Checkpoints Dec 2014

CHECKPOINTS USAFA Alumni Magazine

December 2014

THE CASE OF THE

A-10 AOG

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CHECKPOINTS December 2014

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FEATURES 14 The Case of the A-10 The 2015 Air Force budget was submitted last March and it included a proposal to retire the nation’s fleet of A-10 Warthogs. A contentious battle has ensued, as Congress has stonewalled attempts to follow through on this bold plan.

20 The Infinite Game Chess is both friend and enemy; mentor and protégé; problem and solution. Join the Academy Chess Club as they do battle on the board.

26 Who was Val Bourque?

He was the Academy’s first cadet and the first USAFA graduate to lay down his life for our nation. This is the story of Val Bourque ‘60.

32 Inside the Selective Service A conversation with the Director of the Selective Service System, Lawrence Romo ‘78.

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68 74 78

136

DEPARTMENTS Columns

Graduate Profile

Back of the Book

4 CEO Update 6 Chairman’s Journal 8 Staff Directory 10 Letters 12 News

38 James Foley’s Death and War Reporting 44 Distinguished Service Award 46 Long Blue Ladle 51 Falcon Fitness Fix

84 Gone But Not Forgotten 91 Class News 135 GX–Grad Exchange 136 Final Thought

Heritage

Checkpoints Online Bonus Content

52 Second to None 58 SEA Pavilion Plaque Dedications

The Association 62 AOG Board Election Information 64 Chapter Presidents Conference 66 Happenings 68 Tailgate for the Trophy

Who is this Man, Eddie Weichers Roll Call Worth 1000 Words Long Blue Ladle: Off the Menu Legacy, Exemplars, and the Spirit of ‘17 French Connection

Cadet Life 70 Mission Not-So-Impossible 74 Freeze Frame

From the Terrazzo

78 Reflections of an Air Force AD 83 College Rankings

Checkpoints

December 2014

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COLUMNS

The Power of Deciding, 2.0

BY WILLIAM “T” THOMPSON ’73, AOG PRESIDENT AND CEO

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If you would like to read “T”’s original article, “The Power of Deciding,” please visit usafa.org/deciding

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was chatting with some of our senior football players recently, congratulating them on a great turn around season. The conversation warmed my heart because their response struck a deep cord with me and reinforced a concept that I deeply believe in—The Power of Deciding.

I wrote an article for publication some years ago with that same title. While the article was focused on the process of building wealth, the salient notion was that every significant accomplishment must begin with a definitive decision to do so. Of course, the inkling, the idea, the thought, precedes even the decision to move ahead and we have all had great ideas about wonderful things that we would like to achieve.

The fact, however, is that great ideas come and go and the overwhelming majority of them never become reality. What transforms a great idea into certainty is the power of making a conscious decision to achieve that result.

Our cadets told me that after last season, they had gotten together and decided that this season would be different and, indeed, it has been. They decided that they would beat Army and Navy and reclaim the Commander-In-Chief’s Trophy and that is what they have done. They decided that they would become bowl eligible and have a winning season and that goal too has been accomplished. They also decided that they would take a run at the conference championship and that they did. While the championship was not achieved, ending the regular season with a win over a top 25 team, and a 9-3 record, makes us all proud of the decisions they made. The Power of Deciding works for an individual and it also works for a group.

But can it work for a group as large and diverse as our graduate community? Can it be applied to help strengthen our alma mater? Can we collectively decide to become more connected and forge a stronger and more vibrant Long Blue Line?

The answer is absolutely, categorically, and emphatically yes. In fact, more Air Force Academy graduates have made those decisions than at any other time in our history and the results are loud and clear. More

graduates are becoming members and are joining more chapters than ever before. The number of AOG Distinguished Chapters has burgeoned from 8 last year to 14 at this year’s Chapter Presidents Conference. Our graduates are attending reunions, AOG tailgates or Endowment sponsored functions at increasing rates. And graduate interest in supporting our Academy continues to grow.

While we can take pride in the progress we are making, it is fair to acknowledge that much remains to be done. It is not uncommon for our grads to note the strong networking systems and the closeness of our counterparts from West Point and Annapolis. Their grads have also provided strong financial support for Academy priorities with West Point in the process of exceeding an ambitious $350 million campaign and Navy set to roll out a campaign that will well surpass $400 million.

So how do we continue to move ourselves forward? How can we become even more connected to our Academy and with each other? How can we help our fellow grads, both in and out of service, and support our alma mater in its continued growth? Quite simply by deciding to. By deciding to become an AOG member if you are not. By deciding to join or to become more involved in your local chapter. And by deciding to write a check or a bigger check in support of Academy priorities.

While the focus of my original article was geared to individuals, the concepts expressed in that article are equally applicable to our graduate community today: “Most of the things we do in life are the result of our decisions, many conscious but some not.

Understanding this basic fact empowers us to structure those decisions in a manner enabling us to positively design our lives. Few things will ever be achieved unless a conscious decision has been made to do so.”

Let’s collectively decide to make our Association, our Academy, and our Long Blue Line, even better and stronger than it is today. All the best during this holiday season and GO FALCONS!

COLUMNS

Chairman’s

Journal

BY BRIG. GEN. (RET.) ROGER CARLETON ’67

IN THIS MONTH’S ARTICLE, I’ll cover four topics: the recent Chapter Presidents Conference, the upcoming 2015 election of directors for the Association of Graduates Board, the feedback from an AOG-Endowment funded focus group of Academy graduates, and the search for a new Athletic Director.

Over the past few years, the AOG has made it a priority to increase the number of Chapters around the country. Why is this important and what are the results? Let’s talk importance first. A quick look at our sister Service Academies showed we were way behind both West Point and Annapolis. Chapters are essential to fostering connection among graduates and the Academy while also serving as a vehicle to increase communication that is more accurate. As to results, they speak for themselves.

From roughly 30 chapters a few years ago, there are now more than 80 spread across the country and four chapters overseas: England, Germany, Afghanistan and Singapore. Each year in the fall, the AOG sponsors a Chapter Presidents Conference where attendees are provided an update on what is going on at their Academy; what initiatives the AOG is undertaking to better serve graduates; and most important, serving as a venue for attendees to exchange ideas and best practices regarding local programs and outreach. The results have been excellent. This year 14 Chapters were recognized as “Distinguished Chapters,” compared to eight the previous year. Congratulations to the following chapters: Sacramento, Twin Cities, Las Vegas, Granite State (New Hampshire), Tucson, New England (Boston), Charleston, North Carolina (Raleigh), Alamo (San Antonio), North Texas (Dallas-Fort Worth), Rampart (Colorado Springs), Kansas City, Dayton and Baltimore—well done! Thanks to all the Chapters for their work to foster connection between the graduate community and the Air Force Academy.

In February, six AOG Board of Director positions will be up for election. My request is simple—review the candidates’ qualifications and vote for the graduates you believe possess the best qualities to fulfill AOG Board responsibilities. Four Directors have indicated an interest in continuing their service to the AOG: Jack Fry ’67; Kathleen Rock ’98; Mark Rosenow ’03; and Dick Sexton ’60. They will have competition from a much larger list of very well qualified nominees. The Nominating Committee and Board of Directors are now going through your Bylawsdirected process to down select to the ballot choices. “Dr. Bob” Munson ’73; Bruce “Orville” Wright 73; Kevin “Chili” Chilton ’76; Steve Beasley ’93, and Bebe O’Neill ’83 will be leaving as of May 2015 and deserve our sincere thanks for their many contributions. In the last six years, the AOG’s growth can best be described as “transformational,” much of this progress is due to the leadership of these five Directors, and our CEO who implements Board direction and policy. As most of us have heard, “elections have consequences.” The same is true with the upcoming election. Please give the candidates careful consideration and take the time to vote accordingly.

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This September the Association of Graduates and the USAFA Endowment hired the Glacel Group to conduct focus groups of Academy graduates. While the sample size was small and the graduates were all in or around Washington D.C., the group identified a number of misperceptions regarding the AOG and Endowment. There are both similarities and differences. For example, both organizations are 501(c)(3) nonprofits. However, each organization is separate—with different missions, boards of directors and staff members. Each has a purpose and mission.

The Endowment’s is to raise money to support the Air Force Academy while recognizing and honoring donor intent. On the other hand, the Association of Graduates has a three-fold mission to: (1) support the Cadet Wing, (2) provide support to all Academy graduates and friends of the Academy, and (3) promote the heritage of the Academy and the accomplishment of its graduates. In effect, the AOG is the “friend raiser” while the Endowment is the “fundraiser.”

Together, we have moved toward increasing levels of cooperation and collaboration over the past five years since our first Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). Working within the parameters of the MOU, both organizations are finding new ways to cooperate despite the differences in organizational structure such as two different boards and two CEOs. In summary, both boards are all-volunteer and seek to serve the larger graduate community, the Cadet Wing and the Air Force Academy.

In future articles, my intent is for the Endowment’s Board Chair, Paul Madera ’78, and me to address some of the misperceptions as well as what we are trying to achieve for all of our constituencies.

Finally, I hope I am like the majority of USAFA graduates who relish the excellent turnaround in Falcon football in 2014. After a dismal 2013 season, the Falcons have (1) reclaimed the Commander-in Chief’s Trophy for the 19th time and (2) achieved a winning season with an outstanding 9-3 record heading into the bowl game. What is the significance of this renewed prowess on the gridiron? Certainly, coaches and recruiting have made a difference. From my perspective, I believe the majority of the credit ought to go to this year’s seniors and USAFA’s emphasis on core values. Their motto, “2 and 10; never again,” should tell everyone they accepted the leadership and responsibility to make this year vastly different from 2013. In carving out this winning record and turnaround, the Falcons have not only proved their mettle but the team has made it possible for the Academy’s Athletic Director (AD), Dr. Hans Mueh ’66, to retire on a winning note. Hans is retiring in early 2015 as the Academy searches for a new Athletic Director. As I write this article, the application, screening and selection process for a new AD is ongoing. We look forward to welcoming the new AD very soon.

As Brigadier General (Dr.) Mueh vacates this position, all of us owe him our gratitude for his many years of service and commitment to the Air Force Academy and our Air Force. Until later, GO FALCONS!

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GRADUATE PROFILE

ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY

&

STAFF DIRECTORY 3116 Academy Drive, USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475, (719) 472-0300 THE ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES To email a staff member, use the first and last name. Example: Gary Howe | gary.howe@aogusafa.org AOG Executive Office President & CEO William “T” Thompson ’73, ext. 101 (t.thompson@aogusafa.org) Executive Vice President Gary Howe ’69, ext. 107 Sr. VP for Business Operations Marty Marcolongo ’88, ext. 146 Sr. VP for Finance & Chief Financial Officer Alton Parrish, ext. 123 History and Heritage Projects Officer Amanda Hess, ext. 103 Executive Assistant Hadassa Muñoz, ext. 106 Finance Accountant Joyce Love, ext. 110 Senior Accounting Clerk Janice Baca, ext. 111 Sr. Data Integrity Specialist Kim Wilson, ext. 127 Sr. Data Integrity Specialist John Rice, ext. 132 Data Integrity Specialist Murlea Vance, ext. 130 Communications Sr. VP for Communications Bob McAllister, ext. 142 Creative Director Sarah Larrabee, ext. 144 Managing Editor David Bergeman, ext. 143 Editor/Photographer Lewis Carlyle, ext. 140 Graphic Designer Open Class News & Obituary Editor Tom Kroboth, ext. 133 Director of Web Communications Troy Surratt, ext. 125 Systems Administrator Open Senior Programmer/Systems Analyst Gayatri Parepalli, ext. 118 Lead Programmer/Web Developer Toby Lortz, ext. 141 Director of Information Systems Jack Mueller ’70, ext. 122 Volunteer Editor Paul Henry ’67 Business Operations Director of Business Operations Beth Wade, ext. 134 Director of Business Programs Vince Greco, ext. 167 Marketing Coordinator Jeff MacLean, ext. 167

Alumni Affairs Vice President for Alumni Affairs Corrie Grubbs, ext. 105 Director of Graduate Programs Megan Nash, ext. 108 Director of Parent & Cadet Programs Bill Preston, ext. 121 Membership Services Specialist Don McCarthy, ext. 139 Graduate Support Specialist Beth Szucs ’97, ext. 115 Doolittle Hall Events/Special Functions Director of Event Planning Ashlee Peterson, ext. 147 Special Functions Coordinator Jean Bickford, ext. 148 Alumni Affairs Event Coordinator Sara Dozier, ext. 138 Alumni Affairs Event Coordinator Michele Bergeman, ext. 136 Event Chaperone Daisy Hall, ext. 148 Customer Service and Facility Management Customer Service Supervisor Michele Cowan, ext. 151 Customer Service Representative Brandi Lortz, ext. 154 Merchandising Lead Jan Howard, ext. 153 Merchandising Representative Daisy Hall, ext. 148 Facilities Superintendent Kenny D’Amico, ext. 155

The Association of Graduates Board of Directors Kevin Chilton ’76 Board Chair Roger Carleton ’67 Drew Miller ’80 Vice Chair Vic Andrews ’66 Kathy McClain ’82 Secretary Bebe O’Neil ’83 Steve Beasley ’93 Treasurer Jack Fry ’67 Kathleen Rock ’98 Mike Torreano ’70 Mark Rosenow ’03 Bob Munson ’73 CAS President Richard Sexton ’60 Bruce Wright ’73 Larry Fariss ’75

THE USAFA ENDOWMENT To email a staff member, use the first and last name. Example: Gina Simler | gina.simler@usafaendowment.org President & CEO Gen. (Ret.) Stephen R. Lorenz ’73 (steve.lorenz@usafaendowment.org) Vice President, Development Jennifer Bateman, ext. 202 Executive Assistant Ruth Reichert ext. 206 Chief Financial Officer Dennis Scruggs, ext. 203 Associate Vice President for Development Greg Knedler, ext. 224 Director of Annual Giving Alison Mercer, ext. 221 Director, Gift Planning Dale Zschoche, 719.238.7510 Major Gift Officer Obura Tongoi ‘11, 719.375.9082

Major Gift Officer Chris Brewer, 804.337.5767 Major Gift Officer Cindi Brothers, 719.464.7684 Leadership Annual Gift Officer Stella Grayson ‘99, 719.331.7430 Class Giving Officer Razelle Doherty, ext. 222 Annual Giving Officer Amanda Brown, ext. 223 Manager of Donor Relations Gina Simler, ext. 200 Stewardship Coordinator Kate Hutchison, ext. 240 Director of Development Communications Jermaine Johnson, ext. 220 Staff Accountant Susan Mackaman, ext. 204

Volume 43, number 3 Checkpoints (ISSN 0274-7391) USPS 898-080 is published quarterly in March, June, September and December by the Association of Graduates, U.S. Air Force Academy. (Phone: 719-472-0300, DSN: 333-2067. FAX: 719333-4194, E-mail: editor@aogusafa.org.) A portion of your dues pays for your magazine subscription. Additional copies may be purchased for $2.50 each, plus $4.60 for shipping. Periodicals postage paid at the U.S. Air Force Academy, Colo., and additional mailing offices. POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Checkpoints, Association of Graduates, Doolittle Hall, 3116 Academy Drive, USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475. The Editorial Board serves the Checkpoints mission by providing a top quality magazine to the Air Force Academy’s broader community. Together, the editor, VP of Communications, Executive VP and the AOG CEO collaborate to ensure that all articles meet the standards of excellence readers have come to expect of 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, March, 2014.

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STATE OF MIND Feedback, insight and fun from Falcon Nation.

Alive and Well?

After reading “A Case Study in Honor” (September 2014) I had the opposite impression from the author. In the story, the author intends to lie and then confesses—as an officer. His boss sees a chance to develop a young leader. Contrast that with the cadet in question. My impression is that the honor board

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acted like little lawyers and parsed words in the reference handbook.

The cadet might have gained from an opportunity like that author received. But we’ll never know. I wasn’t there and didn’t hear the facts. I was in Afghanistan in the F-16, however. I convinced a whole stack of airplanes not to attack a farm complex because there were women and children reported there. While enemy sniper fire was coming from some unknown nearby location. That was an ethical challenge.

Not near as tough as keeping your jacket on in a stuffy room. But still.

–Eric Chandler, Class of 1989 Letters Guidelines Checkpoints welcomes the feedback of our readers. Letters should reference content published in the magazine and run 200

words in length or less. The editor reserves the right to determine the suitability of letters for publication and to edit them for length and accuracy. Please include your name and graduating year if you are an Academy graduate and email your submission to editor@aogusafa.org.

Corrections In the June 2014 Checkpoints Online article “Forward March” misidentifies the Air Training Officer (ATO) in the photo on page 158. The name of the ATO in the photo is Ned Sanders, not Doss Smith. This correction would also apply to the same article, which appeared in the Winter 2004 issue of Checkpoints. Also, on page 160 Robert F. Dorr, author of “Graduates at War,” is identified as a Class of 1978 graduate. Dorr is not a graduate. We apologize for the errors.

TweetBack @BenGarland63, Colorado Air National Guard Captain Ben Garland ’10 sends out a Veterans Day tweet to honor service.

Appropriately, Garland, a guard for the Denver Broncos, saw his first game action against the Oakland Raiders on November 9 during one of the NFL’s 32 Salute to Service games.

Quarterly Query

Should the A-10 be retired?

Yes 23% No 77% 483 votes

A

B

Check In with Checkpoints

C E

D

Green? g n

Fee li

A After completing his last flight following 35 years with Delta Airlines, Ken Morris ’71 poses with his wife, Marsha, and daughters, Becca and Leslie, in front of the Gutenberg statue in Mainz, Germany. B Major (Ret.) Ty Dimeff at St. Mark’s Cathedral in Venice, Italy. Ty and his wife cruised around Italy, Greece and Croatia for their 25th wedding anniversary through the AOG sponsored trip with Go Next Travel Agency. C Brig.

Gen. Piotr “Zeus” Blazeusz ’96 poses with Checkpoints in front of NATO headquarters in Brussels, Belgium. Blazeusz is the deputy MILREP to the NATO and EU Military Committees for the Polish Army.

D Pictured from left are Todd Wilkowski ’89, Jerry Wilkowski ’65 and Kip Wilkowski ’92 during a trip through the Panama Canal in December 2013. E Col. (Ret.) H. Michael Lambert ’70 checks in from Mount Soledad Veterans Memorial in La Jolla, Calif. F Phil Gronseth ’75 and his wife hiked in southwestern Uganda with Ahmed, who the couple sponsors through Compassion International. Mount Muhavara, Rwanda, looms in the background. G Ted Legasey ’67 takes in the spectacular view atop the basilica, “Santa Maria del Fiore,” better known as the Duomo, in Florence, Italy. Giotto’s bell tower and the city of Florence are in the background.

F

Do you enjoy the enriched experience of Checkpoints Online?

Go green and defer shipment of the print edition by emailing editor@aogusafa.org.

Learn how to check in with Checkpoints at usafa.org/checkpoints/interact.

G

((((

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

Lambert ’74 Receives Higher Ed Award Colorado State Senator Kent Lambert ’74 was recently awarded the University of Colorado Legislative Award.

Lambert was recognized for his efforts to prioritize capital construction projects and reform higher education funding.

Icenhour ’67 Named to Virginia Board of Veterans Services Virginia Governor Terry McAuliffe recently appointed Jim Icenhour ’67 to a four-year term on the Virginia Board of Veterans Services. During his Air Force career Icenhour flew the F-100, F-4 and F-111, including 195 combat missions in the F-100 in Vietnam. He went on to an airline career, flying for both Pan Am and Delta before retiring in 2005. After retirement he was elected to two terms on the Board of Supervisors for James City County, Virginia, and he has also served on the Virginia State Water Commission since 2005. He is active in the Vietnam Veterans of America Chapter 957 in Williamsburg, Va. Crampton ’14 Drafted by Colorado Mammoth Former Air Force standout Mike Crampton was selected in the fifth round of the National Lacrosse League draft by the

Colorado Mammoth. Crampton, a 2014 Academy graduate, was the 50th player selected overall. Crampton is the second player in the history of the Air Force lacrosse program to be drafted by a professional organization and the first ever in the NLL. Erik Smith, also a 2014 graduate, was drafted in the fifth round of the Major League Lacrosse by the Boston Cannons in 2014. (Air Force Academy Athletics) Head Boxing Coach Eddie Weichers Retires Eddie Weichers, head coach of the Air Force boxing team for 38 years, retired from the Academy on September 5. Weichers, who has also served as an instructor in the Physical Education department, has transformed the boxing program into a powerhouse in the National Collegiate Boxing Association.

Weichers, who has been ringside for the Falcons’ boxing program since 1976, has guided Air Force to 19 NCBA national team titles and produced 113 individual champions and 325 NCBA All-Americans. In addition, the Falcons have finished in the top-two of the NCBA standings during 31 of the last 34 years, while claiming 34 of the last 35 NCBA Regional titles.

Read more about this USAFA icon in the December edition of Checkpoints Online. (Air Force Academy Athletics) Cadets Pledge to Prevent Sexual Assault Thousands of USAFA cadets formally committed to changing the culture surrounding sexual assault at the Academy on Nov. 12 at Mitchell Hall.

The pledge is in conjunction with “It’s On Us,” a presidential campaign across U.S. campuses and the service academies to inspire cadets and students to take a permanent role in stopping sexual assault.

“This new presidential campaign is a great supplement to our Air Force Academy’s continuous prevention, education, response and training programs,” said Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michelle D. Johnson ’81. “Our cadets, faculty and staff are dedicated to eradicating sexual assault here and across the Air Force.”

Cadets are actively involved in a variety of sexual assault education and awareness programs, said Teresa Beasley, the Academy Sexual Assault Response Coordinator.

“Through programs such as the Personal Ethics and Education Representatives, Cadet Bystander Intervention Training and material made available by the SAPR office, the cultural shift here is very energetic,” she said. “Outreach efforts such as presentations to cadet sports teams, women’s forums and various face-to-face events, contribute to communicating respectful and healthy relationships, which helps prevent sexual assault. The It’s On Us campaign reinforces our ongoing efforts at the highest levels.”

(Tech. Sgt. Vann Miller/U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs)

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WARTH THE CASE OF THE A-10 WRITTEN BY DAVID BERGEMAN

April 7, 2003, Operation Iraqi Freedom

It was a troops-in-contact situation. Lead elements of the Army’s 3rd Infantry Division were advancing on the North Baghdad Bridge when they encountered a fierce barrage of rocket-propelled grenades emanating from well entrenched Iraqi forces just 400 meters away on the east side of the Tigris River.

“The weather was not good,” says Lt. Col. Kim (Reed) Campbell ’97, call sign “Killer Chick.”

Campbell and her A-10 Thunderbolt II flight lead were near Baghdad flying a close air support mission without a specific target when they received a call from a ground forward air controller requesting assistance. “We couldn’t see the ground in most locations, but we were able to get over the target area. As soon as we got below the weather, we started seeing puffs of smoke coming up around us. We knew pretty quickly that we were taking surface-to-air fire from anti-aircraft artillery.”

Campbell and her flight lead flew below the clouds to set up a strafing pattern. Once they had identified the enemy position, the diminutive Warthog pilot made several passes firing high explosive rockets on the enemy position and scoring a direct hit. On her last pass, Campbell was coming off target when she saw a flash and felt a large explosion at her back; the aircraft was dumped nose low pointing sharply toward the ground. The Warthog had been hit by a surfaceto-air missile on the right horizontal stabilizer.

Shrapnel sprayed through the aircraft, shearing the left and right hydraulic lines.

Critical seconds passed like hours for Campbell as the master caution and other warning lights lit 14

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up around her. Her jet was no longer responding to normal control inputs.

“You can train all you want, talk about what it would be like and what you would do when you’re hit,” says Campbell, “but it’s a unique experience.”

Campbell gathered herself and deftly switched the aircraft into the A-10’s one-of–a-kind manual reversion system. She dispensed flares to prevent another hit, and struggled to gain altitude as she flew over the heart of the city—jet black smoke from enemy fire filling the sky around her.

“I really didn’t want to eject into a location where I had just been strafing and firing rockets into Iraqi Republican Guard members,” she says.

Campbell was able to maneuver the plane back to the west side of the Tigris toward friendly territory. Although the Warthog was less responsive in the manual reversion mode, an ingenious series of cranks and cables made it possible for Campbell to attempt the hour-long flight back to Kuwait without a functional hydraulics system.

“One thing I always say is that I am very thankful for our maintainers,” says Campbell. “We don’t necessarily check the manual reversion system all of the time on the ground, because it’s an emergency back-up system. We rely on them to make sure it works, and it worked exactly like it was supposed to.”

HOGS The Warthog had been hit by a surface-to-air missile to the right horizontal stabilizer. Shrapnel sprayed through the aircraft, shearing the left and right hydraulic lines.

Above: a pair of A-10 Warthogs fly in formation. Air Force photo by Master Sgt. Becky Vanshur.

On the trip back to Kuwait, Campbell’s flight lead provided a visual read of the damage to her aircraft. It was substantial—including a bowling ball size hole in her right horizontal stabilizer.

While approaching base, Campbell went through emergency checklists as helicopters and emergency ground crews stood by. She would attempt to land the plane in manual reversion; this had been tried only a handful of times in the aircraft’s entire history (one such case ending in a fatality).

