The U.S. Air Force Academy’s 40 squadrons took on the demanding spring 2025 Culminating Exercise, or CULEX, designed to test and enhance warfighter readiness and leadership skills and to evaluate cadet proficiency in newly developed Ready Airman Training skills.
YOUR FUTURE AWAITS
Check out scenes from this year’s graduation ceremony, which included a commencement address delivered by Dr. Troy Meink, the 27th secretary of the Air Force.
AUGMENTING AN ACADEMY EDUCATION
The innovations of Dr. Paul Kaminski ’64, including stealth technology and space-based radar, have made the country safer — and the Academy even better.
FROM THE TILTON HILTON TO BELL CEO
Lisa Atherton ’96 reaches new heights at the Texas-based aerospace and defense company.
EMBEDDED
Thirty years ago this summer, enlisted leaders were first assigned to the cadet squadrons in order to provide soon-to-be second lieutenants with opportunities to interact with a wide array of airmen prior to commencement.
A 2025 graduate from the Wings of Blue team flying on to Stillman Field during the graduation parade on May 28, 2025. (Photo by Melissa Campbell)
| THE FLIGHT LINE
AOG UPDATES, YOUR FEEDBACK, NEWS AND FUN
CEO Mark Hille ’97 column p. 8
Letters, check-ins and more p. 10
A message from Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91 p. 12
Meet your new AOG board directors p. 52
Ben Moe ’99 joins Foundation board p. 55
The Transmission: News from USAFA and grads p. 88
ROLL CALL
HERITAGE AND GRADUATE PROFILES
1Day1USAFA: One day. Big impact. p. 56
My Cool AF/SF Job: Capt. Gordon McCulloh ’20 p. 60
Grads in health care p. 62
Eagles peak with Jemal Singleton ’99 p. 66
Distinguished Service honorees p. 70
The Caribou crossing p. 73
Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten p. 92
FROM THE TERRAZZO
CADET LIFE AND THE LATEST FROM THE ACADEMY
PHOTO ESSAY: Madera Cyber Innovation Center ribbon cutting p. 76
PHOTO ESSAY: Defining Our Future campaign celebration p. 80
From the Hill: News of significance from the Academy p. 84
3 of the Long Blue Leadership podcast
YOUR U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY ASSOCIATION & FOUNDATION
BOARD OFFICERS
SENIOR STAFF
Chief Executive Officer: Mark Hille ’97
Chief Financial Officer: Katie Willemarck, CPA
Executive VP, Alumni Relations: Col. (Ret.) Michael “Baja” Cornelius ’00
Deputy Managing Editor/Class News & Gone But Not Forgotten Editor: David Bitton
Graphic Design: Amy Davis
Photography & Videography: Ryan Hall, Ted Robertson
Social Media/Digital: Brittany Weinzierl
Copy Editor: Lt. Col. (Ret.) Edie Brantley ’92
Writers: Sam Hastings, Steven Lincoln, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steve Simon ’77
CONTACT US
719-472-0300
EMAIL
To email a staff member, use the first and last name. Example: Steve Simon | steve.simon@usafa.org
Volume 54, Number 1
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: 719-4720300; 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. Graduates can update their records at recordupdate@usafa.org. 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, June 2025.
COLORADO ON YOUR BUCKET LIST?
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It was great knowing our realtor was a USAFA grad because we knew we could trust him right away. Roger was there every step of the way providing insight and guidance.
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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.
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Your voice, your Association and your Academy
By Lt. Col. (Ret.) Cathy Almand ’90, Association of Graduates Board Chair
Thank you for the opportunity to serve YOUR Academy and YOUR Association of Graduates as a member of our board of directors. I am humbled to have been elected chair of our Association board at the April 25 meeting and look forward to connecting with fellow graduates, families, cadets and others who care deeply about our Academy. Our mission to support the Academy, serve graduates and preserve the heritage of the institution brings us all together.
I am grateful for our past board chair, Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Brian Bishop ’83. Brian dedicated his time and energy to the Association, helping to lead us through a needed transition to a single CEO, executing a joint strategic plan, responsding to the inputs from the 2022 graduate survey, and the 2025 AOG election. A true team player, he forged an outstanding relationship with the Air Force Academy Foundation board, and now today our Association & Foundation is poised for an exciting future with dynamic new programs and initiatives.
Congratulations and welcome to our eight new board directors! The newly elected directors are Col. (Ret.) Dan Bohlin ’71, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Denny Merideth ’73, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Robert “Rod” Bishop ’74, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Christopher “Mookie” Walker ’88 and Maj. Alexander Fogassy ’12. The two newly appointed directors are Gen. (Ret.) David “DT” Thompson ’85 and Maj. Jennifer Walters ’11. The new Class Advisory Senate president, elected in November, is Col. (Ret.) John Cinnamon ’91. Please be sure to read their
bios on pages 52-54. We are grateful and excited to have these talented grads join our 16-member board and bring their unique expertise and perspectives to the work of our Association.
At the April 25 board meeting, we also elected Dr. Lee Krauth ’72 as vice chair, Gen. Walker as secretary and Christian Evans ’08 as treasurer. Thank you to each for stepping forward to contribute.
You may be asking, “What does the AOG board do?” This is the question I am most often asked when classmates and friends find out I serve on the board. Under our bylaws, the board governs the Association of Graduates, the official alumni association of our Academy. As a board of equals, we have a fiduciary responsibility to ensure our members are served and have a voice, we’re transparent in all we do, our bylaws are updated and relevant, and our mission moves forward in meaningful ways.
How does that happen? YOUR Association of Graduates is first and foremost focused on engagement. The board makes sure the staff have the strategic guidance and resources to foster lifelong engagement. That includes growing membership for all graduates, expanding young alumni programs, nurturing the next generation, engaging cadets (the key is to start early!), enhancing career services and transition support, and investing more resources in the Gone But Not Forgotten program. It means ensuring our Association delivers an outstanding experience for reunion classes. It means working closely with our Class Advisory Senate — where I had the privilege of
serving as a class senator before joining the board in 2023 — to ensure two-way communication with graduates. And it means ensuring our communications are tailored and effective.
As a board, the 16 of us represent various decades and eras at the Academy. Perspectives may vary, but like you, we love our Academy, our Air Force and our Space Force. We are committed to the core values, our Honor Code and doing right by all members. We are dedicated to building on success, innovating and promoting excellence. We are charged with Advocacy for the Association and Academy, Oversight of the Association, and Governance of ourselves.
I look forward to keeping you updated and want to hear from you about YOUR Association! I wish you a wonderful summer and hope to see you at Long Blue Line Weekend (July 24-27). Go Falcons!
Sincerely,
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Cathy Almand ’90
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The Association & Foundation –One mission, together
By Mark Hille ’97, CEO, Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation
Several weeks ago, the boards of the Association of Graduates and the Air Force Academy Foundation each gathered in Colorado for their respective spring meetings.
During the meetings, both boards joined together for dinner and a celebration of the recently completed $330 million comprehensive campaign. It was a special evening (see images on page 80) highlighting the contributions of tens of thousands of individuals over many years and underscoring the power of the partnership between the Association & Foundation. The evening also served as an important reminder that all graduates share many common values, traditions and experiences, and that what binds us together across generations and geography is uniquely strong.
At our Academy — for several important reasons — the Association and the Foundation each continue to separately govern their own activities, including stewardship of their own assets, the approval and support of distinct budgets, and overall fiduciary responsibility for their organization. Ultimately, the Association board is accountable to our growing membership and the Foundation board to our donors.
However, in order to maximize our efficiencies and to become most effective, the Association & Foundation now share a single staff, along with a joint mission and strategic plan. This common mission calls for us to support the Academy, serve our graduates and preserve the heritage of the institution. Together, we are doing more for our Academy and the constituents we serve.
So, what are we working on right now?
First, we are tackling the challenge of being present and relevant in the lives of all graduates. We are — it seems almost sud-
denly — serving a graduate community that spans seven decades and includes individuals who were born before the dawn of broadcast television and those who have no memory of life without the iPhone. This reality requires increased tailoring of our programs and messages to meet our increasingly varied audiences.
For this reason, we have introduced a range of programming, messaging and approaches to match the needs and preferences of rising generations — all key objectives of our strategic plan. We have launched a Firstie Departure program and recruited young alumni ambassadors at more than 40 bases around the country who serve as touchpoints for graduates in their first assignments. We have added a team focused on social media and new media products, including several podcast series. And we have established a NextGen Advisory Council comprised of our most accomplished and influential young(er) graduates, focused on direct engagement with graduates under the age of 50.
At the same time, we have invested in our legacy programs. For example, we have grown our Next of Kin program with dedicated staffing and piloted a new Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten publication focused on expanding the presentation of our memorials. By these investments, we hope to honor those who have served our nation and the Academy over many decades and provide increased support to families and classmates at a time of remembrance.
And speaking of issues of importance to the graduate community: We are also working with base officials on ensuring access for those without Department of Defense IDs.
Following the conclusion of the cam-
paign, we have turned our attention to securing the future of many of these programs financially, ensuring that our mission of service continues in the years ahead. We have already achieved substantive progress on this front — raising a $4 million endowment for reunion support and the first endowment to further enhance our Next of Kin program.
Finally, the Association & Foundation recently launched an updated brand (new logo on page 4) to better position us for the future as we work together for a common purpose. Additionally, we will launch a new joint website next month — one that is modern and mobile-first, reduces redundancies, and will better engage graduates, parents and donors.
In closing, the Association & Foundation came together in April to celebrate; but also to affirm its commitment to our continuing work. Together, we aspire to be an Association & Foundation of increasing influence and impact, actively supporting the Academy’s enduring mission of developing leaders of character for the nation and providing a lifetime of valued service to the Long Blue Line.
I thank you for your engagement and generosity,
Mark Hille ’97
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ENFORCING THE HONOR CODE SUPPORTS USAFA’S MISSION
USAFA’s mission is to “forge leaders of character.” Forge is an appropriate word. It implies the application of great force and energy (heat/hammering) in the making of the final product. There is nothing easy in the forging process.
The highly regarded management guru Stephen Covey argued that one must “begin with the end in mind.” What then is a leader of character? I propose that such a leader is a self-reliant person of honor who takes personal responsibility, strives for excellence, is compassionate and treats all with dignity and respect.
A code of honor, then, is a minimum requirement to become a leader of character. It is unequivocal. A lie is a lie, cheating is cheating, stealing is stealing and tolerating is tolerating. There are no gray areas, only orders of magnitude of the offense.
Rationalizing, ignoring or dismissing small infractions of the code is a slippery slope. A broken-windows approach is more effective. Even small infractions must be enforced. The code should be inviolate.
What should be the consequence of violating the code? Since a leader of character is also compassionate, there should be some consideration of the circumstances surrounding the violation by those enforcing the code. Since a leader of character takes full responsibility, there needs to be ownership by those who violate the code.
If circumstances warrant some form of discretion, it should only be allowed for fourth-classmen and only if the violator self-reported. If discretion is warranted, there can only be a final chance, as a second chance implies a third or fourth.
A leader of character striving for excellence has high standards and should not show loyalty to those who would compromise the mission. Honor education at USAFA should include examples where lying, cheating or stealing has compromised the mission of the military.
If Academy leadership and the Air Force are concerned that strict enforcement of the Honor Code will yield less than the desired number of graduates, they should increase admissions as necessary. Failing to strictly enforce the Honor Code will cause the leadership of the Academy to fail in their stated mission of forging leaders of character.
— Jim Herrmann, Class of 1972
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:
• Directly reference content that was published in Checkpoints magazine within the past two issues.
IT’S TIME TO ENFORCE THE HONOR CODE
Unfortunately, the Academy experienced another Honor Code incident involving over 100 cadets for violating the Honor Code by cheating or tolerating cheating on a weekly knowledge test.
It was only a matter of time. The Honor Code was compromised during COVID, when over 250 cadets were found in violation but not dismissed from the Academy. In the spring of 2022, over 200 cadets were implicated for cheating on a similar test, but it was decided that there was a misunderstanding that the test might have been a study guide instead of an exam.
The current solution of requiring a cadet to not live under the entirety of the Honor Code until their second-class year is not working. How can you counter the loyalty that cadets build for their classmates during BCT and over their first two years? The Academy trains new cadets to help your classmates beginning in BCT. “Never leave your classmate behind. Take care of your classmate.”
The results are predictable. Yes, that builds camaraderie and teamwork, but it also builds loyalty to fellow classmates that eclipses loyalty to the Honor Code.
An article in the March 2022 issue of Checkpoints by Stephen P. Randolph ’74 is an excellent summary of everything that has been done to administer the Honor Code over time. But we are back at the same place we are every time an honor scandal occurs.
The Academy should consider returning to enforcing the Honor Code the way it was when the Academy was founded… on Day 1 of the Academic year. The criticism of that solution is that it’s too hard. The cadets have to learn how to be honorable and live under the Honor Code. Well, like Tom Hanks said in the movie A League of Their Own, “It’s supposed to be hard. If it were easy, everyone would do it.”
When you arrive at the base of the Ramp on Day 1, a cadet has to accept that if you want to become part of the Cadet Wing after Basic Cadet Training, be commissioned as a second lieutenant, and be part of the world’s greatest Air Force or Space Force, you accept the Honor Code without exception.
Either the Honor Code applies to ALL cadets or it isn't. Otherwise, the Academy is just another liberal arts college with students who wear a uniform to class and march to lunch… occasionally.
— Col. (Ret.) Ski Wagasky, Class of 1972
• 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.
MISSION STATEMENT REWRITE
LOOKS LIKE MISSION RETREAT
I noted Mark Hille’s “Why do we ask?” column in the March 2025 Checkpoints with some satisfaction — but also with concern. As a long-time contributor to the Air Force Academy Fund in support of the Department of Political Science, I was taken aback by a recent article in the Colorado Springs Gazette:
“The Air Force Academy has rolled out a new mission statement that drops the word ‘educate’ and adds in a focus on winning wars. The statement was posted recently on the academy's website without consulting or informing the school's faculty. The new mission is ‘To forge leaders of character, motivated to a lifetime of service and developed to lead our Air Force and Space Force as we fight and win our Nation’s wars.’ An academy spokesperson said the statement reflects the priorities outlined by President Donald Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to develop warrior-leaders prepared to lead warfighters on Day One. The previous mission statement was ‘To educate, train and inspire men and women to become officers of character motivated to lead the U.S. Air Force and Space Force in service to our nation.’”
Those who study, teach and write about American defense policy recognize that mission statements are important to military organizations. They observe that these statements evolve and frequently caution against “mission creep.” But this rewrite appears to be a “mission retreat.” Equally troubling is the statement that the mission statement was revised “without consulting or informing the school’s faculty.” If that is the case, I am disappointed that there was not a letter signed by the superintendent, the commandant and the dean addressed to all at the Academy and to all graduates explaining why our mission statement was revised. That letter might include a summary of who wrote the revised mission, how it was coordinated, what concern was generated by the dropping of the objective “to educate” and what pushback on this issue might have occurred. Given the current administration’s pressure on the nation’s military academies, it is understandable, if not desirable, if the message from our leaders is simply, “We salute and follow orders.”
However, until the mission statement is revised to reinsert the core mission of education, I intend to refrain from further contributions to the Academy Fund. Others may wish to join me in this small but significant protest.
— Robert P. Haffa Jr., Class of 1965
Editor’s note: The Academy has indicated that the updated mission statement — “To forge leaders of character, motivated to a lifetime of service and developed to lead our Air Force and Space Force as we fight and win our nation’s wars.” — was approved in November 2024. Read more about USAFA’s mission statement in a column by Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91 (p. 12).
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN SHOULD BE FREE
I read with a certain amount of dismay that the AOG will not be publishing the Gone But Not Forgotten articles in the quarterly issues of Checkpoints. I do understand that as time progresses, we will obviously have many more graduates passing on, requiring more pages dedicated to their obituaries. What I don’t like is nickel-and-diming graduates to pay for it. Of course everyone can afford $25/year to pay for this, but that’s not the point. The point is most graduates will opt out, just like a significant number of graduates opted out of paying annual dues for years, until the AOG made it free.
Checkpoints has some great articles, but it has its share of fluff. I read just about every obituary. I enjoy reading about what graduates did with their lives and how the Academy affected their life journeys. If the AOG decides to separate the publications, at least continue to send it out free, just like Checkpoints To do otherwise will ensure that most graduates are gone and forgotten.
— Peter J. Bergamini, Class of 1979
Editor’s note: Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten is available digitally at no cost to members. Printed copies are available for a $25, which allows us to share a complimentary copy with the families of those memorialized.
page 75 — in the March 2025 edition. Thank you to all the readers who participated in the past quarter’s contest!
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 Doolittle Outfitters. Deadline for entry is Aug. 6, 2025
The winner of last quarter’s Find the Falcon contest is Lt. Col. (Ret.) Ed Jezisek ’84. He was among the 36 Checkpoints readers who reported finding the falcon — hidden on
Find the Falcon
This updated mission statement for the U.S. Air Force Academy, staffed and approved in November 2024, serves as a guiding principle as we prepare officers ready to lead in the next four decades of national security challenges.
We chose the word “forge” to illustrate how the crucible of our three primary missions of military training, academics and athletics molds, shapes and strengthens America’s best and brightest and transforms them into world-class warrior-leaders.
We chose the phrase “lifetime of service” to illustrate how everyone who joins the Long Blue Line answers the call to serve. Service to our Nation comes in many forms — and we have seen proud graduates of our Academy go on to excel in our Air Force and Space Force, as elected officials, as industry leaders, and in their local communities. Harnessing this selfless service to our Nation over a lifetime is a
Updated Mission and Vision at our Academy
“To forge leaders of character, motivated to a lifetime of service, and developed to lead our Air Force and Space Force as we fight and win our nation’s wars.”
key aspect of character exhibited by our alumni.
The Academy also released an updated vision statement to complement our mission statement, which defines our longterm direction and purpose.
“The United States Air Force Academy will be America’s premier Military Service Academy, forging leaders of Character who are motivated to a lifetime of service. Our graduates will be prepared to lead the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force as warfighting officers, ready to lead lethal, warfighting teams to deter our adversaries, and should deterrence fail, fight and win our Nation’s wars. Through rigorous, adversary-focused military training, a nationally recognized academic program, and a culture of highly competitive athletics, we will develop graduates who exemplify unwavering courage and a deep commitment to honor and integrity. Our
world-class installation, professional and dedicated permanent party, and engaged alumni ensure we will be America’s preeminent institution for developing leaders prepared to answer our Nation’s call.”
Both our mission and vision reflect the values and warrior ethos of our Academy and our commitment to serve. As we update and improve the 47-month leadership development program at the Academy, we continue to focus on being an elite military service academy producing the warfighters, leaders and critical thinkers our Nation needs.
Thank you for all you do for our Academy and its graduates.
Lt. Gen. Tony D. Bauernfeind ’91 is the 22nd superintendent of the U.S. Air Force Academy.
B y Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91
USAFA photo
CHECKING IN WITH Checkpoints
Oliver Leeds ’94 checked in from Pago Pago, American Samoa, while celebrating the completion of visiting all 50 states, Washington, D.C., and all five inhabited U.S. territories. “As a bonus, I even had one visit to the U.S. Minor Outlying Islands, which have no permanent residents, courtesy of the USAF in 1999,” Leeds said.
Cecil D. Stevens Jr. ’81 and his wife, Eloise Stevens, checked in while celebrating 40 years of marriage during a cruise stop in Santorini, Greece.
Dr. Bob Arnold, left, and Dr. Tom Weiss, Class of 1974 grads, checked in during a rugby gear trade session and St. Patrick’s Day parade in Savannah, Georgia.
Greg Zencey ’04 checked in from the Vehicle Assembly Building at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, with the core stage of the Artemis II Space Launch System rocket about to be lifted and attached to the side boosters.
’93 checked in at Siegel’s Bagelmania in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Sam Snider ’71 checked in from Machu Picchu, Peru, while traveling with his wife, Leah Snider.
Gaelle
Glickfield
CHECKING IN WITH Checkpoints
Chuck Corley ’68 checked in after graduating with a Ph.D. in electrical and computer engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. His dissertation was on radiation effects in microprocessors.
Ken Thalmann ’84, left, and Steve Thalmann ’81 checked in from Sammy Hagar’s Cabo Wabo Cantina in Cabo San Lucas during a cruise with their wonderful wives.
Col. Tracy (Tinianow) Bozung ’00, right, checked in while meeting up with Col. Pat Parson ’00 at a military health conference in Cleveland, Ohio. They are both AD medical group commanders— Col. Bozung at Offutt AFB, Nebraska, and Col. Parson at Travis AFB, California.
From left: Air Force Academy Class of 1982 graduates Nancy Brunskole, Cynthia Simmons, Mary Stevenson, Cynthia Shelton, Kathryn Smith and Martha Stevenson-Jones checked in from the Grand Canyon.
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, class year, and a short note about where you are pictured, what you are doing and who is with you. Email everything to editor@usafa.org
Roy Caldwell ’85, left, checked in with Rep. Marta Bertoglio ’91 from the Montana State House rostrum near a Charlie Russell painting depicting explorers Meriwether Lewis and William Clark meeting with Salish Indians in southwest Montana. Caldwell served on the sergeant at arms staff during the 2025 legislative session.
F ORGED IN FIRE
Largest-ever Culminating Exercise puts Ready Airman Training skills to the test
By Bryan Grossman
Over a span of four late-winter days, the U.S. Air Force Academy transformed from a world-class military and educational institution into an Indo-Pacific island rife with escalating geopolitical tensions.
From March 5 to March 8, forward operating stations sprung up on otherwise calm, well-manicured athletic fields; cadets armed with dummy rifles constructed defensive fighting positions on the commandant’s lawn; soon-to-be second lieutenants evaded “enemy combatants” along the foothills west of the Academy; shouts of “who comes here?” could be heard as sentries reacted to potential threats.
Against the backdrop of frigid temperatures, the Academy’s 40 cadet squadrons took on the demanding 2025 spring Culminating Exercise, or CULEX, designed to test and enhance warfighter readiness and leadership skills, and to evaluate cadet proficiency in newly developed Ready Airman Training skills (see sidebar on p.23).
The Academy launched this new training model in fall 2024, when all 40 cadet squadrons completed a two-day exercise that replaced the Commandant’s Challenge and Training Day. That exercise paved the way for the expanded 2025 CULEX.
The most recent exercise marked a major evolution in the Academy’s approach to cadet training, serving as a proof of concept for future exercises. The event
tested cadets on RAT skills and prepared them for agile combat employment in modern operational environments.
“The CULEX provides an opportunity for cadets to showcase and implement the Ready Airman Training they received throughout the year preparing them for success across the operational force,” Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91 says. “Ready Airman Training was designed to prepare airmen and guardians for deployment, and this training fits well with CULEX goals to enhance warfighter readiness and develop a more lethal and ready force through simulating complex, real-world military engagements. By focusing on foundational warfighter skills of shoot, move, communicate, medicate and automate, we are preparing our warfighters with the skills our joint force requires. Our latest example includes the Class of 2025 completing qualification and requalification on the M-18, creating warrior leaders who are more proficient and confident in their weapons and engagement techniques.”
Over the past academic year, the Academy revised the RAT curriculum to provide cadets with hands-on tactical and strategic experience. The multiday CULEX challenged cadets to lead, adapt and execute missions in physically and mentally demanding scenarios, including day and night operations across a variety of complex rotations.
“The scenarios developed for the CU-
LEX test cadets’ warfighting skills, leadership abilities, team building and critical thinking (to include ethical challenges), preparing our cadets with the vital skills to operate on dynamic battlefields,” Gen. Bauernfeind says.
STRIKE, PROTECT, LEAD AND ADAPT
According to Col. Maureen Trujillo, Cadet Group 3 commander, CULEX comprised one field training exercise and three “focused lane” training events: Strike, Protect and Lead and Adapt.
“Strike tested the cadets on their ability to conduct an evasion exercise and demonstrate small-unit tactics,” Col. Trujillo says. “The cadets were evading through the hills behind USAFA, and they had to demonstrate awareness and their basic communication skills.”
She adds that cadets demonstrated tactical casualty combat care skills and readiness, as well as attention to detail by bringing everything on their packing lists.
The Protect lane, Col. Trujillo adds, entailed cadets defending their areas of responsibility, to include positions on Stillman Field. Cadets were graded on integrated defense.
“Did they challenge people appropriately?” she says. “If you are coming up to the [entry control point], did they ask you [to] stop? … Were [cadets] able to demonstrate countersign capabilities?”
For Lead and Adapt, cadets applied
“Just seeing the power of when cadets and permanent party work together and what can be done — that was really cool.”
— 2nd Lt. Caleb Song ’25
From left: CULEX organizers then-Cadets
1st Class Amelia Berles and Caleb Song, and then-Cadets 2nd Class Jaiden Lanier and Marcus Berrette (Photo by Ryan Hall)
cross-cultural competencies and communications and simulated key leader engagements. Participants faced several scenarios to test critical thinking skills, Col. Trujillo says.
“For example, one of the stations on the athletic fields provided a scenario to cadets where they were in a situation where the local civilians were throwing rocks at them,” she says. “So, then we asked the cadets, what is your action? Would you throw rocks back? Is that the proper thing to do as Americans? Or do you calm the situation and then take that information back to your leadership?”
Col. Trujillo says the rock scenario happened to her while deployed in Afghanistan.
In addition to the lanes, cadet groups participated in field training exercises at Jacks Valley.
“The bonus of all that was a superin-
tendent’s challenge that took place after the cadets came back from the field,” Col. Trujillo says, adding that the timed challenge involved filling sandbags and carrying them across the commandant’s lawn to build a defensive fighting position and then undergoing a test to match ranks across all U.S. military branches.
“The cadets came back from the field extremely tired,” she explains. “Then they had to complete a physical challenge, and then they’re given the ranks of the Coast Guard for example, and they have to lay it out properly, and it’s all time-based. I think it was a lot more fun than they anticipated. Initially, the cadets were skeptical and stated, ‘Oh, we have to do this when we come back from the field?’ But it definitely demonstrated the teamwork that they had, and there’s a lot of camaraderie as well.”
STAY IN YOUR LANE
Cadet 1st Class Caleb Song, Cadet Squadron 33 member and Cadet Wing A-3 division chief, helped lead the exercise’s planning and execution.
“We had a [field training exercise] that was around 21 hours long per group and then we had focused lane training that was, in total, 18 hours,” Song says. “My team focused on planning the lane training portion.”
When conceptualizing began several months ago, Song says his team worked closely with permanent party and cadets to determine CULEX goals.
“We were given broad intent from permanent party of, ‘This is what we want [the exercise] to kind of look like,’ and then it was up to my team and giving them the tools and empowering them,” Song says. “I have a really great team. They honestly did so much work to get
(USAFA photo by Trevor Cokely)
“Everybody saw their role as something that was valuable to the team.”
— Col. Maureen Trujillo
this done and lay the foundation for what the CULEX will be in the future.”
The Academy conducted a much smaller Culminating Exercise in fall 2024. Song says the scale of the most recent CULEX dwarfed in scope his previous USAFA training.
“Seeing the power of when cadets and permanent party work together and what can be done — that was really cool,” he says. “But for me personally, it was just trusting my team. … So, really, my role was to step back and let them take charge, and they did a fantastic job.”
Cadet 1st Class Amelia Berles, Cadet Squadron 06, a legal studies major, helped lead organization of the Lead and Adapt lane. She says the CULEX has better prepared her to take charge beyond the Academy.
“It’s definitely helped with being able to think on my feet,” she says. “And I’ve never had a group- or wing-level job in the Cadet Wing before — I’ve only ever worked squadron-level jobs. So going from planning events for about 100 people to doing something for 4,000 was definitely a learning experience. And all
the logistics that are involved in planning such a large event — I feel like that’ll be very useful to carry on into the Air Force.”
Cadet 2nd Class Marcus Berrette, Cadet Squadron 29, acted as a “jack of all trades” while helping to organize the exercise, including helping script the Lead and Adapt lane.
He created scenarios including one involving the capture of an enemy general responsible for the loss of American lives.
“They were interrogating him, but he wasn’t giving them the information they wanted,” Berrette says of the scenario. “And so, they’re getting a little frustrated and wanting to go against the laws of war.”
Cadet 2nd Class Jaiden Lanier, Cadet Squadron 09, helped steer training in the Protect lane.
“We primarily focused on active threat responses, integrated defense, basic communications and [tactical combat casualty care],” Lanier says. “So, [building] scenarios where we can test about 4,000 cadets’ Ready Airman Training skills, and do that over the course of the CULEX, whether that’s inside or outside.”
LEAD THE WAY
The CULEX’s conception aligns closely with the Academy’s renewed emphasis on military training.
“This Culminating Exercise tested cadets’ adaptability, leadership and mission execution skills critical to succeeding in modern multi-domain operations while reinforcing their preparedness to meet future challenges,” Gen. Bauernfeind says. “The Class of 2025 impressively led our first steps toward more demanding military training at the Academy. These exercises reinforce the warfighter mindset and ensure our cadets are prepared to lead in the Air Force and Space Force on Day 1.”
Col. Trujillo says, “Adapting to the military training is our No. 1 priority. I think it’s great, because the cadets need to be in an environment where they’re stressed but also realize, ‘I can do this.’”
During the CULEX, the Cadet Wing took on varying responsibilities, but the training blurred the lines between four-
(USAFA photo by Dylan Smith)
(USAFA photos)
degrees and firsties.
“You had a role, and everybody saw your role as something that was valuable to the team,” Col. Trujillo says.
She illustrates this with a story about a Strike lane land navigation exercise. With compass and map in hand, a fourth-degree cadet led her team — including first-degree cadets — to its destination.
“It was really neat to see that her squadron, and that flight in particular, gave her the compass and the map and said, ‘All right, you take us where we need to go.’”
Col. Trujillo adds, “That was definitely an example of something that we’ve moved toward this year — going from a fourth-class system to the four-class system — ensuring that all classes of our cadets are not only seen as leaders, but also as followers, good teammates, and that they communicate with one another.”
So, in the end, what does a successful CULEX look like?
“Our cadets, faculty and staff put in a tremendous amount of effort into our spring CULEX, and it showed,” Gen. Bauernfeind says. “They executed exceptionally well. It was our first large-scale exercise, so we are still in the crawlwalk phase of our military training, but we learned valuable lessons about what worked well and where we can improve. The exercise provided a solid foundation for our four-class system and military training. However, we also identified a need for greater resources and subject matter experts to advance our cadets and prepare them for their roles and responsibilities in operational units.”
Col. Trujillo says getting fully to walk means adding more stress. The most recent CULEX ran on a tight schedule, so cadets knew what to expect and when to expect it.
Adding stressful scenarios to the field training march in Jacks Valley and keeping cadets in the dark regarding scheduling would add to the spontaneity and realism, she says.
She adds that recruiting operational experts to teach specialized RAT skills would also improve future exercises. Explosive ordnance experts or those trained
in building and protecting defensive fighting positions could further exercise practicality.
THE EVOLUTION BEGINS
The Class of 2025 contributed to and laid the groundwork for future Culminating Exercises, and subsequent classes “should see the evolution,” Col. Trujillo says.
“I will say, though, the firsties who experienced the spring CULEX — they were very pleased,” she says, adding, they enjoyed the camaraderie and teamwork.
The CULEX, she adds, has better prepared cadets upon commissioning.
“It puts them in a mindset that — especially our firsties — ‘I am X amount of days from becoming a second lieutenant and probably months away, if something happens, from being on the front line.’” And so, she says, “I think it’s a great test for them mentally, and it also puts them in a great mental state to say, ‘I’m ready.’”
Col. Trujillo says, “The experience was real. We had [adverse] weather, which is going to happen when you’re in the field. And so, getting up early, making sure that our bodies were ready to go and hydrated doing the five-mile march out there in the cold. It started snowing in
the afternoon, so we were all getting wet. But it’s part of the environment when you’re deployed, or in a situation where you’re out in the field.”
Each CULEX going forward will undergo refinements, but this academic year’s exercises have laid the groundwork to further strengthen future airmen and guardians.
“We expect to build on this year’s CULEX to develop more challenging and in-depth scenarios while procuring the warfighting equipment necessary for realistic training,” Gen. Bauernfeind says. “Additionally, we are implementing a Cadet Basic Instructor Course, where cadets will revive the warrior ethos and become certified military training instructors within their squadrons. … By reaching instructor-level proficiency, they will have the skills to instruct the lower classes, further supporting the four-class system and preparing our cadets for the complex operational challenges they will face after commissioning.”
Col. Trujillo agrees, saying, “It’s a great opportunity for our cadets to show their skills, to show teamwork and followership. And there’s nothing that beats being out in the field.”
(USAFA photo by Trevor Cokely)
READY AIRMAN TRAINING SKILLS:
• LAWS OF WAR
Provides instruction on the international legal standards governing armed conflict, including the protection of noncombatants and the humane treatment of detainees.
• SURVIVAL, EVASION, RESISTANCE AND ESCAP E
Trains airmen and guardians in techniques to survive in hostile environments, evade capture, resist exploitation and escape from captivity if necessary.
• SMALL ARMS
Covers the safe handling, operation and maintenance of standard-issue firearms such as rifles and pistols used in combat and defense.
• INTEGRATED DEFENSE
Focuses on protecting personnel and assets through coordinated security operations, threat assessment and force protection strategies.
• ACTIVE THREAT RESPONSE
Prepares airmen and guardians to respond to immediate threats through rapid decision-making, coordinated actions and defensive tactics.
• CHEMICAL, BIOLOGICAL, RADIOLOGICAL AND NUCLEAR
Educates service members to recognize, protect against and respond to chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear hazards.
• EXPLOSIVE ORDNANCE HAZARD
Trains airmen and guardians to identify and react appropriately to explosive threats, including unexploded ordnance and improvised explosive devices.
• TACTICAL COMBAT CASUALTY CARE
Teaches basic lifesaving medical skills for use in combat scenarios, including bleeding control, airway management and trauma care under fire.
• COMPREHENSIVE AIRMAN FITNESS
Promotes overall readiness by developing resilience across four domains: physical, mental, social and spiritual.
• CROSS-CULTURAL COMMUNICATION
Equips airmen and guardians with the skills to effectively communicate and collaborate with people from diverse cultural backgrounds in global operations.
• INFORMATION ENVIRONMENT AWARENESS
Increases understanding of the digital and information landscape, including cyber threats, operational security and influence operations.
• BASIC COMMUNICATION
Provides instruction in fundamental communication techniques, including radio operation and secure message transmission in field environments.
CLASS OF
. NEVER QUIT NEVER SETTLE.
2025
Photos by David Bitton, Melissa Campbell, Bryan Grossman and Ryan Hall
The Class of 2025 graduation parade
Dr. Troy Meink, the 27th secretary of the Air Force, addressed 909 U.S. Air Force Academy graduates, their families and friends, and staff during a misty morning ceremony in Falcon Stadium on May 29. The Thunderbird flyover was canceled due to inclement weather and visibility, the first cancellation since 2013.
“We will put what you’ve learned here to use,” Dr. Meink told the Class of 2025. “There is no shortage of problems to solve.”
Dr. Meink described to the soon-to-be second lieutenants how officers before them, including Academy graduates, led with fearlessness in their duty to defend the nation.
“There is nothing your class couldn’t overcome. It’s exactly that tenacity we need.”
Dr. Meink outlined the national security focus of defending the homeland and deterring China in the Indo-Pacific.
Dr. Troy Meink, the 27th secretary of the Air Force, delivers the commencement address.
Commissioning ceremonies from squadrons CS-19 (left) and CS-08
The Cadet Wing after members of the Class of 2025 separated from their squadrons.
Graduating members of the Wings of Blue stand together after landing on Stillman Field.
Soon-to-be second lieutenants Tim Brahan and Rhys Smith land on Stillman Field before the graduation parade.
He described the relationship with China as a “wideranging and unpredictable competition.’’
Dr. Meink thanked the gathered crowd — the cadets’ support structure — who made significant sacrifices to shepherd the graduates to graduation day.
“That same infrastructure will be required going forward,” Dr. Meink said. “The pressure and pace will continue to increase as you train, deploy and fight in the operational Air Force [and Space Force].”
Members of the Class of 2025 take the oath.
The Wings of Blue land on Stillman Field with the class color flags.
Families and friends reunite on Stillman Field after the graduation parade.
THE CLASS OF 2025 BY THE NUMBERS
appointments offered: 1,428
631 69% 278 31%
At least one parent a USAFA graduate: 59 Both parents USAFA graduates: 10
14 GRADUATES
ATTENDED from International allied countries: Guyana, Indonesia, Kosovo, Malaysia, Niger, Panama, Peru, Philippines, Romania, Senegal, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, Thailand and Tunisia. (481 international students have graduated from the U.S. Air Force Academy through the Class of 2025.)
H otel Polaris was developed through a unique financing structure, which allows it to become a future asset of the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation.
YOUR LEGACY, THEIR FUTURE
• Your gift will be appropriately acknowledged within the hotel.
• Donations to the Hotel Polaris Fund are 100% tax-deductible.
• Corporate giving opportunities are also available.
• Once paid off, Hotel Polaris will support the Academy, its cadets and the Long Blue Line.
B E PART OF THIS EXCITING PROJECT BY SPONSORING A ROOM OR SUITE.
Learn more or reserve your place today by contacting hotelpolaris@usafa.org or scanning the QR code.
AUGMENTING AN ACADEMY EDUCATION
By Steven Lincoln • Photo by Denny Henry DR. PAUL KAMINSKI ’64
Dr. Paul Kaminski ’64 enjoyed a U.S. Air Force career full of technological firsts that made the United States safer and demonstrated its technological prowess.
He worked on the Minuteman missile program, testing its inertial guidance system. He then worked on developing and testing a television guidance system for air-to-surface missiles, which resulted in the first precision-guided munitions, eventually enabling one missile to hit one specific target. For this work, he was presented with the Air Force Systems Command Scientific Achievement Award.
He then focused on conducting classified research on satellite systems for the National Reconnaissance Office to create the first synthetic aperture radar in space. This system developed special processing that was like what is now used during a CAT scan. This work allowed a radar in space with about a 100-foot antenna to have nearly the same resolution as an antenna with the diameter of tens of miles.
Dr. Kaminski says, “That gave us the ability to find the targets of interest — day, night, and through clouds and in bad weather.”
After that success came his work on the stealth program as director of low observables technology.
“I had a real motivation about that, because about 5% of my graduating class was killed in action, taken as a prisoner of war or injured so badly that they couldn’t get
back into an aircraft,” he says of their involvement in the Vietnam War. “We have not lost a single individual to an air defense system since we’ve been using the stealth aircraft.”
The success of the F-117 Nighthawk during Operation Desert Storm in 1990 — using all three of the technologies Dr. Kaminski worked on — made adversaries around the globe take notice.
“We were using technology to be able to operate with much smaller forces and still compete effectively with the bigger forces,”
Dr. Kaminski says.
Thirty-five years later, he is working on and supporting a new project at his alma mater aimed at preparing today’s cadets for future careers in emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence.
AUGMENTED, NOT ARTIFICIAL
Dr. Kaminski, a 2002 USAFA Distinguished Graduate, made a significant gift in late 2024 to support the academic exploration of augmented intelligence at the Air Force Academy.
“I never liked the term artificial intelligence. I know what intelligence means, but I don’t know what the artificial means. I think they call it artificial because it’s not human intelligence. But I don’t know what you do with that,” Dr. Kaminski says. “And the reason I use the term augmented is that we’re usually trying to augment a human, and have a human augment the processing, to make decisions faster and with greater accuracy than either a human or an autonomous machine can do alone.”
Dr. Kaminski realizes the importance, benefits and dangers of augmented intelligence, and he wants cadets to learn how to use it and defend against it effectively. His $5 million gift has created the Dr. Paul Kaminski ’64 Endowment for Augmented Intelligence within the Academy’s Institute for Future Conflict. The Academy can use distributions from the endowment to hire an AI expert to help with incorporating the subject and use of AI in academic curriculum, military training and athletic performance.
“I feel it has offered tremendous leverage, and it’s a really remarkable technology. But anything that good and that remarkable can be used for good, and it can be
As a lieutenant, Dr. Paul Kaminski '64 tested the first surface-to-air missile technology at Holloman Air Force Base in New Mexico. (Courtesy photo)
equally used to do very bad things,” Dr. Kaminski says.
To ensure graduating cadets are prepared for potential uses of AI in their military assignments, Dr. Kaminski proposes the introduction of assignments on good decision-making connected to AI. He also believes almost every academic discipline at the Academy will need to understand how AI can be or is being used to improve a given field. He suggests that cadets new to AI could use an AI service, with limited sources, to generate a research report. The cadet would then write a paper that documents the process, what was missing from the report, and which offered recommendations would not be useful in a final report. Such a project would focus on critical thinking and understanding the right questions to ask and how to ask them.
Dr. Kaminski likes to illustrate the purpose of the IFC by quoting Wayne Gretzky, who, when asked what made him a great player, once famously answered, “I skate to where the puck is going to be, not where
“My focus in life today is making a difference in our capabilities as a nation, and helping people understand where we’re falling behind in the technology that makes a difference.”
— Dr. Paul Kaminski ’64
it has been.”
“When I looked at our academic program, not only were we not skating to where the puck is, we were skating to where it was several years ago, and we needed to move that all the way up to where the puck is now and where it’s going to be,” Dr. Kaminski says.
Dr. Kaminski sees his new endowment and the work it will fund as one way cadets can participate in AI development and work in internships in industry. He wants to see cadets use and test AI technologies to find what works and what still needs improving. Then, they can send that feedback to developers to help improve the products.
He also wants to leverage his industry connections — he serves on the boards of several technology-focused companies — to create collaboration opportunities. That could include fellowships, internships or on-base opportunities.
Dr. Kaminski realized early in his career
TOP: Dr. Paul Kaminski ’64 received the 2006 National Medal of Technology and Innovation from President George W. Bush. (Courtesy photo)
BOTTOM: The National Aviation Hall of Fame inducted Dr. Paul Kaminski ’64 in 2020. (Courtesy photo)
that these types of interactions would have helped him understand the importance of what he was learning.
“My first-class year I was taking the course in matrix and vector analysis. And I was thinking, ‘Where the hell am I ever going to use vector and matrix analysis in my career?’ Turns out, I used it a lot,” Dr. Kaminski says. “If I had known that, I would have studied a lot more and better than I did. So I wanted to see, could we do something at the Academy to give cadets some appreciation of how this might help them in the future? And that’s what the IFC is doing, and it is doing very well with its fine leadership.”
A LIFE WELL-LIVED
“My focus in life today is making a difference in our capabilities as a nation and helping people understand where we’re falling behind in the technology that makes a difference,” he says. “The objective, I
offsets where we can use fewer people to do missions that adversaries couldn’t do even with more people.”
In fact, Dr. Kaminski has been making a difference in the nation’s defense capabilities his entire career.
After a 20-year Air Force career, he retired as a colonel and started a company — Technology Strategies and Alliances — with William Perry, former undersecretary of Defense for technology, and two others. The investment banking and consulting firm focused on matching smart startup companies with large, established companies to leverage the strengths of each to advance the state of technology.
When Dr. Kaminski’s business partner became the U.S. secretary of Defense in 1994, he asked Dr. Kaminski to be the undersecretary of Defense for acquisition and technology. In that role, he was responsible for all DOD research, development and acquisition programs. He also oversaw logistics, environmental security, international programs, the defense industrial base and military construction.
think, is to get our defense industrial base back into the manufacturing business in a bigger way and keep developing the technology that allows us to do those kinds of
fter he left the Department of Defense, he started Technovation, another company dedicated to fostering innovation and developing business and investment strategies supporting advanced technology in the aerospace and defense sectors. He closed the company at the end of 2024.
r. Kaminski has also offered his expertise to the President’s Intelligence Advisory Board, the FBI Director’s Advisory Board, the DNI Senior Advisory Group, the Senate Select Committee on Intelligence Technical Advisory Board, and as chairman of the Defense Science Board and the National Academies Air Force Studies Board. Among his many honors, he was awarded the National Medal of Technology by President George W. Bush in 2006, and he was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2020.
THE POWER OF AN ACADEMY EDUCATION
Dr. Kaminski is pleased with the early success of the Institute for Future Conflict and
LEFT: Dr. Paul Kaminski ’64 received this ”extraordinary letter” from President Ronald Reagan upon his retirement from active duty.
ABOVE: Dr. Paul Kaminski ’64 stands next to an F-117 Nighthawk at the National Aviation Hall of Fame induction ceremony. He led the team to create the F-117, which combined the three technologies he worked on early in his career. (Courtesy photo)
its excellent leadership to reach across the Academy. He points to the Academy’s potential new minors in future conflict and quantum theory, top secret clearance for cadets and cadet access to a simulated air operations center as positive developments within the program.
Cadets can “solve real problems and solve them at the same time that our leadership is working on those problems to kind of see how we’re doing. It’s a great opportunity to get that exposure,” he says.
He would like to see the creation of war games — squadron against squadron — using the tools available in the IFC and elsewhere. Then, he suggests expanding that and the IFC concept to other service academies.
These and other activities could prepare cadets for the many military applications of augmented intelligence. For example,
Dr. Kaminski foresees many ways AI can be applied during combat: manipulating adversaries’ AI systems so they are not serving their humans well; using the F-47, which will include an autonomous wingman — an AI co-pilot — to control collaborative combat aircraft; and possibly including an autonomous tanker for refueling fighter jets or another system for refueling altogether. The list of possibilities can seem almost endless.
“The chair funded by Dr. Kaminski will not only establish a building block foundation for all our cadets but also will be very closely tied to all the work that will be developed in the Madera Cyber Innovation Center,” says Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Dave Scott ’78, Air Force Academy Foundation liaison to the IFC. “Each cadet will graduate with a much deeper understanding of augmented intelligence, machine learning and how to integrate these capabilities across all domains of warfare. It will prepare these men and women to be much better prepared to prevail in conflict regardless of the form it may take in the future.”
Similarly, as a first lieutenant fresh out graduate school, Dr. Kaminski realized how his education had set him up for great things. He earned masters degrees in electrical engineering and aeronautical and astronautical engineering from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and a doctorate in aeronautical and astronautical engineering from Stanford University.
“I found that I could do more things as a first lieutenant in the Air Force than I would be able to do in 10 years in the average industrial company. I had the opportunity to do major things, to take risks on some things,” he says. “There’s great leverage there, and then also the educational opportunities that came with it, and cadets still have that today.”
When Dr. Kaminski first proposed in 2016 the "big idea" for what became the IFC, he didn’t know how it would develop or if it would be accepted at the Academy. Because of its progress and success, he has continued to offer support through philanthropy and counsel, including through his sustained engagement on the Air Force Academy Foundation board of directors and as chairman of its academic committee.
