanderburgh family. Rich and Dave’s sister Betsy ’84 competed and finished second among 10 worldwide qualifying athletes at the Crossfit Games in Madison, WI in her age group.

David Vanderburgh, Betsy ’84 and husband Joe with Rich Vanderburgh.

Your fun-loving class officers — Beef, Jake and I tried to generate interest in an ’81 get-together in conjunction with the Army-AF game in Denver, but it just wasn’t there. We are meeting with the Foundation in November to discuss our HH-3 static display (will keep you informed). I drive by weekly on the way to watch football practice (life of a retiree). I did chat with Barry and Melanie Gardner prior to the Wyoming-AF game. Dr. Barry is doing great here in the Springs, working at Century Cancer Center — keeping busy. We have been parking next to each other at Falcon games for years. Alex Baggett (my Firstie roomie) and I have been chatting monthly about Falcon football. Alex is doing well in Orlando. Please keep Michael “Jake” Jakobi CS-13 in your thoughts and prayers as we lost him this Fall. So sad.

Thanks for all your inputs this cycle and I look forward to many holiday pictures for the spring article. (Maybe some good classmate bowl pictures, too) I am super excited about our Falcons and hope they continue to roll. Beat Army!

Members

63%

Sabre Society Donors

30

Polaris Society Members

10

–Rich Trentman, 719-640-9586; rtrentman81@ comcast.net; FB: USAFA Class of 1981

1982

Hey Redtags, Lots of news this quarter, but I’m afraid I must lead off with bad news. As many of you already know, our classmate Jeff Riles passed away on 24 Aug 2023. He was 62 and a member of CS-26. His family held a funeral service on 14 Sep 23 at the Air Force Academy Community Chapel, and Jeff was interred at the USAFA Cemetery. Many of us

remember Jeff from the Prep School and how he always seemed to bring a smile. RIP, my friend!

In early August, Jim “Boots” Demarest let me know that he delivered a comprehensive Medal of Honor upgrade package for Steve Phillis to Sen. Tammy Duckworth. The senator forwarded the package to the Secretary of the Air Force, where it will make its way through the vetting process.

Hats off to Boots and the countless others who researched and prepared this enormous work.

Prior to joining Stellar Solutions, she was an acquisition principal senior analyst for Alion Science and Technology, supporting the Secretary of the Air Force for acquisition (SAF/AQ) in planning, coordinating, and executing Joint ISR exercises with NATO. Kate Smith and Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Sharon Dunbar were selected by Veterans Affairs Secretary Denis McDonough for appointment to the Department of Veteran Affairs Advisory Committee on Women Veterans. Their terms run through September 2025. The committee provides advice to the secretary on the needs of women veterans. Jeff Moragne, who is responsible for all the advisory committees for the Department of Veterans Affairs, asked them to volunteer, and both responded with a resounding “Yes!” I’m certain they’ll be fine advocates.

In other news, Chaplain Brig. Gen. Paul Franz retired on 30 Sep. Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure that Paul was the last of our classmates to retire. Paul served as the Air National Guard assistant to the Chief of Chaplains, USAF/HC. His retirement ceremony was held in Denver at the Wings Over the Rockies on 15 Oct. Several classmates were there to help celebrate.

Jim Demarest presenting Steve Phillis’ Medal of Honor package to Sen. Duckworth.

Also in August, USAFA held a special ceremony renaming CS-19 back to Starship 19. Several Starship ’82 alums joined in the festivities including Phil Parker, Ralinda Gregory, Jeff Rochelle and Gen. (Ret.) Dave “Fingers” Goldfein (started with ’82 and graduated with ’83). Here’s a picture of Phil doing his best impression of Capt.

Picard at the ceremony!

Members

64%

Sabre Society Donors

26

Polaris Society Members

5

–Jim Ratti, 2860 Arbor Pointe Dr., Middletown, OH 45042; 937-760-2333; rattijm@mindspring.com

1983

Greetings ’83!

It’s been just over 20 years since my last submission as a class scribe, so I’ll be working off some rust: please bear with me!

I’m writing this in October, so the dominant theme will be our recently completed 40th reunion.

One item of pre-reunion news did percolate through the summer. Dana Born’s eldest daughter, Hanna ’20, graduated from undergraduate pilot helicopter training (UPHT) in May and will continue onto advanced PHT at Kirtland AFB, NM. Two weeks later, the family gathered at husband Tim’s alma mater in Annapolis to witness their youngest daughter (Heather) join the family’s “other” Long Blue Line.

Chaplain Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Paul Franz and friends.

Phil Parker channeling Jean-Luc Picard.

While in town, Fingers was also honored as a USAFA Outstanding Graduate. He joined Brig.

Gen. (Ret.) Hans Mueh’66 and Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Sue Desjardins ’80 as this year’s honorees.

Speaking of honors, Mary Stevenson received the 2023 Allyship Award from Women in Aerospace (WIA), recognizing her exemplary leadership and support of women, and her dedication to collaborative inclusion in the aerospace community. The award was presented at the WIA awards dinner on 12 Oct 2023, at the Ritz-Carlton Pentagon City Hotel in Arlington, VA. Mary is the director of enterprise defense programs at Stellar Solutions, Inc., a global aerospace engineering services company.

Pictured L to R are Ron Mattson, Greg Tate, Paul Franz, Tom Lavalley and Mike Graham.

Paul was a prior-service Preppie, so that would give him well over 40 years of service. Hats off!

And to tie all this together, Wings Over the Rockies is an excellent museum housed in a hangar on what used to be Lowry AFB in Denver.

Not only was that the original home of our Academy, but it’s also where yours truly spent nine months in tech school in 1976-77 learning to fix avionics on B-52s. The B-52 on display at the museum was a training aid for the various classes taught at the base.

And on a further personal note, I’d like to let all of you know that my wife, Ellen (Kincaid) ’80 was diagnosed with stage three ovarian cancer back in August. She started chemotherapy and will have surgery in early November, followed by more chemo that will continue through January.

She’s responding well to chemo so far, and we’re grateful for that. Your prayers are most welcome!

And that about wraps it up for this issue.

Keep me posted on your news and send me your Christmas letter so I can include pertinent tidbits in the next column!

Until then, be safe and well, Ratman

Tim (USNA ’75), Heather (USNA ’23), Hanna (USAFA ’20) and Dana (USAFA ’83) Born.

Heather followed in dad’s footsteps, commissioning as a second lieutenant Marine Ground officer. Congratulations to the Borns for showing how “joint” service gets done!

From Sept. 27 though Oct. 1, 315 members (525 attendees overall) of USAFA’s “Best to Be” gathered to celebrate and commemorate the 40 years since we threw our parade caps into the air.

A number of significant transitions, recognitions and all-around fun marked the event.

After 40 years as class president, Ray Blust turned that office over to Tamra Rank. Ray solicited volunteers for a new slate of class officers last spring to replace himself, Dan Horack, Steve Sadler and Andy Sizemore. At the Friday banquet, Tammy assumed the presidency, with Stu Hixon and Dave Ruffley as vice presidents. We all owe Ray a debt of thanks for his long service to the Checkpoints · December 2023 · 121

CLASS NEWS class. The man should never again purchase an adult beverage of his own if another class member is present! Thanks, Ray! Cecil Grant organized and presided over a poignant memorial service on Sept. 29 for our departed classmates, highlighting in particular those who had passed away since our last reunion.

The ceremony featured tributes to those most recently passed by squadron mates. Thank you, Cecil, for once again honoring our deceased classmates with dignity, respect and honor!

Cecil also reported that a group of Black 1983 grads went out for breakfast on Friday. It was an amazing time of fun, food and fellowship. Much like the reunion in general, spouses got to meet one another and good times were had by all.

This great and proud group of people centered part of their get-together around “#63 to Me,” a celebration of the first Black graduates from USAFA in 1963 who are happy to be a part of the best class to graduate from USAFA. Participants in the breakfast posed for the photo below:

Back row, left to right: Chuck Jones, Chuck Harris, Ollie Sears, Bryan Pratt, Donnie Smith, Konda Sullivan, Kevin Gore, Eugene Peterson, Moses Winston, Alonzo Babers, Errol Lewis and Ken Tingman. Seated left to right: Ted Holloway, Jay Bullock-Cassine, Cecil Grant, Tony McDaniel and Tony Hudson.

During the banquet, Ray marked the end of his presidency by recognizing contributions from a number of classmates. We all owe thanks to Laurie Healy and Alan Arata; who have served as reunion chairs for the past three reunions. Likewise, we appreciate the hard work of Brad and Sharon Gann, for their tireless work over the past five years as chairs of our class gift campaign.

Wade Wheeler updated the banquet attendees on his efforts to restore and display our class print and on his special project to create unique “83” silver flasks. If you’d like one, contact Wade at wwade83@me.com.

Someone asked me what it was like to attend my first class reunion. My response: “It was fun, interesting and depressing — but mostly fun!”

Fun to see classmates for the first time in 40 or more years, interesting to learn what those people have done/are doing, and a bit depressing to recognize the number of classmates we’ve lost.

That bittersweet combination struck home in the following photo, when the Doolies of the once/ future Starship 19 closed our Thursday gettogether with a toast to classmate and my former roommate John Carter, who passed away in 2020.

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June column — info due by April to sueross@ sierraconsulting.org and Chris Mannion writes the September column — info due in July to cpmannion@gmail.com. I’ll be back next December.

Send info by October to dlrwy@yahoo.com.

Dave Ruffley

Left to right: Dave Ruffley, Dave Wright, Jeff Fiebig, Ray Blust, Jon Duresky, Justin Sandlin (ex 83), Andy Voncanon and Stu Pope.

Members

66%

Sabre Society Donors

23

Polaris Society Members

5

–Dave Ruffley, 719-330-6671; dlrwy@yahoo.com

Class of 1983 40th Reunion Project The Class of 1983 supported the construction of the new Madera Cyber Innovation Center and creation of an endowed fund to support the National Character and Leadership Symposium (NCLS).

Help your class wrap up its gift with maximum participation!

Give at falconfunder.usafa.org/1983

Checkpoints limits me to three photos, so I apologize to those who sent photos that didn’t appear here. I’ll forward them to Chris for consideration in the next issue. The limit put a real damper on my plans for the “Best-Fitting 40-Year Reunion A-Jacket Contest” which was inspired

by Erik Andersen’s epic look at the AF-SD State football game. Not only did he manage to wear his jacket zipped, he also sat down with it on and looked “marvelous.” If you have a contest entry photo, send it to me! Erik and CS22 grad squadron mates Rob Englehart, Craig Eidman, Jon Wendell, Pete Moe, Steve Schaeffer and I got together (joined by “honorary Tarantula” Paul Madsen, CS16) at “The Principal’s Office” bar before the game.

Finally, please take note of our rotating schedule of class scribes: Chris Austin is up next with the March issue — send info/photos by January to ccaustin83@gmail.com. Sue Ross writes the

1984

CCQs PLEASE POST: Sir, Ma’am: there are less than 365 days until the Class of 1984 celebrates its 40th reunion. Start your preparation now. Because of the loss to Army this year, next year will hopefully bring our redemption. Right, Wesley?

Since we live in a very techsavvy world, I would humbly ask that you reach out to your former roommates, squadron mates, teammates, and friends to find out what they are doing. I would also ask that you start thinking about the activities you would like for this illustrious event.

I would also like to ask that when you reach out to people that you would ask them if it’s okay to get the class their information so that we can make sure that everyone is invited and included.

Many of our classmates have been working on a class gift. More information on this to follow. In the meantime, here are some photos from the Air Force-Army game in Denver this year, which was attended by many of our classmates. Big thanks to Eric Furches for coordinating premier seating and camaraderie.

These guys should have suited up at halftime, the results would probably have been different.

Definitely more interesting.

1986

Definitely, we have gotten over our camera shyness.

Academy support never looked so good.

Mike “Sooch” Masucci was honored this summer to have commanded two Virgin Galactic space flights. Unity 25 was Virgin Galactic’s return to space after a two year enhancement period for their vehicles. Mike also commanded their first commercial space flight, Galactic 01, which was a dedicated Italian research mission.

Joe Calderon holding court with John Hanlon and Carl Dieudonne.

Mike with his wife, Anna, in front of VSS Unity after the Unity 25 mission.

Members

57%

Sabre Society Donors

35

Polaris Society Members

4

–Mike Jensen, 6547 N. Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs, CO 80918; 719-338-3570; usafa1984@gmail.com; usafa84.com; FB: USAF Academy 1984; Twitter: @USAFA84

1985

Greetings ’85ers!!

Two members of the Class of 1985 — Scott Dumbauld and Michael Ott — along with their spouses, hosted a Harmon Reception in Minnesota on July 26, 2023. The event gathered fellow graduates to engage in discussion with Col. Kurt Wendt ’94, director of the Center for Character and Leadership Development, regarding the incredible work being done at the Academy to produce warrior scholars and future leaders of character.

The Harmon Reception honors Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Hubert R. Harmon, who was designated “The Father of the Air Force Academy” in 2004. Gen. Harmon worked for four years — from legislative approval to planning to site selection — to make the Air Force Academy a reality. He was appointed as the Academy’s first superintendent on August 14, 1954.

Mike showing off a great centerline control on landing.

I just flew back to Virginia from Denver and I have to admit that I am feeling a bit hungover even though I had nary a drop of alcohol after watching the formerly 8-0 and nationally ranked Air Force play Army at Mile High stadium. The alumni really showed up to this game, sadly the Falcons did not — six turnovers and a 40-40-2 worthy performance left little reason to toss any cheese in the air as we departed a bit deflated and un-elated. Hopefully, by the time all of you are reading this, the Falcons will have returned to their winning ways, and you will be watching them play in a well-earned bowl game over the holidays.

The AOG hosted a wonderful tailgate and there were graduates spanning 1959 to 2022. I do have to report that I saw a few ’85ers walking around and some of them really let themselves go. I thought for a moment I was a having a dyslexia moment seeing a 58 on their A-jackets, but as you know there is no class of 58 — a pleasant schadenfreude moment to note that all those Princess Slices that they ate after withholding them from us as doolies have come home to roost.