“There was absolutely some trepidation when we decided I was going to land the plane,” says Lt. Col. Campbell, who is now serving as Military Assistant to the Under Secretary of Defense for Policy. “I knew that it was a bit risky, but I also knew that when I attempted to land, if something went wrong I could also eject at the last minute.”

In the harrowing moments that followed, Campbell flew the approach and landed the plane without incident. An observer would later say that Campbell put the A-10 down better without hydraulics than he normally did with all systems operational.

“I think the aircraft saved my life,” says Campbell. “That flight was a tribute to the people who designed the A-10 and built it. To be able to perform under extensive battle damage like that— it’s just a huge tribute to them.” w

Checkpoints

December 2014

15

FEATURE

THE CASE OF THE A-10 A Heated Debate Sequestration level budgets. Present day.

The Air Force has been asked to cut $10 billion per year in previously planned spending over the course of the next five budget cycles. There are casualties across the board, but no potential cut has caused a greater outcry than taking the A-10 out of service.

The Air Force’s 2015 budget proposed the phased retirement of the entire 283 aircraft fleet of A-10s.

According to Air Force estimates, the move would save approximately $4.2 billion ($3.7 billion across the futureyear defense program and another $500 million in cost avoidance for upgrades that wouldn’t be necessary).

The Air Force closely examined the possibility of cutting other aircraft in the strike mission area, but the number of fighters required to constitute the same savings would be much higher.

“Every major decision reflected in this budget proposal hurts,” Air Force Chief of Staff, General Mark Welsh III ’76 told the House Appropriations Committee’s defense subcommittee at a hearing last March. “Each of them reduces the capabilities our combatant commanders would love to have and believe they need. Your Air Force is the finest in the world, and we need to keep it that way. We built this budget to ensure that Air Force combat power remains unequaled, but that does not mean it will remain unaffected.”

The months that followed the proposal saw a contentious battle between the Defense Department and Congress. In June, the House voted to block the DoD from using any funds to retire the fleet.

The nature of warfare has changed since the A-10 was designed in the early ’70s—laser guided munitions,

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stealth, improved anti-aircraft capabilities—and similar political debates have raged when other military technology was put on the chopping block. The nature of the next war may look alien in the context of the nation’s most recent conflicts, and the F-35A will almost assuredly inspire just as much awe and affection among its constituents once it goes operational in 2016.

Despite these facts, opposition to the A-10 retirement is just as strong in the Senate. New Hampshire Senator Kelly Ayotte has been one of the plan’s fiercest

“When we send our troops into combat, we have a serious responsibility to ensure they have the best possible support to accomplish their mission and return home safely.”

critics. Ayotte, who is a member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, is unsold on the Air Force’s contention that other aircraft can effectively pick up Close Air Support (CAS) mission slack without avoiding a decline in the quality of air support provided. Ayotte, whose husband flew the A-10 during combat missions in Iraq, asserts that there has been a lack of objective testing and assessment data presented to this point. For its part, the Air Force has stated that the F-15E and the F-16 are capable assets in the CAS realm. The A-10 does its job well, but it is a single mission aircraft.

“When we send our troops into combat, we have a serious responsibil-

ity to ensure they have the best possible support to accomplish their mission and return home safely,” Senator Ayotte wrote in a statement to Checkpoints. “While the Air Force, like all the services, confronts difficult budget decisions, it makes no sense to cut our nation’s most combat-effective and cost-efficient Close Air Support aircraft before an equally capable replacement achieves full operational capability. This misguided Air Force proposal will put American ground troops at unnecessary additional risk in future conflicts.

“While the Air Force has said we don’t need to worry about the A-10 divestment because other aircraft can cover the CAS mission just as well as the A-10, the overwhelming majority of those who have served in combat as infantrymen, special operators, or Joint Terminal Attack Controllers (JTACs) disagree. The vast majority will tell you that the A-10 is by far the best CAS aircraft we have, and that the premature divestment of the A-10 will risk American lives.”

General Welsh has often noted that surveillance, reconnaissance and intelligence are considered a number one shortfall of combatant commanders each year.

“We used the standard DOD planning scenarios,” said General Welsh, himself a former A-10 pilot. “The results very clearly showed that cutting the A-10 fleet was the lowest-risk option, from an operational perspective, of a bunch of bad options. While no one is happy, from a military perspective, it’s the right decision, and it’s representative of the extremely difficult choices that we’re facing in the budget today.”

HOG STATS 5

FAIRCHILD REPUBLIC

1

A-10 THUNDERBOLT II

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3 6 2 7

1. GE TF-34 Turbofan Engines Dual-mounted external nacelles are raised on the rear fuselage and kept separate from the fuel cells, improving survivability in the event of an engine fire. These engines are placed such that the wings prevent virtually all foreign object damage by blocking runway debris.

2. Ordnance The A-10 incorporates ten, multi-purpose pylons which can be mounted with a variety of strike weapons and an optional long range fuel cell. The wing sits low on the fuselage, allowing easy interchangeability of ordnance.

3. Manual Reversion System Flight controls can be maintained even after the complete loss of hydraulic power. Manual reversion directly connects the pilot’s stick command to elevator and aileron trim tabs, providing “get home” aircraft control in the event of severe battle damage.

Built Around the Gun The case of the A-10 begins in the late 1960s with the A-X program, which was developed to create a superior Close Air Support aircraft that could also serve to counter the Soviet Union’s growing armor and tank inventories.

4. ALQ-184 ECM Pod Jams enemy gun and missile radars.

5. Dual Tail Configuration Designed as a redundant backup system in the event of a failure, the aircraft can still fly should one of the vertical stabilizers be disabled or destroyed. Combined with the horizontal stabilizer, the “three sided box” configuration also provides shielding of engine exhaust to prevent against heat-seeking infrared missile attacks.

6. Titanium “Bathtub” The cockpit is heavily armored against enemy ground fire and can withstand 23 mm cannon shells.

7. GAU-8 30 mm Gatling Gun With the ability to destroy an enemy tank, the 30 mm cannon is mounted slightly to the left of the fuselage, so that the active firing barrel is dead center with the air frame center line which keeps the bullet stream on the target.

“At the tail end of the Vietnam War, the aircraft losses from the conflict were examined,” says Dr. Thomas Yechout, a professor of aeronautics who has taught at the Academy for 29 years. “There were three primary culprits: incapacitation of

the pilot, engine fires, and loss of control.

All three of those areas were addressed very aggressively in the design of the A-10. In addition, there were several other requirements that were addressed that lead to the unique configuration.” w

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THE CASE OF THE A-10

Yechout was the A-10 systems project engineer for flight test during the prototype fly-off, between Fairchild Republic’s YA-10 and the Northrup produced YA-9. He also served as the A-10 Airframe project manager in the A-10 System Program Office during the production and deployment of the first 200 aircraft. His input was integral to the production of the manual reversion system that helped save Kim Campbell’s life on that fateful day in Baghdad.

“The system on the A-10 didn’t function properly the way Fairchild designed it,” says Yechout. “They connected the push-rods and pulleys right to the control surface, and the pilot couldn’t even move the control surfaces because of the heavy loads. We had to go to a trim tab in order to get the airplane to be controllable when faced with a complete loss of hydraulic pressure.”

The plane is often called a holster for “the gun,” but during the prototype fly-off the General Electric produced GAU-8 system was not yet complete— the prototype was equipped with a 20 mm M61 Vulcan. If the GAU-8 system had been a flop, the A-10 would literally never have gotten off the ground.

The 20-foot long, 2.5 ton, seven-barrel Gatling gun is a modern marvel. It fires 50 rounds per second (RPS) during 18

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the first second, 70 RPS in the second.

The 30 mm round on the shelf in Yechout’s office dwarfs a 12-ounce glass bottle. The ammo drum can realistically hold about 1,100 rounds, enough to shred about 10 tanks in half. The energy of the cannon’s projectile is about seven times greater than that of the 20 mm cannon found in the F-15 and F-16.

Some of the more fascinating aspects of the aircraft’s design include the engine configuration, which can permit one of the two engines to burn off while still allowing the aircraft to fly. There is the loiter time of two hours, which helps keep the aircraft in the fight for extended periods. The A-10’s low-end speed capability allows the aircraft to pull Gs and turn inside the turning radius of virtually any fighter. The titanium tub surrounding the cockpit was designed to deflect 23 mm rounds, which were used by the Soviet’s impressive ZU-23 anti-aircraft twin-barreled autocannon. The A-10’s unique twin vertical tails are redundant, one can be blown off and the aircraft can maintain directional stability. The plane is known for its signature high pitched whine, which is caused by the high bypass ratio of the engine’s fans (the sound is said to terrify enemy combatants who often

flee when it is heard). Conversely, the A-10 is very quiet when it stays above 5,000 feet. Without question the Warthog is unique.

The Air Force Request for Proposal for the A-X program called for a cost per aircraft goal of $1.4 million. When the first A-10s for Air Force training and combat squadrons were built in 1975, that figure came in at about $1.6 million or $6,676,499.12 in today’s buying power. The last of the A-10s rolled off the assembly line in 1984, but many have gotten new, enhanced wings since 2012, produced with the intent of keeping the aircraft flying until 2040. Other modernizations have included the installation of precision air strike systems.

Up in the Air Despite whatever develops next in the saga, there will always be the memories of Warthog pilots like Lt. Col. Campbell.

“Over the past ten years I’ve received a lot of comments from people that were in Third ID—people who were aware of the situation and on the ground at the time,” says Campbell, who was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for her actions that day.

“I’m not sure if this happened in Iraq or Afghanistan, but I received a note

The 20-foot long, 2.5 ton, seven-barrel Gatling gun is a modern marvel. It fires 50 rounds per second (RPS) during the first second, 70 RPS in the second. The ammo drum can hold 1,100 rounds, enough to shred about 10 tanks in half. The energy of the cannon’s projectile is about seven times greater than that of the 20 mm cannon found in the F-15 and F-16.

on a napkin at one point from some guys on the ground that just said, ‘Thanks for helping us today. You saved our asses.’ It’s not a unique story. It’s just kind of how appreciative that our Army ground troops are of the support that we’ve provided.”

The retirement of the A-10 is a highly emotional subject on all sides of the debate. In the end, there may not be an ideal solution. However, difficult decisions must be made and there are no “easy” cuts to be had.

“The funding levels we can reasonably expect over the next 10 years dictate that for America to have a capable, credible and viable Air Force in the mid-2020s, we must get smaller, now,” General Welsh told the Senate Armed Services Committee

last April. “We must modernize parts of our force, but we can’t modernize as much as we planned, and we must maintain the proper balance across our five mission areas.”

At the same hearing, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James expressed her vision for the future of a smaller, but equally effective Air Force.

“It will be a good value for the taxpayers and it will be recognized as such,” James explained. “Most importantly, we will be powered by the best airmen on the planet who live our core values of integrity, service and excellence, and cultivate a culture of dignity and respect for all.”

In October, the 122nd Fighter Wing of the Indiana Air National Guard, which flies the A-10 airframe,

Previous page: the General Electric GAU-8/A Gatling gun displayed next to a Volkswagen Beetle for size comparison. (U.S. Air Force photo) Above: a pair of A-10 Warthogs on a training mission.

deployed about 300 airmen overseas in support of the fight against the militant Islamic State in Iraq and Syria. This included 12 A-10s.

As the 2016 budget proposal nears, Air Force leadership remains firm in their resolve that the best course of action moving forward, for our Air Force and our national security, is to retire the A-10. Until that happens, the future of the Warthog, like the aircraft itself, remains up in the air.

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FEATURE

THE INFINITE

GAME

WRITTEN AND PHOTOGRAPHED BY LEWIS CARLYLE

Chess is both friend and enemy. Mentor and protégé. Problem and solution ...

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8 The Academy Chess Club does battle on the board

THE LEVEL PLAYING FIELD There is a place in this world where all people are equal. This is not a metaphysical space, nor some conjured, idealized utopia. It exists on picnic tables, park benches and living rooms in every city across the world. Royal or common, rich or poor, all competitors stand on the same plane when set against one another at opposite ends of the chess board. No amount of charm, money, luck, power or even physical prowess can turn the tide to favor one player over another. When a 12-year-old boy from the slums of Baghdad can checkmate a Saudi sheik in the court of his royal palace, the game shows us the true meaning of equality. It all comes down to one mind against another.

And it’s been happening for over 1,500 years.

Fertile ground for inquisitive minds, the chess board has been captivating history’s most celebrated figures throughout the centuries. Kings, queens, conquerors, poets, philosophers, generals and presidents have all been seduced by its timeless appeal. Very few facets of human culture have survived for so long, only to remain relevant and engaging to each new generation. (the Bible and Shakespeare make suitable compatriots, as each has endured centuries of popularity in countries all across the world).

The game’s mysterious origins remain unclear to this day. Though no definitive proof exists, many have been credited with inventing chess—Pythagoras, the ancient mathematician who is said to have devised the concept of numbers; Palamedes, the Greek commander who lead the siege of Troy; and even Moses. All have been linked to the inception of the game. Yet no one knows the facts of its true beginnings. w

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Most historians tend to agree that the modern chess we know today was not invented by a single person, but rather a collective of people spanning both centuries and civilizations. Much like the Bible was written and assembled from disparate accounts across the ages, so too was chess formulated and manipulated as it was passed across the vast expanse of central Asia near the beginning of the fifth century.

The earliest predecessors to chess can be traced along the legendary Silk Road, originating in China and evolving as it made its way through India and into ancient Persia.

In the centuries to follow, trade routes would bring the game to Europe, and eventually the Americas, where it passed through the homes of our forefathers and has become entrenched, ubiquitously among our society to this day. And it is here that the game which has stimulated, fascinated and tormented its players for centuries, has taken hold at the Air Force Academy.

THE POWER OF INTELLECT C1C Derrick Miller and C3C Teho Kim are both members of the USAFA Chess 22

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Club. They sit at a table in the Hall of Exemplars, a chess board between them.

As the pieces begin to move, the cadets recount their own personal histories with the very game that has brought them together here at the Academy.

“I was nine years old when my older brother introduced me to chess,” says Miller. “He’d beat me every single time for many years—that became my motivation to learn the game. When I finally did beat him I felt the excitement of competition chess can provide. I also like the idea that I’ve never played the same game twice.

Every time I play, my opponent might try something different—he or she may do something I’m not used to. I consider not just the game but also my opponent to be a puzzle. Sometimes you come out on top and sometimes you don’t—but you always learn more from losing than from winning, in my opinion.”

Kim chimes in. “There’s just something about the competitive aspects of the game.

Often times we’re playing people of the same skill level—it’s not one sided and both players have a good chance of winning the

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THE INFINITE GAME

game. Sometimes it just comes down to who is thinking harder.”

Getting cadets to think is a top priority for Major Joel Brown ’00. Brown teaches a core curriculum philosophy course at the Academy, and is currently the Officer in Charge of the Chess Club. “I’m an analyst and my career field involves applied math,” Brown explains. “Chess is a very logical game. With every move, you either create a problem or an opening. Chess is a thinker’s game and its relationship to the battlefield is pretty evident. There’s a lot of strategy involved.

Sitting down and engaging the mind reaps benefits for players because it helps us to sit still and think about the implications of the decision we are about to make. This equates perfectly to what the Air Force Academy as a whole is about. Whether you’re talking engineering or philosophy or mathematics, we are taught to evaluate the implications of the decisions we make.”

C2C Partha Naidu is a newcomer to the club. “I played in the chess club in elementary school,” Naidu recounts, “but then lost touch with it until I came to the Academy.

I like it because it encourages logical, stra-

Analogous to warfare on so many levels, the history of chess has always enjoyed a close connection to military strategy.

tegic thinking and I enjoy that. One of the fundamental strategies of chess involves thinking ahead. How will my next move affect the chain of events going down the road? How can I predict what will happen in the future? This is what being an officer will be like every day. What effects will my actions have and is this right for what we need to accomplish?”

Maj. Brown draws further comparisons to USAFA. “Managing your time is another huge aspect of the game,” he says, “especially during a timed match. Some of us will spend a lot of time thinking over moves at the beginning of the game, but the clock will expire, so you have to know how to use your time.” Needless to say, Brown’s analogy poses yet another obvious metaphor for life at the Academy.

Analogous to warfare on so many levels, the history of chess has always enjoyed a close connection to military strategy. This is just one of the many facets of the game which keeps cadets coming back for more.

Yet behind all of the mathematics, strategy and tactics, there is also the human element. People play with emotion, and those emotions can eventually translate to moves on the board. A player becomes excited

when he makes a good move—the queen, a high value target, is taken out early in the game. Perhaps the player becomes overzealous, lives dangerously, takes risks and eventually makes mistakes. Can those mistakes be exploited? Does a victory on the battlefield instill false confidence? Or does it boost morale and carry a symbolic army to continuing victories? These are just a few of the almost infinite possibilities and directions which can befall any given game on any given day.

Being able to compartmentalize emotions—fear, excitement, hubris—and keep them from affecting analytical thinking and critical decision making can be a powerful asset for officers making difficult choices on active duty. Historically, this is one of many elements which draw obvious comparisons between military strategy and chess. We asked the cadets, will this game make you a better officer?

“I definitely think so,” says Kim. “When I was younger I used to make a lot of blatant mistakes in chess. It simply goes to show that patience is the key, that looking over the big picture is incredibly important.”

Miller adds, “For me, the bottom line is that chess gets you to think. That’s huge as an

Above: Chess Club Members C1C Derrick Miller and C3C Teho Kim enjoy a friendly game of chess in the Hall of Exemplars Previous page: C2C Partha Naidu plans his next move.

officer. Being able to analyze a situation and then react accordingly is the perfect analogy between chess and warfare.”

GAMES OF CHANCE Throughout history, many games have appeared, spread and become outrageously popular, only to fade into obscurity. These games often had a common component which eventually helped lead to their demise: the element of chance. Dice, cards and even carved bones have all been used to produce a random result that no competitor can control, thus turning favor on a whim and giving untimely advantages to random competitors. In a general sense, the element of chance gives the game power over its players. Where countless games of chance have dissolved into a graveyard of forgotten pastimes, chess has endured under the principle that every player controls his own destiny, and that matches are won and lost, not at the toss of the dice, but by the power of intellect. w Checkpoints

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INFINITE GAME

While games of chance have continued to be reincarnated throughout the centuries, the fundamentals of chess have remained consistent. The cadets take a moment to draw comparisons to other games which have enjoyed extraordinary popularity throughout history. “I play a lot of poker,” says Kim. “Poker has a human element. Is my opponent playing aggressively? Or conservatively? What would I do in his situation?”

From a mathematical standpoint, the game of poker leaves much to chance, which means that most games are won or lost on a player’s ability to read the nuances of his opponents’ mannerisms. Tactics translate into facial expressions and body language. Inexperienced gamblers yield telltale signs which give away their intentions, while professionals are experts at sending out fake signals to dupe their competitors. Sometimes, despite all their expertise, even the most experienced players are simply defeated by the cards they are dealt.

“Chess is completely different,” Kim continues. “You’re given all of the information right there on the board. Nothing is left to chance—no one has better cards, only better strategy.”

But what if we remove the human element altogether?

In today’s world, virtually all games have taken on a more global character. Players can compete online, never once seeing their opponents face to face. Removing the human element begs for the obvious question: do you play differently against a computer?

“I play the same way online as I do in person,” answers Kim. “Given the board and the scenario, what’s my best move?”

Removing emotion from the equation during the decision making process can be a very valuable asset to an officer in the field.

Where emotion can cloud judgment, logic

“

can provide clarity. Where anger breeds aggression, intellect solves problems.

Unlike chess, real warfare rarely affords one the luxury of looking his opponent directly in the eyes. Strategies are formulated by predicting what the enemy might do, given a certain set of circumstances, and the entire battlefield is never apparent in one setting. Our enemies are often anonymous, spread unseen throughout a civilian population, creating scenarios which are impossible to predict or control.

We don’t always have the advantage of being able to see all of the pieces on the board, but that should never stop us from trying to solve problems with long term thinking. Given all the unknowns in modern warfare, today’s battlefield may be better described as one part poker, one part chess—which is why it is essential that officers make informed decisions with whatever information (small or substantial) they are presented.

CHECKMATE: LESSONS IN HUMILITY “Here at the Academy,” says Cadet Miller, “the chess club meets every two weeks. It’s generally very low key, we just get together to play. For the people who want to be competitive in local tournaments, we try to provide guidance to improve their skills.”

Each year, the service academies participate in the Armed Forces Open Chess Championships, a national competition which pits service members against one another. This year, the tournament was held at the Academy. Air Force has traditionally made a strong showing, and this year USAFA placed second behind a tough West Point team. Cadet Miller placed third overall, and Cadet Kim came in first in his category.

I have a nemesis! He’s a twelve-year-old kid who I’ve played four times and have yet to beat. He crushes me every single time and it’s just heartbreaking!

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”

8

THE

Competitions often provide valuable life lessons. Hovering attentively over their chess boards in the Hall of Exemplars, the cadets discuss the topic of winning and losing.

“I have a nemesis,” Miller says sheepishly. “He’s a twelve-year-old kid who I’ve played four times and have yet to beat. He crushes me every single time and it’s just heartbreaking!”

The other cadets at the table indulge in a good laugh as they are once again reminded of chess’ lessons in equality.

“For me it’s Major Brown,” says Naidu.

“It’s kind of a personal vendetta. I feel like I have to beat him before I leave the Academy.”

Brown, who is facing off against Naidu in one of their friendly games, offers a smile as he contemplates his next move.

“In my opinion,” Naidu continues, “you’re not playing chess right if you get emotionally involved in the game—where you hold a grudge against someone for beating you. The point of the game is be very analytical, very logical … not emotional. If you let your emotions take over you’re doing something wrong.”

The cadets and Maj. Brown all seem to agree the game has dealt many lessons in humility to each of them over the years.

Learning from their mistakes, reformulating strategies and practicing patience have made all of them better players. “Chess is a different kind of thinking altogether,” Miller says. “It’s different from book smarts or street smarts. You can only get better the more you play.”

Maj. Brown corners Naidu’s king, moving in for the inevitable checkmate.

“People who enjoy the life of the mind also enjoy the game of chess,” he offers politely as the game comes to an end.

With only 64 squares on the board, the playing field is fundamentally simple.

Though the pieces may be finite, chess provides an infinite number of mathematical combinations and, when enhanced by the game’s emotional corollaries, the possible outcomes are endless. Chess proves time and again that it is more than just a game.

Having endured for over a thousand years where countless other pastimes have faded away, its staying power is a testament to those who have kept it alive.

Who was Val Bourque?

The story of the first cadet.

By Gregg Swanson ’66 July 11, 1955 Lowry AFB, Denver, Colorado

VAL

Bourque ’60 did not get much sleep, and he was in a hurry. The athletic 18-year-old with the serious, alert eyes had never been far from Massachusetts. All the same, he had decided he would be the first new cadet in the first-ever class of cadets at the fledgling United States Air Force Academy.

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A

t 4:30 a.m., over an hour before sunrise, he stepped into the silent, imposing hallway of a World War II era military office building. A friend back in South Hadley Falls knew a sergeant at the Lowry personnel office, so upon landing at the old Stapleton airport, Val had looked him up, and—after an all too short night—accompanied him to Patrick Hall for Inprocessing. True to his hopes, Cadet Valmore William Bourque was indeed the first in line.

By 3 p.m. that day, the 306 members of the Class of 1959 had new haircuts, new uniforms, and some very basic drill instruction. This quick transformation was completed just in time for the Academy dedication ceremony that featured speeches, lots of USAF brass, a dramatic low altitude flyby of bombers and fighters, and Walter Cronkite doing the TV coverage. Yes, those 306 lives had abruptly and certainly changed.

Val Bourque came from a working class family—his father a factory employee, his mother in meat packing.

Conditioned by a family ethic of hard work and discipline, Val found both excitement and recreation in the outdoors, often rushing home from school, grabbing a rifle, and racing to the nearby woods to hunt rabbits and pheasant. His USAFA application lists many activities, but only one hobby: hunting. “A true sportsman,” states his high school yearbook. But his dream was to fly.

Val’s first big educational break came when a high school English teacher recognized his genuine potential, and helped arrange a one-year scholarship at a nearby prep school. Inspired by its academic and sports programs, Val caught the attention of the headmaster, who personally helped with his college application, on the theory that Val would excel in the military and would have a good chance of admission to the new institution. The strategy worked, and Val received a congressional appointment.

That same spring, a scout from the Pittsburgh Pirates watched Val play shortstop, and shortly thereafter made him an offer to play in the Pirates’ organization. His father arrived at practice with the team telegraph in hand, and was furious when the coach informed him that Val had

decided on USAFA. From that point, Val was not turning back. Decisive and determined, he had committed to the U.S. Air Force, and did so without his family’s blessing.

The Class of 1959 had a demanding but exhilarating summer that challenged them every waking moment, but rewarded them with a sense of unity and purpose.

Living in modified barracks at Lowry Air Force Base, and supervised by a 66-officer cadre of select Air Training Officers, they underwent rigorous, unforgiving training during that very first “doolie” summer. Val fit in well; classmates remember him as being universally liked and very enthusiastic.

1955-1960 Lowry Air Force Base and the New Academy Campus Not until the academic year began did Val hit his first speed bump. His earlier education had not fully prepared him for the intense Academy academics, and he was on academic probation in short order. Nevertheless, he played both soccer and baseball, studying furiously in every spare moment while dealing with the unceasing pressures of doolie year.