“If it weren’t for the IFC, I probably wouldn’t be much of a philanthropist,” he says.
Through Dec. 31, 2024, which marked the conclusion of the Defining Our Future comprehensive campaign, 280 donors had contributed $15 million to support the IFC at the Air Force Academy, including Dr. Kaminski’s $5 million endowment.
“We are grateful for Dr. Kaminski’s vision for the IFC and his generous contributions to make it a reality,” says Mark Hille ’97, president and CEO of the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foun-
dation. “The IFC is one of the transformative initiatives made possible by the recently completed Defining Our Future campaign. The IFC has inspired donors to directly support cadets as they prepare for an increasingly complex and dynamic future.”
BELOW: The Madera Cyber Innovation Center benefited from Dr. Paul Kaminski's philanthropy as well. His support of the construction is recognized at the entrance to Cyber City. (Photos by Ryan Hall)
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From the Tilton Hilton to Bell CEO
By David Bitton
Lisa Atherton ’96 remembers clinging to the fifth-level edge of the Tilton Hilton obstacle on Jacks Valley’s infamous confidence course, gripping the platform before flipping her body over the side, trusting that her fellow basic cadets would catch her as she fell. For someone with a severe fear of edges — not heights, but edges — the barrier seemed insurmountable.
“To this day, I remember the fear,” Atherton says. “Sometimes, you’ve got to take the leap and trust that you’ve got a team that’s going to support you on the other side.”
Thirty-three years later, that philosophy of calculated risk-taking and trust propels
Atherton as president and CEO of Bell Textron, an 8,500-employee aerospace company manufacturing and delivering helicopters and vertical lift aircraft to military and commercial customers around the world.
ADAPTING THROUGH ADVERSITY
Atherton’s journey to the C-suite began on Florida basketball courts; the sport created a connection with her father and led to multiple scholarship offers.
A torn knee ligament her senior year of high school threatened to derail those athletic dreams.
“After I tore my ACL, the Academy still pursued me,” she says.
Then-women’s basketball head coach Marti Gasser advocated for Atherton as she underwent ACL reconstruction, but a second tear during her four-degree year for the Falcons ended her playing career.
Atherton focused on academics, changing majors from aerospace engineering to human factors to legal studies.
Today, Atherton continues her connection to the Academy, serving on the Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation board. The role keeps her tied to the institution that shaped her leadership foundation.
“I started off saying I was going to be an astro engineer. It’s probably because that was the first letter [of the alphabet] that came through,” she jokes. “I was going through the human factors engineering curriculum, and then had an experience where I was like, ‘You know, I think I
want to go be a lawyer; join the JAG.’ So, I switched to legal studies.”
The Academy experience taught Atherton lessons that continue to shape her leadership philosophy.
“Those four years forged in me resilience and grit that has allowed me to face things head on,” she reflects. “That time and experience taught me that I can do anything.”
The constant balancing act required at the Academy — academics, military training, athletics and leadership roles — proved invaluable preparation for Atherton’s future.
“Learning those skills early benefited me in my life later on,” she says. For instance, she says the early time-management training she got at USAFA has helped her navigate one of the most persistent challenges facing leaders today: work-life integration.
Atherton rejects the notion of perfect balance. Instead, she advocates for thoughtful integration of professional and personal responsibilities, recognizing that different aspects of life require varying levels of attention at different times.
Her approach emphasizes being fully present wherever duty calls, whether at a child’s T-ball game or during a critical proposal deadline.
“If you stay focused and are present when your kid needs you, or when your spouse needs you, they’re going to give you the grace you need to be present in the workspace.”
MISSION BEYOND UNIFORM
After commissioning, Atherton spent a year at the Academy’s Center for Character and Leadership Development helping create sexual assault awareness and prevention policies.
“We needed to really incent the rest of the Cadet Wing to when they see something, say something, to feel confident in saying, ‘Hey, I don’t agree with some of this,’” she recalls.
The team established a cadet-run hotline providing confidential support, recognizing that victims need comprehensive care beyond just legal recourse.
“Our findings were that you needed to take care of the whole person,” she says. “You needed to get the medical help or psychological help.”
Atherton’s second assignment was as a contracts officer at Langley Air Force Base, Virginia.
She then transitioned to civilian service, working at Air Combat Command’s directorate of requirements for eight years during the critical post-9/11 period, shaping how the Air Force prepared for new combat realities.
Her government contracting experience caught the attention of Textron.
She joined the company’s weapons division in 2006 while pregnant with her son, Hayden.
Her husband stayed at home with their son, enabling Atherton to focus on increasingly demanding roles.
“I was able to come in and help Textron understand how the government budgeted,” she says.
The company took what she calls a “chance” in putting a new mother in a business development role requiring global travel.
“They didn’t have a lot of brand-new mothers running around the world doing business development,” she notes. “They had faith and belief in me, and I’ve been very loyal to them ever since.”
TAKING THE CONTROLS
A chance meeting with Mitch Snyder, an executive at Bell — a subsidiary of Textron — during an Air Force charity ball ultimately led to her transition to Bell’s Fort Worth, Texas-based operations.
Since joining the Textron organization 18 years ago, Atherton has held multiple leadership positions, including her self-described dream job as V-22 Osprey program manager.
She assumed the president and CEO role at Bell in 2023, leading a company that delivers nearly 200 commercial aircraft annually alongside dozens of military airframes.
What does Atherton most enjoy about leading Bell? “The people,” she responds immediately. “We’ve got the best engineers on the planet that are doing rotorcraft, vertical lift, but that then translates to these amazing groups of folks that are out there on the factory floor, taking those ideas and making them real and delivering them out to our customers.”
She says the lifesaving nature of Bell’s mission drives her daily.
“The majority of what helicopters and vertical lift do is go to areas that traditional aircraft can’t get to,” she says. “A car accident that you have to get help to fast, a critical heart transplant, someone lost at sea needing rescue, a military insertion or a rescue out of an embassy.”
She adds, “The things that we do in vertical lift for the people that we support is something that no one else can do. The ability to get the chance to do that and be a part of this network of folks gets me fired up every day.”
depend on Bell’s products.
“They don’t have the time for us to do it wrong,” Atherton says. “They don’t have the time for us to make mistakes. They need those parts. They need those helicopters. They need those vertical tilt rotors. They need them right away, on time, every time.”
But she emphasizes that accountability requires an empathetic balance.
“I also believe in being a servant leader,” she says. “It’s about putting others first.”
She seeks leaders who elevate others.
“I look for the people who are trying to make others successful because I know they’re actually the best leaders in the
her Academy years and subsequent Air Force career.
The Air Force core values remain central to her approach, particularly “Integrity First.”
“It takes a second to lose trust if you don’t hold to your integrity,” she notes.
Bell has adopted a philosophy of “win every day,” which Atherton connects to her Academy experience.
“Whatever that task is, whatever it is that you set out that day to do, whether that is to get to your kid’s baseball game or get your engineering drawings released, or present the briefing out to corporate — whatever that is, crush it that day,” she says.
“And all these little micro wins add up to
LEADERSHIP IN FLIGHT
Atherton’s leadership philosophy centers on accountability and servant leadership.
“I am all about the team,” she says. “My personal philosophy is strongly around accountability and grit. It is strongly around doing what you say you’re going to do.”
This commitment matters because lives
room, because they’re focused on helping others do well,” she says. “And if that’s what they’re doing, others want to work with them. Others want to be on their team.”
She champions trust-based leadership, describing herself as someone who gives trust rather than requiring others to earn it.
This approach reflects values forged during
“My personal philosophy is strongly around accountability and grit.”
— Lisa Atherton ’96
really big wins overall.”
Failures, she says, become learning opportunities through structured reflection.
“Even from when Hayden was a little kid, I would say, ‘What are the three things you did well today, [and] what are three things you didn’t do well today?’” she says. “I do this with my team at the end of ev-
ery year. ‘What are the three ups [and] the three downs of your year? And how do we build on this and how do we correct?’”
VERTICAL LIFT LEGACY
Under Atherton’s leadership, Bell continues to push the boundaries of vertical lift technology.
“We stand on the shoulders of giants,” Atherton says of Bell’s iconic legacy. “The folks that had the crazy idea of beating physics into submission, we’re forever indebted.”
She continues, “I think there’s a metric that says 82% of the missions flown vertically in the Vietnam era were Bell helicopters.”
Many early Academy graduates flew the original Huey — the Bell UH-1 Iroquois — during the Vietnam War, establishing a legacy that continues to this day.
The platform’s endurance is evident in its continued military service.
“The Marines are still flying versions of the Bell Huey family, with letters Yankee and Zulu,” Atherton explains. “We’ve exhausted all the letters.”
These modern variants are the Bell AH1Z Viper and UH-1Y Venom.
For Atherton, the Huey evokes personal Academy memories.
During a survival training exercise her three-degree year at Jacks Valley, cadets vectored the helicopter to landing zones.
“I remember trying to call it in and I think I missed my mark all the time. Right! No, left! I mean right!” Atherton remembers.
Building on decades of rotorcraft excellence, Atherton reports that Bell has set its sights on transforming military aviation with its next-generation tiltrotor technology.
The Bell V-280 Valor represents the company’s most ambitious project, offering the Army an aircraft that flies twice as far and twice as fast as current helicopters.
The Army selected the V-280 Valor as the replacement for its Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk helicopter, finalizing a potential 30year, $100 billion contract in April 2023.
This replacement is part of the Army’s Future Long-Range Assault Aircraft program.
“We are producing six prototype test vehicles with different variations,” Atherton says. “The MV-75 will be used in a variety of ways, from everyday missions to special
operations and medevac missions.”
The MV-75 builds on Bell’s experience with the V-22 Osprey while incorporating revolutionary modular architecture.
“While I believe that the tiltrotor technology is a major game changer, the real game changer of this entire platform is modular, open systems architecture and that really is what sets us apart,” Atherton explains.
The system allows easy integration of new technologies without rewriting millions of lines of code — like having an app store for military aircraft.
Bell’s approach to intellectual property further revolutionizes acquisition.
“The other thing that we’ve been pretty open about is data rights and IP,” Atherton says. “So, when the Army receives it, it is theirs. While I want them to come back through Bell to do work, they own it. From a taxpayer standpoint, that really is the crown jewel, because the government is getting their aircraft, and they don’t have the vendor lock.”
BEYOND THE HORIZON
Looking ahead, Atherton envisions continued evolution in manned-unmanned teaming and autonomous flight.
Bell demonstrated autonomous MV-75 flight in 2019 and continues developing concepts like the V-247 unmanned tiltrotor for future military requirements.
The V-247 is awaiting requirements while partnerships with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency explore high-speed vertical aircraft that transition to jet power mid-flight.
“We’re working with DARPA on some technology that would benefit the Air Force,” she explains. “It’s called our highspeed vertical takeoff and landing. It’s an aircraft that lifts off vertically, transitions into forward flight, and then folds the rotor blades into jet-powered flight. It’s probably a decade or so away.”
“Those were four very challenging years that molded me into the person that I am today,” she says. “And while there are things that I look back and say, ‘Oh, man, that was tough,’ I wouldn’t trade a minute of it because it is what made me who I am.”
The Academy taught her essential leadership lessons — both positive and nega-
tive.
“There are times that I made mistakes in my leadership style that I’m not necessarily proud of,” she admits. “There are things that you reflect on yourself and your character that define who you are. And I think you don’t have to have been perfect through it, but you better have learned through it.”
Atherton continues her connection to the Academy today, serving on the Air Force Academy Athletic Corporation board.
From the Tilton Hilton to the executive suite, Atherton exemplifies how Academy training prepares graduates not only for military service but for leadership that saves lives and shapes industries.
“Put a challenge in front of me,” she says, “and we’ll build the right team and get after it.”
OPPOSITE PAGE: Lisa Atherton ’96 is all smiles in a Bell 505.
ABOVE: Lisa Atherton ’96 shares her vision for 2025 and beyond during Bell's Leadership Summit. (Courtesy photos)
BELL VERTICAL LIFT FACTS
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Photo by Bryan Grossman
E MBEDDED
The inception of enlisted leaders in cadet squadrons
By Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steven A. Simon ’77
The situation seemed almost to be a setup for unsuspecting cadets about to graduate: From the beginning of our time at the U.S. Air Force Academy, we are told we are the “cream of the crop” and “America’s best and brightest,” among other accolades. At graduation, we are made aware that, as soon as we toss our white parade hats into the Falcon Stadium sky, we, as newly commissioned officers, will outrank the vast majority of the individuals in the Air Force and Space Force.
While it may be apocryphal, in my cadet days we would often hear rumors of a newly commissioned Academy graduate making the mistake of chewing out a chief or senior master sergeant. In one tale, a hapless lieutenant subsequently spent his entire first assignment trying to correct mysterious and persistent problems with his pay.
It could be argued that the miscalculation was understandable. In addition to the puffery described above, for many years at the Academy the only interactions cadets had with enlisted personnel were for the most part brief encounters with clerks, bus drivers and the like. We rarely had the opportunity to learn about enlisted airmen’s careers and accomplishments.
As the son of an Air Force master sergeant, I had great respect for the enlisted ranks and knew of their value to the force. Many other new graduates did not have the benefit of that knowledge.
Fortunately, that perilous situation has
changed. Thirty years ago this summer, enlisted leaders were first assigned to the cadet squadrons.
DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT!
The commandant of cadets at the time, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) John Hopper Jr. ’69, oversaw implementation of the program. While he had, of course, gained an appreciation of the enlisted force before assuming the commandant position, he also initially benefited from his family situation as a graduate.
“My dad was a career Army NCO,” he is proud to state.
Gen. Hopper recalls that the idea of adding enlisted representation had been around a long time.
“I would love to take credit for the idea, but there had been discussions well before I became commandant,” he says. “In fact, I can remember discussing with my fellow AOCs in the early ’80s about how nice it would be to have an NCO assigned to every cadet squadron.”
Then-Cadet Kenneth Stoltman ’94 is another individual instrumental in getting enlisted troops more directly involved in cadet life. On Nov. 13, 1992, he sent a letter to the Cadet Wing sergeant major, Chief Master Sgt. Donald Meadows, requesting that NCOs be permanently assigned in each cadet squadron.
Lt. Col. Stoltman, who currently serves in the Reserve in Minneapolis, Minnesota, says his interest in the concept began as an ROTC student at the
University of North Dakota, where he spent two years before gaining admission to the Academy.
“NCOs were all over the place… They were crawling all over our formations and around during various field training exercises,” he says. “I remember what it felt like when they were around. I wanted to impress them. They were tough. I was intimidated, but I knew they were there to help me. I naturally assumed that would be the case when attending USAFA, but it wasn’t.”
“It bothered me from the start,” he admits.
As a two-degree, he served as the Cadet Wing sergeant major. In that position, he worked with and received mentorship from Chief Master Sgt. Meadows and Senior Master Sgt. Mike Byrd. He fondly recalls when Meadows gave him the nickname “Maddog.”
Regular discussions of standards at the Academy brought back to mind Col. Stoltman’s ROTC experiences, and he remembers repeatedly asking the two NCOs, “Why don’t we have more NCOs around here?”
The response: “I don’t know, but why don’t you do something about it?!”
“And that was the start,” he says. “We started discussing what it was going to take to change the institution.”
ROLE MODELS
The lengthy ordeal taught him a lot about the staffing process.
“I had to build and staff a package
with a bullet background paper through the chain of command. Chief Meadows, Senior Byrd and my AOC coached me on how to draft my Air Force career’s first staff summary sheet with a bullet backgrounder on my proposal, concerns, reasons, recommendations and value to the institution — and after 100 reviews,” he quips, “we staffed it to the commandant as per the chain. I also recall accompanying the chief to discuss it with senior leaders.”
On Dec. 7, 1992, then-Commandant of Cadets Brig. Gen. Richard Bethurem ’66 approved the well-received plan, under which NCOs would be tasked to “assist the AOC in all of his/her duties plus provide an NCO role model.”
Coincidentally, while the genesis of this transformation was taking place, the Academy’s most noted enlisted person, Chief Master Sgt. (Ret.) William Coltrin, passed away in Santa Maria, California, on Nov. 26, 1992. (See the sidebar for additional information on this inspi-
rational leader and the important award named in his honor.)
The Academy base newspaper covered the enlisted representation topic on the front page of its July 20, 1995, edition. The Falcon Flyer ’s Senior Airman Steve Horton wrote the article headlined “NCOs join ranks with cadet squadrons.”
The article opens, “A program placing noncommissioned officers in a day-to-day working relationship with cadets kicks off during the fall semester. One NCO military training advisor will be assigned to each cadet squadron to assist the air officer commanding and help cadets learn about the enlisted force and how officers and NCOs interact on a daily basis.”
Senior Master Sgt. Lisa Robinson, 34th Training Group superintendent, said in the article that the MTAs would, in addition to functioning as advisers and role models, develop and conduct training in leadership, management, human relations and other military-related issues. They would also monitor and advise
on drill and ceremonies while assisting in counseling cadets on personal and professional matters.
According to the article, West Point and Annapolis had recently implemented similar programs, and “[t]he other service academies gave the program rave reviews.”
Upon receiving approval to institute the program from then-Chief of Staff of the Air Force Gen. Ronald Fogleman ’63, Academy officials visited West Point to learn about the Military Academy’s program, to include how they “started it and what problems they encountered along the way.”
The Falcon Flyer described the extensive training program that USAFA officials developed to prepare the NCOs for the important new assignment. The preparation began with attendance at the AOC school and briefings from the commandant, dean, athletic director and other senior leaders.
“Each MTA’s training also consists of
Then-Brig. Gen. (Ret.) John Hopper Jr. ’69, (fourth from left), pictured here serving as commandant of cadets, oversaw the implementation of the AMT program. Second from left is then-Superintendent Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Paul Stein ’66. (Courtesy photo)
computer training, the cadet disciplinary system, cadet counseling center programs and referral procedures, the honor system, and cadet financial services,” it says. “And, because the training advisors are required to teach, they are required to attend a [seven- to 10-day] short course at Academic Instructor School for platform instruction training, classroom instructor training and briefing techniques.”
At its inception, the special-duty-assignment positions required “10 years of service and a strong military record.”
‘JUST RIGHT’
While the program was initiated in 1995, it took another year to fully staff the positions. Then-Brig. Gen. Hopper was the commandant of cadets during the transition period.
He opened by giving his credit to his leaders, saying, “This whole thing would not have happened without the support of [Lt. Gen. Paul Stein ’66] and Chief Fogleman.” Gen. Stein served as the superintendent at the time.
He also recognized Robinson as “a key player.”
“Once we got the go-ahead,” he con-
tinued, “the really hard work began, and it ran along two tracks — get the people and train them for the mission. Getting the right people is always tough. We were asking the AF to invest even more in USAFA by assigning our highest performers, completely outside their career fields, to grow the next cadre of leaders. It wasn’t easy and it took some time, but we got it done.”
As to how they determined the proper rank for these NCO positions, he recalls, “It sounds a bit like Goldilocks, but a fastmoving young, enlisted airman could get to staff sergeant and be younger than some of our older cadets. On the other hand, a master sergeant would certainly be older but was also likely to be a key supervisor whose loss could trigger serious mission impacts. That rigorous analysis made tech sergeant ‘juuuust right!’ The reality was we were prepared to take a senior staff sergeant (particularly those that already had a line number to tech) or a brand-new master sergeant while our preference remained tech sergeants.”
The source of these top enlisted leaders was also carefully considered.
“We wanted to pull from across the
force. Some may have thought the right answer was to draw exclusively from our existing force of Lackland TIs [training instructors, who conduct Basic Military Training for the enlisted force], but that was not the case. TI experience/representation was welcome, but our mission was broader,” he says.
In describing the importance of the program, he relates the story of a cadet who had been a Marine Corps lance corporal. After BCT, the cadet had announced that he would be leaving USAFA at Christmas of his first year.
“I wanted to talk to him before he left,” Gen. Hopper says, “and it was well worth it. This young man could not help but compare USAFA BCT to Marine Corps boot camp, and his reception at his first Marine Corps assignment. He never felt a part of the Cadet Wing. His expectation was that the end of BCT would be akin to the end of Marine Corp boot camp where he received his globe and anchor and was welcomed as a Marine. For him, graduation from BCT only meant thousands of cadets there to yell at him. He was unsettled by the additional attention and put off by the personal appearance of
AMTs celebrate last year with then-Superintendent Lt. Gen Richard Clark '86, (fourth from left, top row) in the Arnold Hall Ballroom. Gen. Clark had just been awarded the Order of the Sword, the highest honor enlisted members can bestow. (Courtesy photo)
those administering discipline (he stated our cadets treat their uniforms like ‘Tshirts and flip-flops’). All things not good for the commandant to hear.
“I thought with the introduction of an experienced NCO in each squadron,” Gen. Hopper continues, “we had a real chance to refocus on this idea of a ‘fourclass system’ (remember, three of the four classes identify/wear the rank of enlisted airmen). The key component was having one of our outstanding AF NCOs assigned to each squadron.”
He concludes by returning to the evolution of the program and its role in accomplishing the Academy’s training mission, saying, “It was not simple, but we had Sgt. Robinson and her team of NCOs and officers to sift through every detail. I believe they did a great job. Like me, I’m sure you’ve heard many times over: The strength of the American military is the quality and professionalism of our NCO corps.
“I’m glad we finally took advantage of that quality and professionalism!”
‘BREAKING DOWN BARRIERS’ Gen. (Ret.) Steve Lorenz ’73, who succeeded Gen. Hopper as commandant, agrees.
“I arrived here in August 1996,” Gen. Lorenz says. “We were allowed one enlisted MTA in each cadet squadron. The program made such a positive difference
in the morale of the squadrons and the MTAs were such great role models for all the cadets. It was and is now a great program.”
The Academy base paper revisited the topic in its Sept. 1, 2000, Parents’ Weekend issue. The article, “Cadets catch a glimpse of the enlisted corp” [sic], by Senior Airman Marijon Clarke, confirmed that “[t]he inclusion of military training leaders, enlisted people from a variety of career fields, into the Cadet Wing opened many doors in breaking the barriers between cadets, future second lieutenants and the Air Force’s enlisted force.”
The article related that the enlisted positions had undergone a name change, from military training adviser to military training leader.
“I think the biggest impact the MTLs have had on cadets is breaking down barriers and stereotypes,” then-cadet Jason Willey ’01 was quoted as saying. “MTLs have shown me how qualified people in the enlisted core [sic] are. These are the people I am going to look up to as an officer, especially as a young second lieutenant, for all my help and assistance.”
Five years on, the Hopper-Robinson concept of varied backgrounds was still in effect.
“MTLs come here from around the Air Force, people such as communications specialists, crew chiefs and personnel specialists,” the article stated.
LEFT: It has been 30 years since enlisted personnel began working within cadet squadrons as mentors. (Courtesy photo)
The article quotes Master Sgt. Mike Jewel, saying the MTL-cadet relationship goes both ways.
“I’ve learned from them as much as they’ve learned from me,” Jewel said.
“We teach them what to look for in a good officer and NCO,” said Master Sgt. James Garrett, an original MTA from 1996. “A lot of times the perspectives are different, and that’s not good or bad. This just gives them all the parts of the puzzle, as opposed to one or two views. Before the MTLs were here, I don’t think they had all the pieces they needed to become a good, effective officer.”
A FRONT ROW SEAT
The next major step in the evolution of the program took place with the Agenda for Change, the Air Force-level response to a sexual assault scandal at the Academy in the early 2000s. On Dec. 20, 2004, the Air Force officially created the Academy Military Training NCO career field, along with implementing another name change. That designation strengthened the selection process, ensuring that top individuals filled the positions and confirming that the job would be a valuable step in an NCO’s career progression.
Senior Master Sgt. Mary Martin is the Academy’s special duty manager, Academy military trainer.
“The Agenda for Change did more than rename the program,” she says. “It formalized the role of Academy military trainers, shifting the focus toward character development, leadership and mentorship, and realigned their integration into the cadet chain of command.”
She goes on to say, “Over the years, we’ve also seen more deliberate emphasis on performance standards, initial skills training and talent management processes for incoming AMTs. So, while the foundation existed before, the Agenda for Change marked a pivotal turning point in how we developed and empowered enlisted leaders within the cadet squadrons.”
Another change that has occurred over the three decades is the number of NCOs
assigned to each squadron. Initially, there was one enlisted leader assigned per squadron. It expanded to two, and then budget cuts reduced the number to one NCO per squadron. Martin reports that each squadron again has two AMTs.
Tech Sgt. Chasity Golden, CS-02 AMT, recently gave her impressions of the position.
“Being an AMT is more than a job — it’s a front-row seat to transformation,” she says. “We get to guide cadets through failure, growth and leadership under pressure. Watching them evolve into officers with character and grit reminds me why this role exists and why it still matters decades later.”
Maj. Kristin Montville, CS-09 commander, echoes that sentiment, saying, “The AMTs provide our cadets with a crucial perspective and are the first representatives of our professional enlisted corps to the young Air Force and Space Force officers. My AMTs form the foundation of our squadron and mentor not only our cadets but also me as a first-time commander. They set the example for standards and professionalism and teach our cadets how to be frontline supervisors and followers as well as share their experiences — good and bad — with young officers so our cadets can learn from operational Air Force examples. Since many of our cadets will become pilots, the AMTs also provide a glimpse into the supporting AFSCs that enable our flyers to perform their missions.”
A BENEFIT TO ALL
Chief Master Sgt. Bob Vásquez served in the Air Force for more than three decades and on the Academy’s Center for Character and Leadership Development staff for nearly 20 years. His stature among the cadets he taught ranks right up there with Bill Coltrin’s. He is the only career enlisted person ever recognized as an Honorary AOG Member.
“Every AMT on USAFA has exponentially more warrior experience than the cadets,” he says. “Done correctly, a graduate of the Academy will have the knowledge and wisdom to understand and value the enlisted experience to some degree, based on the exposure to it. We’re
all united by our purpose as warriors, and together, we’re all better.
“The presence of AMTs and other enlisted warriors at USAFA is invaluable,” he continues. “The ultimate purpose of the institution is to develop leaders of character who lead enlisted warriors. Having served on active duty for almost 31 years, I know that the enlisted culture is different than the officer culture. Neither is better than the other. Enlisted folks will say, almost in jest, that they work for a living while the officers take the credit for success. Be that as it may, how enlisted folks, including their families, live and work differs from how commissioned folks do. It just does.
“Shouldn’t leaders know about their followers’ culture, how they do what they do, their vernacular, their professional values, their purpose?” Vásquez asks.
His answer, of course, is an enthusiastic yes, no doubt followed by his catchword, “Heirpower!”
Looking back at the program 30 years on, Col. Stoltman recently shared, “I stayed in touch with Chief Meadows a few years after graduation, and I recall that in one phone call he told me, ‘Maddog, we got some of those NCOs showing up here now because of you.’ At the time, the size of the impact of our work didn’t register. ... At the time, I recall being consumed with being a line pilot, surviving the tempo of the Air Force, and I thought, ‘Yeah, we needed NCOs there, we got ’em there, and that’s how it’s supposed to be.’ But yes, now knowing that the USAFA was changed forever from my small part ... I have never been more humble but proud of being a graduate than now, and I have NCOs to thank for it!”
The Academy’s initiative 30 years ago to add enlisted leadership to cadet squadrons has paid great dividends. Today’s graduates have a more accurate and more complete perspective on the abilities and the importance of the enlisted force in the United States military than those who graduated before the establishment of this monumentally significant program — a shift that has benefited everyone involved.
THE SENIOR MASTER SERGEANT WILLIAM H. COLTRIN LEADERSHIP AWARD
In the history of the Academy, perhaps no enlisted person — or perhaps any person at all — has enjoyed the respect and the affection that William Coltrin earned. Therefore, it is totally appropriate that the annual award for the outstanding AMT is named in his honor.
Coltrin reported to the Academy when it was at Lowry AFB in Denver. He was the Academy’s first wing sergeant major, a position he held from 1958 until 1969.
In his seminal work, The Air Force Academy: An Illustrated History, Col. (Ret.) George Fagan heaps praise on Coltrin. Fagan writes, “Cadets have strong loves and — especially for the officers in positions of authority over them — strong hates. One great exception was Master Sgt. William H. Coltrin, the NCO in charge of cadet ceremonies and parades, formal dances, and balls. Coltrin, who came to the Academy in 1958, soon became the ‘father confessor’ to the whole Cadet Wing. Coltrin seemed to know more about the cadets and the psychology of the cadets than any other person at the Academy. Through Coltrin’s influence , the role of non-commissioned officers was enhanced among the Cadet Wing.”
One example of the esteem with which he was regarded can be found in the dedication page of the 1962 Polaris yearbook, which honors Coltrin. It says, in part, “We looked with admiration at this man’s record in World War II and we glanced with respect at his Silver and Bronze Stars, Purple Heart and Air Force Commendation Medal. But it was his outstanding example as an NCO, his complete embodiment of the spirit of the military professional which caused us to admire him as the personification of the many unnamed service people who make the Air Force Academy a success.
“Because of his example of complete selflessness and dedication to the United States Air Force and the Cadet Wing, the Class of 1962 proudly and respectfully dedicates the 1962 Polaris
to Master Sergeant William Hugh Coltrin.”
While at the Academy, Coltrin oversaw cadet honor guard ceremonies for countless important functions, to include the funerals of presidents John F. Kennedy and Herbert Hoover and Gen. Douglas MacArthur.
The Winter 1992-93 issue of Checkpoints published a Coltrin obituary written by John Flanigan Jr. ’62. Of Coltrin’s time as wing sergeant major, Flanigan wrote , “In those years he belonged to every class, for the Academy was Bill and Bill was the Academy. He was a father to some and uncle to others, a mentor and example to all.”
Flanigan also provided additional details of Coltrin’s World War II exploits.
“Beneath his outward calm were the strength and bravery of a combat warrior,” Flanigan wrote. “A crew from the crippled tank is alive today because, in the forests of Germany, Buck Sergeant William Coltrin assaulted and destroyed an enemy gun position, allowing the crew to escape.”
Coltrin passed away at the age of 79 due to a heart attack. The Checkpoints obituary states that he retired from active duty in 1970 and served as a banker in Colorado Springs for eight years before returning to his roots in Santa Maria, California. Even after the move, he would return to USAFA for class reunions.
The Cadet Wing Awards Guide describes the Senior Master Sergeant William H. Coltrin Leadership Award and the qualifications for the recipient.
“The AMTs are involved in every aspect of a cadet’s life at the Air Force Academy,” it reads. “They are the vital link in the organizational chain of command, responsible for effectively bridging the gap between mission partners and the Cadet Wing, and orchestrating the military, academic, and physical aspects of cadet life. The goal of every AMT is to develop the best possible Air Force officers and leaders of character.
This award annually recognizes the s quadron AMT who has made the most positive impact and contribution toward developing officers and leaders of character.”
The three criteria are “Leadership and Performance,” “Professional Qualities” and “Whole Airman Concept.”
Each year in May, organizers present the award at the conclusion of the academic year. They first presented it in 1997, with Staff Sgt. Randy Hinson from CS-09 as the inaugural recipient. Master Sgt. Humberto Laviera, CS-31, received the award in 2024.
“Being an AMT is as much about mentoring cadets as it is learning from them; it’s an endeavor whose aim is to ‘hold the line’ while showing how to crush obstacles that uncover new potentials for their leadership,” Laviera says.
Listen to the first three seasons of the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation’s premier podcast. Subscribe now! Available at LONGBLUELEADERSHIP.ORG and on all your favorite podcast apps!
AOG welcomes new board directors
The Association of Graduates board of directors welcomed five newly elected directors, two newly appointed directors and the new Class Advisory Senate president at its April 25 meeting.
The new elected directors are Col. (Ret.) Dan Bohlin ’71, Lt. Col. (Ret.)
Denny Merideth ’73, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Robert “Rod” Bishop ’74, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Christopher “Mookie” Walker ’88 and Maj. Alexander Fogassy ’12. The new appointed directors are Gen. (Ret.) David “DT” Thompson ’85 and Maj. Jennifer Walters ’11. The new Class Advisory Senate president, elected in November, is Col. (Ret.) John Cinnamon ’91.
At the April 25 meeting, the board elected Lt. Col. (Ret.) Cathy Almand ’90 as AOG board chair, Dr. Lee Krauth ’72 as vice chair, Christian Evans ’08 as treasurer and Gen. Walker as secretary.
The AOG’s governing board of directors consists of 11 elected directors, four appointed directors and the CAS president. Both elected and appointed directors serve four-year terms.
“I join the rest of the board in sharing my deep appreciation for this opportunity to help guide our Association of Graduates,” Col. Almand says. “As board members from across generations, we may bring different perspectives, but we are bound by our love and respect for our Academy and a duty to serve the Long Blue Line.
“Working alongside our eight newly elected and appointed directors is both an honor and an opportunity — each brings unique insight and talents, and together, we are committed to furthering the mission of our Association and advancing the Academy’s legacy.”
Elected Directors
COL. (RET.) DAN BOHLIN ’71
Col. Bohlin flew the O-2A in South Vietnam and then became a KC-135A copilot, aircraft commander, flight commander/instructor pilot and standardization/evaluation branch chief.
Earning an Olmsted scholarship in 1978, Col. Bohlin studied in France and later earned a Master of Arts in political science. His French language and pilot experience led to air attaché duty in West Africa, flying and reporting on sub-Saharan francophone countries. After a research associate appointment to the Hoover Institution at Stanford University, he became Africa branch chief at Headquarters U.S. Air Force.
While deputy chief, Strategy Division, Col. Bohlin helped craft the conceptual strategic air campaign against Iraq. A French Air War College tour then preceded his assignment to NATO, establishing HQ Baltic Approaches, Denmark, as assistant chief of staff, plans and intelligence and becoming the HQ’s senior U.S. officer. His active duty ended in late 1997 as deputy director, Cooperative Threat Reduction, Office of the Secretary of Defense, and as USAF’s representative on the Olmsted Foundation’s board of directors.
Col. Bohlin then rehabilitated a Wisconsin farm to a nationally recognized tree farm. The state’s governor appointed him to a six-year term on its Board of Veterans Affairs.
LT. COL. (RET.) DENNY MERIDETH ’73
Lt. Col. Merideth has built a career across the U.S. Air Force, farming, the Missouri Legislature, the U.S. State Department, business development and coaching, bringing practical leadership experience across the public and private sectors.
In the Missouri House of Representatives, Col. Merideth served on the budget committee, overseeing a $19 billion budget. He managed financial planning for five businesses, including a new venture launched in January 2025. His executive background includes roles as a U.S. Air Force commander, diplomat, chargé d’affaires and president/managing partner of multiple companies.
Col. Merideth has led successful marketing efforts to grow and promote businesses, combining operational knowledge with outreach strategies.
He has served over a decade as an academy liaison officer and in coordination with service academy presidents and executive alumni through AOG affinity initiatives. He served as head coach of the USAFA rugby team from 2015 to 2022.
Gen. Bishop held seven command tours and two joint command positions, including standing up the service’s largest operations support squadron and leading both a C-17 airlift squadron and a wing to “Best in the Air Force” honors. Gen. Bishop played a pivotal role in Charleston AFB, South Carolina's, record-setting 99%+ departure reliability during a critical C-17 test and deployed seven times as director of mobility forces for U.S. Transportation Command and Air Mobility Command. He has extensive experience in congressional engagement, strategic planning and managing multibillion-dollar budgets at the MAJCOM and combatant command levels.
Gen. Bishop has served on multiple boards of directors, including as chairman of the Air Transport Association board of advisers. He has devoted much of his time to strengthening USAFA’s focus on developing servant-leader warriors. A former Falcon Foundation and Blue and Silver Club member, he remains engaged as a USAF senior mentor and adviser. He is chairman of the board of Stand Together Against Racism and Radicalization in the Services. In 2000, Gen. Bishop received the prestigious O’Malley Award, honoring outstanding wing commander/spouse leadership teams.
GEN. (RET.) CHRISTOPHER “MOOKIE” WALKER ’88
Gen. Walker acted as assistant adjutant general and commander of the West Virginia Air National Guard, consisting of more than 2,100 members and two flying units: the 130th Airlift Wing in Charleston, West Virginia, and the 167th Airlift Wing in Martinsburg, West Virginia.
Gen. Walker’s former federal dual as-
signment was assistant secretary of the Air Force for manpower and reserve affairs, and as the senior military advisor to the secretary of the Air Force Office of Diversity and Inclusion.
Upon graduating from the Academy, Gen. Walker served as a C-130 navigator in tactical airlift squadrons throughout the world, flying combat operations into the Balkans, Iraq and Afghanistan.
In 1997, Gen. Walker left active duty to join the Air National Guard and serve as a C-130H3 evaluator navigator. He has commanded at the squadron, group and joint task force levels. He served as civil aviation adviser to the Iraqi Ministry of Transportation with the Coalition Provisional Authority. He has served as the Air National Guard deputy director of air and space operations. In 2019, he served as dual-status commander of Joint Task Force-World Scout Jamboree.
MAJ. ALEXANDER FOGASSY ’12
Fogassy is currently at the Pentagon, having recently earned his Ph.D. in philosophy at Oxford University as part of the Chief of Staff of the Air Force Captains Prestigious Ph.D. Program.
The CSAF program selected Fogassy while he was stationed at Eielson AFB, Alaska, where he flew and instructed in the F-16 as a member of the 18th Aggressor Squadron. At the Pentagon, Fogassy is on staff within the secretary of the Air Force’s Office of Chief Data and AI, dealing in military AI ethics, as the DAF’s chief responsible AI ethics officer.
At the Academy, he majored in astronautical engineering and minored in Arabic. Upon graduation, he went to pilot training at Vance AFB, Oklahoma, and then afterward to F-16 basic
LT. GEN. (RET.) ROBERT “ROD” BISHOP ’74
course in Tucson, Arizona. His first operational assignment was with the 77th Fighter Squadron, Shaw AFB, South Carolina. Shortly after returning from an Afghanistan deployment in 2017, Fogassy completed Squadron Officer School at Maxwell AFB, Alabama, while enroute to Eielson AFB. In his first year at Oxford, he completed a Master of Studies with a focus in science and religion, and then completed his follow-on Ph.D. in philosophy in summer 2024.
Appointed Directors
GEN. (RET.) DAVID THOMPSON ’85
Prior to retirement in 2024, Gen. Thompson served 38 years in the Air Force and Space Force. He was the vice chief of space operations for the U.S. Space Force, where he assisted the chief of space operations in organizing, training and equipping U.S. and overseas space forces.
A career space officer, he has served in operations, acquisition, research and development, and academia. He has commanded operational space units at the squadron, group and wing levels.
Gen. Thompson earned a Bachelor of Science in astronautical engineering from the Air Force Academy, an master's degree. in aeronautics and astronautics from Purdue University, and an master's degree in national security industrial policy from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He is an Olmsted scholar and graduate of Defense Systems Management College, Air Command and Staff College, and Air War College.
Gen. Thompson continues to serve in advisory, leadership and educational roles.
MAJ. JENNIFER WALTERS ’11
Walters is an active-duty Air Force pilot and Olmsted scholar. From 2020 to 2022, Walters served as lead speechwriter to the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
As a KC-10A instructor pilot, she led aircrew on air refueling, humanitarian and contingency operations across the globe. Walters has deployed four times in support of operations Enduring Freedom, Freedom’s Sentinel, Inherent Resolve and Resolute Support, completing more than 100 combat sorties.
She holds a Master of Philosophy and Ph.D. in policy analysis from the RAND Graduate School. As co-founder of Air Mobility Command’s Reach Athena, Walters developed an organization that continues to identify and address barriers to military readiness today. Through the Language Enabled Airman Program, Walters has maintained fluency in both Russian and French.
Committed to the impact of mentorship, Walters volunteers with Girl Security and Service to School. She is an alumna of the Center for a New American Security's Next Generation National Security Leaders Program and Atlantic Council Millennium Leadership Program while she remains a term member with the Council on Foreign Relations. Walters has served on the AOG board of directors since May 2023.
Class Advisory Senate President
COL. JOHN CINNAMON ’91
Col. Cinnamon graduated from USAFA with a Bachelor of Science in engineering sciences (space systems design). He went on to earn a master’s degree in aerospace engineering (space systems design and control) from the University of Texas at Austin in 1992.
Col. Cinnamon’s distinguished military career included commanding the C-5 Galaxy; teaching astronautical engineering and introductory flight training in the T-3 at the Air Force Academy; serving as a T-38 instructor and evaluator pilot for the U-2 program; and earning a Ph.D. in aeronautical engineering (hypervelocity/hypersonics) from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He also served as operations officer and later commander of a T-1 squadron; attended the Joint Advanced Warfighting School, where he earned a master’s degree in joint campaign planning and strategy; and served as director of plans at the U.S. Strategic Command Center for Combating Weapons of Mass Destruction/Defense Threat Reduction Agency. He later commanded a pilot training operations group and concluded his service as permanent professor and head of the Department of Aeronautics at the U.S. Air Force Academy.
Col. Cinnamon retired as a command pilot with more than 4,800 flight hours in the T-1, T-3, T-37, T-38, T-41, T-53 and C-5 aircraft. He is currently a senior technology portfolio manager for a federally funded research and development center and an instructor pilot on the Boeing 737 for a major U.S. airline.
Moe joins Air Force Academy Foundation board
By Steven Lincoln
Ben Moe ’99 has joined the Air Force Academy Foundation board of directors. The board is the governing body of the Air Force Academy Foundation, a nonprofit that supports the Air Force Academy through philanthropy.
“Ben Moe has proven experience in the investment and finance industries that will benefit the Air Force Academy Foundation,” says Alex Gilbert ’87, chairman of the board. “I look forward to his expertise and counsel as we continue to strengthen the role of philanthropy at the U.S. Air Force Academy.”
Moe is the managing partner at Osceola Capital Management, a lower-middle-market private equity firm. He oversees all aspects of the firm’s investment activities including origination, evaluation and execution of investments. As a member of the investment committee, he serves on the boards of several Osceola portfolio companies, including Forward Solutions, Revelation Pharma, Valor
“I have come to rely on skills and character traits I developed during my own Air Force Academy experience across my entire career.”
— Ben Moe ’99
Exterior Partners and Sightline Services. Moe has completed over 125 merger and acquisition transactions across a wide variety of industries.
“I have come to rely on skills and character traits I developed during my own Air Force Academy experience across my entire career, both inside and outside of the Air Force,” Moe says. “Serving on the Foundation board is a small way to give back for those invaluable experiences, and to look to pay it forward for future classes and generations of cadets.”
Previously, Moe served as CEO of Avesta Asset Management, a private equity firm focused on value-add multifamily real estate investments. Before Avesta, he was the chief finance officer of Advantage Waypoint, an outsourced business services company, where he helped lead the acquisition of 24 businesses before an eventual sale to Apax Partners. Moe also spent six years in the investment banking groups of Bear Stearns and Raymond James and five years as a U.S. Air Force officer and hospital administrator.
Moe earned an MBA from Duke University and a bachelor’s degree in management from the U.S. Air Force Academy. He lives in Tampa, Florida, with his wife and two sons.
Ben Moe ’99 is the newest member of the Air Force Academy Foundation’s board of directors. (Courtesy photo)
ONE DAY. BIG IMPACT.
1Day1USAFA expands donor impact
By Sam Hastings
Supporters of the U.S. Air Force Academy broke records, retained bragging rights and shattered goals on 1Day1USAFA, the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation’s coordinated annual day of giving.
The May 7 fundraising effort provided more than 2,400 donors, including over 1,745 graduates, an opportunity to express their gratitude, pride and passion for their U.S. Air Force Academy.
“1Day1USAFA is a powerful reminder of the Academy community’s shared values,” says Mark Hille ’97, CEO of the Association & Foundation. “This annual day of giving inspires thousands to step forward to demonstrate their common commitment through philanthropic support. Each act of generosity strengthens our Academy and sends an important message: We are part of something bigger.”
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
Marla Booth P’26 chose to give during 1Day1USAFA because of her deep respect for the Academy’s role in developing leaders of character. To her, the Academy represents the highest ideals of service, discipline and dedication — values she believes in and strives to support.
“Giving back to the Academy is a personal gesture of gratitude to honor those who serve and protect our freedoms every day,” she says. “Supporting their growth and leadership development is both a privilege and a responsibility I take seriously.”
By contributing, Booth hopes to empower the next generation of Air Force and Space Force officers, ensuring they have access to the resources, training and education they need to meet the current and future challenges. “It’s an investment in the future of our country and in the young men and women who have chosen to serve it,” she explains.
Booth invests in the Academy because she has seen firsthand how it fosters innovation, leadership and decision-making in cadets. She says these skills are essential for military service and to shape a better world. “Supporting this institution helps ensure that future officers are equipped,” she says. “Donating also honors the legacy of those who have served before and reinforces the values that bind us together as Americans.”
ABOVE: Marla Booth P’26 with her son, Cadet 2nd Class Kyle Marder (Courtesy photo)
A GROWING TRADITION
Each year, 1Day1USAFA gains momentum. This year, donors collectively contributed $4.3 million to Academy causes, far exceeding the $1.5 million fundraising goal and continuing the upward trend from previous years.
1Day1USAFA totals 2022-2025
Now in its fourth year, 1Day1USAFA encourages broad participation, greater generosity and connection, as well as friendly competitions. The anticipation and excitement surrounding 1Day1USAFA were evident in the weeks leading up to the event, with 801 early gifts totaling $1.7 million helping to kick-start the day.
CHALLENGE ACCEPTED
1Day1USAFA’s user-friendly online giving platform streamlined engagement by making giving back easy and fun. The platform debuted in 2024 to positive reception and has since been adopted for nearly all of the Association & Foundation’s online fundraising campaigns benefiting the Academy.
Donors used the website during 1Day1USAFA to designate their gifts to projects ranging from the Institute for Future Conflict (96 donors, over $125,000 raised) to numerous cadet clubs (168 donors, over $61,000 raised).
As supporters contributed, they simultaneously received credit for challenges and boosted leaderboard standings. They could also create their own challenges and matching gift opportunities, helping to drive the fundraising effort to new heights.
CLASS ACTION
Since 1Day1USAFA launched in 2022, class challenges have been a staple. These contests encourage friendly rivalries between classes and fuel graduate excitement about supporting the Academy. This year,
the Association & Foundation offered two classes the opportunity to win the class challenge: the classes raising the most money and rallying the most donors would sponsor an upcoming Cadet Wing morale event.
The Class of 1970 has claimed victory in the 1Day1USAFA class challenge every year. This year, the class fought hard to maintain that distinction. In the end, although the Class of 1968 gave the Class of 1970 a literal run for its money, the Class of 1970 pushed its accomplishments to new heights with 191 donors contributing over $203,000 to win both facets of the challenge.