I want to give a shout-out to all the ’86ers who made time to come and support the Falcons. We even had current Superintendent (He has his own pin!) Lt. Gen. Rich Clark ’86 join us for a photo. We were missing a few classmates who did not report for the mandatory formation despite assigning the lowest Academic Order of Merit graduate in attendance (I was 196/962) the duty to call minutes ... Malf.

Photo below – I sadly don’t have all the names, but if you go to our Facebook page: USAFA Class of 1986: https://www.facebook. com/groups/USAFA1986/?mibextid=c7yyfP You can help fill in those few blanks and may even identify yourself in the comments section.

I’m off to Budapest, Vienna, Prague and Berlin for most of November. My wife, Nancy, and I are looking forward to getting out one last time before we get trapped in-state by another lovely Maine winter. I hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season. Drop me a note and let me know all about the adventures you had in 2023. ’85 Best Alive!! Scott ’86 grads at Air Force vs. Army football game.

Members

55%

Sabre Society Donors

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Polaris Society Members

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-W. Scott Carney, P.O. Box 5, Pembroke, ME 04666; 207-214-4836; usafaclassof1985@gmail. com

Front Row: ?, Bob Colella, Buzz Craft, Andy Hart, Bob Mansfield, Julie (Dahnke) Mansfield, Rich Clark, Bridget (Burton) Malfer, Greg Rau and Andy Carlson.

Back row: ?, Chuck Wallace, Rex Gibson, John Kress, ?, Don Sutherland, Fred Gaudlip, Dennis Malfer, Rick Chancellor, Jeff Smith, Kevin Raimer, Tom Willard, Kirk Lear, Mark Crosby, Bill Brogan, Steve Jaszai, John Russ and ?

Derek Hunt and Roger Thrasher were also at the game.

I also wanted to add this great photo of all the Barnstormers from ’86 that I got from Mark Crosby.

Attention in the area!

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 123

CLASS NEWS from all of us who will miss him. There is a nice picture of all of them on our Facebook page.

Until next time – Go Navy, Beat Army!

Bob Colella

Barnstorming 23: L-R: Greg Rau, Rick Chancellor, Jeff Smith, Kirk Lear, Tom Willard, Mark Crosby, and Kevin Raimer.

I had a wonderful time catching up with classmates and was generously hosted by the fabulous Mansfields/USAFA ’86 power couple Bob and Julie (Dahnke) and their dog Tank(er) … mostly Tank, who is a good boy, but lied to me about the jumping up on the bed policy for dogs.

It was such a wonderful visit and great to know that you always have a place to stay when you have a classmate around. Best part about where Mansfields live is 1) the picture-perfect view (minus one scrub tree) of Pikes Peak, the Rampart Range, USAFA, and Falcon Stadium and 2) it is well outside the 10-mile radius of the restraining order that Dennis Malfer filed a few years ago on me as he and Bridget live up in Larkspur.

I got a nice update from Col. (Ret.) Bob Holba of CS-30. “Had really special Knights of Thirty mini-reunion over President’s Day weekend in Niceville, FL, outside Eglin AFB, hosted by Van Hughes and Ty/Rena Alexander at their homes. Many of us hadn’t seen one another since graduation almost 37 years ago. In addition to a lot of great camaraderie and catching up, eating (crawfish boil) and consuming significant quantities of adult beverages … there were a few memorable toasts (including partaking of Cowboy’s 36-year “dollar ride” Jack Daniels) in honor of our fallen squadron mates (Capt. John Schloss, Lt. Col. Greg Gilletti, Maj. Mike Nigl and Lt. Col. Steve “Cowboy” Hughes) … forever will be … brothers-in-arms!”

Members

57%

Sabre Society Donors

20

Polaris Society Members

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–Bob Colella, 9247 Northedge Dr., Springfield, VA 22153; 571-422-0367; robert.colella.86@gmail.com

1987

Greetings ’87! What a fantastic football season we are having.

Go Falcons!! Got some great updates — the first one is from Mike Walker. “On October 8, barely 14 months after having prostate cancer surgery, I ran the Chicago Marathon. It was my first marathon, but it certainly won’t be my last. I ran on behalf of a charity supporting cancer research and due to the generosity of my CS-03 classmates, I was the top fundraiser they had this year. Thanks again to everyone who helped make this challenge such an amazing experience. Please use this message as a reminder to visit your doctor regularly and perform any check-ups, screenings, and tests that may be due, or overdue. Ironically, my prostate cancer was found almost by accident while checking for signs of colon cancer. I had skipped my annual physical a few times and so missed a simple test that might have identified it years earlier. A cancer diagnosis isn’t always the scary, life-threatening news it was in the past. Treatment options and techniques are improving every day and early detection always offers the best chances for recovery. Stay healthy, safe, and strong and before you know it we’ll all be together again in ’27 to celebrate our 40th.”

Thanks, Mike. All of us need to take your advice to heart and looking forward to our 40th as well!

Gretchen (Krueger) Cook wrote, “Trish Heller, Gina Brown ’85 and I attended the Long Blue Line leadership meeting on July 27. Great meeting with chapter and affinity group leaders from across the country — and one grad flew in from Germany as well! The biggest treat for us was listening to our very own B.J. Shwedo as he gave a powerful briefing on USAFA’s Institute of Future Conflict!

Today’s cadets are involved in amazing, complex, real-world issues and high-fidelity simulations.

We had a great turnout from Class of ’87 for the March Back with the Basics of the Class of 2027 on July 28! Forty years since our original March Back with M-1’s. I didn’t remember any part of the trail. Karin (Peterson) Nagel, Trish Heller, Patti (Michalcik) Stuart, Mike Peterson, Andy Garrobo, Eric Woodson and I took a few photos together including one with Cookies from (Ed Krafft) heaven! After the march, we got to join the Basics in Mitchell Hall for a yummy lunch.

We regaled them with stories of Smoker’s Nights, Mitch’s Mountains, and two glasses at the top of our plate! Wonderful young adults! Our next-gen USAF leaders!”

Gretchen (Krueger) Cook, BJ Shwedo and Tricia Heller.

The world is smaller than you think: Michele (Morris) Mitchell “Wow ... wow ... what can you say about having a superb lunch meet up with Kymberli (Johnson) Speight. I had a quick business trip to Austin from San Antonio. She graciously invited me to have lunch in her home and we reminisced about the old times, the good times, the current times, and everything in between! Best meal in Austin, TX! Kimberly is not only a published author, but she is currently mentoring two National Speaker Association chapters! Please say hi to Joel, Kymberli’s husband. I enjoyed getting the opportunity to go to USAFA Prep with him.”

Front (L-R) Hugh Brennan, Jim Gulsvig, Beth Celestini, Ty Alexander, Bob Holba, Donna Gulsvig and Jane Holba.

Back (L-R) Rena Alexander, Van Hughes, Phil Celestini, Michele Brennan, Sandi Burkhard, Mick Burkhard and Ken Hale.

I received some sad news at the game that classmate Mark W. Hart passed away unexpectedly. He was from CS-16, I know there was a large Chickenhawk contingent at the game and I met his daughter who was there in his A-jacket among his classmates receiving comfort 124 · usafa.org

Mike Walker at the finish line of the Chicago Marathon.

Michele (Morris) Mitchell and Kymberli (Johnson) Speight.

Michele also shared that her husband (Thomas), daughters (Jesicah and Kamilah), and 5-year-old granddaughter (Faith) spent a week at Disney World before she started K-5. “It was a fabulous trip and I enjoyed seeing Faith watching the bright light show at Epcot. It was a heat wave with the hottest temps on record for Orlando during the first week in Aug. We survived and returned to the hottest temps on record in San Antonio! I also repped USAFA at Magic Kingdom in happy land!”

That’s it for this edition. We always get more pictures than we can include but include as many of them as we can. Thank you for all the input.

Anne and I hope to hear from you all soon.

Members

63%

Sabre Society Donors

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Polaris Society Members

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–Bill Page, nextpage87@yahoo.com; 562-209-1158 and –Anne Benovil-Murphy, benovilmurphy@gmail.com; 703-599-6235

1988

It was a reunion of the people, by the people, for the people. ’88 Best to Date gathered in C-Springs on October 12-15, celebrating 35 years since our June 1 graduation, a distinction long cherished. Notable for its excellent swag, tributes, variety of activities, spicy food and The Great Challenge Coin Caper starring Eric Widiger, this reunion aimed high and soared as squadrons, classmates and friends reminisced, caught up, and promised to keep in closer touch. A special shout out to Matt Miller for hosting about 150 thirsty fans at his pre/post-game tailgate. We waived our ’88 class flags and cheered the Falcons to a win over Wyoming to continue their undefeated 6-0 streak in their football season. Oh, and no one threw spirit cheese because that would be wrong.

As was true at the 30th reunion, the highlight of the events was the memorial service to our departed classmates, organized by Fr. Darin Calaruso and led by Fr. Pete Zalewski, Michael Miller, Chris Mookie Walker, Tina Ezren and Mike Plehn. Wreaths were laid at the Academy Cemetery for our departed classmates and family members. During the service, the Class of 1988 choir reunited to give a beautiful rendition of High Flight by John Gillespie Magee Jr., with the beloved Dr. Joseph Galema returning to conduct. There were few dry eyes in the base chapel where the service was held. (For those of you that don’t know, the Cadet Chapel is still under refurbishment). The class also noted its remaining active-duty officers and highlighted recent and upcoming retirement celebrations.

Russ Riemer did an excellent job hosting the golf tournament, while Lisa Coble took classmates on a bike ride and lunch outing. Stacey McNutt arranged the ladies’ tea and speakers. Heather Pickett presented on wellness as we approach our 60s and Mara Smith gave a “Then and Now” perspective of an alumni parent with a current cadet. At the welcome reception, entertainment was provided by the cadet a capella group known as In the Stairwell. Lunch in Mitchell Hall was very … impressive. Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Tracy Siems, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Chris Walker, Jim McWeeney, Chad Severson, Brian Raduenz, Lt. Gen. Mike Plehn and Lt. Gen. Kevin Schneider organized an informative and interactive class leader dialogue on U.S. relations with China, military readiness and other topics. USAFA ’87 grad Mike Russell, husband of Kate Jackson Russell, created a oneof-a-kind painting that was auctioned to benefit the class fund, and in the immediate weeks, postreunion ’88 BTD raised funds to support 25 AFA cadets traveling to participate in the 2023 Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, D.C. The grand festivities concluded with warm feelings and intentions to return for the 40th. This outcome was made possible by the beautiful leadership and efforts of many. Reunion cochairs Dr. Kathryn Garrity Hughes and Dr. Tim Coffin express their gratitude to all those whose dedicated efforts made this event so memorable: those mentioned above, Rich Sanders (who sang a powerful rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner, worthy of the NFL’s “Big Game.” There may have been a few tears shed. Raymond Lewis, Harry Hughes, Kip Turain, Bill Revelos, Scott Porter, John MacDonald, other classmates and friends, the staff of Armed Forces Reunions, Inc., our families and significant others, and the great folks at the AOG. Keith Brahms and Pat Maes sent a hello from the Cape of Good Hope. “We are both Airbus A-350 captains at Delta. Jeff is a line check captain and I am training department captain PCP (I administer some of the required check rides to students going through 350 school).

We were both on a trip together to Cape Town, South Africa. We had three days there, so we toured around. We went to the Cape of Good Hope, did a wine tasting in wine country, went to the waterfront, rented bikes, etc. It was a great trip!”

Jeff Maes and Keith Brahms at the Cape of Good Hope.

Chris Mookie Walker recently retired and sent me several photos to choose from. There are more photos of his retirement on our class’s Facebook page, as are numerous photos from the reunion.

Mookie Walker … Do I need to say more?

One of the many, many reunion photos.

Next inputs are due in early January. Please send your inputs my way. I wish you all a wonderful holiday season. Until next year.

Members

65%

Sabre Society Donors

28

Polaris Society Members

7

–Tom Sadlo, 720-666-8804; thomas.sadlo@ gmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 1988

1989

Greetings Classmates! Don Simpson has an update on planning for our 35th reunion next year: Most of you know that we considered an alternative off-site reunion, but there was not enough interest. So, we will be on-site for a home game sometime late fall/early winter of 2024. We will officially begin planning with the Association of Graduates in late January or early February and get options for dates and games at that time. With the incredible success Troy is having, whatever game we choose should provide plenty of pushups! There is a lot of coordination and logistics that we can knock out ahead of the big push so we are seeking volunteers for reunion chair to run the reunion (preferably in the Colorado Spring area), class representatives for each of the 40 squadrons, and a chairperson for typical events such as activities, giving and golf.

If you are interested in one of these or Checkpoints · December 2023 · 125

CLASS NEWS other events or initiatives, send Paul, Stephen and myself a note at 35threunion@usafa89. onmicrosoft.com and we will get you plugged in.

Thanks in advance, Don. Ran into a few classmates at AFA!

Mark, Gary Foster, Garth Terlizzi and Brian Hastings. Stephanie and Mark will stay in the local Shreveport area while their youngest finishes high school, and then will settle in Charlotte, NC. The humorous story now, but scary when it happened, was that they hit a deer outside of Pueblo, destroying their car (no one was hurt) and throwing a wrench in their moving plans, but all is good now! Well, except for the deer…

Gil Petrina, me, Corey (Walrod) Gersten and Kurt Rinke enjoy catching up!

Stephen Whiting shared that Troy Calhoun has the Falcons undefeated and nationally ranked in the Top 25 (as of this writing) and continues to do us proud as the USAFA football coach.

This appears to be one of the greatest seasons in a while! His vision is resulting in an $85M renovation to Falcon Stadium, which is ongoing right now. The following link has a great video with some good words by Troy about the effort: https://falconstadium.org/.

That’s a wrap for this quarter. Keep those cards and letters coming. Take care and God bless!

Members

62%

Sabre Society Donors

20

Polaris Society Members

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–Paul W. Tibbets IV, 5422 Cypress Point Ln., Gonzales, LA 70737; 225-289-2000; p2a2tibbets@ gmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 1989

1990

Greetings mightiest of classes!

I am writing this in the aftermath of watching a narrow victory over Navy on TV. I can’t wait to read this in a few months and see where the Falcons finished the season and what bowl game we were invited to!

There were some significant changes in our class as two of our highest-ranking classmates called it a career.