As a starter on the first soccer team, Val was a whirlwind on the field, exhibiting contagious energy and a can-do spirit. In the spring, as USAFA’s first starting shortstop, he excelled and sometimes even offered a bit of coaching.

Classmate Jim Carpenter ’59 recalls one such episode. “Val tried to get me to pitch the baseball,” Carpenter says, “even giving me some lessons on throwing a knuckle ball because my hands were oversized—hopeless!”

Late in his sophomore year, Val’s academic situation had become dire, and he went before an academic board. No doubt his determination showed, for the board gave him another chance. Even so, Val was washed back to the Class of ’60, along with 17 other classmates, to repeat some courses. Another “first” in a sense—but he had a goal, and he quietly vowed to reach it.

Bourque was always serious, always focused. He did not have many close friends, but everyone respected him for his diligence and character. Despite his tenacity, classmates remember that he didn’t respond well to tutoring.

“Val had to learn things in his own way,” says Denis Walsh ’60, Val’s roommate of two years. “He was hanging by a thread all the time, academically. No one was tested more than Val was. But he was at the very top in character and honor.”

His Air Officer Commanding in Sixth Squadron, a spit-and-polish former first captain at West Point, called Val in: “We’re moving you to a different squadron, Cadet Bourque, so you can get a fresh start.” Val was having none of it.

“I’m not staying at the Academy if I’m not staying in 6th Squadron,” was his response. Amazingly, Val prevailed.

He was one of the few (possibly the only one in his class) Checkpoints

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FEATURE

The first Air Force Academy cadet, Valmore W. Bourque, was sworn in early on July 11, 1955.

to spend his extended five-year cadet career in one squadron.

“He was an All-American guy,” says Walsh. “He looked like a recruiting poster.”

At the Permanent Installation, June Week 1960 and Early Assignments In the summer of 1959, now transplanted at the shiny new installation in the shadow of the Rampart Range, Val agreed to a blind date where he met Linda Jewett, who held a summer job in the Academy admissions office at the time. Purposeful and earnest as ever, Bourque did not waste time on Bourque played soccer and baseball their first date. Linda remembers one while attending the Academy. particular question he asked that evening: “What are you going to name your first daughter?”

Val and Linda were married two years later.

On June 3rd, nearly five years after entering the Academy, Val and 226 members of the Class of 1960 graduated and began their Air Force adventures. The first stop for Val and Linda was undergraduate pilot training, followed by assignment to the 11th Aeromedical Transport Squadron at Scott Air Force Base, Illinois, where Val flew the C-131 “Samaritan” medical evacuation transport aircraft for two years. During this tour, their daughter was born. She was named Wendy Sue by the happy couple.

1963-64 Tan Son Nhut Airbase, South Vietnam By 1963, the government and military of South Vietnam were barely in control of the country. Over 28

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15,000 American “advisors” were in Southeast Asia to defeat the insurgency. Like many young pros with wings, Val did not want to miss this developing conflict, and he volunteered to go. His enroute assignment was the 309th Airlift Squadron, then training at Pope Air Force Base, N.C. in the C-123 Fairchild “Provider.”

With the box-like structure of an air frame originally designed as a glider, and a cruise speed of 140 knots, the C-123 could not be considered a glamorous aircraft, but its two large reciprocating propeller engines and rugged design made it well suited for operations on short and unimproved airstrips, which was the norm for air resupply operations in Vietnam.

C-123 missions were never routine, and the flying was dangerous. The first USAF aircraft lost in Vietnam was in fact a C-123, in 1962. This “distinction” was followed by a long list of crashes, runway accidents, and losses to hostile fire. Some missions were highly classified; one accident record states simply that “Mystery surrounds this crash.” And another concludes: “Crew member fell out with the load.”

There were night missions to dispense flares over ground targets, VIP flights for U.S. and Vietnamese officials, and sometimes long flights around Cambodia to Thailand. In-flight malfunctions and incidents were common; in heavy rain the C-123 would leak, with several inches of water accumulating in the cabin and causing serious weight and balance problems.

The 309th was based at Tan Son Nhut, the sprawling main airbase near Saigon. The U.S. presence was outgrowing the base in those early days; C-123 aircrews were lodged in the city, despite the frequent Viet Cong attacks in the area.

Nels Delisanti ’60, Val’s classmate and fellow C-123 pilot in a sister unit, the 310th Squadron, said that the aircrews “loved the C-123—it was a ball to fly.” There

was no autopilot and 1950s-era cockpit technology, which meant real seat-of-the-pants flying.

Often the crews and aircraft were deployed for several days at a time to bases “up country”: Nha Trang on the central coast, Danang in the north, near the DMZ, sometimes close to some of the hardest fighting. C-123 crews delivered supplies of every description, including livestock “on the hoof,” to rudimentary bases around the country, some with runways less than 2000 feet long. Their Vietnamese military passengers often deployed with their families and animals, and occasionally attempted to start cooking fires in the cargo hold.

“We would land on the dirt strip, spin 180 degrees around and gun the engines, then look to see who was coming out of the trees,” Delisanti says of the small airfields. “If it was the friendlies, we would shove the load out and take off. And we were never sure it would be the friendlies.”

Low altitude airdrops were used to resupply the small, vulnerable “alpha bases,” or fire support camps, bulldozed on hilltops and in valleys throughout Vietnam.

The hazards of these airdrops were many, but the Army and allied troops depended upon them for survival.

Another C-123 pilot, Ken Thompson ’59, has vivid memories of “valleys surrounded by fairly high mountains,” which were often hidden in wet gray clouds.

Pilots would descend through “sucker holes” to get below the clouds and look for the right camp.

“There were no navigation aids at the camps, and the maps we had were from the days of the French occupation and very outdated,” Thompson recalls.

Jim Bujalski ’60, a classmate who arrived a month before Val, describes a fast paced operational tempo with as many as 15 sorties in one day, flown by mixed crews from both squadrons. The pace, the unpredictable flight conditions, and the combat demands of these missions required tireless vigilance, teamwork, and unit esprit and camaraderie.

“We flew hard, and we played hard,” remembers Bujalski. As always, Val was a popular figure in both squadrons, displaying outstanding airmanship and “a fantastic attitude.” He was soon checked out in the left seat, as aircraft commander, solidifying his reputation as a superb pilot.

October 24, 1964 Quang Duc Province, South Vietnam Val had been “in country” for almost a year, the standard crew rotation point, and it was nearing time to go

Members of the 309th and 310th at Tan Son Nhut Air Base give full military honors to First Lieutenant Valmore Bourque and the other seven personnel who died on October 24, 1964 when their C-123 was shot down. Lt. Bourque was promoted to Captain posthumously.

home. He had orders to Travis AFB in hand, and was counting the days.

While flying from Nha Trang, the squadron was given a three-ship resupply mission to airdrop ammunition to a Special Forces camp in a known hot spot, the “Parrot’s Beak” near the Cambodian border north of Saigon. An experienced flight examiner was scheduled to lead the mission, but Val, determined as always, wanted one more challenge, and persuaded the more senior officer to let him take the lead. A classmate, Capt. Gary Crew ’60, was in the second aircraft.

Pilots are trained to use visual reference points on the ground for precise navigation, but the terrain in the central hills of Vietnam often lacked prominent features. From the air, through the low scud and fog that covered the hilltops, the ground appears as an intermittent mosaic of dark green, interspersed with fields and an occasional dirt road. Villages look alike. International borders are invisible. The pilot must descend, using guts and guile, to get a closer look.

The accounts from the crew of the second aircraft indicate that Val descended and was close to the assigned camp, Bu Prang, a short distance from the border. But the triangular fire bases could easily be confused, and in confirming the correct airdrop target, his aircraft strayed too close to the Viet Cong sanctuary in Cambodia. Hit in the right engine by antiaircraft fire, Val’s C-123 went down near the border with its crew of six and two U.S. Army personnel. There were no survivors.

November 5, 1964 Air Force Academy Cemetery On a cool, breezy morning under cloudless skies, Val Bourque was laid to rest, the eighth graduate to be interred at the Academy, and the first who was killed in action. The Catholic chaplain conducted the graveside service.

The Air Force had posthumously promoted him to the rank of captain. His daughter was only two years old when he died. Val was 28. w Checkpoints

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Linda was presented Val’s third, fourth, and fifth oak leaf clusters to the Air Medal. Six members of his class were pallbearers, and there was an honor guard of 24 cadets from Sixth Squadron, representing the Cadet Wing and the many graduates who knew him so well.

2014 Air Force Academy, Colorado As they have since 1960, the Cadet Wing forms up on the Terrazzo and marches toward the parade ground, down the ramp that then proclaimed “Bring Me Men.” Awaiting them at the Mall of Heroes, directly below the Sixth Squadron cadet area, are the life size bronze figures of three graduates who died in Southeast Asia: Lt. Karl Richter ’64, Capt. Lance Sijan ’65, and Capt. Valmore Bourque.

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As the cadets pass, each squadron executes an “eyes right” and “present arms,” in salute to the three war heroes. In the center is Val Bourque, in cadet parade uniform. Silently he returns the Wing’s salute, saber aloft, and the squadrons march on.

Between the warriors’ memorial and the cadets is a bond that may be understood in many ways. Perhaps the cadets are reminded that they too are committing to be warriors, to the profession of arms. Perhaps they wonder about the lives of these men, only a few years older than themselves when they earned their wings, graduates who volunteered to fly in that distant, terrible conflict, and who served with honor and courage.

But the cadets will not see the 179 other graduates also reviewing their passing ranks, the fallen warriors listed on the Academy’s War Memorial wall who died in combat in Asia, Iran, the Balkans, Iraq, Afghanistan, and in the war on terrorism over the last 50 years. They too are returning the salute; they too are honored.

The three aviators and their unseen companions powerfully embody today’s Air Force mission: to fly, fight, and win. The first in this procession, first in the Long Blue Line, is Val Bourque, a man of character and honor, who wanted above all things to serve his country.

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ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY

INSIDE

A CONVERSATION WITH THE DIRECTOR OF THE SELECTIVE SERVICE SYSTEM, LAWRENCE ROMO ’78.

On January 27th, 1973, the Paris Peace Accords were signed, ending the war in Southeast Asia.

On that same day, the draft ceased. In 1975, even registration with Selective Service was suspended.

July 1st of this year marked the 41st anniversary of the all-volunteer force. Yet, beginning again in 1980, males have been required by law to register with the Selective Service within 30 days of their 18th birthday, a requirement initially resumed by President Carter in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan.

Despite over a decade of conflict in Afghanistan and Iraq, a return to an active draft has never been seriously considered. This fact begs the question: is the Selective Service System still a necessary component of our national security?

There have been persistent calls for a return to conscription from New York Congressman Charlie Rangel, who believes that a draft would require lawmakers—and the average American—to more carefully consider the consequences of engagement in a given military campaign. There is also the hot button issue of whether women should be required to register, which is not the case today.

Enter Lawrence Romo ’78. In 2009, Romo was appointed by President Obama to become the 12th Director of the Selective Service System. The former ALO and Academy admissions advisor has led the agency to several awards for improved employee satisfaction and effectiveness of leadership. As you will learn, he has done so in part by applying principles learned at the Academy decades earlier. In the following paragraphs Romo explains why the Selective Service is still required for our national security, and addresses other issues concerning the agency.

CP: When you were nominated by President Obama to head the agency, how did the process unfold?

LR: After several individuals and groups expressed their interest in my being chosen for the Director of the Selective Service System position, President Obama’s Transition Team contacted me to see if I was interested in the position. After saying it would be an honor to serve in the position, I was nominated by the President to the U.S. Senate for confirmation. After a favorable confirmation hearing, I was appointed Director by the President on December 4, 2009.

CP: Can you provide a brief history of the Selective Service system?

LR: Since the beginning of our nation we have always required men to fight our wars. During the Revolutionary War, the states contributed militia units to the central government. Both sides in the Civil War raised militia units and later conducted drafts, which were run by the military. The Spanish American War was fought with a small cadre of regular military reinforced by state militias. By World War I the U.S. had a draft managed by the U.S. Army. It was only on the eve of World War II in 1940 that the independent civilian agency—Selective Service—became responsible for managing the draft. Over 45 million men registered and over 10 million men were drafted by Selective Service. We have been in business ever since, through the end of the Vietnam War in 1976 when it was placed into “deep standby” with the registration requirement suspended and local and appeal boards disestablished.

The Selective Service registration requirement and its boards were reestablished in 1980, and the Agency

THE SELECTIVE SERVICE Interview by David Bergeman

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FEATURE

Several USAFA graduates hold highlevel positions with the Selective Service. From left: Selective Service System Director Lawrence Romo ’78, Maryland State Director Gregory McKee ’82, and Region I Director Thomas J. Kenney ’87. Not pictured is Data Management Center Deputy Manager Brent Downs ’04.

continues to register young men to this day in order to remain prepared for a national emergency.

CP: How large is the agency in terms of employees and budget?

LR: Selective Service is a small, modest agency: 124 full-time civilians, 175 part-time National Guard and Reserve Officers, 56 part-time civilian State Directors, and over 11,000 parttime volunteer civilian Board Members. Our budget amounts to $22 million annually.

CP: New York Congressman Charlie Rangel intends to introduce a bill that would abolish the Selective Service and there are other critics of the agency—notably, Colorado Representative Mike Coffman. Why is the agency still imperative to our national defense?

LR: While there is always someone who opposes the state telling a man to do something with which he might disagree or find inconvenient, our elected Presidents and Congresses of both parties have all agreed over the decades that the Nation must have in place a mechanism to expand the Armed Forces should the need arise. So having a proven manpower “insurance policy” in place is prudent, cost effective and necessary, given an ambiguous and complex global environment.

CP: Under what circumstances would the Selective Service System be prompted to initiate a draft?

LR: Historically in the U.S., military drafts are only employed for prolonged struggles which are manpower intensive, such as the World Wars, Vietnam, and the Cold War. It would take both the President and the Congress to amend the Military Selective Service Act and return to a draft.

CP: What is a Selective Service board member and what are their duties?

LR: Our 11,000 Selective Service board members are civilian volunteers who are nominated by the Governor of a State or Territory to serve without compensation on a Local or District Appeal Board. They are required to undergo training annually in peacetime on the types of cases they would encounter during a draft. For example, they would decide who is a conscientious objector, who has a hardship claim, and who is exempt because they are a ministerial student or member of the clergy. Our boards closely mirror, as

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best we can, the race and ethnic composition of the county population where they serve.

CP: How many names are on the active Selective Service list and when do individuals typically get registered?

LR: There are about 16 million men ages 18 through 25 who are registered. The legal requirement is that virtually all men who are resident in the U.S. and all male U.S. citizens worldwide must be registered with Selective Service within 30 days of his 18th birthday. Selective Service cannot rest on its laurels because over 6,300 men turn 18 daily. About 72% of men register on time. However, over time we gain additional registrations through various government benefits and programs, such as student financial aid and state driver’s licenses, so that our compliance for men 18 through 25 is 93%.

CP: There are potential penalties for not registering including the inability to access federal student loans, fines and imprisonment. Critics of the registration process contend that the system can unjustly punish certain groups of people—those in inner-city communities, minorities and immigrants among them—who may be more likely to unwittingly not register. How does the agency work to prevent this?

LR: Firstly, although prescribed by law, the criminal penalties are not enforced absolutely; there is provision to accommodate a man who did not knowingly and willfully ignore the statute. Secondly, there is no organized resistance to the Federal legal registration requirement among young men—93% comply. Thirdly, there is no evidence to demonstrate that only undocumented males and minorities are disproportionately losing government funding or access to programs by not registering with Selective Service. Fourthly, the Congress intended when it passed these laws to ensure that law-abiding taxpayers were not supporting those men who were disobeying the law by not registering and potentially placing a lawful registrant more vulnerable to be drafted because fewer men were in the database. Notwithstanding, although Selective Service is not funded to advertise, we do outreach to groups/associations in communities that touch young men such as ethnic (NAACP), religious (pacifist churches), civic, pro bono (immigration attorneys), social advocacy organizations (Urban League, LA RAZA, Chinese-Pacific Islanders, etc.), GED

providers, YMCAs, and public service TV/radio/social media spots. Our focus-group tested registration awareness materials— much in Spanish—are aired nationally; we hope to contact the maximum number of young men and/or their influencers. As Secretary of Defense Hagel put it: “ … registration provides a hedge against a catastrophe we do not anticipate … and reminding our youth that public service is a valid part of American Citizenship.”

CP: Where is the government in the process of amending the law so that women would be required to register with Selective Service?

LR: This is a policy question which is being addressed by the Military Services and Congress. The Department of Defense has not yet reported out on which jobs will and will not be open to females based upon particular job standards. Last that I heard the report to Congress is due in 2016. As a service organization, Selective Service will do whatever it is directed to do.

CP: The Air Force has 465,000 members in the Air Force Ready Reserve, Standby and Retired Reserve. All Reserve members who are currently serving or subject to recall are assigned to one of these three categories. How would reserve components, specifically the standby and retired reserve, play into the decision to initiate a draft?

LR: All the Reserve Components belong to the particular Service and are included in its plans. The Regulars do not deploy for any length of time without their Reserves. How the Air Forces’ reserve components would play into the decision to initiate a draft would likely depend on a DoD determination of whether the use of Air Force reserve components could or should be utilized in lieu of a draft.

CP: Does the agency run through simulations in which the activation of the draft by the Selective Service would be required?

LR: In the past, exercises were part of our readiness training.

However, over recent years we have not scheduled them because we are only funded and staffed at reduced operational readiness, and have been instructed to concentrate on registering young men. The rationale for this is that the Nation’s elected officials do not see the need for a draft in the foreseeable future.

CP: In the post 9-11 years, there have been members of Congress who have suggested that a draft should be reinstated in one form or another. Has there been any recent rhetoric to this effect?

LR: There has been some. I believe Congressman Rangel recently called for a draft—not because there is a military need for one— he believes that if a majority of Americans felt the consequences of going to war it would reduce the likelihood of Congress voting to authorize one. Regardless of the rationale for a return to a draft— civic, social, or economic—there is little support in Congress for returning to a draft and it is not supported by the Administration.

CP: Israel requires that its citizens serve in the military when they turn 18—three years for men, two years for women. Do you believe that a required amount of service—either military/or public service—would be beneficial here in the United States?

LR: I support the Administration’s position. It does not support mandatory military or public service, nor is it supported by Congress. However, there are many voluntary programs for those

who want to serve the U.S. and give back to this great nation: the All-Volunteer military, Peace Corps, AmeriCorps, public service at the municipal, state or federal levels, and Non-governmental organizations that help those in need.

CP: Under your leadership, the Selective Service has been named a “Most Improved Small Federal Agency” by the Partnership for Public Service, and has moved into the top ten among small agencies in the effectiveness of its leadership. How have you changed the culture of the agency?

LR: Most important was improving communications across the workforce, including across the chain-of-command. When the workforce understands the organizational purposes and that its leaders value them and their concerns, it cannot help but have a positive effect. At Selective Service we are now united in achieving our goals with resources to achieve them made available, training provided and focused, and performance recognized. When folks know that the person in charge has integrity, is motivated by the mission, has mutual respect for all employees, treats everyone fairly, and will hold managers accountable when necessary, they will respond favorably. To me, this is how you make government work for the people.

The quality leadership training and skills that you gain as a cadet at the USAF Academy serve as the strong foundation for future leadership opportunities. What you do afterwards—keep learning from mentors, appreciate your mentors, learn the positive traits from strong leaders, learn from your mistakes, learn from the positive actions you have done in your lifetime—will help you to continually improve your leadership skills and give you opportunities to lead.

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GRADUATE PROFILE

JAMES FOLEY’S DEATH STOP ME FROM REPORTING ON WAR

WHY WON’T

BY NOLAN PETERSON ’04

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WAR

IS HELL. War is murder. War is survival.

War is suffering. War is funny.

War is chaos and noise and fear. War is boring and exhilarating.

War is hate. War is love.

War is all these things, because, above all, war is human.

And unless brave men and women like James Foley venture into war to tell us the truth about what is happening there, both the ugly and the beautiful parts of it, then the people who suffer and fight in wars will have no voice.

People like James are the only obstacle to war becoming the worst thing it can be—forgotten.

I was on the eve of a trip to eastern Ukraine to report on the war there when I heard the news of James’s murder. To be honest, his death terrified me. I was steeling myself for another trip into a warzone, and James’s death made the risks seem a hell of a lot more real. And the way his death affected his parents, well, it was just a little too easy to replace his sobbing parents on TV with my own. I was able to clearly imagine how my death in a warzone would play out after seeing the reactions to his.

James and I have a lot in common after all.

We are both graduates of the master’s program at the Medill School of Journalism. James was a couple years ahead of me but we had the same

PEOPLE LIKE JAMES ARE THE ONLY OBSTACLE TO WAR BECOMING THE WORST THING IT CAN BE—

FORGOTTEN.

teachers, many of whom have reached out to me since James died, reminding me to be careful.

“Like you, he [James] used to send me his stories from the front,” one of my Medill professors recently wrote to me. “Like you, he had one hell of a lot of guts! He was an outstanding guy, and his murder has just ripped me apart.”

James and I both also had careers prior to pursuing journalism.

James was an elementary school teacher before becoming a journalist, and he went to Medill in his 30s. I was an Air Force Special Operations pilot before my journalism career. I turned 30 halfway through my studies at Medill.

My Air Force background (USAFA class of 2004) and the fact that my little brother (Drew Peterson, USAFA class of 2008) served in the Air Force was another unexpected similarity with James, which I didn’t realize until much later.

James never served in the military, but his 38-yearold brother Michael is in the U.S. Air Force.

“I don’t even know how a human being can even have that fierce and intense hate for someone else,” Michael said, speaking about his brother’s murderers in an August interview with Katie Couric.

“I don’t even understand where that type of hate comes from.”

Reading those words, watching the interview—it didn’t take too much effort to imagine Drew saying those things about me. It made me sick to think about. It also made me consider the consequences of my military background if I were ever kidnapped.

According to a recent story in the New York Post, ISIS terrorists singled out James for especially brutal treatment when they discovered through a Facebook search that he had a brother in the Air Force.

“Because of that and as he was American he got extra bad treatment,” French journalist Nicolas Henin, who was imprisoned with Foley and later

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released, told France’s Express magazine, according to the New York Post.

“He became the whipping boy of the jailers, but he remained implacable.”

According to Henin and other journalists released from ISIS captivity, James was brutally beaten and forced to endure multiple mock beheadings and even a posed crucifixion. All because of his brother’s military service.

Looking back now, a chill goes down my spine remembering passing through rebel checkpoints near Donetsk. I had a few close calls there. And there were Chechen mercenaries among the proRussia rebels.

Sitting at my desk here in the U.S. a couple months later, I can’t help but wonder, “What the hell was I thinking?”

O

f course, the most significant thing that links James and me is that we both chose to become conflict journalists.

The news of James’s murder prompted a panicked flood of messages from my friends and family who knew I had just arrived in Ukraine to report on the war. They urged me to be careful. Many of the notes included something to the effect: “Be safe. No story is worth dying for.”

And they’re completely right. No one story is worth my life.

Even James thought so.

“Because it’s not worth your life,” James said, speaking about his time in Libya to Medill students

JAMES WAS BRUTALLY BEATEN AND FORCED TO ENDURE MULTIPLE MOCK BEHEADINGS AND

EVEN A POSED CRUCIFIXION. ALL BECAUSE OF HIS BROTHER’S

MILITARY SERVICE.

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Journalist James Foley speaks at Northwestern University’s Medill School of Journalism. Foley went missing in Syria on Thanksgiving Day 2012. On August 19, Islamic State militants released a video of Foley being beheaded. Photo courtesy of Medill.

in 2011. “It’s not worth seeing your mother, father, brother, and sister bawling. You’re worrying about your grandmother dying because you’re in prison.

It’s not worth these things. It’s not worth your life no matter what romantic ideal you have, no matter what ethic you think you have. It’s never worth that.”

I completely agree with James, and I worry about those same things. And yet, I still went to eastern Ukraine.

There is something mysterious that happens to a war correspondent in a warzone. It is the thing that draws us to these dangerous places, even though we know that no story is worth the risk. And I suspect, although I could never speak for him, that this is the reason why James went back to the Middle East after being kidnapped and imprisoned in Libya for 44 days in 2011.What happens is you start to care. The story and the people who comprise it are no longer separate, distinguishable things. They merge, and deciding whether a story is “worth it” becomes a lot more complicated.

It’s easy to judge the value of another trip to the front lines when the currency is page views. It becomes much murkier when weighing friendship and affection.

That’s because war is a fusion of the best and worst in people. From far away its ugliness makes war abhorrent. But from up close it’s the humanity of war that makes it addictive. War is about the people in it. And it is really, really hard to report on a war and not feel like you want to do something about it.

You see the suffering around you, and you start to believe that things are so bad here because no

one is paying attention back home. Maybe, just maybe, you begin to think, if I am somehow able to find the words or take that one magical photo, maybe I can spur those back home to give a damn.

If I can just make them realize that there are real people here, if I can make them see these people the way I do, then yes, then people will have to care. They’ll just have to. And then I’ll have done some good here.

Well, the truth is most people back home don’t care. They never will. And so, when judged soberly, no story is ever really worth the risk because stories very rarely have the singular ability to alter history.

Yet, while I realistically understand that my stories won’t change the outcome of the wars on which I report, I see firsthand how my presence affects the people around me in those places. My Ukrainian friends said things like, “I don’t feel so alone anymore.”