Class participation, including the Class of 1970’s continued success, was partly due to additional challenges and matching gift opportunities offered by classmates.
2025 graduate challenges:
• NextGen graduates (1995-2024) maximized their impact by collectively raising $120,000 for the Air Force Academy Fund. Upon completing this challenge, the Jerry ’70 and Pam Bruni Fund for Graduate Engagement donated an additional $50,000 to the Air Force Academy Fund.
• Bill Clohan ’70 challenged 155 classmates to make a gift during 1Day1USAFA to help their class beat last year’s turnout. Upon completing the challenge, Clohan donated $10,000 to the Air Force Academy Fund.
• Paul Rossetti ’70 challenged 200 classmates to make a gift during 1Day1USAFA. For participating in this challenge, Rossetti offered to donate $25,000 to the Air Force Academy Fund.
2025 graduate matches:
• Robert McNeal ’77 offered a dollarfor-dollar match up to $16,000 for all gifts made to the Academy Oath Project. This cadet club emphasizes understanding the Oath of Office and enhancing its meaning and significance throughout one's life or service.
• Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steve MacLeod ’91 offered a $500 match for his first 16 classmates who gave $500 to the Air
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
Maj. Julian Gluck ’12 took a different approach to supporting the Academy. Shortly after graduation, he began making recurring gifts to programs that shaped his cadet experience, including the In the Stairwell a cappella group, men’s boxing and the Cadet Summer Research Program.
“Philanthropy and volunteering have always been a big part of my life, whether that's spending time with local charities, giving financial contributions to help different nonprofits or serving on boards and helping organizations strategically,” says Gluck.
More than a decade later, Gluck’s steady contributions continue to make an impact. He appreciates the simplicity of these recurring gifts — he can “set it and forget it” while still participating in other campaigns as he is able. Because his donations align annually with 1Day1USAFA, they count toward the day-of-giving challenges and total.
“As graduates, we can help shape the future of our Academy and the officers and leaders who join our Long Blue Line by giving back, volunteering and showing that our alumni community is dedicated to ensuring future generations have greater opportunities to develop into officers, warriors and leaders of character,” he says. “This is why I continue to give back.”
Gluck has also made a planned estate gift, earning him membership in the Polaris Society. His gift will provide enhancements for Squadron 9 and support the Academy’s Outstanding Cadet in Citizenship Award.
ABOVE: Maj. Julian Gluck ’12 (Courtesy photo)
Force Academy Fund, allowing them to join the Sabre Society at “half price.” He also challenged his class to bring in the most donors of all the 1990s classes. When they succeeded, he contributed an additional $1,100 — bringing his total gift to $9,100.
• Col. (Ret.) Michael Lambert ’70, M.D. offered to match every gift to the Cadet Wing Leadership & Morale Fund made by 1970s graduates, dollar for dollar, up to $15,000.
PARENTAL PRIDE
As graduates and classes vied for the top spot on the leaderboards, energized cadet parents and family members competed in a contest of their own. Since 2023, the Association & Foundation’s parent and relative challenge has driven families to donate in hopes of providing their cadets with a morale-boosting pizza lunch.
Families used social media and other networking tools to work together to make a difference for their cadets. By the end of the day, nearly 400 parents and relatives from all four current cadet classes stepped up to donate. Though family members of the Class of 2028 came close to claiming the top spot, the parents and families of the Class of 2027 continued their two-year winning streak, raising more than $42,000 to support USAFA.
“These competitions get people to think, reflect and contribute,” says Brian Cherry P’27. “I think it’s clever to create a competition to get participation rates up, and that benefits the cadets. Small things, like pizza parties, go a long way.”
POWER IN NUMBERS
More important than the numbers and statistics is the “why” behind 1Day1USAFA. Participants gave because they believe in the Academy’s mission, care about its cadets and trust the Association & Foundation to steward their gifts to truly make an impact.
“We are inspired by our USAFA cadets and feel called to honor the commitment they have made to serve and defend our country,” says Alison Guerard P’28. “Our desire is to contribute where we are able, so they can have all the resources possible to create the leadership opportunities
and experiences they need to be prepared and successful.”
Similar sentiments motivated more than 1,300 donors to give over $504,000 to the Air Force Academy Fund, which provides flexible support for a variety of Academy needs. Another 266 donors contributed nearly $50,000 to the Cadet Wing Leadership & Morale Fund, which directly supports the Cadet Wing through squadron improvements and moraleboosting initiatives.
“It is not an exaggeration to say that every gift, no matter the size, makes a difference,” says Kindra Samons, assistant vice president of annual and class giving at the Association & Foundation. “In just one day, so many stepped forward — graduates, parents and friends — to invest in the Academy and its cadets. That kind of generosity speaks volumes, and it reinforces what makes this place and this community so special.”
LEARN MORE ABOUT 1DAY1USAFA AND ALL SUPPORTED AREAS AT 1DAY1USAFA.ORG
DONOR SPOTLIGHT
Brian and Heather Cherry P ’27 have some military history in their family, but it’s distant enough that they wouldn’t have described themselves as a military family. That changed when their son, Cadet 3rd Class Samuel Cherry, entered the Academy.
The Cherrys quickly recognized that philanthropy has helped provide cadets with many programs, resources and opportunities beyond what is federally funded. As they saw the Academy’s impact on their son, they began to give back through recurring monthly gifts. They also support several programs and causes they care about through one-time donations during campaigns like 1Day1USAFA.
In addition to witnessing their son’s growth and development as a leader, the Cherrys have been personally moved by their Academy experience. The relationships they’ve built and the community they have been graciously welcomed into have made a mark on them.
“I think the community is special,” says Brian Cherry. “The passion and dedication, as well as the core values that are always present, make the Academy a very meaningful place. We've just been inspired by that. We've come to appreciate the broader Academy community and what it represents.”
The Cherrys have maintained a big-picture perspective throughout their journey as cadet parents, focusing their time, talents and resources on the Academy’s mission. Building on that commitment, Brian Cherry recently joined the Air Force Academy Foundation board of directors.
ABOVE FROM LEFT: Brian Cherry and Heather Cherry P ’27 with their son, Cadet 3rd Class Samuel Cherry (Courtesy photo)
THANK YOU FOR SHOWING UP FOR THE LONG BLUE LINE
BECAUSE OF YOU, 1DAY1USAFA 2025 WAS A POWERFUL DEMONSTRATION of what the U.S. Air Force Academy community can achieve together. Your generosity fuels the Academy’s mission and makes a lasting impact on every cadet, graduate and program we support.
Together, we inspired over 2,400 donors to contribute $4.3 million across 166 funds Your gifts will enrich the cadet experience, strengthen future leaders, advance athletics and expand graduate services and opportunities.
Congratulations to our challenge winners: The Class of 1970 won both the donor and dollar class challenges. The Class of 2027 won the cadet parent challenge.
THANK YOU FOR MAKING 1DAY1USAFA 2025 A SUCCESS.
[ My Cool AF/SF Job ]
RANK, NAME AND CLASS YEAR:
CAPT. GORDON MCCULLOH
U.S. SPACE FORCE CLASS OF 2020
MY COOL JOB:
MY CURRENT ROLE:
FLIGHT COMMANDER, CAPABILITIES DEVELOPMENT, 746TH TEST SQUADRON, AIR FORCE MATERIEL COMMAND
Experimental flight test engineer and GPS test director
WHAT MAKES MY JOB SO COOL?
Flight test engineering requires a multidisciplinary skillset that blends aeronautical theory, mission systems integration and operations. My job challenges me daily to understand and evaluate the limits of next-generation technologies that will imminently end up in the hands of the warfighter. I get to solve a wide variety of technical problems in a dynamic, real-time environment, knowing that many results contribute to dominating our near-peer adversaries.
HOW IS MY ROLE IMPACTING THE SPACE FORCE OR THE NATION?
I lead a team of talented engineers and program managers focused on remaining a step ahead of adversarial electromagnetic warfare threats to our joint positioning, navigation and timing capabilities. This includes testing integrated base defense and counter-unmanned aircraft systems for the Army; resilient position, navigation and timing architectures for the Air Force and Space Force; and novel, alternative-PNT options for contested domains. Converting threat intelligence into new test concepts, models and hardware translates to higher
situational awareness and bombs on target.
WHAT ELSE HAVE I BEEN UP TO?
I try to consistently learn outside the scope of my job. Recently, I completed a professional certification in artificial intelligence offered by the Department of the Air Force AI Accelerator that grew my knowledge of software development and reinforcement learning. This helped me to understand the theory behind a flight test I led as a lieutenant at Test Pilot School in support of the DARPA Air Combat Evolution program. My team demonstrated the first basic fighter maneuvers between a human pilot and a live AI agent in separate jets. Beyond personal development, I have been volunteering as a NASA solar system ambassador and taking part in search-and-
rescue activities in southern New Mexico.
OTHER COOL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS
After graduating from USAFA, I continued my education in astronautical engineering at the University of Washington, researching electromagnetic propulsion and plasma physics for efficient on-orbit maneuvering. I then pivoted to aeronautics and attended the USAF Test Pilot School, where I was able to experience the limits of manned flight. To date, I have flown 27 different airframes, including high-performance jet aircraft, rotorcraft and an X-plane.
PREVIOUS PAGE: Capt. Gordon McCulloh '20 at Holloman Air Force Base, New Mexico
LEFT: Capt. Gordon McCulloh '20 inspects the interior of a centrifuge.
ABOVE LEFT: Capt. Gordon McCulloh '20 works on a GPS airborne jammer rack.
ABOVE RIGHT: A high-powered GPS signal jammer (Courtesy photos)
The Medical Mission
Four graduates reimagining patient care through innovation and education
By David Bitton
The Air Force Academy’s influence extends far beyond the cockpit and into health care innovation, as four graduates — among many — demonstrate daily in applying their military precision to pioneering medical advances across diverse specialties. Their Academy training fuels breakthrough pharmaceutical research, transforms analytics into personalized health guidance, shapes tomorrow’s military and civilian physicians, and advances synthetic immune technologies.
Though they have exchanged blue uniforms for lab coats and lecture halls, these graduates are walking proof that the Academy’s impact stretches far beyond traditional service. The values instilled at 7,258 feet now benefit patients through next-generation treatments, reimagined health relationships, medical education excellence and cutting-edge therapies.
As these graduates navigate complex challenges, they showcase how military discipline creates positive ripple effects across health care’s most critical frontiers.
Asixth-grade career day in Bloomfield, Connecticut, set BJ Jones ’85 on a path to the Air Force Academy long before he truly understood what military service entailed.
When a commercial airline pilot visited his classroom, Jones shared his fascination for World War II aircraft like the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-51 Mustang. The pilot offered life-changing guidance: If you truly love aviation, aim for the Air Force Academy.
“Right then, I set my sights on attending the Air Force Academy,” Jones remembers.
Jones majored in human factors engineering at the Academy while developing leadership skills that would shape his future. As squadron commander for CS-40, he led 110 fellow cadets, developing resilience through both success and failure. Between leadership responsibilities, Jones competed on the karate team, ultimately winning his weight class at the Diamond Nationals World Karate Championships.
Though migraine headaches derailed his pilot aspirations, Jones found his technical
JONES ’85
niche at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, Ohio, as a weapon specialist focusing on enemy aircraft helmet-mounted sites during the Cold War era. Later, after earning a master’s degree in industrial engineering from Texas A&M, he worked at Brooks Air Force Base developing AI-enhanced training systems for both Air Force and NASA applications.
Jones’s transition to civilian life began when Bristol Myers Squibb recruited him with rotational assignments and an MBA sponsorship. After completing his Stanford MBA, he spent 12 years at Bristol Myers Squibb, eventually leading marketing for Abilify, a breakthrough treatment for schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.
His pharmaceutical journey took him through leadership positions at Boehringer Ingelheim and back to Bristol Myers Squibb, where he integrated a 3,500-person sales force combining teams from three organizations. Later, as the chief commercial officer at Biohaven Pharmaceuticals, Jones faced perhaps his most daunting challenge.
“We launched right at the start of COVID in March 2020,” Jones says. “Literally, the world was shutting down as we were launching this drug.”
Despite the unprecedented circumstances, the company’s innovative approach prevailed.
“We used Zoom right away to engage people in a meaningful way,” he says. “Not only did we compete well, but we actually won versus AbbVie from a market share standpoint.”
After Pfizer acquired Biohaven, Jones joined NewAmsterdam Pharma in a similar role, where he now leads commercialization efforts for a promising cardiovascular treatment. The company has completed three successful Phase 3 clinical trials for their once-daily oral medication targeting cardiovascular disease.
“Cardiovascular disease is still the No. 1 killer across the globe today, and that death rate is only accelerating,” Jones says. “There’s tremendous unmet need in that space.”
For Jones, the through line from military service to pharmaceutical leadership is clear. The values instilled at the Academy — integrity, service before self, excellence —
aligned perfectly with health care’s mission.
“There’s this mantra we talk about at NewAmsterdam Pharma – ‘speed to patient’ and ‘every day matters,’” Jones says. “We need to do everything we can to get this lifesaving medication into the hands of patients who need it. This gets me excited and jumping out of bed every Monday morning.”
Recently joining the Air Force Academy Foundation board of directors, Jones remains connected to his alma mater and committed to giving back.
“What the Academy has given me is the foundation for who I’ve become,” Jones says. “The people who invested their time and energy into me helped me become the man and leader that I am. Now it’s my turn to seek ways to give back.”
When 9-year-old Mike Ott ’85 first glimpsed the Air Force Academy during a family road trip from Chicago in 1973, something clicked.
“I saw this place and I’m like, ‘I want to go there,’” the retired colonel recalled. That childhood vision became reality through what he describes as “a little charisma and salesmanship,” setting him on a path that would eventually lead to pioneering health care innovation. Today, that same determined spirit drives Col. Ott’s leadership at MOBE, where he is leading a health care revolution
that even seasoned industry veterans did not see coming.
Under Col. Ott’s leadership as CEO, he directs the company’s established health care analytics approach with a radical promise: They’ll make patients healthier while simultaneously cutting costs — and they only get paid if they succeed.
“Nobody in health care does what we do. Nobody,” Col. Ott says, describing MOBE’s distinctive business model. “We take full risk on a hidden population of people that we identify through data analytics and their behaviors in the health care system.”
MOBE analyzes billions of health insurance claims to identify patients who are overutilizing medical services without seeing improvements in their health. The company then engages these individuals with a personalized approach, connecting them with pharmacists, dietitians and other health care professionals who guide them toward better health management.
What makes MOBE’s approach revolutionary is its payment model. Unlike traditional health care businesses, MOBE is paid only when patients improve and costs decrease. This accountabilityfocused model has proven successful. MOBE consistently reduces health care spending by 6-8% for its target population, while supporting better outcomes.
The 300-employee company has analyzed more than 12 billion claims in its
OTT ’85
nine-year history, building a treasure trove of health care insights. This data powers their ability to identify and help patients who might otherwise fall through the cracks of the vast health care system.
Col. Ott brings a wealth of experience to his role at MOBE.
After six and a half years in Air Force acquisitions at Hanscom Air Force Base, Massachusetts — where he earned his MBA from Boston College — Col. Ott transitioned to Wall Street. His career path took him through investment banking and wealth management at U.S. Bank, and eventually to UnitedHealth Group before joining MOBE.
Academy values remain central to his leadership philosophy.
“The core values are embedded in who I am and how I operate,” he says. “As a leader, it’s more than words; it’s through your behavior, and it’s what you don’t allow to happen that really personifies your leadership style.”
MOBE’s philosophy centers on helping people build new relationships with their own health through four core tenets: Eat, sleep, move and smile. Unlike traditional coaching, MOBE’s approach is about guidance.
“A coach is going to tell you what to do; a guide is going to suggest and help you get to that next moment based on understanding who you are, what motivates you,” Col. Ott says.
As health care continues to face challenges of provider shortages and fragmented care, MOBE’s human-first, data-driven approach offers a promising path forward. For Col. Ott, the impact extends far beyond business metrics.
“The stories and testimonials that we hear around people’s lives that we’ve been able to change by building this new trusted relationship is really quite astounding,” Col. Ott says. “I love the challenge. I love being different. And when you look at the intersection of us helping people get healthier and taking spending out of the system, that’s insane. And we empirically know we do that.”
When her high school AP U.S. History teacher held up the front page of the local Fort Lauderdale Sun Sentinel with a photo of
a school alumnus and Annapolis grad accepted to NASA’s astronaut program, it sparked a path that eventually led Col. (Ret.) April Fitzgerald ’87, M.D., to USAFA, Chicago, Harvard, the Pentagon and the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine.
“My teacher told us, ‘This is what success looks like,’” she recalled. “Until that moment, I had never considered the academies.”
Raised in a city she describes as “not the bedrock of morality,” Col. Fitzgerald was drawn to the Academy’s structure and values. Though she says she was initially captivated by the Naval Academy, her father’s Air Force Reserve service influenced her choice.
As an electrical engineering major, Col. Fitzgerald devoted herself to academics.
“I was from a lively hometown, so I viewed time at the Academy to be for serious study and hard work,” she explains.
The Academy environment proved transformational.
“Every year I was there, I felt like I was becoming a better person, more grounded and more ethically based,” she says. After graduation, she worked on the Milstar terminal program at Hanscom AFB while completing pre-med courses at Harvard. She met and married her husband, Mark Fitzgerald ’87. Together, they transitioned to the Reserve Corps and matriculated at the University of Chicago, Mark for a J.D./MBA and April for an M.D. They re-
turned to Boston for her residency in internal medicine at Harvard Medical School’s Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, and Dr. Fitzgerald accepted her first academic position at Massachusetts General. Sept. 11, 2001, changed everything.
“I got a phone call from Headquarters Reserve asking general questions about how I was doing, and I told them, ‘Great, I have a newborn,’” Dr. Fitzgerald recalls. “They said, ‘Wonderful’ and read me the script activating me to the Pentagon.” Later, she learned Headquarters Reserve had called about a dozen other physicians before her, but others gave reasons not to be activated. “Maybe it’s the Academy grad in me, but saying ‘no’ to that call was unthinkable.”
She served for a year at the Pentagon as the only activated Reserve physician, treating service members with a range of 9-11-related issues from airway reactivity to PTSD.
Today, as a faculty member at Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Dr. Fitzgerald transforms medical education with leadership principles from her military experience.
“When I started at Hopkins, my academy background stood out, and they asked me to create a leadership curriculum,” she explains.
What began as a course for medical students evolved into a national curriculum
FITZGERALD ’87
for medical faculty.
“Leadership is something you teach because it’s important, even though the metrics are incredibly difficult to measure,” says Dr. Fitzgerald, an Air Force Academy Foundation board director.
Looking to medicine’s future, Dr. Fitzgerald sees more targeted treatments: “More precision and less collateral damage, if we put it in military terms.”
Now decades removed from that pivotal moment in history class, Dr. Fitzgerald credits her successes to what she learned at the Academy and on active duty.
“There’s not a day, not a patient, not a student, not an interaction where the Air Force core values don’t come into what I do,” Dr. Fitzgerald says. “Integrity, service, excellence — they aren’t just words; they’re the foundation that enables us to face any challenge, in any field, at any time.”
Raised by an Army aviator father who flew dangerous missions across the East German border, Joshua “Scotch” McClure ’96 grew up immersed in Cold War narratives.
man of Maxwell Biosciences. “I saw the West’s culture as something beautiful that should be protected. I wanted to serve in some capacity.”
At the Academy, McClure discovered profound lessons that shaped his entrepreneurial journey.
“I learned so much about leadership and integrity and the difference between being a manager, a supervisor and a leader,” McClure explains.
After five years working in intelligence and project management, McClure entered the private sector with remarkable early success in the dot-com era, followed by a humbling failure.
“I thought I was an absolute genius in business and put all my winnings into my next company, which failed completely,” he says.
After consulting with an attorney, McClure chose to pay his debts rather than declare bankruptcy.
“I learned some valuable lessons and knew I had what it takes to succeed,” he says.
After rebuilding and selling a success-
“I grew up only knowing the Cold War, idolizing my dad as a hero in that battle,” says McClure, now CEO and chair-
ful commercial real estate AI company, McClure founded Maxwell Biosciences about 10 years ago when his father and
daughter faced serious health challenges.
The company develops Claromers, synthetic small molecules that mimic and improve upon the natural immune system.
“I felt called spiritually to this space,” McClure says. “It brought together the dot-com side, the hardware side, and then AI — applying all that to biophysics and biotechnology.”
Today, McClure’s team is developing cutting-edge treatments and AI-integrated medical devices that will form personal relationships with patients.
“Everything should be AI-first. Whatever project you’re working on should start with AI,” he says. “To the degree that you know how to interface with AI is the degree to which you will be successful going forward.”
The Academy’s core values continue to guide McClure’s approach to business leadership, particularly regarding integrity — a concept he admits took years to fully understand.
“I did not understand what integrity was when I was at the Academy. What I heard when they said integrity was honesty,” McClure says. “It was only later I realized that integrity is literally your ability to bear a load. How aligned are your body, mind and soul? Is what you’re doing in private the same as what you’re saying in public? Integrity generates respect. It’s a respect engine.”
Looking toward the future of medicine and longevity, McClure is optimistic, stating modern humans can easily expect to live past 100, by decades even, he says.
Standing at the intersection of military discipline and scientific innovation, McClure believes the Academy’s emphasis on integrity has prepared him to navigate the complex ethical questions that arise in biotechnology.
“There are written rules and unwritten rules in life,” McClure says. “You have to be intelligent enough to navigate the written rules but wise enough to figure out what the unwritten rules even are. The true power lies in finding others who understand those unwritten rules and leveraging them to do good for our country and humanity. That’s what the Academy taught me, and that’s what guides Maxwell Biosciences every day.”
Some dream of winning the Super Bowl and jetting off to Walt Disney World. Jemal Singleton ’99, on the other hand, leaves the impression he’d rather return to the U.S. Air Force Academy.
It’s not that the National Football League-champion Philadelphia Eagles running backs and assistant head coach equates the two — he says the Academy challenged him unlike any amusement park could — but his passion for his alma mater runs that deep.
In April, the Checkpoints team traveled to Philadelphia to visit with Singleton for this feature story and a Long Blue Leadership podcast interview. Singleton also took time from his busy schedule to meet with graduates for a Long Blue Line Social in the City of Brotherly Love.
“The fact that the school that I love wants to see what I’m up to and congratulate me — the support that I’ve had from the Academy over the years has been unbelievable. I feel like I’ve invested so much as a student, as an officer, as a coach, directly to that place. Now I’m a recruiter. I’m a recruiter for the Air Force Academy nonstop. I’m sitting where I’m sitting now at a pretty
EAGLES PEAK
Jemal Singleton ’99 soars in rarified air — and has the Super Bowl ring to prove it
By Bryan Grossman
great place in a great city. … It all goes back to some of those lessons that I learned at the Academy.”
DIFFERENT WORLDS
Singleton, while growing up, got a taste of military life thanks to his father — a Louisiana native who enlisted in the Air Force and made a career as a “diddy-bopper,” or Morse code specialist. Singleton’s father was stationed in Incirlik, Turkey, when Singleton was born. His English mother insisted Singleton have a Turkish name — hence the “e” in “Jemal” — and that he grow up with more interests than football alone.
“Talk about two ends of the spectrum,” he says of his adolescence. “My father was from Baton Rouge, kind of [a] rough upbringing. And my mother was this posh British lady from England who, to be honest, I never saw wear tennis shoes. I never saw her wear a pair of jeans, only skirts and heels and dresses. … Some of the things that I learned from my father growing up were street smarts, how to conduct yourself. And then some of the things that I learned from my mother, like etiquette training, I got before I got to the Academy.”
Jemal Singleton ’99 holds the Lombardi Trophy. The Philadelphia Eagles are the Super Bowl LIX champions. (Photo by Ryan Hall)
Singleton says being the perpetual new kid, along with his diverse upbringing, refined his social skills and allowed him to fit in in a variety of situations, benefiting him as he progressed through his coaching career.
“I can fit in and feel comfortable in a lot of different settings. When I was on the recruiting trail coaching, I could go to a school in the South or I could go to [an] affluent school somewhere up North,” he says. “I can meet people on their level, in their area, however I need to be, and I think that’s definitely helped me connect with others.”
Graduating from high school in San Antonio, Texas, Singleton played linebacker. Prior to entering the Academy, he attended the USAFA Prep School, where he says he began to forge his leadership skills.
“I was a team captain in high school, but I never led away from my sport. The Prep School was really my first opportunity, and I learned a tremendous amount about leading your peers,” Singleton says.
He admits that he knew little to nothing about USAFA before attending the Prep School.
“I had good grades in high school and got a recruiting letter from the Air Force Academy,” he says. “And as crazy as this sounds, my dad was enlisted for 20 years, and I didn’t know the Air Force Academy existed. I didn’t know they had a football team, which is crazy, but that’s the truth.
The more I learned about it, it was like, ‘Oh my gosh, this is an amazing opportunity.’”
He says the athletic and military training components came easily, but admits academics were a struggle.
“I had my priorities a little skewed,” he says. “So, that was a really good lesson for me, failing academically and having to buckle it up a little bit and change my ways.
“But all of those pieces — the intertwining of athletics, military training — were awesome. You talk about a place that is setting you up for success.”
Singleton says the Academy provided him with opportunities no other college student outside of a military academy receives, from basic training to leading his flight, from flying gliders to jumping out of airplanes.
“I did everything as a cadet in order to do the things that my buddies who went to other schools weren’t doing right then,” he says. “On top of that, I was playing college football.”
FROM CHALLENGER TO CHAMP
Singleton doesn’t remember the first time he picked up a football, but he says one was always close by. He recalls running around his family’s large living room as a young child in San Antonio, pigskin in hand, while his older brother by eight years chased him.
“Football’s kind of always been there,” he says, adding he started playing tackle football at 7 years old and found athletics to be the best way to connect with his peers. And the passion he found for the game only grew.
As a Falcon running back and specialteams member, Singleton competed at the highest level of collegiate football — a dream come true. But he did face challenges.
He recounts a particularly heartbreaking moment as a cadet-athlete:
It’s a Thursday night during Singleton’s three-degree year and the Falcons are taking on Colorado State University at the Academy. The intrastate rivalry is being broadcast on ESPN.
“I’m leading the nation in kickoff return yards,” Singleton recalls. “There’s this hype about Singleton returning kicks and all this. No. 1; I’m the best in the nation, right?”
The Falcons, on track to win the Western Athletic Conference, placed him in the end zone to return a kickoff.
“I should have taken a knee,” he says. “I was a bit deep, and I should have stayed in the end zone, but I brought the ball out and fumbled. And then I had another play on the sideline before halftime and I fumbled, so I have two fumbles in the same game.”
A devastated Singleton knew his errors cost the team the conference championship.
“That happened early in my career, and really that’s when my mindset changed,” he says. “You can get caught up in the hype, people telling you how good you are. … I
was a young, naive, selfish player who did some things in my self-interest and didn’t have the team’s interest at heart.”
Growing stronger from the experience, Singleton says that scar tissue has presented teaching opportunities for players he now leads. The walls of the NovaCare Complex, the Eagles’ training facility, are covered in posters demonstrating proper ways to secure the football, with the nomenclature for each.
“Hopefully they don’t have to experience that same pain,” he says.
But that pain was relatively shortlived. During Singleton’s firstie year, the Falcons earned division and conference championships and went on to win the Oahu Bowl, ending the season with a 12-1 record. The 1998 team was recently inducted into the school’s Athletics Hall of Fame.
“To be on a team to go down as one of the best that has ever played at the Air Force Academy was awesome,” he says. “And to be a team captain was amazing.”
FULL-CIRCLE MOMENT
As for his subsequent coaching career, Singleton “got lucky,” he says.
In 2000, Fisher DeBerry, the legendary Falcons head coach, picked Singleton and seven other lieutenants to help lead the Prep School’s team for a year. The young officer was hooked.
Though initially interested in flying the A-10 Thunderbolt II, Singleton later realized the 10-year service commitment could prevent him from ever coaching football. He earned a degree in social sciences and spent a few years as a public affairs officer. But the gridiron was his calling.
“I fell in love with it,” he says. “We used to joke that we were the highest paid graduate assistants because we were lieutenants.”
Singleton had begun introductory flight training but decided to give up his pilot slot and pursue a career in football. He returned to the Academy in 2003 as the executive officer for the athletic director and, after just a few months in that position, DeBerry requested that Singleton be reassigned to work with him as a military coach from 2003 to 2006.
In January 2006, Singleton took the
USAFA running backs coach job and separated from the Air Force that summer.
“So really kind of a full-circle moment — the guy I played for was also the guy who gave me my first job in the coaching profession,” he says. “I’m so thankful for [DeBerry], the things he did for me as a player, the things he did for me afterward, the text messages that I still get to this day from him and the conversations we have.”
Singleton coached the Falcons as a civilian from 2006 until 2011 and then left for a job with Oklahoma State University. The University of Arkansas came calling next and recruited Singleton as its running backs coach and special teams coordinator.
Coaching opportunities with the NFL soon followed. Beginning in 2016, Singleton helped lead the Indianapolis Colts, the then-Oakland Raiders and the Cincinnati Bengals before ending up in his current position with the Eagles.
“I’ve been here now going on my fifth season; the longest tenure I’ve had with an NFL team has been here with the Eagles,” he says.
He adds that, without a doubt, the last year has been his favorite as a football coach.
On Feb. 9, the Eagles, in the team’s second Super Bowl appearance with Singleton in a coaching position, defeated the Kansas City Chiefs 40-22 (the Chiefs defeated the Eagles 38-35 in Super Bowl LVII two years ago).
“You go from losing a Super Bowl, which is ultimately probably the most pain I’ve had in my career,” he says, “to winning a Super Bowl, which is one of the most joyful things that I’ve had in my career. We’ve experienced both ends of the spectrum — I kind of like winning.”
He adds, “Very rarely in the NFL do you have the opportunity to sit back and go, ‘Man, we just won,’ because [the games are] all close. Well, that one wasn’t close. In the fourth quarter, we’ve got our backups in and it’s like, ‘Oh my goodness, we’re going to win the Super Bowl!’ It was an amazing moment.”
Singleton says, “Once you’ve experienced the pinnacle — oh my goodness! I want it to be that way all the time.”
And the moment was made all the sweeter thanks to the Eagles fan base.
“Philly, to me, is unbelievable,” he says. “The fans are passionate. Yeah, this is a tough place to coach; this is a tough place to play if you’re not winning. I think the standards here are set extremely high, and they should be. … This is a fan base that will travel, that will support you, that will let you know when things aren’t going well. I’ll never forget my first year here getting booed in the preseason. … But I love Philly; it’s a great city.”
Singleton plans to be back with the Eagles for the 2025-26 NFL season, and is looking to bring home the Lombardi Trophy two years in a row.
And beyond that?
“I mean, obviously, an opportunity to run a program, whether collegiate or at the NFL level, would be cool; it would be a true test of leadership,” he says. “Friends
tell me they’re going to make me be a pastor after my career. The jobs are similar — a couple of pastor friends joke that we’re the same. “People think the only day we work is Sundays.
“So, we’ll see,” he says. “I don’t want to do anything else but what I’m doing right now.”
Editor’s note: Hear more about Jemal Singleton ’99 and the Philadelphia Eagles’ record-breaking season on the Long Blue Leadership podcast. Scan the QR code and listen today!
(Courtesy photos)
REUNIONS
REUNION WEEKENDS
SEPTEMBER 13
CLASS OF 1965
SEPTEMBER 20
CLASSES OF 1960, 1970, 1980, 1985, 2005
SEPTEMBER 27
CLASSES OF 1990, 1995, 2000, 2015
OCTOBER 4
CLASS OF 1972
NOVEMBER 1
CLASS OF 1975
WELCOME BACK TO USAFA!
This year, 12 classes will reconnect at USAFA. The Association & Foundation welcomes approximately 5,000 graduates and their guests for annual class reunions. It’s an exciting time to celebrate USAFA graduates as they catch up on the great things taking place at their alma mater. Watch for upcoming reunion details and make your plans to attend. We can’t wait to see you! FOR UPDATES, SCAN THE QR CODE OR VISIT USAFA.ORG/ CONNECT/REUNIONS
John Martinson ’70 and Col. (Ret.)
Randy Helms ’79 have supported the U.S. Air Force Academy in many ways since they commissioned as second lieutenants. In April, the Academy recognized them both with the Distinguished Service Award, which honors individuals or groups who have contributed significantly and directly to the morale or well-being of the Academy.
At a ceremony on April 24, Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91, superintendent, praised both graduates for being great exemplars in giving back to their teams, their units and their nation.
“Each of you is an inspiration to all of us. I am speaking on behalf of the institution, the entire permanent party, and the 4,162 cadets that represent four decades of national security leadership that we’re developing, and all that you have done to make sure that we’re ready on Day 1,” Gen. Bauernfeind said.
JOHN MARTINSON ’70
Martinson is a decorated veteran and venture capitalist. He flew over 500 combat missions in Vietnam and earned the Distinguished Flying Cross for his service. Recognized as one of the Top 50 U.S. Donors by the Chronicle of Philanthropy, he supports more than 10 universities and colleges, including his alma mater. In 2022, he made a $10 million gift to transform the Academy Scholars Program into the
Honoring service before self
John Martinson ’70 and Col. (Ret.) Randy Helms ’79 receive the Distinguished Service Award
Martinson Honors Program. It is the largest gift supporting academics in Academy history. The program has served more than 250 cadets since it expanded, impacted recruiting for high-achieving students and influenced curriculum updates across the Academy.
“I got interested in honors about seven or eight years ago. I didn’t even know we had [an honors program] at my alma mater. That’s because it was in the basement and a kind of secret society of scholars,” Martinson said. “I thought we should uplift that … and make it a focal point out of our academic program and help further extend the greatness of our academics here. And we’ve already far exceeded that.”
Martinson has also played pivotal roles in reopening the Academy’s Planetarium and STEM Center and assisting with innovative teaching methods through the Martinson Academic Innovation Fund.
He serves on the board of directors for the Air Force Academy Foundation and was named a 2005 Distinguished Graduate.
COL. (RET.) RANDY HELMS ’79
Col. Helms served more than 29 years as an Air Force officer and pilot. His career included commanding a distinguished visitor flying squadron and a strategic airlift operations group. He also held three key Pentagon assignments and served as chief of staff of National Defense University and dean of students at the Industrial College of the Armed Forces.
After retiring from the Air Force, he worked at the Air Force Academy
Foundation as a fundraiser, class giving officer and the first campaign director for the recently completed Defining Our Future comprehensive campaign.
He also served as president of the Association of Graduates Class Advisory Senate and as a longtime leader of his Class of 1979. He co-chaired the Class of 1979 reunion gift committee, which raised $1.78 million for the Spirit 03 Memorial and the Madera Cyber Innovation Center. The memorial was the first class gift addition to the USAFA Honor Court.
A former member and president of the Colorado Springs city council, Col. Helms advocated for Academy priorities, including leading city support for the bond extension for the new Hosmer Visitor Center.
“We must remember it is about our cadets,” Col. Helms said. “Cadets learn to volunteer and serve by observing us. They observe how we act, what we do. My family and I are better people for having been allowed to participate and volunteer in all these activities. And I think all of us want to be part of something that’s larger than ourselves.”
Col. Helms served as an air officer commanding at USAFA, and he and his wife, Donna, have sponsored nine cadets.
The Academy has honored 26 individuals and groups with the Distinguished Service Award since it was established in 1999.
Editor’s note: Hear more from Martinson and Col. Helms on the Air Force Gradcast podcast at airforcegradcast.podbean.com. Watch and listen to the May edition at airforcegradcast.podbean.com.
B y Steven Lincoln
From left: Col. (Ret.) Randy Helms '79, Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind '91 and John Martinson '70 (Photo by Ted Robertson)
CELEBRATE THE SABRE SOCIETY’S 30TH ANNIVERSARY WITH US!
As an Air Force Academy Fund donor, you provide the U.S. Air Force Academy with crucial, flexible funding to help develop warfighters to win, leaders of character and quality, and critical thinkers to adapt. Your generosity reaches all generations of Academy cadets and graduates, especially during the moments that matter.
• BEFORE THE ACADEMY – Donor support helps appointees and their families get connected and oriented at the Academy.
• AT THE ACADEMY – Future officers experience USAFA’s heritage and traditions, prepare for future conflict and become leaders of character.
• FIRST YEARS POST-GRADUATION – Recent graduates have access to no-cost Association membership, first assignment ambassadors, young alumni programs, networking events and career support.
• LIFE AS A GRADUATE – Graduates of all ages can stay engaged through chapters, affinity groups, Checkpoints magazine, networking events, reunions, and transition and next-of-kin support.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR ENDURING COMMITMENT!
The Caribou crossing
ONE PILOT RECOUNTS AN EVENTFUL TRANS-PACIFIC C-7 FLIGHT
By Lt. Col. (Ret.) Steven A. Simon ’77
The most compelling aviation stories often involve flying in dangerous combat situations, with enemy forces working to stymie accomplishment of the mission at hand. Col. (Ret.) Darrel Whitcomb ’69 has plenty of those harrowing tales from his time in Southeast Asia, to include crash-landing an O-1 after his engine was shot out by small caliber ground fire.
One of his accounts, however, does not involve combat. In fact, it occurred in 1971 while flying away from a war zone in a de Havilland C-7 Caribou.
The C-7 is a small twin-engine cargo aircraft that was used to provide intra-country airlift support for allied ground forces. Its capabilities included flying in and out of areas on short, unimproved airstrips. It was then-1st Lt. Whitcomb’s first aircraft after completing pilot training.
HEADING WEST
Seventeen months out from his Academy graduation, Col. Whitcomb completed specialized C-7 training and headed to Vietnam.
“We departed on a charter DC-8 in
the early evening of Nov. 12 and headed west,” he says. “That was a Thursday, and I recall one of the crewmembers making an announcement and explaining that we would be crossing the International Date Line at about midnight local time, which meant that we would jump from 12 to 14 November, skipping Friday the 13th. We all — soldiers, sailors, airmen and Marines — took that as a good omen for our combat tours.”
Col. Whitcomb was assigned to the 537th Tactical Airlift Squadron at Phu Cat, South Vietnam. He completed his copilot qualification ride exactly one month later and was officially a combat pilot. For the ensuing eight months, he flew constantly and was upgraded to aircraft commander and instructor pilot.
By the following summer, however, the Air Force reduced C-7 operations, inactivated his squadron and planned to return 30 C-7s to the United States in two groups of 15 aircraft. They designated 1st Lt. Whitcomb and his crew as No. 15 in the first wave — the “tail-end Charlie.”
The crews prepared extensively for the long journey, to include inspections and
modifications made to the aircraft.
“Additionally,” Col. Whitcomb reminisces, “we used these preparation flights to give our flight mechanics some yoke time. Officially, we were not supposed to do this. But, the C-7 did not have an auto pilot, and some of the potential legs that we would be flying could take up to 15 hours flying time. So, we needed a ‘third’ pilot to deal with flight fatigue.”
The mission would be broken into six legs, ending at McClellan AFB, Sacramento, California. Among the factors discussed in pre-flight briefing were “possible divert airbases and airports, expected weather, potential in-route support from U.S. Navy ships, and potential escort by U. S. Air Force rescue HC-130s,” Col. Whitcomb recalls.
He said that the lieutenant colonel who briefed the 15 crews in the first gaggle told them they would not fly in close formation. When Col. Whitcomb asked for more specifics, he was told to “just make sure that we were still in the same time zone.”
The group launched Sept. 14 from Cam Rahn Bay, bound for Clark Air Base in the Philippines. Follow-on legs took them to Andersen AFB, Guam; Wake Island;
The final leg to the mainland required at least a 10-knot tailwind to meet fuel requirements. The weather forecasters told the C-7 group that it would be two weeks before the winds would be favorable, so Whitcomb and the others took advantage of the situation and “quickly morphed into tourists.”
However, Mother Nature had other plans and a day later, amid a “homecoming party,” the crews were abruptly notified at 8 p.m. that the winds were sufficient. Assisted by tailwinds into the West Coast, they would launch the following day and complete the sixth leg to California.
‘POINT OF NO RETURN’
Col. Whitcomb remembers the flight briefing: “What they laid out for us was very sobering. We were surely looking at a flight of 16 hours, over half of it at night across the north Pacific.”
He continues: “The weather briefers explained that in-route temperatures were forecast to be near freezing. This was a concern because the C-7 could not be pressurized and got cold very quickly. The aircraft did have a cabin heater. But they had all been deactivated because it never got that cold in Vietnam and all of the necessary
heater components were in a warehouse somewhere in California. All that we had was summer flight suits and clothes. Additionally, we were forecast to be in and out of clouds with the possibility of some aircraft icing. Well, the C-7s were equipped with deicing boots along the leading edge of the wings. But, since it never got cold enough in Vietnam for icing, those systems were deactivated, too.”
With the short-notice departure, the crew members were not as fresh as they might have been, admitting to having done a bit of partying the night before.
Nevertheless, they took off from Hickam AFB at 2 p.m. on Sept. 27, heading east to California. Maintenance issues had reduced the gaggle to 11 aircraft.
“The deep darkness of the north Pacific enveloped us, and we turned on our internal red lights to facilitate our night vision and external lights so we could visually stay separated from the other Caribous,” Col. Whitcomb recalls. “We began to encounter clouds, and everybody turned on their landing lights. Several crews noticed that we would ice up in the clouds. With our deicing systems inactivated, all we could do was try to avoid the clouds as best we could. Our aircraft were quickly cold soaked, and we could feel that down deep. We all put on extra clothes, but it was not enough.”
As they approached the planned “point of no return,” at which they had to have
sufficient fuel to continue, Col. Whitcomb realized they were low on gas and would be cutting it very close. With his two crew members’ support, he decided to continue with the mission, rather than make the long trek back to Hawaii by themselves.
Shortly thereafter, Mother Nature changed the plan, and they were informed that the expected tailwinds had turned into headwinds. After calculating their range under these circumstances and discussing it with the other C-7 crews, Col. Whitcomb remembers, “several of us reported that we would not make the coast, much less McClellan AFB, which was 75 miles inland.”
“There we were, headed east and running out of gas, bravado, and ideas,” Col. Whitcomb says.
A WELCOME SIGHT
Fortunately, they caught a break: approval to land at Hamilton AFB, just north of San Francisco Bay. Col. Whitcomb picks up the tale from there.
“As the periodic fuel checks were conducted, our fuel was always the lowest. Several crews were now discussing jettisoning items out of the aircraft to reduce weight,” he says. “All had their maps out and were scouring the west coast for any place to land. One of the pilots mentioned that the West Coast beaches were long, straight and, in many locations, unobstructed. One crew mentioned that the Farallon Islands, 30 miles off the coast, were just rocky shoals but probably had smooth waters on their lee side for ditching. Everybody was checking their emergency gear and rafts.”
The good news: The long night was finally over, as the welcomed first rays of sunlight broke through the windshield. The bad news: While flying east, the blinding sunlight prevented them from seeing forward for the next half-hour.
About 100 miles off the coast, the flight lead checked in with the area traffic control center.
“Oakland Center, this is Caribou flight of 11 C-7s, inbound, all aircraft are emergency fuel!”
The controller responded, “Ahh, say again your last transmission!”
Flight lead repeated and then the controller gave the bad news. Due to heavy fog, visibility was zero in the entire Bay Area.
“But the logs are only the traces of my experiences; the real truth is in the memories that they represent. There are so many."
— Col. (Ret.) Darrel Whitcomb ’69
“This was a serious problem,” Col. Whitcomb says, “because it meant that all airports were closed and suggested that the only option was a mass ditching. Some aircrews actually began throwing more stuff out of their aircraft.”
Approaching San Francisco Bay, Col. Whitcomb saw that “it was covered with a solid blanket of gray fog. Sticking up out of it were hills, tall buildings, towers and the spires of the Golden Gate Bridge.”
Then, finally, some unadulterated good news: “Oakland Center reported that the fog was lifting a bit at Hamilton AFB.
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Staff Sgt. Larry Burke
LEFT: Landing at Midway Island
BELOW: C-7s line up for departure at Cam Rahn Bay.
They had their ground-controlled approach radar on and could vector us for landing on their main runway — but only one aircraft at a time. Our flight lead directed that we form a straggle line and again, we were tailend Charlie. He switched us over to the frequency for Hamilton approach control and those wonderful young airmen began expeditiously moving us around in the sky to line us up for the approach. One by one, they talked us down to the runway. All aircraft were critically low on fuel, and one even flamed out as he pulled off the runway. My aircraft was vectored right over the spires of the Golden Gate Bridge. We made a left turn to line up with the Hamilton runway and my low fuel light illuminated, indicating that we had about 10 minutes of fuel left. But we could now clearly see the runway, and our landing was uneventful.
We logged 17.3 hours on that ‘16-hour’ flight.”
The next day, they flew the final six-hour mission to McClellan AFB.
Looking back on that day, he reflects, “I was exactly one year, one month and 15 days out of flight school. In my logbooks, I now owned over 750 operational/combat hours and some incredible experiences. They were the sweet beginning of an aviation career that would allow me to fly nine military aircraft and seven civilian aircraft in two wars until my last flight in 2004. All of that, of course, is also trapped and tracked in my logbooks. But the logs are only the traces of my experiences; the real truth is in the memories that they represent. There are so many. But just imagine — a rookie first lieutenant — traversing the Pacific Ocean at 127 knots. Give me a break!”
Happy crew, from left, includes 1st Lt. Ed Jensen, 1st Lt. Darrel Whitcomb,
Power Up
Madera Cyber Innovation Center celebrates opening
Paul ’78 and Joan Madera toured the new Madera Cyber Innovation Center with family and friends April 24, a day before the ribbon-cutting ceremony officially marked the opening of the state-of-the-art cyber education facility.
The Madera Cyber Innovation Center will support more than 1,400 cadets annually with hands-on labs, classrooms and secure spaces.
Photos by Bryan Grossman
From left: Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91, Paul Madera ’78 and spouse, Joan Madera, and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Dick McConn ’66. who helped conceive the Madera Cyber Innovation Center. The group cut a wire instead of a ribbon to celebrate the April 25 opening of the U.S. Air Force Academy’s newest and highest-tech building. Family and friends joined the Maderas for a private tour of the center the day before the ribbon cutting.
Built with $38 million contributed by 1,199 donors, together with $30 million in federal funds, the 48,000-square-foot center was a signature priority of the Defining Our Future comprehensive campaign.
The traditional ribbon cutting April 25 took on a more modern twist as the Maderas, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Dick McConn ’66 — who was instrumental in the cyber center's conception a decade ago — and Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91, snipped a wire, officially marking the opening of the U.S. Air Force Academy’s newest and most high-tech facility.