Lt. Gen. Mark Weatherington retired in a ceremony at Polaris Hall officiated by Gen. Anthony Cotton, STRATCOM commander.

Mark’s last post was as the deputy of Global Strike Command in Barksdale. A contingent of Bulldawgs made the ceremony and are shown in the accompanying photo: Lou DeFelice, Same Svitenko, Steve Brandt, Dan Whisnant,

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way from retiring. Both evenings were boisterous affairs. The first evening John enjoyed a light roasting by his friends, and the following evening was rained upon with a meteoric shower of Spirit Cheese! We captured a photo of the class of ’90 at the event: Myself, Mark Scharpen, Tamara Cinnamon, Dan Wright, Dave Morrissey, John, Andy Richardson, Eric Adamson and Dan Hauck.

The Class of 1990 celebrates Lt Gen John Shaw’s “commencement” from the Space Force.

CS-13 Bulldawgs at Lt. Gen. Mark Weatherington’s retirement party.

In honor of its 30th reunion, the Class of 1990 is raising money for a Tuskegee Airmen memorial at Davis Airfield.

The project will include full-scale models of a P-51 Red Tail and a T-7 Red Hawk at the airfield entrance.

It will embody and reflect all that the Department of the Air Force holds dear and expects of all airmen, guardians and cadets — Integrity, Service and Excellence.

Redtags of 1990, please join us as we wrap up our support of character development, military and academic excellence and true airmanship.

From the gridiron, Mike Pelletier provided this update after the Falcon victory over USNA. Mighty ’90 classmates descended on Annapolis to witness our Falcons sink Navy 17-6 to capture the first leg of the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. It was the perfect day for a rejoin as classmates were spotted all throughout the area: Falcon Nation tailgate, in the stands and the Mighty ’90 post tailgate. Mike Pelletier, Kathy Almand, Ollie Washington, Dave Coley, Wes Hallman, Nelson Neill, Cal Mercer, Ryan Cecil, Kevin Hoppin, Becky Harris Massey, Jay Updegraff and Scott Curtin were spotted among the crowd, with rumors of Jack Mateer evading the spirit cheese police!

Spirit Cheese for the win! Mike Pelletier, Kathy Almand, Ollie Washington and Dave Coley sink Navy!

That is a wrap for this issue. Congratulations once again and thank you to both of our longserving general officers. And beat Army! Mighty ’90! — Flash.

Give at falconfunder.usafa.org/1990.

Last issue I wrote about Lt. Gen. (Ret.) John Shaw’s leadership on “dynamic space operations” and hinted at an impending conclusion of his service in uniform. John held his “commencement” ceremony at the Hub, Peterson Space Force Base, and hosted a reception the previous evening at the Pinery on the Hill in downtown Colorado Springs. John’s last assignment was as the deputy commander, U.S. Space Command, but John hinted that he is a long

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–Mike Shepherd, 3801 Derby Cir., Quartz Hill, CA 93536; michael.j.shepherd@hotmail.com

1991

Greetings, Bold Golders!

I hope everyone is locked in for a wonderful holiday season!

Some updates from classmates: Scott Ryan, retired from the McChord Reserve back in 2014 and joined Delta out of Seattle. Scott and a group from their C-130 glory days at Davis-Monthan still rendezvous for epic vacations every other year. This September, Scott, Mike Doyle, Dave Corby, and “Salt” Alter ’94 rented a 60-foot houseboat on Lake Powell and had an amazing time!

and never looked back. He transitioned to the Kansas Guard and now leads their team of over 7,000 airmen and soldiers. Mike and his wife, Valerie, have been residing in Topeka for three years and keep themselves busier than an F-35 maintenance squadron, wearing multiple hats across the state.

Last but certainly not least, Ken and Laura (Williams) D’Alfonso, set up retirement camp in Ken’s hometown of New Braunfels, TX. They kicked off their retirement plans playing golf, pickleball, and trotting the globe after 30 years of marriage (chapel wedding the day after graduation)! That lasted about a year and their taste for adventure drove them back to work and they launched a real estate practice. With their business, they sponsor many veteran’s events in the San Antonio area and enjoy working side-by-side (Ken says at least as long as Laura can stand him). If you ever find yourself in the San Antonio region, don’t hesitate to hunt them down (and roughly 20 other Bold Golders) for an impromptu get-together!

Scott Ryan, Dave Corby and Mike Doyle on Lake Powell.

And wait for it ... Brian Henley has been spotted in the wild again! After leaving active duty in 2004, Brian hitched a ride with FedEx, while wearing a uniform in various Guard and Reserve assignments (KC-10, T-1) and even took a detour into Civil Air Patrol before retiring with a guard unit in Springfield, Illinois. Brian lives in Memphis (for now) making for an easy commute to work. When not working, he can be navigating golf courses around the world. He’s also still active with his three adult girls, one (an Army 1st Lt.) was recently selected to join the Armed Forces women’s rugby team. Like father, like daughter!

One of Brian’s golf buddies is KC Cronk. KC has also been with FedEx for 18 years. He and his partner-in-crime of 30 years, Cheri, reside in the Pacific Northwest. With their five kids out of the house, they’ve taken to camping, their boat for some bourbon-sipping adventures and stadium concerts featuring legendary 80s metal bands.

KC’s also developed a bit of a “guitar obsession” over the last few years, and he predicts it’ll only get worse as he approaches retirement.

Ken and Laura D’Alfonso (then and now!)

Stay safe and connected and see you in 2024!

Heidi and Scott

Marty and Brett.

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–Heidi Scheppers, 318-453-2293; 1991usafaboldgold@gmail.com

Brian Henley and KC Cronk golfing in Hawaii.

In April, Brig. Gen. Mike “Nerdi” Venerdi was selected by Governor Laura Kelly to become the State of Kansas’ 38th Adjutant General! After landing in McConnell as part of an active-duty KC-135 squadron, Mike fell in love with Kansas

surprised I didn’t see too many ’92ers there, but I just must have just missed them. My son and I sat with Mark “Slokes” Slocum and his family. Steve Martinez and his wife were sitting nearby us. I’m sure there were many more there enjoying the great victory.

Full mailbox. I got a number of emails this quarter to provide some fodder. My first email was from Mark Valentine who lives in Southern Maryland outside of Annapolis (boo!). Actually, it’s a beautiful area of the country. He recently joined Skydio (an AI drone company) as the president of global government. He’s been enjoying the job and shared that it is “a cool way to mix (his) aviation background with all the AI stuff (he’s) done recently.” I know he was at the vAF v. Navy game, but I didn’t see him.

My next email was from Brett Goodwin who lives in Phoenix. Brett works for Verra Mobility, which builds and deploys red light and speed cameras and provides tolling, violation and title/registration services to rent-a-car and fleet management companies. He leads a product team for title/registration. Brett’s wife works in local government as the town manager. Brett moved to Phoenix nine years ago to work for a startup before moving on to his current job. During a summer trip for his daughter at a softball camp at Ohio State University, Brett hung out with his smack roommate, Marty Bowe ’93, who’s working in education as an assistant superintendent in Stark County, Ohio, and enjoying spending time with his grandson. Marty went out and spent an enjoyable year at Ohio State before returning to join the class of 1993.

1992

Go Falcons! I’m sitting here watching the Falcons beat the CSU Rams in the snow in Ft. Collins. I enjoyed the victory over Navy last week as the first step in retaining the C-I-C Trophy. Not an exciting game, but a victory nonetheless. I was

A Falcon on the water. Shannon Mikus wrote in as an avid Checkpoints reader and first-time contributor. He was motivated to share a story with all of us after the magic of “92” appeared.

To get everyone caught up on the last decade, Shannon and his family moved to Chattanooga in 2017 after completing his master’s in landscape architecture from the University of Georgia in 2014. In between, they “drove around the country in (their) restored airstream, looking for a groovy place to live.” I can practically hear Shannon saying those words! Anyway, in Chattanooga, his daughters joined a rowing club and Shannon caught the bug and joined a master’s rowing team.

In his second year of rowing, his team won a silver medal at the Secret City Regatta in Oak Ridge, TN. He later recruited some other dads to start rowing and coached the boat in another regatta.

Shannon, being the most experienced rower in Checkpoints · December 2023 · 127

CLASS NEWS this boat, rowed in the bow and steered the boat.

He also got to pick the envelope deciding their boat number. Guess what number he picked? Yep, that’s right, number 92! They ended up finishing six out of eight, a respectable showing for the most inexperienced crew on the water. Thanks for the update, Shannon!

Another first-time caller. Tommy Roberts wrote to share the trip that he, Randy Coltrin, and Andrew Kleckner took a trip to Portugal that was three years in the making. It was originally delayed due to COVID. The three “enjoyed some great food and amazing wine in the Douro Valley.

Kleck is one of our few ’92ers still on active duty” and is working at NATO in Brussels. Randy works for Nokia based out of Michigan and Tommy is enjoying retired life in south-central Florida.

L to R, Randy, Andrew, and Tommy.

In September, the Air Force Association holds its annual convention around the Air Force birthday in the D.C. area. Even though there are less than 20 True Blue ’92 grads still on active duty, there are still many of us involved in some way with the AF. Ken Moss sent me a photo of most of our classmates who attended the conference this past September.

’92 at AFA. Back row L to R: Koscheiski, Smith, DeLapp, Reinhard, (Meyer) Kilgore, Armagost, France, Taylor and Dryjanski. Front row L to R: Coltrin, Slocum, Moss, Leonard and Sutton.

There were a few more attendees who missed the photo opportunity: Steve Martinez, Maggie (Dawson) Sleeper, and Melissa (Jones) Coburn.

Wrap up. Maybe by the time you read this, the Falcons will be on their way to a New Year’s Day bowl game if they’ve kept their winning streak going. Either way, it’s been a great season.

Thanks to all those who wrote in this quarter. It was especially nice to hear from those first-time writers. Please continue to enjoy life and connect with each other. Until next time, True Blue ’92!

Best, James

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–James S. Mehta, 2813 Davis Ave., Alexandria, VA 22302; 571-830-7095; jamesmehta92@gmail.com

to USAFA for the cadets attending the National Character and Leadership Symposium is well on its way to being funded in perpetuity. The class goal is to raise $400,000 so the investment gains fund the OAY members’ attendance. Nonus Superato has donated over $200,000! We’ve got further to go, but I know our class will achieve the goal! Thanks to the AOG Foundation folks, Vince Harrill, Wispy Speros, Tom Torkelson (NCLS lead and ’92 grad) and the class gift committee for their great efforts to keep us moving forward. An email to all classmates will go out in November and you should receive a letter via mail as well. To donate please visit the 93 class gift website https:// falconfunder.usafa.org/project/33015.

1993

Greetings to the best class to ever traverse the halls of USAFA! What an amazing reunion! We had 593 (+1) total attendees at our reunion, of which 307 were graduates! So good to see all of you all weekend.

A brief synopsis for those who were unable to attend — WE MISSED YOU! Thursday, Scott Koons and the Colorado Mountain Brewery provided the venue, BBQ and great beer for our class mixer to start off the reunion. Thank you, Scott and CMB! Friday had a typical cold and windy Colorado start. It was a busy day anchored by Job Price’s Memorial Wall Ceremony and our class meeting/National Character and Leadership Symposium class gift update.

Commander Job Price was memorialized with the likes of 182 Academy heroes like Lance Sijan on the United States Air Force Academy Graduate Memorial Wall. We were blessed to have a strong contingent of Job’s family there including his widow, Stephanie, daughter, Jillian, and Job’s sister, Bronwyn. I would like to specifically highlight Sarah (Saxer) Marshall and Paul Cover for the untold and selfless effort to make Job’s memorial happen. Not only did they spearhead the event, but they worked tirelessly with Job’s family for several years along with the Academy and the AOG Board of Directors to make sure his name was on the Memorial Wall.

Thanks to all others who helped with logistics to make the event perfect for Job’s family. Proud to Be 93 gray wristbands donated by John Bauer were passed out at the memorial for us to honor not only Job, but also our 12 other fallen classmates.

NCLS Class of ’93 Panel Fund For its 30th reunion class gift, the Class of 1993 is elevating its endowment level to sustain the class gift fund for years to come. The fund provides annual support of the National Character and Leadership Symposium (NCLS).

Join the class to wrap up fundraising with maximum class participation and maximum impact on cadet leadership development.

Give now: falconfunder.usafa.org/1993 There were “the normal” reunion events such as Mitchell Hall lunch, USAFA update, tours of the academy grounds and dormitories and more.

Saturday brought the ’93 ladies breakfast at Kristin Goodwin’s house, squadron meetings, the AOG tailgate and the mighty Falcon win against Wyoming!

The ’93 ladies breakfast at Kristin Goodwin’s house in Colorado Springs.

Sara (Saxer) Marshall, Stephanie Price, Bronwyn DeMaso and Jillian Price.

The class gift project of raising money to support the Outstanding Airman of the Year visits

There is absolutely no way to accurately depict how much fun we had at the reunion! It would not have been the success that it was without the Armed Forces Reunion group, the AOG and the focused

leadership of Debbie Torkelson and the reunion committee who worked tirelessly for months to make sure everything went off without a hitch.

The reunion was also a venue to help a classmate in need. Dan Jones and Matt Greene provided WolfeStrong blue “Proud to Be 93” T-shirts to raise money for Chris Wolfe, who is being treated for AML Leukemia. If you’d like to donate to help the Wolfe family, please see the GoFundMe link on the Class of 1993 Facebook page.

Prior to the reunion, we had a quick update from Mike Pine and Dag Grantham. Mike is living in Atlanta and Dag lives in Augusta, GA. In September, the Atlanta Braves celebrated the birthday of the USAF with a Dobbins ARB night by recognizing Dag during the game as the Hometown Hero! The Braves put together a slideshow of pictures and told Dag’s career story of flying the F-16 for his entire career including his mission on March 12, 2008 in Iraq where he was the flight lead dropping bombs in support of OIF. The great part about the mission was that his wingman that day was the IFF instructor for him on his first bomb-dropping training sortie 13 years prior. Dag’s fiancée, Kimberly, surprised him by bringing family and friends including his youngest son, Chase, a junior at the University of Georgia.

Chase is at UGA with two of Mike’s daughters.