When I was in Afghanistan as a journalist last year, a common refrain from the U.S. soldiers was, “Thank you for being here. It’s nice to know not everyone has forgotten about us.”

Judging the wisdom of another trip to the front lines might seem absurd while comfortably sitting in an office back in the U.S. But when I’m looking into the eyes of a friend in Ukraine, or a 19-yearold U.S. soldier in Afghanistan, and my willingness to tell his or her story is the one tenuous filament left suspending hope from despair… that’s when decisions happen that words alone can’t explain.

That’s when it becomes “worth it.”

I’ve heard some chatter in the media about whether it’s worth the risk for war correspondents to cover conflicts. And I have to admit it is a fair question.

The pay is awful in this career and the risks are immense. Relationships and family ties are strained. Most major news outlets aren’t even willing to pay for your travel expenses, much less body armor or insurance. They only pay for stories once you’ve written them, meaning it’s up to you to get to the war and survive.

But, all in all, I think questioning the existence of conflict journalism is a knee-jerk reaction to the incomprehensible savagery of what ISIS did to James and others.

And, yes, James’s murder horrified me too. But it also emboldened me and pissed me off.

I won’t let scum like ISIS be the ones who write history. And I won’t let the world forget the good people who stood up for what was right when the world was at its worst.

James was one of those people, and I won’t forget his story.

The famous journalist Walter Lippmann said: “There can be no higher law in journalism than to tell the truth and to shame the devil.”

That’s true, and so is this: We must not let the truth about the devil frighten us into pretending he doesn’t exist. ______________________________________ Nolan Peterson is a former special ops pilot, war correspondent and the founder and editor of BlueForceTracker.com.

Nolan Peterson with Afghan National Army Maj. Gen. Abdul Raziq, December 2013.

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RELAXING OR EXPLORING ...

Set sail with AOG Travel and save!

Visit usafa.org/Membership/Travel

Mr. John Fox ’63 wins 2014 Distinguished Service Award

By Steven A. Simon ’77 USAFA Development and Alumni Programs Mr. John Fox, USAFA Class of 1963, has been awarded the Academy’s 2014 Distinguished Service Award. The award recognizes his outstanding service and unfailing support to the Academy. The Superintendent presented the award during the Parents’ Weekend Parade on August twenty-ninth.

The Academy established the Distinguished Service Award in February 1999. Each year the award is presented to an individual or organization whose contributions have had a distinct impact on the morale or well being of the Academy. The Distinguished Service Award recognizes those who contribute to the betterment of the Academy through their generosity and dedication to the institution.

Mr. Fox’s personal commitment to excellence at the Air Force Academy has spanned more than five decades and continues to be felt throughout the Academy and the graduate community. “The selection is a true testament to your exemplary support throughout the years,” wrote Academy Superintendent Lieutenant General Michelle Johnson in her May 2014 congratulatory letter to Mr. Fox announcing the selection.

Upon graduation from the Academy, Mr. Fox served in the Air Force as a pilot and pilot instructor. He received his MBA from the University of Denver and became a financial analyst. He founded and served as President/CEO and Chairman of the Board of MarkWest Energy Partners, a New York Stock Exchange listed company serving the oil and gas industry. He also cofounded and was Chief Operating Officer of Western Gas Resources.

Mr. Fox’s commitment to the welfare of the Air Force Academy is broad and deep. Important areas of Academy support include being a Founding Director of the United States Air Force Academy Endowment. In his capacity as an Endowment Director and supporter of the Academy Research and Development Institute, he formed and co-chaired the Academic Excellence Committee for the USAFA Visiting Professor Chairs. Additionally, he was also instrumental in the transformation at the Center for Character and Leadership Development (CCLD). He co-chaired the Endowment’s CCLD Stewardship Committee, with an initial focus on developing a new pathway for the building and, in coordination with Dr. Erv Rokke, developing a strategic plan for the Center. His initiative and leadership were instrumental in creating the first-ever CCLD Senior-Scholar-in-Residence at the Air Force Academy.

Mr. Fox has also volunteered with CCLD character development capstone courses for cadets. In addition to his time and leadership, Mr. Fox has generously made financial contributions 44

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to important Academy programs and facilities, to include principal gifts to the CCLD, the Holaday Athletic Center, and USAFA Endowment Founding Director’s Fund.

He also established the first ever “Director’s Challenge” at the USAFA Endowment, providing the ability to the Endowment staff to shatter previous

fundraising standards at the Academy.

Mr. Fox expressed his gratitude to the Academy for his selection.

“First I want to thank General Johnson because I feel immensely honored to receive this award. In a sense I feel like I am accepting on behalf of so many men and women who have served our Air Force and our country so well for so long.

My USAFA experience was a defining moment in my life.

My commitment now is to help provide that experience for all of our cadets. The security of our country depends on getting our young men and women ready for the daunting challenges ahead of them and my hope is that in some small way I can contribute to that effort.”

Currently, Mr. Fox is the Chairman of the Board of MAK-J Energy Company, a family oil and gas production company. He is also Chairman of the Board of Kona Mountain Coffee, a Hawaii based coffee farm, visitor center and mail order company. He also serves as Chairman of the Board for the Fox Family Foundation.

General (Ret.) Steve Lorenz ’73, President and Chief Executive Officer of the USAFA Endowment, praised Mr. Fox’s selection for the Distinguished Service Award. “John Fox is one of the finest gentlemen I have ever known. He has always exemplified our core values: integrity first; service before self; excellence in all we do; and he has always been an active supporter and an advocate for the Academy and its people.”

Mr. Fox’s inspirational leadership and selfless support have greatly helped the United States Air Force Academy remain one of the nation’s foremost institutions of higher learning. He is the richly deserving recipient of the United States Air Force Academy’s 2014 Distinguished Service Award.

A taste of Mexico PREPARED BY DAVID BERGEMAN PHOTOGRAPHED BY LEWIS CARLYLE

Mouth Watering Recipes by Grads, for Grads This issue we tantalize your taste buds with a tour of Southwest cuisine. Peppers, steak, cheese, rice and tomato sauces are the staples of this region, making it easy to see why these dishes have made such a strong impact in our kitchens. Enjoy!

Steak and Cheese Stuffed Poblano Peppers (Serves Six) Chef Eric Artman, Class of 2013 Ingredients for the Sauce • 4 medium Roma tomatoes, halved • 1 cup water • 3 garlic cloves, chopped • 1 tablespoon chicken broth powder • 1/4 cup oil • 1 teaspoon all-purpose flour • 1 tablespoon chopped oregano leaves

Ingredients for the Peppers • 1 pound rib-eye steak • 6 poblano peppers (about 1 pound) • 8 ounces shredded Monterey Jack cheese • Salt, to taste • Freshly ground black pepper, to taste • Cayenne pepper, to taste • Paprika, to taste • Rice, optional • Beans, optional

Directions for the Sauce 1. Stew tomatoes in water over medium heat until soft.

2. Add garlic and chicken broth and stir.

3. Add oil to frying pan over low heat.

Mix in the flower.

4. Add tomato mixture and simmer.

5. Remove sauce from pan and blend in mixer until sauce has a smooth consistency.

6. Return to pan on stove to warm.

Directions for the Peppers 1. Prep grill. Heat to medium-high temperature.

2. Place peppers on grill. Use tongs to turn intermittently until peppers are blackened, 5 to 7 minutes.

3. Remove peppers from grill and place in bowl. Cover with plastic wrap so peppers can steam until cool.

4. Using hands, gently remove the pepper skins.

5. Cut peppers lengthwise and remove stem and seeds.

6. Season outside of peppers with salt and pepper, to taste.

7. Prepare steak with favorite seasoning.

8. Cut steak into 1/2 inch thick slices.

9. Cook beef as desired. Set aside.

10. Preheat oven to 450 degrees F. 11. Carefully stuff peppers with beef (about 2 1/2 ounces) and cheese (about 1 1/2 ounces).

12. Bake peppers in oven safe dish for 5-7 minutes.

13. Remove peppers and serve over the sauce with rice and beans.

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james@blanchardfamilywines.com www.blanchardfamilywines.com

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?

knowledge test 1954

What is significant about 1954?

A. The United States Air Force Academy was established 1 April B. The Secretary of the Air Force, Harold E. Talbott, announced the winning site on 24 June C. The name of the consecutive year giving society founded by the USAFA Endowment to acknowledge the most loyal donors D. All of the above Establish a tradition of giving a gift to the Air Force Academy Fund every year. Start today by visiting www.1954society.org or emailing afaf@usafaendowment.org.

Visit www.1954society.org and give today.

Answer: (D) All of the above. But you probably already knew that and, if not at least you do now.

www.giveafaf.org

Christmas Clearance Sale Starts December 26th shop.usafa.org Styles, quantities and sizes will be limited The pictures may or may not represent selections available

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Valentines Day sale February 5-13, 2015

Necklace Heart Pendants also available for your: Wife • Niece • Girlfriend • Grandma Fiance • Cousin • Best Friend • Aunt

shop.usafa.org Online orders must be received by 11:59 pm MST on February 10th for delivery on February 13th using standard shipping

FALCON FITNESS FIX Where the Mettle Meets the Metal Whenever someone learns that I am a fitness trainer, I am usually asked the same question, “What can I do for my abs?” I have a book of 165 abdominal exercises.

That’s right, 165.

EVERY BODY IS DIFFERENT I could describe how to perform hundreds of exercises that use weights, cables, elastic bands, and all manner of devices, but most people would not get the results they are looking for. The reason is simple: every body is different.

Every body is, in fact, sufficiently different that generalized instructions about any exercise or workout can actually cause more harm than good. Where a person sits, their bone length ratios, where they grab the weight or machine handle, their nerve densities, foot placement, and so on … all of that and more can make a difference. A big difference. That said, all successful programs do have some common elements.

WHY AM I DOING THIS? Those clients with the best results always have a reason to show up and learn the routine. You need to know why you’re at the gym. Do you want to lose 30 pounds, or is your purpose really to fit into a swimsuit and swim with your family and friends? Do you want to squat twice your body weight, or is your objective really to mountain bike with others? Is your program goal to perform 30 pull-ups, or learn how to rock climb?

USAFA is fundamentally an engineering school. We were taught to quantify information and use it to achieve results.

The results are all that matter. You might discover that you look great in a swimsuit after losing only 20 pounds. Riding a mountain bike may only require leg squats using your own weight and not any

Dan Felix ’74, CFT

more. You might also discover that if you want to climb mountains, then 30 pullups won’t hack it.

To the extent that we are engineers, we like numbers. The numbers of an effective routine will change over time, but the reason for the routine should remain steady.

What equipment you use to create that effort is not as important as consistently keeping your physical output “slightly beyond the comfort level.” Go too far beyond the comfort level and you’ll over train, which will delay (and even impede) the muscle’s ability to improve.

HOW WILL I DO THIS? This “how” question is why you are reading this article. Indeed, people get very anxious about the “hows” of exercise. They can be

Losing weight requires that each day you feed your body “slightly less” than what you have been used to feeding it.

No magic herbs, incantations, or protein drinks. Slightly less will do just fine.

If your activity level remains the same, your body will adapt and use body fat to make up for the decrease in food intake. Energy levels and food intake will soon balance out, and then you can start feeding your body accordingly in promoting continued weight loss.

Keep in mind that the best weight loss routines are incremental and relentless.

Also remember that there are no safe or effective diet routines that expose the body to anything but healthy food.

so anxious about getting results that they end up doing anything to get there. And that is the most common reason they don’t get the outcomes they anticipated. They start a program and soon abandon it for a new and improved program because they saw it on TV. Exposing the body to a new program amounts to starting all over. I wish fitness programs were mysterious and complicated, but they are not. A few thoughts in this regard: Gaining strength only requires repeatedly exposing your muscles to an effort slightly beyond the muscle’s comfort level.

As the muscle improves, you change the level of effort required. Some days your “slightly beyond comfort level” requires a larger or smaller challenge, but each workout should always be “slightly beyond your comfort level.”

YOUR FITNESS IS YOUR FITNESS I know these principles—physical and mental alike—seem unsophisticated, but they work. They work, not because of the selection of the exercise, the equipment, or the food, but because (when properly applied) they place a new and persistent demand on the body. At some point the body will inevitably change. It always does.

Even at 7,258 feet altitude. ________________________________ I am glad to answer any questions you may have about specific routines or diets. Just e-mail them to dan@danfelixcft.com Dan Felix has been fitness training for more than 25 years and has multiple certifications, including Certified Fitness Trainer from the International Sports Sciences Association and the American Red Cross Advanced First Aid certification.

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SECOND TO NONE THE CLASS OF ’81 ENDOWMENT FUND INTRODUCES CADETS TO A GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT. Written by Jermaine Johnson USAFA Endowment Director Development Communications Photography by Col. Marty France Academy permanent professor and head of the Astronautics Department

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CAMBODIA

SAFA graduates, in and out of uniform, are faced with a myriad of international challenges. First-hand experience with varied and diverse cultures is the most effective means for gaining awareness and developing the skill set necessary to navigate and influence the multi-cultural global arena in which we live today. The graduates of 1981, based on their collective Air Force and civilian business experiences, recognize the value of such opportunities. They stand strongly on their conviction that successful navigation of “international skies” results in better prepared Air Force Officers, and they took action. In partnership with the USAFA Endowment, the class created the Class of ’81 Endowment Fund establishing an International Cultural Immersion Program Fund to enhance the work of the USAFA Office of International Programs. This fund is used to finance highly focused trips for cadets who choose to use summer leave to immerse themselves into a culture abroad. On the trips, cadets work with the State Department, international businesses, or non-governmental organizations (NGOs), and can supplement a research project. The primary goal is for cadets to gain first-hand knowledge and experience with varied and diverse cultures.

You will be forever changed. It will open your eyes to a completely different world. You will do things you never thought possible. All of these are words often used to describe the study abroad experience. It is a long-held belief that being exposed to foreign views, cultures, and general ways of living enriches a person’s ability to understand the world as a whole. This enrichment can play an integral role in a person’s intellectual, social, and emotional development and create a person capable of tackling and solving complex personal and professional challenges. Recognizing and honoring the impact of cultural exposure, the USAFA Office of International Programs utilizes government and private monies to provide several elements of cultural immersion such as Semester Abroad and Semester Exchange Programs. Unfortunately, funding, time restraints, and scheduling conflicts can hinder a cadet’s ability to participate in such programs. w

ALL IN A DAY’S WORK

USAFA cadets pose with Developing World Connections team leader. (L-R) C2C Luke Stensberg, C2C Annie Von Seggern, C1C Winston Sanks, C1C Dylan Juedeman, C2C Hansena Vangen, and Dan Couture of Developing World Connections.

CELEBRATING THE COMPLETION OF THE FIRST LATRINE From left, Sotheavy Sov of Equitable

Cambodia, C1C Winston Sanks, two locals, Col Marty France (’81), more locals, Dan Couture of Developing World Connections, C2C Annie Von Seggern.

LEARNING ON THE JOB From left, C1C Dylan

Juedeman, C2C Luke Stensberg, and C2C Hansena Vangen learn to stucco with their project’s Cambodian foreman.

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The Class of ’81 Endowment Fund affords more cadets the opportunity to participate by making experiential learning opportunities during summer leave more accessible. As the program description states, the belief of the class is “Each experience helps [cadets] build the skills they will need as future uniformed officers and civilian leaders to succeed in today’s global environment.”

In the summer of 2014 the Class of ’81, living up to its motto “Second to None,” sponsored its first cultural immersion program in Cambodia, providing cadets a one of a kind opportunity to learn how NGOs, the State Department, the U.S. military and its allies, team to improve public health and human rights, and reduce corruption.

The trip was organized and led by Col. Marty France, Academy permanent professor and head of the Astronautics Department. France, a member of the Class of ’81, was responsible for submitting the proposal to the Office of International Programs for its consideration in utilizing the ’81 Endowment Fund. The journey to Cambodia marked the fourth cadet cultural immersion trip he had led. The entire experience was chronicled through his photography and blog entries on his website martyfrance.zenfolio.com.

“My personal goal for this trip was to choose cadets that had little or no experience in the developing world and give them a chance to live in that environment as more than a tourist,” France stated in his Officer Escort Letter. “I wanted them to gain a better understanding of the global challenges and opportunities they’ll face as officers in the 21st Century Air Force—including the role of the DoD, State Department, non-governmental organizations, local governments, foreign militaries, allies, and potential adversaries in those countries.”

Cadets Dylan Juedeman, Winston Sanks, Luke Stensberg, Annie Von Seggern, and Hansena Vangen enrolled in the Class of ’81’s sponsored cultural immersion program. Reflect-

ing on his own experience and the importance of supporting such a program, Col. (Ret.) Mike Beale also, a member of the Class of 1981, stated, “I spent half my Air Force career overseas and the perspective I gained living abroad gave me a tremendous insight into the way other countries think and act. In the last two decades, USAF presence overseas has shrunk considerably. This endowment program is a great way to imprint in our young future leaders critical skill sets and insights that will be with them for life.”

A BROADER VIEW Cambodia is one of the poorest countries in Asia; 97 percent of rural Cambodia is without running water or sanitation facilities and more than half its population is under the age of 18. For 20 days the cadets were exposed to Cambodian culture and history and were participants in a community service project that produced four brick latrines in the village of Odong.

Before embarking on the trip to Cambodia, the cadets participated in an independent study course sponsored by the Department of Political Science. The course focused on the reign of the Khmer Rouge, the Communist Party of Kampuchea in Cambodia, its aftermath, and the current political and developmental state of the nation.

The immersion started with 36-hours of travel from Denver with connections in Seattle and Seoul with the final destination being Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia. While in Phnom Phen, the group met at the U.S. Embassy with representatives from the U.S. Agency for International Development, PoliticoEconomic Sections, the defense attache and the Peace Corps.

Each organization briefed the group on current activities and discussed projections and priorities. The group learned about U.S. priorities (human rights, political stability, education, and food and health stability and availability) and how Cambodia was evolving in the face of overwhelming corruption and decades of single-party rule with little real democracy. The cadets also had the opportunity to meet with Cambodian officers and trainees, enrolled in an English immersion class.

“Spending time with the Cambodian cadets and officers, I see that many of them are motivated by the same motivations as we have; [they] have similar fears and aspirations and are trying their best just as we are,” said Cadet Sanks.

The next four days of the trip consisted of hikes in national parks, visits to wildlife refuge and rescue complexes as well as the occasional fried tarantula, along with crickets and red tree ant stir fry. Other highlights included tours of the Cambodian Royal Palace, a large Buddhist temple, Wat Phnom, and ended with a trip to Angkor Wat, the world’s largest single religious monument. The groups’ visit to the Tuol Sleng Genocide Museum, the sight of Security Prison 21 (S-21) where over 20,000 lives were lost, made for a solemn experience.

“The realities of what happened in this country [Cambodia] became very real for us,” France said, “and resolving that reality with what exists now was a humbling and eye opening experience.” w

Reflections on a worthy cause “There are three things that motivated my participation. First, I am at a point in my life where it is clear that USAFA has made possible most of the good things I now enjoy and prepared me to participate in the volunteer and professional organizations I care about. Two, having a child at the Academy and hanging around other parents gives me a parents’ perspective on the incredible experience there, that just isn’t possible as an “inmate” (as my son might say). Finally, my recent participation in USAFA activities makes clear that the current budget situation just doesn’t provide for the same level of program as we enjoyed and, the truth is, it isn’t unreasonable to expect that we would take up the reins for some of the program as literally every other prestigious university’s alumni do.”

–Jerry Timmerman ’81 “After retirement, I had a chance to reflect on how USAFA began the framework for leadership, discipline and integrity and the impact in my career.

Now I have the means to give back. I like that our program is open to ALL cadets, especially those like me, who won’t appreciate the true influence the academy will have on their lives until years later.”

–Col. (Ret.) Scott Schafer ’81, Committee Chair General Director, BNSF Railway Company “Today we operate in a multi-nation military environment. Throughout my career I have had numerous international engagements. I would have welcomed and benefited from international cultural awareness training as a USAFA Cadet.”

–Maj. Gen Richard Haddad ’81 “American leaders are behind their international counter-parts when it comes to global commerce and awareness. We’ve got to do something to train tomorrow’s leaders.”

–Tom Kallman ’81 “We live in a global community. The more opportunities we can provide to the future leaders of that community, the better equipped they will be to protect and defend the freedom we enjoy.”

–Mary Beth Shagena ’81

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ON THE JOB The group left Phnom Penh for the coastal town of Kep to first meet with representatives from Equitable Cambodia, a Cambodian NGO, to discuss their unique challenges and capabilities. Then, for two weeks in the nearby village of Odong, the group worked to build four brick and stucco latrines. To have the most positive impact, village leaders and Equitable Cambodia chose Odong. In very hot temperatures—and in one case within 10 feet of a pig sty—the cadets worked with local foremen and craftsmen, digging drainage holes for concrete septic cylinders, laying foundations with rock and concrete, building brick walls, mixing concrete in open pits by hand and stuccoing walls with concrete. Each latrine was equipped with a large compartment for a fresh water cistern to contain rinse water, covered with a corrugated steel roof and given a wooden door. The following week, they moved to a different part of Odong Village to work on two more latrines—one for a young family and another for a widow and her family of five. While their work was hampered by a monsoon, the cadets still finished the brick and stucco latrines in two days. The team spent their final day in Cambodia at a local school built with the assistance of a South Korean NGO, now operating on its own with support by Equitable Cambodia, playing soccer with children, teaching them songs and passing out Academy mementos. Sanks crisply summed up his Cambodian experience.“Never before have I been so dirty and had so much fun digging a hole,” he said.

– Col. Marty France

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Each cadet expressed gratitude and appreciation to the Class of ’81 for sponsoring an opportunity of a lifetime.

“This opportunity that you made possible for us has truly inspired me to contribute more positive experiences to my classmates, the Academy, America, and the world itself,” Cadet Juedeman wrote in his letter of appreciation.

Many of the programs and places that graduates enjoyed during their own Academy experience were funded, in whole or in part, by private donations. Over the years the tradition of private support for the Academy has continued to grow. In the past decade, graduates, parents and friends have donated more than $88 million to enhance the quality of the educational experience at the Academy. Their generous gifts have supported every aspect of cadet life: character development, athletic and academic competition, research and military education. It is the hope of the Class of 1981 Endowment that fellow graduates and friends will use their model of giving to continue to fund and enrich the cadet experience.

Information about the 1981 fund and the opportunity to give may be found at www.usafa81endowment.com.

A passion for family, philanthropy, serving our Academy “While I am very engaged with USAFA now, that wasn’t always the case. Busy building a business and a family, I lost contact with the Academy for years. However, as my life settled down, I reflected on how many doors were opened and credibility instantly received just because I was a USAFA grad. I also realized how much my success was set in motion by the disciplines, character and work ethic learned at the Academy. I have taken the opportunity to give back to the Academy for all the wonderful experiences and advantages I have received. I hope by doing so, future cadets can have the full rich experience I received. I encourage all of you who are in a position to do so, consider adding the USAFA Endowment to your will. The Endowment will assist you in this process and steward your gift, making sure your wishes are met.”

Keith has named the USAFA Endowment as a beneficiary, to leave a lasting legacy at the Air Force Academy. In addition to helping to secure an exceptional future for cadets who will join you on the long blue line, a bequest or lifeincome gift to the USAFA Endowment may also lessen the tax burden on your family and estate.

For information and assistance, contact Dale Zschoche at dale.zschoche@usafaendowment.org or 719.238.7510.

THE UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY

ENDOWMENT

Keith ’66 and Patty Withycombe

D E D I C AT I O N S Wa r r i o r s c o m m e n t o n t h e So u t h e a s t A s i a Me m o r i a l Pa v i l i o n’s n e w e s t b r o n z e p l a q u e s .

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A-1 Skyraider Pilots Dedicated September 12, 2014

Jolly Green Giant Rescue Crews Dedicated September 12, 2014

Randy Jayne ’66 “It’s important to us that these memories and these friendships get communicated in someway to the new generation of cadets. One of the things that I remember as a cadet, as the Vietnam War was just starting out, were the faculty members and AOCs who had been in Korea. They related their combat experiences to us.

“These cadets have a lot of good mentors from classes that have been in Iraq and Afghanistan.

However, the level of war that happened in Southeast Asia was just day in and day out, very different. When you think about the A-1 guys flying 90,000 sorties in ten years, and that was just a tiny percent of the fighter sorties. It’s that heritage that is important for people to remember, before we get so old that we don’t remember!

“The interesting thing about our A-1 experience is that it was often the lieutenants and the young captains that were leading our toughest missions.

I’m not quite sure why that was the case, but that was the way it worked out.”

Jerry Singleton ’62 “When you have an occasion like this, you get reminded of some of the highlights, especially the men I got to spend time with, to work with, to fly with, to be affected by. I realize how much the exceptional things they did set the bar higher than I could ever obtain. It made me want to keep trying anyway, to get up there. These are exceptional people.”

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John B. “Jack” McTasney ’63 “It was a real surprise to me that the Jolly Green Association put together this plaque. This is honoring all the Jolly Greens. We graduates are just providing a link with the Academy; believe me there were a lot of heroics by others. That is what this honor represents.”

Dale Stovall ’67 “This is something here that fifty years from now people will go, ‘The Jolly Greens, what are they?’

They can read the plaque and learn about us. We were privileged to have the mission of saving our fellow Americans. It was one of the great privileges that I’ve had.”