Mark Hille ’97, U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation president and CEO, spoke first to the group gathered at the grand opening, explaining that many people helped make the Madera Cyber Innovation Center a reality.
“Graduates, parents, friends, corporate and foundation partners all joined the cause,” Hille said, “and notably six classes: Class of 1977, Class of 1978, Class of 1979, Class of 1982, Class of 1983 and Class of 1987 all joined the effort as part of their reunion campaigns … making the Madera Cyber Innovation Center the largest project undertaken by donors at the Academy in terms of total contributions and total gifts.”
Gen. Bauernfeind said, “This building creates a vital educational and training environment for our cadets to ensure
that we are equipped to navigate the complex digital battle space of today and into the future.”
He later added: “We stand at a time of consequence, a period of geopolitical instability that challenges us in every single domain: air, space and cyber. To maintain our competitive edge, we must cultivate an air mindset, a space mindset and a cyber mindset in every single graduate from this fine institution. The Madera Cyber Innovation Center is the embodiment of the cyber mindset and the crucible where we will forge the next generation of cyber warriors.”
Paul Madera began his address by thanking all donors, to include Fred ’67 and Linda Milanovich and Dave ’69 and Jean Yost.
He then said, “Digital connectivity has made our lives easier. But it has made us significantly more vulnerable to bad actors, hostile nation-states and others. And we are nowhere close to solving that security risk. … Cyber will be a part of every single conflict the rest of us see for our lifetimes.”
Madera explained that when he first arrived at the Academy in 1974, he had no idea how the technical world would evolve.
“Our imaginations, or at least mine, did not stretch that far,” he said. “Today, just 50 years later, it’s an honor to be here dedicating this building to help our nation’s military meet those challenges.”
This three-story building adds auditoriums and collaborative areas for the Department of Computer and Cyber Sciences. There are classrooms and more than a dozen labs where cadets will receive hands-on experience along with traditional instruction in cyber-related topics.
The center also serves as a hub where military, industry and academic experts can collaborate and help train the next generation of Air Force and Space Force leaders. Air Force CyberWorx, a team from Air Combat Command based at the Academy, has also moved into the new building. The team works with cadets, government agencies and private sector partners to quickly tackle challenges through collaboration.
Construction on the Madera Cyber Innovation Center began in the summer of 2021. The building features a structural steel frame, a spiral staircase and a mostly glass exterior.
U.S. AIR FORCE ACADEMY
CELEBRATES CONCLUSION OF $330 MILLION FUNDRAISING CAMPAIGN
The U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation hosted a celebration for the recently completed Defining Our Future campaign at Hotel Polaris on April 25.
Defining Our Future, a seven-year campaign, raised $330 million in private support for programs and projects across the Academy’s academic, military training and athletic mission elements.
The campaign’s comprehensive scope also included increasing engagement and participation among graduates, families of USAFA cadets and Preparatory School cadet candidates, and friends; enhancing institutional pride among all stakeholders; and expanding awareness and understanding of philanthropy’s impact on the USAFA mission.
The celebration included remarks from Mark Hille ’97, president and CEO of the Association & Foundation, and Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91, superintendent.
“This campaign and our celebration tonight declare that we value our Academy and its timeless mission,” Hille said. “Every year since 1959, a new class of Air Force Academy graduates has stepped forward and taken an oath to defend our nation.”
He added, “Now, [66] years since the first graduates took the oath, the Academy’s enduring values and mission are ever more important. This campaign, now complete, was dedicated to this purpose — preparing cadets to lead and serve in an increasingly complex and rapidly changing future.
“Each gift to every program, academic department, team, club and the Sabre Society has made our work and the campaign possible. Your generosity has and will continue to make a difference and provides a statement of what we, together, value.”
Thanking supporters, Gen. Bauernfeind highlighted recent cadet and Academy accomplishments, to include several USAFA-related athletic national championships, the successful completion of the Academy’s first fall and spring culminating exercises, and classroom successes.
— Mark Hille ’97 “
Each gift to every program, academic department, team, club and the Sabre Society has made our work and the campaign possible. Your generosity has and will continue to make a difference, and provides a statement of what we, together, value.”
“None of that happens without you,” Gen. Bauernfeind told the crowd. “None of that happens without the margin of excellence, the support, the ideas, the feedback that you keep pouring back into this amazing institution. On behalf of the entire United States Air Force Academy: Thank you. We need your continued support and I look forward to continuing to work with you as we develop those amazing warrior leaders who are going to protect our great nation.”
Hotel Polaris, part of the TrueNorth Commons development, is one of several projects made possible through donor participation in the campaign. Other priorities include the Madera Cyber Innovation Center (see p. 76), the Kucera Legacy Center at Falcon Stadium, the Martinson Honors Program, character and leadership development programming, the Hosmer Visitor Center, cadet clubs, Wecker Hall and Yost Plaza, the Institute for Future Conflict, and more.
See the U.S. Air Force Academy Association & Foundation’s Defining Our Future campaign celebration video at youtu.be/NWeovQK-vuU.
Ready to support
We are committed to ensuring Air Force Academy graduates are remembered and surviving spouses remain part of the Long Blue Line.
We need your help to make that happen. Submitting complete and accurate information at usafanextofkin.org after learning of a death helps us share the information with you faster.
Grads, if you aren’t a member of your Association of Graduates, we encourage you to join at no cost at membership4grads.usafa.org. This ensures your spouse will have surviving spouse benefits after you are gone.
Terri Davis
terri.davis@usafa.org
719-472-0300 ext. 135
To find out more, visit the USAFA page at USAFAnextofkin.org
From the Hill
USAFA DEAN RETIRES AFTER 29 YEARS OF SERVICE
The U.S. Air Force Academy honored Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Linell Letendre ’96, former dean of the faculty, during a
retirement ceremony May 30 at Fairchild Hall, marking the close of her 29-year military career. Alumni, cadets, faculty and family gathered to celebrate her service and enduring impact.
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Bradley Hosmer ’59, the Academy’s 12th superintendent, presided over the ceremony. Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Christopher Miller ’80 praised Gen. Letendre as a visionary leader who advanced the Academy’s mission.
Gen. Letendre served as the Academy’s 11th dean of the faculty, overseeing 500 courses, leading 750 personnel and managing more than $350 million in academic resources. Appointed by President Donald Trump in 2019, she focused on transforming education to develop intellectually agile officers. Her
tenure included the commissioning of the Academy’s first U.S. Space Force class and the awarding of 37 innovation patents.
Gen. Letendre said her dream of attending the Academy began in fifth grade. She graduated with distinction in astronautical engineering in 1996 and later transitioned from acquisitions to law. She holds legal credentials that include bar admissions to several high-level courts — a distinction few officers share.
Much of Gen. Letendre’s career unfolded at the Academy, where she served in multiple academic and leadership roles. She often emphasized the role of education in preparing leaders for modern warfare.
Her retirement ceremony closed with personal moments, including Gen. Letendre’s final salute to her daughter, Madelyn — a newly commissioned officer and Rhodes scholar — continuing the family’s legacy of service and scholarship.
TERRAZZO
USAFA photo by Trevor Cokley
CADET WING HOLDS INAUGURAL RECOGNITION AND PROMOTION CEREMONY
U.S. Air Force Academy cadets participated in the inaugural Recognition and Promotion Ceremony April 25-26, culminating in a formal dinner celebrating leadership development across all four cadet classes.
The initiative marks a shift in how cadet progress is recognized. Traditionally focused on fourth-class cadets, this year’s event evaluated and promoted cadets from all classes based on leadership performance, military training and developmental milestones throughout the Academy’s 47-month program.
The ceremony included a joint “Run to the Rock” by the Classes of 2025 and 2028 to emphasize mentorship and unity. Fourth-class cadets received their “prop and wings,” symbolizing their transition to upper-class status. All cadets received promotion certificates and a leadership charge, reminding them to uphold the Air Force core values and the Academy Honor Code. Promotions took effect May 29, following the Class of 2025’s graduation.
“This event recognizes the development of all cadets, not just fourth-class members,” said Tech. Sgt. Mariangel Wilburn, one of the event coordinators. “It reflects military, academic and character growth throughout the year.”
Cadets also visited Heritage Rooms in each dormitory — a tradition designed to connect them with the sacrifices and legacy of past graduates. Then-Cadet 1st Class Jasmine Oki said the experience gave cadets a meaningful opportunity to reflect on their journey and the significance of service.
Cadet 1st Class Madisen Campbell, the cadet-in-charge, described the ceremony as “a powerful rite of passage,” formalizing cadets’ advancement in a way that honors both tradition and their future responsibilities in the Air Force and Space Force.
“This marks the transformation of cadets into leaders, grounded in heritage and ready to serve with honor,” she said.
MILITARY SPOUSE HONORED FOR LIFE-SAVING ACTIONS
The Air Force Academy honored Alicia Shamblin, a registered nurse and military
spouse, on March 31 for saving the life of a cadet involved in a parachuting accident two summers ago.
While driving home on July 31, 2023, Shamblin witnessed a cadet’s parachute malfunction during Airmanship 490 training. She pulled over, ran down a rocky slope and provided emergency aid after the cadet hit the ground. Her swift response stabilized his airway and prevented further injury until medics arrived.
Medical personnel later confirmed the cadet would not have survived without her intervention.
“My first thought was that cadet is someone’s son or daughter,” Shamblin said. “He’s a walking miracle. I’m grateful to have played a small part in his story.”
Then-Cadet 3rd Class Boaz Abramoff, the cadet she saved, credited Shamblin with giving him a second chance.
“Everything I’ve done since the accident is because of her,” he said. “I owe her my life.”
The ceremony recognized Shamblin’s selflessness and emphasized the lasting impact
Alicia Shamblin hugs then-C3C Boaz Abramoff. Shamblin is credited with saving Abramoff's life following a 2023 parachuting accident.
Then-Cadet 1st Class Kylie Swartz (center) receives the 1st Lt. Roslyn L. Schulte Award in April.
of her actions on the Academy and one of its future officers.
CADET HONORED WITH SCHULTE AWARD
Then-Cadet 1st Class Kylie Swartz received the 16th annual 1st Lt. Roslyn L. Schulte Award on April 23 at Arnold Hall, honoring her leadership and character in service to the Academy.
Swartz, who began her journey at the Academy Preparatory School, said she hopes to carry on Schulte’s legacy of service.
“This award is a reminder to keep striving and making a difference,” Swartz said. “I plan to keep it with me to remember her legacy and the example she set.”
Col. Matthew Horner, of the Center for Character and Leadership Development, praised all six award nominees and highlighted the importance of honoring Schulte’s legacy.
Schulte, a 2006 Academy graduate, was killed in Afghanistan in 2009. The first female graduate of the Academy killed in action, she was posthumously awarded the Bronze Star, Purple Heart and National Intelligence Medal for Valor.
Col. (Ret.) Kim Campbell ’97, a decorated A-10 fighter pilot and guest speaker, challenged cadets to be ready to lead with courage.
“Schulte’s impact will inspire future generations,” Col. Campbell said. “Be ready from Day 1 to make a difference.”
SPRING JCLD RELEASED
The spring 2025 edition of the Journal of Character and Leadership Development is now available at jcldusafa.org.
The issue explores topics including toleration clauses in honor codes, emotional integration in the military, incorporating drones into Air Force culture, and character in the age of artificial intelligence.
The journal is currently accepting submissions for the October 2025 edition. Submissions may include original research, reviews, innovation in character and leadership, perspectives or conversations.
PREP SCHOOL SPOTLIGHT
Preppies
Wrap Up Year
With 'TX' Exercise
Cadet candidates at the U.S. Air Force
Academy Preparatory School concluded the 2024-25 academic year with a twoday capstone known as TX — a culminating exercise designed to test and reinforce teamwork, leadership and military skills.
A longstanding Prep School tradition, TX draws together 10 months of training into a high-intensity exercise planned by Lt. Col. Jeffrey Dekkinga, director of military training, and his deputy, Sean Tiernan, with support from staff across all mission elements.
Cadet candidates, guided by peer squadron leads, competed in 12 teams in exercises that challenge endurance, strategy and unit cohesion, while deterring, detecting and denying opposing forces during a simulated intelligence mission.
“Radio comms, 360 perimeters, squad operations and small unit tactics,” said Cadet Candidate Jayden Seaton, squad leader of Alpha 2. “It all culminates in TX.”
Seaton and Cadet Candidate Faith Brown, squad leader of Bravo 2, said they were excited to lead their teams — especially with permanent party members role-playing as the opposing force.
“People get nervous under pressure,” Brown said. “I’m anxious OPFOR will shake some people, but I trust our training.”
On TX day, cadet candidates were briefed at 5 a.m., and then given time to organize and plan before being “deployed.” Using land navigation, they had to locate friendly forces and deliver critical intelligence.
The challenges are kept under wraps — a fact that excites Cadet Candidate Jahkai Hudson, a squad leader in Alpha Squadron.
“Leading a team isn’t about leading the operation,” Hudson said. “It’s about leading the people.”
Seaton echoed the importance of leadership and communication in motivating a team.
TX includes simulated combat, obstacle courses and problem-solving tasks requiring mental and physical agility. While its long-term goal is to prepare cadet candidates for commissioning as second lieutenants, the immediate competition remains fierce.
Editor’s note: Learn which team won TX and find more Prep School updates at @ usafaprepofficial on Instagram.
Cadet candidates at the Academy's Preperatory School discuss the TX, the recent culminating exercise.
Fall Tableau of Canada & New England
THE TRANSMISSION
USAFA news from around the globe ... and BEYOND
SHOAF NAMED OLMSTED SCHOLAR
The George and Carol Olmsted Foundation recently selected Capt. Stone Shoaf ’16 as a member of the Olmsted Scholar Class of 2026. Over the next three years, he and 17 other talented officers will complete language training and pursue graduate studies on full scholarships at foreign universities worldwide. The newly selected scholars include top-performing officers from all six Armed Services. Following language training, Capt. Shoaf will complete his overseas studies in Mendoza, Argentina. Notable USAFA graduates who were Olmsted Scholars include Gen. (Ret.) David “DT” Thompson ’85, former vice chief of Space Operations, U.S. Space Force; Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Steven Shepro ’84, former deputy chairman, NATO Military Committee; and Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Timothy Fay ’87, former deputy commander, U.S. Air Forces Europe — Africa.
CLARK IN COMMAND
Brig. Gen. Tad “TC” Clark ’96, following command of the 8th Fighter Wing “Wolfpack,” is completing three years in command of the 31st Fighter Wing at Aviano Air Base, Italy.
Brig. Gen. Tad Clark ’96
BRIERE HIRED
Main Turnpike Authority named Col. (Ret.) Andre Briere ’90 its executive director. He previously worked as deputy commissioner of the New Hampshire Department of Transportation.
ELBERT APPOINTED
Ryanair UK appointed Col. (Ret.) Andrew J. Elbert ’92 as chief pilot and nominated person for flight operations. Ryanair UK is one of the five commercial airlines in the Ryanair Group. Joining Ryanair in 2005 as a direct entry captain, Elbert led in various line operations and senior management roles while serving in the total force as the airline grew from 75 to 600-plus aircraft.
STEIN ELECTED
The State Transportation Board elected Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Joseph P. Stein ’75 to represent the 7th Congressional District in northcentral Georgia. The board determines policy and governs the Georgia Department of Transportation.
THOMPSON HIRED
The Arizona Board of Regents hired Col. (Ret.) Wade Thompson ’85 as its first director of military affairs, to advance the partnership between Arizona’s public universities and the defense sector.
SCHMITZ APPOINTED
Rady Children’s Hospital-San Diego appointed Dr. Matthew Schmitz ’00 as a faculty member in the Department of Orthopedics. He brings expertise in hip preservation techniques and adolescent sports injuries.
LEE INDUCTED
NASA astronaut Col. (Ret.) Mark Lee ’74 was inducted into the Wisconsin Aviation Hall of Fame. He logged 4,500 hours predominantly in the T-38, F-14 and F-16. He was part of four space flights, spending 33 days in orbit.
RYAN APPOINTED
Col. (Ret.) Michael Ryan ’82 has been appointed chairman of the audit committee and an independent director on Critical Metals Corporation’s board. Col. Ryan most recently acted as the deputy assistant secretary of defense for European and NATO policy for the U.S. Department of Defense. The company is mining rare earth deposits in Greenland.
GIBBENS APPOINTED
JR Gibbens ’03 has been appointed senior adviser to the secretary within the U.S. Department of the Treasury. He will advise the secretary on policy and plans related to strategic investments and a U.S. sovereign wealth fund. He previously worked for the Office of Strategic Capital within the Department of Defense.
Capt. Stone Shoaf ’16
Col. (Ret.) Gail Colvin ’80
BOYD APPOINTED
COLVIN INDUCTED
The Colorado Women’s Hall of Fame inducted Col. (Ret.) Gail Colvin ’80. She was a member of the first class with women to graduate from the Air Force Academy.
SEDLACEK TAKES COMMAND
Col. Christopher Sedlacek ’97 took command of the 910th Airlift Wing during a change of command ceremony at Youngstown Air Reserve Station in Vienna, Ohio. Col. Sedlacek previously commanded the 302nd Airlift Wing at Peterson Space Force Base.
Andrew Boyd ’93 was appointed operating partner at AE Industrial Partners, a private equity firm specializing in national security, aerospace and industrial services. Boyd has three decades of intelligence and security experience, including more than 10 years as a senior intelligence service officer with the CIA.
LANE NAMED CEO
LT has named Chase Lane ’11 chief executive officer at the renowned full-service marketing and digital experience agency. He drives the strategic vision for the agency.
TEAGUE APPOINTED
Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Roger Teague ’86 has been appointed to the board of directors at SES Space & Defense, an organization focused on building, managing and supporting the most advanced satellite network solutions for the U.S. government.
HALL NAMED QB COACH
The New York Giants hired Chad Hall ’08 as an assistant quarterbacks coach. He previously coached wide receivers with the Jacksonville Jaguars. This season will be his ninth year coaching in the NFL.
KOSINSKI NAMED CSO
Air Space Intelligence, a pioneer in AI-powered operations software for the world’s most demanding domains, named Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Leo Kosinski ’93 chief strategy officer. He will help guide AGI’s long-term strategy, forge key partnerships across government and industry, and accelerate the company’s mission to transform decision-making at "the speed of relevance." During his final military assignment, Gen. Kosinski acted as director of logistics on the Joint Staff, advising the chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
MITCHELL HIRED
ROBB NAMED COO
Vibrint named Jim Robb ’89 chief operating officer. Vibrint is a leading innovator in federal technology solutions. Robb will oversee the daily operations of the services and products divisions. He previously worked as chief strategy officer and general manager at the same company.
Tony Mitchell ’91 has been named chief growth officer/chief technology officer at Peerless Technologies, a corporation serving federal government clients. He previously worked as chief technology officer at Honeywell Aerospace Technologies.
DAVIS HONORED
FAA representative Jimmey Mygatt, of MIAFSDO-SO-19, presented Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jack Davis ’69 the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award. Editor’s note:
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Leo Kosinski ’93
Col. Christopher Sedlacek ’97 with his family after taking command of the 910th Airlift Wing at Youngstown Air Reserve Station.
Jim Robb ’89
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jack Davis ’69, left, with FAA representative Jimmey Mygatt.
LEGACIES CONNECTIONS AND
MEET THE TEAM
Our engagement center team builds connections with U.S. Air Force Academy graduates, supporters and community members.
The team’s outreach efforts — phone calls, emails, handwritten notes and surveys — help graduates and donors stay informed and involved by sharing updates, celebrating milestones and creating opportunities to give back — all while strengthening the Academy and the Long Blue Line.
ANSWER THE CALL AND STAY CONNECTED
The engagement team looks forward to talking with you soon. Watch for a phone call from Braden Barker ( 719-247-8701 ) or Zoe Paganis ( 719-247-8739 ).
If you need to reach the team directly, call 719-409-9712 .
The Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation’s engagement center team. From left: Brent Diederich, general manager; Zoe Paganis, engagement specialist; Braden Barker, engagement specialist.
A UNIQUE WAY TO SERVE
Terry Drabant credits the U.S. Air Force Academy for much of his success after graduation. That gratitude inspired him to give back to his alma mater. Drabant’s philanthropic support led to his involvement in co-founding the Air Force Academy Foundation, where he served as a board director for 16 years. His dedication to education and service continues to shape his contributions. Drabant has committed to making a legacy gift to the Academy in the future.
READ HIS STORY AT LEGACY.USAFA.ORG/CP1
It took me some 10 years to recognize how much of my career success was attributable to all that I learned at the Academy. The more successful I became, I felt there was a debt to repay to my school.
—
TERRY DRABANT ’65
To learn more about supporting the Academy with a gift or by making a future bequest in a will or trust, contact:
HONORING the Long Blue Line
AOG’s new memorial publication
By David Bitton
In March, the Association of Graduates and the Air Force Academy Foundation launched Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten, the Long Blue Line’s official memorial publication.
The inaugural edition honored the lives and achievements of 147 Air Force Academy graduates, three cadets, one air training officer and two AOG honorary members who passed away.
Each year, the publication will commemorate those lost with memorial articles submitted from the previous calendar year and other first-time submissions.
As the Academy’s graduate population ages, Checkpoints has become increasingly insufficient in meaningfully accommodating the growing number of submitted memorial articles. Gone But Not Forgotten, which for decades appeared in Checkpoints magazine, has now transitioned to Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten, a dedicated, annual publication.
Here’s A Toast, like West Point’s TAPS, honors the Long Blue Line by sharing the
personal stories of graduates, air training officers, cadets and AOG honorary members. A major benefit of transitioning to the annual publication is that 2025 memorial articles can be up to 800 words — double the previous limit. Each memorial article will be respectfully presented on its own page.
The digital publication is free for Association of Graduates members at usafa.org. Printed copies are available for a fee. The fee supports providing one complimentary copy to families of those memorialized. Death notices, including the name, class year and date of death, will continue to appear in each issue of Checkpoints magazine.
Individual memorial articles printed in Here’s A Toast are available as a commemorative keepsake for a fee. These keepsakes include the photo that accompanied the tribute and are printed on sturdy paper, suitable for framing. Articles come enclosed in a blue linen folder and can be ordered at the website or the number above.
SUBMITTING MEMORIAL ARTICLES
Memorial articles for 2025 deaths and other first-time submissions should be emailed when ready to ensure the Association posts the tribute on usafa.org/heritage/gbnf. Articles for 2025 deaths will be published around March 2026.
ORDERING A PRINTED COPY
The printed Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten publication and individual memorial articles can be purchased at shop.usafa.org or by calling 719-4720300.
MORE INFORMATION
For information on submitting a memorial article, visit usafanextofkin.org. Memorial articles can also be emailed to Next-of-Kin Support Specialist Terri Davis at deceasednotifications@usafa.org.
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
This quarter, we learned of the following deaths.
Col. (Ret.) James T. Carpenter, Class of 1959, who died April 2, 2025, in Huntington Beach, California.
Col. (Ret.) Donald B. Livingston, Class of 1959, who died Feb. 2, 2025, in Holmdel, New Jersey.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Thomas M. Kennedy Jr., Class of 1962, who died Feb. 7, 2025, in Flagstaff, Arizona.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Hamilton T. Lenox, Class of 1962, who died Jan. 20, 2023, in Lake Spring, Missouri.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Thomas P. McAtee, Class of 1962, who died Jan. 24, 2025, in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Mr. Embert G. Page, Class of 1962, who died Feb. 5, 2025, in Littleton, Colorado.
Col. (Ret.) Edward T. Boswell, Class of 1963, who died April 3, 2025, in Washington, Georgia.
Col. (Ret.) Kent E. Harbaugh, Class of 1963, who died April 14, 2025, in Pipe Creek, Texas.
Mr. William B. Mitchell, Class of 1963, who died March 26, 2025, in Pebble Beach, California.
Mr. William R.C. Porter, Class of 1963, who died Feb. 3, 2025, in Mt. Airy, Maryland.
Col. (Ret.) Robert B. Simpson, Class of 1963, who died April 10, 2025, in San Antonio, Texas.
Col. (Ret.) Richard O. Troy, Class of 1963, who died March 15, 2025, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Col. (Ret.) Robert D. Clark, Class of 1964, who died March 22, 2025, in Avon, Connecticut.
Mr. Laimons S. Sudmalis, Class of 1964, who died Feb. 6, 2025,
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kenneth O. Wentzel, Class of 1964, who died March 30, 2025,
Mr. Albert R. Pfeltz III, Class of 1965, who died March 12, 2025,
Mr. Frank L. Reid, Class of 1965, who died March 8, 2025, in Dallas, Texas.
Col. (Ret.) John R. Stephenson, Class of 1965, who died April 24, 2025,
Dr. Robert C. Schutt Jr., Class of 1969, who died Feb. 24, 2025, in Tyron, North Carolina.
Col. (Ret.) Daniel M. Tibbetts, Class of 1969, who died April 17, 2025, in Fort Walton Beach, Florida.
Col. (Ret.) Richard S. Mac Isaac, Class of 1970, who died Jan. 24, 2025, in Rio Rancho, New Mexico.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Robert K. Livingston, Class of 1971, who died March 25, 2025, in Mt. Lebanon, Pennsylvania.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jeremiah O’Sullivan, Class of 1971, who died March 10, 2025, in Lewisburg, West Virginia.
Mr. Stephen T. Prairie, Class of 1971, who died March 24, 2023, in Danville, California.
Mr. Virgil D. Staponski, Class of 1971, who died March 23, 2025, in Kansas City, Kansas.
Mr. Thomas W. Steipp, Class of 1971, who died Feb. 16, 2025, in San Jose, California.
Col. (Ret.) Jonathan L. Stevens, Class of 1971, who died March 22, 2025, in Annapolis, Maryland.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Frederick E. Nickel Jr., Class of 1975, who died Aug. 4, 2023, in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Mr. David Stinson Jr., Class of 1975, who died Jan. 27, 2025, in Fairhope, Alabama.
Mr. Mazel B. Erickson, Class of 1976, who died Feb. 15, 2025, in Beaufort, South Carolina.
Mr. Owen R. Fonorow, Class of 1976, who died April 2, 2025, in Woodridge, Illinois.
Mr. Jeff J. Jarvis, Class of 1966, who died Jan. 9, 2024, in Bountiful, Utah.
Col. (Ret.) Russell C. Morrison Jr., Class of 1966, who died Feb. 20, 2025,
Mr. William R. Hall, Class of 1967, who died March 4, 2025, in Pasadena,
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Richard E. Weizenegger Jr., Class of 1967, who died April 7, 2025, in Monument, Colorado.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Kenneth E. Hamlin, Class of 1969, who died March 28, 2025,
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Gary S. Howe, Class of 1969, who died March 16, 2025,
Maj. (Ret.) William M. Jones, Class of 1976, who died April 20, 2025, in Dover, New Hampshire.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jeffrey W. Leeper, Class of 1977, who died May 3, 2025, in Williamsburg, Virginia.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Gary M. Ardo, Class of 1978, who died March 30, 2025, in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) Todd W. Klopp, Class of 1979, who died March 26, 2025, in Mooresville, North Carolina.
Maj. (Ret.) Susan J. Kohut, Class of 1980, who died Nov. 16, 2021, in San Antonio, Texas.
Mr. Theodore C. Knowles, Class of 1981, who died Feb. 19, 2025, in Pueblo,
Mr. Eric T. Strull, Class of 1983, who died April 1, 2025, in Dallas, Texas.
Lt. Col. (Ret.) James P. Solti, Class of 1988, who died April 22, 2024, in Stuart, Florida.
Mr. Randall W. Spivey, Class of 1988, who died Nov. 18, 2023, in Spokane,
Maj. (Ret.) Stephen B. Thompson, Class of 1989, who died April 8, 2025, in St. Louis, Missouri.
THE ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES AND AIR FORCE ACADEMY FOUNDATION’S ANNUAL MEMORIAL PUBLICATION IS NOW AVAILABLE.
This new membership benefit allows the Association and Foundation to better memorialize fallen graduates, air training officers, cadets and AOG honorary members.
As the Academy graduate population grows and ages, the space allotted to memorials in Checkpoints is increasingly insufficient. This new publication — Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten — honors and perpetuates the legacy of the Long Blue Line through memorial articles, and coincides with the AOG’s mission to support the Academy, serve graduates and preserve the heritage of the institution.
Find more information and answers to FAQs at usafa.org/heritage/gbnf
1959 CLASS NEWS
It has been a quiet period for ’59er classmates, but we have an outstanding honor to headline. Three days after graduation, Mike Murphy married Mary Kay. After retiring in Atlanta, Mary Kay has served on the Gwinnett County, Georgia, school board for 28 years. During her time on the board, the school system was selected twice as the best urban public district in the United States by the Broad Foundation, which awarded a million dollars to the system that “demonstrated the greatest overall performance and improvement in student achievement while reducing achievement gaps among low-income students and students of color.” The school system received the honor for its ability to support the growing diverse population of minority students in Gwinnett County. This school system has 180,000 students. With a population of more than a million people, the county Chamber of Commerce named her Citizen of the Year. The greatest honor came when the school system chose to name a new middle school the Dr. Mary Kay Murphy Middle School, opening in 2026 in Dacula, Georgia. Congratulations!
Mary Kay and Mike in front of the sign at the new school’s location
It just came to your scribe’s attention that Bobby Blake is the first USAF Academy grad to shoot down a MIG (first aerial combat kill). Wow, another congratulations. He was also the director of operations of the first operational F-16 wing, the 388th TFW.
Some have been wondering about our Air Training Officers. Bob Hess’ widow, Kaye, and their son Derek (USAFA ’80), are continuing to lead our ATO group. They report the status of the 134 ATOs: 20 active, 103 deceased and 11 lost contact. Thank you, Kaye and Derek.
This from our president, Max Miller: “Trix and I visited Brock and Claire Strom at their home in Annapolis. Brock II (USAFA ’82) picked us up and took us back to BWI airport. We enjoyed the stay at their home on the Severn River in the beautiful setting with gourmet food and a copious amount of reminiscing and storytelling. Brock II, retired F-16 pilot, has now retired from Delta Air Lines. He and Maren maintain an active life partying and boating, so I plan to put our names on a retirement waitlist at their home.”
I hope that many of us got to share March 29, “Vietnam Veterans Day.” In southwest Florida, Dick Carr had a full day. The local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America had a ceremony attended by more than 500 people by the Vietnam Wall. There was a moving presentation by a woman whose father was shot down and killed, and her husband was a POW in Vietnam. Dick then went to Sarasota National Cemetery, where he gave the keynote address to an audience in the Patriot Pavilion. The day concluded at a gala in Sunseeker Resort, where he presented the award for the best civilian supporter of our local Military Heritage Museum.
In the last issue, we discussed Hank Canterbury and Dick “Dusty” Trail being the only classmates who are still active flyers. From Dusty: “I am in the process of renewing my CFI — probably the last time. I am still flying and instructing, mostly in other people’s airplanes, doing the biannual flight reviews and some tail-wheel training in my old Champ. I instructed in a C-172, a Cessna 310 and a Piper PA/28-180 last week. My wife, ‘Grannie Annie,’ has laid a restriction on me that I can only fly with pilots who can land the airplane, in case I flake out! I do not exactly pay attention to that, however. Still love the lady — coming up on 66 years married — the best thing that ever happened to me!”
A couple of reminders: 1. Don Brooks still needs input from our cadet days. I thought of some personal adventures from our summer leave periods. Please respond to Jim Reed with your stories of PCS moves in the Air Force, from both a classmate and family perspective. 2. The year 2025 begins the time when Checkpoints no longer prints Gone But Not Forgotten obituaries quarterly; it’s going to only once a year. Hoping to keep you up to date, we are making a try to inform all in this column, so the news is timelier. Not knowing how many may be missed, I do not know if everyone has been included in the magazine. Heartfelt condolences go out to the families of Tom Stack, Kent Montavon, Don Livingston, Norris Olson, John Ulmer and Jim Carpenter. Apologies to the families of any missed. There are 77 classmates left.
Of interest, a friend just tried to set a date for burial at Arlington. He was told it would be three months. If he wanted a service in the chapel, it would be one year and three months.
Thought for the quarter: “Get your facts first, and then you can distort them as you choose.”
— Mark Twain
Dick Carr, 3612 San Sebastian Ct., Punta Gorda, FL 33950; H: 941-637-8272; C: 941-585-8280; dickc59@embarqmail.com
Dusty Trail, dickt@swnebr.net; FB: USAFA Class of 1959
1960 Doug Cairns, classes of ’60 and ’61, is happily settled in a senior living facility with his new wife, Bonnie, in Montgomery, Alabama. He says that the city has upgraded the area around Maxwell AFB and other locations throughout the city, creating a delightful place to live. He informs us that the Class of ’61 will hold their next reunion in San Antonio to avoid the thin air of Colorado Springs.
J.P. Browning had the unique experience of serving as an active-duty pilot in the systems development programs for both the Air Force and the Navy. As a civilian, he was involved in the FA-18 simulator program with Hughes, and with General Dynamics and Lockheed in the F-22 and F-35 programs, respectively. J.P. says that he saw the light and chose to work with the Navy because its aircraft were more sophisticated and challenging than those of the Air Force.
Gary Van Singel was interviewed earlier this year by the Military Heritage Museum in Punta Gorda, Florida. The museum has a program to record video interviews with veterans in their area for use in their museum displays. The videos include personal pictures as well as material from the internet that fit in with the narrative. They have successfully completed about 25 videos to date. They also send the videos to the Library of Congress to be included in the national archives. Gary has made the video of his interview available for display on the class website. It may be accessed at usafaclasses.org/1960/ War-Stories/Gary-Van-Singel/war-story-video.htm
J.T. Smith is still dancing. He’s preparing for more “showcase” performances put on by the Ballroom of Nashville dance studio, where he takes lessons. For the showcase in late April, he’s been working on an Argentine tango routine choreographed by his instructor. He recently danced a dress rehearsal performance of that routine with friend Gioia Fazzini at an event hosted by the Clarksville Dance Club. Here’s a picture taken at that performance.
From left: Brock Strom, Maren, Claire, Trix and Max Miller
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Gioia and J.T.
Ron Deep writes, “Carolyn and I have nicely downsized to our new home at 2756 Silver Maple Lane, Beavercreek, Ohio. One of our first friends to drop in were my USAFA roommate Gary Gulbransen and his wife, Susan.
“I had written a book on probability and statistics and coded software applications in the language LISP. Since then, I have learned the language PYTHON and use it for coding now.
“I still enjoy creating a monthly puzzle column for the local Dayton Mensans.” See Ron’s puzzle on the class website as a NOTAM attached to this issue in the Checkpoints archive.
“[Primary] pilot training mate Greg Boyington had the great idea of watching the coming October football game from the comforts of the local hotel rather than from the stands. Great idea.
“I am greatly impressed with our class site; kudos to those responsible. I am both saddened and awestruck at seeing the names of our deceased classmates.”
Ron and Carolyn
Bill Gillis is still in the tender care of his wife, Kathleen “Kath,” and the Sims State Veterans’ Home. His mobility is very limited, and Kath tries to visit him every other day. Kath maintains an active domicile for two cats, two dogs, and two or three children and grandchildren. From time to time, Bill is brought to their Panama City home, but less frequently now since the Sims facility has more amenities for him.
Gordon “Gordo” Flygare is recovering from a major fall this April and is now gracefully maneuvering in a wheelchair. Happily, he was able
to get his taxes in on time, which allows him time to encourage his granddaughter to join the Long Blue Line. Gordo resides in Norman, Oklahoma, and his home has occasionally been the perfect stopping place for J.T. Smith to stop over on his motorcycle sojourns back from Colorado Springs to Clarksville, Tennessee.
Dennis O’Keefe writes, “Joy and I have just wrapped up our move into the Emerald Heights retirement community. It has everything: independent living, assisted living and skilled nursing. It’s the last move, finally. This last move not only was difficult as they all are, but I physically hit the wall on this one. Glad to have gotten through it.”
Sid Newcomb reports that his daughter, Nanci, is recovering nicely after having undergone surgery to implant an anti-seizure device. Both he and Marvann have enjoyed having daughter Holly with them while she has been in town supporting her sister.
In Tucson, Arizona, Johnnie Townsend, a former rescue navigator, serves as a local example of the bionic man. In proximity, he experienced VA brain stem stroke surgery, an arterial-valve replacement, a bovine aortic-valve replacement, a right-knee replacement and, earlier, shrapnelremoval procedures. Among his post-Air Force activities, Johnnie has traveled to 58 countries as an investigator as part of the International Traffic in Arms Across International Borders program.
Jim Glaza has found a Social Security Administration site that has developed a most intriguing series of analyses that are directly of interest and importance to every couple, particularly those of our age — especially regarding personal finances. Just google “longevity visualizer users guide.” You will need to download the visualizer zip file, “but don’t let that scare you,” he says; even he “was able to manipulate the data with minimum effort.”
Ken Alnwick, 20550 Falcons Landing Cir., Apt. 5204, Sterling, VA 20165-3587; 703-509-7191; kjalnwick1@gmail.com; Class website: usafaclasses.org/ 1960/afa60.html
J.T. Smith, jtsmcrider@aol.com
1961
bathroom trips 24/7 on the hour. One night he actually went every 20 minutes all night long. His surgeon at Vanderbilt prescribed him a medication by the name of Gemtesa. It is a life changer. Bob is now almost back to normal, getting a full night’s sleep. It is wonderful. Since he believes that most urologists are not aware of this drug, Bob wanted to share this information with all of you.
George Buchner and Susan Wearly visited Wayne Jones and Claudia Troisi at Wayne’s place (La Costa Glen) in Carlsbad, California. The group attended a Daedalian meeting and visited the Mt. Soledad National Veterans Memorial while enjoying local cuisine. Saturday night they all had dinner at Nick and G’s in Rancho Santa Fe with Sam and Vivian Hardage. Among other things, the group discussed having 1961’s 70th reunion at Sam’s Marriott Residence Inn in Marina del Rey.
Dinner among friends
On April 21, Doug Cairns and Bonnie Ely celebrated their first wedding anniversary.
Judy and Jim Cassidy are doing well. They have five grandsons, only one of which is married, who just informed them that they will become greatgrandparents in August, a first for them. This baby is a girl, so it may be the start of a new trend, since all their grandchildren are male.
The Ellers have a new great-grandson, Max, born to Barrett (’11) and Grace Schake in February. He has a big sister, Luna. They’re both pretty special!
Steve Ho passed on Jan. 23 in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. He and Lynn had moved there from Alabama several months ago. You can read his obituary at lewiscrematoryandfuneralservices. com/obituary/Stephen-Ho
For a while, Bob Best has been plagued by too-frequent trips to the bathroom. Since his bout with bladder cancer started, he has made
Brice Jones
Jim Hinkle last saw Brice Jones in December, before his visit on April 11. Brice is now able to walk slowly around the house and in his yard and carries on a conversation better.
Jim said that Brice is doing OK and enjoys visits from friends. Brice and Lee Butler spoke for a few minutes on the phone. The picture shows Brice in his backyard in Petaluma, California, during Jim’s recent visit.
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CLASS NEWS
One of Terry Jorris’ sons, James, and his wife from Colorado, plus his daughter, Teresa, from Arkansas, visited him in Orange County, California, over the St. Patrick’s Day weekend. They enjoyed nice weather, good family conversations and had lunch at a local golf club.
Joan and John Kohout are doing fine at Patriots Colony. They thoroughly enjoy life there. They now have five of the first six Academy classes represented and are adding a younger couple from ’72. If any classmates are looking for CCRC living, give Patriots Colony a look before picking one. John spoke with Charlie Stebbins, Bill Stackhouse and John Sullivan by phone recently. Charlie and Bill sounded great, but, as with us, family mobility is a bit challenged. So, Charlie is mostly guarding his still on the hill high above Charleston, and Bill is enjoying his didit-himself mansion on the Chesapeake in Wicomico Church. John Sullivan is suffering. At this writing, he was in New York Presbyterian Hospital with severe back pain. He hopes to get back to Beacon soon. All were glad to get a call.
Terry Storm, his son-in-law and grandson went to the Final Four in San Antonio, which seems like a great place for what is probably our last class reunion next spring.
In early April, Bob and Winnie Wagner moved into a senior living facility down the street from their home in Virginia. They had great help with the move from their son and daughter and grandson and are adjusting to the new life. They still have their mobility and a car, plus someone to do the chores and cook meals. They feel blessed to do this at their choosing.
Jimmy Poole sent this picture of our Montgomery, Alabama, contingent having lunch at a local deli with Tom Wilson during his trip. From left are Doug Cairns, Tommy Wilson, Neal Westbrook, and Jimmy.
Tom Wilson recently completed a 2,500-plus mile driving trip to and from Montgomery, Alabama, for his high school class quarterly luncheon. He also visited some of his family (children, grandchildren, their spouses and great-grandchildren) along the way, as well as spent a few days with Bob Best and Doug Cairns — to include meals with Susan and Jimmy Poole, Neal and Gwen Westbrook, and Doug and his wife, Bonnie, and Bonnie’s son, Brian. Tom then flew to Fort Myers for a week with his friend, Meech. While in Florida, Tom experienced another kidney stone and spent more than three hours in the local hospital. The CT scan revealed a 6-millimeter stone, which the doctor said would probably pass without surgery. It did. He finally got home on April 14. Very tired! A bit too long of a trip for him. Just glad to get home and back to his routine and own bed.
Nelson and Teri O’Rear happily welcomed their fourth great-grandchild (Thomas) in January, and two more are due in the next few months. Must be something in the air.
Thanks to all who shared this quarter.
Nelson O’Rear, 50582 Stonington Dr., Granger, IN 46530-8243; 574-273-2597; enoandtjo@gmail.com
1962
Every now and then one of our classmates exhibits extraordinary judgment. Don Shepperd recently did that when he decided the time had come to retire from active flying. In his note to his soaring club, Don noted that his physical condition no longer permits him to perform the duties that piloting the glider demands. It takes wisdom and courage to recognize and accept the facts staring one in the face, and I congratulate Shep for displaying the wisdom and courage that, no doubt, made him a general officer.
Shep’s last ride
On a related note, I got a message from Murle Wilson saying that he and his wife, Katie, have decided to move to a retirement community. Murle said the stairs in their home had started to look like mountains. As I say … wisdom and courage. I often find myself in awe of the accomplishments of our classmates. That said, none more epitomized leadership in military aviation than Tuck McAtee Tuck left us on Jan. 24; he will throttle back a little as he departs and waits for the rest of us to join the formation. Tuck started flying before most of us; he was a licensed pilot at the age of 17. After graduation, he began a long career in tactical aviation. He flew more aircraft — and more advanced aircraft — than most of us. He flew the F-100, F-4, A-7, F-104, F-15 and F-16. He was better trained as a pilot than most of us, graduating
from the USAF Test Pilot course and the Fighter Weapons School. He became an instructor at both. Tuck treasured his time as deputy commander of the USAF Fighter Weapons School, then commanded by our classmate Rip Blaisdell. Following active duty, Tuck continued to contribute to the AF and to aviation in general. Tuck was hired by General Dynamics (later Lockheed Martin), where he became the program director for the AF Advanced Tactical Aircraft program at Lockheed. He was later responsible for international program development. Some of Tuck’s most cherished memories involved his post-retirement years, during which he built and flew his own airplane, an SX-300.
Tuck and his pride and joy
We lost Embert Page on Feb. 5. As I researched the background for this paragraph, I was struck by the degree of intentionality that he brought to his personal and professional life. Embert was that guy who decides what he wants, then maps out a plan to achieve the goal, and then executes. He was first and foremost a devoted Christian who lived the religious principles that he believed in. Embert met Sylvia, who would become his wife, in December 1958. They married the day after we graduated in 1962. As we approached graduation, Embert and Sylvia decided even then they would take a different path, which led him into a life as an engineer; and if our class ever produced a true engineer, it was Embert Page. His was a constant effort to develop and improve the skills that he brought to the various engineering positions he held. He chose to forego pilot training to enter the Minuteman Educational Program, leading to a master’s degree in aerospace engineering. That led him to positions as a project engineer at Aeronautical Systems Division, and then later to positions as an engineering manager at Lockheed Martin. Embert was a key member of the engineering teams that developed the Manned Orbiting Lab, Skylab and other programs that remain classified even now.
Finally, Phil Hepburn died early in December. Phil was not one of our more communicative members; he did not participate in the bio books Don Shepperd and Ed Martinelli edited, nor did he participate in the various online forums where emotions and politics at times run amok, so my information is somewhat limited. Phil had pilot experience in a broad array of heavy aircraft. He initially flew as a pilot in the 351st Bomb Squadron, after which he flew in a military
Good times
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airlift squadron, then a weather recon squadron. He finally flew as a C-141 pilot in the 6th MAS at McGuire. With this broad background, Phil became a corporate pilot after retirement, where he flew for a sustained period with NetJets Inc.
On a side note, I received an unusual message from Sam Dehne. It seems the USAFA boxing team was in Reno boxing at the Silver Legacy Casino. When the casino managers heard that Sam had boxed at USAFA, they called and asked him to open the matches and to sing the national anthem. Sam accepted — that takes guts!
If the column seems a little thin on personal news and anecdotes, I explained before that since the Gone But Not Forgotten column is to be separated from the quarterly Checkpoints publication, I will try to recognize our classmates who have passed in my column; plus I received little or no news of a personal nature from those of us who remain. If you would like to see more of that kind of material, send me more of that kind of news.
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Bob Lightsey, 3105 Cunningham Dr., Alexandria, VA 22309; H: 703-360-5320; C: 703-772-2061; bob.lightsey@gmail.com
1963Welcome back to the ’63 Class News, what little I have. Not a lot going on during our 62nd year. Thus, this will be one of the shorter versions of the Class News. As of this writing, I have been notified of final flight west for six of our classmates: Kent E. Harbaugh, William (Mitch) Mitchell (CS20), William (Bill) Porter (CS-11), Robert (Bob) Simpson (CS-02), James (Jim) R. Thyng (CS-12) and Richard (Dick) O. Troy (CS-4).
A reminder: Notification of a classmate’s passing is important, not only to his classmates but also to the AOG and Mortuary Affairs at the Academy. Even if the burial and memorial ceremonies are not planned for the USAFA Cemetery, it is important to notify the AOG. The best way you can handle this is to include in your death instructions contacting the next-of-kin support specialist for the Association of Graduates, U.S. Air Force Academy, at 719-4720300, ext.355, or usafanextofkin.org
Short notes: By the time you read this input, I will be 84, and the Class Cup Turning Ceremony will have been completed. The event is planned for June 2 at Arnold Hall. Vic Thacker reported that the class leaders did meet with the AOG’s director of projects and facilities and the director of Arnold Hall activities. They listened to our proposals and plans but have not yet gotten back to the team. Apparently,
the Academy’s leadership is working to meet the new standards and suggestions from on high. That is all I have to say about the state of politics these days. One decision did come from the discussions: Our 63rd reunion schedule is firm — June 3-5, 2026, in Colorado Springs. Mark your calendars!