–Michael D. Sundsted, 5805 Bent Creek Trl., Dallas, TX 75252; 703-307-0903; mdsundsted@gmail.com

1994

Season’s Greetings Redtags!

Happy end of fall and beginning of winter. First up this time, I heard from Sean McLay who said, “Just checking in with a Checkpoints update. I recently had a retirement ceremony at the U.S. Embassy in Tokyo, Japan, which was hosted by Ambassador Rahm Emanuel. Coming all the way from Salt Lake, Utah, and using his Delta Airlines benefits to attend was Ian Phillips. Also attending were Brig. Gen. Jesse Friedel ’96 and Col. Van Thai ’98 who are currently working at 5th AF at Yokota Air Base. Anyway, I’m looking forward to the next chapter and seeing everyone at our 30th reunion!”

I asked Sean what would be next for him and he said he wasn’t sure, but probably something in the defense industry and that they’d love to live in Colorado. Congrats on your retirement!

Shane “Sunshine” Dougherty (a Viking 9 compadre) sent me a note from Colorado Springs, where he moved after retiring in 2018. Shane and his wife built a home there just east of USAFA in the Farm Community. He now works for John Hopkins University applied physics laboratory based in COS, supporting the National Space Test and Training Complex standup as a technical advisor to STARCOM. Shane said he is looking to host a Viking IX event at our 30-year reunion next year. If you are interested, let me know and I can put you in touch with Shane. Sounds awesome, thanks for checking in!

As mentioned last article, I had extra pics.

Here’s one from a couple of high-rollers chilling in the AMEX lounge, where Mike Miller ran into CC (Masotti-Maxwell) Bottner at the Denver airport.

CC and Mike waiting for their flights in style.

Mike Pine and Dag Grantham in the Atlanta Braves “Bunker Seats.”

Lots of reunion updates and pics and I’m limited to 900 words and three pictures. My apologies to all those who sent updates from the reunion, but you’ve given me lots of fodder for the next few updates.

Kirk Fiesbeck was first in the reunion queue.

His wife, Lindsay, is Kyle Clark’s sister. Kyle was at the reunion as well. Kirk retired from Andrews and went directly to Whirlpool Corp. in SW Michigan.

He currently flies the G600, G550 and Falcon 2000. He spends his free time restoring old cars and flying his Cessna 182. Kirk and Linday’s son is at Embry Riddle pursuing aviation and running on their track team and their two daughters are in high school. More to follow in the next Checkpoints! Proud to Be — Mike

Sean and Ian in Tokyo.

Next, Ethan Stanton checked in from the Twin Cities area in Minnesota with the following, “My son, Troy, played in a lacrosse tournament at the Academy this summer. It was fantastic to watch him play on the same fields we once used for intramurals. My daughter, Laine, traveled with us to C. Springs. I’m thankful that all three of my children have seen USAFA up close. Here is a picture of us after we enjoyed watching ’27 basics practice marching outside Vandenberg Hall.”

Great pic, Ethan, and thanks for the update!

I am very sad to report that we recently lost two of our classmates. Mike Carney passed away on 21 Sept. 2023 in O’Fallon, IL. Services were held on 26 Sept. in Ballwin, MO. A GoFundMe was set up to help Mike’s family over the summer as he was battling brain cancer. That information was posted on our class FB page. Timothy Heider passed away on 23 Aug. 2023 in Chicago, IL. His funeral service was held on 30 Aug. and internment followed at St. Adalbert Cemetery in Niles, IL. His family suggested donations be made in lieu of flowers to the Gift of Hope Community Foundation (giftofhope.org). The AOG sent out emails to our class membership with links to the obituaries and they may also be found on the AOG website.

Please keep their families in your thoughts and prayers.

It will be around Christmas when this edition is published. I hope you are able to spend the season with your family, friends and loved ones. Take care ’94 — Kegger

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Ethan at USAFA with his kids Troy and Laine.

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 129

CLASS NEWS –Craig Allen, 660-864-5374; craig.d.allen94@ gmail.com

1995

Happy Fall Ya’ll!

I hope that everyone had a great summer and is enjoying fall football weekends! Not much gets done on the weekends in our home from the start of NFL season to the final “Big Game.”

As a good coping mechanism, I recently joined a golf course.

Now, when he is watching football all weekend, I don’t get mad — I go golfing.

Nikki Gumina Ballinger was recently in NYC for an American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry conference and was able to also visit with Antoinette Valero Rose. Nikki and Antoinette were able to catch up with one another while visiting the 911 memorial and many other NYC sites.

Nikki retired four years ago and has been working as a child and adolescent psychiatrist running a partial hospital program for kids in Wauwatosa, WI. Antoinette is a med/surge nurse and lives just outside of Albany, NY. Nikki also got to visit with Jimmy Lamar and Greg Bender while in NYC.

Nikki Gumina Ballinger and Antoinette Valero Rose in NYC. It looks like Tom Ulmer sure has been busy.

He’s working full-time at USAFA and does a little art on the side. Tom was the featured artist at Bella Art and Frame in Monument, CO, for August and September. His photography is on display at this gallery and everything in the below photo is Tom’s work. It appears you’ve found your calling, Tom. These are stunningly beautiful! You can find more of Tom’s art at www.Rock36photography.com.

Tom Ulmer at Bella Art and Frame.

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Mark McCraney was promoted to 0-4 (USMC)

by Col. Jason Lamont in September. Mark quipped that he was likely the last active duty ’95 classmate to be promoted to 0-4. If you missed it, Mark had a 12 year break in service, changed careers and cross-commissioned to the USMC. Jason and Mark were roommates in Dirty Thirty.

Mark McCraney and Jason Lamont at Mark’s promotion.

Missy May and Mike May were spotted at the USAFA golf course in August while playing in the Service Academy Golf Tournament with Bryan Blind and Dave Pike. In the pic, you’ll see they were hot-rodding around in a ’95 cart! Glad to have Shock and Mach back in CO and tearing up the Eisenhower Golf Course after their ‘tour’ in Costa Rica.

Jennifer Rollins was crowned Ms. Veteran America second runner-up in October while in Orlando. Jen received the Selfless Service Award and Donation Whisperer for raising $20,850 towards providing a homeless woman veteran and her children with safe and suitable transitional housing for 2 1/2 years. Go Jen! Brig. Gen. Will “Wilbur” Betts shared that he and his wife, Jen, recently met up with his high school friend, James Samuel ’94 for the launch of James’ startup, Pluribus Inc. Like any good AFOSI agent, I Googled it. PLURIBUS is a big data, geospatial and geosocial analytics company headquartered in McLean, VA, and founded to lead a new industry: Identity-Based Navigation (trademark). James, if you need a legislative affairs executive, I know someone local.

Just last weekend, I headed to the USAFA-USNA football game in Annapolis. We tailgated before and after USAFA dominated Navy with Mike Graham (USNA ’94 and exchange midshipman in CS-24), Mike Schnabel ’94, Chad Pillow ’94 and Erik Van Weezendonk ’94, a cross-commissioned USMC officer. It was great to see so many fellow Phantoms at the game! I also ran into Chris “Bode” Bacon ’96 and his wife, Jen, (with whom I served as an AFOSI agent years ago).

Ric Trimmy shared that he recently took over as the volunteer facility manager of the USAFA Scout Huts and established a booster club to maintain the facility. If you are at USAFA and would like a tour of the nearly 100-year-old log cabin, you can email or PM Ric to set up a time. The main lodge building is now available to any BSA or Girl Scouts of the USA unit that would like to use the facility while visiting USAFA. While there is no cost for use, you must first meet requirements to be confirmed.

On a sad note, we lost a classmate on 27 Jul 2023. Marcus Blakely Jr. fought a courageous battle with cancer. Marc was 50, a native of Nashville, Arkansas, and a Russian area studies major at USAFA. He served as a command and control officer upon graduation, then later went to Air Battle Manager School where he graduated first in his class. Marc was last stationed in Oklahoma City where he supported many worldwide operations as an E-3 AWACS weapons director. After his Air Force service, Marc went back to school for an MBA and led a successful career in Colorado’s entrepreneurial aeronautics industry. Marc was buried at the USAFA Cemetery on 4 Aug 2023 and is survived by his wife, Danielle Blakely, and their three daughters, all of Centennial, CO. Here’s a toast…

That’s all for now ’95. Stay well, take care of yourselves and please send updates for the next article to Sot or to me. Wishing all of you happy holidays in the coming weeks and I hope to see some of you on the CO slopes after Christmas.

KTP, Amanda

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–Amanda Steffey, usafa1995@gmail.com; and –Mark Sotallaro, marksotallaro@gmail.com

1996

Happy Holidays, Bricks!

I hope you and your family are doing well as we close out a challenging year for the world.

As usual, in no particular order, here’s what y’all wanted to share.

Brian McDonald shared the following: We were once again at USAFA for Parents’ Weekend over Labor Day. It was a particularly nostalgic visit since the younger of our two sons, Matthew ‘26, had now switched into CS-04 as a legacy member.

We’re becoming frequent house guests of our long-time good friends Keith Jones, and his wife Claudia, who live in Monument, Colo.

Can’t say enough how thankful we are to have them as Matthew’s sponsor family. While on our way from the CS-04 SAR to the quad barbecue, we ran into Gigi (Angeles) Simko and her brother Joey Angeles ’9, with their families in tow. Gigi and her husband, Stephen Simko ’95, also have a son in the Class of 2026, Lukas. Coincidentally, Lukas and Matthew had German class together as freshmen! (Joey, by the way, was in CS-31 with my wife, Nicole, as fellow ’98ers)! Gigi now lives in Connecticut, and we see each other on monthly Zoom meetings as we plan the 45th annual New England All Service Academy Holly Ball to take

place in December. Speaking of Air Force beating Navy, the Eastern MA USAFA Families Club and the local Minuteman AOG Chapter co-sponsored a football watch party in downtown Boston. There I saw for the first time in 29 years fellow CS-04 squadron mate Chris Womick ’94. During a short bit of fun catching up, I learned that he is currently a pilot for FedEx out of the Pacific Northwest.

Chris never had kids of his own but, by marriage to a lovely woman from England, he became a dad to four children and now five grandchildren! It was obvious Chris enthusiastically cherishes being a dad and grandpa in a large family. Family also brought him back to USAFA for the first time since his 1994 graduation by having a member in the Class of 2011.

Thanks for the comprehensive update, Brian!

Kara Parks Fontenot Sieczkiewicz shared the proud news that she got to pin pilot wings on her daughter, Natalie Fontenot ’22, at Vance AFB during Natalie’s UPT graduation ceremony. Natalie is now in T-38s on the fighterbomber track, following in the footsteps of her father, Morris “Moose” Fontenot, Jr. Natalie Fontenot ’22 holds the flight jacket of her deceased father, our classmate Morris “Moose” Fontenot Jr. during her pilot training graduate ceremony.

Brian McDonald and his son, Matthew ’26, commemorating the multi-generational membership in Fightin’ Fourth.

In honor of its 25th reunion, the Class of 1996 is raising money for a Tuskegee Airmen memorial at Davis Airfield.

The project will include full-scale models of a P-51 Red Tail and a T-7 Red Hawk at the airfield entrance.

It will embody and reflect all that the Department of the Air Force holds dear and expects of all airmen, guardians and cadets — Integrity, Service and Excellence. ’96 classmates, please join us as we wrap up our support of character development, military and academic excellence and true airmanship.

Give at falconfunder.usafa.org/1996.

Honoré Spencer celebrated his O-6 retirement at the Pentagon in October and was joined by Kevin Allred, James “Buster” Myers ’95 and Dez Silagyi ’95. Honoré and his family are staying in the D.C. area and enjoy living in his hometown in Maryland (his kids are going to the same high school and middle school that he attended).

He recently began a corporate fellowship as an executive coach, where he’s providing leadership coaching to companies and individuals.

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–David (English) Englin, david.englin@gmail.com

1997

What is up ’97? It’s your friendly classmate and class scribe Noah Oviedo here for another update. This is Episode 3 for me and they seem to come quicker every quarter. This one is going to be a short entry as I have not had much interaction with classmates since the last episode in June. I am going to do my part to fix that, will you all help me out and drop me a line with a picture and an update? Those of you who had English class with me know the challenges I have with making words appear on paper in an orderly fashion.

I did have a chance to catch up via text messages with Matt Berg recently. He lives in the Houston area and has a great job with Aegis Aerospace, as the director of quality, health and safety. He and I have threatened to have lunch or dinner together soon, but as of yet, it has not happened. Anyhow, he is doing well and enjoying his family. There is a rumor that Pat and Matt are going to be working on a NASA project together. Something about a gateway station around the moon.

Vernon Fletcher got to catch up with classmates to watch Air Force sink Navy in Annapolis.

Pictured here: Landon Fletcher, Vernon Fletcher, Jason Mock, Jason’s son #40 Alec Mock ’23, and Ashley Mock.

Tad Clark is commanding the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy. He wrote, “Bonjourno from Aviano! It was great to spend some time with our classmate, Lt. Gen. Piotr ‘Zeus’ Blazeusz, who was one of 80-plus international DV’s we hosted for a recent NATO exercise.”

Mathes Mennell reported that he and his wife, Kim Winters, got together for breakfast with Andi Vinyard when Andi was passing through Asheville.

(He sent in a great picture of the three of them, but Checkpoints will only let us run three pictures per edition).

Finally, in more somber news, John Cominiello shared that Stephen Scott “Steve” Schell died on May 26 after a short battle with pancreatic cancer.

Here’s a toast…

Matt Berg’s daughter, Talia, sporting his A-Jacket (without gloves) at the Sam Houston State game in Houston, Texas.

Matt relayed to me that he attended last year’s Texas A&M vs. U. of Miami football game in College Station with none other than Pat Suermann. Suey is the interim dean for the School of Architecture at Texas A&M. If you’re ever in College Station, Texas, make sure to get a sandwich at the Dixie Chicken and give Pat a shout too.

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CLASS NEWS 1998

Matt Berg and Pat Suermann at the Texas A&M vs. Miami football game.

I recently caught up with some friends in Las Vegas from the Mighty Mach One. Josh Nielson ’96, Scott Gibson ’96 and Devin Traynor ’96 congregated in the City of Sin to celebrate Josh’s upcoming 50th birthday. All of these guys are enjoying retirement and post-Air Force flying jobs all over the country.