TO S E RV I C E

Red Marker FACs Dedicated September 19, 2014 Gary Willis ’67 “This is wonderful. This has been a labor of love for two to three years. I wrote a book about the history of the Red Markers and to be able to take advantage of the fact that the Southeast Asia Pavilion is open and accepting plaques from units is fantastic.

I approached two different veterans’ organizations for support—the American advisors who served with the Vietnamese Airborne Division and the Vietnamese paratroopers’ own organization—both of them contributed money to make this possible.”

Bruce Freeman ’67 “We certainly appreciate the honor of being here for these proceedings, and hope that while recognizing commitment in the past, they will also help provide a telling educational opportunity for the Cadet Wing now and in the future.

“One of the most critical elements of leadership in today’s Air Force—and definitely in any future one—is the ability to work effectively with comrades-in-arms in our own country as well as in any others where called upon to serve. What you’re seeing here represents one of the most effective combinations of combat capabilities we had in the Vietnam War. Hopefully by learning more about it, cadets will be able to better prepare themselves for the leadership challenges they will encounter.”

United States Naval Academy Dedicated October 4, 2014 Byron F. Marchant, USNA ’78, USNA Alumni Association and Foundation President and CEO “This has been a great project to bring Vietnam veterans together from each institution. We at the Naval Academy have a variety of memorials on our yard commemorating different conflicts. This SEA Pavilion is a significant commitment by the classes and the Vietnam veterans here at the Air Force Academy.

“It is very appropriate for the Naval Academy Alumni Association to work with the Air Force AOG on recognizing the sacrifice veterans have made for our country. One team, one fight—our rivalries help stimulate great, competitive graduates but as any Naval aviator will tell you, in Vietnam and today, when you’re out there fighting for the country there could be a downed Naval aviator rescued by an Air Force pilot and vice versa. We’re all Americans at the end of the day. I am proud to be a representative of the Naval Academy alumni and I’m proud to work with “T” Thompson ’73 and Bob McClure USMA ’76 at West Point. I think this project highlights the fact that the academies hold a special place in this country.” w

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FEATURE

Don Shepperd ’62 “I’d like to thank the Class of 1970 and also the Association of Graduates for the maintenance and installation of all of the memorials. We are starting to feel history here. We were told when we marched in 1958 to open this place that we were rock stars, that we were God’s gift to the Air Force, establishing tradition.

Well, it is finally here.

“It was a long time ago, there were 157 of us. We were all volunteers and there were many days when we wondered why we had volunteered, because we regularly violated one of the primary rules of flying, which is never get in the backseat with someone braver than you in the front. We were the F-100 Fast FACs of the Vietnam War, our call sign was “MISTY,” chosen by Bud Day, our first commander—it was his favorite song sung by Johnny Mathis.

We flew at low altitude at high speed, jinking all the time to avoid gunfire. We were shot at constantly on the missions. They were long, 4-6 hours with 2-3 air refuelings, and if we found a good target, the problem with the good targets were that they were surrounded by guns, big guns.”

Operation Commando Sabre Dedicated October 4, 2014

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If you are interested in having a plaque placed at the Southeast Asia Memorial Pavilion, please contact Dick Rauschkolb ‘70 by email at aog70@comcast.net or by phone at 719-310-6928.

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ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY

2015 AOG BOARD OF DIRECTORS ELECTION INFORMATION Election of Directors of the Association of Graduates takes place every two years in odd-numbered years. In 2015 there are six vacancies on the Board and in accordance with the AOG Bylaws, the Board must present at least twice as many candidates as there are vacancies.

The Board actively sought candidates who could offer diverse viewpoints to the Board based on class year, gender, geographic location, ethnicity, and military service status.

The election will be conducted from Monday, February 2, 2015 to Monday March 2, 2015. The electronic polls will close at noon, Mountain Standard Time on March 2, 2015. All graduate, life graduate and associate members in good standing as of December 1, 2014 will receive instructions by email on how to cast their ballots. Please ensure that your current email address is on file with the AOG. Members who do not have an email address on file will receive the information by letter. There will be no paper ballots for this election.

Complete information about the candidates including photograph, biography, candidacy statement and the candidates’ answers to six standard questions, will be available on-line at www.usafa.org beginning on January 5, 2015. Each candidate will provide an email address so that you may contact them.

The AOG will publish an “Election Update” on January 9th, 16th, 23rd, and 30th, and on February 6th, 13th, 20th, and 27th. The “Update” will contain any new information that a candidate chooses to make available. The “Update” will eliminate the need for candidates to send mass emails to the voting membership.

If you have not received an email or letter containing your unique password and instructions on how to vote by Friday, February 6, 2015, please check your junk mail and deleted files. If you have still not found it, contact Survey and Ballot Systems Inc at (866) 909-3549 or online at support@directvote.net. When contacting SBS concerning voting in the election you must give your full name, class year, preferred email address and AOG ID number. Failure to provide this information in the body of the email may preclude receipt of the voting information.

Questions concerning the election should be referred to AOG Executive Vice President Gary Howe ’69 at gary.howe@aogusafa.org or by telephone at (719) 472-0300, ext. 106.

Visit usafa.org to learn more about each Board of Directors candidate.

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Questions?

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ASSOCIATION OF GRADUATES UNITED STATES AIR FORCE ACADEMY

S ER V I N G T H E LO N G B LU E L I N E

CHAPTERS

in the Long Blue Line

The 2014 AOG Chapter Presidents Conference delivered training and insight while honoring Distinguished Chapters.

From left: Association of Graduates President and CEO William “T” Thompson ’73 briefs the AOG Chapter presidents.

AOG Board Chair Roger Carleton’67 speaks with Ron Hindmarsh ’69, president of the Rampart Chapter, and his wife Terry, at the Distinguished Chapter Awards Banquet.

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T

he 2014 AOG Chapter Presidents Conference focused on fortifying the Long Blue Line by engaging new grads and improving administrative processes. Briefings from senior Academy and AOG staff, tech training, and breakout sessions on best practices highlighted the many activities that characterized an improved and productive conference. Representatives from a record 21 AOG Chapters attended the conference in Colorado Springs October 16-17 to learn effective tactics on how better to serve and engage the Long Blue Line, and give back to their local communities and to the Academy.

“I’ve seen great improvement in the conference since last year,” said Las Vegas Chapter President Hugh Gommel ’66. “I think the AOG is going in the right direction to help grow our Chapters. We have always wondered why our West Point and Navy counterparts seem to do some things that we can’t do quite as easily, and I always remind myself that they’ve been around a lot longer. They may simply have been dealing 40-50 years ago with some of the issues we are addressing right now, because they have had a 100 years or more of trying to sort it out.”

Participants were addressed by USAFA Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson ’81 and AOG President and CEO William “T” Thompson ’73.

Attendees also augmented their tech know-how during a website and social media session that will better equip them to attract and serve the constituents in their respective locales. During the conference’s awards banquet, fourteen Distinguished Chapters were honored.

“Our goal here at the AOG is to support our chapters and help them run smoothly in whatever ways most effectively resonate with their members,” explained Graduate Support Specialist Beth Szucs ’97. “I was thoroughly impressed with the organization and the care and attention that all the different Association departments have given us,” said Boise Chapter representative Priscilla Giddings ’05. “We were given a very thorough overview of what’s going on at the Academy and within the AOG, and it’s been very encouraging to me. It makes you proud of your alma mater when you see all the amazing things that are going on.”

Across the board, the prevailing sentiment from the presidents was to engage more alumni, and to

To learn how you can join an AOG Chapter or start a new one, visit usafa.org/Group/Chapters or send an email to chapter.support@aogusafa.org.

NUMBER OF AOG CHAPTERS 81 (4 international)

continue serving the Academy and local communities across a variety of platforms.

“There are great opportunities for networking and support that cut across the complete spectra,” explained Gommel, who singled out his experience in mentoring potential cadets in his region.

“It allows grads to feel good about their institution, and give back at the same time.”

The AOG Chapter program continues to grow in size and impact, and this recent event is emblematic of that trend.

“I’ve learned a lot,” Giddings said. “It’s just been great to connect. This conference has given me a lot of energy to go back to Idaho and get other grads more involved.”

From left: Charleston Chapter representative Tom Jahn ’91 and Baltimore Chapter representative Jeff Kubik ’93 listen to a briefing during the conference.

Kansas City Chapter President Greg Shuey ’68 presents “T” Thompson with a book of photos from the Chapter’s 2014 “Weekend with Warriors” event.

DISTINGUISHED CHAPTER REQUIREMENTS 1. Have a Founders Day Dinner.

2. Send a representative to the Chapter Presidents Conference.

3. Send a Chapter Presidents Conference Summary to chapter members.

4. Submit a membership roster.

5. Accumulate at least 150 points for networking efforts, and reach at least 2000 people through other activities.

6. Submit a list of proposed activities /events for the upcoming year to the AOG.

PARTICIPATING CHAPTERS Albany

Abilene Alamo (San Antonio) Baltimore Boise Charleston Granite State (New Hampshire) Kansas City Las Vegas New England (Boston) North Carolina

North Texas (Dallas/Fort Worth) Northwest Arkansas Rampart (Colorado Springs) Sacramento Silver Falcons ALO Affinity Group Southern Arizona (Tucson) Southwestern Ohio (Dayton) Space Affinity Group St. Louis Twin Cities (Minnesota)

2014 Distinguished Chapters in Bold

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HAPPENINGS DECEMBER

FEBRUARY

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Dean’s Weekend

Valentine’s Sale AOG Gift Shop and shop.usafa.org (ends on Feb. 13)

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Winter Break begins

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Presidents Day

After Holiday Sale at the AOG Gift Shop and shop.usafa.org (ends January 7)

JANUARY

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26-27

National Character and Leadership Symposium “Serving Our Nation: Our Calling, Core Values and Commitments”

MARCH

Happy New Year

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4

Cadet Wing returns

6th Annual Single Malt Scotch Tasting and Silent Auction

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5-6

Martin Luther King Jr. Day

USAFA MASTER CALENDAR

The AOG has developed an Air Force Academy master calendar of events! Get up to speed on all the important AOG and Academy happenings with USAFA’s most comprehensive master schedule. The easy to navigate search feature allows you to search event listings by specific categories, including interests and geographic region—all with the click of a mouse. usafa.org/calendar

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AOG AMBASSADOR PROGRAM

An Ambassador is a graduate who serves as a liaison or point of contact for other graduates coming into your geographic area—whether for business or leisure.

You can help a fellow graduate answer questions that can improve their visit or relocation experience. Be their guide and share your knowledge about where to find housing, what school districts are best or what attractions are worth a visit. If you are interested in serving as an Ambassador in your area, please email us at chapter.support@aogusafa.org. usafa.org/group/ambassadors

y h p o r T T e h t r o f A

AOG Tailgates and Fan Fests Get the Party Started

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Is there anything more American than tailgating before an Air Force football game?

Stomping Army to take home the Commander-in-Chief ’s Trophy for a 19th time might qualify!

On a frosty November morning at West Point’s Buffalo Soldier Field, the AOG threw its biggest tailgate celebration yet with over 400 feisty Falcon fans in attendance. A D.J. kept the crowd dancing while attendees feasted on a catered meal, enjoyed drinks, and took home prizes. There was also a photo booth available for fans to capture the moment.

There were visits from Academy senior staff, the Secretary of the Air Force stopped in, and the Falconers and cheerleaders dropped by.

Despite temps in the 30s, the tent was warm with the glow of Falcon pride.

The Falcons are heading back to a bowl game this year. Watch for announcements for another fun filled AOG tailgate party with friends and graduates as the Academy looks to bring home another trophy in 2014!

From top: The Falconers and their avian companions are a hit with kids and the kid in all of us. L to R: Air Force Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michelle Johnson ’81, Secretary of the Air Force Deborah Lee James and AOG President and CEO William “T” Thompson ’73 enjoy the festivities. The AFA cheerleaders pump up the crowd.

MISSION NOT-SO-IMPOSSIBLE :

GOING OFF THE

BY JENNIFER BATEMAN, VICE PRESIDENT FOR DEVELOPMENT, USAFA ENDOWMENT

Living up to its leadership responsibilities, Boeing is challenging others to think similarly. In 2013, the company conceived an idea:

The Mission, Should Cadets Choose to Accept It (and they did):

Cadets and midshipmen from the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA), the United States Military Academy (USMA), and the United States Naval Academy (USNA) were challenged to develop a plan to take their respective installation off of the local power grid by 2040 using a combination of smart grids, locally viable renewable energy, efficiency techniques, and systems level energy management.

THE FACTS The Department of Defense is one of the largest single consumers of energy in the world, accounting for 93% of all fuel consumption by the U.S. government in 2007.

If it were a country, the Department of Defense would have ranked 58th in the world in electricity consumption in 2006.

If it were a country, the Department of Defense would have ranked 34th in the world in oil consumption in 2005.

The Air Force is the largest user of fuel energy in the federal government.

Recognizing that fossil fuels are finite, the Air Force is currently the leading purchaser of renewable energy within the federal government.

In June 2013, the Air Force announced it had met its goal to reduce aviation fuel consumption by 10% before 2015.

Integration of renewable energies into the operations of the United States Air Force is here to stay.

Use of renewable resources is not only a focus of the Air Force, it is also on the minds of the Air Force’s corporate partners and suppliers.

The Boeing Company, for example, is thinking aggressively about its environmental impact. Currently, Boeing relies on carbon-free hydroelectric and renewable energy sources for nearly half of its total electricity consumption. Past initiatives have already reduced Boeing’s greenhouse gas emissions by 9 percent and water usage by 2 percent, during a time that deliveries grew by 50 percent. Now the company is targeting zero growth by 2017, even as its business continues to expand. The goal for Boeing’s factories and operations is zero absolute growth in greenhouse gas emissions, water intake and solid waste sent to landfills.

The Rules of Engagement: 1 Each service academy was required to monitor and protect its system from physical and/or cyber attack.

2 Each academy had to prioritize supply to support the most critical needs of the installation. Who should lose power first? Who should lose power last? How can USAFA use an automated system to divert energy from a lower priority area to a higher priority area if the supply is compromised?

3 Each academy was required to simulate their system and build a prototype of the critical components of their renewable energy source and/or micro-grid.

4 Each academy could only spend $50,000 over the course of the project.

So what was USAFA’s approach? For a state that asserts it has over 300 sunny days a year, the simple answer was to look up.

Cadets harnessed the power of solar energy, which was collected using photovoltaic (or solar) cells. For those who need a refresher, photovoltaics is the direct conversion of light into electricity at the atomic level. Specialized materials absorb light and release electrons, which, when captured, generate an electric current that can be used as electricity. In anticipation of cloudy days, cadets needed to create diversity in the sources of energy generation; for this, they employed the use of hydrogen-powered fuel cells. Cadets developed a solution to store electricity through the use of flow batteries. The energy was then expended through a decentralized thermal distribution system.

They identified the areas that were high priority for non-disruption of service, such as the Medical Clinic, and directed the distribution system to predict actions based on historical load and weather data.

The challenges and the takeaways from the project were abundant.

Cadets learned that fostering a close relationship with base engineers is critical to success. They discovered that load prioritization is not trivial, micro-grids are not an exclusively electrical engineering problem, and the value of energy security is difficult to calculate. They

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shared that scheduling is as much an art as a science and reminded themselves frequently to know the requirements and keep them close. Perhaps most importantly, cadets learned that it is more fun to engineer than to manage engineers.

“Our company’s support of the service academies is aimed at developing future engineers and leaders of character for our nation,” said Tony Przybyslawski (USAF Maj. Gen. Ret.), executive director of Boeing marketing in Colorado and a member of the USAFA class of 1976. “The Capstone competition embodies all of those elements; it requires excellence in engineering and peer leadership. The competitive nature of the project places the teams under an additional layer of stress that challenge the cadets and midshipmen to do the right thing–not just the easy thing–throughout the year.”

Said, now-Second Lieutenant Jonathan Reasoner, Project Lead in the Class of 2014, “This project taught me a lot, everything from how to work with other disciplines to complete a giant project to how to take a set of requirements and create a solution out of it. It was great practice for what I will hopefully be doing in the future.”

“One of the best things was just working with different subject matter experts. And that is a valuable lesson for cadets. They’re not going to be able to find a book that has the answer in it,” said Maj. Brian Cooper, Assistant Professor of Electrical and Computer Engineering.

“This project is closely aligned with some of the environmental challenges that Boeing sees. One of the key things they had to do is take everything they’ve learned through their whole curriculum and then apply that to this fairly broad project.”

- Tristan Glenwright

Boeing is serious about improving its environmental performance. To walk the walk and talk the talk, the company committed $100,000 to this competition to be spent over the two-year period of the project. And what did they hope to get out of this project? Simply put, they want to help grow the next generation of military engineers. They crafted a challenging, relevant, interdisciplinary project that demanded cadets think creatively and innovatively. They asked cadets to think and manage like systems engineers and learn the joys and pitfalls of evolving from theory to application. They asked cadets to understand, value, and manage the competing requirements of concept design and development. They asked cadets to take with them what they learned from this experience into their future careers.

“This project is closely aligned with some of the environmental challenges that Boeing sees. One of the key things they had to do is take everything they’ve learned through their whole curriculum and then apply that to this fairly broad project,” said Tristan Glenwright of Ventures, part of Boeing Defense, Space & Security, and Boeing’s lead representative to the project.

The Advanced Concept Energy System project was structured as an undergraduate senior engineering capstone experience. Over 72

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Students from the Class of 2014 are presented with the Tri-Service Energy Challenge Award. From left Tristan Glenwright; Maj. Brian Cooper (DFEC primary Mentor); Cadet Jonathan Flynn; Boeing Senior Defense Executive (Maj. Gen. ret.) Tony Przybyslawski; Cadet Jared Greene; Cadet Jon Reasoner; Cadet Dan Levy; Cadet Kevin Mook; Cadet Jay DeSanctis; Cadet Tim Walsh; Cadet Jacob Ceynar; Cadet Andrew Shea; Col. Anne Clark, Immediate past head, Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Mr. Tom Hykes, 10th Civil Engineering Squadron; Brig. Gen. Andrew Armacost, Dean of Faculty.

two semesters, spanning from August 2013 to May 2014, nine cadets from five academic disciplines and their mentors met nearly daily to produce the comprehensive engineering plan and business case study and bring their theory into reality through a design build. The Air Force Academy requires excellence in all endeavors, and the cadets in the Advanced Concept Energy System project delivered. They addressed all of the requirements of the challenge, including use of clean energy, affordability, abundancy, security, and compliance. With the exception of one burnt out light bulb, the cadets’ prototype performed flawlessly. The United States Air Force Academy won the 2014 Boeing-sponsored Service Academy Engineering Capstone Project award for the third time in four years and garnered a Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program award. Mission accomplished.

The Next Mission, Should Cadets Choose to Accept It (and they did):

The Academy never rests on its laurels, and Phase Two of the competition is already underway. Using the same basic rules of engagement, cadets must shift from a fixed installation focus to developing a micro-grid for a forward operating base. The system cannot be powered with any fossil fuels, and cadets must work within cost and deployment constraints. They must give consideration to energy, heating, and cooling. The cadets are hungry for another victory and have jumped into the project with both feet. To date, Boeing has reviewed the cadets’ first presentation and Mr. Glenwright deemed it “exceptional.”

The Academy is enormously grateful to Boeing for providing cadets with extraordinary out-of-the-classroom experiences that challenge them to think creatively and better prepare them for their professional careers and lives in service to the nation. Boeing is helping to build a new generation of exceptionally capable engineers, ready to confront the opportunities and challenges in a shifting world of energy policy, production, and consumption.

The Advanced Concept Energy System project will not selfdestruct in 10 seconds. Good luck to the cadets on Phase Two! If you would like to make a gift to support cadet capstone classes and academic competitions, or any purpose, please visit www.usafa.org/give.

M A K I N G S P I R I T S B R I G H T. . .

Here at the Academy, service has a different definition.

The Air Force Academy is focused on producing well-rounded leaders year-round. This past summer five cadets journeyed to rural Cambodia on a service project where they built latrines for 4 families. This trip forever changed the lives of the cadets and communities they touched.

Private funding through the USAFA Endowment plays a key role in sustaining the tradition of producing leaders of character.

Show your support by giving today at usafa.org/give.

About this image: C1C Dylan Juedeman, one of five cadet participants in the Academy’s Cultural Immersion Program in Cambodia, digs a drainage hole for concrete cylinders to support a latrine. The purpose of the trip was to learn how non-governmental organizations, the State Department, the U.S. military and its allies, team to improve public health and human rights, and reduce corruption. In partnership with the USAFA Endowment, the Class of 1981 created the Class of ‘81 Endowment to sponsor this one of a kind trip.

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FREEZE FRAME

THE BATTERY OF THE FUTURE

Imagine a world where you charge your cell phone only once every two weeks, and drive 600 miles on a single charge of your electric vehicle. The solid-state lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery is the key to these gamechanging breakthroughs, and many more advances that could transform everyday life, while improving the safety and performance of our airmen. Captain Nate Ellsworth ’09, an instructor in the USAFA Chemistry Department, and his research advisee, C1C Daniel Mihm, have teamed up with the Air Force Research Lab at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base to help formulate special inks and design a printer that could produce these lightweight, energy saturated, “printable” batteries of the future.

1 Li-ion batteries currently used in cellphones, computers, and electronic and hybrid vehicles have revolutionized life as we know it (for most people, at least). Yet, the liquid chemistry of the electrolytes in the current iteration limits the amount of energy that can be stored, increases weight, and can produce heat so intense it could cause batteries to burst into flames.

2 In order to assure the stability of battery inks during storage and printing, additives such as dimethylformamide and poly(vinylidene) fluoride are necessary to keep particles of the electrode material (lithium cobalt oxide (LiCoO2)) in solution.

3 LiCoO2 provides higher power capacity than other current li-ion chemistries; however, it is susceptible to thermal runaway, releasing oxygen which reacts with the liquid electrolyte in a highly exothermic (heat generating) and dangerous reaction. The solid state focus of this collaborative USAFA-USAF research will exclude the use of a liquid electrolyte and mitigate this disadvantage to LiCoO2.

4 Using additives as stabilizers within the ink can lead to internal resistances that limit battery capabilities.

The conductivity of the printed films can be increased with the addition of activated carbon. How much carbon can or needs to be added is currently being researched.

5 Cadet Mihm removes a sample of the current ink formulation for inspection using the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM). SEM images allow for a closer look at the uniformity of the ink. This is a key characteristic because a uniform surface at the microscope level will ensure consistent performance.

6-7 A key step in creating a stable ink is ensuring the electrode material (lithium cobalt particles) are the correct size. Commercial LiCoO2 particles are about 1.5 microns in diameter; however, in order to be viable in an ink they need to be reduced to 1/1000th of that diameter or gravity will pull the particles out of solution. This reduction in diameter is accomplished through ball milling commercial LiCoO2 for two to seven days.

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The pursuit of liquid Li-ion battery technology is one of the great “gold rushes” of our current era. Major corporations like Toyota are spending millions to perfect the science. It is believed that in about a decade’s time this technology could be used by our dismounted airmen, who require a lot of power for use in communications equipment. This technology will reduce weight and increase safety. It could also be used to exponentially increase the range and capabilities of hand-launched UAVs.

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FROM THE TERRAZZO

Reflections of the Past and a Look to the Future

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WRITTEN BY DR. HANS J. MUEH ’66, AIR FORCE ACADEMY DIRECTOR OF ATHLETICS

s I look back on my tenure as athletic director, there’s a little sadness that it has to come to an end and a lot of joy and thanks for all of the great things that have happened on my watch. I’ll try to test my aging memory banks and share some of those with anyone who might be interested.

The story of my selection for this position comes from a sign I wanted my executive officer to have made for me. The sign comes from a favorite quote from the superintendent who hired me, Lt. Gen. John Rosa. It simply says, “You can’t make this stuff up!”

I was in my final year as the vice dean of the faculty and had just completed a lengthy competition to become the next dean of the faculty. It had come down to two of us, Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Dana Born ’83 and me. The secretary of the Air Force, the Honorable John Roche, made the right choice in picking Dana, a great friend and colleague, but there was still some disappointment at having given my all energy for this competition and falling just short. I had decided to retire after my stint as the vice dean, so this was sort of the final hurrah.

In the meantime, I was also still serving as the faculty athletics representative for the Academy and had been given the task, along with my friend Marti Gasser, the senior woman administrator at the Academy, to break in the new athletic director, Col. Mike Bloomfield, USAFA Class of 1981, former football player and astronaut. Marti and I took Mike to the Mountain West Conference Spring Meeting in Park City, Utah, in the spring of 2004, and introduced him to his new colleagues, the ADs, and let him get a taste of NCAA and MWC business. Sometime later that spring, I was sitting in for the dean of faculty at a Wednesday Senior Staff Meeting and noticed that Lt. Gen. Rosa and the commandant, Brig. Gen. John Weida, were both looking at me like I had spilled tomato soup on my uniform. I didn’t give it much more thought

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and was sitting in my vice dean office later that morning when my “private line” (the one only my wife used routinely) rang. I picked it up and said, “Hi, what’s up?” but it wasn’t my wife—it was Gen. Rosa on the other end and he simply said, “Hans, how’d you like to be the athletic director?” After what must have been 30 seconds of complete silence, I finally said, “Sir, we already have an athletic director.” Well, it turned out that Mike Bloomfield decided not to take the position and opted to retire from the Air Force and continue to work in Houston. I reminded the superintendent that I was retiring from the Air Force, and he simply said he’d civilianize it. I agreed to do this for one year on an emergency hire, and here I am ten years later. What a ride.