Travel log: Linda and I are planning a trip to Colorado Springs in early June, partly for me to attend the Cup Turning Ceremony and partly for Linda to stay at Hotel Polaris. As a retired travel agent and seasoned traveler, she is attracted by the establishment of the hotel being on the grounds of the Academy, albeit at the North Gate. Several years ago we traveled to West Point to visit a friend of ours who was on the faculty and we stayed at the Thayer Hotel on the grounds of the Military Academy. In comparison, the site of my father’s old school, the United States Naval Academy, doesn’t have a facility like the Thayer and Polaris, but being right in the town of Annapolis there are myriad places to stay like hotels, inns and B&Bs within a 10-minute walk to the “Yard.” While there we stayed at one of the waterfront hotels. It was a very nice and scenic spot and is still there.
Books and authors: Randy Reynolds alerted me to his new book to be published by Amazon in the coming weeks. The title is The Laser, the Lion and Love. Check online. You can find Randy’s books by searching “Randolph S. Reynolds books, biography, latest update” in your browser. Just do a control-click on the hyperlink and you will be there
When on the site, you will find that Randy has written several books, but the one titled The Class of 1963 USAFA Golden Boys, I consider to be a personal keepsake and one worth having in your personal library. When I got the book back around 2023, Randy transcribed a short note about the book on the back cover: “This book does use a biographical listing of many of these men, but much of it is personal reflections that have been made about their experiences. This book is an attempt to put the Class of 1963 into its place in Air Force history.”
On the same subject, I find we have several authors in our class, and you can see the titles of their published books at the AOG website. Click on any book and you will get an overview. Try this link: www2.usafa.org/GraduateAuthors.
Included are Barry, Butler, Caruana, Dotson, Graham, Kennedy, King, Reynolds, Thacker, Wetterhan and Yee.
As I said, there is not much news from classmates to pass on. Maybe, as the summer season gets closer, you will feel the need to get out and enjoy a drive to some interesting place. Let me know. I am looking forward to the Cup Turning and maybe a chance to see some of you and visit for a while. Take care of yourselves and be safe out there! Ad Novos Mundos. Skip
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 website: usafa63.org
1964
Oops! I know all y’all peruse this article very carefully each quarter, and you’d never let me stray too far from the straight and narrow, but I need to correct my error from last issue. I listed Philip Hepburn (CS-06) in the Gone But Not Forgotten section. I don’t know why the AOG sent the notice to me, but I didn’t read it very carefully; turns out he was Class of ’62. Bob Lightsey, ’62 scribe, notified me first, followed by our own eagle-eyed Doug Jenkins (ONLY!).
News from around the country: Phil Horton has started a project to create a CS-14 history. He has published the first version, and the squadron plans to have periodic Zoom sessions to keep in touch and fill out the stories. The plan is to include stories about families, adventures, “war stories,” etc., that aren’t in the “official” records (i.e., things close friends would be interested in).
In the same vein, Nick Lacey sent me a copy of the Tiger 10 Christmas letter. [I was in 10th Squadron my fourth-degree year.] Things have come a long way in the 59 years since Denny Montgomery started the annual letter. This year’s edition is a book with color pictures — a long way from a pile of stapled-together letters!
As I read the 10th’s letter, I noticed that instead of talking about the next assignment or who someone ran into while flying somewhere in the world, the letter is now full of news about grandkids and GREAT-grandkids! Did we get old while I was busy living life?
Steve Croker (ex-roomie) is still carving birds — recently an ivory-billed woodpecker (whatever that is). Otherwise, like most, his news is all about kids, grandkids, great-grandkids and grand-dogs/cats. It’s a good life.
Jim Fleming says they remain vertical and on the right side of the grass — a good thing for all of us. He and Jessica went to a dude ranch in the mountains behind Santa Barbara, where they had a sign saying the horseback riding is keeping the horse between you and the ground. He must have done well since he wrote the letter.
Ray Greene says he’s not in a nursing home. He’s still in his home, but he seems to need a cane so that he doesn’t tip over. He did tip over at a Bob Evans breakfast restaurant. “Very embarrassing. The first thing to do if you fall is to look around and see if anyone saw the fall.”
Thad and Jill Wolfe took a trip to Greece last year and spent time keeping up with kids and grandkids.
Denny Montgomery is still taking photo trips and flying drones for fun. He has a camera drone, a thermal imaging drone and a drone that he flies using virtual imaging goggles.
Nick Lacey, besides putting together the annual newsletter, put up with re-carpeting their entire home (it would be easier to build a new house!)
CLASS NEWS
following Hurricane Helene. The house and barns can be repaired, but they lost about 700 25-year-old planted pine trees and several mature pecan trees (which grow to more than 100 feet tall!). This year has got to be less hectic!
Gone But Not Forgotten: Laimons “Scotty” Sudmalis passed in February in Colorado. Scotty was born in Latvia, escaped to the West as the Russians moved in, and eventually made it to Colorado. Several classmates attended Scotty’s funeral at the Latvian Lutheran Church in Lakewood, Colorado.
Also, Bob Clark passed in March in Connecticut. In March, Bernadette Schulz, wife of Usto Schulz, was buried at the USAFA Cemetery.
In March, there also was a celebration of life in Virginia for Julie Kaminski, wife of Paul Kaminski
What to do with those class rings: In answer to Shirley (Ken) Wentzel’s question about returning Ken’s class ring to the Academy, Doug Jenkins found this information: The ring, along with a short note expressing the family’s wishes, can be mailed to: USAFA AOG Forged in Blue, C/O Kacea Chappell, 3116 Academy Dr., USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475. The stone may be removed before mailing. If not, the AOG will remove the stone and return it. Insurance for the ring less the stone should be $1,500. The AOG will acknowledge the donation via letter and the ring will become part of the Forged in Blue program, where class rings are melted together and split into two ingots — one goes to the graduating class 50 years ahead and the other goes into all future rings.
Bob Hovde, 206 Walker Ave., Huntsville, AL 35801; H: 256-532-3923; C: 256-348-9794; bob@hovde.us
1965Tad Oelstrom: Regarding the passing of Flash Wiley (CS-20) on Feb. 6: Admittedly saddened, I had a rewarding experience when attending Flash’s celebration of life at the Berklee Performance Center in Boston on March 7 — and what a performance it was! More than 1,000 crowded into the center — a Who’s Who of the greater Boston area. It was all about the Flash we came to know and love during our Academy days. Included were eight to 10 Academy grads from a variety of classes. One of the speakers was Janine (Sijan) Rosina, who lovingly cemented the very close relationship between Flash and Lance. Another was Denny Scarborough’s daughter, Jamie, who Flash took under his wing after Denny was killed in an aircraft accident. After graduation, it was a Fulbright year, active duty, Harvard Law School and the Kennedy School. Then Flash and his wife, Bennie, became stalwarts in the Boston area from both a professional aspect and as civic contributors. The many video inserts during this event highlighted the Academy and clearly brought out what it is all about. The finale highlighted a somewhat grainy video featuring Flash doing his infamous Mustang Sally at our 50th reunion!! The center was now full of dancing and singing from all who could get to an aisle. Flash at his best!
Tom Browder: On behalf of our class, and without asking anybody, I submitted us as the sponsor of a Unicode character of a rocket in honor of the class’s only two astronauts: Roy Bridges and John Blaha, both members of CS-24.
Jim Mynar: Not much of note to report, although I did go on my almost-annual two-week Hawaii golf trip in January/February (25 of the last 28 years) with a fairly regular group of guys (20-plus this year). We played 11 rounds in 13 possible play days. Weather was good other than one storm day, which caused a 24-hour power outage at our Bellows AFS cabin; can’t say same (good) for my golf game. But better to be Hawaii in January in shorts and a short-sleeved shirt than not playing here in rain and cold in the Great NW. Might have been my last Hawaii golf trip, but maybe not as I have the cabin reserved for January 2026; I can always cancel downstream.
Bill Roberts: This is my 41st submission as scribe. If a classmate wants to take over, I’m ready to take a break. Our 60th reunion is Sept. 10-14 at Hotel Polaris. Classmates definitely attending: 44; uncertain: nine.
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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
1966
Greetings, Redtags! The last edition of Checkpoints had a fun article about the history of Form O-96 and how it fell short of its intended purpose (I guess “Fast, Neat, Average, Friendly, Good, Good” wasn’t good enough), but has now been “reborn” at the Cadet Dining Hall (also known as Mitch’s). When Mark Simmons read that article, he remembered a long-forgotten story about the O-96 and classmate Pete Johnston. In Mark’s own words: “Regarding the article on the Form O-96, perhaps an exception proves the point that the form fell short of being used for its intended purpose. Validating both his good humor and strength of purpose, Pete Johnston launched a campaign to put the O-96 to a good use. I think at some time in our third- or second-class year, he regularly directed the appropriate [fourth-degree] to write in the remarks or suggestions box of the O-96 some variation of a request that Mitch’s serve up a dinner that featured lobster. Despite his efforts, as time went by his wish remained unfulfilled. Denied but undaunted, Pete persisted in pleading the cause until, in the fall semester of our firstie year, without fanfare (and, as far as I know, little or no warning), he and nine other most fortunate cadets on his ramp were served a lobster dinner with all the fixings. (Note: Pete was on the Wing Staff at that time.) Sadly, I was at another table and forced to eat the common fare. Still, this was an object lesson that persistence is sometimes rewarded — and the O-96 served a purpose!” Thanks for the great story, Mark!
To see a lot more about Pete Johnston, an expanded version of this article and other great stuff, take a look at our class webpage at classof66.usafagroups.org
On a sad note, Ross Gubser’s wife, Sue, passed away in January in Colorado. Dick Oliver writes that a large group of our local Colorado area ’66ers gathered on Feb. 20 to honor and celebrate Sue and to support Ross and his family. A beautiful memorial service was held at the Gubser’s First Presbyterian Church, followed by a reception. Ross and Sue’s son, Peter ’92, delivered her loving eulogy, and the service ended with a haunting bagpipe rendition of Amazing Grace. Larry Bagley collected local ’66 contributions for a floral arrangement and a memorial donation to the Alzheimer’s Association.
Sudmalis funeral: Jim Wallace, Tom Morris, John Shiner, Claude Billings and Al Rogers at Scotty’s funeral
Julie Kaminski group from left: Paul Belmont, Roy Moore, Pete Morrison, Paul Kaminski, Bill Dickey, Dennis Madl and Bob Haley
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Classmates gather for Sue Gubser’s memorial. From left: Geoff Egge, Dale Elliott, Tom Brandon, Ross Gubser, Hans Mueh, Bill Riley, Vic Andrews and John Marshall (traveled from Atlanta) Kneeling: Dick Oliver, Phil Dibb and Dan Cecil Also in attendance but missing from the photo are Marty Daack, Bob Gravelle, Tom Guenther, Hugh Gommel, Ray Milberg and Jim Murphy
You might remember our classmate Rick Nichols (CS-05), who died in an auto accident near Cairo on Dec. 11, 1982, while serving as the commander of the F-16 tech team that trained Egyptian pilots. He was buried at the Academy Cemetery nine days later. After that, Rick’s classmates (and the AOG) lost contact with his family. After extensive research, Dick Oliver finally made contact with his oldest son, James R. Nichols, who goes by “Nick” — which was Rick’s call sign. Come to find out, Rick’s son was Col. “Nick” Nichols, who retired in 2018 after a 30-year career as a decorated F-16 pilot with seven combat tours in Afghanistan and Iraq. He is now the president of the Folds of Honor Foundation, providing scholarships for the spouses and children of fallen and disabled service members. Nick would like to meet his dad’s ’66 classmates, but particularly any pilots (grads or non-grads) who flew with his dad. Rick flew the F-100 at Phu Cat (612 TFS) in 1968-1969; F-4 at Ubon (433 TFS) in 1971; and at Moody (70 TFS) in 1979-1981 as it transitioned to the F-16. Nick’s contact email is nick@foldsofhonor. org. If you want to contact him, please use Subject Line: “AFA ’66 Rick Nichols.”
Col. (Ret.) Nick Nichols, president of Folds of Honor, son of classmate Rick Nichols
Again, our class website — classof66.usafagroups. org — has a new section for pictures from our firstie year (1965-1966). If you’ve got any great (or even not-so-great) pictures from that time frame, send them to Dick Oliver at rockydick@gmail.com. Keep
those emails and pictures coming from your latest adventures, and until next time … happy landings!
Members 85% Sabre Society Donors 26 Polaris Society Members 6
Ryan Denny, 1635 Mary Todd Ln., O'Fallon, IL 62269; 618-670-2298; ryanden@aol.com
1967
Hola, Amigos — as I write this, late-season snow is melting in New Mexico after a spate of lousy pre-Easter weather. But today the sun is shining, the snow is melting and the roads are mostly dry again. Happy springtime to all!
Not much for inputs this quarter — here is a brief update from Glenn Howerton: “Janice and I are healthy. Yep, our youngest is 49, and Courtney is almost 53. Grandkids, all boys, are 11 and 14 and living in California. Courtney’s boys are all on their own now: 21, 25 and 26. We are still living just east of Montgomery, Alabama. Good friends close by, and Courtney and husband and the boys are nearby. All’s well.”
We — my wife and I, our daughter and her husband, his mother, and our five grandkids (ages 15 to 6) — recently returned from a brief European vacation, where we visited London, Amsterdam and Paris. It was a sort of “memory lane” trip, organized by my daughter to include favorite places that she recalls from our time in Europe (Bitburg AB, Germany, 1991-1994). She served as tour guide and my son-in-law as navigator. He used a very helpful travel app on his phone, and we utilized public transportation and shoe leather to travel to various museums, churches, gardens, LEGO stores and other major attractions. What a time! It has been a week since our return and we are still jet-lagging.
posted on the Academy’s website. The new statement is: “To forge leaders of character, motivated to a lifetime of service, and developed to lead our Air Force and Space Force as we fight and win our nation’s wars.” The full article is available at gazette.com/military/ new-air-force-academy-mission-statement-dropseducate-adds-a-different-focus/article_336714ab-e82f401d-9ae2-085056524a57.html
We lost some good men this past quarter. As described in the March Checkpoints magazine, death notices (only) will continue to be printed in Checkpoints and the memorial articles of the individuals, which previously were included in Checkpoints, will instead be collated and published annually in a new publication: Here’s A Toast: Gone But Not Forgotten. For information on submitting the memorials, visit usafanextofkin.org
Since I have no other inputs this quarter and to come closer to filling my word quota, I’ll philosophize a bit. In communication with a good classmate-friend, I learned that he and his wife are downsizing and transitioning from their longtime home into assisted living. It seems that this type of move is becoming more of a reality for many of us. This particular guy’s planned move hit me more than others. It came along with birthday info of some close friends who have now achieved 80 years and a planned gathering of my high school class for a group 80th birthday party. While my wife and I remain pretty healthy and reasonably active, it has occurred to me that our number of “good years” may be winding down. Concurrently, I am learning of more and more friends of about my age group who are having joint replacements and various other surgeries, and of others who are dealing with diabetes, heart disease, cancers and other chronic diseases. Health of self and spouses, family and friends, and pets and financial stability all become bigger factors as we continue to age — all of which may affect quality of life for our remaining years. I do not have much of a summary message to this rambling, but I do have one action that I am implementing for myself, and I suggest that you all consider it: Reach out to family and friends. Visit if possible, call or otherwise communicate, preferably personally — by phone rather than email, etc. Who knows how many more chances we may have to spend time with those who have meant much to us over the years.
And that is it for this quarter. The lack of class news reflects the adage “no garbage in, no garbage out.” Please keep your trusty scribe in mind as you travel, etc., this summer.
The very best to you all. Vaya con Dios. God bless the USA, the troops and their families.
Pat and Larry Wilson visiting you know where.
A recent update from Bob Muldrow advised that the mission statement of the Academy changed and is
HELLO ’68! We are living in interesting times in D.C.! Some disgruntled residents are protesting the elimination of wasteful government spending, while others, who champion the ills of climate change, are burning electric vehicles. It gets curiouser and curiouser!
SCRIBE MEA CULPA: Apologies to the Barnard family for misinterpreting Rhip Worrell’s Christmas letter. Doug passed away in March 2019, and I reported he was with Rhip on a trip to Easter Island. I am sincerely sorry for the error. May he rest in peace.
’68ER CONTINUES TWO-STATE LIFESTYLE: Not content with spending the cold months in the natural splendor of Spokane, Sully and Charlotte Sullivan have been packing up their belongings and jetting to Honolulu for many years. Sully says he gets to enjoy the fruits of his working years by making his home where the comfort is. As a member of my pilot training class, I can attest that this happy couple looked great and well-rested at our Reese AFB Class of 70-01 reunion in Pensacola Beach last October.
HOLIDAY MAILBAG: Notable stories from around the class are as follows:
Charlie and Bonnie Coolidge broke free from their home in northern Virginia to take in some relaxing time with family and friends in Atlanta, Chattanooga, Ocracoke Island, Cape Hatteras and Nags Head. They are seriously looking to relocate nearer to their family, with top options being Tennessee, Georgia, Texas and Florida.
Vic and Mary Bonfiglio had a very nice surprise when two of her sisters and their niece, Brittany, came to visit for a month in September. Lots of time at Bellows Beach was on the agenda! Vic is justifiably proud of his work at the Pacific Flight Academy, where three of his students were awarded $10,000 scholarships and the school was voted by YELP as the Best Aviation Academy in Hawaii.
Du and Margie Mrosla sent a catch-up greetings letter telling of their August 2023 50th anniversary trip to Maui, when, after four days into their vacation, the Lahaina fire happened. Du said, “It was a devastating event for many lost homes and lives. We were lucky
to return home safely after some challenging events.” The final big event for 2024 was a trip to Yellowstone National Park to celebrate Du’s and his brother DJ’s 80th birthdays. Margie writes, “Pearl and I planned it a year in advance, and it was a fabulous trip!”
’68ERS SHARE SPRING ROLLS IN NICEVILLE: Vern McGraw writes: “Kerry and Barbara Killebrew split their time between their North Carolina mountain house and their condo in Niceville, near their son Stephen and his family. Carl, like Marilyn and me, is ‘fully’ retired, while Susan is still a top area real estate agent. After dinner, Barbara treated us to a dessert at their condo while we enjoyed reviewing some Falcon News articles from back in the day.”
MID-CYCLE REUNION PROPOSAL: Our classmate Bill Wood did a spot survey of the interest in participating in a class gathering prior to our 60th reunion in 2028. Out of 94 emails sent to assess interest, he received 17 responses, with 11 expressing support. After suggesting gatherings in Branson, Missouri; Washington, D.C.; and a cruise between Nashville and Memphis, the only potential option still available is the cruise in the SeptemberOctober time frame. If any of you are interested in participating in this venture, contact Bill. His email address is woodncolo@comcast.net.
’68ER GOES GREEN: Roger Dean writes that Carol and he “made the leap at the end of 2023 into solar power. We had 24 panels installed on our roof the week after Christmas, and they were operational in early January. We may not live to break even on the cost, but it sure is comforting to thumb our noses at the power company and their ever-increasing rates.”
’68ERS DRESS FOR ST. PATRICK’S DAY:
Dave Barrs writes: “Pat was kind enough to invite me to his St. Patrick’s Day get-together. Apparently, the green hair is a long-standing family tradition!”
Pat’s Christmas card started with, “Another busy year with kids, family and dear friends; tarpon fishing with the boys in Mexico and the Keys; and then Italy and Copenhagen with friends and a trans-Canada rail trip through the magnificent Rockies with new dear friends from the neighborhood.” He also managed to have an epic steelhead fishing adventure on the Blackfoot River in Montana. Sounds like someone checked off a bunch of his bucket list items in 2024!
THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS: Prayers are requested for those affected by personal health issues and those who are now responsible for becoming caregivers to loved ones. We also pray for so many fellow countrymen and women who are still dealing with the devastation caused by traumatic weather events across our nation and the wildfires in California. Finally, we pray for our country with a call for civility and an end to senseless violence at home and abroad.
THAT’S A WRAP: Mind the flak, keep ’em flying, and keep those cards, letters, emails and photos coming to Pat Russell and me. Ciao for now.
Tim
Members 84%
52
18
Tim Davidson, 9712 Hidden Valley Rd., Vienna, VA 22181-6094; H: 703-255-5313; C: 703-772-6052; timd1968@gmail.com; usafa68.org
1969
Greetings, ’69ers!
Another quarterly behind us, much to speak of, honorarium to attend to, wondrous summer events to excite, family adventures eager. Off we go.
Steve and Fran Kolet grace ’69’s Checkpoints for the first time, having sequestered for many years of widespread jobs, travel and USAFA memories. Fran was perhaps lured by the enticement of ’69’s 11th 5-year reunion, and duly impressed by class tightknitted camaraderie after 55 years! After his AF flying career, Steve taught in several aviation positions, the last as a pilot ground training instructor (a bicycle crash concluded his airborne duties) just before 9/11. Since departing from his home in Williamsburg, Virginia, in 2017, he and Fran married, settling in Virginia’s tidewater, a short mile downstream from Ft. Eustis and Newport News (among other ’69ers who spend time in lovely tidewater, especially during summer, is Chip Wood). With wife Fran, a retired ship builders engineer, Steve shares many hobbies, including stained glass, beekeeping, remote
John “Sully” and Charlotte Sullivan
Thai Dinner in Niceville, Florida (around the table): Kerry and Barbara Killebrew, Carl and Susan McPherson and Vern and Marilyn McGraw
Irish celebration: Pat Hurley and Dave Barrs
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control model building, flying, hunting and fishing. In addition, with their shared tech (and NASA) backgrounds, Team Kolet is following Gerry Brown’s latest exotic interest, with thoughts of helping him build his demo if Gerry moves forward — check out U.S. Patent 12234011 B2 to see what Gerry has been up to! Team Kolet, technically now an American Airlines retiree, is likely to be found heading to the desert southwest (bring it on, Steve), meeting Gerry and then repeating a treasured family trip to Sicily in the fall. Life is good! Rock on, Steve.
GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN
As you know, we lost stalwart ’69er Bob Bell during our reunion. In April, Bob was honored by Georgia Tech and the Sam Nunn School of International Affairs with the formation of the Robert G. Bell Memorial Scholarship. ’69ers Steve Huntley, Randy Percy and Mike Thiessen (honoring Bob’s squadrons, CS-27 and CS-09) were in attendance with their wives, and Vibeke Roosen Bell, Bob’s wife, from Brussels.
Bob had been teaching at Georgia Tech’s Nunn School as a distinguished professor since 2017, and Senator Nunn and Gen. Phillip Breedlove honored Bob by presiding as keynote speakers in his honor. Both spoke about their deeply personal relationships with Bob as well as his model performance, patriotism and dedicated public service across his 45-year U.S. government career.
Several other ’69ers (e.g., Ron Olds, Tom Fleming, me) have been working to help establish the Robert G. Bell Memorial Scholarship in perpetuity. We are about halfway to the $100,000 goal necessary to enshrine Bob and instill his excellence — from USAFA through his ambassadorship and Georgia Tech — for generations to come.
If you would like to contribute, the link below will take you directly to the Georgia Tech Robert G. Bell Memorial Scholarship site. Steve Huntley, 704-236-1009, can address any questions.
Esse non Videri.
Gary Howe — loving husband, exemplary dad and incredible classmate — passed away at home on March 16 of complications following surgery. Gary’s life was dedicated to one goal: supporting others. As a personnel officer, culminating as CBPO chief at the AFA, Gary listened to what people needed and wanted in their career objectives and worked diligently in support of their goals. After retiring from the AF, he was a stalwart at our AOG, serving as executive VP as well as interim CEO and executive director. For 20 years, Gary strived to make the organization better for all: grads and coworkers. Indeed, many characterized Gary as “the kindest man I ever met — funny, patient, the ultimate gentleman” and as “humble and even-tempered, but with a rascally wit.” Serving on every reunion committee from our 20th on, Gary also worked tirelessly for our class. As many know, Gary battled Parkinson’s, but he never let the disease define or deter him. When asked about its impact, Gary’s favorite rejoinder was, “I’m in GREAT shape for the shape I’m in.” “Integrity first; Service before felf; Excellence in all we do,” the AF’s core values, were exemplified in Gary’s work and life. Gary Howe will be greatly missed.
Doug Fitzpatrick was a one-of-a-kind, admirable man who carried all the calm, grace, smile, equanimity and composure of the most solidly built of anyone who ever lived — even without the leg mobility. He always exhibited a smile, offered a laugh, interested mostly in day’s affairs, cherished the pride in our beloved Academy, and honored the “classmate closeness” of the friends of our USAFA community and his family. While we all admired Doug, prayed for him and remarked at the purely pleasant times spent with him, none were more instrumental in ensuring Doug’s place as an integral part of Team ’69 than Kenny Stevenson — no better friend, no attitude more positive, no prayers more poignant, and none better than Ken to limit pain, solve unexpected challenges and ensure the future. Thanks so much, Ken. Salute. May God bless Doug. Honoring Doug at his burial were Darrel Whitcomb, Glenn Schlabs, Steve Edelman, Randy Percy, John Dallagher, Ron Hindmarsh and the ineffable Ken Stevenson — along with thousands of ’69er prayers.
And, sadly, two more ’69ers have just passed: Buff Tibbets and Ken Hamlin. More sadness. Salute all ... make every day count.
Greetings men! It’s the end of April and it has been a pretty mild spring. Time to gear up for our reunion in September. Looks like we got the new Hotel Polaris for most of the festivities. Thanks to an anonymous classmate’s donation, prices for rooms and amenities have been reduced. I have been to the hotel twice and it really is first class. Mike Lambert hosted 11 of us to celebrate Tooey Emery’s birthday. In addition to Lamberts and Emerys, Jerry and Pam Bruni, Sharon and Gary Dahlen, the Phantom, and Dale and Ruth Zolsche from the AOG attended. Mike and Jenny Lambert also purchased a room (907) at Polaris. While it doesn’t allow for free stays, it does permit a plaque to be placed outside the room. Mike put up a great plaque honoring several of our classmates. I also heard Dana Arbaugh purchased a room (807). Way to go men!
I am extremely pleased to announce that Jerry Bruni has been selected for the Distinguished Graduate Award — the Academy’s highest honor. This was long overdue IMHO. Jerry’s many contributions to the Academy are absolutely amazing. Pam and he have been long-time pillars of the Colorado Springs and Academy communities. Bill Begert ’68 was also selected. Their induction ceremony is July 25.
John Martinson was honored at the Academy on April 24. He received the Academy’s Distinguished Service Award for his many contributions to the Academy across all mission elements. Mega kudos to Jerry and John!
Just learned Gregg Popovich is stepping down as coach of the Spurs. He will be the team’s president. Pop is a legend — five NBA titles and the all-time NBA winningest coach. More importantly, he has
Steve and Fran Kolet at play
Bob and Vibeke, Randy, Steve, Vibeke, Sen. Sam Nun and Mike honoring Bob
’69ers honor Gary Howe and his many years of excellence for USAFA. May God bless.
Members 82% Sabre Society Donors
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Seventy Men and spouses celebrate Tooey’s birthday
CLASS NEWS
represented the Academy and our class in such a way as to make us all proud. Congrats on a great career, Pop!
Well-deserved Distinguished Service Award to John Martinson
The AFA Academic Success Center presented Rick Bereit with its Distinguished Service Award. Rick has provided over 2,200 cadets writing assistance over the last six years.
Wild Bill and Denise Stealey are now living in Dade City near Tampa. Ray and Alyce McKelvy continue to take care of Greyhounds and enjoyed a good time in Hilton Head. Mark and Karen Miller had a great trip to Santiago, Chile. Ken and Patti Greene visited New Zealand. Waskows cruised to Croatia, Italy and France. They also visited Normandy — should be on all our bucket lists. Northrups sailed the Panama Canal. Terry Silvester ran across Lin Smith at his Florida community. Dave Sterling has a great retirement gig. He recently flew a homeland security mission over D.C. with a major general as a passenger. Tom Stein was here for a Foundation meeting and got in nine holes on the Blue course. I gather Al Wurglitz is working on a book about the Civil War era. Mike Torreano’s fifth book, The Rebirth, is about to be released. Longtime favorites Ike and Lorraine return for another episode in the South Park series. Russ and Jane McKnight attended the standup of the 95th Wing at Offut. Russ’ dad flew in the 95th Bomb Group — one of the most decorated — in WWII. Don and Jean Forbes are planning to sail his 30-foot sailboat from St. Croix to Cartagena through the Panama Canal and up to the Sea of Cortez. Sounds pretty sporty to this landlubber! Rumors are rampant about changes at our Academy. Gary, Jerry and I chatted with the superintendent. He has a tough job with all the changes being directed by the new administration. There may be significant civilian faculty cuts, a reduction in majors, cutting of staff and the elimination of some intercollegiate sports. I am sure you will read about these in the coming months. Talked to a firstie. Seems many of the stresses of our fourth-class year have been eliminated. Not sure many of us agree with this, but after being around here for over 30 years, nothing surprises me as most changes are like a sine wave as superintendents and commandants come and go — each with their vision of how things should be. Unfortunately, the cadets are the ones who suffer from all the radical changes. Our women’s boxing team won the national championship. Spring football raised some question
marks as the QB who led us to four victories at the end of last season didn’t practice for reasons unknown. Several key players entered the transfer portal as did several good basketball players. Navy is favored to win the CIC Trophy next year. I think we can go 7-5 and get a bowl game. The face of college sports has changed and the Academies will be hard pressed to keep up.
We lost two good men recently. Dan McFadden, who planned our first reunion, passed away after battling the aftereffects of a stroke for many years. My Prep School and golfing buddy, Steve MacIsaac, flew west recently. There were lots of Seventy Men at Steve’s funeral and his celebration of life.
Chip Terrill informed me that two men many of us knew from the Prep School passed away — Joe Houston and Jim Haggerty.
All right gang, we are all on the back nine of life. Make sure you come to our reunion to share the special memories of our cadet journey. See you in September!
Dick Rauschkolb, 719-310-6928; AOG70@comcast.net
1971
Greetings from the Front Range, where the new Hotel Polaris off the North Gate is open for business; Andy Ceroni, Steve Mott and I tried the main restaurant on one late winter day, and the entrees were pretty good. After lunch, we looked at some of the other public spaces and were pleasantly impressed. We made plans to try Doolies informal dining on a later date, but life intervened with other priorities and then the unexpected closing for renovations. We intend to try lunch there sometime before our reunion.
Did you raise a glass on the 71st anniversary of the bill that established our alma mater?
The annual Falcon chapter of the AOG missed an epic cold spell and snow by a mere day. John and Sandy Koch, Mike Fuhs, Andy Ceroni, and Andrea
and I all got to hear the vice superintendent, a ’93 grad, bring us up to date on the state of the Wing. Congratulations to Dan Bohlin on being elected to the AOG board of directors!
Plans for next year’s reunion are moving forward, with the consensus being for an off-cycle event; location is pretty evenly split between the abovementioned Polaris and San Antonio. As of this writing, the AOG is sending out another survey to help firm up these and other questions for the upcoming festivities. There are good arguments for spring versus fall and Colorado versus other places. One consideration for timing is that there are nine classes whose reunions occur next year, which means crowds on the Terrazzo, hotels, restaurants, golf courses and other tourist attractions in the area. As to place, Curt Kekoa brought up some thoughts: “So, with each reunion I looked forward to being at USAFA, catching up on what was happening at the school and, in part, the AF, and reminiscing ... Basic and pushups; quizzing on the Terrazzo; Hell Week; becoming an upperclassman and all that entailed, which can or might not be revealed; the football games/after-game festivities ... especially during our firstie year, when AFA was ranked in the top 6 (?) nationally; the all-nighters at the Doll Baby within 100 nights before graduation. But for me, it will be hard to reminisce without being at USAFA — that is, the place of memorable events and the ‘crimes’ with classmates. So, I vote to have the reunion at AFA.
“It gave me a chance to find out what the ‘kids’ were thinking and doing (at the noon lunch, when I bumped into upperclassmen at the dorm, etc.). It also gave me a chance, especially following the formal briefings, to know what those in control were doing and subsequently express, among other things, my objection to DEI (diversity, equity, inclusion).”
This last quarter was not particularly pleasant in terms of Gone But Not Forgotten notices. Tom Steipp, Jerry O’Sullivan, Jon Stevens, Virg Staponski and Bob “Libby” Livingston made that particular notice.
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Paul D. Knott, 5565 Lantana Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80915; 719-570-9162; pk71knott@gmail.com
1972
Well, guys, it’s that time again when you see what pops up in Checkpoints Class News. As often happens, I get to the submission deadline and realize that we may be short of input to fill a 900-word news column. I will give you what we have and hope
Seventy Men honor Steve MacIsaac
Members 82% Sabre Society
for more next time.
The first input was from Les “Slats” Shrum describing how, for the 15th consecutive year, Kinston, North Carolina, hosted the Freedom Classic baseball tournament between USAFA and USNA. The event is three days/three games, which have always been played on the final Friday through Sunday of February, held the 21-23 this year. The event is funded by charitable (501c3) donations from the local community. This includes (among other things) rooms, food, transportation and a players’ banquet. Along with being a lead organizer, Les has also made an annual donation in the name of our class, which gets our class recognition in the game flyer and on the scoreboard during the games. This year he has contributed $500 and is paying for the Bandit Flight Team to accomplish a flyover at the beginning of the Sunday game. Les is soliciting additional contributions from our class, which he will include in our class total. For more info on the donation method, let me know and I will pass it on to Les. All future donations are gratefully accepted.
Bill Beck was able to attend this year’s fun baseball weekend and reported on the event itself including a photo, having met up with Les for that weekend in Kinston and taking in all three games between the Air Force Falcons and the Navy Midshipmen. Les was the one behind getting flyovers for most of the 15 years. Our class is one of the event sponsors. Air Force won this year’s three-game series 2–1.
The latest Year 53 Reunion Committee news comes from Mush Brower, with several snippets to pass on before everything is finalized. Events start on Thursday, Oct. 2, finishing up on Sunday, Oct. 5.
Plans for Thursday include an upscale dinner buffet at 6:30 p.m. at Hotel Polaris, with cocktails to start at 5 p.m.-ish, with the hospitality room open as early as 3 p.m., then reopening from 8-11 p.m.
The Friday activity list now has the traditional golf with five tee times at 8 a.m. Also being scheduled is an Academy history site tour at 9 a.m. in the Aviator Lounge with our own personal ’78 grad guide. The Deceased Classmate Memorial will be at 3 p.m. at Doolittle Hall. Plated dinner starting at 6 p.m. will be at Hotel Polaris. Again, cocktails starting at 5 p.m. and the hospitality room open from 8 to 11 p.m. Saturday’s AFA versus Navy game day watch party is still under consideration. Options being discussed
by the committee include Doolittle Hall as one choice with both the East and West Club seating at Falcon Stadium as another. We have our best people investigating the optimal solution, so we will stand by for that.
Attendance is currently anticipated to be between 200-225 with grads and guests (versus 680 for our 50th).
The registration setup website will be finalized once pending issues (Thursday menu and watch party location) are resolved.
Reunion reservation fee will be $45/grad and $25/ guest. Hotel Polaris room cost with fees and taxes is $282/night for NON-see-the-mountain rooms. More for upgrades.
Casual dress for all events — no reason to bring a coat and tie.
A merchandise website link will be available. Stay tuned for further news on later emails from Ski Wagasky after this column is published.
We took the historical photo from the 50th Reunion Planning Committee to use here since this time we have the same characters involved for you to see except, of course, Curly.
Harvey LeCato, (RIP Curly Chamberlin — still with us regardless), Ross Wilhite, Randy Fitzhugh, Ski Wagasky and Mush Brower
Aside from writing this newsletter, I am also in the midst of reading a book published in 2023 by my CS-24 squadron commander, “Buck” Buchanan, titled Ripcord for a Beer, the biographical account of his dad’s WWII experience. This book has been a great read and I recommend it.
The thought occurred to me that we have several other classmate writers who qualify as authors listed here with at least one title. Alphabetically they are Bob Chatman, Brinn Colenda, James Danielik, Bob Doerr, Rick Koskella, Bill Looney, Rick Pennington and Don Peppers. Besides Amazon or Goodreads, there is also a listing on the USAFA website of “graduates using their writing talents,” on which many of these were found. Finally, I encourage whoever may be an author and not seeing your name on the list to let me know and it will be added. Who couldn’t use another 600-plus customers looking for some light summer reading, right?
Last but not least, let me remind you that Dennis Sbach passed away on Nov. 14, 2024, and his interment service at USAF Academy Cemetery was planned for later this year. The date for the service is Friday, June 27 at 1 p.m. Our condolences go to his bride, Kathleen, and the whole Sbach family as they and we grieve his loss. FPA
Bob Bell, 13 Pacific Ave., Sinking Spring, PA 19608; 302-399-3240; reservist777@ yahoo.com
1973
Illustrious classmates, The 2025 National Character and Leadership Symposium marked the 20th anniversary of the Class of 1973’s sponsorship, which has influenced more than 20,000 cadets — about a third of all Academy graduates — since 2005. With our $1 million in contributions having grown to more than $2.9 million, the Class of ’73 remains the largest single supporter of the Academy’s premier character and leadership development program. Our endowment will allow the Academy to use up to $130,000 for the 2026 NCLS and will be able to provide significant support for NCLS in perpetuity. For NCLS 2025, about 20 classmates and many wives/significant others attended and volunteered. Shaped by the superintendent’s Warfighters to Win theme and in contrast to previous years, most speakers were active duty or recently retired military. Feedback from classmates highlighted the event’s positive impact, with suggestions for more speaker variety and inclusion of civilian voices with extraordinary stories. The slamdunk best speaker by class vote was Lt. Col. Alea Nadeem, an Iraqi-American who was separated from her mother and lived in Iraq as a child before being repatriated to the U.S. … an ordinary USAF officer with an extraordinary story. Rich and Teresa Fazio hosted a memorable post-symposium dinner, joined by distinguished guests including USAFA Vice Superintendent Maj. Gen. Thomas Sherman ’95 and our classmate Sully Sullenberger. More pix in the online version at usafa73.org.
Post-NCLS dinner attendees: Kirk Samelson, Ted Kammire, Maj. Gen. Sherman, Chris Taravella, Al Maurer, Bob Munson, AJ Ranft, Mike Arnett, John Wigington, Mike Edwards, Jim Parker, Steve Lorenz, Bill Diffley, Vic Thuotte, AJ Briding, Charlie Felton, Trapper Carpenter, host Rich Fazio and Sully Sullenberger
Les Shrum, left, and Bill Beck
From left: Sandy Lewis, Ollie Olson,
Members 73% Sabre Society Donors
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CLASS NEWS
It’s been a quiet winter for the CS-31 Grim Reapers. Don Sloan has continued to support the Delaware Special Olympics and the annual Polar Plunge. This year, he was honored as his team raised the most funds. Bob Errickson (Bob was with us for three years until medically discharged) and Tom Kennedy joined Don for the plunge. John Garrard’s widow, Ann, has just completed a cruise encompassing Taiwan, South Korea and Japan. And Dan Connelly’s widow, Robin, stays busy hopping between Chicago and Rhode Island with their grandchildren. Pix in the online version.
Twenty-second Squadron had a mini reunion in Las Vegas in March. Six guys and their wives had dinner at the Hofbräuhaus. Three of the attendees — Mike Laney, Tony Strawa and Dave Harmon — continued on to the USAFA Cemetery to honor two squadronmates who are resting there: Randy Kalkman and Paul Manley
At the Hofbräuhaus from left: Rich Eilers, Mike and Patti Laney, Sue Eilers, Kim Peterson, Julie Harmon, Yvonne and Tony Strawa, Dave Harmon, Jim Boyle, and John Peterson
Denny Boyce (CS-25) is on the Appalachian Trail, planning to hike it all this year.
Jack and Marsha Hudson (CS-25) spent March in and around Australia and New Zealand to celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary. Marsha is a big Lord of the Rings fan, so they took two LOTR excursions: one to the Hobbit village, where they got to see the movie set, and the second to tour the fully furnished Hobbit houses. In late January, Jack competed in the annual indoor triathlon (rowing, cycling and treadmill) in the WPAFB gym. He was 10th overall out of 29 and sixth on the bike. To highlight 73-year-old Jack’s accomplishment, he discovered while biking that the guy to his left was Class of ’23, our 50-year Legacy Class, and also that two other ’23 grads competing, too — all students at AFIT. The two guys came in first and second overall; the gal was first in women and sixth overall. On April 18, Jack and a USAF cycling teammate rode to the AF Museum to visit the Doolittle Raider Memorial on the occasion of the 83rd anniversary of the mission. Never forget! And ride on, Jack!
The fourth annual CS-39 Campus Radical Whiskey Tour was on the Tennessee Trail this year, in the “backyard” of Dan and Denise Pierre. Nine Radicals — Bob Decker, Kelly McCullar, Paul Motley, Dan Pierre, Craig MacPherson, Mark Romain, Skip Evans, Terry Lakin and Mark Prill — enjoyed the Volunteer State from Nashville to Lynchburg. All was not whiskey, as the Country Music Hall of Fame and the Beechcraft Historical Museum were on the tour;
but more important was the camaraderie and laughs after almost 56 years together. Pix online.
John Stefonik (CS-20) wrote from Egypt that our alma mater was not the first to use the falcon as a symbol. When I quipped that I’d hate to see what he looked like after 2,000 years, he sent a one-picture reply that is in the online version.
Our local monthly gathering of classmates continues to attract eight to 10 guys for stories and laughs. I’ll have to get Dave Ellis to write up his third lieutenant adventures at Clark AB (ostensibly), including learning to fly a Marine helicopter and getting stuck on a U.S. Navy aircraft carrier during a typhoon. Amazing stuff!
Ed Heisey (CS-37) reported that squadronmate Greg Cummins’ widow, Ruth, was finally able to get Greg’s burial scheduled at Arlington Cemetery for April 30 of this year. As I’m writing this before that date, presumably all went according to schedule. Greg passed away in August 2023.
“Here’s a toast … to the host … of the men we boast!”
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
classmate of ours from page 18 of the December Checkpoints (Doug Dildy) paid a visit to some friends mid-March. Doug flew his Cirrus SR-22 over from Albuquerque to New Braunfels (Texas). We went out to dinner with our ladies (sorry, no photo). On the following Saturday, he took me up for a flight over the Texas Hill Country.”
Jake Borah wrote in looking for help. Jake feels he’s dedicated to improving the quality of simulations available to our warfighters. “I started this quest just before I retired. During my last duty tour at the TAC’s Battlestaff Training School at Hurlburt, I learned how flawed the simulation we were using was. I also realized a lot of the problem was that simulation developers didn’t know much about real-world AF operations. I decided to go into industry to fix these problems at the source rather than fix them in the field. Currently, I am involved with the Simulation Interoperability Standards Organization to develop a body of knowledge.” Jake asked for any contacts at USAFA who may be interested. After a few short notes, the scribe asked Dino Schweitzer, still at USAFA, for assistance. Within the hour, Dino sent Jake some contacts. It’s great when the web works! Thank you, Dino!!! For fun news, Steve Heil wrote that his Big Bird is still running. His grandson has dibs on it and Steve’s stereo! Steve is the only ’74 who sent in his Vette pic. Are there only three still running in our class? [There were two in the last issue.]
Greetings, classmates! Typing this in April. I hope and pray that the weather turbulence hasn’t greatly troubled any of you. There are no reports here on calamities, and only a few emails to pass on! Todd Bejsovec sent: “A celebrity
Chris Lanzit wrote in. He and his wife, Linda, are spending the winter away from Finland in warm, sunny Spain. They did a 250-km (150-mile) bike ride from Seville to Cadiz in mid-January, then to Barcelona for a month. Linda goes back to Helsinki every few weeks to look after the grands so that their parents get a bit of a break. Chris stays in Spain for these periods and has gotten in some fantastic bike
’73 Falcon John Stefonik with falcon-headed god Horus, at Edfu Temple in Egypt, constructed 230 to 30 BCE
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Doug, left, and Todd with Doug’s Cirrus
Big Bird with Steve and grandson
rides, particularly in Barcelona, but also in Malaga. Chris added he is still doing some translation work when he’s not busy with woodworking, bicycling and sailing. John Sullivan “retired” from mayor duties. John said that he learned from his AF boss long ago, sometimes it’s best to not say anything and wait until everyone else has unloaded their thoughts. That helped John decide.
Some are retired. Some are still working. Whenever you get to Hilton Head, South Carolina, stop by the ACE Hardware store. Brad Huffman is the owner of the store with — “if he doesn’t have it, you don’t need it!” — friendly service! For those who may be thinking of aerial surveillance, you may want to look into SkySentry in Colorado Springs. Charlie Lambert is the president. The company started in 2003. They strive to live up to their motto: “Credibility through Performance ” The aerostat systems are designed to be deployed and set up quickly, for land or maritime applications, with a variety of payloads to meet difficult needs. Those classmates working with damage assessments may find something here.
Marc Wooten returned recently from Liberia. He taught classes on 1st and 2nd Peter, meeting with about 35 ministry leaders. He is thankful to be back home in the U.S. Marc is still undergoing chemotherapy. His last CT scan shows no evidence of the spread of cancer. Michael Chase and Kay are still living in Albuquerque. Mike is a VP in the SAIC space and defense arena. Another recent find is Joe Dorris. He and Susan have been in the COS area 40 years. Joe is very active in the Colorado Springs Mineralogical Society, mining types of quartz. He taught high school Earth science and biology for a while. Joe found time to write and publish five frontier adventure novels. Michael Dunn is still shown residing in Manhattan Beach and remaining non-communicado.
Each December on National Wreaths Across America Day, USAFA Cemetery personnel and volunteers lay a wreath on all military grave sites at the USAFA Cemetery. The mission of WAA is to remember the fallen, honor those who serve and teach the next generation the value of freedom. WAA carries out this mission by coordinating wreath-laying ceremonies at Arlington National Cemetery and at more than 3,400 additional locations in all 50 U.S. states as well as at sea and abroad. Charlie Bryant has coordinated with the USAFA Cemetery personnel and located all of our ’74 grave sites. Prior to the ceremony this past year, he placed a small red flag at each Class of ’74 grave site. Once the ceremony began, Charlie placed a wreath on each grave site to honor our deceased classmates buried at the Academy Cemetery. If any classmates would like to participate in the ceremony next December, let Charlie know to coordinate. Place the date on your calendar for this year: Dec. 13, 2025.