Noah Oviedo and Josh Nielson ’96 having a beverage in Vegas.

Some of you Viking 9 folks may remember a 1997 classmate who left during our freshman year named Brian Garrison. I have recently reconnected with Brian as we both live in Boerne, Texas, and our sons play football together for the Boerne High School Greyhounds. Brian is doing great, he has four children and is an owner/ operator for a huge Chick-fil-A in San Antonio, Texas. If anyone finds themselves in Boerne, hit us up and Brian will buy the first round. If it’s a Friday night in the fall, we will be sitting in the stands cheering our boys on to state!

That is all I have for this episode. Please send me some updates for the next installment. If not, I will be forced to write an essay on the effects of drought on the goat ranching business.

Nobody wants that, I am sure. I hope to hear from everyone soon. Keep it Revvin’!

For those of you who could not attend the 25th reunion, you were greatly missed. We absolutely hope to see as many of you as possible at the 30th! Lots of good things came out of the reunion including getting our class fund much healthier to support the families of our classmates gone to soon. As stated in our class meeting, we have always been Dominating Classmates and will continue to be; let’s now work on becoming the Dominating Class amongst the USAFA classes getting things done for our families, the institution, and the current cadets and the continued flow of cadets for years to come.

Now the dangerous part … the attempt to cover all the hard work and not miss names as we know so many did so much to make this reunion great.

Thanks to some amazing work by Karl Falk, Monte Recker, Paul Ferguson, Ryan Bohner, Doug Howe, Steve Pipes, with the adult supervision and herding conducted by Felicia (Thompson) Recker the class had 98 bottles of rye and 98 bottles of bourbon to purchase. Things went great towards the sellout and the piece de resistance was the four bottles signed by the one and only Stephen (G-Lo) Lorenz with the first three bottles going to three Baby Huge Wild Weasels and the fourth bottle, which came with G-Lo’s autographed book went for $1,998! Not to point fingers, but what a Dominating bid Joycelyn (Powe) Eason! That combined with the Dominator red beer co-developed, raised, organically fed, free ranged, and expertly poured if requested from David Baumgartner and Brian Liebenow as well as Joseph Markusfeld’s Dominate the Tailgate has the class fund healthy and Dominatingly near $9,800!

Though it was fun to see us in the red for the class fund, it’s time to get us giving back to the class supporting those families of Dominators gone too soon being able to attend without worry our 30th reunion. Not to be left out, especially after getting such great shirt swag, Angel Santiago did excellent work with class T-shirts that were in high demand and have been spotted outside Colorado already.

Team Talafuse operates the CS-20 CQ desk once again … David said he couldn’t find the sign-out log; something about electronic or on the interweb.

Left to Right: Karl Falk, Adam Burch, Charlie Parent, Kelly (Quain) Vinson, Niles Ruthven and Keith Kelly with their nearly $498 each autographed bourbon bottles.

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–Noah Oviedo, noah.oviedo1997@gmail.com

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best of our class continued to Dominate with the ladies breakfast. Thank you to Beth (Crimmel) Makros and Cenia (Vargas) Miller for hosting and organizing such an outstanding gathering.

As for word on the strips, there was a great amount of shenanigans and tom foolery on the T-Zo and within the dorms that once again show the Dominance of the Class of 1998. We first had rumors of David Cavazos and family taking the hill on the T-Zo. Then Uvalde Mendez putting some cadets to shame as she did pull-ups while quoting Schoefield and some JSM (John Stuart Mills so Tony DaCosta knows what it means; his and Schoefield were things most ’98ers had to memorize). David Talafuse and family brilliantly worked a CQ shift in Cadet Squadron 20 (again for Tony … cadet charge of quarters; the sign-out log and phone answerer for a squadron). To top off the Domination of the T-Zo, at 1598 hours local (4:38 p.m.) in a QF-16 with 098 on the tail going Mach 0.98 at 8,198 feet AGL one each Scott “Weed” Crabtree gave the how ya doin’ to all present on the ground. This feat of aviation Dominance was just a warm-up for the eye-watering flyover at Falcon Stadium on Saturday where he blazed another Dominating run with a stand on the tail to at least Angels 298 where he rolled it over so he could get back to the stadium to throw some cheese with the rest of us! Proof documented in a great video by Kari (Lueken) Peeler on our FaceSpace page.

As for the events held, the class was able to memorialize and remember our classmates gone too soon. Thank you so much to David Casson and Karin (Klein) McWhorter for putting together such a moving ceremony and for the Dominator families present. (Ben Zettel’s and Christel Chavez’s were who I saw at least) Here’s a toast to those we will never forget! The next morning, the best of the

As for spirit cheese and the football game, again the Dominance was clear and the cheese was readily available at the Dominate the Tailgate led

by Joseph Markusfeld slinging the BBQ, beans, and absolutely no mustard or vinegar-based sauces (the motion stood and was seconded by Cilla (Peterek) Parkison. As Dominators took their seats they were well supervised, roused, rustled and motivated by Adam Burch as he led chants, moved cheese and informed San Diego State University that San Diego is not a state. We had baby dominators present, both Cadet Wing and future cadet hopefuls, learning the technique of spirit cheese tossing. Next, some classmate expert demonstrators for push-ups were escorted out

of the game by security lieutenants who clearly didn’t understand the legends they were removing from Falcon Stadium. All said, it was a great time had by all and we hope to see even more Dominators in 2028 for our 30th reunion!

The One in Red: Dominator section leader Adam Burch checking winds for the next spirit cheese event.

In quick, non-reunion updates, buy the books “Thundermouse” by Caroline (Bong) Jensen and “Transcending the Game” by Shawn Briscoe. Every 98th book sold by these two knocks off 10 tours from your cadet record! If you see Karl Falk, help him with his 1,998 Starbucks reward points. To all of our classmates … keep bleeping Dominating!

Members

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–Kevin Divers, 615-681-2539; kevindivers@gmail.com

1999 Editor's note: We did not receive a column from Class of 1999 for this issue. Please send in your news and photos for the next issue.

Members

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–Bobby Wolfe, 984-664-1999; robert.wolfe. usafa@gmail.com

2000

Two Grand, Please take a moment to send an update, so we can continue to have a well-rounded class news! I heard from Jeff Johnston. After bouncing back and forth between Colorado and France for the last year and a half, Jeff followed his husband, Jeff, to New Brunswick, NJ. “Our” Jeff is leading TransUnion’s Global Fraud Partner team and “his” Jeff is a perfumer assistant with Sozio Inc. Bonnie Wood provided input for Josh Wood. He has now retired, graduating from wing command of the 51st Fighter Wing, Osan Air Base, Republic of Korea. Bonnie notes that good friend Paul Davidson ’01, his vice commander, officiated the retirement this past June. Josh was fortunate in his career to fly the F-16, F-35 and A-10, and had a great send off. Josh now flies for Delta Air Lines and the Wood family lives outside of Atlanta.

Davidson and Wood family members from left: Toby Davidson, Teddy Davidson, Megan Davidson, Col. Paul Davidson, Col. (Ret.) Josh Wood, Bonnie Wood, Samuel Wood, Noah Wood and Grace Wood.

Chris Israel has been flying Beechjets out of Wichita, KS, for the past two years. A recent threenight trip to Provo, UT, brought him close enough to spend a couple of days with Alister Dopp, who flies for Delta and lives in Park City, UT. A little hiking, a good meal or two, and hours of catching up rounded out two great days of fun. More of the same is planned for next time.

of Uplift In-Powerment, a non-profit that focuses on holistic wellness for underserved veterans. If that doesn’t keep him busy enough, he’s also the Region V commander for the National Association of Minority Veterans.

Brian Denaro traveled to Buckley SFB to join Carl Frohman, Derek Showers and teammates for a ceremony on 28 April 2023, marking the operational acceptance of Space Force’s newest Space-Based Infrared System (SBIRS) Satellite GEO-6 and presentation to the operational users at Space Delta 4 and the 2nd Space Warning Squadron! Brain is Space Systems Command’s Program executive officer for space sensing, stationed with his wife and two children at Los Angeles AFB, CA, since June 2019. Carl has been at Buckley SFB since October 2019 as the director for Early On-Orbit Test & Transition of SBIRS space vehicles and plans to retire in September to be able to stay in Colorado with his three boys. Derek returned to Colorado in 2010, retired from the Reserves in 2020, and is now a contractor in support of the Missile Warning Satellite Launch, Test & Checkout team at Buckley SFB. He is thrilled to have settled in Colorado with his wife and two beautiful children!

Classmates Derek Showers, Brian Denaro and Carl Frohman share a mini-reunion in front of a ¼ scale model of a legacy DSP satellite with cake, celebrating the latest-generation SBIRS constellation being complete and on-orbit alongside the DSP satellites.

SBIRS satellites detect missile launches around the globe, from ICBMs to smaller missiles launched in places like Ukraine and the Middle East.

Making sure that everyone was tracking the tragic loss of Michael Fugett, commander of the Nevada Air Guard’s 152nd Operations Group, who died unexpectedly at his home back in May. That’s it for now, please send me your updates while it’s fresh in your mind. By the way, priority for pictures goes to those with classmates featured … the more in the picture, the higher priority, since we only get three each round. Thanks for all that you do. BALLS! — Cueball

Alister Dopp and Chris Israel.

Xavier Bruce earned a Doctorate of Business Administration from Walden University and became a certified professional life coach from the Institute of Professional Excellence in Coaching. He is the CEO of Uplift Energy Coaching, which focuses on self-leadership development in the BIPOC veteran community. “Dr. X” is also the co-founder

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CLASS NEWS –Jason "JW" Simmons, 5756 Range Rider Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80923; usafa2000@ outlook.com

2001 Editor's note: We did not receive a column from Class of 2001 for this issue. Please send in your news and photos for the next issue.

Class Sightings: David Orleans and Chris Lazidis were in Phoenix for Game 5 of the 2023 World Series. Two weeks earlier, David was in Annapolis with James Colraine for the Air Force vs. Navy football game. Kristina (Guerrero) Sylvester, Suzie (Ledyard) James and Christine (Palomo) Simpson met up at the International Society of Women Airline Pilots Conference in Anchorage, Alaska. A few weeks later, Kristina was walking through the airport on her way to fly her jet full of passengers when she ran into classmate Paul Golando.

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–Eric Ballew, 850.543.9936; ericballew86@ yahoo.com; FB: USAFA Class of 2002

2003 Members

77%

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–Faith (Hitchcock) Dunn, faithd03@hotmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 2001

2002

Class of 2002! I hope everyone had a fabulous fall and you are gearing up for a fun winter. My wish is that you get a chance to spend some quality time with family and loved ones over the next few months. I just finished an epic week of way too many Halloween parties, multiple costume changes and a quick trip to Disneyland. At the start of the new fiscal year in October, I transferred from the Nevada Air National Guard to the Air Force Reserves, making me the newest poster boy for the Air Force Total Force Integration (TFI) construct. I’m also clearly the “old guy” in all of the newcomer’s briefings that I had to attend this month. The AOG created a mobile app that you can download to your phone if you want to keep in touch with USAFA happenings.

Joe Laclede, Dave Amar, Jared Broddrick, Eric Bernkopf and Patrick Woodall in the Air Force Museum at Wright-Patterson AFB. RTB Meet Ups: Jeremy Simmons, Lauren (May) Kootsikas and Steve Taylor all met up, braved the weather and watched Air Force football beat CSU in Fort Collins. In early November, at Wright-Patterson AFB, Dave Amar relinquished command of the 71st Intel Squadron to classmate Jared Broddrick at the Air Force Museum. Eric Bernkopf was the presiding officer with Patrick Woodall and Joe Laclede in attendance. David Romero and Kevin Raney met up in David’s hometown of Los Angeles in October. David is currently working with Veteran-focused nonprofits and he wants you to DM him if you are struggling or feel like you could use some help.

Jeremy Simmons, Lauren (May) Kootsikas and Steve Taylor in Fort Collins for Air Force football.

Anthony Campbell, Jerome Wonnum, Mike Kump and Chris Adams at Mike’s promotion ceremony.

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Check-in with Checkpoints: As always, please continue to update me with your latest job moves and family updates anytime something cool happens! Keep taking photos and posting them to Facebook or email me anytime so I can keep our classmates updated on what’s new! We now have a Facebook page and a class page on LinkedIn so come join the party!

Hi Bongers, Happy New Year. I hope this update finds you doing well.

Thank you to everyone who celebrated our 20th reunion.

And HUGE thank you to the reunion planning committee for an incredible weekend.

Thank you to our class President Giles Whiting, golf tourney POCs Jesse Stubbs and James Long, Randi Watts and Keny Ruffin for leading the memorial service, Justin Warnaar and Joseph Plank for coordinating the hotel, Leotis Palmer and Mark Fulson for heading up Thursday’s reception, Danny and Katie Franz for overseeing the Flying W dinner, and Jesse Stubbs, Mark Rosenow and JR Gibbens for coordinating the class gift.

Class of 2003 20th Reunion Gift In honor of its 20th reunion, the class is supporting the Cadet Summer Research Program (CSRP).

The class goal is to support 3-4 cadets annually.

Help your class reach maximum participation in support of cadets and the U.S. Air Force Academy.

Please show your support at falconfunder.usafa.org/2003 We have chosen two causes to support as a class — head and heart — and will be raising funds through March 30, 2024, with a goal of $100,000-plus committed for the next five

years. Head: Support cadet summer research programs, particularly in the STEM space. https:// tinyurl.com/2003STEM Heart: Support Holbrook Farms Retreat, serving military widows/sisters whose spouses/siblings have made the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country. https://tinyurl. com/2003HF. Also, a big thanks to the following people for putting up the ’03 for the Flying W dinner and for helping to take it down the next day — Danny Franz, Mark Enriques, Stuart Fraser, Conor Teegarden, Tim M. (Billie Rothwell’s boyfriend) and Giles Whiting.

Giles had many discussions with classmates regarding how we as a class continue to live up to our motto of Strong and Mighty. In the spirit of his remarks at the Flying W, he recommended Discipline is Destiny and Courage is Calling by Ryan Holiday.

If I have left anyone out, please forgive me.

Thank you again for a great reunion!

Afterward, we heard from Matt Williams and received two awesome now-and-then pictures.