I retired from the Air Force on 31 July 2004 and started my job as athletic director on 2 August 2004—not a lot of retirement, but at least I had the weekend off! I inherited an incredible staff from Randy Spetman ’76 and Brad DeAustin ’69, who agreed to continue serving as the vice athletic director, so the transition couldn’t have been easier. However, Bradley failed to tell me that the department was in trouble financially when I was hired, but because of my close working relationship with Randy Spetman, I knew that we had taken some steps to bring in outside money. Randy had scheduled a Parents’ Weekend game against Washington in the Seattle Seahawks stadium that was to give us about $3 million dollars from the game promoter.

It was a great game in front of a very sparse crowd, we won on a late touchdown, and I got my first taste of the real world of sports. Why? Because the promoter defaulted on the contract, so we had nothing from that game except a great victory and a bunch of very disappointed parents back home who didn’t have a football game to attend on Parents’ Weekend. We were still in trouble financially, had to push off paying bills as far as we could. We were lucky that year because Utah was undefeated and played in the Fiesta Bowl. That provided us with about a million dollars of windfall money.

That same year, 2004, we had just come off of our best basketball season ever, had won the regular season Mountain West Conference title, and competed in the NCAA Regionals against North Carolina. Joe Scott, who was instrumental in turning Air Force basketball into a powerhouse, left us to return to his alma mater, Princeton, and Chris Mooney, his top assistant, was hired to replace him. Chris had a pretty successful year but we were shut out of post-season play, mostly because the NIT tournament folks were reluctant to agree to our security requirements. Chris had shared his frustration with me and started to look for another school. Later that spring of 2005, I was in Phoenix with most of my new Athletic Director friends at the Fiesta Bowl Summit when I happened to have ESPN on in my room and noticed the rolling news ticker on the screen. To my surprise, it announced that Chris Mooney was now the new head coach for the Richmond Spiders.

Within five minutes of me seeing that on ESPN, I received a phone call from my exec. He said that Jeff Bzdelik, Denver Nuggets head coach, had called. I thought that Jeff was probably calling to recommend someone but, in actuality, he was calling for himself. I first met Jeff earlier that year when we were playing San Diego State at home. I saw him watching us play and introduced myself, then didn’t give it another thought, but when he called, it all made sense. He saw what we had and wanted to be a part of it.

The next two years were magical for Air Force basketball—trips to the NIT Final Four and the NCAA—24 wins in 2006 and 26 wins in 2007. We’ve struggled a little since then, but it’s easy to get complacent about winning. To put that in perspective, before Joe Scott had his magical run in 2004, we hadn’t had a winning season in 25 years. The program is now in great hands with Coach Dave Pilipovich and his great staff, so win or lose, we do it with energy and class, but I have a feeling we’re going to win a lot.

Budget issues were still a concern, so I scheduled a “money” game with the University of Tennessee in 2006 for almost a million dollars. That season turned out to be legendary coach Fisher DeBerry’s last season, and the job Fisher did coaching that game at Knoxville will be talked about for a long time. We should have won that game, because it took a superhuman defensive play on the part of Tennessee to keep us out of the end zone when Coach DeBerry called a brilliant two-point conversion play near the end of the game to try to win it instead of kicking the extra point for

the tie. Great, gutsy call. The Tennessee fans stayed and applauded us after the game, probably because they were relieved to escape with the victory, but mostly because they respected who we are and the way we played. At the end of that season, Fisher and I had a long talk about the future, and Fisher decided to hang it up after 23 amazing years at the helm. His resignation came well into December, so I wanted to try to sign a new head coach sometime before Christmas. That was probably unrealistic, but I wanted to try, so Brad DeAustin, Mike Saks, and I set out on a clandestine mission on a Monday the week before Christmas, always one step ahead of the press, using military airlift to shuttle us from Houston to Oklahoma to Chicago and back to Houston. Houston appears twice because I started with the Offensive Coordinator for the Houston Texans, one Troy Calhoun ’89, had a great interview with him in Coach Gary Kubiak’s office, and let our number one choice consider it for a while as we flew to a few more locations for interviews. On Thursday of that week, I called Troy from Chicago and asked if it was worthwhile to fly back to Houston.

Typically Troy, he said he would welcome it but we’d have to wait until after practice because they were getting ready for the Colts that coming Sunday. The rest is obviously history, because Troy, as Coach Kubiak put it so well, “bleeds blue.” He showed up on New Year’s Day, 2007, and hasn’t stopped since—six bowl games in his first six years, three Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy victories in the last five years, and another bowl game this year, a team that wins and loses with class—not a bad hire!

About 17 years ago, while I was serving as the faculty athletics representative for USAFA, I had the good fortune to chair the selection committee for a new hockey coach after the great Chuck Delich hung up his skates as our head coach. Randy Spetman trusted me to handle that task, so I couldn’t let him down. I had to get smart about hockey, so I contacted USA Hockey and in particular, Art Berglund, legendary hockey coach and Hall of Fame member. I got smarter in a hurry and got help narrowing the list to a few folks to interview. What an adventure—everyone needs to experience an interview with Frank Serratore once in their lives.

Hindsight obviously says I made a brilliant selection, but I’m not sure I had a choice. I think Frank would have haunted me forever if I hadn’t recommended him to Randy. It took Frank a while to figure out what kind of young men would not only be great skaters

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FROM THE TERRAZZO

but also be the best cadets and future officers. I liken him to Coach Wooden at UCLA—it took John Wooden sixteen years before he won his first championship and then followed with ten in a row.

It took Frank Serratore only about ten years before he won his first Atlantic Hockey Association championship and then went five in a row. We had been skating in the College Hockey America conference, but found a better home in AHA starting with the 2006-2007 season and won our first title in our first year. What memorable games—leading No. 1 seed University of Minnesota 3-1 at the regionals in Denver with about ten minutes to go only to lose a heart breaker 4-3; taking a 2-1 lead against Miami of Ohio into the final two minutes of the game only to have the ref call a rare “too many men on the ice” penalty, allowing them to score a power play goal and then one in overtime to lose 3-2; or how about the 2-0 win over No. 1 Michigan with an unbelievable 45 stops by our goalkeeper and then the “mystery” goal through the net by Vermont to keep us out of the Frozen Four—what an amazing run of success by the only “All-American” team in the round of sixteen.

We’ve had a number of other memorable cadet accomplishments, and it would take a lot longer than the AOG will probably give me for this reflection piece to cover it all. A few come to mind.

How about our amazing lacrosse team winning the ECAC tournament to advance to the NCAA tournament to face No. 1 ranked Duke? We played them well, but they did win and went on to take the title. Then how about our men’s soccer team beating a top-ten New Mexico team several times to take their conference tournament and advance to the NCAA tournament to face Washington in Seattle? Another great game but we lost 1-0. Or how about the men’s water polo team winning the Western Water Polo Association tournament to advance to the Final Four to face No. 1 ranked and undefeated University of Southern California? We played them as tough as anyone did all season, but we lost and they won it all. I will also never forget the steady performance of our great track and field and cross country teams—always top three in the Mountain West and memorable back to back outdoor conference titles sandwiching an indoor title under the great leadership of head coach Ralph Lindeman. This fall has also been record-breaking.

Our very young women’s soccer team won more Division I MWC conference games than in their history while our amazing women’s

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volleyball team also set new win numbers in the conference. Our rifle team brought the President’s Cup trophy back to USAFA by beating Army, Navy, and Coast Guard and is now ranked No. 2 in the nation as I write this.

Winning is certainly more fun than losing, but we do have a greater purpose for our athletic programs. I’m most proud of the fact that our athletes are all still true amateur athletes in the best definition of that word. They win with class and are all cadets first. During my tenure as AD, the NCAA instituted several new measures in an attempt to hold universities accountable for the academic success of their athletes, the Academic Progress Record, APR, and the Graduation Success Rate, GSR. We led our conference in both of these categories for all sports every year since the measures were adopted. That should come as no surprise to anyone considering who we are, but we have also had more than our share of Academic All-Americans, All-Americans in numerous sports, hundreds of conference Scholar-Athletes, NCAA Post-Graduate Scholarship winners (second only to Stanford in total numbers), and perhaps most significantly, four major NCAA and Mountain West Sportsmanship Awards in the last six years for cadets who have displayed extraordinary integrity during the heat and stress of competition. I will always remember Cadet Peter French, an epee fencer, competing at the World Championships in Basel, Switzerland, against the French champion and telling the judge that he didn’t deserve a point he had just been awarded—unheard of in international competition, but totally consistent with our Academy code and values. I will also always remember Cadet Will Kent, a thrower on the track and field team competing in the MWC championships, telling a judge that he could not have thrown as far as the judge called out, arguing with the judge who insisted he had measured correctly, and finally forcing the judge to re-measure.

The original distance would have put Will into the NCAA championships, but that didn’t matter—what mattered was Will Kent’s strength of character and integrity.

Of course all of this requires funding. There was never a recession in athletics. Coaches’ salaries have been on a steady climb during every year of the last ten. It’s hard to keep up when the average head football coach’s salary in the SEC, for example, is close to $3 million a year. Game guarantees to bring teams to USAFA to

play us in non-conference games have risen steadily. Travel costs have escalated with rising fuel costs. The cost of hiring umpires and referees has risen off the charts. As an example, basketball referees now make almost $3000 per game, per ref—I’m in the wrong business! We discovered early on that we could never keep up with these rising costs if we were to give the cadets a chance to compete at the Division I level, so we looked for alternative funding methods. Navy had been operating as a Maryland 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation or some form of that since 1891, so we pursued that avenue. My second superintendent, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) John Regni ’73, was in favor of the idea and gave me a chance to brief the Board of Visitors and the Secretary of the Air Force in the summer of 2006. The briefing was well-received and we were on our way. After several years of starts and stops and years of work to win people over to the idea, we flipped the switch on the new company in July 2013, and we’ve been making steady progress with great company leadership and a strong Board of Directors. It is truly the future of funding and competition opportunities for our great cadet-athletes and signifies a new direction of public-private funding strategy to keep our margin of excellence, not only for AD but Academy-wide.

We’ve also been very fortunate in receiving great facility construction support from both government and private sources. As I look out my window on the 4th floor of the relatively new Falcon Athletic Center, I see a new baseball field (the stadium itself is a work in progress) which is all Field Turf except the pitcher’s mound; a brand new outdoor track and field complex which is the best in the MWC and arguably one of the best in the country; and the Holaday Athletic Center (HAC), the first cadet facility built totally with private funding thanks to Mr. Bart Holaday ’65, who’s generous contribution kick started the project. Sports Business magazine recently picked the HAC as one of the ten best athletic structures in America. If you look inside our buildings, we’re just finishing up Phase 6 of a seven-phase refurbishment project in the Cadet Gymnasium. This project is a tribute to Gen. Regni’s Fix USAFA initiative to bring the main cadet fitness center up to modern standards. This extensive construction project has turned the cadet gymnasium into one of the finest athletic facilities in the country, with absolutely cutting-edge competition facilities for fencing, wrestling, swimming, gymnastics, boxing, and rifle. We were also successful in tying a military construction project, the Cadet Fitness Center at the west end of the gym, into the phased upgrade,

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in large part due to the influence of former Senator Wayne Allard of Colorado. The addition was originally a stand-alone building next to the gym inserted into the military construction project list for 2016. Senator Allard was able to get it moved up to 2011 and, without that move, considering the current budget situation, we probably wouldn’t have that great addition. The 50,000 square foot facility was opened two years ago and has had an immediate impact on the best measure of cadet fitness, the Physical Fitness Test (PFT). Before the center was opened, we averaged close to 200 cadets in RECONDO, reconditioning because they failed the PFT. That number is now down to roughly 70 cadets, clear evidence of the impact of that facility.

With all of that amazing progress, none of it would have happened without the greatest athletic staff in America. Almost 300 strong, I have had the privilege and honor to serve with the most dedicated professionals in my long tenure in government service. We have almost a hundred coaches, and I wouldn’t trade any of them for coaches at any other NCAA institution.

They know and live the Academy’s values and inspire their athletes to be, first and foremost, the best cadets they can be. We also compete in about 300 home contests every year and in another 300 or so on the road. That’s an enormous logistical effort and this staff does it with efficiency, class, and incredible dedication. We also teach physical education to 4000 cadets, and have the most talented instructors to include almost all of our intercollegiate coaches. We are unique among Division I schools in getting our coaches, some of them Olympic medal winners, to inspire all of our cadets in physical education classes. When you also add physical fitness testing and intramural competition to that list of requirements, it’s a full bag for all of our staff, but everyone loves the job they’re doing and loves being in this department to develop the great leaders our Air Force needs.

I have deliberately left the recent negative press about us until the end because I want to leave everyone who reads this with an accurate impression of who we are and what these great cadets have accomplished and how they want to be remembered. In a perfect world, we would bring in cadets who immediately embrace the core values and the essence of what we are trying to accomplish and produce, but they are still 18-22 year-old cadets who come from every corner of America with every possible cultural background. We hold them accountable immediately and expect them to hold each other accountable. When that doesn’t happen,

The Athletic Department is in great hands with all of the dedicated members of this department, and I am totally comfortable in handing the reins to the next AD, who like me will be the luckiest person on the planet.

”

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FROM THE TERRAZZO

we have a Cadet Discipline System, a Cadet Honor Code, and a Uniform Code of Military Justice to deal with infractions of our standards. I have been associated with the Academy for over 40 years and have served on numerous Honor and Sanctions Boards. Application of these sanctions has not been perfect, and we have had to evaluate and adjust the way we handle cadet punishment and rehabilitation through the years, but I have never in all those years seen favoritism in any cadet discipline system nor any deliberate attempt to circumvent an existing policy.

The cadets as a group through the years have always made me proud to be a part of this institution, and the vast majority—98-99%—are doing exactly what we want them to do. The evidence for that is irrefutable; just look at the great things our

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graduates are doing for our Air Force, other uniformed services, and our nation. It hurts when we are defined by the margins. We should be defined by that incredible group of cadets who make us proud every day, the cadets who have made it an absolute joy and honor to be able to serve as the athletic director at the United States Air Force Academy.

The Athletic Department is in great hands with all of the dedicated members of this department, and I am totally comfortable in handing the reins to the next AD, who like me will be the luckiest person on the planet. Thanks for allowing me to have this opportunity.

AIR FORCE

NEAR TOP OF COLLEGE

RANKINGS

By U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs

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pecifically, the Academy has the nation’s fifth-best undergraduate engineering program, and its second-best aerospace, aeronautical and astronautical program, a position it maintains for the 14th consecutive year.

The Academy has the nation’s second-best computer engineering program, its thirdbest electrical engineering program and its sixth-best mechanical engineering program.

“The acknowledgment by US News that the Air Force’s Academy remains among the best colleges in the nation is an outstanding honor,” said Lt. Gen. Michelle D. Johnson ’81, Academy Superintendent. “We provide a top-notch education for our cadets as they also prepare to graduate as leaders of character for our Air Force and our nation.

We clearly would love to be rated higher, but I welcome this affirmation of our great work. Our top-notch education, coupled with our military, athletic and character programs, ensure graduates are immersed in the traditions and professional values of the Air Force and are prepared to lead and mentor airmen in the future.”

The Academy is the nation’s 27th-best Liberal Arts College in the nation, tying with Colorado College and Bryn Mawr College, Bryn Mawr, Penn. According to

The Air Force Academy ranks high among the nation’s top universities in engineering and liberal arts courses, according to the 2015 Best Colleges Ranking report released in September

by U.S. News & World Report.

the list, the Academy also has one of the Best Undergraduate Business Programs.

The Academy is third on the report’s list of the top public schools, national liberal arts colleges and high school counselor rankings for the second straight year. The U.S. News & World Report staff conducted a nationwide sampling of public high schools and large private independent schools, asking counselors their thoughts on the institutions offering the best undergraduate education.

“We are thrilled at the continued, national recognition of our academic program,” said Academy Dean of the Faculty Brig. Gen. Andrew Armacost. “To receive recognition not only as a national liberal arts college but in our engineering and management programs shows our commitment to a breadth of learning opportunities supported by a world-class faculty.

To be alongside the other military service

academies in this list of incredible colleges, highlights our commitment to a strong academic program woven tightly into our broad program of leadership and character development. Our local partners, Colorado College and University of Colorado-Colorado Springs, also received outstanding recognition in these rankings. It’s great to see the city of Colorado Springs well-represented on the national stage.”

Forbes business magazine recently ranked the Academy as fourth-best college in the west and the 34th-best college in the nation.

The Academy’s student-faculty ratio is 8:1, its average class size is 20 and all faculty members are employed fulltime.

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BONUS CONTENT

Who is this man, Eddie Weichers?

Reflections on a pugilistic masterpiece.

By Col. (Ret.) Dale O. Condit

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WHO IS THIS MAN EDDIE WEICHERS? On the surface, as always, this is an easy question to answer: He has been the Head Boxing Coach at the United States Air Force Academy for the past 38 years and has accumulated 35 National Collegiate Boxing Association Regional Championships and an astonishing 19 National Championships—developing countless All­Americans along the way.

In March I received an e-mail from him, subject: “Hanging up the Gloves.” It read as follows: Last December, as a professional courtesy, I spoke with our Athletic Director Dr. Mueh of my intention to retire in 2014. I requested confidentiality of this announcement until after the 2014 NCBA Boxing National Championships to avoid any distractions for my AFA boxers. Since January 1976, my tenure as Head Boxing Coach and instructor in the Athletic Department has been a tremendous honor. The entire Academy collegiate experience has helped me grow and mature into a better person. I am healthy, happy, have a great attitude, and am blessed with the best job in America.

I am also blessed with an amazing, gorgeous wife, beautiful family, and friends. Therefore, 2014 will be my final season. Date and details to follow. I am retiring with a deep respect for military service, sacrifice, and the mission at this special place called USAFA. I depart with a happy heart on my terms with no regrets. It is just time to hang up the g loves. Thank you for the opportunity of a lifetime. It has been a privilege to serve and mentor. I will remain forever grateful. God Bless!

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Former USAFA Head Boxing Coach Eddie Weichers (left) and John Alora await the next round during a bout with Navy October 15, 2012.

When I read this, I wept—with sadness and joy! One of the hazards, I suppose, of being an old man is having your emotions so close to the surface, particularly with regard to those for whom you have the greatest of respect. Sadness, because my first reaction was, “He can ‘t do this!” But, of course, he can. I am reminded of what the 95-year-old retired minister of my home church back in Ohio said when I took him to lunch on his birthday not long ago. When the maître-d’ asked, “How are you doing?” my minister-friend replied, “Just as we please!” And so, too, joy, now that Coach Weichers can do just as he pleases— with his wife Sheri ‘s approval, naturally!

Eddie Weichers arrived at Air Force Academy while I was a young captain on the faculty some 38 years ago. I got involved watching intramural boxing because I mentored cadets who were aspiring boxers—or in some cases, just as today, uninspiring boxers. I recall watching one bout in the fall semester of 1976 when one or the young men whom I mentored got bloodied pretty badly. After seeing that, I said I would never watch boxing again. Well, I was at the Wing Open the following spring and back at intramurals the next fall! Ah, yes, the Wing Open—not just one of the premier sporting events at the Academy, but the premier sporting event at the Academy!

Coach Weichers and I probably met back then, albeit so briefly that neither of us can actually recall. When I retired in the early ’90s and returned here to start a consulting business, I again began mentoring cadets, which meant I was once more drawn to the boxing venue. Why do I keep watching? Some people ask me, particularly since I am a skinny old person who would be blown over by one of his boxer ‘s punches that missed me! There is a lot wrong with college athletics—perhaps even with Air Force Academy athletics—but there is nothing wrong with Eddie Weichers’ intercollegiate boxing program. The reason that

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December 2014

Eddie Weichers I keep watching—practices, competitions, and the Wing Open—is because Eddie Weichers’ program clearly supports the “sense” of the Air Force Academy: integrity, service, and excellence. Anyone who has ever watched him in action knows that Coach Weichers sets a very high standard for the young men in his boxing program. What is unusual is that he also sets this same kind of standard for them as cadets—to develop them as individuals and as teammates with the virtues and polish to be productive officers serving the Air Force and the nation. Thank the Good Lord for this!

I am reminded of a funny story this regard. The old boxing venue, now under construction, had a cassette player in it—I am sure some will rem ember cassette players! The boxers would bring in their favorite cassettes to play while they practiced. Well, one day a cassette was playing that had some words in it of which Coach apparently did not approve.

He walked over to the cassette player, removed that cassette, and threw it about half the length of room, where it exploded off the wall into fragments. He calmly said, “There will not be any of that kind of ‘music’ in here,” and went right back to coaching.

The standards have indeed been high. The French philosopher Pierre Tielhard de Chardin once wrote, “Our duty as men is to proceed as if limits to our ability did not exist. We are collaborators in creation.” We need only look at the legacy that Eddie Weichers has created with the Academy’s boxing program to understand the truth of this. He has delivered.

Like many others, I count myself very lucky that he and I have become good friends over these past twenty-two years, and if ever a friend typified the old maxim, “a friend in need is a friend indeed,” it is Eddie Weichers. He was indeed very kind and thoughtful to me personally during a major surgery a couple of years ago, but this is only one of the countless stories that family and friends can tell about the kind of friend he is.

Of course, the truth is that we all have to retire sometime—that is, the best of all worlds is that we do indeed get to retire. Despite the loss to the Academy’s boxing program—actually, to the Air Force Academy itself—we must all share the joy, not just in his accomplishments, but in the friend that he has been to so many of us. We revel in that joy.

What then is the bottom line? I have perused my

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extensive collection of quotations to see if I could find one that briefly captures the spirit of the man.

What I found was that Eddie Weichers captured it himself and has lived up to his own admonition: “Tough times don’t last; tough people do.”

What he has done over these decades at the Air Force Academy will last … and last … and last!

Academy cadets compete against each other during the annual Wing Open boxing competition.

Competing is one of the eight pillars of the Essence of USAFA, which allows cadets to enhance their determination, demands commitment and teaches life lessons that will build skills and resiliency while shaping cadets into more capable leaders. (U.S. Air Force Photo/Liz Copan) And, so, who is this man Eddie Weichers? He is a modest, yet affable and immensely talented man from Louisiana with a kind heart and a very special talent, whose influence has had an immense effect on countless young people who have chosen to serve our nation—and many of the rest of us who were not under that critical eye in the boxing venue. And what has kept him going after these almost-seven decades?

Certainly, an intense dedication to his craft. But

U.S. Air Force Academy Head Boxing Coach Eddie Weichers talks to cadets about their upcoming fights. Coach Weichers, who was ringside for the Falcons’ boxing program beginning in 1976, has guided Air Force to 19 NCBA national team titles and produced 1 3 individual champions and 325 NCBA All-Americans. In addition, the Falcons have finished in the top-two of the NCBA standings during 31 of the last 34 years, while claiming 34 of the last 35 NCBA Regional titles. (U.S. Air Force photo/1st Lt. John Ross)

also that “they” in Eddie Weichcrs’ life—because he is really “Eddie and Sheri,” just as she is “Sheri and Eddie”—the epitome of a devoted marriage partnership to those who know and love them.

And who loves them? I know that Dale Condit loves them, as do all of us who have been benefactors of their friendship and Christian generosity; and we pray that God will continue to bless them—this day and throughout every day of their retirement together.

Editor’s note: Colonel (Retired) Dale Condit served on the Academy’s faculty from 1974-78 and retired as the Program Director of the Milstar Joint Program Office at Los Angeles AFB, California. Since his retirement, he has supported the Academy in a variety of roles: teaching in the Mechanics Department on the McDermott Chair

for Academic Excellence, consultant for a combined Civil Engineering/Management Departments Cadet project on “green construction,” lecturer in the Geography and Military Studies Department, Senior Reviewing Official for the former Engineering 410 classes in the Astronautics Department, program management consultant for early FalconSat classes, and consulting facilitator for the Commandant ‘s Military Training Review. He has also conducted The Leadership Forum in his home for Cadets and Exchange Cadets and Midshipman for the past 41 semesters—and continues to mentor small numbers of Cadet leaders, faculty, and AOCs personally. He has, of course, been a long-time fan and contributor of Air Force Boxing.

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December 2014

ROLL CALL

By Jamie Donald ’84 Absent, Sir! The voice cries out in the Colorado autumn.

It echoes across the granite and marble, Then fades in a moment of silence.

That moment – hoping against hope – That someone will find the missing And call out, “Present!”

But the moment fades and another name is called.

This name is one that I know.

A friend.

A silent prayer is said before the echo ends.

Prayers for other souls–not on today’s roll–Are offered.

For them and their families.

Those with whom I’ve flown, served, deployed, Laughed, hoped, dreamed, prayed, and loved.

Too many names, yet still another is called out.

Absent, Sir!

Although nearly five thousand are present, All is silent, save the voice calling roll And the voices answering in reply.

God has commanded that even nature be subdued, Respecting this sacred occasion and The souls attached to each name.

Another name is read off the list.

A salute is rendered.

A song is played.

Peaceful; this melody used to sound as we went to bed.

Haunting because it is played for those in their final slumber.

Words in my thoughts follow the tune, “Day is done ...” Ending with, “Safely rest. God is nigh.”

Silence greets the end of the song.

The salute is ended.

In its own way, Taps cries out to all,

Absent, Sir!