Joe Brezovic, 228 Senior Cir., Lompoc, CA 93436; 832-285-4179; launchops74@gmail.com
1975
Reunion updates: From Jeff Hackett, grand poobah of the reunion committee: “Our 50th reunion planning is currently ON GLIDEPATH and ON CENTERLINE! We are expecting approximately 400 fellow graduates to be on hand for the festivities at Hotel Polaris, the Cadet Area and Falcon Stadium (Wed., Oct. 29–Sat., Nov. 1). As a BEST ALIVE guy, you owe it to yourself and your classmates to come renew those friendships, retell those stories and walk those hallowed halls again together. For further information and to register, go to reunions.usafagroups.org/class-of-1975 Rich Chanick is one of the underlings on the reunion committee who, when Jeff says “Jump,” replies, “I don’t think so on account of my knees sound like a bowl of Rice Krispies when I walk, and I have a well-documented aversion to symbols of authority.” However, Rich jumped at the chance to head up the class program to provide financial assistance to any classmate who wants to attend the reunion but for whom the cost would be a hardship. He reports several classmates have already contacted him. The program is completely confidential and has minimal hoops to jump through, so if anyone needs a “boost” to make the trip happen, contact Rich at Rchanick@gmail.com.
Wanderers: Stan “Chumley” and Mary Collins dropped in on Stan “Sluggo” and Wanda Siefke
(apparently the Stans of the world are adept at acquiring dubious nicknames) in Niceville, Florida, where they were treated to a pod of dolphins, a ninefoot alligator, and Sluggo’s model railroad that takes up half of the Siefke garage. Wanda has laid down a “blue line of death” in the garage, and any rails or railroad cars that cross the line are subject to certain and utter destruction.
Sluggo Siefke, left, with Chumley Collins
Tony and Cyndy Mahoney probably sewed up the class nomads title years ago, but if they’re sitting on their laurels, they’re doing it in another country. They put in 180 days of travel in 2024, and this year they’ve already spent three weeks in Madrid and two weeks in Egypt cruising the Nile. Tony says everyone should see Egypt, but once is enough.
On June 4, approximately 75 classmates and spouses met at The Pinery on the Hill in Colorado Springs and commemorated the 50th anniversary of no longer waking up in the dorms. Embellished stories of life at USAFA didn’t seem to matter, as everyone was too old to remember the real events anyway.
Bill Estelle has added a Prep School section to 75bestalive.org. It includes yearbook and personal photos, staff members, a memories section, reunions and other areas of interest. If you can name the guy in the green hat with a stern face and hands balled up into fists in the memories section, let Bill know so the dude won’t have to be remembered only as “the angry prepper.”
Things to ask at the reunion: A few inputs came in this month that deserve a lot of coverage, but they’re not going to get it because a) the CP word limit is sacrosanct, b) the scribe you unknowingly voted for can’t do them justice, and c) you can get the full stories firsthand from these and other classmates at the reunion.
Dave White is called Grandpa Ice Cream by his 10 grandkids. When he’s not buying their adulation with frozen dairy products, he’s playing the role of director and treasurer of the Honourable (the “u” is intentional) Company of Air Pilots Aerospace Scholarship Foundation, going on cruises, and flying sailplanes, light aircraft, and a Citation XLS for a charter company. He also recently received the FAA Wright Brothers Award.
Raise your hand if you have a 14-year-old son who will be graduating from high school in 2026 with a straight-A average. Needless to say, having a teenage son knocked most of us out of the running, and topping that with a son who’s graduating several years ahead of his peers eliminated everyone but JP Cody. JP’s son, Alexander, hopes to attend UT
Charlie at a ’74 gravesite
Be kind. May you live long and prosper.
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Austin after graduation to study computer science, robotics, AI and business. He earned his third black belt in Taekwondo at the age of 10, is teaching younger students and has competed in a couple of national Taekwondo tournaments. According to JP though, his greatest attributes are that he’s genuinely nice and unassuming.
While many of us were feeling good about ourselves for not elbowing an octogenarian woman aside at Costco to get the last bottle of ibuprofen on the shelf, Duane Lodrige was providing non-lethal aid to Ukrainian pilots in the form of new, viable survival vests through Volunteers for Ukraine. The initial goal was to supply 30 vests at a cost of $2,000 each, but by using some ingenuity in the design and production process, the group was able to deliver 80 vests to the pilots earlier this year. Duane’s story is a tale of trains and buses from Warsaw to Kyiv, lots of borscht, and an onsite report of a proud nation that has shown incredible bravery, perseverance and defiance in a war with a neighboring aggressor. His firsthand account of the tools of warfare and the resiliency of the people is a must-hear at the reunion.
GBNF recently notified to AOG: Dave Stinson (CS-25), Gregory White (CS-01), John Stults (CS-40) and Fred Nickel (CS-36).
Foster Bitton, 75scribealive@gmail.com
1976
Fellow ’76ers, Martha and I hope your Easter was good and that the coming summer holds good things for you. Sad news: Cheryl Matthews, wife of Dave Matthews, died on Jan. 20 in Indiana, after a long battle with medical issues. Thanks to Jim Vincze for forwarding the information. Mazel Bert Erickson, 23 Barnstormers, died Feb. 15 in Beaufort, South Carolina. Thanks to Rob Sheridan and Mike Blythe for alerting me to his passing. Please keep Dave and his family and Mazel’s family in your thoughts and prayers. General class stuff: Jeff Larsen enjoys being a current affairs speaker on cruise ships several times a year and takes Cyndy along. When not at sea, he is an adjunct professor at the Naval Postgraduate School. He and Cyndy will miss the Ring Dance; they’ll be cruising the Norwegian coast. “Papa” Joe Marchino and Becky visited Bill Clifford in Topeka.
Joe and Sen. Bill
Bill, who is a Kansas state senator and an ophthalmologist, had the Marchino’s accompany him to the Senate floor just before the Senate session began. Joe and Becky will visit Colorado in June. Ernie and Pam Woollard had an early February visit from Terry and Karen New, who also visited Key West and Fort Meyers before stopping. Ernie and Pam, and possibly some kids/grandkids, plan to attend our 50th. Charlie Vono says all is well. He volunteers at Hill Aerospace Museum and is now a docent. Howard and Kathy McCarthy report Texas life is good, with kids/grandkids close by. Did three cruises last year — a quick one-week out-and-back out of Galveston, an 18-day Disney Ft. Lauderdale to Barcelona, and a 16-day junket from Athens to the Greek Isles, Ephesus, Istanbul and back to Athens. They’re heading to France the last two weeks of May and will take a fall cruise from Montreal to Miami. Jim Boma and Mike “Yama” Hoyes both commented about procuring A-jackets for our 50th; the committee will look into possibilities. Greg Boomgaard commented on Elon Musk’s A-jacket, and Dave Berg requested assistance finding a CS-18 patch (he was able to find one).
T.S. Kelso reminds all about updating retired ID cards. You need to update by the end of the year, possibly sooner, depending on where you are. If you want particulars, contact me. Joe and Julie Wysocki spent most of April in South America, stopping in Santiago, Chile; Torres del Paine National Park in
Patagonia; Mendoza and Iguazu Falls, Argentina; Rio de Janiero; and finally Machu Picchu, Peru. They hosted Craig Kinney, Marty Clement, Mark Chavez, Cliff Simmons and Rick Perry before their current travels, enjoying a great BBQ dinner. Craig gave me a heads up about a possible link up, indicating Mike and Paula Gould and Stan Rader might also join skiing. Walt Heidmous, soon to be fully Floridian, may need some hip/knee surgery in the near future. I assisted Al Patriquin in connecting with Chris Sullivan. Len Summers sent several notes: He saw Kevin Chilton in Aurora at the AFA Warfare Symposium, had his class ring refurbished by Jostens, is getting a “victory paver” placed at the New Orleans WWII museum for his dad, and sent a Veterans Day article he wrote a few years ago. Stan Kasprzyk is thinking of a mini reunion for ’76er soaring instructors during our 50th — more to follow. Roger Kontak and Chuck Ohms sent suggestions for reunion activities. John Hazen called to chat about the Ring Dance event. Patrick O’Brien noted his grandson was born on Easter Sunday 2023. Mike Henchey sent an article about current administration changes. Truman Hedding reports he and Dave and Lynd Clary celebrated Dave and Lynd’s retirement to the Tucson 49ers club last month. Bob Norman and Mike Fricano both reported that they and Mike Kelly participated in MOAA’s 2025 Advocacy in Action event.
Mike F. also visited with in-law Dave Berg. Dutch Durchyshyn saw Roger Turcotte pin O-6 eagles on son, Lee, (USAFA ’04) at the WWII memorial in D.C.
Roger and Lee
Larry and Kim Engleson golfed/dined with Todd and Liz Garland in Ormond Beach. Doug Fry commented on the impact USAFA had on him. Warnie Meisetschleager participated in the
JP and Alexander Cody
Duane Lodrige, far right, in Ukraine.
Bob, Mike and Mike
Commemorative Air Force project “Bring the Boys Back Home,” honoring British veterans by reconnecting their relatives with tangible reminders of their loved one’s sacrifice. Dave May asked if Contrails are still in use — yes! John Kurtz and Duke Evans both sent questions about class gift donations. Kevin Leinbach sent a question about commemorative pistols. Don Hall sent a copy of our May 30, 1976, Ring Dining-In program (thanks, Don!) and reminds all that periodic letters from Waldo F. Dumbsquat are on the communications page of our class website.
NSTR: None this time.
Legacy events: A reminder that we are invited to the Class of ’26 Ring Dance on May 23.
50th reunion/class gift: We’re still making good progress; the next committee meeting will be soon. Go to usafa.org/76-reunion for more info.
Classmates, again time to stick a fork in it. If you haven’t received an email from me in the past three to six months, I don’t have your current email address. Please send me an update. Plan to attend and participate in Legacy events and our 50th reunion to the best of your abilities. Get your medical checkups. Be careful and stay well and healthy. If you are headed to the Springs, let me and the other locals know. Keep flying your flags and keep our deployed troops in your thoughts and prayers. THE SPIRIT LIVES!
Until next time.................. Beatty
In honor of its 50th reunion, the Class of 1976 is raising $3.5 million to create The Spirit of ’76 Echelon on the Heritage Trail at the U.S. Air Force Academy. It will be a tribute to the Long Blue Line and the heritage, legacy and tradition of the U.S. Air Force, U.S. Space Force and U.S. Air Force Academy. The project will provide propeller blades and bronze plaques representing each graduating class with their class crest, a brief narrative, and a digital kiosk with the names of graduates.
Our Class of 1976 class gift will also create the Spirit of ’76 Endowment to honor the Long Blue Line and serve their families in perpetuity.
View the project status at usafa.org/1976-50th
Dan Beatty, 12196 Stanley Canyon Rd., Colorado Springs, CO 80921; H: 719-488-1962; C: 719-338-0276; whrlybrd76@aol.com
1977
Warming greetings from the slopes of the Rampart Range, where until just a few days ago chocolate rabbits were multiplying like, well, rabbits. Everyone’s complexion should be recovered by now from raiding your grandkids’ Easter candy, so let’s dive in.
I want to start by noting that many of us this year have reached or will reach the fabled “three score years and ten.” Back when Psalm 90, verse 10 was being written down, this was a ripe old age; in fact, it was toward the upper limit of life expectancy. Looking at the pictures of you all and the rest of our classmates, I would say most of us seem to have a little more gas in the tank. In fact, I see a lot of hiking, canoeing, paddleboarding, skiing and biking from the ’77 crowd, as well as extensive travel, with all the effort that entails. Geno Redmon (Kristin), who I think is one of the most eloquent people I’ve had the pleasure of spending time with, told me that retirement consists of the “go-go years, the slow-go years and the no-go years.” Here’s to many more gogo years for all of us as we enter our seventh decade.
Which is a long-winded way of asking you all for more pictures and stories about life, love and chasing the brass ring under more relaxed conditions. It’s also your humble scribe’s ham-fisted way of introducing the topic of our 50th reunion, now slightly less than 2½ years away. I normally don’t encourage extra long-range thinking, but this reunion is a big one, and since I want to see as many classmates as possible, I’m going to urge people to start blocking one or two months out of their calendars for the fall of 2027. I don’t have any insight as to arrangements, although it’s possible the new Hotel Polaris will be our ground zero for festivities. But all of this is in the not-too-distant future. No need to panic; I’m just asking that you think about getting here for the big event.
Kind of a skimpy mail bag this quarter (see above request). Fortunately, the class showed up elegantly at the North Texas AOG chapter meet and greet, as evidenced by this glamour shot:
John Visser (Anne) wrote me with the picture of Dave Eppley (Christine), John Makuta (Susan), Scott Hutt (Susan), Don Coffey (Janet), John and Bill Brandt (Susan). Laconic as always, John said everyone is up to “mostly boring retirement life” and that they mainly spent the time together reminiscing about the old days, “as old guys do.” This is the kind of in-depth correspondence that makes scribing such an exciting job. John has provided me an opportunity to say all kinds of things about this group; but since I know that Bill is an active judge in Texas, and since I will likely be transiting the state in the future and subject to his jurisdiction, journalistic discretion is probably the better course. This is a great picture, John — thanks to you and the group for getting together and demonstrating how to dress properly.
As part of my day job, I ended up contacting a good friend in South Carolina who also happens to be working with Rick Rasmussen (Kandi). Raz has been an infrequent subject for your humble scribe; in fact, I can’t remember the last time I wrote anything about him. He’s running a security company in South Carolina, and when I asked him for a proofof-life photo, he graciously submitted this:
Raz at the Point
Rick is standing at Trophy Point at USMA, where he was covering a soccer tournament with his grandson. You look good, Raz. Thanks for the shot and the note. And I hope you slipped something in the Army football team’s Gatorade while you were there.
I got a nice email from Tony Grady (Donna), who dropped in on Tom Jones (Liz) in northern Virginia. They ended up at both Air and Space Museums, naturally, but also managed to make it to Tom’s favorite bar, which provided the setting for this:
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Sharp-dressed men
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Tony and Tom, clubbin’
Tony called this a decompression tour following his Senate campaign, And I’m sure the combination of old airframes and old friends helped the process. Thanks, sir.
As I said, a skimpy mailbag this time around. While I’m thinking of it, let me encourage those of you who have not joined to take a look at our class Facebook page, which continues to be a source of intelligent commentary on Academy and defense issues, bad dad jokes, and great memories and camaraderie. We also have a Legacy Class event coming up on Aug. 7 — the Commitment Dinner for the Class of 2027. Those of you interested in attending, please reach out to me and we’ll get things coordinated.
That’s it for this quarter. Until next time, be seeing you.
John “Lou” Michels Jr., 621 Jasmine St., Denver, CO 80220; loumichels55@gmail.com 1978
Greetings, ’78ers…
I again have the sad task this quarter of reporting on Gary Ardo’s passing on March 30 in Wilmington, North Carolina.
Most of you probably received the AOG notification on April 15, which offered a few details.
For those who did not receive the notice, his widow, Jayne, would appreciate condolences sent to her at 1307 Sill Bluff Lane, Leland, NC 28451-6200. One of Gary’s friends posted some great pix of him on his obit page — coastalcremationsnc. com/obituaries/Gary-Ardo?obId=40159277 — one of which is included here. After his successful AF career, Gary became an Air Force JROTC instructor in the UK and at Aviano AB for many years, before moving back to the States. In fact, Gary’s celebration of life was scheduled to be done at Aviano due to his longstanding service there. This photo is with one of his corps commanders, judging by her rank and medals. He gave back in many ways, and I’m sure he will be missed by those who knew him.
On Friday, April 25, the Madera Cyber Innovation Center was dedicated at USAFA with a superb and well-attended ceremony. Paul and Joan Madera’s leadership both financially and corporately led the way and literally made it happen. The USAFA website articulated what an absolute game-changer the center will be: “The Madera Cyber Innovation Center reflects the Academy’s commitment to providing world-class facilities for cadets. It houses the Department of Computer and Cyber Sciences, AF CyberWorx and the Institute for Future Conflict. In 14 unique laboratories and classrooms, cadets will learn cyber through hands-on opportunities and traditional instruction. Since core computer and cyber sciences courses will be taught in the facility, cadets from all academic disciplines will experience the center.”
Of course, there was strong support from several classmates, many of whom flew in from across the country to celebrate the special time with Paul and Joan. Pictured from left are Dave Blisk, Punch Moulton, Ed Hunt, Rich Shook, Wayne Hermandorfer, Paul Madera, Jack Kucera, Scott Miller, Bill Ackerman, Ken Kaylor, Lance Undhjem, Tom Kogler, Ron Furstenaeu and Dave Scott Not pictured but in attendance was Dave Dallago. I talked to Wayne personally, and he confirmed what an amazing and appropriate event it was.
Not only is the building named after Paul and Joan, but several rooms within are dedicated to the class and classmates due to their generosity. Room 310 (Open Cadet Lounge) was funded by the class; Room 405 (office) was funded by Dick Newton; and Room 409
(office) was funded by Paul “Mad Dog” Madera. Well done, everyone! I feel that it bears repeating that we are now the only class that has two buildings named after classmates. This shows not only Jack Kucera and Paul’s incredible generosity but also their leadership as they both led the charge for funding and construction. Even with our Oklahoma relocation, I felt that it wasn’t time to retire yet, so I’m flying the Challenger 350 for Flexjet. During my interview last year, I ran into Glenn Frick, who is also flying the Challenger for the same company. He is still living in South Carolina and, after retiring from JetBlue, decided he didn’t want to hang it up either. While I was in Challenger training at the SIMCOM (now CAE) facility in Orlando, I also ran into Dennis Kelly. This next photo is of the two of us before he instructed me in the sim. As pilots know, if you keep flying, you’ll end up being a student often, which is usually a humbling experience — and this time was certainly no different. Dennis has been in the area for several years teaching multiple biz jets for FlightSafety International before moving to CAE. He is also a check airman in the airplane and is keeping extremely busy. He and his bride love the area and don’t have any intention of leaving.
I talked to John Paterson, and he has graciously agreed to honcho the 50th (yeah, it hurts to even think about it, but it’ll be here before we know it). He’s asking for inputs from the 45th so he can include suggestions in the planning. He’s already communicating with the AOG, and the 50th reunion class has priority for just about everything. Further, the presence of facilities in both the Madera and Kucera buildings, as well as Hotel Polaris
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Gary Ardo with JROTC cadet
Bob Kay, left, and Dennis Kelly
(which Wayne said is a total class act), will keep the entire reunion at Camp USAFA. John’s email is genpaterson@comcast.net, so let your (respectful) voice be heard.
That’s all I have this quarter … so PLEASE send me stuff! The only social media I’m on is LinkedIn, so if you don’t send anything, I don’t have a lot to report. May everyone have a “great” summer. God bless!
’78 Is Great!
Bob Kay, 3040 Drake Crest Dr., Edmond, OK 73034; 661-974-1417; robert.kay78@gmail.com 1979
Hi, classmates. I hope everyone is doing well and enjoying the summer!
I’ll get the sad news out of the way first. Regretfully, our classmate Todd Klopp from Bull 6 passed away in April in North Carolina. As we remember and celebrate his life, we extend our heartfelt condolences to his family and loved ones during this difficult time.
As Geoff mentioned in the last Checkpoints article, the Class of 1979 is the official Legacy Class for the Class of 2029 and has an important role in shaping their future. Participating in these events provides an opportunity to reconnect with old friends and reminisce about shared memories while also empowering you to mentor and inspire the next generation. We hope to see you at a Legacy event this summer.
I would like to again invite you to consider listing your vacation property, or even your residence, on the VRB79.com website. You can post a listing and rent or exchange your property with your classmates. It’s easy to upload your house onto the site. Renting to classmates is stress-free and a win-win deal!
On April 25, a major milestone was reached with the dedication and opening of the Madera Cyber Innovation Center. Our class proudly served as a major contributor to this groundbreaking initiative through the 40th ’79 Class Reunion Gift Project. Several classmates attended the opening of this state-of-the-art facility that will serve as a hub for cybersecurity training and collaboration among cadets, academia, industry and military cyber operators.
Randy Helms has been in the news quite a bit lately. He just wrapped up a four-year stint on the Colorado Springs city council. While he was a council member and the president of the council, Randy
worked tirelessly to serve the city and to tighten the bond between the city and the Academy. We will miss his insights into the inner workings of the city government at our Saturday morning coffee gatherings.
Also, in recognition of decades of public service, Superintendent Lt. Gen. Tony Bauernfeind ’91 selected Randy for the 2024 Academy Distinguished Service Award. The ceremony, held on April 24 in Polaris Hall, was graced by several ’79 classmates and spoke volumes about Randy’s enduring impact through his service as a city council president. Congrats to Randy, and much thanks for his community and Academy service. At April’s First Friday gathering, Greg Roman also presented Randy with a plaque from his Springs classmates for his service on the council.
Ed Wilson, Mark Stearns and I will be driving from Phoenix to Tucson for the annual Class of ’79 golf outing April 27-30. Mike Watson organized the fourday event, and it looks like 22 classmates and spouses are heading to the Omni Resort for fun and games.
Frank Snyder checked in and said they were busy training their new rescue puppy and visiting Colorado so they can doggie-sit for their daughter while she enjoys a vacation. Omar Bradley invited Tru Eyre, Mark Pimentel and I to the Young Life annual fundraising dinner in Denver. Omar’s daughter serves as a director for Denver Young Life, and we were happy to help with their fundraising. Bill (WT) Jackson is living and thriving in Nashville, where he and his wife own a global
recruiting firm, Pivotal Talent Search. If anyone has job openings to fill, WT has got your back. He is also two-thirds of the way through his law degree at Purdue. After graduation, he plans to do pro bono work with veterans and under-resourced folks in the area. Scott Adams is back to volunteer patrolling at Ski Cooper in Colorado. He joins a group of veterans from Vail who ski together every Thursday, and he caught up with Mark “Sterno” Stearns in March to terrorize Vail. Great to hear a lot of us old guys are still hitting the slopes. I was fortunate to get a week of skiing in with Robin Rand and Fred Jacobsen at Vail, and I also skied three days with Dutch Dunkelberger, Pat Swanson and Andy Busch in Park City, Utah. It’s great having classmates that live close to world-class ski resorts! Paul Shubert said he was also back on skis this winter after two hip replacements and is heading to Scotland this summer for golfing to celebrate his 70th birthday. John Wagner reports that he has been retired for three years, lives in Scottsdale and is mainly playing pickleball for two to three hours a day and working with his band of old farts playing classic rock for locals who are too cheap to afford real music. Dave Rhodes was in town for a weekend, and he caught up with John over lunch at Scottsdale Airport. Randy Fullhart settled into his new home in College Station, Texas. He is volunteering at the George H.W. Bush Presidential Library and making new friends in the area. Ed Dubicki and Carl Hawkins got together in Colorado Springs for Carl’s son’s wedding celebration. Brian Koechel sent pictures and is relocating to Norwich, U.K.
John Wagner and Dave Rhodes at Scottsdale Airport
VA weekly coffee with the boys. From left: Buddha Watkins, Guy Walsh, Dave King, Brian Koechel, Greg Smith, Mike McElwee and Ken Mattern
Randy Helms and classmates at an awards ceremony
CLASS NEWS
That’s all the information I received this quarter. Have a great summer!!
Next up is John Pardo (pardo_john@hotmail.com). Cheers, Denny Hugo
Denny Hugo, 12836 N. Mimosa Dr., Fountain Hills, AZ 85268; 602-750-8435; dennyhugo@ msn.com 1980
Classmates, it’s time to get serious ... about our upcoming 45th (gulp!) reunion. If you’re reading this, then I know you also have access to all the associated info, so I’ll simply encourage you to BE THERE!
Bluewater sailors. “Oh my ... what have I done?” That’s how JC Cherniga introduced his latest adventure: a 28-week contract as a deckhand aboard one of the American Cruise Lines ships. “Hoping for an East Coast assignment, New England mainly. Want to stay on their coastal fleet, versus their river fleet. In the end, it’s all good ... and I will finally meet my sea time requirement — 360 total days at sea — that I’ve been working on since I went to Sitka, Alaska, in 2022.” JC got about a third of the requirements then and some more in Florida in 2023. Why? He wants to get his Merchant Mariner Credential for future seasonal work, helping to move luxury yachts as a crewmember. An important piece in all this is, “Joan is 100% supportive.”
Continuing with this theme, I was privy to an email Al Wallace sent his fellow CS-22ers. One item was his offer of local help for the reunion. In addition, Al added a plea: He, Laurie and the two female cadets they sponsor were going sailing off San Diego in March, in a 41-foot Beneteau. “So, if you want to join us, there is plenty of room. If you all show up, I won’t be the only old guy on the trip.” Sea of blue. Greg Brown paused from his notso-busy schedule to send a picture of their autumn CS-34 Loose Hog mini-reunion. Top row: Tom Spicer, Steve Gignilliat, Jose Ruiz and Ben Shalz Bottom row: Greg with Linda Brown, Deb Spicer and Jennifer Shalz. They were attending the 2024 USNA vs. USAFA game. “In typical 1980 fashion, we lost, but it was great fun getting together with a few of the guys. We’re reaching the age where fully retired is in vogue, and we’re trying to figure out what to do with our time. Spending it traveling and visiting grandkids seemed to be the norm.”
Greg’s last statement was echoed by Chris and Susan Cuellar in their annual Easter letter, which contained a rundown of their many blessings, to include grandkids and worldwide travels. This made me blue. Not long before I drafted this article, we got the news that Sue Kohut passed away in November 2021 (yes, 2021). This information came to us only because Karl Greenhill and Mike Hill, as part of a four-person team from CS-23, decided to find all their missing squadron classmates. Mike commented that the four of them had not been to a reunion, “and it would be fun to get together. That blossomed into us putting our heads together and realizing that we only had contact info for about eight of the 23 in the squadron. So, we took on the task of finding everyone, which is when we discovered Sue Kohut had died. It took us about three weeks, a membership to whitepages.com, and paying a private detective $98 to find the last missing classmate — but we did it, and it has been great. It looks like at least 16 of the 22 living will be at the 45th, and there is a very good chance that we will have as many as 20!!! That would be amazing.”
Sadly, there was no next of kin to be found for Sue. Thank you, Karen Wilhelm, for stepping forward and writing the GBNF memorial. The lesson learned here is that we need to be better about checking in with our squadron mates, getting periodic updates within this small group — where we spent three years in these 40 “crucibles.”
Bits of blue. These are just a couple more snippets. In case you missed it, near the front of the last issue, Bob Cooper was highlighted as the new director of missions for the Winston Baptist Association. “He has been involved with disaster relief ministry since 2013 and is a chaplain instructor for the Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions.”
You might remember John Farquhar was able to take a month from his USAFA professor duties last year and work for the EUCOM command historian. He helped the senior staff prepare for the 80th celebration of D-Day at several locations. “My favorite was the C-47 Memorial at Picauville, France. A few minutes after midnight, on June 6, 1944, the Germans shot down a C-47 Pathfinder with the lead echelon for one of the airborne regiments. The plane crashed in a farmer’s field with all the crew and paratroopers killed. The farmer created his own memorial garden that he and his family have maintained annually ever since. It is the oldest memorial of the invasion and a really nice park, with headstones and biographies of all the participants. It’s in the middle of nowhere and quite an adventure finding it. My wife and I decided to visit it at the end of my TDY. It was pretty cool.”
Closer to home, John was very positive regarding the reorientation he’s observing on the Hill, due to guidance from the much higher paygrades. He ended with this perspective, “The principles of sound leadership haven’t changed from our day: Treat each person as an individual and with respect ... and accomplish the mission.”
See y’all soon. Don
Don Myers, P.O. Box 153, Tyrone, GA 30290-0153; dmyers80@hotmail.com; FB: USAFA '80
1981
Hello, ’81! Drafting this “summer” article, again, on a snowy mid-April day! Why is it always snowing when I draft these? Time to clean the pond and fire up the pump! I went to my Saturday “grads” coffee today with mostly ’79ers, a ’90 grad and me. Always entertaining to hear them talk about health issues, changes in the AF, splits in grads’ thinking, AOG/Foundation boards, politics, when will the Chapel ever be done, and “back in the day” stories. (When did we get so old?) I may have to do another USAFA 1981 FB purge to cool tensions soon. I’ll take the heat.
Class News: Bob and Silvi Steigerwald met up with Rick and Patty Pelican in Auckland, New Zealand, for a bike/hike/kayak/river rafting trip on the south island. All had a fantastic time; below is their picture on the summit of the Bealey Spur track in Arthur’s Pass National Park.
Tom Harwood is fully retired (like most of us) and hitting the links in Phoenix. He may join Tom for a round at USAFA this summer. Maura (Burke) Wingard is in training (backpack with weights — sounds like Recondo) for a 60-mile pilgrimage from
AF blue in Falcon Stadium
Rick and Patty Pelican with Silvi and Bob Steigerwald in New Zealand
Paris to Chartres this summer. Jean (Pink) and Laura Floyd live near Atlanta by the grandkids, enjoying retirement, but they did do an Alaskan trip last year. Pink keeps in touch with Scott Land, but not many other USAFA folks these days. Mike Bronson is still working part-time as an A-320 sim instructor and check pilot about seven to eight days a month. Mike, like many of our pilot classmates (Dave Huff), still has nightmares about airports, TSA, diverts, early morning shows, etc. Mike stays busy playing cornet in the San Antonio Brass Band. It is a British-style brass band. Mike didn’t know what that even was a few years ago. Most of the band are college professors or band directors, and Mike practices a lot to keep up with them. Dave and Paulette Huff are still in the DFW area, and Dave is enjoying the retired life after 33 years with American Airlines. Travel and grandkids (a common ’81 theme now) keep them busy. They did 18 days in China and are planning a summer cruise to Greece and Italy. Ken Smith joined the retired life this spring after working studies and analysis under SECAF. Ken did work with Ken Bray quite a bit. Ken and Linda are planning an Alaskan cruise and then hitting the road up and down the East Coast in their RV. Greg Tovrea is still plugging along at Misawa AB training warfighters in the F-16 simulator. His wife lives in Ohio and visits often. Their daughter and son-in-law live at Warner Robins AFB, where he is an air battle manager and she is an advanced esthetician (maybe she can make me look younger). Greg looks forward to reunion plans.
Karen Manos is enjoying retired life in a much more challenging way. Karen runs major marathons around the world! Since fall 2023, she has run nine marathons on five continents. The Tokyo Marathon this past spring gave her all seven of the world’s marathon majors (Boston, Berlin, Chicago, New York, London, Sydney and Tokyo). She is off to the Rio marathon this summer with her family for continent No. 6. Karen also enjoyed coffee with rocket scientist Darren McKnight, who loves his job, has no intention of retiring, and gets to travel all over the world, like Karen!
Karen
Randy Worrall, like many, was surprised by Ted Knowles passing. He’s been busy both with bike rides in Yellowstone and enjoying lots of cruises. He’s visited the Amazon, Europe (will visit Normandy) and later this year will take an Asian cruise. He did remark that by coincidence, he will have 81 days of cruises this year. I heard from Eric Garvin about Ken Bray’s retirement in the Pentagon earlier this year. Ken had an amazing AF career, with 20 years of service, 3,000 hours, and combat missions in European and Central Command theaters. Following a stint as a contractor, Ken began his legacy and second career in civil service, retiring as associate deputy chief of staff for ISR and cyber operations, responsible to the secretary of Air Force and AF chief of staff for policy. Eric said the Pentagon auditorium was packed.
I went to a local dinner of former RC-135 pilots and navs this week and sat next to my longtime friend, Juan Moreno. Juan is super busy at NORTHCOM, as you can understand, and as a deacon. Always fun and colorful stories when getting together with former crewmembers. Prior scribe, Dennis Ward, is fighting squirrels in the attic at his Tennessee home. I’ll spare you the picture of the hole in his roof that he sent. Lots of shock at the recent passing of Ted Knowles. Please keep him in your thoughts and prayers.
Thanks for the overwhelming number of emails and great pictures! I am keeping some pictures in the hopper for leaner times. I am off for another walk! Enjoy your summer weather as you read this. Go AF! Beat Navy!
FB: USAFA Class of 1981
1982
Hey, Redtags! As your faithful scribe, class historian, or gossip columnist for these 43-plus years (choose your favorite moniker), the last thing I want is to be accused of passing along “fake news!” So, in the spirit of impeccable journalistic integrity (and just a bit of embarrassment), I must correct some mistakes I made while reporting Dave Pistilli’s news in my last column. Proving his skill as an accomplished and experienced diplomat, Dave gently corrected my assumptions. While it’s true that Dave filled the position of air attaché to Morrocco, he and his French counterpart, Col. (Ret.) Willy Brücker, were actually the defense attachés from their respective countries. Dave was dual-hatted as the U.S. air attaché. Also, I had it backwards — Dave and his friend Serge Duval were roommates at USAFA, not École de l’air in Selon-de-Provence. Serge was the exchange cadet, not Dave. My mistakes — I didn’t make good inferences from Dave’s email. I guess I must have dumped all the education I had regarding interpolation and extrapolation!
I got a nice update from Norm Glowicz, a 787 captain for American Airlines. He and fellow captain and ’83 grad, Jim Ryniak, had the pleasure of piloting a 787-9 from DFW to Brisbane, Australia, and back. Norm sent me this picture of the two of them in the cockpit.
Norm told me that he and Jim were both aero majors, but that with all the computers and electronics in the 787, perhaps EE might have been a better choice!
Mark Baker wrote just after my last deadline to update me on what’s been going on with him and his wife, Diane. They live in the suburbs of Denver and always seem to have a lot happening. Mark says his family is doing well and that he and Diane are both still enjoying their jobs. Mark is the facilities director for the Denver Art Museum, and Diane is the executive administrator at St. Thomas More Catholic School. Mark told me he’s getting ready to retire in the next two to three years and start traveling the world, but Diane says they still must make sure both their children are stable and well into their own independence before he can step away. Luckily, he tells me, they’re close, so there may be light at the end of this tunnel! Mark said he and Diane are taking on one major project per year from now until they both stop working. This past year it was the backyard patio, and the year before that it was the kitchen. They’re
Manos, daughter Mary Ellen, grandkids and son-in-law in Sydney
Eric Garvin, Bill Bridges, Ken Bray and Dyke Weatherington at Ken’s retirement dinner.
Captains Norm Glowicz and Jim Ryniak
CLASS NEWS
looking at redoing the bathrooms this year. Diane said once she has the bathrooms done, it will be the home of her dreams. Mark’s not as sure but said he certainly won’t mind the upgraded shower.
Mike and Gloria (Montoya) Ryan sent me their Irish analogue of a Christmas letter, their AWE (Annual Wee Epistle), in March. This year’s was anything but “wee,” because they’ve been traveling all over the world! They enjoyed an extended vacation and cruise, with ports of call in Sri Lanka, Mumbai, Singapore, Sydney, Melbourne, Tokyo, Kyoto, Taipei, Hong Kong, Da Nang and Saigon, among others. Then it was off to Europe — Bavaria, Paris, Champagne and Riems. Mike testified before Congress in support of Ukraine, then headed back to Brussels for Friends of Europe and gave a talk titled, “Ukraine: Costs of Inaction.” After that, Mike headed to Odessa to speak at the Black Sea Security Forum. Then it was a quick trip to Mykolaiv to see the damage before going back to Paris via Moldova for EuroSatory, a large international defense conference. After returning home, there were lots of family gatherings, a trip to Alaska, a tour of Chicago, a ZZ Top concert, more European travel, mass at Fatima, lobbying in D.C., and more. I’m worn out just reading about all this! Mike and Gloria seem to be having a great time enjoying “retirement.”
I’d like to give you an update on Ellen, but things are changing very quickly now; anything I write will be woefully out of date by the time this article gets into print. Suffice to say that your thoughts, good wishes and prayers are sustaining both of us as we walk this road. I’m grateful for your support. Until next time. Ratman
I decided to check in with a few of our athletes, inspired by reading about Ricky Graham being inducted into the AFA Boxing Ring of Honor. Tamra Rank and I were recently talking about how as cadets we didn’t support our intercollegiate athletes that well. I regret that. I think the cadets do a better job now.
We’ll start with Ricky. I think everyone knew he was a bad@$$ boxer. He was inducted into the Ring of Honor this February. He’s one of only two AFA boxers to be a four-time National Collegiate Boxing Association champion and four-time Wing Open champion. And he’s such a nice guy!
Ricky says he gave up punching people after USAFA because no one could guarantee his PQ if he got knocked out. He’s currently taking advantage of that healthy brain by flying 787s for United, mainly to Australia and other Asian Pacific locales. He lives with his wife in her hometown of Wichita Falls. They also restore and manage apartment buildings so they don’t get bored. Ricky says he’s worn his class ring every day, safety requirements excepting, since he got it.
I also caught up with AFA Athletics Hall of Fame swimmer Patti (Martinez) Gillette. She was inducted in 2013 and holds more individual NCAA titles than any other AFA athlete — in any sport — ever! There aren’t many 23-time All-Americans out there.
Patti and her husband now live in the Nashville area, where she has spent the past 10 years working for the state’s Adult Protective Services. She does data and systems work to help social workers care for special needs adults. After raising two sons, including homeschooling, then taking care of her mother, she’s enjoying spending a little more time in the community.
Patti says she runs into her neighbor, Amy (Wimmer) Cox, at church from time to time. And she still gets in the pool, helping teach swimming lessons to people with special needs. According to Patti, drowning is one of the top killers of kids on the autism spectrum, so she’s potentially saving lives. Patti says the world needs more people to give back, because if you aren’t part of the solution, you’re part of the problem. Way to go, Patti!
I also reached out to Nancy (Burdick) Liggett Did you know she was an All-American diver all four years at the Academy? She also earned a second-place finish in the NCAA championships in the one-meter board our firstie year.
She and Chris Ligget still live in Berryville, Virginia, and are both retired. Nancy recently finished her government career after serving for four years with the American Battle Monuments Commission, taking care of overseas American cemeteries. Before that, she put in 13 years with the FBI.
Both her sons live in the area; the oldest is a USMA grad and did a tour teaching English there — yay, English! Her youngest is active-duty Army, finishing up his medical residency. Nancy and Chris are into hiking, travel and taking care of their two grandkids after school. She is getting more involved in her church and looking for other volunteer opportunities.
Nancy (Burdick) Liggett and Chris Ligget at their son’s wedding.
Our class president asked me to post an update about the class cruise: The 42½ year anniversary cruise is a go. The cruise will sail from Fort Lauderdale on Feb. 7, 2026, to Aruba, Curacao and Bonaire, returning on Feb. 15. Contact Ricard Smith (ricard.smith83@gmail.com), Tod Harmon (harmont8340@gmail.com) or Dawn (Bizub) Androsky (dawn.androsky@cruiseplanners.com) if you have any questions.
Next quarter’s column is in the hands of Gayle (Johnson) Denney (cell 513-604-0764; email gdgardener@cpmcast.net). This will be her first column as a class scribe, so PLEASE help her out and send her your latest.
Sue Ross, 719-238-8136; susanross@ comcast.net
Sabre
Ricky Graham and his wife reliving the Old West.
Patti (Martinez) Gillette is still in the pool.
Attention in the Area, Attention in the Area! Another group of second lieutenants has been unleashed from USAFA. I would say their experience was slightly different than ours. I can also guess that not one of them made a collect call while at USAFA, and probably not once in their lives. Formatting punch cards would be considered archaic, and Form O-96 is now sent pre-programmed with Fast, Neat, Average, Friendly, Good, Good. After it is sent. The command post might respond with a “HOO-YAH!”
Our Ladies of ’84 had another fantastic reunion. This time it was in Charleston, South Carolina. They are the ones who have these get-togethers mastered. I did not get a chance to find out how much fun they had but will be reaching out. Speaking of which, if I still have your attention, the next magazine comes out around Labor Day. Our article is due in July. So, we’re going to have a contest! The classmate who helps me get the most updates will receive a $250 gift certificate to the restaurant of their choice. Start sending out a note to classmates you have not heard from in a while. Contest ends July 4, so send out those requests now so you can follow up!
Tom Wilson did come through for this addition as he has joined the world of pickleball. This takes up some of his other reserved time golfing and travelling with Dana. He has come up with some observations:
Jay Charmella is a much better golfer than pickleball player and Mike Sadler sends his wife to play in his place. She’s actually better than he is anyway. He also reports that Tom Stanbury is a flight instructor for Southwest Airlines, getting to see many of our classmates. Jeff Raines continues to find excuses to not play, but he does participate in the group chat. Group chat is a term that was just thrown upon us too!
Steve Rusin, Ed Ingham and Garrett Thompson organized an incredible reunion of the 40th anniversary of Williams AFB pilot training classes 85-06 and 85-07. Rooseman and Turbo got to ride in a P-51. Duff and Kara (Hayes) McElliott got a front-row seat to watch their son, Garrett, do a T-38 flyby while we were on the flight line.
Joe Herron made us all laugh at the memory of assignment night. He got a KC-135 to KI Sawyer. He was not happy, but he said, “At least we’re going to Hawaii.” No one had the courage to tell him he was headed to Michigan.
Ed “Chewy” Baca made everyone feel good with his infectious smile. Vinnie Marrero easily won the best dressed award. Always classy!!
Brad Kenwisher, Christi Cordes, Mike McKelvey, Vinnie Cooper, Jeff Connors, Rob Polumbo, Roger Clark, Dave Dunteman, Steve Naftzger, Steve Hobbs, Brian Fitzpatrick, Joe Wiley, Stan Bates and Mike Goldfein were all among the attendees. It was a wonderful weekend that was full of laughs!! Thanks, Tommy for saving my butt again with this fantastic update.
Tom Wilson and Tom Wilson. Congratulations to both of the captains!
Joe Calderon passed away in February. With others who have passed, many were unexpected and shocking to hear. What makes this a little different is that Joe was such an integral part of not only our class but also his company, family and so many activities. His love, life, friendship and smile will be in our hearts and is unforgettable. I won’t harp on this again for a while, but please take care of yourself, your family and friends. Reach out to someone and smile all day long! No matter how SORE your wings, keep flying! ’84! WINGS TO SOAR!
Jens
In honor of its 40th reunion, the Class of 1984 is raising funds to endow perpetual support for cadet clubs focused on the USAFA pillars of academic excellence, athletic development and military training.
The class will impact most cadets, enrich the Academy experience and build well-rounded, strong future leaders.
The class is over 57% of the way to its $1 million goal. Give cadets “wings to soar” when you support cadet clubs and help fund the remaining 43% of the goal.
Contact the class giving committee: usafa1984@gmail.com
Join the class efforts at: usafa.org/1984-40th
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!!
It’s hard to believe, but here we are at 40 years and some change since graduation. Our reunion date is fast approaching, and the reunion planning team — led by Tish (Dierlam) Norman — is hard at work putting the finishing touches on our big weekend of events. The reunion will take place Sept. 17-21 at the new Hotel Polaris (thehotelpolaris.com). Rooms will also be available at the Courtyard and My Place Hotel. The pricing and details are still being hammered out, so do not make your hotel reservations just yet. Details will be disseminated on the class Facebook page (if not already a member, email Tish at TishNorman@gmail.com, and she will approve your membership). Information will also be made available on a website created by the AOG. The site is reunions.usafagroups.org/class-of-1985. html, and it’s expected to be operational by the end of April. Make sure the AOG has your current email and/or snail-mail address so they can provide you with finalized reunion information.
Here is a sneak peek into the current reunion plans: Hotel: We’re negotiating room blocks at Hotel Polaris and other less-expensive hotels.
Registration: Working with Hotel Polaris on buffet options for Thursday and Friday nights (no sit down dinners).
Wednesday: If you are arriving early, catch up at one of the bars in Hotel Polaris.
Thursday: There will be a memorial service (might be moved to Friday), golf and a Prep School reunion, followed by a dinner buffet or heavy hors d’oeuvres.
Friday: Take a trip down memory lane with a visit to the Cadet Area and briefings in F1, followed by a dinner buffet and some dancing to ’80s music.
Saturday: The big event is the football game against Boise State! Game time is still not finalized. Remain flexible for tailgating and kickoff.
Sunday: A women’s brunch will take place from 9 to 11:30 a.m. If groups want to meet separately, details will be provided on the registration with a point of contact. Additional events will be pay-as-you-go.
Members 68% Sabre Society Donors
Polaris Society Members
CLASS NEWS
Sad news to pass along, which you may already be aware of. Our classmate, Alan Mackey, passed away earlier this year. His funeral was on Feb. 14 at the USAFA Cemetery. Here’s a toast ...
Nancy and I are heading to Europe for a few weeks to escape the last of winter — it doesn’t want to end this year. We are also finalizing plans for a trip to Rio de Janeiro, Buenos Aires and Santiago in November and December. South America will be a new experience for us, and we are really looking forward to it.
I am still in search of someone willing to take over as scribe. If interested, please drop me a note. Have a great summer, and send me some pictures and details to share in a future issue of Checkpoints. As always ... ’85 Best Alive Scott
W. Scott Carney, P.O. Box 5, Pembroke, ME 04666; 207-214-4836; usafaclassof1985@ gmail.com
1986
Submitted by your humble scribe, with help from those who actually responded. Corrections, clarifications and hooters: A Kobylarz update
Dr. Tom Kobylarz (yes, that Tom, now a Ph.D.) reached out — first to correct my last writeup, and then, after a bit of friendly arm-twisting, to give us an update. Turns out I credited Gary Tew as being from CS-40. Tom, a proud Bolt from CS-34, wrote in to set the record straight:
“Gary Tew was my roommate for four years — we were both CS-34. Loved the update on Vinnie Savino, but had to make sure the record reflects proper squadron lineage!”
Tom recently grabbed lunch with Gary and fellow Bolts Dave Meyers and Fred Schmitt at none other than Hooters in Frisco, Texas. This high-level strategy session was held just before Tom headed to St. Louis for the Frozen Four. He reports that: Gary Tew is flying for FedEx (and probably still folding his socks with military precision). Dave Meyers is in the left seat at Southwest Airlines. Fred Schmitt has retired as VP of operations at Greyhound and now co-owns a chain of beauty salons with his wife, Beth. (Editor’s note: We’re told they’re salons, not “saloons” — but you try writing clearly after lunch at Hooters.)
Tom himself retired from active duty in 2010 and has since been a GS-15 at Hanscom AFB, Massachusetts, serving as chief engineer for the Air Force Nuclear Weapons Center’s Strategic Communications Division. Translation: He deals
with the hardened, protected NC3 systems that help keep the world from ending — when he’s not grabbing wings with classmates.
Here’s a fun twist: Tom’s ex-wife, Korina Eklund (CS-34), hails from the same hometown and high school as your scribe, and they both still live in Hollis, New Hampshire (though at, shall we say, different coordinates). He shared a photo from a recent family wedding, where he sported his custommade Angus Young (AC/DC) tux — because, in Tom’s words, “I gotta be me.”