Here are two pictures, one from 2003 of Firstie Blackbirds, the other of the reunion Blackbirds.

Looking forward to doing this again in five years for our 25th Anniversary!

Charles and Megan Fallon with JR and Dyan Gibbens in Mitchell Hall.

Please keep the updates coming and send to our class Gmail account.

Take care, Susan

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–Susan (Doyle) Maly, usafa2003@gmail.com; FB: Usafa Zerothree; LinkedIn: USAFA 03;

2004 Firstie Blackbirds.

CDR Chris Morris completed an inter-service transfer to the Navy back in 2007 (during Force Shaping days) and is still serving on active duty. I suppose we can forgive the switch, Chris, especially after AF sunk Navy so, SO thoroughly this fall in football. They probably need you even more! Chris has been stationed at the Pentagon for more than two years and is looking forward to life beyond the Navy. Earlier this year, Chris had the opportunity to officiate two of the most prestigious high school wrestling tournaments in the country: The Beast of the East and NHSCA Nationals. And it gets cooler — he did it alongside a fellow USAFA grad, Tom Stone, Class of 1988! Chris shared that it was “an awesome experience and fun to share the mat with a fellow Zoomie.” No surprise to see you giving back like this, Chris! And thank you for capturing and sharing the serendipitous connection.

Ready for Warriors, first and foremost, thank you to those working in any sector to prevent all-out war as the crisis in/ around Israel unfolds. Times like these serve as reminders of how precious family and friends are, as well as a safe, secure home where we can celebrate the good times. On that note, let’s get to it!

As promised, we have two updates still left from this summer.

Chandra (LeCompte) Pasillas graduated Colorado State University (spring 2023) with her Ph.D. in atmospheric science. She is now stationed at Wright-Patterson AFB, OH, with her 5-year-old daughter, Diana, and teaching master’s students at AFIT. Talk about setting an example and giving back to the next generation. Way to go, Chandra!

Long Blue Line on the Mats — Morris meets Stone.

This fall, we had one more update roll-in — or should I say, run? Every so often, Ben Payne lets us in on a cool racing accomplishment. He spent 2023 getting back into elite road racing, which culminated in qualifying for his THIRD (!!!) Olympic Trials at this year’s Chicago Marathon. He finished in 2:17:15, 26th place, and 1st Master. That’s literally around my personal best half-marathon time, so all I can say is, wow! Ben counts himself fortunate to be putting in the miles at altitude in Colorado Springs, training occasionally with the very talented (and young!) USAFA cross country team and working on full-time orders there at the USAFA Prep School while assigned to Colorado ANG. Next up is the U.S. Olympic Team Trials Marathon in Orlando, FL, on February 3, 2024, which we can all watch live on NBC. Thanks for continuing to inspire us — and a batch of future AF officers and runners — to push beyond our limits.

Reunion Blackbirds.

We also received a picture of Charles Fallon and JR Gibbens, CS12, and their wives in Mitchell Hall after yet another incredible meal. Charles is the commandant of USAF Weapons School and JR is the chief investment officer, DoD Office of Strategic Capital.

Success clearly becomes airman, mom, and now Ph.D. Chandra (LeCompte) Pasillas!

Ben Payne — Ready for … Olympics!?

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CLASS NEWS Reunion committee and squadron reps are coming soon — perhaps even before this edition of Checkpoints goes to print. Please reach out to me, Jeff Gould, or Dyan Medina if you want to be involved. In the meantime, have a safe, healthy, and love-filled fall/holiday season, savoring every moment.

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–Breezy Long, windyshort82@gmaill.com

2005

Class of 2005, We did not receive any updates for this issue of Checkpoints.

However, we have begun a reunion committee (through the class Facebook page) and if you are interested in being a part of the team, please send me a direct message on Facebook or email me. We received a lot of feedback from the Class of 2003’s 20-year reunion and hope we can make ours memorable.

Look forward to hearing from everyone in the future and Go Falcons.

Best, John Tamasitis

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Mickles is a senior mechanical engineer working for an industrial equipment and automation company called Optimation back in his hometown of Rochester, NY. Tyler Schultz recently sent in a picture of our classmates who work at the 70th Flying Training Squadron at the Academy’s Davis Airfield. Sean O’Malley, Chris Ross, Tyler Schultz, Wade Maulsby, Grant Scholl, Chase Scully and Mike Bush all support the jump, powered flight, and soaring programs at the Academy as either Traditional or AGR Reservists.

–Shawn “The Schulz” Schulz, 1106 La Bajada, Alamogordo, NM 88310; 915-309-5612; usafacad@ hotmail.com; FB: AFA Checkpoints 2006

2007

’07, I hope everyone is enjoying the autumn and the Falcons undefeated season! I received a few updates from around the world.

In July, Chad Reger and Rachel (Egley) Reynolds met up in Okinawa as old buddies now commanding PACAF squadrons together. Chad commands the 4th Reconnaissance Squadron at Anderson AFB, Guam, and Rachel commands the 18th Communications Squadron at Kadena AB, Okinawa. Both are also proudly sporting their new title of doctor after recently completing Ph.D.s! Not to be outdone, Rachel and their spouse, Mack, are expecting their first baby — a little girl — in December.

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’07ers with the 70th Flying Training Squadron.

Before the USAFA vs Navy football game on October 21, I had the pleasure of hosting Alisa Fellhauer, Zach Sumner, and Kenny Ackerson at my tailgate. From what I can remember, it was a great time! We were able to successfully recreate a Hap’s Til Taps moment in Annapolis, MD, as we cheered on the Falcons to a 17-6 victory.

Zach Sumner, Alisa Fellhauer, Kenny Ackerson along with Chris and Julianna Donohoe enjoy tailgating.

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–John Tamasitis, 803-360-2970; jgtamasitis@ gmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 2005

Lt. Col. Chad Reger, Ph.D. and Lt. Col. Rachel (Egley) Reynolds, Ph.D.

2006 Editor's note: We did not receive a column from Class of 2006 for this issue. Please send in your news and photos for the next issue.

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In May, Andrew Mickles and Andrew Teigeler from CS-32 met up in Las Vegas for burgers and beers. Mickles was in town for his cousin’s wedding and Teigeler is stationed at Nellis. They caught up about old squadron mates they’ve kept in touch with over the years. They also discussed their sons finishing kindergarten (one for Mickles and two for Tigs). Tigs is an LNO out there, but still finds time to fly a KC-135 every now and then, and

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–Chris Donohoe, cdonohoe07@gmaill.com

2008 Editor's note: We did not receive a column from Class of 2008 for this issue. Please send in your news and photos for the next issue.

Members

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–Erin Loesch, 325-721-7141; checkpoints2008@ yahoo.com; FB: USAFA 2008 Checkpoints Updates

2009

Hello fellow HUBsters, it’s Angélica Bergoo (Plazas) here.

Thanks to everyone who sent info via Facebook and email; if you would like to share updates for future editions, feel free to send me an email or comment in the USAFA Class of 2009 Facebook group. Hope everyone is enjoying watching the Air Force Falcons and getting ready for the holiday season.

AF work related: It has been fun to see all the newest Lt. Col.’s have their promotion ceremonies, congratulations!! Keep the pictures and the celebrations coming, cheers!

Tyler Clark has been selected to fly for the Thunderbirds as an Air National Guardsman.

He will be #3 for 2024 and then #4 for 2025. Tyler and his family just moved their family circus to Las Vegas, and they look forward to the crazy adventure ahead. Congratulations, Tyler, and can’t wait to see you at one of your air shows and/ or graduation.

Matt Herzberg finished SAASS (Class XXXII) in June, pinned on Lt. Col. in October and PCS’d to Charleston to take over as the DO of the 15th Airlift Squadron. Garret Glover is promoting on Dec 1.

If anyone’s around the Springs, you are welcome to come for drinks. Garret has been stationed back at USAFA but working for AFGSC. It has been a trip running into all sorts of classmates, which has been great. Brandon Palmer had an epic Thailand vacation. He petted a liger and got engaged.

His kids are now 11 and 13 and he is hoping to extend for another three years in Hawaii. Derek Andeweg is still alive and flying the incredible C130J Super Hercules. Derek got married and had two children since the last update six years ago.

Joana Everett Iversen promoted to Lt. Col. on 1 October. USAFA’s official mascot, Nova, made it to the ceremony. Go Falcons!

Civilian/Reserve Life: After two hyper-growth startups, Forrest Underwood is starting his own thing: Evergreen Industries. He also became a Venture Fellow at NATO’s 1B Innovation Fund.

Good luck with this adventure! Reid Gaiser just got back from another Middle East deployment with the Reserves. Keep an eye on the slopes: Jeff Maciejewski is looking forward to skiing with Daniel Hendren this season. He may be a fighter pilot, but according to Jeff’s current score, Daniel is slow compared to a recovering missileer. We need an update at the end of this ski season.

Jamie Kreighbaum (Illig) and her husband Brysen Kreighbaum ’08 lived in a van all summer and it was incredible. Highly recommended. They bought an old Amazon delivery van and fixed it up … named it after their pup, Buda. They traveled over 7,000 miles and hit up 13 U.S. and Canadian national parks. Their travels are captured on @thebudan8r on Instagram. Starlink allowed Jamie to telework from the middle of nowhere.

The highlights of their trips were white water rafting in Canada, fly fishing in Colorado and just going with the flow without ever having plans. The Bergoos saw them while they stopped in WA and the van is awesome. Keep the adventures coming!

Mike Maziarz, Shane Frey and Brian Dunn.

Weddings: Leighton Bagby got married! The wedding was officiated by Forrest Underwood, so we all know it was legit. Jack Munson was also there for the big day. Garret Glover also got married in June. Congratulations!

Hope you all have a great fall and enjoy everything pumpkin. ’09, OUR time!

HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUB!

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–Angélica (Plazas) Bergoo, angelicabergoo84@ gmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 2009

2010

Hello! It was nice to hear from a few of you this fall. I know we’re at a busy season in our lives!

Travis Root and his wife, Aubry, welcomed their first baby recently, a little boy named Thomas Colin Root. Travis was also promoted to vice president of military aviation at ForeFlight.

Congratulations!

Jamie Kreighbaum (Illig), her husband, Brysen Kreighbaum ’08, and pup, Buda.

Tyler Clark with his wife, Sarah, and kids, Maverick (baby), Gibson, Hazel and Jackson. His mom, Dixie, dad, Bo, and nephew, Dylan, who helped with the DITY to Vegas from Oregon.

Fear the ship of doom: Mike Maziarz, Shane Frey and Brian Dunn got together in D.C. Shane arrived an hour early, no joke! Kurt Silsby is almost done with captain upgrade at Envoy Air. Chelsea Silsby (Fitch) just changed to 482 MSG section commander at Homestead ARB.

A happy Root family.

Stephanie (Davison) Roose, her husband Josh ’09, and their daughter, Kyrie, welcomed a new member to the family on July 25th. Meet baby Dax!

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CLASS NEWS Please email me your life events and updates so they can be included in the next AOG update!

Jocelyn (Cravens) Watson

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New addition to the Roose family.

Finally, a job well done for our classmate Tom Whitney on earning his PGA TOUR card! Way to represent the class of 2010 and the Academy.

Happy holidays, everyone. I’m looking forward to hearing from you in 2024!

Erin

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–Erin (Keane) Killion, 2010checkpoints@gmail. com

2011

Maj. David Phetmixay “PMIX” is currently serving in his first foreign area officer assignment as the director of air operations at JUSMAGTHAI.

–Jocelyn (Cravens) Watson, 513-320-6234; usafa2011updates@gmail.com

2012

HAP, Let’s kick off this class update by extending our heartfelt congratulations to those among us who have been selected for command, IDE, and civilian life below the zone. It’s an incredible honor to have classmates who directly impact the next generation of leaders.

I am particularly excited for the folks in the General Welsh AOC program. Your dedication and leadership are commendable, and we’re excited to share in your selection alongside other achievements from our esteemed talent pool.

Alec “Crash” Williams just returned from a deployment with our Marine Corps brethren, where he played a vital role in laying the groundwork for JTF ARES cyber operations. He did such a good job that he earned “Crash” as his go-by name. As you can imagine, a name like that in the cyber/intel world likely has quite a bit of a nuance that you’ll have to ask him about over a beer or two. We’ve had the opportunity to highlight Alec through many of his adventures from crashing the mission, to a professional MMA career, and his daughter’s journey with arthrogryposis (AMC). On the latter note, she is thriving and her story will be shared in an upcoming documentary showing the amazing resilience that kids have and how they battle through incredible odds.

Francis Usher is probably the first in 2012 to complete ACSC in-residence as he graduated in 2022. He is now serving as the wing commander of the Belize Defense Force Air Wing. During his school escapades, he even convinced Congress to gift Belize a new Cessna Caravan! I’ll have to get my hands on that white paper and take a few notes.

Maj. David Phetmixay, right, meets with Secretary General of Thailand’s National Cyber Security Agency, Amorn Chomchoey ’94 in May. Phillip Mills launched his new financial management firm, Flying Forward Wealth Management. Check it out at flyingforward.com!

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Alexis Laleman has been doing fantastic work CO and OCONUS facilitating the Aviation Inspiration Mentorship (AIM) program in Birmingham and wrapping up her 13th deployment. AIM encourages minorities and lowincome groups to pursue military pilot careers.

I’ve had the opportunity to cross paths with Lex in a variety of environments and her salt is only outmatched by her sweet as she continues to serve her communities to the highest degree.

While the engagement announcement was belated, we want to celebrate the recent wedding of Travis Seaver and his bride, Natalie. Travis got a “real-person” job and is now a semiconductor engineer for Texas Instruments. Natatlie continues her service to the Plano Police Department so if you’re in a jam in Texas, Hap has connections.

They tied the knot on 3 June 2023 and we wish them huge congratulations.

Francis flying his country’s brand new Cessna from Wichita, KS, in February 2022.

The newlyweds receive their matrimonial prop and wings, recognized as Mr. and Mrs. Seaver!

Kaylee Hay and her husband, Ben Ausbun ’10, have transitioned to the Reserves at Hill AFB, UT. They have their hands full raising two toddlers and are excited about the prospects of no more PCSing. If you’re in the neighborhood or have questions about taking an off-ramp from active duty, Kaylee has graciously extended an invite for beers and advice.