Absent, Sir!

The words themselves seem to mourn having to answer.

And I wonder if the young men and women Appreciate the solemnity of their ceremony.

I like to think they do.

As a young man I stood in their shoes, Never complaining about this one formation.

Relentless, the roll call continues.

My thoughts turn to my wife Whom I first met in the seventeen-spired building behind us.

To my friends both gathered and those unable to attend.

To all those I hold dear, a silent vow is pledged.

I shall cherish the moments I have with each, Letting them know who they are to me Before any of us has our name called and answered with

Absent, Sir!

Absent, Sir!

Absent, Sir!

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December 2014

U.S. Air Force photo by Bill Evans

WORTH 1000 WORDS Combat rescue officers and a pararescueman from the 23rd Wing, Moody AFB, Ga., and the 58th Rescue Squadron at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., fast-rope from a hovering HH-60 Pave Hawk helicopter as it hovers over the Cadet Area on Oct. 17, 2014. The pararescuemen and combat rescue officers performed a Combat Search and Rescue demonstration at the Academy to expose the Cadet Wing to the Air Force combat rescue mission. –Amber Baillie, U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs usafa.org

Cream of Poblano Soup Chef Joe Tiemann, Class of 1971

Ingredients 2 onions, chopped 2 teaspoons each: sugar, salt 1 stick butter 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper 2 cans condensed chicken broth 2 teaspoons Mexican oregano 2 cans water 1 teaspoon ground cumin 2 pounds poblano peppers, cleaned 1 teaspoon minced garlic, seeded, sliced 3 cups half and half (or milk) 5 tablespoons uncooked rice

Directions 1. Sautee chopped onions with the minced garlic in butter until light golden; salt and pepper as desired; do not brown.

2. Add broth, water, rice, sugar, salt, white pepper, oregano, and cumin; stir; then add sliced poblano peppers. Bring to a boil and then cover and simmer for about 45 minutes, or until rice and peppers are very tender.

3. Puree in blender, a third at a time, until smooth. Add half and half; heat through. Adjust seasonings to taste.

Option 1: grate an 8-oz block of Kraft Pepper Jack Cheese into the soup, let it melt, and stir until smooth and thoroughly mixed.

Option 2: garnish with fresh chopped chives.

Fish Tacos with Baja Slaw Chef Sandy (Maloney) Keeter, Class of 1982 Ingredients • 1 pound mahi-mahi, tilapia, or other whitefish • Flour or corn tortillas • Salt, to taste • Pepper, to taste • Chili powder, to taste • 1 cucumber • 1/2 head cabbage • 2 tomatoes • 1/2 large onion • 1 red bell pepper • Hot peppers, to taste • 1 handful fresh cilantro, chopped • 1/2 cup grapefruit juice • 1/2 cup lime juice

Directions 1. Thinly slice cucumber, cabbage, tomato, onion, bell pepper and hot peppers and place in mixing bowl.

2. Add cilantro, grapefruit and lime juice and salt and pepper to taste. Marinate for 30 minutes.

3. Season fish with salt, pepper and chili powder to taste. Grill or broil fish to desired doneness.

4. Assemble tacos. Top fish with Baja cabbage and Aioli sauce.

Food Lovers Unite Falcon Sweet Tooth

After working hard to get fit after the new year, it’s time to reward yourself with a guilty, sweet pleasure. Whether it’s cakes, pies, cookies or pudding, send us the recipe of your most decadent dessert and you could be featured in the March edition of the Long Blue Ladle. Email your favorite recipe to editor@aogusafa.org today.

Long Blue Ladle: Off the Menu Visit Checkpoints Online and expand your cookbook with even more great graduate submitted vegetarian recipes.

Legacy, Exemplars,

and the Spirit of ’17

I asked these youngsters in the Class of 2017: “What do you look forward to after you graduate?”

One young lady stopped eating, looked me straight in the eye, and said: “Sir, I’d like to fly C-130s.”

I said, “That’s interesting—I have over 2,000 hours in 130s!” The words came out of my mouth in spite of the thought racing through my head: “She is 50 years younger than me and we’re talking about the same mission!” And so went my dinner with members of the Class of 2017—their Exemplar Dinner.

I am a graduate of the Class of 1967. Our class is the Legacy Class for the Class of 2017 and we were invited to join them for dinner. If our class had a Legacy Class, it would have been the Class of 1917. Think of it: my classmates could have associated with folks who served in the Great War. Now, young cadets in the Class of 2017 are associating with folks who served in Southeast Asia. My classmates sit in the middle of a century of military service—the people who served 50 years before us and those who’ll serve 50 years after we started in service to our country. That is legacy!

The formal ceremony for the Exemplar Dinner opened with a sentence that I don’t remember.

What is etched in my memory is what happened when it ended with the words: “the Class of 2017.” Immediately after those words were uttered, the room erupted with a loud: “BUUUUUUUUUD!” What were they shouting?

The Class of 2017 selected Col. George “Bud” Day as their Exemplar. An exemplar is chosen to

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epitomize the personal characteristics that each class of cadets seeks to emulate. Not only did these folks choose Col. “Bud” Day as their role model, they embrace him and his memory. I knew this would be a special occasion as they responded with “BUUUUUUUUUD” every time the Class of 2017 was mentioned.

So how was dinner? Well, the ceremonies were exceptional. They honored Col. Day as an Exemplar and impressed me with a true feeling of Legacy. Col. Day was a forward air controller (FAC) in the F-100. As a “fast” FAC, with the call sign Misty 01, he flew risky missions over Laos and North Vietnam. He was shot down over North Vietnam and captured. After over five years as a prisoner of war he was awarded the Medal of Honor for his bravery and resistance as a POW. The Exemplar Dinner’s guest speakers, Col. (Ret.) PK Robinson ’62 and Maj. Gen. (Ret.) Don Shepperd ’62, both flew as Misty FACs with Col. Day. As a fellow POW, Col. Robinson knew of Col.

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Coin presented at Exemplar Dinner Opposite Page: Nine members of the Class of 1967 attended the Class of 2017’s Acceptance Parade

Cadet 4th Class Eric Zielen-Ersing accepts a copy of Contrails from retired Brig. Gen. Richard Carleton ’67 during the Class of 2017 Acceptance Parade at the Air Force Academy Aug. 6, 2013. Zielen-Ersing was one of eight outstanding basic cadets named at the end of Basic Cadet Training. Carleton is an alumnus with the Class of 1967, which is the legacy class for the incoming freshmen. (U.S. Air Force photo/Sarah Chambers). BGen Roger Carleton is on right & author is 4th from the right.

Spirit of 2017 The Col. George Everett “Bud” Day display case was unveiled at the Class of 2017 Exemplar Dinner Sept.

26.Day was chosen as the Class of 2017 Exemplar for his love of country and his example of the triumph of the human spirit. (U.S. Air Force photo/Bill Evans) Maj. Gen. Sheppard ’62 far left; Col. Robinson ’62 is on far right; First Lt. Day ’11.

Day’s heroism, firsthand. Sadly, Col Day passed away last year and could not witness these tributes; however, his grandson, First Lt. Josh Day ’11, was part of the ceremonies. What an honor for some of my classmates and me to share in this experience.

And by the way, Mitchell Hall’s staff put on quite a dinner as well!

As a Legacy Class, we take part in key events for the Class of 2017. Some of my classmates served as greeters when the new cadets first arrived in June 2013. After their Basic Cadet Training, our classmate Brig. Gen. (Ret.) Roger Carleton ’67, addressed them at their Acceptance Parade. Then nine of us presented Contrails to the top cadet from each “Beast” squadron. This was a symbolic gesture since our class provided Contrails to the entire class. Our next dinner with members of this exceptional class will be in August 2015. It is called the “Commitment Dinner” to celebrate their formal commitment to the Air Force after two years at the Academy. As the roller coaster of events leads them toward graduation, we will be invited to their Ring Dining-Out and their 100th Night celebration.

Finally, the night before graduation, we will present each member a set of second lieutenant bars with ’67 and ’17 inscribed on the back. While all of these events are symbolic, they constitute the usafa.org

close association so vital to passing along on the legacy of the Long Blue Line.

At USAFA the Legacy Class program was started in 2000 with the Class of 1964 then associating with the entering Class of 2004. You may notice that the difference was only 40 years. That was because past graduates were still “young.” After the Class of 1959 had their 50th reunion in 2009, the program officially changed to the 50-year point.

West Point and the Naval Academy have similar programs. As the USMA Class of 2017 marched back from their summer training encampment, members of USMA’s Class of 1967 marched the final two miles with them. They formally take part in 2017’s Professional Military Ethics Education.

At USNA the program is called “Another Link in the Chain.” This title is inspired by a line in the poem The Laws of the Navy that reads: “Upon one link in the cable, dependeth the might of the chain.” The website for USNA’s Class of 1967 talks about “anchoring their legacy with the Academy.”

While that is a weak pun, it is an apt description of this valuable and, hopefully, enduring program at all Academies.

This article is dedicated to all the fine men and women in the Class of 2017— BUUUUUUUUUD!

Class of 1967 representatives attended Exemplar Dinner standing on the Staff Tower of Mitchell Hall 9/29/2014.

What an honor for some of my classmates and me to share in this experience!

Retired Maj. Gen. Donald Shepperd ’62)speaks at the Class of 2017 Exemplar Dinner

Retired Col. Paul Robinson ’62 speaks at the Class of 2017 Exemplar Dinner

Checkpoints

December 2014

FRENCH CONNECTION 76ers celebrate their 40th reunion early!

Written by Rich Mintz ’76 How can four members of the Spirit of 76 Class (Chris Curry, Bill Hobart, Byron Hepburn, and Rich Mintz), travel to southern France to celebrate their 40th reunion when only 38 years have passed since graduation? Before our secret is revealed, some background information will help.

The Beginning of the USAF Academy: École de l’Air Exchange Program

In 1966, France chose to withdraw from NATO’s integrated military structure and the forces of allied nations stationed on French soil were asked to leave. Military leaders feared that the loss of personal contacts between the officer corps of each nation would hinder mutual understanding and cooperation in the future. Sargent Schriver, the U. S. Ambassador to France, proposed that France and the United States exchange military personnel in order to improve future relations. This idea was warmly received by both General Thomas Moorman, then Superintendent of the USAF Academy, and his counterpart at the École de l’Air , Général Claude Grigaut. These two leaders met in November 1968 to discuss the feasibility of a mutual exchange between the two schools. In August 1969, a Memorandum of Understanding was signed establishing the exchange program. usafa.org

Exchange Positive Impacts

Since that first exchange, over four hundred cadets have participated in the exchange.

Exchangers from both nations have served as exchange officers, attachés, staff officers in combined headquarters, and as operators in international coalitions, side-by-side with their French and American counterparts.

Another Special Recognition

Our mission in Paris (in addition to mandatory window shopping and expresso sipping at sidewalk cafés) was to meet and determine if our group included an Officer of the French Legion of Honor. One of our own, Byron Hepburn, received the Legion of Honor for his career long collaboration with the French Military Medical Service.

Most significantly he was recognized for his participation in USS Cole air evacuation mission.

Story of Duty

In the aftermath of the attack on the USS Cole in Oct 2000, immediate medical attention was required for the injured and the closest facility was at Djibouti, a nearby French Foreign Legion base.

Who better to coordinate the movement of injured U.S. sailors than a former medevac pilot, current flight surgeon, and fluent French speaker—Col. Byron Hepburn MD. Honneur et Patrie

The Légion d’honneur or Ordre national de la Légion d’honneur is a French order established

by Napoléon Bonaparte on May 19, 1802. This world-renowned order is the highest decoration in France and is divided into five levels: Chevalier (Knight), Officier (Officer), Commandeur (Commander), Grand Officier (Grand Officer), and Grand-Croix (Grand Cross).

A Toast to Paris in perfect weather, Sep 2014

Légion d’honneur (Officier)

The original award requirements have been amended over the years, but in 1962, General Charles de Gaulle restored the Legion of Honor to its original concept as the highest general military and civil order of merit. Today the award can be given to men and women, French citizens and foreigners, civilians and military personnel.

Unforeseen Exchange Benefits

Byron’s scientific and operational partnering with the French military throughout his career, exemplify the unforeseen value of the exchange program.

Four ancien eleves (from the left: Byron, Rich, Bill, and Chris) celebrating at the Legion d’Honneur Museum in Paris, Sep 2014

A Generous Gesture

The organizer of the 40th reunion, General Roger Reynard, Ret. FAF, participated in the Exchange in 1975 as a member of the Spirit of 76.

It was Roger’s idea to include the exchange Americans in the special celebration. Roger also arranged for the former USAF cadets to give a special gift to the senior Brigadier (similar to our Wing AOC) of the Promotion, General Yves Buffat, Ret. FAF, in honor of General and Mme. Buffat’s kindness to the group during our stay in Salon de Provence.

So the question remains. Why a 40th reunion for the “Promotion 74” (French Air Force Academy Class of 1974) in the year 2014? The French Air Force Academy is a two year program where the USAF Academy exchange participants join their French aspirants in the fall semester of the second year. At the École de l’Air, each class celebrates the milestone of the year one enters the program at Salon de Provence. So our French classmates celebrate the year they entered the École de l’Air (1974.) And 40 years later is another major milestone (2014) to celebrate.

Byron presenting a gift to General Buffat, Ret. FAF, Sep 2014

Opposite Page: Class of 1976 Exchange Cadets at the Château de Chaumontel, Aug 1975 Left: Légion d’honneur Medal (Officier)

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December 2014

Gone But Not Forgotten Roger G. Conant, ’59 Lt. Colonel Roger Guy Conant, Priest River, Idaho died July 30, 2014.

He was born in Skowhegan, Maine on September 4, 1937. Roger was the eldest child of Thornton French Conant Sr. and Ruth Heald Conant.

Roger excelled at Skowhegan High School as a scholar, graduating third in his class, 1954 Maine State Champ football player and president of his student body. Roger obtained his nomination from long-time family friend Margaret Chase Smith and headed west to be a part of the brand new Air Force Academy, graduating in 1959.

Roger’s uncle Robert Heald flew bombers for the military and inspired Roger to apply for the brand new Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs where in addition to a cadet’s rigorous schedule, Roger played on the collegiate football team who made a Cotton Bowl appearance.

Roger went on to serve his country for 24 years, navigating B-47s and C130s. He also served in missile defense in Turkey as Deputy Base Commander and at Malstrom, Pope and Maxwell Roger Conant Air Force Bases, among others. He retired as lieutenant colonel in 1979.

Roger then led his young family, wife, Barbara, and daughters Shersten and Anna, north to Spokane where he became the Safety Engineer for Aetna Life and Casualty for 15 years. Roger’s love of the outdoors started early in the woods and mountains of Maine and he soon found Priest Lake much to his liking. He and his beloved daughters spent many weekends camping, ATVing, boating and snowmobiling on or near the lake. He designed and helped build his energy-efficient home facing the meadow and the breathtaking mountain range, including Sundance Mountain. He was content, a fulfilled man who lived life well: full of patriotism, integrity and honor. Roger was well known for his constant companions over his life, various Labrador Retrievers. He spent his life working for his family, country and community.

After retiring a second time, he was able to move to his home in Idaho and indulge full time in the outdoor activities he loved and volunteer in the community. For almost 20 years Roger selflessly worked for the snowmobile trail groomer’s committee and the U.S. Forest Service citizen study committees and serving as the longtime president of the Priest Lake Trails and Snowmobiles Club. He volunteered for various fundraisers, served as an officer and board member and helped to provide leadership, stability and practical suggestions and continuity.

He had a well-developed sense of stewardship and a very personal belief in God. A plaque hung in Roger’s office and a newspaper clipping was kept in his wallet with this Theodore Roosevelt quote: “Far better is it to dare mighty things, to win glorious triumphs, even checkered

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

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

84

by failure, than to take rank with those poor spirits who neither enjoy much nor suffer because they live in the gray twilight that knows no victory nor defeat.”

In Loving Memory of Roger Guy Conant, Sept. 4, 1937 - July 30, 2014.

(Roger’s Family)

Albert L. Waters, ’59 Col. (Ret) Albert L. Waters passed away on Oct. 7, 2014, in Riverside, Calif. Al was born in Morganton, N.C. on July 6, 1936 to Julius Arthur Waters and Gertrude Nenneman Waters.

At a young age Al moved with his mother to Delaware after his father’s death. He was a graduate of the class of 1954 of Bridgeville High School and went on to the Air Force Academy Class of 1959.

Al came to the Academy out of the National Guard. His Polaris yearbook entry says, “Al never let … distracting influences … interfere with his game. His ability to remain calm and collected under any circumstance will undoubtedly be one of his greatest assets.” The yearbook got it right.

He took his pilot training at Spence AB and Craig AFB. His first operational assignment was flying the C-121 in a unit that had been activated just three days before the Academy was dedicated, the 962nd Airborne Air Control Squadron. His Vietnam tour was at Tan Son Nhut (Saigon) where he was an Instructor in the C-123 Provider flying a variety of combat missions, including Ranch Hand. Providers constantly flew troops and supplies to small (less than 2500 foot runways) dirt airstrips at isolated bases in South VietAl Waters nam.

After Vietnam Al went to Mather AFB as a Flight Examiner in the 3535th Navigator Training Wing. From there he became a student again at the AF Institute of Technology where he earned his MS in aero-mechanical engineering. His research paper, an “Optical Study of Supersonic Flow over a Rearward Facing Step”, shows quite a contrast from the C-123.

During his 30-year career in the USAF Al showed a great deal of versatility. He was the Assistant Deputy Commander Operations for the 317th Tactical Airlift Wing at Pope AFB flying C-130. From there he went to the Pentagon as the Chief of the Management Policy Division and then as Deputy Chief of Staff of Research, Development and Acquisition. Then it was back to the flying business as Vice Commander of the 1550 Aircrew Training and Test Wing at Kirtland AFB when they provided training in both fixed wing and helicopter aircraft.

From Kirtland be moved to Eglin AFB as Commander (and an active pilot) of the 39th Aerospace Rescue and Recovery Wing flying the HC130, UH-1 and CH/HH-53 among others. Along the way he was awarded the Legion of Merit three times, two Meritorious Service Medal and six Air Medals. He graduated from both the Air Command and Staff College and the Air War College.

Al retired in 1989 and went to work for Omni Concepts first as a Financial Planner and later as Operations Officer. He retired for good in 1993 and moved to Pinehurst, N.C. where he played golf five days a week until he started to develop the symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. He suffered for 11 years.

Janet, his wife of 55 years, and sons Eric of Texas and Craig of Virginia, survive him. He also leaves a sister Margaret “Boots” Sipple of Bridgeville, Del. and a brother Harry Waters of West Grove, Pa. and a number

of nieces and nephews. Al’s body was donated to the Science Program, Loma Linda School of Medicine in California to further Alzheimer research. Later he will be cremated and services will be at the Air Force Academy. (Al’s family, friends and Ed Josephson, ’59)

George J.C. Fries, ’60 George “GJC” Fries was born in Brooklyn, New York on May 17, 1938.

His journey through adult life began with four year with the Class of 1960 at the Academy where he developed friendships that would last fifty eight years. While at the Academy, GJC enthusiastically participated in learning the tolls of the military trade while spending time ensuring the success of the formation of Lacrosse as a recognized sport and promoting fan participation of intercollegiate athletics as a dynamic member of the rally committee. His dedicated work as the business manager on the yearbook staff guaranteed all of us a memorable record of our cadet days.

GJC passed away on Aug. 7, 2014 after a courageous fight against cancer.

After an aborted attempt at pilot training, GJC was assigned to Little Rock AFB as a tanker navigator; received his first taste of a combat environment refueling fighters over Thailand and B-52s heading for Vietnam. His subsequent assignment to SOS as a Section Commander and Evaluation Officer started him into the education field where he would return later in life. He completed one combat tour at Pleiku, RVN as EC47 Instructor Navigator prior to tours of duty at SAC, PACAF and TAC HQs pro“GJC” Fries viding programming support and system analysis for various SIOP communities, and assisting in computer resource integration of the E3A, F-15, and F-16 aircraft.

George followed that with a one-year tour with the U.S. Forces Korea staff supporting the Worldwide Military Command & Control System, prior to moving halfway across the globe for a three-year tour at HQ US EUCOM. In Germany, he provided the command staff with automated Command and Control and Intelligence data. Following his next stop at HQS ADTAC, Langley AFB, Va., he completed a final PCS back to Korea.

This assignment found him supporting both US Forces and the Korea Staffs at Combined Forces Command.

Twenty-eight years after commissioning on June, 8, 1960, George retired to beautiful Hawaii, where he spent nine months as a contractor, and five years as a landscaper. Upon his return to CONUS in 1994, he became very actively engaged in providing landscape support for Busch Gardens, Europe, during the summer and, following his love for education took on the role of substitute teaching at middle and high school levels to fill out his year. He was a member of VFW Post 824 (probably recruited by D.K. Johnson) and enhanced his love for landscaping by achieving the qualification as a Master Gardner.

George’s winning disposition and love of life prompted him to try just about anything. He could always be depended on to take on any challenge with gusto and a light sense of humor that made work a pleasure.

As an occasional participant in the yearly class ski group, George won the annual award for his skill and dexterity in lift-riding. His ability to find some humor in just about any situation endeared him to everyone who knew him.

GJC is survived by his wife of 33 years, Rebecca Fries; four daughters, Suzanne Boucher (Ron) of Baton Rouge, La., Nicole Feldman of Little Rock, Ark., Jennifer Bowers (Christopher) of Kent Ohio and Stefanie Goodrich (Mark) of Summerville, S.C.; a son, Matthew Fries (Michelle) of Springdale, Ark.; a sister, Rosemarie Vetter of Bronx, N.Y.; and 12 grandchildren: Taylor, Dotty, Marcom, Michael, Brian, Alycia, Trey, Brianna, Brittany, Amber, Savannah and Liam. (Andrew W. Biancur, ‘60)

Robert J. Kuchlewski, ’62 Son of Dr. Edward Kuchlewski, MD, and Anna Kuchlewski, Bob was born and raised in Elizabeth, N.J. Red Tag to the core, “Kuch” was the bane of the existence of the Blue and Grey Tag hierarchy in 15th and 19th Squadrons during our third and second-class years with his biting sense of humor and refusal to kowtow.

One of our better athletes, Kuch lettered in soccer for three years, was a starting fullback for two and was perennial runner-up in the annual wing handball tournament.

Following undergraduate pilot training, he flew KC-135s out of Wright-Paterson AFB, Dayton, Ohio, where he met and married his wife, Charlotte. He was stationed at Wright-Pat when his Air Force career was cut short by medical retirement in 1965.

Following retirement, he attended Georgetown University Medical School, Washington, DC, where he received his MD, returning to Dayton where he established a practice in ophthalmology.

He and Charlotte had one child, Robert, “Bobby”, born in 1970.

Kuch’s career as an ophthalmologist was cut short when he was diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1979. Surgery Bob Kuchlewski was successful, but cost him most of his eyesight. He later underwent a kidney transplant, for which his son Bobby was the donor.

Kuch’s medical issues did not preclude his attendance at Red Tag reunions. He passed away in Dayton, Ohio, in April 2014. He was pre-deceased by his wife, Charlotte, and son Bobby. He is survived by his older brother, Dr. Edward J. Kuchlewski, DDS. (Joe Guilmartin, classmate and friend)

David W. Milam, ’63 Col David W. Milam, USAF (Ret), classmate, fine officer, and noted test pilot, “Flew West” on September 11 after his heart failed.

Dave grew up in Pueblo, Colo. and graduated from the Academy in 1963 with a BS Degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He graduated from Pilot Training in Class 65B. After three years at RAF Wethersfield, he flew 176 combat missions in the F-100 from Ben Hoa South Vietnam. He earned an MS Degree in Aeronautical Engineering in 1973 from the University of Arizona before being assigned as an instructor in Aerodynamics and Fluid Mechanics at West Point.

He graduated from the USAF Test Pilot School in Class 73. He was then assigned to Test Operations at Edwards AFB where he was the project pilot on the A-7 DIGITAC Fly-by-Wire program and program manager for the F4E Austere HUD. He developed a keen interest in aircraft handling qualities and flight control system development, which led to his work on optimizing the F4E Lead Computing Optical Sight (LCOS) and the F4E Historic Tracer gun sight. The result was a vastly improved air-to-air gunnery system.

Dave Milam Colonel Milam then joined the TPS staff as a specialist in flight control theory and aircraft handling qualities. In 1978, he joined the F-16 Combined Test Force where he led the High Angle-of-Attack program. He also developed and taught a unique High AOA characteristics and recovery techniques course for operational pilots. David was instrumental in incorporating improvements to the F-16 gun sight that resulted in vastly improved accuracy for F-16 A/A gunnery. David also led a flight control law improvement program to improve the F-16 handling qualities in the power approach configuration.

He then led the F-16 Advanced Fighter Technology Integration (AFTI) basic Research program. The AFTI program demonstrated the blending of a new flight control computer, new control laws, aircraft sensors, and new control surfaces to improve fighter aircraft performance.

After a tour in the Pentagon in Classified Programs in RDQ, Colonel Milam joined the B-1 System Program Office at Wright-Patterson AFB as the Deputy Director. Here he was instrumental in the redesign of the B1 flight control system and the defensive electronic warfare system. He retired from the USAF in 1993 as the Chief of Staff for the Aeronautical Systems Center.