Golf + Beer = Class event?
Joe Blewitt (who seems constitutionally incapable of not organizing something) and Kent Shin are floating the idea of a Class of ’86 fall golf trip. Think a survey to choose the where/when/how long, then golf, beer, stories and general Class of ’86 mayhem — minus the contact sports.
Interested? Email Joe at joeblewitt23@gmail. com with your name and any suggestions. (Early responses suggest the lacrosse team is all in — provided there are sticks, balls and beverages).
New arrival for the Rau crew
Greg Rau writes (sadly without a photo — Greg!) to report big news:
“Hi, Bob! Kim and I joined the grandparents club in March when our son Cole and his wife, Tais, became the proud parents of Nate Paulo Rau. We moved from Orlando to Denver in July 2022 to be near them and are so glad we did.”
Congrats to Greg and Kim — officially entering the “brag book” phase of life!
Fitness and fortitude
And in possibly the most precise alumni update to date: Bruce Wasserzieher reports that on April 14, he burned exactly 55 calories, walked 0.9 miles and took 1,986 steps. This proves two things: He’s still got that attention to detail and he may also be trolling us. Either way, well done, Bruce!
Send us your stories
That’s all for now, folks. Slim pickings this round — so if you’re reading this and haven’t sent in an update, know that your classmates want to hear from you (yes, even if it’s just your dog’s name or how many steps you took yesterday). Photos, promotions, retirements, random stories — we want it all.
Aim High!
Your class scribe, Bob Colella
Bob Colella, 9247 Northedge Dr., Springfield, VA 22153; 571-422-0367; robert.colella.86@gmail.com
1987
Salutations, ’87! Had to include older inputs in this update; it’s great to hear from many of you, so please keep them coming!
Dennis Hester wrote, “I was one of the few graduates in the Class of 1987 that didn’t receive a commission due to medical issues. I was fortunate to get advice to pursue graduate studies and attended USC for my Ph.D. in physical inorganic chemistry in ’92. I began my career with, ICI Americas, that ‘demerged’ to AstraZeneca. I then got into the startup pharmaceutical/biotech space. I met my wife, Dawn, at USC, and we married in 1995. Dawn taught API physics for 20 years and now teaches engineering. We have two children — a daughter, Colby (1999), and a son, Jordan (2002). Colby attended Carleton College and graduated in 2021 with a degree in Asian studies. She teaches Japanese and STEM courses. Jordan is a certified nurse assistant. We live in San Diego, and are looking forward to retiring soon and hope to travel the world.”
Sam Veney’s a United pilot and travels between Lincoln, Nebraska, and Houston, Texas. Sam’s married to Mailani, and their children include Kana Leia (31), Ky (29) and Kam (24). Sam wanted me to relay, “I just miss my brothers and sisters of the Class of ’87!”
Scott “Dutch” Murray wrote, “After a one-year noncompete kept me out of work, I’ve been at home reading, playing golf and traveling. I love leading my team, especially the eager 20-somethings, although the challenges of remote/virtual work are always present. Virtual leadership may be a topic that needs to join the commandant’s curriculum. Maybe BJ Shwedo can make that happen, as he’s our ‘man’ on base. I’ll be turning 60 this year, and I’m ready to hang it all up for good (or after my first BIG contract win). I attended the AF-Oregon State victory and enjoyed catching up with, Steve Spewock, Brady Glick and Roy Garcia. Roy’s BBQ skills are worth the trip 10x over! Finally, my wife, Jolande, organized a five-day Murray Family Reunion in London. All had a wonderful time, highlighted by the AF pajamas photo shoot in the Conrad St. James lobby following happy hour.
Members
Sabre Society Donors
Polaris Society Members
From left: Korina Eklund, daughter Karlie, Tom Kobylarz, and son Dr. Zac Kobylarz.
From left: Capt. Peter Murray stationed at RAF Lakenheath ’17, Maria Volodkevich, London School of Economics grad student (Class of 2017), Jolande, “Dutch” Murray, our daughter, Christiane, and her husband, Zac
David Hollenbach reported that he just sold his company, DSoft Technology, Engineering & Analysis Inc., which he co-founded back in 1998, and decided to semi-retire at the end of 2024. From humble beginnings in 1998, Dave transformed the company into a leader in information technology innovation, pioneering advancements like mobileviewable websites, secure email protocols, military space modeling and geospatial systems. Dave wrote, “I truly love this country, and I’m so proud of what our team has accomplished together serving our nation and our clients. The perseverance and leadership skills learned while at USAFA and active duty prepared me for the challenges I faced while at the helm of the company. But after 26 years, Dana and I decided it was time while our health is good, finances are sound and we have grandchildren. Look me up, and hopefully you’ll find me at a local mountain fishing stream, on the PCA racetrack, out golfing, at concerts or the shooting range, or advising elected leaders on policy.”
James Cashin wrote, “I’ve settled in Bellevue, Nebraska, and support USSTRATCOM as an aerospace contractor, highlighting how important space capabilities are. I enjoy the work and the team I support but am now realizing its time for the next thing. My wife, Lina, also supports USSTRATCOM after an AF career working space ops. My oldest daughter, Katie, joined the AF and is a public affairs officer stationed in the D.C. area and is getting her master’s at George Mason University. She’s in the Space Force recruitment videos as ‘the dreamer.’ One of the videos has me in it (youtube.com/ watch?v=rTcHxlXHrd4). My second daughter, Jasmine, works for CU in Colorado Springs, and my third daughter is in Omaha supporting the library system. When we’re not working, we love to travel. We’ve also started hiking parts of the Camino de Santiago, or ‘Trail of St. James.’”
Maj. Gen. Floyd Dunstad finally retired in August 2024 after 37 years! “I think I was the last one from ’87 in uniform. After I left the active-duty Marine Corps, I joined the Colorado ANG and United in 1998. I retired as the ANG assistant to COMACC and still live in Colorado.”
; and son, Court
Brad Kearney relayed, “The latest of an ongoing ‘Bubba’ reunion series, a group of us went on a two-week Alaska vacation! After a week of tours, including seeing Denali, we completed a one-week cruise. We saw 87 whales and no bears … lots of spades played. All the men in this photo are Class of ’87 (and one wife who attended USAFA a couple of years before leaving to become a doctor and serving in the Army. BTW — hard to watch a USAFA-Army football game with her).”
1988
Dear Falcon ’88ers... My wife, Theresa, and I recently hit the Mayfair Supper Club at the Bellagio in Vegas. I had just come from a sizable win at craps, and the Golden Knights had just crushed their opponent the night before, so I didn’t think the evening could get much better. I was wearing a Toucans and Tigers track suit, which means I didn’t want to be seen by anyone who knew me. But to my surprise, I ran into fellow ’88er Stacey Knutsen, who was there with his wife, Jeania, and some friends. They now reside in Spokane, Washington. Like those of you who aren’t reading this, Stacey didn’t know I’m the new ’88 class scribe. Imagine his excitement to see me in person! We snapped a cool pic for you; my apologies for the lighting. It’s an interesting vibe at the Mayfair. If you ever check it out, I recommend the Baller Old Fashioned with Macallan 72-year scotch, the wagyu and caviar handroll, and the whole roasted Dover sole.
You may wonder why I’d display unapologetic verbosity around a simple classmate encounter. Well, some of you are not pulling your weight and haven’t sent me inputs. When that happens, I do my best to entertain you (with more words than necessary). After all, I’m committed to dazzling you with the full 900-word and three-pic allocation. So, pull out your phone and text or email me!
Bill Page, nextpage87@yahoo.com; 562-209-1158
Anne Benovil-Murphy, benovilmurphy@ gmail.com; 703-599-6235
Speaking of entertaining, Theresa and I hosted three firstie hockey cadets on spring break at the VGK game — center ice behind the home bench. I also showed them how to win big at the craps table. According to Schwartzy, Dexy and Coony, it was “dirty” and “national,” which I think is “really, really cool” in 2025 cadet lingo. (Oh, and I’m a “beauty,” which I’ve long known but never been called).
From left: Daughter, Shelby; son, Chet ’20; wife, Cheryl; Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Floyd Dunstad
From left: Bill and Laurie Ward (D.C. area), Carl Swaney and Brooke Howell (D.C.), Rob and Jane Hyde (D.C. area), Brad and Elizabeth Kearney (in back, DFW), Rob and AnnMarie Rhyne (front, South Carolina), Kevin and Krista Boyd (Missouri), and Ted and Jamie Simmons (Colorado)
Scribe Radz, left, and Stacey Knutsen
From left: Theresa Raduenz, Austin Schwartz ’25, Brian Raduenz, Andrew Decalo ’25 and Lucas Coon ’25
CLASS NEWS
One of our own who accepted my challenge this quarter is Mark “Ike” Clanton (CS-37), who started off with a killer line: “For the past 36-plus years, I’ve managed to extrapolate my status as stealth cadet to stealth grad; but after skimming the last Checkpoints, I heard you speaking to me.” (I’m speaking to more of you right now.) He and his wife of 31 years, Setsuko, thought they were settled in Rhode Island for good, but in 2023 a position at HQ 5th AF/ A5 at Yakota AB came available, so they packed up, pulled chocks and returned to Japan, where they first met. They bought some land and are designing and building a Tokyo home. Thanks to Ike for shooting me a note!
My friend and classmate Dave Didden was recently honored with the West Virginia “Hope in Action Alliance Lifetime Achievement Award,” which acknowledges momentous contributions developed throughout an entire career. Dave has devoted decades of his life to diligently supporting efforts addressing mental health, substance use disorders and related fields, impacting society by influencing change to better serve humanity. I’ve seen the depth of his contributions personally, and they are consequential and life-enriching. I also happen to know that he could not have been as successful without the support of his incredibly talented and supportive wife, Kate. (If you happen to see Dave, in addition to congratulating him, be sure to ask him about his special recipe for chicken pot pie.)
Congratulations to Dr. Didden!
Joe Mazur attended the 40th Space Symposium at The Broadmoor, where he ran into Mike Mason and John Macdonald. Mike, who married up and cheers for a weak NHL hockey team, has been working as a director, Air Force Programs, for AI solutions since his retirement in 2013. Joe and John previously worked together at CACI. John is now chief growth officer at Assured Space Access Inc., and Joe is senior director at Two Six Technologies (since October 2024), where he develops R&D products and solutions to support the DoD and the intelligence community. Thanks to Joe for checking in!
A few additional quick tidbits. Kip Turain was spotted at the Space Symposium event taking a group of students through the exhibits. He is course director at the Northern Colorado Falcon AeroLab. Congrats to Ken “Doc” Holliday for successfully turning 60 in February; wish I could have made the party. David M. Smith had tickets to see Charley Crocket, his favorite artist, and now may not make
it because he triple-fractured his tibia and tore his ACL, MCL and both meniscuses in a ski accident. (He also wrote “Not This One” in giant black marker on his good leg, so at least they operated on the correct one). Bill Revelos is remodeling his bathroom and his son, Joe, is looking at colleges; Dave Stimac found a manual transmission 5-speed for his daughter, Annie; Dr. Brad Lloyd went skiing and didn’t break his entire leg; Mary Ann (Dolan) Staring took a new job with SAP in the D.C. area and is squatting at her son’s house for now; and Chris Mineau promised me an update for next month. If you’d like more fulsome and interesting updates, send me a quick note! Have a great summer, stay healthy, and call someone you haven’t spoken to in a while and check in. Happy Independence Day!
Brian “Radz” Raduenz, 858-705-0252; brian@radz.com; FB: USAFA Class of 1988
1989
Greetings ’89ers!
One of our own, Steve Thompson, passed away in St. Louis, Missouri, on April 8. See usafa.org/Heritage/ GBNF?gbnfsearch=thompson. A toast …
Our class president, Don Simpson, retired from the government and USDA, where he ran a large IT organization developing enterprise software. USDA has an incredible mission that Don said he never understood before joining. His wife Kirsten’s father and stepfather both retired from USDA and Don has farming in his family up in Michigan, so he now understands that part of the U.S. economy so much better than before. Since he and Kirsten retired, they have been doing a lot of traveling — Norway, Colorado, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania ... and have about five more trips planned this year. Next year they plan a lot of overseas travel. While not on the road, they are spending a lot of time with their boys. Oldest is working on getting into the military and has been doing cinematography since graduating from college. Youngest is a junior in college studying military history and wants to go into the SEALs after graduation. Don said he also started running and going to the gym pretty consistently, trying to reverse too many years on his bottom!
Don recently traveled to Oklahoma City to visit with Dave Pelletier, who retired from the Air Force and is running the simulators for the C-17 pilots at Altus AFB. His bride, Anne, is teaching horsemanship with 12 ponies, 25 acres, several instructors and a backlog of demand that is keeping
them very busy. They plan on staying in Blair, Oklahoma. Thanks, Don!
“We
Mike Bailey shared that he’s been a lawyer in private practice for too long … 29 years. Kids are grown and travel has become a real thing. He and his wife, Lisa, had the great fortune to travel with the National World War II Museum to commemorate the 80th anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge in December 2024. Being in Bastogne on the 80th anniversary of the battle reminded Mike why we fought and will always fight for right. Because the world is a small place, Andrea Henning ’87 and her husband, Mark Broshkevitch, USNA ’87, were also on the tour. Mark was a Navy exchange cadet and poached one of our own! As a student of military history, their journey around Western European battle sites was factual and historic, as expected. However, Mark added, being present where civilians and soldiers, both sides, suffered the elements and the cruelty of war was quite emotional. Thanks, Mark!
Reminder from our class president on Facebook etiquette:
Note from admins
This is an optimal time to remind Class of ’89 members of the purpose of this private FB page and clearly state the ground rules for membership eligibility and requirements. Recently, there has been a stream of negative posts, personal attacks and alienating comments that DO NOT represent the spirit of this private FB page. Effective immediately, posts that do not follow these guidelines will be removed and repeat offenders will be removed from this group.
From left: John Macdonald, Joe Mazur and Mike Mason
Members 68% Sabre Society Donors 29 Polaris Society Members 7
Dave Pelletier and Don Simpson connect in OKC. Don says,
are a bit wiser and greyer but having just as much fun as when we were younger!”
Lisa and Mark Bailey enjoy their time in Europe with Andi and Mark!
About
To SUSTAIN, BOLSTER and PRESERVE the Class of ’89 friendships with bonds grounded in our common and collective USAFA and USAF experiences.
Private
Only Class of 1989 members will be accepted and approved to participate in this site. Members must abide and agree to the ground rules pinned to this site to be accepted to the Fine ’89 Private FB page.
Visible
Only Class of ’89 members are eligible in this group.
1. Be kind, courteous and interesting
We are in this together to create an informative, vibrant and welcoming environment. We treat everyone with respect.
2. No hate speech or bullying
All comments must be appropriate for our positive environment. Bullying of any kind is not allowed. Comments about politics, race, religion, culture, gender or identity, sexual orientation or personal beliefs about these topics are often alienating, not appropriate posts for this group.
3. Promotion or spam
Spam and links not related to, or of interest to, USAFA Class of ’89 are not appropriate for this forum. Class of ’89 business owners may share limited information that may be of interest to this group. Humanitarian information affecting Class of ’89 members is allowed.
That’s a wrap for this quarter. Keep those cards and letters coming. Take care and God bless!
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! This quarter’s episode is light on updates but heavy on news of our upcoming 35th reunion!
Tamara Cinnamon is working with the AOG and Academy Foundation on our reunion, which will be held the weekend of the Hawaii football game on Sept. 27. The reunion date was based on class feedback sent to the alumni association and through a series of polls on our Facebook website. This year’s reunion will
feature activities on the Thursday prior, such as golf/ preppie reunion; a Friday night mixer; and the football game on Saturday to anchor the activities.
By selecting a designated reunion weekend, we should expect access to the Cadet Area to include Mitchell, Sijan and Vandenberg, and Fairchild halls, where we should see a series of senior leader and special topic briefings.
We were able to once again secure our home away from home at DoubleTree by Hilton. The link to reservations is open at reunions.usafagroups.org/classof-1990.html. Also on the landing page is a link to official and Lands’ End class merch — get your red on!
More details will be available on the reunion page and on our Facebook page. If you are one of the few who haven’t joined us on Facebook, now is a great time to make that leap to social media and catch up with the rest of your classmates! Ruthann (Shelton) Fisher is getting us started. “My husband, John, and I will be at the reunion. I will help with tracking down Mach 1ers!” That is the spirit we need!
Maybe already preparing for the reunion golf tournament is Jay Updegraff. He was checking in from the Tournament Players Club Sawgrass event in Florida in March with Tim and Heather Swett, Nelson Neill, and another friend. Not a bad view of the famous 17th green!
Holly (Rawson) Weik has been spending time with her extended family, which included teaching her granddaughter to ride a bicycle in Barcelona of all places! When not globe-trotting, she may be found at mountain peaks competing in the Town Challenge ascent (that means uphill!) ski race at Steamboat. I didn’t know that was a thing — I guess I was being lazy for using the chairlift to go up the slopes!
Phil Wielhouwer sent me some exciting news about his son Jake, who is currently a two-degree at USAFA. After the whole family took in a three-game sweep at President’s weekend at Falcon Ice Arean, Jake and his undefeated teammates captured the number one seed for the American Collegiate Hockey Association D3 National Championships in St. Louis. While ultimately falling just short in the championship game after three straight bracket wins, it was a tremendous achievement for Jake’s team.
That about wraps it up. I’m looking forward to seeing everyone soon at the reunion and hope you all are marking your calendars to join us. Let’s show the Wing our spirit (cheese)! Mighty ’90!
The Class of 1990 is fundraising to complete its 30th reunion project, which will support 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, currently being built 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, THANK YOU for your generous support of character development, military and academic excellence, and true airmanship.
Learn more about the project’s status at usafa.org/1990-30th
Members 68% Sabre Society Donors 20 Polaris Society Members 2
Tim and Heather Swett, Nelson Neill, Jay’s non-grad friend, and Jay at the famous TPC Sawgrass island green
Holly (Rawson) Weik skiing the wrong way up the mountain!
Phil, Brett, Jake ’26, Madison, Ryan and Valerie Wielhouwer at the rink!
CLASS NEWS
Mike Shepherd, 3801 Derby Cir., Quartz Hill, CA 93536; michael.j.shepherd@hotmail.com
Rahn Butler hung up his uniform in 2011 and now serves as a senior program manager at SAIC, working on next-gen space systems for the DoD and the intel community. On weekends, he moonlights as a church elder, worship keyboardist and music director at Church for All Nations in Colorado Springs. He and the lovely Reatha (who runs Ashley Garrett Residential Brokerage) have two kids: Rand, a senior at UNLV studying business finance and hospitality, and Raine, a high school senior. The Butlers are serious about travel and fine dining, frequenting places like Hawaii, Cancun, SoCal and even Atchison, Kansas (because, why not?).
The Venegas hosted their legendary Colorado Springs/Denver Christmas bash, featuring football talk, reunion buzz and military nostalgia.
Nancy (Weiss) Castro and husband George are in sunny Sarasota, Florida. Their kids are in Georgia — Catalina (25), an electrical engineer at Northrop Grumman, and Colin (23), a data analyst. George retired in 2019 and now golfs and dominates local trivia nights. Nancy’s part-time admin job at a golf course got budget-cut, so she’s currently “funemployed” and seeking something that blends community, creativity and chaos management — think youth group meets disaster planning meets mahjong. Know a gig that checks those boxes? Let her know.
Bill Liess wrapped up a 33-year career in the New Jersey Air National Guard in May ’24, finishing as commander of the 108th Ops Group. He, Andrea and their kids have been living the expat life in Panama City, Panama. Bill commuted to Miami
for work but is headed back to Philly this summer, where he’ll fly the Airbus 320 for American. Bonus fun fact: During an airline furlough, Bill got a law degree and practiced full-time in D.C. and Philly.
John Cinnamon retired in 2018 after 27½ years, ending as the permanent professor of aeronautics at USAFA. He and Tamara ’90 have four kids, including grads from ’18 and ’24. John is our AOG Class Advisory Senate president and sits on the AOG board. He’s all about ensuring our voices are heard; feel free to reach out: dr.john.d.cinnamon@gmail.com.
Chris Sullivan retired in 2015 and took a detour from flying, dabbling in logistics (Amazon) and startups, then eventually — after a COVID-crashed regional airline stint — made his triumphant return to the skies in 2023. Now he’s flying for United, thanks to Jon “Von Jovi” Vaughn (CS-25). He and wife Steph (25 years strong!) live in her childhood home in Petaluma, California — also the proposal spot. Son Jack (23) is finishing an MBA at Gonzaga; daughter Cali (21, yes named after the state) is graduating from UCSB and headed to Deloitte.
Dave Corby is in Ashburn, Virginia, flying for Southwest out of Baltimore. He retired in 2012 after 20 years. Before his airline gig, he dabbled in Panama and Albuquerque’s music scene. He has two daughters — Lucy (15) and Hadley (12) — and a longtime girlfriend who keeps him grounded.
Lee Jones wrapped up a distinguished 22-year run in the Air Force Reserve, retiring as a lieutenant colonel — a title he’s still hoping will earn him a discount somewhere, someday. He and Lisa will celebrate 34 years of marriage this June! After joining Delta in 2000, Lee navigated a few career detours during a furlough, lending his talents to Lockheed Martin Aero and Bell Helicopter before eventually returning to Delta, where he’s spent recent years training pilots on the 757/767 — because apparently flying them wasn’t quite enough. Now nestled in the scenic North Georgia mountains, Lee enjoys the high ground advantage, just an hour north of Atlanta. He and Lisa proudly boast four adult kids, all successfully launched and off the payroll. These days their attention is joyfully spent on three grandkids: a granddaughter in Pensacola and two grandsons in Greenville, Texas, all of whom provide ample opportunity for hugs, road trips and the occasional well-earned nap.
Scott and Heidi (Cizan) Scheppers, 318-453-2293; 1991usafaboldgold@gmail.com
1992
Welcome to the 130th (give or take) edition of our 1992 Class News! When put that way, Wow! — that’s a lot. Opening some of the oldest columns on my computer brings back memories, first writing about being lieutenants and weddings every quarter; then classmates started taking squadron command while others left active duty to do something different; and somehow retirements and senior level promotions started happening; and now we’re closer to the front of the Class News section than the back and there’s a lot more grey hair (or no hair) in the photos. Each quarter I look forward to sharing this space with you and, as always, I’m interested in your adventures and lives to include in this column.
FedEx gang! My old roomie, Don Unwin, is still with FedEx, which seems to be the “follow-on assignment” for many True Blue classmates. There are quite a few alumni there, but many specifically from the Class of 1992. In just the week before Easter, Don ran into Jake Buss, John Gurrerri and Rick Murphy. And a few weeks before that, Chris Hayes stopped by for a backyard beer.
From left: Francis Doiron, Rahn Butler, Dana Venega, Rich Briner and James Hodges
Dinner in Denver: Mike Hinsch and Chris Sullivan
Three ’91ers hit the Falcon Trail: Manny Candelaria, Mike Doyle and Dave Corby
Members 67% Sabre Society Donors 20 Polaris Society Members 3
Chris and Don enjoying a backyard beer
Another FedEx pilot, Jay Schueler, and Don seem to have tracked their careers pretty closely over the past 30-plus years. Their active duty flying careers parallelled one another, and now they both fly packages around the country for a living. Since I don’t see too many classmates in my work world, it sounds pretty cool to see so many familiar faces on a routine basis.
Pat Dabrowski reached out to me asking to be added to the Class of 1992 WhatsApp group. Pat is another of those FedEx guys currently serving as a captain. As I said, there are a LOT of ’92ers at FedEx. Pat said there are five from CS-21 alone. Since this was Pat’s first reach-out since graduation, we joked that he should try writing again without waiting another 33 years, or I’ll get his Gone But Not Forgotten notification before I hear from him again! Pat has, unfortunately, not made any of the reunions over the years, but is happy to have joined the WhatsApp group. I told him to withhold judgment on the group until he lives through all the back-andforth banter!
More WhatsApp groupies. As another lead from the WhatsApp group, Stephen Barrows reached out to me to get added. Steve earned his Ph.D. in economics while he was still on active duty and is currently the chief operating officer at the Acton Institute in Michigan. He and his wife, Kim, are in the midst of five kids growing up, with two through college, one in college and two still at home. Dave Lindsay also messaged me to be added to the group chat. Dave has been in Colorado Springs since he retired and is working for the state of Colorado. If you haven’t been added to the chat, reach out to me and I’ll connect you with Rod Stephan, who did a great job of starting and managing the group, to get you added.
Bob Seifert surprised me a month ago and said he was in town with his boys for a volleyball tournament. I headed over to join what seemed like half the teens in Virginia spiking volleyballs on dozens of courts in the sports complex in Springfield, Virginia. We had a good opportunity to have lunch and catch up, and we discussed planning a mini CS-22 reunion sometime soon. His oldest will be off to college next year, with two more following shortly thereafter.
In the last column I mentioned Steve Genung, Billy Starkey and Kyri Tsircou’s startup, Kragon Space Inc. They’ve crossed several of their milestones and are on an exciting new trajectory. Steve recently invited me and Michelle to join him at the Middleburg Spring Races at Glenwood Park
for Virginia’s oldest steeplechase. We enjoyed watching steeplechase races in the beautiful Virginia countryside accompanied by some excellent food and drink.
Thanks for joining another column. I look forward to hearing from someone new next quarter (hint, hint). If you’re reading this and thinking, “I’ve been meaning to write James,” then stop thinking and just do it. Until next time, True Blue ’92. Cheers, James.
James S. Mehta, 2813 Davis Ave., Alexandria, VA 22302; 571-830-7095; jamesmehta92@gmail.com
1993
Happy summer, ’93! Hope this finds everyone doing well. All is well with the Sundsted family. I was able to catch up with a fellow CS-36er, Lee Spechler, who was going through Airbus captain upgrade with American Airlines in Dallas. Frank Fleitas was Lee’s simulator instructor for part of his upgrade! Lori and I were able to have Lee over for a quick dinner and played catch up with everyone we could think of before he had to head back and study. So good to run into fellow classmates unexpectedly!
Beginning on a more than somber note, our classmate Ed Hospodar from CS-36 passed away very recently due to a battle with stomach cancer. He is survived by his wife and two teenage boys. Ben Malisow said it best, “Too damn young.” “93, here’s a toast …”
Chris Juarez checked in to update us on a volunteer opportunity with our local U.S. representatives. Chris is on his U.S. rep’s panel consisting of grads and veterans to make
recommendations for who should receive one of his nominations. He has been a panel member for the past five years, and two things he’s learned are today’s applicants are a lot smarter and more rounded than our generation. The best perk of the job is that he gets invited to the spring ceremony, where the congressman presents his nominations. Chris enjoys talking to the soon-to-be cadets and their parents and answering any questions they may have about USAFA. Chris has also heard from Mike Love, OJ Sanchez, Ali (Ward) Trevino and Eli Ricca
Leo Kosinski writes that he retired late in 2024, finishing his career as the director for logistics (J4) on the Joint Staff working for Gen. CQ Brown. For Leo, work at the Pentagon was busy with Ukraine, Israel and other support operations around the world, but he was glad to get to work next to ’93 classmate and old friend Lt. Gen. Alex “Grynch” Grynkewich, director for operations (J3). Leo got to catch up with several classmates recently in the DMV — Maria (Thomas) Anthony, Brendan Harris, JD Holt, Ron Lopez and Paul Myrick (who made it out for Leo’s retirement at the Pentagon).
Leo extends many thanks to Larry Hopkins and family, who have sponsored two of the Kosinski kids going through USAFA. Leo’s oldest graduated last May and is in grad school in Boston and then heading to UPT. His middle is still at USAFA and headed to CS-25 (Rock Hard Red Eye). His youngest started college in Boston last fall.
After serving for 31 years, Leo utilized good advice by being patient for at least six months before figuring out what was next. He started post-AF employment with a few part-time consulting and advisory roles, and just took on a full-time role as chief strategy officer at an AI-driven, contestedlogistics focused, software startup in Boston, Air Space Intelligence. Leo loves to work with young, brilliant and highly motivated software engineers trying to provide revolutionary solutions to optimize our most critical assets. Leo and his wife, Chika, relocated to Mt. Pleasant, South Carolina.
Tom Hermel checked in and provided a photo with his USAFA nomination Congressman Tim Penny from Minnesota. Tom enjoys flying for Delta Airlines.
James and Steve at the Middleburg Spring Races
Members 65% Sabre Society Donors 21 Polaris Society Members 4
Leo, Chika and their kids at Leo’s Air Force retirement
CLASS NEWS
Toby Brallier ’95, Congressman Penny and Tom Hermel
Eric Morrow updates us as a first-time writer to Checkpoints! In June 2021, Eric was diagnosed with Stage IV-A prostate cancer. His doctors decided on an aggressive course of treatment, and, after surgery, radiation therapy and two years of hormone therapy, he finished treatment in October 2023, just after our 30-year class reunion. Eric is happy to report that he is in biochemical remission. Although his clinical team thinks it’s very likely the cancer will return, everyone is hopeful that it won’t occur for several more years. Eric is tremendously thankful for his wife, Lori, kids, and all his family and friends for their support.
Eric states that prostate cancer is something all men need to be aware of — especially veterans. One in eight U.S. men will be diagnosed in their lifetimes, but those odds increase to 1 in 5 for veterans. Moreover, veterans are more likely to develop prostate cancer at younger ages and oftentimes have more aggressive forms of the disease. Due in large part to his cancer diagnosis, Eric has become a “professional” prostate cancer advocate, volunteering at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center and ZERO Prostate Cancer, a nonprofit focused on patient/survivor advocacy and support.
This September Eric will be climbing Mount Kilimanjaro in Tanzania as part of the ZERO Peaks Challenge. It’s both a fundraising campaign and an opportunity to raise awareness about prostate cancer and the critical need for early screening and detection. It’s also his hope to demonstrate that although prostate cancer can be life-threatening, it doesn’t have to be life-limiting.
PLEASE take care ’93. PTB93/Peace – Mike
Michael D. Sundsted, 5805 Bent Creek Trl., Dallas, TX 75252; 703-307-0903; mdsundsted@gmail.com
1994
Red Hot summer edition. Hello ’94. What is happening this summer? Here in San Antonio, our youngest daughter, Avery, is graduating from Ronald Reagan High School (as did her two older sisters). She will attend UT Austin this fall, majoring in biochemistry. Hook ’em! Her older sister, Parker, is at Texas Tech, in the architecture program. Wreck ’em! That’s our news from south Texas.
First up in ’94 input this quarter, Jeremy Cannon, M.D., emailed me a picture of him with Sean Singleton. They were together at a recent meeting in Washington, D.C. Jeremy said he and Sean are in the same class of veteran fellows at the Hoover Institution, “having a great time working to solve some of the world’s wicked problems.” Sounds like you are both doing well. Thanks for the email!
Veteran fellows Jeremy and Sean
Mike Cranston texted me a picture from a trip he was working for American Airlines and said, “Ran into Jeff Payne today in DFW. He’s on his way to Sacramento. Small world, brutha!” Yeah, it is. Looking good guys.
That’s the inputs this time, but luckily I have some personal grad news to report. Colleen and I were able to attend the San Antonio rodeo with Mike and Andrea (Kerkman ’95) Miller. This has become an annual event for us and the Millers. Intense rodeo action, and the live act was Scotty McCreery. Good times.
Next, I was recently at the United facility in Denver (upgrading to Airbus captain). In a daylong
class with about 40 other pilots, I spotted Matt Glover. He and his family live in Colorado Springs, and Matt has been at United for about three years. Also spotted there was my Bull Six roommate, Jeff “JD” Dalrymple, who is an instructor. I was wearily stepping out of a four-hour-long simulator, only to see JD, who immediately told my instructor that he should send me back for remedial training. Classic JD. Also related to my captain upgrade, the evaluator for my line check ride was ’89 grad Keith “Dolph” Miller. It was a good flight! On a subsequent trip, I was on a layover at the Swissotel in Chicago. I got off the elevator in the lobby, only to be confronted with a 7-foot-1-inch presence getting off the elevator across from me, to which I said, “Big Man?” It was fellow Viking 9 alum Kyle Clark ’93. He was there from Dallas with his wife and daughters for a volleyball tournament. As a veteran dad of girls club/travel volleyball, I knew exactly what Kyle was experiencing that weekend. We only got to talk for a couple minutes, but it was awesome to catch up. Brian “Hack” Jackson, my Viking 9 roommate, visited San Antonio with his brother, Sean, for Final Four weekend. Colleen and I were able to meet up with them for lunch downtown at the Pearl Brewery District before they went to the championship game. Brian lives on a ranch in South Carolina near Shaw AFB and flies for American. His brother, Sean, is a retired O-6 working for Northrup on the B-21 program. It was a good time seeing the Jackson bros. Finally, for a third picture this quarter, my iPhone provided the inspiration. As one of the memories photos that the phone generates, I got a throwback. I texted it to my compadres from this expedition, Dante Biancucci and Chris Kornmesser. We chatted briefly and all remember it the same way. It was August ’93, just before our firstie year was going to start, and Korn presented us with an idea. He had somehow heard, in the pre-internet days, that there was still a solid snowpack on Snowmass Mountain. The plan was to hike it and then ski back down. An epic ski run in August. Now, this wasn’t Snowmass Ski Resort — this was Snowmass Mountain, one of Colorado’s wild, untamed 14ers. Another catch: It was an 11-mile hike just to get to the base, and we’d have skis, boots and poles lashed to our packs on the trek. So of course we loaded up my ’93 4Runner and went for it. We arrived at the trailhead in the evening, hiked in a few miles, then camped. The next morning, we got to the amazing lake at the base of the peak. It’s a top-notch hike that I highly recommend (without carrying ski equipment). Sure enough, there was plenty of snow left up high. We went up, and as we neared the peak a freak lightning storm hit. We were totally exposed, above the tree line, and had skis (with metal edges) sticking up a few feet above our heads. Lightning rods. We frantically threw boots and skis on and made our run. It started as an adrenaline-charged escape from electricity bolts, but then transitioned to pure schussing bliss — in August. The pic is after our triumphant run, with a celebratory bottle of wine. We then hiked the 11 miles back out and exhaustedly crashed out in a hotel near Aspen, after ordering some Domino’s pizza. The next day, it was back to the Hill and the new semester.
Jeff and Cranny DFW selfie
Cooch, Korn and Kegs
That’s it for now. Please send me your latest news, unless you want to keep hearing all of my stories. Take care, ’94 – Kegger
The Class of 1994 30th reunion gift will enshrine the Red Hot ’94 legacy at Hotel Polaris at the U.S. Air Force Academy, benefiting future leaders and graduates.
The Class of 1994 is the only class focused on fundraising for the hotel, and it is 63% of the way to the gift committee’s ambitious goal of $1 million.
Keep on going, and don’t bring it weak! Please support the project or find out more at usafa.org/1994-30th
Happy spring to all of you. I can’t believe that our 30th class reunion is just a few short months away as I write this article. I gave Julie Price, who has generously volunteered AGAIN to plan this reunion for us all, the pen to share reunion details below.
Classmates, our 30th class reunion is Sept. 25-27! USAFA plays Hawaii on Saturday, Sept. 27. Our primary hotel and location for most social events is Hotel Polaris, and rooms are filling up fast. Our secondary hotel is the Courtyard Marriott off Interquest (north, close to USAFA). Links to the hotels can be found on our Facebook pages and on the AOG reunion site for our class.
Saturday, Sept. 27: USAFA vs. Hawaii Football Game
Registration is being finalized and will be available soon. Please note: If you want access for you and your guests to the Cadet Area on Friday, Sept. 26 (where activities are planned), please make sure you follow the instructions and meet timelines mentioned in the registration!
We are going to be kicking off class gift fundraising shortly; more information on that will be found on our Facebook group websites and the AOG reunion site, and classmates may be reaching out. If you have questions, please reach out to Julie Price on FB or at julie.c.price@comcast.net.
Looking forward to seeing as many of you as possible at the 30th reunion!!
Pete Michaelson sent in an update recently. Pete retired from service in March 2024 as chief of aerospace medicine at the 179th in Mansfield. A few weeks ago, he officiated Dave Salisbury’s retirement at Scott AFB. Pete and his wife, Maria, are doing well and making plans to move back to Long Island, where they met in high school. Their dream home is on the north shore, and Pete will be working as professor of head and neck surgery at University of Stonybrook.
Lastly, we are recruiting for at least one class scribe! If you would like to volunteer to write the quarterly Checkpoints article, please let Sot or me know. You don’t have to be a journalist, just willing to give of your time. A majority of our class is on Facebook and has access to updates there. But there is still 15-20% who are not on FB and do rely on Checkpoints. So, if you are semi-retired, fully retired or just very energetic and looking for ways to KTP, please message me!
Until next time, I hope you all have a fantastic spring and summer with family and friends. We look forward to seeing you in late September! Please keep sharing updates via email at amanda.j.steffey@gmail. com or Mark Sotallaro at marksotallaro@gmail.com. KTP!
Dave Salisbury, left, and Pete Michaelson at Dave’s retirement in March
Pete Michaelson, left, and Dave Salisbury. Pete did not say when and where this was taken, but these guys look pretty young!
CLASS NEWS
Amanda Steffey, amanda.j.steffey@gmail.com
Mark Sotallaro, marksotallaro@gmail.com
1996
Greetings, Bricks! First, I want to extend heartfelt gratitude to everyone who has reached out to check on Shayna and me and our family. As many of you know, we live in the community devastated by the California wildfires. Thankfully, we were not personally impacted, but many dear friends have lost everything. The road to recovery will be long, taking years to rebuild what has been destroyed. Shayna and I are both in professional roles where we are actively contributing to the community’s recovery. As president of the largest business advocacy organization in Southern California, I’m working closely with state and local policymakers on legislation to support small business and housing recovery and rebuilding. Shayna, as a senior political adviser at the California Community Foundation, is collaborating with state and local leaders to support recovery efforts across a variety of fronts. Your support means the world to us, and it’s a testament to the strength of our Brick family.
The Class of 1996 is fundraising to complete its 25th reunion project, which will support 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, currently being built, at the airfield entrance.
The Class of 1996 is nearly 55% of the way to its $250,000 goal. Help support Tough as Bricks character development, military and academic excellence and true airmanship.
Give at usafa.org/1996-25th
I only received a handful of brief updates this edition, so here goes.
Chris Dougherty shared that after 29 years of service, he finally retired as the wing commander of the 146th Airlift Wing at Channel Islands ANGS (Hollywood Guard!) on March 1. Following his retirement, Chris returned to United Airlines, where he will be flying the 787 based out of Los Angeles International Airport.
Vernon Fletcher had an opportunity to meet up with Jason Mock, his wife, Ashley, and Chad Balettie ’95 in Evergreen, Colorado. He said there was plenty of reminiscing and also some ice fishing!
Mathes Mennell reported that several classmates reunited for their annual gathering of the “Smart Idiots Happy Hour,” which they formed during the Covid lockdown. They meet every two or three weeks on Facetime to catch up. The Smart Idiots include Mike Conley, Chuck Podolak ’95, Ryan Hurt, Kurt Kremser, Andi Vinyard, Amy (Petrina) Kremser ’98, Mathes’ wife, Kim Winters, and Melissa Conley and Tiff Hurt. Cheers to that!
Last edition, Matt Weissert sent in a terrific picture and caption that yours truly duly submitted to Checkpoints. Matt reached out to flag that Checkpoints somehow published the correct caption but a totally different picture. So, here’s another try:
Nicole (Ellingwood) Malachowski continues to do us all proud through her work as a motivational speaker, sharing leadership lessons from her life and career, which included being the first woman to fly for the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds. Recently, she was on CNN discussing why the mass censorship of women and minority service members and veterans’ stories from government websites sets a dangerous precedent.
Finally, Dale Riedel and Jenn (Kornacker) Riedel continue to lead our 25th reunion class gift project. We have joined forces with the Classes of 1986 and 1990 to raise funds for the Benjamin O. Davis Airfield static display project honoring the Tuskegee Airmen, including static displays of a P-51 Red Tail and a T-7 Red Hawk. If you are interested in donating, go to give.usafa.org.
As always, thank you for sharing your updates and stories. Keep them coming and stay Tough as Bricks! — David “English” Englin
David (English) Englin, david.englin@gmail.com
1997 What is up, fellow 1997 classmates? I hope everyone is doing well. It has been a great year so far. I have been in contact with many classmates over the past three months. Thank you to all who have written emails and texts and made phone calls to give me an update.
I would like to start with a Facebook message from Samantha “Combo” (Glinski) Weeks. In my haste to close out the year, I forgot to include her message in the January episode, so here it goes. Col. Abigail (White) Ruscetta was recognized as the 2024 Oklahoma Aerospace and Aviation’s Woman of the Year. She received the honor at the eighth annual Oklahoma Women in Aviation and Aerospace Day
Matt Linell, Matt Weissert, Shawn Fitzgerald, Chris Ratigan, Curt Green ’95 and Benji Davis ’95 celebrated Shawn’s retirement in November.
Chris Dougherty and family at his March retirement ceremony
Ashley Mock, Jason Mock, Vernon Fletcher and Chad Balettie reconnected in Evergreen.
held at the Tulsa Air National Guard Base. Congratulations to Abby, and thank you for your contribution to aviation. Way to Keep It Revvin’.
It was great to see you, Kevin. Best of luck in your retirement, amigo.
I received an email update from Chris Vasquez back in February. Chris retired from the Air Force in 2023 and founded a media company called VisionAero. The focus of Chris’ company is to produce aviationfocused films. Recently, he flew his aerial imaging pod alongside Boom Supersonic’s XB-1 to record the first flight to Mach 1. It was a big day for Boom Supersonic and for aviation. While Chris was in Mojave filming, he enjoyed getting to know former test pilot Jeff Mabry ’93. Jeff is Boom Supersonic’s VP of overture and XB-1. Thank you for the update, Chris. I look forward to seeing some footage soon. In the meantime, fly tough and Keep It Revvin’.
Chris Vasquez and Jeff Mabry ’93 with the XB-1 in the background
I had the privilege of attending two retirements this past March. The first retirement was for Angel “Mango” Santiago ’98. Mango and I served together in the mighty 40th Airlift Squadron at Dyess AFB, Texas. While I was in Miami for the festivities, I ran into a couple of classmates. Ben Conde was the first classmate I ran across. We barely recognized each other but had a nice time catching up. Ben retired from the Air Force after flying helicopters and now works for Honeywell. The other Silver Bullet classmate I crossed paths with was Kevin Minor. Kevin recently retired from the NORAD/USNORTHCOM as inspector general. He flew the mighty B-2 as well. He retired deeper into the mountains of Colorado with his wife. It was great catching up with both of these fellow 1997 grads. I had a lot of fun at the ceremony and subsequent parties too. Special thanks to Mango for always being the social chairman. Good luck in retirement brother.
At the end of March, I attended another retirement for Ronald “Tike” Dunlop in Fort Walton Beach. While at the ceremony, I ran into Matt “Pipper” Bradley. He and I were in BCT together back in the summer of 1993. Pipper recently retired as wing commander of the 53rd at Eglin AFB, Florida. He is enjoying retirement and also teaching in the F-35 simulator. It was great to catch up bud — best of luck in retirement.
That is all for now. I appreciate those who dropped a line or tolerated a selfie with me. In the meantime, keep the information coming and ALWAYS KEEP IT REVVIN’!!!
Wow, such a scorching RED hot summer for us Dominators! The latest Dominator Spawn, or Baby Dominators most prefer saying, are killing it at BCT with the upperclass Baby Dominators tucking them in at night. Great stuff for sure!
As the Baby Dominators make that Long Blue RTB Line longer, we are still seeing our classmates move on to that retiree stage in life, where they will wreak havoc on commissaries all over the United States and take full advantage of that Tri-and-get-Care post-active-duty bennies! We saw Jordan Grant retire in March. We saw Danny Campos, David DeAngeles, Thomas Preston and of course Holly (Cooper) Grant with one of the most Dominant F-35s ever!
Next, we have Philip Morrison’s retirement in April, where he too found fellow Dominators who just “happened” to be in the area. He retired out of Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, with a trio of Dominators there to witness. Will Wade, Shad Lacktorin and Ed Grundel did a great job of supporting their classmate, while we all know many more of us wish we could have been there. Both of these Dominators retired as full-bird colonels with Legion of Merit awards. Well done, Dominators!
Always loving to put a play on words, twist of the tales or other fun with dichotomy, we have the unretirement of Dos Gringos. Longtime reader, firsttime contributor Chris Kurek checked 6 and called 2’s blind, reaching out to let it be known that Dos Gringos performed in Las Vegas as part of a launch event for Winglore Spirits. All proceedings went to Operation Encore. What is Winglore Spirits? This is a new liquor company started by fighter pilots; one of the owners is a grad from 2009 (almost an RTB). Now you ask, what is Operation Encore? This is a nonprofit cofounded by Chris supporting veteran artists and musicians who want to create original music and get it out to the world. A great cause and an absolute welcome back to Dos Gringos! Everyone is waiting for that fifth album!
Oklahoma State Representative Nicole Miller, Col. Abigail (White) Ruscetta and State Sen. Brenda Stanley
Kevin Minor and I caught up at Angel “Mango” Santiago’s retirement.
Retirement at Eglin Air Force Base, Florida. From left: Tom Preston, Danny Campos, Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II – Tail Number 5098, Jordan Grant, Holly (Cooper) Grant and Dave DeAngeles
From left: Will Wade, Shad Lacktorin, a Dominating sword, Philip Morrison, the tip of the spear and shaft, and Ed Grundel
CLASS NEWS
Again, I know we never hear about this grad, but after some digging to find news on him, apparently Nick Hague returned from the International Space Station with a couple of hitchhiker astronauts from the Boeing Starliner. He was the first guardian (Space Force member for those who have not been participating in Knowledge Bowls lately) to launch into space, and though his stats show over a year in space now (with over a day of time outside in the space of space repairing the Space Station), I am sure there is some “98” connection to those stats. As a preppie though, I want to give a shoutout to Catie (Devlin) Hague, who has been doing great things as the vice president of communications for Axiom Space. From A-Squad at the P to hearing someone say “when I was in space” or walking around wearing his Medal of Manliness, we all know she too is one of greatness, like all the Dominators continue to prove to be. Most of all, we are very happy to see Team Hague back together on Earth! Also, to finally mark this one off the Checkpoints bingo card, I finally have a Hootie and the Blowfish reference … as when we saw that pod of dolphins when Nick’s Dragon capsule splashed down, I know many of us can say, the “dolphins make me cry.” Thank you, Nick!