Amanda (Johnson) and Imed Rebhi welcomed their daughter, Avalina Mae, on Christmas Day of 2022. She will be around HAP months old when this issue is published. Amanda and Imed also celebrated their 10-year anniversary in September.

David Beranek is recently engaged to a lovely lady, Suzie. David is currently the offshore wind lead project manager at Capitol Aerospace Group in Alexandria. If you want to crash the wedding it’ll be somewhere in, or around, the UK in 2024.

Last but not least, in a flurry of steps, sweat, friends and a few side quests Wendy Lathrom recently thru-hiked the Appalachian Trail.

General Clark and the Class of 2013 at the AOGsponsored reunion tailgate.

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–Karen Johnson and Dymond James, usafa2013news@gmail.com

2014

Wendy wanders while class vibes fuel her AT adventure.

Our class continues to shine. Keep sharing your updates with us, whether they’re about your career, family, or personal accomplishments. Your stories are what make our class exceptional.

Until next time, stay safe, stay connected and keep making us proud.

Haps’til Taps, LeRoi

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–LeRoi Edwards, leroi.edwards@gmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 2012

2013

Class of 2013 (Best to Be Seen!) — Can you believe it has been 10 years! Many thanks to our planning committee (you know who you are! If not, check the Facebook group) and those who joined us in person. We had roughly over 270 of us in person and it was a weekend to remember. For those of us who could not make our 10-year reunion, here is a recap: Dublin House is alive and well; McDermott Library has changed so much (and for the better) — such a great resource for the cadets; Mitchell Hall has even changed a bit with the addition of a to-go commissary-style nook, yet still serving chicken adobo for lunch; a F-22 flyover by the 433rd Weapon School and our very own Connor Ference, Mitch Agee and Ryan Kunce; and Air Force football beat Utah State!

KC-135 and F-22 Flyover led by Ference, Agee and Kunce.

Class of 2013 10th Reunion Gift In honor of its 10th reunion, the class has chosen to support the Peak Performance Center to help foster strong mental health, enhance the cadet experience and exemplify the Whole Airmen Concept.

Help the class reach its 36% participation goal by making a gift at: falconfunder.usafa.org/2013.

And speaking of Air Force football, let’s all applaud our Falcons for their success this season!

Currently 7-0 and nationally ranked in the Associated Press as No. 19. Well done cadets and coaches, including Alex Means, the defensive line coach. Quite proud that one of our own is having such an impact positively contributing to the team’s success.

That’s it for this year. Enjoy the holiday season and we’ll be in touch in the New Year. As always, we love hearing from you all and look forward to celebrating life experiences. Life changes, updates, or general news you’d like to share with our AOG community, reach out to our designated email in our signature or personal social media accounts. Stay healthy, stay safe.

Hey there Class of 2014! I have some awesome updates from a few members of our class: Krystal Jimenez was selected as the Thunderbirds’ public affairs officer (Thunderbird #12) for the 2024-2025 show season. Prior to this selection, she was the chief of public affairs for the 336th Fighter Wing at Mountain Home AFB, ID. Congratulations, Krystal! Way to represent the Class of 2014!

Krystal Jimenez in her new Thunderbird uniform.

I caught up with Jon Reasoner over the summer who has had quite the Air Force career. Upon graduation, he got his master’s degree, worked as a civil engineer, went to Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) School and served as a flight commander for an EOD unit at Eielson AFB, AK. Since graduation, he has deployed downrange as an electrical infrastructure engineer and an EOD officer. Currently, he is stationed at USAFA and teaches electrical and computer engineering while simultaneously serving as an attached jumper at the 98th Flying Training Squadron as a staff member on the Wings of Blue. At the 98th, he helps teach parachuting skills to cadets and expands the team’s abilities to perform demos. On the hill, he teaches core electrical engineering and a lab-based introduction where cadets learn how to 3D print, solder, program, and build a robot. He says it’s great working with cadets and sharing his experiences in the Air Force with them has been a lot of fun. He and his wife, Bethany, welcomed a daughter, Madeline, in April and they are loving life as a family of three!

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 139

CLASS NEWS in helping in any way, please email Jon at jon. espinoza.4@us.af.mil. Also, please be on the lookout for updates over the next few months as planning gets underway!

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Jon Reasoner at the USAFA airfield with his wife, Bethany, and daughter, Madeline.

I ran into Megan Haley at the Capital Air Show where she was supporting fellow classmate, Lindsay Johnson, who is serving as the A-10 demo pilot. Megan has had an exciting career. After graduating she spent less than 18 months at Scott AFB, IL, before she got picked up to go to EOD school. She then spent a year in Florida at EOD school before heading to Shaw AFB, SC. At Shaw, she deployed to Qatar and Afghanistan, and she was then selected for the Education with Industry (EWI) program where she spent a year working as a fellow at Amazon in Seattle, WA. After Amazon, she completed staff work at Tyndall AFB, FL, helping with the “Base of the Future” rebuild. In 2022, she was selected as an AFROTC instructor, and she moved to the University of California Berkeley last summer. She has completed six PCSs in her eight years of service, but she has really enjoyed all the awesome experiences she has been afforded. Great work, Megan!

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–Erin Grindstaff, erinrost1317@gmail.com

2015

Bros, This past weekend I made it up to Annapolis, MD, for what was my first Air Force football game since I was a cadet. If you haven’t made it to a game in a while, I highly recommend it, especially if you can get to the Army or Navy match-ups. Michelle and I were excited to potentially see some ’15ers and almost immediately the game turned into a mini-reunion.

As soon as we sat down, I saw Kale Pearson on the sidelines and was able to make my way down to catch up and hear about the awesome work he is doing recruiting for the Falcons. He is clearly doing incredible work that is paying off for the team because as I write this our alma mater is 7-0 and ranked 19th in the country! At half-time, we made our way to the concourse and started to see more and more A-jackets with “Wrights” on the shoulder which made it very easy to pick our fellow Bros out of the crowd. We caught up with Ryan Torno, who is working with Michelle at the Defense Threat Reduction Agency (DTRA) on Fort Belvoir. We also saw Andrew Ingerson, who is also in the D.C. area at Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling.

Pictured are a few other Bros we got to see!

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–TJ Mullins, mullins.timothy.j@gmail.com

2016

Hey Kleptos! I have a lot to tell y’all, so let’s get straight into it. First off, we have an update from my old roommate, Shannon (Field) Sullivan. She let me know we had some Kleptos recently graduate from weapons school.

Congrats to Ashley (Moore) O’Neill, Katie Ellwein, Erin (Oetting) Altobelli, and Shannon (Field) Sullivan, our newest patches!

Shannon and Ashley even got the chance to lead mission planning during some of the integrated sorties and complete CSAR missions together!

These two started off in soaring upgrade together.

Shannon (Field) Sullivan and Ashley (Moore) O’Neill in 2013 doing soaring upgrade) and then they got to graduate WIC together! What will these two accomplish next?

Megan Haley with a few of her AFROTC cadets.

Newest Little Zeamers: Will ’15 and Rachele (Szall) Dengler welcomed baby girl, Irena, in May. Eric ’13 and Megan (Dozier) Artman welcomed baby girl, Bailey, in July. Sam ’13 and Leah (Bratt) McNell welcomed baby boy, Trim, in August.

Stefan and DeeDee (Sarsozo) Morell welcomed baby boy, Marcus, in October.

10-Year Class Reunion Update: Our 10-year class reunion is coming up next year! Jon Espinoza will be the reunion committee chairman. He is currently looking for volunteers to help with coordination and planning. If you are interested

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Sarah Martin (Godish), Ana Smith, Nate Peeler, Michelle Mullins (Ferguson) and me, TJ Mullins.

Ashely and Shannon on their WIC patch night earlier this year.

We have also had a few babies born since my last update! Alex Crandell and his wife, Alex, welcomed their baby boy, Maverick Alexander Crandell, into the world this July. Cameron Lindsey and his wife, Kara, welcomed their baby girl, Hallie Beth Lindsey, in August. Landon Smalley and his wife, Faith, also

welcomed their baby girl, Joanna Rose Smalley, into the world in August. And y’all I have a note in my phone of SEVEN more pregnancies that I’m aware of coming later this winter. Apparently it’s baby season! To close out my update for this issue, I had the pleasure of speaking with Nikki (Taylor) Oniu on the phone a mere four days after finishing her through-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).

Nikki is originally from central California, and at the age of 12, her father started section hiking the PCT and brought Nikki along. They typically completed these sections over spring break or summer.

However once her summers and breaks were filled

by USAFA, they stopped hiking the trail. Earlier this year, she separated from the Air Force and after 11 years away from the PCT, she was determined to finish a through-hike of the 2,655-mile trail before she turned 30. When I asked what she did to train and prepare physically for the hike, she said her typical routines of strength training, running and cross country skiing did well to prepare her for the adventure. Her hike took 167 days with 144 days hiked, and 23 “0-days.” She said that her biggest challenge was mental endurance. Realizing that she had to keep going even when there was no end in sight. She said, “The only person to wake me up each morning was me.” Being away from her husband also wore on her, but from their time being dual active duty it wasn’t too different. Thankfully Bogdan was able to hike a couple of sections with her. He joined her in the Sierras for about 45 miles, Steven’s Pass in Washington, and of course met her at the Northern terminus at the end of her hike. During her adventure she learned to paint and ended up painting well over 100 small canvases documenting her hike. She plans on making a quilt for herself of the paintings and a coffee table book for some of her fellow hikers she met on the trail. Nikki had a few awesome mottos for herself when things got hard, “You get what you get and you don’t throw a fit” is one she learned from her niece, “Wind won’t kill you, but gravity will” is what she told herself when crawling on her hands and knees across a ridge line in dangerously high winds, and my personal favorite, “Nature eats babies all the time.” Meaning nature doesn’t care who you are or what your plans are, it still will kill you if given the chance. When I asked what cool stories she had, she told me she had an experience of being charged by a black bear. It was running down the hill toward her and she started making a lot of noise and was able to scare it away after getting a mere 10 feet away!

Nikki (Taylor) Oniu at the end of her hike at the northern terminus of the PCT.

I’m so thankful I got to catch up with Nikki and hear about her amazing accomplishment.

I’m so impressed by her strength and am proud to call her a classmate. She encountered so many obstacles and came out on top. What a way to have a total reset, mind, body and spirit after separating from active duty! Well, that’s all I have for this update. I hope you are all doing well, and thriving.

I do try to make notes of big news I see on social media but unfortunately I don’t see everything. So as always, if you have an update, send it my way!

Till next time!

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–Charli (Kemp) Rosenthal, rosenthal.charli@gmail.com

2017

Bonjour camarades de classe.

Welcome back. The amount of support and information I’ve been receiving is overwhelming and I appreciate it. So, what has the best class in history been up to? We have two members already back at YOUR Academy teaching the next generation. Haji BB Dunn is leading the way in developing honorable leaders in the honor dept. Couldn’t think of a better fit for such an honorable guy with so much experience!

Leah Young also started her journey back making cadets write 20-page English papers. Proud of y’all and train ‘em hard!

Keegan Jones, who we all know is not known for his running abilities, decided to take on a noble cause and raise money for Inner-city weightlifting, by running the Boston Marathon. His goal is to raise $10,000. His link is https://www.givengain. com/ap/keegan-jones-raising-funds-forinnercity-weightlifting.

I’m sure he’s going for one of the record paces if he reaches that goal. Deadline Apr 11.

Run Keegan, run.

More Babies!! Montana Pellegrini Appelt and Kyle Appelt had a baby. Kyle is also killing it on the country billboard 100 with his new album “William Kyle” and upcoming album “flyboy.” Go check it out! Cara Curran Cooper had a baby boy, Noah, in Singapore who got a shoutout from the U.S. Ambassador in Singapore! He’s already cooler than his parents. Alana Lovetri Deeks and Lochlin Deeks had another baby, Orson. He’s already looking to be bigger than his daddy. Sydney Lawless Crawford and her husband from another class had their second baby, Jett Jay Crawford. Caleb Winningham celebrated the baptism of his baby, Redmond Ford.

Chris Valasek is the God daddy too!

Noelle Newdayo has been killing it working for SOUTHCOM. She was by name requested by a four-star admiral to work on his intelligence staff and provided invaluable information that helped secure the bag for SOUTHCOM’s $250B budget.

She’s on her way out of the Air Force at this time!

Lastly let us not forget about our less fortunate members. Thomas Count Baron Von Vietinghoff graduated and decided to join the Navy. He wants everyone to know he is doing fine and well flying the Super Hornet by day and Darkstar by night. Also, Nick Haskel is loving every minute of Cannon AFB. He says he never wants to leave.

As always follow me on all social media. If you can’t find me, ask someone. ’Til next time. #respectallfearall!

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–Austin Anderson, austin.anderson13@yahoo.com

2018

Happy holidays, Zamps!

Thanks for all the updates for this edition and please keep ’em coming! Let’s jump in: In the flying world, some of the last rounds of FAIPs finally dropped and will be moving on to bigger and better things. Delarrion Milner is headed to Florida to fly his dream plane, the C-146. Molly (Ferguson) and Noah Taylor were able to stick together as joint-spouses and will fly the C-130 out of Little Rock. Tom Prinslow and Thomas Riganti both get to join the Strike Eagle community and fly the F-15E. Isaac Strever dropped C-17s and will be headed to the infamous Beeliners squadron at Travis.

Also changing planes is Jared Rackers who finished his time in the F-15C and is training to learn the F-35. In other big news from Jared, he tied the knot! Him and his now-wife, Claire, had a beautiful ceremony in a church in Oregon surrounded by a contingent of ’18ers in September.

Also recently married is Lizzy Denton, now Maurer, Checkpoints · December 2023 · 141

CLASS NEWS who looked stunning in her white dress at her Spokane wedding. She flies the KC-135 and is headed to UPT with her husband to teach the T-6 here soon. Congrats are also in order for Chloe Roze, a contracting officer, who got engaged to Oleksandr Bakuta (also a contracting officer).

Steven Boger and his wife, Lauren, welcomed their first child, Weston, in early September. He was born in Utah where Steven flies the F-35 at Hill AFB. Another F-35 pilot, Aaron Sless, got a shout-out from his leadership who sent me this update: “Aaron has been stationed at Eielson AFB, AK, since Dec. 2020 and has demonstrated a precocious ability as an F-35 pilot. He is one of the youngest mission commanders and instructor pilots in our career field. He is currently ensuring INDOPACOM theater security with the 355th Fighter Squadron at Kadena AB, Japan.” If his flying skills are as smooth as the use of the word precocious in that sentence, then it’s game over for China. All jokes aside, it’s no surprise at all that Aaron is killing it –— keep it up, Aaron!

An amazing update comes from Yae-Eun Chung a few weeks ago who finished the Chicago Marathon with two of her best friends out there to support her (Sean Chi and Chase Frankford).

I love seeing such strong friendships persist through the years! If you think the marathon is impressive, I was able to catch up with Yae-Eun to learn that she is currently in med school!

She is a second-year medical student in the Health Professions Scholarship Program and will graduate in 2026 before going on to start her residency as an Air Force physician. She attends Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine but is at the Georgia campus just outside of Atlanta.

Super impressive accomplishments from her and I know there will be more to come soon.

Erik and Shelley Baskin.

Warm wishes to everyone this winter and hoping that you all get to spend valuable time with friends and family! You know how to reach me to share any exciting life events.

In Service, Liza

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I also got an update from Erik Baskin and Shelley (Spires) Baskin who are loving life with their dogs in Dayton, OH. Erik separated from the Air Force in September and is running his business, Baskin Financial Planning, full time.

Shelley is an intelligence officer and is the CAG chief for the NASIC (National Air and Space Intelligence Center) wing commander. See their latest family photo with their two greyhounds, Rafa and Poppy.

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–Liza Matson, Lkmatson18@gmail.com

2019

Yae-Eun Chung, Sean Chi and Chase Frankford.

Sabre Society Donors

Hello all and congratulations to all of those who were promoted to captain this past May! I want to start off by apologizing for not being able to write last quarter’s class update, and hopefully, you enjoy reading this one.

In the past several months, we’ve had several ’19ers graduate with advanced degrees. Preston Roche graduated from the University of North Carolina with his MD and Lauren Truax also graduated with her doctorate from the University of Miami’s medical school. In Ohio, Matthew Scherer graduated from AFIT with his Ph.D. in operations research and Adrian Scheppe announced that he received his Ph.D. in physics. Congratulations on your hard work everyone!

Outside of academia, a few ’19ers have made some career moves and changes inside and outside of the Air Force. Carson Kimball is working with the International Donor Coordination Center to help coordinate movement of all the U.S. and partner nation donations into Ukraine. Joey Couse announced he will begin working with eBay as a data scientist starting next year. Spencer Pangrac is one of the Air Force’s newest C-17 aircraft commanders and Austin McDaniel announced that after his

FAIP tour, he and his family will be moving on for Austin to fly the F-35. They will be headed to Arizona next. Samantha Potter recently announced that she will be joining NASA’s Office of the General Counsel’s International and Space Law Practice Group as a legal extern for 20232024. Samantha spent her summer at Tinker AFB working with their legal office. A couple ’19ers are making their way into the venture capital world. According to Shift, who partners with AFWERX, “Defense Ventures is an eight-week long fellowship that identifies emerging innovators from the Department of Defense and facilitates industry immersions at venture capital firms, incubators and startups across the United States.”

Congratulations to Jalil Kuku and Diana Myers on their fellowships! Finally, as we approach the end of our five-year commitment, some ’19ers are excitedly choosing to start their careers outside of the Air Force. Marisa (Sligh) Tarray announced that she will be separating from the Air Force and is looking to move forward with either program or logistics management. Congratulations to all of you and best of luck with the new roles!

Since the last update, we’ve had plenty more proposals and wedding planning as love is always in the air! Starting off with engagements is Dean Risse who proposed back in July.

Gabrielle Evey announced that she said yes to Bobby Wlosek’s ‘17 proposal. In August, Gavin McCord proposed to his fiancée, Sulavf, and she said yes. Kristen Nye announced her engagement to Derek LaFave this October. Finally, on the other side of the world, Katie Kampsen said yes to Ryan Truitt when he proposed in the garden of Belvedere Palace in Vienna. Congratulations and have a blast with the wedding planning!

Moving on to our ’19er weddings: Starting back in May, congratulations to Nico Hillmann.

In June, Griffin Gluck married Molly Gluck in Savannah, Georgia, and Kelsey Puttkammer and Ethan Richards ‘21 tied the knot as well.

Tenzin Khengsar announced that he is now a married man back in August and Ili Nakamoto got married back at the end of the summer to her husband, Tyler. Congratulations to Emily Benston and Zach Warren, who married in South Carolina this past September creating another beautiful ’19er-to-’19er wedding. Shoutout to my local Tampa brotha, Eric Rossilon and his wife, Lauren, on their beautiful wedding this past September with Tanner Germann in attendance. (Eric also became one of the newest tanker aircraft commanders and Tanner is currently at Altus for upgrade). Last but not least, congratulations to Jordan Peterson and Big Mike who tied the knot at a beautiful wedding in Montana.

The past several months have seen some new developments happening with regards to ’19ers having babies. Congratulations to April (Lewis) Anderson and her husband as they announced they are expecting a baby boy due next February.

Nikki (MacKeen) and Cody Chew also announced they are expecting and recently had a gender reveal where they found out they are having a baby boy.

Congratulations to the following ’19ers who

announced the birth of their baby Falcons!

Sang Ko and his wife, Chloe, gave birth to their beautiful baby girl, Ella Noelle Ko. Additionally, Giles and Angelica McGillick ’21 gave birth to their lovely baby girl, Evangeline Charlotte Therese McGillick. She came into the world this past September. Enjoy the joys of parenthood all of youse!

Lastly, and just for funsies, shout out to Dylan Raess, Tommy Bruns, Drew Burman, Dean Risse, Sam Fondacaro and Bailey Flansburg for saying hello recently with a special shoutout to Bailey Flansburg for taking a sip of gas with me. Cheers! To anyone else who is spending some time playing in the sandbox, come say hello!

I hear the weather is nice this time of the year.

Well folks, that wraps up this class update!

Please send me information to include in the next round which will probably be written in December or January. Until then, enjoy the holidays, stay safe and always do your best!

While the close proximity to the Naval Academy was initially off-putting and made it difficult to be at ease for the majority of the ceremony, this anxiety was soon cured by several libations and an evening of dancing and merriment. The party continued later in downtown Annapolis, where several midshipmen may or may not have ended up in a dumpster behind Pusser’s (when Falcon football is 8-0, these are the sorts of things that you’re just allowed to do).

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-Patrick Fenton, 845-499-0791; pjaf22@gmail.com

2022

Hey, for the ’22ers I have another poem. It’s a haiku so it’s very short. I’m trying everything to get some updates here and last time the poetry worked.

An empty inbox.

Eagerness met by silence; another blank page

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–Michael Grindle, 419-215-3067; mcgriddle96@gmail.com

2020

Well, bust my buttons folks, that last issue of Checkpoints really got out of hand. I mean things really escalated quickly.

I can’t say that I’ve ever had my writing create such furor, but I can say that I’m starting to believe that the pen truly is mightier than the sword. To those of you who wrote into bobnews2020@gmail. com to call me a hero and provide me with leads for future endeavors in investigative journalism, this is a responsibility that I accept with great care. Luckily for all of you, love has been in the air for our class over the past few months so you don’t have to listen to my ramblings about some random major I met in the B-52 schoolhouse (He really can eat a lot though).

What can I say about Makenzie Hockensmith and Joe Alter? Many of you may remember Joe as the guy who took a vertiginous spill as the Group 3 commander our Firstie year (the scar has cleaned up nicely!) and Makenzie as the glider IP who was really good at doing homework (straight As, homie). These two Maryland natives and doolie year squad mates of CS-19 (Rip and tear) were finally able to tie the knot amongst friends, family and crab cake on September 2 in a beautiful ceremony that took place on the water in Annapolis, Maryland. As someone in attendance, I can attest to the wedding being pretty sweet.

Congratulations to Joe and Makenzie on a beautiful wedding!

I would also like to offer heartfelt congratulations to Mikaela Vega and Ryan Lynch on their recent engagement. Trent Pohl and Teri Brady were also married in San Diego on October 22, but I didn’t get invited to that wedding so I can only assume that it wasn’t very fun. Josh Souza remains married to the streets, having recently moved from Los Angeles to Boston for acquisition work.

This is all I have for you this quarter! Please continue submitting tips, leads and other hot goss.

Catch you all next quarter.

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-Jacob Ellison, jacob.ellison623@gmail.com

2023 Editor's note: We did not receive a column from Class of 2023 for this issue. Please send in your news and photos for the next issue.

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-Curtis G. Smith, bobnews2020@gmail.com Members

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2021 Editor's note: We did not receive a column from Class of 2021 for this issue. Please send in your news and photos for the next issue.

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-Usama Bamieh, usamabamieh@gmail.com

Checkpoints · December 2023 · 143

T H E F I N A L WO R D

BASEBALL FIELD RENAMED ERDLE FIELD

The baseball field was renamed Erdle Field in recognition of a $2.5 million lead gift from the Erdle family. (Photos courtesy Air Force Athletics)

W

hen the Falcon baseball team takes to the

aircraft during his career including the F-84, F-100 and T-33.

diamond next season, they will be playing on a

Later he earned a master’s degree from the University of

field renamed in honor Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Philip

Michigan and a doctorate from the University of Colorado.

J. Erdle, a career Air Force officer who taught and coached at the Academy.

The Erdle family’s $2.5 million lead gift — the largest

His career at the Academy included teaching mechanics, coaching baseball, serving as an NCAA representative and working as vice dean of the faculty.

in baseball program history — was celebrated during a

Following retirement, Gen. Erdle continued to have an

September renaming ceremony when family and supporters

impact on the Academy by establishing and managing

unveiled “Erdle Field” in large, white lettering along the first

endowed professor chairs and co-founding the Academy

base line.

Research and Development Institute, where he served as

Several members of the Erdle family attended, including

CEO and president.

Gen. Erdle’s wife, Carolyn.

“What a great day for Falcon baseball,” said Col. (Ret.) Mick Erdle ’76, son of Gen. Erdle, who passed away in 2013.

“To see dad’s name on the Falcons’ diamond provides welldeserved recognition for his efforts in Air Force athletics and fulfills a longtime dream of my own and our family.”

The renovation of Erdle Field — a key project within the athletics component of the Defining Our Future comprehensive campaign in support of the Air Force Academy — aims to bring a modern concourse, permanent concessions and restrooms, a new press box, additional seating, new team dugouts and locker rooms for the visiting team and umpires to Erdle Field. Conceptual design work is ongoing.

Gen. Erdle was an entrepreneur, philanthropist and 1952 graduate of the U.S. Military Academy. He flew dozens of 144 · usafa.org

Col. (Ret.) Mick Erdle ’76, left, and Carolyn Erdle are all smiles during the Sept. 1 renaming ceremony for the baseball field to Erdle Field.

CHECKPOINTS BONUS CONTENT

AOG, Foundation honored by

CASE District VI T

he Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation have been recognized for excellence in the annual “Best of District VI Awards” competition through the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE).

“We are incredibly proud of the work our team accomplishes on a daily basis in service to our graduate community and in support of the United States Air Force Academy,” says AOG and Foundation President Mark Hille ’97. “We congratulate everyone on this well-deserved recognition highlighting the creative and impactful ways we engage with our graduate community.”

In the Alumni Relations Initiatives category, an effort led by Wyatt Hornsby and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Naviere Walkewicz ’99 titled “USAFA Graduate Research Study Informs Association Way Forward” was among the district’s best.

In the Targeted Constituency Engagement category, an effort led by Katrina Claydon titled “Parent/Family Memberships Generate ~20% AOG Revenue and Make Direct Impact!” was honored.

The communications team received five writing awards and five video awards.

In the Long Video category, a video produced by Ryan Hall and David Bitton titled “Never Forget” about the Vietnam War Memorial Wall anniversary was honored.

In the Videos on a Shoestring: Student Audience category, “Firstie Fountain Dive – Class of 2022” produced by Ryan Hall was among the district’s best.

Under the Video on a Shoestring: Promotional category, Ryan Hall’s “IDay, Class of 2026” took top honors.

In the Short Promotional Video category, the “USAFA Chapel Cocoon Update” by Ryan Hall was recognized.

Under the Video: Fundraising and Stewardship category, “Falcon Stadium Modernization,” produced by Ryan Hall and Steven Lincoln, was honored.

Under the Writing: COVID Related category, a story about graduate John Torres titled “Prime Time,” by Jeff Holmquist, was recognized.

In the News/Feature Writing (1,000+ words) category, the team brought home three awards. David Bitton’s story about the return of Combat Survival Training at the Academy, titled “Survival Revival,” was honored. “Uniting with Ukraine,”

by David Bitton, about graduates involved in the fight following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, was also recognized.

A story about the regular tailgate hosted by the Academy’s first four classes, titled “Jurassic Park,” by Jeff Holmquist, was another awardee.

In the Writing: Research, Medicine and Science News category, Jeff’s Holmquist’s story about the Air Force Research Laboratory titled “What’s Next” took top honors.

“We are incredibly proud of the work our team accomplishes on a daily basis in service to our graduate community and in support of the United States Air Force Academy.”

—President Mark Hille ’97

CASE annually recognizes outstanding work in advancement services, alumni relations, communications, fundraising and marketing. The awards are open to professionals working at CASE member colleges, universities, independent schools and their affiliated nonprofits.

CASE has nearly 200 member organizations in District VI, which encompasses institutions in Colorado, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, Missouri, Wyoming, North Dakota and South Dakota.

The USAF Association of Graduates and Foundation marketing and communications team.

CHECKPOINTS ONLINE

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Visit usaa.com/perks to learn more The USAA Perks program is provided through USAA Alliance Services LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of USAA. USAA Alliance Services contracts with companies not affiliated with USAA to offer their products and services to members and customers. USAA Alliance Services receives compensation from these companies based on the sale of these products or services. When you purchase a product or service from one of these companies, that company is responsible for protecting your data and its processes and procedures may differ from those of USAA. These companies have sole financial responsibility for their products and services.