Other big news out there is Joshua Eaton is acing his Greek lessons with 98% accuracy — as he stated, “Dominating Duolingo!” Van Thai made a Dominating find of Buc-ee’s onesies (with hoody) for $19.98, an offer that cannot and should not be refused! Matt Reynolds jammed along to “Alive” by Pearl Jam at 98 minutes past 5 p.m. back in April — a very important fact we should all know. Attention in the area, attention in the area … Mel Brooks is 98 Dominating years old. Ops Center … out. As always, I hope you all keep on doing those great things that you all do! Big congratulations to our Class of 2026 (RTB) Baby Dominators on reaching that first-class year! Our second set of RTB Baby Dominators to become firsties, Class of 2022 are all now first lieutenants, and by the time you read this, the first Baby Dominator will be a captain and soon to start his second deployment. The time flies for us all.
Remember to reach out to fellow classmates through your travels, and let me know with some photo evidence so we can see all your great-looking faces and give out a bit of Huah! Until next time, Dominators! Members 83% Sabre
Kevin Divers, 615-681-2539; kevindivers@ gmail.com
1999
There was no submission by the Class of 1999 this quarter. Please submit content to robert.wolfe.usafa@gmail.com.
Members 83% Sabre Society Donors 22 Polaris Society Members 2
Bobby Wolfe, 984-664-1999; robert.wolfe. usafa@gmail.com
2000
Hey, gang,
Our reunion is planned for Sept. 24-27. Our registration was not open yet at the time of writing, so I hope it is when you’re reading this news. Here is our site: reunions.usafagroups.org/ class-of-2000.html
I need some leads for committees, so please reach out.
Joy (Param) Kiefer, Amy Rivera, Nora Nelson and Amanda (Rivera) Williams had a mini reunion in Colorado Springs while Nora was attending the Space Symposium from her tour at the embassy in Spain. The classmates are still best friends and have reenacted this photo several times over the years.
Cory Cooper had the honor to escort some USAFA cadets to the Tunisian Air Force Academy in Borj El Amri, to spend a week immersed with the Tunisian cadets and experience Tunisian culture. Our own classmate Kais Sghaier is the Tunisian Academy superintendent. Cory notes that he got to see Kais’ fantastic leadership in shaping Tunisia’s aviation future.
Cory Cooper, left, with Kais Sghaier
Meanwhile, Eli Bremer recently led the United States bid and secured the award as the host nation for the 2027 World Military Games. Eli will serve as the co-chair for the games, which will be the first time the World Military Games are held in the USA. They expect roughly 10,000 athletes and 120 nations to participate.
Mark your calendars for the reunion, and if you think the AOG may not have your up-to-date info, please share your email and address with me at USAFA2000@Outlook.com. Send your updates for Class News as well. Until we all see each other, “Two Grand, United We Stand!”
Jason “Cueball” Simmons
Many randoms and Chris Kurek in the center on the wireless microphone
Best friends
Enduring friendship
Jason "JW" Simmons, 5756 Range Rider Dr., Colorado Springs, CO 80923; usafa2000@ outlook.com
2001
Hello ’01ers, Sally Maddocks sent an update on her and Cheryl Beuhn. They started at Delta on the same day in July 2022 and run into each other quite a bit. Here they are at the Atlanta airport!
Sally Maddocks and Cheryl Beuhn, Delta pilots crossing paths at the Atlanta airport
Joe Vigueria sent a pic he took over spring break when his family traveled to Argentina to visit Ryan and Nannette Menath and their kids. Ryan is still active duty as an Air Attache in Buenos Aires.
JD Foy sent in a pic from TJ Huxel’s recent retirement ceremony. I also know that Mike Pasquino is retiring this summer as well!
Remember to check out our Class of 2001 Facebook page to keep up with everyone. Jason and I have already exchanged a couple messages in preparation for our 25-year reunion next year!!! We hope this finds everyone well and remember to send me updates on what you are up to!!
Thanks!
Faith
Faith (Hitchcock) Dunn, faithd03@hotmail. com; FB: USAFA Class of 2001
2002
Class of 2002! I hope you are enjoying a beautiful summer. I just got back from the 10th Air Force Combat Planning Council in Fort Worth, Texas, where I ran into Rodney Ellison and Rob Hamilton I was battling the flu so I didn’t get to hang out and catch up as much as I would have liked to, but it was so great to see them even if I wasn’t feeling 100%. Please continue to update me with pictures and job or family updates whenever you want to share good news. The AOG created a mobile app that you can download to your phone if you want to keep in touch with USAFA happenings.
The Fast, Neat, Average lunch crew in the National Capital Region
Class Sightings: Matt Sakowitz ran the Boston Marathon in April. Aaron Rubi just completed a move back to San Antonio, Texas. Brandy (Ransom) Lybeck met up with Andy Rohrer outside of the Defense Health Agency Headquarters in Falls Church, Virginia, and later the same day at Reagan Airport she saw Jerome Wonnum. Jerome is currently flying the Airbus 330 for Delta Airlines. James Rodriguez reported that his son was notified in February of his USAFA appointment for the Class of 2029. Isaac Bell and Paul Scheglov met up at PACAF Headquarters during Paul’s sister’s promotion ceremony. Randy Heusser, Carlos Jayme and Ryan Walinski ran into each other at the Pentagon auditorium in early February.
Mini Reunions: For classmates in the National Capital Region, reach out to Carlos Jayme about the No Limits Lunches. They have had back-to-back months of great turnout and catching up with the RTB crew. Stephen Sistare and Tony Romeo met up at the Association of Graduates Founders Day dinner in Charleston, South Carolina. Tony gave a presentation about his Deep Sea Vision company during the dinner. Al Lewis and John Motley ’00 had lunch together at La Fonda after touring Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.
Joe Vigueria with Nannette and Ryan Menath during a visit in Argentina
JD Foy, Scotty Jenkins, TJ Huxel, Jason Willey and Justin Longmire and TJ’s retirement ceremony
Members 78% Sabre Society Donors 19 Polaris Society Members 0
Randy Heusser, Carlos Jayme and Ryan Walinski in the Pentagon auditorium
CLASS NEWS
Isaac Bell and Paul Scheglov at PACAF Headquarters
Post Air Force Careers: Kevin Raney led his first Wim Hof workshop in Southern Oregon at the Willow Wind Winery. Kevin got certified with Wim Hof in Poland last year and is now teaching breathwork and cold therapy.
Gone But Not Forgotten: Brian Strock passed away suddenly in February. Brian lived in Frederick, Colorado, (which is North of Denver) with his wife, Katie, and their two sons, Brayden (17) and Evan (13). After Brian’s Air Force service, he built a very successful career in real estate working in property management for CBRE. Here’s a toast … 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!
Last summer I ran into Matt Tompkins in Michigan. As my family finished paddling the Platte River near Sleeping Bear Dunes, I looked up and to my surprise, there was Matt and his family doing the same! We caught up a bit and snapped a few photos. He shared that he’s still in the Reserve and is the chief of staff for Space Forces Southern.
Brian Hans and Phil “Yeti” Hafdahl at Yeti’s retirement ceremony
Have a great summer! Please keep the updates coming and send to our class Gmail account, usafa2003@gmail.com.
Take care, Susan
Ballew,
Hey, Bongers, I hope 2025 is going well!
Please keep the updates coming. We’re nearing the end of our picture backlog after the reunion and can use some more updates and pics. So if you’re reading this and thinking, “I should submit something,” please do!
Brian Hans also checked in: “I joined Phil ‘Yeti’ Hafdahl’s family and friends for his retirement celebration on Dec. 30, 2024. Here’s a toast to other zoomies like us who found lifelong friends due in part to the alphabetical proximity of our last names, thus being placed in the same room as four-degrees. Phil and I were roommates for three years — a testament to strength in solidarity (or stubbornness). This photo was taken at the Air Armament Museum outside Eglin AFB, where his ceremony was held. Yeti was one of a select few Strike Eagle WSOs to drop the GBU-15 on display behind us. You’ll have to ask him how close on target they were!”
Members 86% Sabre Society Donors 9 Polaris Society Members 0
Susan (Doyle) Maly, usafa2003@gmail.com; FB: Usafa Zerothree; LinkedIn: USAFA 03
2004
As a member of the U.S. Air Force Academy Class of 2004, I realize The Wall Street Journal considers many of us as Gen X. Others consider us Millennials. Though on the cusp, to me, 1982 birth year will always be a Millennial Falcon
Updates, sightings and retirements:
It seems like Rok Dedic and Wes Spurlock are starting new businesses every day now. Since Rok’s same-day retirement and promotion, they are jumping headfirst into the private sector. They are both at Metis Endeavor and recently started Principal Minerals. Excited to see what’s next, so keep an eye on LinkedIn (and MySpace for Rok).
Col. James Valpiani, our top grad and currently commandant of the USAF Test Pilot School, is slated to join me at DARPA this year. I enjoyed our time at AFWERX, and I look forward to seeing all he accomplishes in DARPA’s Tactical Technology Office.
Col. Tom Meagher (also part of the former ’04 AFWERX with Wes, James, and me) stays engaged across the flight test community, recently chairing
Matt, Rebecca, Natalie (15) and Amelia (12) Tompkins
Greg and Susan (Doyle) Maly with Matt Tompkins in Michigan
the Society of Experimental TEs Pilots East Coast Symposium for more than 320 test pilots, engineers and local STEM students. He currently serves as the deputy director for the secretary of the Air Force’s Integrated Capabilities Office, driving investments across the Air and Space Forces.
In D.C., I ran into Alex Granados at a dinner at Prescient AI’s annual corporate retreat.
Joel Gerlach, Alex Granados and Gina (Marmaraou) Wilson
Fellow PTWOB Lt. Col. Zach “Cougar” Fennell is retired as deputy inspector general, NORAD and USNORTHCOM. Zach, it was wonderful to run into you on USAFA’s gorgeous golf course at our 20th; I hope to see you before our 25th!
Pat Sargeant, Jaina (Wright) Donberg, Dyan (Medina) Gibbens, Brian Watts, Zak Payne and Zach Fennell
Jason Wall retired and posted an amazing picture on LinkedIn. As shared, I hope to run into him on a Southwest flight.
In all, I love seeing 2004’s ongoing support of our classmates as many retire, change careers and continue to grow professionally. Thanks ’04 updates!
In your dreams…
No recurring dreams shared this time from our class. In writing this update, I dreamt I was back at the Academy. It’s the morning of graduation, and somehow I forgot to move out of my dorm room (in the dream, a strict requirement to graduate). Except in this dream, I was a civilian, approximately age 35, with kids. While my dream made no sense, it was refreshing to shed the stress of an impending (and arbitrary) 7 a.m. moving deadline after I awoke. To close, if you’d like to be added to our official email distro for quarterly financial updates and other opportunities to convene, collaborate and contribute, email me at dyangibbens@me.com. Stay well, stay strong, and blue skies!
Pay it ’04ward!
In honor of its 20th reunion, the Class of 2004 is proud to establish an endowment to enhance programmatic support for the National Character and Leadership Symposium at the U.S. Air Force Academy. The class aims to raise $250,000 to ensure cadets gain the skills and knowledge necessary to lead with integrity in an increasingly complex world.
Make your donation and take advantage of classmate matching gifts at usafa.org/2004-20th. Be sure to tap into your employer’s matching gift program as well!
Contact Dyan Gibbens at 2004usafa@gmail.com with any questions.
No updates from classmates for this issue; however, we have a lot of reunion news to pass along. First, for those of you not yet aware, our reunion will be Sept. 18-20 (Boise State game). We have set up an arrangement with Great Wolf Lodge to lock down a block of rooms for the week; a link to that reservation site is posted on the Facebook and LinkedIn pages. The price for a room is $259 a night (with tax it is around $288). There will be no resort fee or parking fee if people use the reunion link to book. Book early, as there are four other class reunions going on that week and a convention at Great Wolf Lodge.
We have also arranged for a class event on Thursday afternoon at Haps, and our Class Dinner and Memorial at the Flying W on Friday evening. You can get additional updates through the class Facebook page and on our new LinkedIn page (just search “USAFA Class of 2005 Reunion” if you are not a member yet). We have also started a class website for the reunion. You can find it at classof2005.usafagroups.org. If you are interested in being a part of the planning team, please send me a direct message on Facebook or email me at jgtamasitis@gmail.com.
Looking forward to seeing everyone in September.
1
John Tamasitis, 803-360-2970; jgtamasitis@ gmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 2005
2006
Hello 2006. I hope this message finds you well. Anyone see our classy classmate Matthew Lohmeier out there taking questions like a boss? Good luck brother, and walk tall! I remain proud to see you get that confirmation for USecAF. Heard again from Ross Hobbs who wanted to share, “I’m still at RAND in Santa Monica, California, for my SDE Fellowship until this Summer. PCS to AFGSC A5/8 next. I just published two public articles in Air & Space Forces Magazine and War on the Rocks. I also recently co-authored a classified RAND report for Joint Staff and have another co-authored RAND report to be published soon for AFRL.” I see you Ross, crushing the academia. Congrats on the publications, sounds like a big deal!
I got just one other update, and as luck would have it she caught me as we were walking into the Pentagon. Jane (McDonald) Dunn wrote, “I wrapped up a six-month deployment to Al Udeid where I was the J1 director for Special Operations Joint Task Force-Central (SOJTF-C). Got a quick picture with the rest of the USAFA grads on the HQ staff to include the chief of staff and members of the J2, J5/7, and Team Sentinel: Col. Mark Smith ’03, Lt. Col. Jane (McDonald) Dunn, Capt. Alexander Grant ’18, Capt. Michael Grieg ’19, Capt. Ifeoma Emeka ’20, Capt. Austin Logan ’20, Capt. Michael Shumate ’21.” Way to go J-Staff and Team Sentinel! I’ll make sure you all get some funding.
Members 86% Sabre Society Donors
Polaris Society Members
Members 81% Sabre Society Donors 10 Polaris Society Members
CLASS NEWS
That’s all from me this go … hope to hear from more of ya’ll next time. Let me know if you are in the D.C. area, maybe we can meet up if you are passing through! As for me (ShawnSchuuuuulz), I will continue to support each of you any way I can. Members
Shawn “The Schulz” Schulz, 3603 Lakota Rd., Alexandria, VA 22303; 915-309-5612; usafacad@hotmail.com; FB: AFA Checkpoints 2006
2007
’007, I hope everyone had a great spring and is enjoying the summer!
Joe Halpern and Jen Ng graduated from Joint and Combined Warfighting School — JPME Phase II on March 21 in Norfolk, Virginia. Joe reports that he and Jen were even in the same seminar, the “Unlucky Sevens,” and that other Guuuuuuuuus classmates were in attendance as well.
Alisa Fellhauer orchestrated a “Bring Me Men” Girls’ Night Out mini reunion in Old Towne Alexandria, Virginia, back in February, with Katy (Luttrell) Horner, Ashley Cwiakala, Lauren White and Nina (Yacovone) Cass in attendance.
Alisa Fellhauer, Katy (Luttrell) Horner, Ashley Cwiakala, Lauren White and Nina (Yacovone) Cass
Lastly, I’m fairly certain that I’ll be able to attend the annual USAFA-Navy football game in Annapolis, Maryland, this year. I’ve got one last deployment this autumn, but I should still be stateside for the game. If anyone is interested in coming to our tailgate and the game, please let me know by August-September so that I can start setting things up (cdonohoe07@ gmail.com; 724-550-8663). We had a blast during the 2023 season, and I’d love for more people to show up this year!
Cheers and best wishes, Chris
2008
Hello again, Richter mates! My apologies for missing the last edition of Checkpoints. We have a few updates for everyone. The first and slightly oldest update came from Casey Lee, who celebrated her assumption of command of the 426th Cyberspace Operations Squadron with family friends and classmate Robert Rogers
Casey Lee and Robert Rogers at COS assumption of command
Next, Jethro Sadorra sent an update about Lt. Col. Rick Paz and his TDY to Ramstein last fall. Lt. Cols. Julie Roloson, Robert Hanks and Jet Sadorra had a mini reunion before heading back to his work in the Space Enterprise in Colorado. Julie, Bobby and Jet are continuing to preserve order in the European AOR as a FAO, an analyst and an engineer, respectively. Their fates weren’t chosen, but it’s not too bad to end up in Germany! They wrapped the night with savory beverages at the locally renowned Highballs Bar in downtown Kaiserslautern. No apples were thrown or cruise ships bailed from, but plenty hilarity ensued.
Next, Katie (Newkirk) Evans had the awesome opportunity to host Lt. Col. Chay Derbigny and his 55 ROTC cadets from Southern Illinois University-Carbondale, where he is currently the detachment commander. As the Force Support squadron commander at Scott AFB, Katie and her crew put the cadets through a speed dating-style immersion of their 10 flights’ operations. Afterwards, the cadets visited the 458th Airlift Squadron, where their commander, Lt. Col. Andy Nigro, showcased their critical mission set and unique customer base. The best part? Chay’s detachment POC for the event was Capt. RICHTER! Doesn’t get more awesome than that!
Joe Halpern and Jen Ng
Chris Donohoe, cdonohoe07@gmaill.com
USAFA grads at Special Operations Joint Task Force-Central
The final update came from Lt. Col. Chris Yost and Elizabeth (Taylor) Yost ’07, who celebrated their 15th wedding anniversary beachside, snuggled up with an old but trusty USAFA blanket. Chris is stationed at Tyndall and flying the E-9. Even more exciting, Team Yost is expecting their fifth child!
Several others are due to pin on their next ranks in the near months ahead, though ceremonies are pending and no pictures have arrived yet. I look forward to receiving those for the fall issue! See you around the blue!
2009Hello, fellow HUBsters! It’s Angélica (Plazas) Bergoo here. I hope you all have had a fabulous 2025 so far.
Thank you to everyone who sent updates via Facebook and email. If you would like to share updates for future editions, feel free to send me an email at angelicabergoo84@gmail.com or comment in the USAFA Class of 2009 Facebook group.
Here are some updates from our fellow ’09ers: Jesse Moulton, Alex Durstein and Caroline Tetrick spent a week at Scott AFB attending the AMC Squadron Leadership Course in preparation for taking command of their squadrons this summer. Jesse is taking the 317 OSS at Dyess AFB, Alex is taking the 728 AMS at Incirlik AB, and Caroline is taking the 435 TRS at Scott AFB. The three of them sat at the same breakfast table for three years in CS36 — too crazy to be there together again: PROUD PINK PANTHERS! Ashley Nicole was promoted on March 1 to lieutenant colonel and was selected to take over NGA Pentagon in mid-May. So if you’re in the area and want to grab lunch, it might be her only way to get away from the chaos! She’s in Corridor 7 A-ring, if you want to stop by or need a custom map. Dan Mitchell broke 4,600 flight hours in C-130s — what an accomplishment! Congratulations!
Jesse Moulton, Alex Durstein and Caroline Tetrick
Brian Dunn recently had a life goal accomplished: having dinner with Joe Dougherty in Alaska (fear the ship of doom!).
’09 Ph.D. time: Roni Yadlin completed her Ph.D. from Harvard! Congratulations, and can’t wait to see the graduation pictures!
Mark Scott is heading back to Vandenberg SFB in June to command the 55th CTS. Madison Gilbert is heading to Hawaii this summer for another command! Austin Bartlett is going to PCS back to USAFA this summer to be the Cadet Wing director of stan eval. Dan Jackson is going back to USAFA to teach history this fall. Katie (Riley) Dorey PCSed to Miami.
Finally, a little USAFA perspective thanks to Mellissa (Edwards) Jamison: The incoming class going through Basic over the summer will graduate and commission as we hit 20 years and retirement eligibility!!
Dunn and Joe Dougherty
Casey Allen and Casey (Schaffer) Allen have opened a children’s ninja-themed gym in Colorado: Ultimate Ninjas Academy Loveland. If you’re ever in northern Colorado, please visit them; they will hook your kiddos up with the HUB discount. To be clear, the HUB discount is probably more than 09%. Sean Rotbart is a realtor in Northern Virginia aiming to help at least ’09 (HUBBBBB) USAFA grads buy/sell/ rent in the D.C. area in 2025. If you’re coming (or going), hit him up at 719-339-4374. He’s currently at three Silver Edition clients! Reid Gaiser started at United Airlines flying the 737 and is still in the Reserve down in Miami flying F-16s. Darshan Subramanian is finishing up a 365-day deployed command; he’ll then have two months without a job in Germany to finish up his European tour before he heads to Scott AFB to be on the AMC staff. HUB!!
Casey Allen and Casey (Schaffer) Allen and their kids celebrating the opening of Ultimate Ninja Academy
’09 baby time: Melissa (Edwards) Jamison and Bruce Jamison welcomed Roy William Jamison in March. Julie (Luce) Rainwaters and Kyle Rainwaters welcomed Lucy Kay on St. Patty’s Day — congratulations!
’09, OUR Time!
Katie (Newkirk) Evans and Chay Derbigny at Scott AFB
Chris Yost and wife on the beach in a cadet blanket
Brian
CLASS NEWS
Angélica (Plazas) Bergoo, angelicabergoo84@gmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 2009
2010
Greetings friends! I had a few great promotion pictures and stories to share but almost missed putting this update together (apologies). Thanks everyone for sending updates and sharing accomplishments through email and via social media. We love reading about everyone’s exciting adventures. Please remember to email me if you have updates; this is a great way to reach those who choose not to use social media.
Ryan Hess promoted to lieutenant colonel at a ceremony in Morocco, where he is currently serving as a security cooperation officer.
Jess (Schafer) Ullom promoted on the back of an HC-130J Combat King, a rescue plane that she is currently doing operational test on. Her brother, Maj. Justin Schafer, an Army Special Forces physician’s assistant, administered her oath.
Jacque (Harrier) Vasta is stationed back at the old stomping grounds, and she promoted to lieutenant colonel in Polaris Hall.
I have a few more photos to share next quarter; keep sending them if you want them shared. I also wanted to mention something Nate shared to social media in case people missed it: Zach Walker was awarded a Citizens Award of Valor from the North Myrtle Beach City Council for his heroic actions helping a family in a house fire. Congratulations on the recognition.
As always, I hope you all are well and look forward to hearing from more of you soon. Let us know via the class Checkpoints email if anyone wants to set up a football game meetup this fall! Happy 15-year graduation anniversary!
Erin
Erin (Keane) Killion, 2010checkpoints@ gmail.com
Huge congrats to all the OLDS members who have been selected for promotion to lieutenant colonel! As you pin on, ask yourself, “WWROD,” What Would Robin Olds Do? I am sure his memory will be great guidance in all situations big and small! A lot of officers were selected for promotion and some number of those were USAFA 2011 grads!
In baby news, Mark Benischek and Alana (Phaneuf) Benischek have added a fourth baby girl to their crew in April! Their three girls, Iris (6), Winnie (4), and Mina (2) are the proud big sisters to Frankie!
party of six!
and
Mark is still on active duty at the joint staff at INDOPACOM (J8) and Alana left active duty to put her full focus on mothering. When you have four kids that is a HUGE task. They are loving the Hawaiian life and welcome visitors!
As always, please remember to submit your inputs to usafa2011updates@gmail.com
To all who shall see these presents, greetings! First and foremost, congratulations, heartfelt thanks, condolences and warm vibes to each of you as we navigate this wild thing called life together. This past year has been particularly meaningful, as the essence of our Long Blue Line continues to evolve and reveal itself in wonderful ways for all of us.
The Hess family at Ryan’s promotion
Jess Ullom’s promotion
Jacque Vasta’s promotion
Lieutenant colonel
Benischek,
Mark
Alana Benischeck’s four daughters from left are Mina, Winnie, Baby Frankie and Iris
For my family and me, this journey has meant embracing new adventures in the private sector at Blue Origin and establishing solid roots in our new home in the Pacific Northwest. While it was truly extraordinary to play a small part in sending the New Glenn to orbit, connecting with fellow classmates, grads, airmen and dedicated service members who are passionate about Team Blue was even more fulfilling. On weekends, I’ve been balancing my time with the Washington Air National Guard, and proudly took command of the 194th Logistics Readiness Squadron — another amazing team! We’re happily settled in the Tacoma area for the long haul, and we warmly invite anyone to reach out if you find yourself in the neighborhood.
Cherry blossoms and chaos with the Edwards at an undisclosed location in South Puget Sound
Michael and Katie (Wright) Cousins recently celebrated their Hap-iversary. Their family has blossomed over the past few years with two little boys, David (3) and Jonathan (1). Both have transitioned from active duty; Katie concluded her service mid2017, while Michael finished at the beginning of 2022. For the past three years, Michael has worked as a software developer and is currently supporting the Army by managing their ROTC scholarship website — while also moonlighting as a communications flight commander with the AF Reserve. Katie went back to school to earn her second bachelor’s degree, in fisheries and wildlife science, and landed her dream job at SeaWorld San Diego, where she gets to care for the penguins. She is now also a dog trainer for Zoom Room in Kansas City, a dream she’s had for as long as I’ve known this amazing couple. I couldn’t be more excited for their bright future ahead!
In a popular topic over the past couple of years, our 2012ers, proudly holding the title of air officer commanding (AOC), continue to shine. There are five amazing comrades in the Gen. Mark A. Welsh Leader Development Program, and they just received their Cadet Squadron assignments: Mark “Mack” Griffin –CS-06; Matthew Sanders – CS-16; Nichola Manning – CS-19 (Rip & Tear); Matthew Keough – CS-21; Drew Dela Cruz – CS-34 (legacy). There’s never a dull moment at the Zoo, and I have no doubt these wonderful folks will excel in their commands and lead in a style only our class can bring — balancing tradition with the unique flair of Hap.
As we look ahead, let’s remember how important it is to stay connected with each other and everyone around us. The stories of Mike, Katie and the newest cohort of commanders showcase how the cultures we’ve built together and our diverse experiences have shaped us into leaders in various fields. Let’s continue to support one another and celebrate our shared history and successes.
Hap’s ’til Taps, LeRoi
LeRoi Edwards, leroi.edwards@gmail.com; FB: USAFA Class of 2012
2013Honoring Heroes: A Toast to the Doolittle Raiders
On the 83rd anniversary of the legendary Doolittle Raid, Gordon and Sarah (Nickisch) Broadbent proudly represented the AFA Greater Seattle Chapter in hosting a commemorative toast to honor the courageous airmen who changed the course of history on April 18, 1942.
Held at Seattle’s iconic Museum of Flight, the gathering paid tribute to a mission defined by extraordinary bravery, precision and unity — qualities that not only lifted American morale after Pearl Harbor but also compelled Japan to divert critical resources to defend its homeland.
The event brought together an inspiring crosssection of the Air Force family. Attendees included the sons of two Doolittle Raiders — Col. Charles Ross Greening and Lt. Col. Edward Joseph Saylor — as well as WWII B-17 pilot Capt. Dick Nelms and Vietnam-era POWs Maj. Joe Crecca and Capt. Bill Wilson. They were joined by more than 120 guests, ranging in age from 3 to102, along with a number of fellow zoomies.
It was a moving reminder of the enduring strength and camaraderie of the Long Blue Line — a bond that spans generations and continues to honor the legacy of those who came before.
To those who have gone!
As always, we love hearing from you! Whether it’s life updates, exciting changes or just a note to stay connected, feel free to reach out through the designated email in our signature or via our personal social media accounts — even TikTok! Cheers!
Dymo and Karen
Members 68% Sabre Society Donors 0 Polaris Society Members 0
Karen Johnson and Dymond James, usafa2013news@gmail.com
Hey there, Class of 2014! I have some awesome updates from a few members of our class.
Leah McNell:
Leah (Bratt) McNell and Sam McNell ’13, have been on quite the adventure since their respective graduations. They took traveling up as a second job, as their first two duty stations were in England and Italy. One of the highlights of their European adventure was hiking the Haute route, which is a hut-to-hut hike from Chamonix to Zermatt. Upon moving back stateside, they bought a campervan and continued their travels, exploring all the BLM camping the southwest had to offer. Through their travels they discovered a cute little ski and bike town called Angel Fire in New Mexico, where they bought their first short-term rental. After their first property purchase, they quickly found a love
Gordon and Sarah (Nickisch) Broadbent with the Greening and Saylor families, descendants of Doolittle Raiders Col. Charles Ross Greening and Lt. Col. Edward Joseph Saylor, as well as former Vietnam POW and F-111 pilot Capt. Bill Wilson
Michael, Katie, David and Jonathan soaking in some snow before hitting the San Diego surf
Members 47% Sabre Society Donors 4 Polaris Society Members 2
CLASS NEWS
and passion for real estate. They love chatting anything real estate, so give them a call if you want to connect! They are also parents to an adorable 18-month-old boy, Trim. He quickly adapted to their adventure-filled lifestyle. He is a lover of the outdoors, rocks, balls, wheels and more rocks.
Sam and Trim in front of their campervan
Leah and Sam have been able to participate in the Armed Forces Soccer program. Leah represented the Women’s Armed Forces Soccer team and played in South Korea, Germany, El Paso and China. Sam is the head coach of the Men’s All-Air Force Soccer team, which will be competing this July in the AllArmed Forces Soccer tournament.
Leah is a Medical Service Corps officer working at the USAFA clinic and Sam is an HH-60 pilot currently teaching cadets how to fly T-53s.
Congratulations on all your success McNell family!
Tasha Smith:
Tasha (Hueffner) Smith has been on a wonderful and fulfilling journey since graduation! She completed her Graduate Scholarship Program assignment and earned her master’s in social psychology from the University of Oregon. Her thesis focused on military sexual assault prevention — something she’s been deeply passionate about and that has shaped many of her roles over the past few years. She also had the chance to live with her sisters while they were doing their undergrad there, which made that year especially meaningful.
After grad school, she was stationed at Goodfellow AFB as a Force Support officer. She led the Sustainment Services Flight, served as an executive officer for the Mission Support Group, and then stepped into her favorite role — leading the Military Personnel Flight, where she had the opportunity to lead a team of 32 airmen. Next, she deployed to Soto Cano AB, in Honduras as the protocol director, planning visits for generals, foreign dignitaries and senators. While she was there, she traveled throughout Central America, including Costa Rica, El Salvador and Guatemala.
When she returned, she moved back to Colorado Springs and started teaching in the Department of Behavioral Sciences and Leadership at USAFA. She taught several courses including BehSci 110, LEAD 300 and Social Psychology. She also served as the officer rep for the women’s tennis team and helped launch the Teal Rope program to support cadet advocacy around sexual assault prevention. During this time, she got into rock climbing, trail running and hiking 14ers — definitely some new passions. She also had the chance to travel to Namibia, Serbia and Bosnia on a research trip studying gender equality in
leadership. However, the highlight of that assignment was meeting her husband, Cole Smith ’12, who is now a filmmaker working on his first full-length feature.
From there, she became the operations officer for the 30th Force Support Squadron at Vandenberg SFB. Her team won the Major General Eubanks Award for Best Small FSS in the Department of the Air Force! She also served on the board of directors for the North County Rape Crisis & Child Protection Center, which was such a meaningful way to stay engaged in advocacy work. It was also during this time that she found out she was pregnant, which led her to make the tough but fulfilling decision to separate from active duty and join the Air Force Reserve. She wanted more stability for their growing family, so they moved back to Colorado Springs before their son was born in December 2024. Now, in a full-circle moment, she is back in the BehSci department at USAFA, this time as a civilian faculty member, and serves as a reservist with the 90th Force Support Squadron at F.E. Warren. Amazing work, Tasha and Cole!
Erin Grindstaff, erinrost1317@gmail.com
There was no submission by the Class of 2015 this quarter. Please submit content to mullins.timothy.j@gmail.com.
TJ Mullins, mullins.timothy.j@gmail.com
Hey, Kleptos! This quarter I have the pleasure of announcing three new babies! Jayna (Dodd) Boe and her husband, Aaron, welcomed their son, Gabriel Ebright Boe, in February! Jayna is currently teaching ROTC at Valdosta State University, but will be PCSing soon to the Virgina Beach area to be stationed with her husband. Aaron is a Navy lieutenant surface warfare officer; they were married in December 2022.
Jayna and her son, Gabriel
In March, Spencer Draws and his wife, Amelia, welcomed Mary Coulter Draws into the world. Spencer is still at the 492nd SOW at Hurlbert Field, but will be PCSing this summer to Holloman AFB to become the DO for the 49th LRS. And finally, Dillon Bush and his wife, Miwa, added Jackson Dillon Bush to their family in March as well! Dillon is flying the MC-130J out of Hurlbert Field, and Miwa is a dental hygienist. New big sister, Ellie, is absolutely flourishing in her new responsibilities. Congratulations to you all!
Leah,
Tasha, Cole and Renny on a hike in the mountains
Dillion, Miwa, Ellie and Jackson, the night before his birth!
fills my heart! Drew Rosenthal isn’t quite home yet. However, during his sandbox travels, he’s bumped into a few fellow Kleptos fighting the good fight. I was highly disappointed his first thought wasn’t to get a group pic for my update, but a girl can dream. That’s all I have for this update. Please reach out and tell me about your life; I love reconnecting with each of you! (Hopefully, my editor gets home soon so y’all don’t have to suffer through my poor writing any longer.)
Cześć i pozdrowienia z obcej krainy, która nie jest do końca taka jak być powinna. Time for the update for the class in 2Q25. It has been a ride. I hear due to these tariffs, much like Fashion Nova, Checkpoints will start adding a tariff surcharge to its membership subscriptions. My granny always said, take a look in the mirror and make the change, and that is what Rhea McFarland wants people to do — treat our planet better. Since moving to the Pacific Northwest, she is starting this new naturalist vibe. No deodorant, hiking sandals and asking people to recycle their candle jars properly by putting the jar in boiling water (and not boiling water into the jars, if that wasn’t obvious) to get all the wax out before recycling. Not sure how this saves the planet, but power to you for having something you’re so passionate about. Second Lt. Megan Shank, after having been in school all her life and allegedly never promoted, finally finished med school and matched general surgery at the University of Indiana as a resident in their surgery department. That’s awesome! And I know Doctor Grey and Bailey are proud of you!
Indiana.
intel weapons school but left with some hardware for an award for top performers. Now she is being the top mole rat at Osan AB, ROK, bossing around all the other intel people on why they don’t know the effective threat range of a CSA-9. News flash: All the numbers are made up and we just hope for the best. Big sky theory, right!
Capt. Alexia (Rochester) Mikulski with her parents at Weapons School Graduation.
Jalen Lacey has been busy not only raising a beautiful daughter but also planning the annual Accelerating the Legacy Fly-in at Charleston AFB. Unfortunately, due to changes in DoD guidance, the event has been postponed. Always an amazing and inspirational event, I’m sure whenever it gets turned back on it’ll be bigger and better than ever! Keep it up, big dawg!
Now for my favorite portion to write about! Who has made public announcements that they and their spouse were doing … never mind. Baby-making news! Nick Radoaevich is having his first baby with his wife, Kimberly. Correction — as I’m writing this article, baby Eleanor Jean made her appearance. By the photos, looks like mommy and baby are code 1! Harrumph to that man! Alexa (Chacon) Berstler and her husband who is not in our class are expecting a baby. Callum Long is having a baby with his wife, Tori. Clark Jones and his wife, Christine, are expecting their second baby! Cody Vaughn and his wife, Jen, welcomed their daughter, Joyanne, into the world in March. For anyone having trouble navigating the adoption process or paying for it, they have a link that can help! Adam Grosbeck has a girlfriend named Skylar who he lives with, and he wants everyone to know he really likes her. Atta boy — finally found someone!
Fundthenations.com/adoptwithftn is the site Cody Vaughn used and champions for any parents needing support in the adoption process.
Ten years is vastly approaching, and our majors board is this winter. Yikes! Live long enough, you’ll see yourself become the villain, or whatever Kanye West said. In closing, always remember when there is nothing there, there actually is nothing there. Can you believe Jeremy Lin is still playing ball? Time is money, and I’m married to the game. Til next time!
–Flare4Pres.com
Austin Anderson, austin.anderson13@ yahoo.com
Happy Summer, Zamps! Can you believe we just hit our seven-year mark? Time flies when you’re having fun. Or sometimes it is painstakingly slow, as the days are long and you’re on repeat mode doing the same thing over and over. Shoutout to anyone deployed or just in the trenches of their job right now — hang in there!
I didn’t receive any class updates this quarter, so please send any exciting news my way for the next edition! I did have the fun opportunity to go to our mini reunion at Maxwell in the spring along with a ton of other ’18ers, and I know there were even more of us in the class right after mine (25D). I also got to catch up with a good handful of you guys there; I loved hearing what everyone is up to. Here is a list of all the ’18ers who were in SOS 25C, with some current job/location info: Milton Doria (C-17/Travis); Nicole Slavoski (dentist/Virginia Beach); Christian Agmata (MQ-9/ Creech); Aspen Sulte (A-10/Moody); Conner Severino (HC-130/Moody); Brandon Pierce (F-22/
Megan Shenk matching to general surgery at the University of
Alexia (Rochester) Mikulski not only graduated
CLASS NEWS
Elmendorf); Bri Kramer (helicopter instructor/ Fort Rucker); Molly (Ferguson) Taylor (C-130/ Little Rock); Matt Szabo (F-16); Nate Arnold (MQ-9/Creech); Jack Matson (KC-135/Mildenhall); John Oliver; Noel Zamot (F-15E WSO/Seymour Johnson); Jackson Bednar (HH-60/Davis Monthan); Chloe Roze (contracting/Hanscom); Jim Brittingham (F-15E/Seymour Johnson); Lydia Kim (maintenance/Nellis); Ben Gautier (F-35); Noah Dart (MC-130); Aaron Sless (F-35/Nellis); Jacob Maurer (USAFA professor); Ryan Hollaway (C-17/Charleston); Adam Collins; Caitlyn (Renne) Starkel (JBAB); Alex Hill (F-16); Brandon Paulsen; DeAndre Frazer (MQ-9/Creech); Courtland White (B-1/Dyess); Evan Laughlin (A-10); Alex Lewitt; Kai Billings; Casey Rothstein (F-16); Chase Frankford (contracting/Eglin); Brandon Lloyd;, Alex Forbes; Nate Arnold (MQ-9/Creech); Michelle (Ingle) Richardville (F-15E); Josh Alsleben; Austin Drabenstot; Nick Moorehead; Johnny Valentine (Space Force); and probably several more! (Sorry if I messed up any of the jobs or bases or if I forgot what you do or didn’t get a chance to talk to you — there were too many to keep track of)! Not a bad assortment of some fine Fightin’ Falcons and a fun couple of weeks catching up and taking a break from the craziness of our normal lives.
Enjoy the rest of the summer, and I’ll have more for you guys in the next edition!
In service, Liza Matson
Matson, Lkmatson18@gmail.com
Holy guacamole! Can you guys and gals believe it has been almost 10 years since we all showed up for I-Day at the Academy? How quickly time can fly when we are busy working, traveling, flying or merely having fun.
Speaking of working, there are a couple of ’19er work-related updates. First, AJ Miller and Liz Mahoney are IPs in the C-130. They are both doing well at Dyess and expect to be there for one more PCS cycle, but both are hoping to move in the next cycle. Brandon Webster is doing well. He is wrapping up a staff tour at 16th Air Force and will hopefully be heading to Amazon this summer for Education With Industry. He will be working in Washington, D.C., and he’s absolutely stoked to be back on the East Coast.
We have also had some baby news! Back in February, Matt and Caitlin Hargreaves welcomed
to the world their beautiful daughter, Hattie. She is the perfect addition to the family, and I am sure she will spend ample time cuddling Matt and Caitlin’s cats until she is old enough to throw a softball and/or swing a golf club. Grace (Chiarolanza) and Austin Gula are proud to announce that they are expecting in July. Our C-5 power couple is stoked to be welcoming a little one into the world!
For engagements, shoutout to Meriah Valk and Jack Kincade, who got engaged this past December. In March we had two more ’19ers pop the question as well. Cam Sullivan proposed to his fianceé, Megan, down in beautiful Patagonia in front of a picturesque glacier, and Matthew Kane proposed to his fianceé, Emily Fox. Congratulations to you all and best of luck in the wedding planning phase!
Speaking of weddings, there were three ’19ers I saw who said “I do” recently. Sarah Kreiser married her husband, Forrest, since the last update. Noah Crabbe and his wife, Raissa, got married last November. Lastly, Kaitlyn Cook married James Herold back in February. Congratulations to you all; we wish you eternal love!
In tracking some moves around the world, Ryan Yoo is moving to Tampa this summer, and he is absolutely excited to explore the greatest city in Florida. Shanon Teicher will also be moving to Tampa. Garrett Amy and Beth (Hartman) Mueser are heading across the pond to England, and Sean McGinty found out he will be moving to Washington state. Finally, James Schwerner found out he will be moving to New Jersey this autumn. If my prediction goes right, in about two years James will be able to tell you the best place to get a Philly cheesesteak on the whole northeastern coast.
That wraps up this edition of the update. So far 2025 has been a fun year of travel for me. I ran into Maddy Froebe, Vince Sabin and Josh Wilhite out at Red Flag this past March, and I recently saw Sean McGinty and Nick Lopez in England in April. All seem to be doing well. Here are a couple photos I collected with them.
As always, please feel free to reach out and/or make a comment if I’ve missed a big life event you’d like to share or if there is a correction I need to make. Best wishes. Mike
Michael Grindle, 419-215-3067; mcgriddle96@ gmail.com
2020
Nothing new from me this quarter folks, but a friendly reminder to send your contributions my way via bobnews2020@gmail.com. I’ll also add that my favorite color is blue and that you all can look forward to next quarter’s edition being guest-written by Brad Ellis Stay tuned!
Curtis G. Smith, bobnews2020@gmail.com
2021
’21ers! I hope you are all living your best lives! As I am still working on getting in touch with our class for updates, we only have one this go around. Caelan Barranta recently helped land an X-37B and launched a Minotaur
Liza
Josh Wilhite and Mike Grindle
Sean McGinty with his girlfriend, Andie.
IV rocket out of Vandy Space Force Base! That’s super awesome, Caelan!
In our most reflective moments, we all want to make a difference. Call it a cause or call it a mission, we want to be a part of something impactful. Detecting what our contribution is on a daily basis can be challenging when we are so tangled up with the little things of life. Yet there comes a point when each individual should strive to clarify what he or she will stand for and what purpose he or he will choose to pursue. “He who has a why to live for can bear almost any how.” – Friedrich Nietzsche
Continue to share your latest job moves and family updates anytime something cool happens! Keep taking photos and posting them or email/text me so I can keep our class up to speed. Have a great summer!
There was no submission by the Class of 2022 this quarter. Please submit content to jacob.ellison623@gmail.com.
Jacob Ellison, jacob.ellison623@gmail.com
2023
There was no submission by the Class of 2023 this quarter. Please submit content to usafa23news@gmail.com.
Summer is in the air! Not too much to update this time around, but there is one big accomplishment I want to highlight! As you may have heard, our very own 2nd Lt. Wyatt Hendrickson won the 2025 Dan Hodge Trophy at the NCAA 2025 D1 Men’s Wrestling Championships this past March. Congrats, Wyatt!
2nd Lt. Wyatt Hendrickson on the NCAA Men’s Wrestling Championships podium in March 2025
That’s all for now. Keep sending your good news and life updates to me at hboudreau.usafa@gmail. com. Good luck to anyone PCSing this season, and have a wonderful summer!
Holly Boudreau, hboudreau.usafa@gmail.com
Checkpoints is looking for a class scribe volunteer for the Class of 2025. If you are interested, please email classnews@usafa.org for more information.
Eva Damon, usafa23news@gmail.com
Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Gould ’76 shares a laugh with wife, Col. (Ret.) Paula Gould, during a ceremony dedicating the Hotel Polaris Superintendent Suite in their honor.
GOULDS HONORED WITH HOTEL POLARIS SUITE DEDICATION
Family members and friends gathered at The Aviator at Hotel Polaris March 14 as the Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation honored Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Mike Gould ’76 and his spouse, Col. (Ret.) Paula Gould, with the dedication of the Superintendent Suite in their name. Gen. Gould, USAFA’s 18th superintendent (2009-13) who later served as the first joint CEO of the Association of Graduates and Air Force Academy Foundation, was instrumental in the hotel’s conception.
During the ceremony, Association & Foundation CEO Mark Hille ’97 spoke of the Goulds’ unwavering dedication.
“Their love of family, their service to country, and their commitment to our Academy are unmatched,” Hille said.
The Gould family’s legacy of military service spans decades — Col. Gould served 30 years in the U.S. Air Force and Gen. Gould 43 years, including his time as a preppie.
The hotel, both Hille and Gen. Gould said, stands today due to the generosity of donors, and Hille added that the suite will act as a lasting tribute to the Goulds’ extraordinary influence on the Academy while inspiring future generations.
The Goulds themselves expressed deep gratitude, acknowledging the love and community they felt in the room.
Following the ceremony, those in attendance made their way to the suite, passed under a saber arch and toured the space with the hosts.
DONOR SUPPORT ADVANCES HOTEL TRANSFER PLAN
Through a unique financing structure, the hotel property will transfer to the Association & Foundation once the construction costs are paid off. Gifts from generous donors such as Jerry ’70 and Pam Bruni, Alex ’87 and Kate Gilbert, Jack ’78 and Vianne Kucera, Hugh ’64 and Nan Williamson, and members of the Class of 1994 have already helped accelerate the debt repayment. Naming opportunities remain available.
Hotel Polaris, along with the future Hosmer Visitor Center and planned office and retail space, is part of the TrueNorth Commons development at the Academy’s North Gate.
2025 EVENTS
JULY
24-27 | LONG BLUE LINE WEEKEND
25 | DISTINGUISHED GRADUATE AWARDS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE LONG BLUE LINE AWARDS HOTEL POLARIS, COLORADO
AUGUST
22 | USAFA MEMORIAL CEREMONY USAFA, COLORADO
30 | FALCON NATION TAILGATE | AF VS. BUCKNELL USAFA, COLORADO | 10:30AM - 12:30PM*
SEPTEMBER
20 | FALCON NATION TAILGATE | AF VS. BOISE ST USAFA, COLORADO | 2PM - 4PM*
27 | FALCON NATION TAILGATE | AF VS. HAWAII USAFA, COLORADO | TBD
OCTOBER
4 | FALCON NATION TAILGATE | AF AT NAVY ANNAPOLIS, MARYLAND | 9AM - 11:30AM ( Eastern Time)
18 | FALCON NATION TAILGATE | AF VS. WYOMING USAFA, COLORADO | 10:30AM - 12:30PM*
NOVEMBER
1 | FALCON NATION TAILGATE | AF VS. ARMY USAFA, COLORADO | 7AM - 9AM*
22 | FALCON NATION TAILGATE | AF VS. NEW MEXICO USAFA, COLORADO | 2PM - 4PM*