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GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN He then became President and CEO of the Wright Technology Network, a technology transfer company working with the Aeronautical Research Laboratory to transfer new technology to private industry. He has been instrumental in the High Performance Computer Program introducing new super computers to the USAF. Colonel Milam held the Legion of Merit with oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross, eight Air Medals and the Bronze Star. He had over 3,000 hours of flying time in 60 types of aircraft. While at Wright-Patterson he helped to establish the Great Lakes Chapter of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots, was its first Chairman, and is a Fellow of the SETP. Dave dearly loved God, his family and his country. Dave is survived by his wife, Donna; daughter Julie (Sayer), son David Jr., granddaughter (Ceana), brother, Jack (Jodie), mother-in-law Bernadette, many sisters and brothers-in-law, nieces, nephews and cousins. Dave was active in Boy Scout Troop 516, the Centerville Noon Optimist Club, and board member of the Mound Street Academy.

Dave’s funeral was Sept. 15, 2014 in Ohio, and he will be laid to rest privately at the USAFA Cemetery.

Donations can be made to Noon Optimist Club of Centerville, P.O. Box 750492, Centerville, Ohio 45475-0492. Online condolences may be sent to http://www.tobiasfuneralhome.com. (Dave Skilling, classmate and friend)

William M. Douglass, ’64 Brigadier General William M. Douglass (’64) passed away on Sept. 19 after losing his struggle with Alzheimer’s disease.

General Douglass was born in Belen, N.M., on Feb. 23, 1942, and graduated from Belen High School in 1960. After graduating from the U.S. Air Force Academy in 1964, the general attended pilot training at Laredo Air Force Base, Texas, where he married his high school sweetheart, the former Irene Radcliffe of Belen. He remained there as an instructor pilot until 1969, when he entered combat training. In June 1970, he left to fly 202 combat missions in the F-4 out of Phu Cat Air Base, South Vietnam.

His 33-year Air Force career took him to assignments at Headquarters U.S. Air Forces in Europe at Lindsey Air Station, West Germany; later at Ramstein Air Base, West Germany; Luke Air Force Base, Ariz.; Osan Air Base, South Korea; Cannon Air Force Base, N.M.; Incirlik Air Base, Turkey; Royal Air Force Station, Lakenheath, William Douglass England; Robins Air Force Base, Ga.; and the Pentagon. After nine more years in the private sector, General Douglass and his wife retired to Corrales, N.M. The general was a command pilot with more than 4,000 flying hours, principally in F-4s, F-16s and F-111s. He commanded the 311 TFTS, the 39 TG, and the 48 TFW, was Vice Commander of the ALC at Warner Robins, and retired as Director of Maintenance for the AF. His military awards and decorations include the Legion of Merit, Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, Meritorious Service Medal with four oak leaf clusters, Air Medal with 12 oak leaf clusters, Air Force Commendation Medal and Air Force Recognition Ribbon.

He was a loving husband, father and grandfather with a brilliant mind, a quick wit and a huge heart. He loved flying, movies, classic country music, playing poker, spending time with his family and friends, traveling with his wife, and reflecting on his career in the Air Force and his time at the Academy.

He is survived by his wife of 49 years, Irene; his son Ted, his daughter in law Jenny, his grandson Jonah, his granddaughters Tess and Ta-

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

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

86

tum, his son Bill (’94), his daughter in law Betsy, his grandson Liam and granddaughter Clare.

His remains were laid to rest at the AF Academy cemetery on Oct.9.

Additionally, a memorial service was scheduled near his home for Oct. 18 at Eagle Ranch Church in Rio Rancho, N.M. In lieu of flowers, his family asks that you make a donation to an Alzheimers charity. (General Douglass’s family)

Daniel L. Kearns, ’64 Dan was born in Flint, Mich., the eldest son of Lucille Williamson Kearns and Lewis Gamble Kearns. In 1949 his family relocated to Haventown, a Philadelphia suburb, where Dan attended Brookline Elementary School. He was president of his Boy Scout troop, played Little League softball, and delighted the neighborhood by providing free rides on the go-cart which he designed and built himself at age eight.

After the family moved to Wallingford, another suburb of Philadelphia, Dan excelled in academics, athletics and leadership at Nether Providence High School, now Strath Haven High School. He was president of the student council, president of the senior class, co-captain of the school’s football team, which that year, in 1959, won the league championship, initiated the men’s cheerleading-gymnastics squad and his academic ranking was in the top one percent of his class.

Dan Kearns Dan was chosen of one of two from Philadelphia to attend the Air Force Academy, which at that time had yet to have its second graduating class. Dan was involved in many intercollegiate sports including cheerleading and gymnastics, as well as intramural boxing, rugby and football. In addition to playing rugby he also coached the sport in his last year. Dan graduated from the Air Force Academy in 1964 and took his master’s in science at New York University in 1965. Dan later resigned his commission and went to work in the civilian world.

After working at IBM, Hewlett-Packard and Boeing in the area of engineering and product development Dan pursued real estate development in Eugene, Ore. He married Susan Scovell in 1985 and their daughter was born in 1986. The couple divorced soon after but Dan embraced being a father- Melissa was the light of his life. It was during this time that he developed strong appreciation for the beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

He was active with marathon running, skiing, mountain climbing and white-water rafting.

An entrepreneur by instinct and intellect Dan created Synergy Marketing which provided specialized marketing for unique products chiefly in the health care industry. He successfully ran his consultancy for over 39 years. His enterprising spirit and radiating positive energy have been an inspiration to all who have known him and worked with him.

Dan passed away on May 19, 2014 due to complications that arose from cancer. He will be sorely missed by his family and friends, especially by his daughter Melissa of Rhododendron, Ore., and sister Martha of Philadelphia, Pa. They have always appreciated the many adventures they went on with Dan, the time they spent together and the bond they shared. He will be missed as well by Dan’s partner Katie Fleischman of Sandy, Ore., with whom Dan shared a strong and significant love.

He is preceded in death by his paternal grandparents Rev. Ralph D. Kearns and Edna Gamble Kearns; his maternal grandparents Harry Williamson and Louise Williamson; and his parents Lucille Williamson Kearns and Lewis Gamble Kearns of Bradenton Florida. (Melissa Kearns, Dan’s daughter, and Martha Kearns, Dan’s sister)

Freddie R. Patterson, ’64 Freddie Ray Patterson, 70, died April 30, 2011 in Beckley, W.V. of COPD (Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease).

Born in Bluefield, W.V. on Dec. 25, 1940, he was the son of the late John F. Patterson and Carrie Gadd Patterson. Surviving are his brother John F. Patterson, Jr.; his sisters Sandra lee Patterson and Donna Lynn Hutchison, his beloved niece Amanda Carrie Hutchison, his long-time

companion, Linda Robertson, and his ex-wife, Carole Ballegeer of Arvada, Colo. Preceding him in death was his daughter, Andrea Dawn Patterson.

A graduate of Meadows Bridge High School, W.V., Class of 1958, he was appointed to the United State Air Force Academy, where he graduated in 1964 with the designation of 2nd Lieutenant. Upon graduation, Fred married Carole Root of Boulder, Colo. in the Chapel at the Air Force Academy.

Soon after, he was assigned to flight training in Laredo, Texas, then onto advanced flight training at Travis Air Force Base, Merced, Calif. He gained proficiency in KC135s. While stationed in New Mexico and Arkansas, Fred was sent on temporary duties to Spain, France, Korea, Guam, Japan, as well as other countries. While stationed in Rapid City, S.D., he served with the Strategic Air Command (SAC).

During his first tour in Vietnam, Fred Patterson Fred flew the KC135, a refueling tanker. Later, at Fort Walton, Fla., Fred was trained to pilot the Huey Helicopter, where he flew combat missions to rescue our American troops in Vietnam. He received the Distinguished Flying Cross.

After Vietnam, Fred was stationed in Hawaii. Upon discharge as a Captain from the United States Air Force, Fred attended West Virginia University College of Law, where he was awarded his law degree. For several years, before his death, Fred was a gentleman farmer in Grassy Meadows, W.V. He was well known for his letters to the editor and his propensity for getting his tractors stuck in the mud.

A Memorial Service was held at the Wallace Memorial Cemetery Mausoleum in Clintonville, W.V. on May 9, 2011. Arrangements were by Blue Ridge Funeral Home, Beckley, W.V. (Sandra Patterson, Fred’s sister)

Wayne D. Brown, ’65 Wayne Dennis Brown, age 72 of Springboro, Ohio, passed away Sept.

26, 2014 at Hospice of Butler-Warren Counties. He was born in Mudsoc, Ohio on July 1, 1942 to John R. (deceased) and Faye Brown Young.

He graduated from Southwestern High School in 1960 in Patriot, Ohio, where he played baseball, basketball and football. Wayne spent one year at Ohio University.

He then entered the U.S. Air Force Academy and graduated in 1965 with a Bachelor of Science degree. Wayne served 20 years in the Air Force, retiring in 1985 with the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. During his distinguished career, Wayne served in Vietnam and was a senior navigator. Wayne was awarded the Air Medal with three oak leaf clusters, the National Defense Service Medal and the Vietnam Service Medal with six bronze service stars.

Wayne earned his master’s degree in Program Management from the University of Southern California. After retiring from the Air Force, Wayne worked for Northrop Grumman for 17 Wayne Brown years. Wayne was a gentleman, a patriot, a Christian and a family man. He was very active in the Springboro Christian Church where he was a member. Wayne truly love and valued his family.

He was a role model to his brothers, sisters, children and grandchildren and led by example. He was an avid golfer. His favorite pastime was traveling with his wife of 28 years, Sharon Brown, and his grandchildren. Wayne will be remembered for his kindness and zest for life. He will be missed by all who knew him.

Wayne is survived by his wife, Sharon; son Michael Brown of Hesperia, Calif.; daughter Natalie Farless of Sacramento, Calif.; mother, Faye Brown Young of Gallipolis, Ohio; stepson Shawn (Angie Metcalf of Springboro, Ohio); granddaughters Kaitlyn Brown of Hesperia, Calif.,

Elizabeth Metcalf and grandson Andrew Metcalf, both of Springboro, Ohio; three brothers, John Brown of Todos Santos, Mexico, Dan Brown of Simpsonville, S.C. Don Brown of Phoenix, Ariz.; two sisters, Bonnie Tabor and Donna Brown, both of Gallipolis, Ohio.

Services were on Sept. 30, 2014 at the Springboro Christian Church, Springboro, Ohio with Wayne Mock officiating. Burial was in Springboro Cemetery with military honors. (Sharon Brown, Wayne’s wife, and Joyce Bailey, Wayne’s friend)

William R. Venemon, ’71 William Robert “Bill” Venemon passed away on July 12, 2014 after a year-long struggle with cancer. He is survived by his wife of 38 years, Kathryn, a son David, a daughter Kasey, son-in-law Dean Holt, grandchildren Trevor and Kendall and two brothers, John and Charles Venemon.

Bill was born on Christmas Day in 1948 to Nancy and Jack Venemon.

He grew up on the family apple farm in Tieton, Wash., which, he often reminisced, taught him and his brothers their strong work ethic. It showed as Bill graduated from Highland High in 1967 as the student body president and class valedictorian. Bill was also active in sports, lettering in football, basketball and track.

Bill was appointed to the Air Force Academy in 1967 and graduated in 1971 with a degree in Engineering Mechanics. While at the Academy Bill continued his athletic career playing football on the freshmen and JV teams. An avid gun collector and hunter, Bill was also a member of the Academy’s Skeet Team, a hobby he enjoyed the rest of his life.

Following graduation Bill attended undergraduate pilot training on the “streets of Laredo” at Laredo AFB, Bill Venemon Texas. He graduated in July of 1972 with an assignment to the 4th Military Airlift Squadron at McChord AFB, Wash. flying the C-141A. There Bill met the love of his life and wifeto-be, Kathryn. Bill enjoyed many assignments and accomplishments during his 21 years of service, including picking up a Master’s Degree in Engineering at the University of Washington, and a high point in their life, the birth of daughter Kasey and son David. Bill retired as a Major in 1992, packed up the family and moved to Scottsdale, Ariz. where they resided until his death.

In January of 1995 Bill was hired by FTI Flow Meter Technology of Tempe, Ariz. as an Application Engineer. He quickly established himself as a conscientious engineer and friendly personality. He developed lasting friendships with his customers and co-workers. Bill was a unique individual who showed kindness to everyone he encountered, typically adding a personal touch to all of his interactions. Bill remained at FTI, even working full time during his battle with cancer. Dedicated to the end, he had a personal goal of completing a second retirement, giving him 20-plus years with two separate organizations.

Bill continued as an avid outdoorsman, shooting trap and skeet, as well as acquiring a large collection of Winchester 22 rifles. Bill was a regular exhibitor at the Mesa Gun Show where he made many close friends. Bill was very knowledgeable and always willing to share with friends or new acquaintances. Family and friends alike will sorely miss Bill. We tipped our cup to Bill one last time at his favorite pre-gun show breakfast hangout, Cindy’s in Mesa. Bill left big footprints in many lives, size 15 to be exact. Life will never be the same, but Bill will never be forgotten.

In lieu of flowers, please donate to the Tieton, Washington Presbyterian Church, the Veterans of Foreign Wars or the American Action Fund for Blind Children. (Bill’s loving wife, Kathryn, his family and a good friend, Michael Hurley, Class of 1971)

Thomas P. Mathews, III, ’78 Major Thomas Philip Mathews, III, USAF retired, age 57, passed away Feb. 4, 2014, after an extended struggle with Alzheimer’s disease. Tom was the son of the late Thomas Philip Mathews, Jr. and Mildred Hawthorne Mathews.

Tom is survived by his devoted wife of 29 years, Jennifer Carter Mathews; his son William Philip Mathews; his daughter Elizabeth 87

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN Mathews Aldridge (husband, Joseph); his sister Nancy Mathews Castro (husband, Mark, children Lee and Sidney); and his sister Linda Elizabeth Mathews. He is also survived by his brothers-in-law David and Douglas Carter, and sisters-in-law, Blair Carter and Mariah Rogers (husband, Mark).

Tom was born March 11, 1956, in Fort Dix, N.J. and lived in Richmond and later Charlottesville, Va. Growing up, Tom and his family belonged to Fairview Swim Club, where his life of hard work began. Tom graduated in the Albemarle High School Class of ’74, The United States Air Force Academy class of ’78 and Boston University Germany Campus. Tom retired from the Air Force after serving 17 years as an Air Weapons Controller and Mission Crew Commander on the AWACS during Desert Storm. He was stationed in Florida, Korea, Nevada, Germany, Oklahoma, Iceland and Arizona, the Tom Mathews last five stations with his wife, Jenny.

They returned to Charlottesville in 1995 to raise their children among family and to care for their aging parents.

Tom was an active member of Alders gate United Methodist Church, a member of the Ivanna Radio Control Club, a lifetime member of the Air Force Academy Association of Graduates, and an aficionado of anything that flew. He loved to fish and check out the newest cars. He enjoyed cheering on the UVA sports teams with his mother and son, while enjoying a Coke and some peanuts.

Tom was a hard worker and family man who will continue to be loved and missed by many. It was a great joy for Tom and his family that Tom was able to walk Elizabeth down the aisle in October 2013. Tom was an animal lover, and will be missed very much by his knucklehead dog Rogue.

Tom was interred on February 22 at Riverview Cemetery in Charlottesville, Va. with military honors. (Jenny Mathews, Tom’s wife)

William D. Paramore , ’82 Bill Paramore was best described as a quiet, friendly and determined person who always had a smile on his face. He passed away on July 7, 2014 surrounded by his family and friends.

Born July 16, 1960 in Opelika, Ala. where his dad was finishing up his senior year at Auburn University, the family then moved to Melbourne, Fla. in April of 1961 where Bill lived most of his life.

Bill was always “that guy”, Mr. Perfect Attendance, Boy Scout, the 1st Quarterback for the football team in West Melbourne, shortstop on the baseball team and safety patrol. He graduated at the top of our class from Melbourne High School, was the National Honor Society Vice President and an amazing athlete on the high school basketball team.

After high school graduation in Bill Paramore 1978 he accepted an appointment to the U.S. Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. Bill graduated from the Academy with a Mechanical Engineering degree and began pilot training. He married Margaret Bryan, a classmate from the Academy in 1983 and they had a son, Jeffery, in March of 1986.

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

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

88

Bill completed his Air Force career from Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs and moved back to Melbourne, Fla. in May 1990. He went to work at Harris Corporation as an engineer, and later moved into Business Development where he spent many years traveling extensively for Harris.

In 1991, Bill was called back to serve his country in support of Operation Desert Storm and received a commendation from William H Webster, the Director of the CIA for his leadership and courage. “Your contribution to the effort without a doubt helped the allied forces conduct one of the most successful campaigns in the history of armed conflict. You were key to resolving several difficult situations and helped make the impossible happen. Although you are a hidden and unsung hero, you are a hero in every sense of the word. Take great pride in all you accomplished; our Armed Forces, the Agency, and our country owe you much thanks!”

In 1993, Bill married his longtime friend and high school classmate Luwana Henderson Dalton. Together they raised two fantastic sons and in his spare time Bill coached the boys in sports and perfected his own golf game.

He was a dedicated volunteer and truly enjoyed his time with the Red Cross (he spent several weeks in the New York/New Jersey area after hurricane Sandy devastated much of the shoreline in 2012). He also delivered food for Meals on Wheels.

Surviving Bill are his wife, Luwana; his children Cristopher (Laura) and grandson Jaxson Dalton; Jeffrey Paramore; parents, William (Barbara) Paramore; brother Jim (Cathy) Paramore, and sister Suzanne (Kevin) Mathis, four nephews and two nieces.

I can no loger see you with my eyes, touch you with my hands, but I will feel you in my heart forever… remember God gave me you. (Bion Henderson (brother in law) and Luwana Paramore, Bill’s wife).

Thomas F. Moses, ’83 Thomas Frank Moses, 52, of Roswell, Ga., passed away on Aug. 4, 2014, after a year-long battle with pancreatic cancer. His visitation and funeral were held at Saint Brigid’s Catholic Church in John’s Creek, Ga., on Aug. 8, 2014. Thomas was the son of the late Mr. Douglas M. Moses, Jr., and Mrs. Lois Moses of Sumter, S.C. He was raised in Sumter where he attended Wilson Hall, excelling academically, in sports, and in Boy Scouts.

After high school, Tom became a member of Air Force Academy Class of 1983. He entered the Academy originally wanting to attend Medical School, but fell in love with flying and ultimately graduated with a BS in Aeronautical Engineering. During his Cadet years, he played lacrosse and ran a number of marathons, including the Denver Marathon.

After graduation in 1983, Tom was sent to UTP in Columbus, Miss., finishing training in November 1984. He was assigned to the 10th MAS (MAC), Zweibrucken Air Base, in Germany, February 1985, where he flew the Shorts Tom Moses Sherpa C-23. The 10th MAS was a brand new squadron whose role was to become the backbone of USAF’s new European Distribution System of spares support for combat aircraft.

The Sherpas of 10th MAS served a network of bases covering the entire USAF operational theater in Europe. During this tour, Tom met his wife, Merilyn (a Department of Army Civilian). They were married for over 26 years. Tom was awarded the Air Force Achievement Medal for meritorious service from February 1985 to February 1987 for his contribution to ratings his unit received in their first two inspections and title of Military Airlift Command’s Outstand Support Airlift Unit of 1985.

In March of 1987, Tom was assigned to McGuire AFB in New Jersey, where he flew C-141s until his discharge from the Air Force in June 1991.

During Desert Storm, Tom served as an Airlift Control Element Operations Officer at Volk Field, Wis. He was the Air Force liaison with the Army in sending mid-western National Guard units to the Middle East.

He was awarded the Air Force Commendation Medal for Meritorious Service for service March 1987 to June 1991.

Hired by Delta Air Lines in June 1991, Tom worked as a pilot for 23 years where he was a 737-800 Captain at the time of his diagnosis. In June 2013, he was nominated for the Chairman’s Club; the highest award at Delta.

Tom loved his family and was a very involved parent. He coached his daughters’ recreation soccer teams; and taught them to play tennis.

In addition to his interests in photography, collecting music, and fantasy football, Tom was a very competitive athlete. He was an avid tennis player, and enjoyed biking. Before he got sick, he would ride a 100 miles (Century) a month, and continued to play tennis and ride bike late into his battle with cancer. He defined his illness; it didn’t define him.

Tom was a member of CS 39 – the Jedi Knights – when he graduated from the Academy. Being a Jedi meant to be “caring and concerned; recognizing what’s right, doing what’s right, and standing up for what’s right; helping each other; having principles; [and] being a friend.” Tom was always proud to be a Jedi and carried this philosophy on with him through the way he lived his life.

In addition to his wife, Tom is survived by two daughters, Jean Moses, Katie (Brett) Anderson, and his beloved granddaughter Aubrie; his mother, Lois Moses; brothers Doug (Kay) and Tim (Mary); sister Nancy Ketchum (Peter); three nieces and five nephews. (Merilyn Moses, Tom’s wife)

Michael G. Nigl, ’86 Michael Gerard Nigl passed away Sept. 27, 2014 peacefully at home after a long battle with cancer. Mike was born on Aug. 17, 1964 in Richland Center, Wis., the son of Rudy and Jeanne (Katalenich) Nigl. After graduating from Richland Center High School in 1982, Mike entered the Air Force Academy and graduated with a BA in Aeronautical Engineering in 1986.

He was a member of 30th Squadron or “Dirty Thirty” all four years and participated in a number of programs, including choir, soaring program, parachuting and the Wing Open Boxing competition. His performances were part of the reason for the Knights receiving squadron of the year two consecutive years. When faced with challenges at the Academy and his AF career, Mike, better than most, kept it simple by keeping the values engrained in him growing up. His values from the beginning – honesty, family comes first, and do your best helped him throughout his time at the Academy, and translated well to the Air Force Core Values – Integrity first, Service before self, and Excellence in all you do. Mike relied on those values any time there were challenges over right and wrong through school and his Air Force career – and he served with honor.

Mike Nigl He started his Air Force career at Williams AFB where he completed pilot training and remained as an instructor/test pilot in the T-37, T-38. During pilot training he met and married Mary Jo Siciliani on March 10, 1990. He served and flew many missions during Operation Desert Storm, Operation Allied Force, Operation Southern Watch and the Kosovo Conflict while deployed at RheinMain Air Base and RAF Mildenhall. He was also stationed at Loring AFB, Reese AFB, and Grand Forks AFB, where he flew the K-135R, and T-1.

After separating from the military in 2000 as a major, he settled back in his hometown. He flew for United Airlines (First Officer -737) based out of Chicago O’Hare. He also owned and operated Nigl’s Fine Furniture and Millworks. Because of his love of trees and wood, he became a board member of Bad Axe Woodland Owners Association, a member of the National Walnut Council. He was active in the community serving on the Richland District School Board, Chairman of Richland County Republican Party, American Legion and the Knights of Columbus.

In his spare, time he loved attending any sports or activities his children were involved in, hunting, camping and hanging out at the family farm. He always enjoyed discussing politics and his love of flying. He will always be remembered by his big smile and kind words. His dream was to retire and build a small railroad on his family farm. His dream and life were cut way too short. He was a wonderful son, husband, father and friend. He lived life to the fullest and to “always be thankful for everything you have because someday it could be taken away”.

Survivors include his wife, Mary Jo Nigl of Richland Center; four children, Mariah Nigl of Milwaukee, Mikayla Nigl of Madison, McKenna Nigl and Michael “Mac” Nigl both of Richland Center; his parents, Rudy and Jeanne Nigl of Richland Center; brothers and sister Rudy (Cherie)

Nigl of Stoddard, Wis., Jeff (Pam) Nigl of Richland Center, Teresa Evans (fiancé Patrick Kash) of Merrimac, Wis., and Patrick (Lora) Nigl of Beavercreek, Ohio.

In lieu of flowers memorials may be given to G.R.A.C.E. or the Richland Hospital Kramer Center. On line condolences can be made at www. clarymemorialfuneralhome.com. (Mary Jo Nigl, Mike’s wife, with help from Hugh Brennan, ’86, Mike’s roommate)

Morris M. Fontenot, Jr., ’96 Lt. Col. Morris “Moose” Fontenot, Jr. died on Aug. 27, 2014, when the F-15 he was flying crashed into a wooded, mountainous area of the Shenandoah Valley in western Virginia.

Morris was born on Nov. 7, 1972 in Houston, Texas to Morris Mayuse Fontenot, Sr. and Mary Jane (Janak) Fontenot. He was raised in Pearland, Texas, and attended Pearland High School. After high school, Morris attended New Mexico Military Institute for one year on a Falcon Foundation Scholarship. He began his Air Force career in 1992 at the United States Air Force Academy to pursue his lifelong dream of becoming a pilot. At USAFA, Morris met and began dating his future wife, Kara Janean Parks. Morris and Kara graduated from the Air Force Academy in May 1996 and were married a month later on June 29, 1996.

Morris attended pilot training at Laughlin AFB, Texas. He received his Air Force pilot wings on Dec. 12, 1997 and was selected to fly the F-15C. He then reported to Tyndall AFB, Fla. where he completed the F-15 Basic Course and was the B Course “Top Gun.” Morris’s first operational assignment “Moose” Fontenot began in September 1998 at Mountain Home AFB, Idaho with the 390th Fighter Squadron, the “Wild Boars,” who gave him the fighter pilot call sign by which he is now widely known, “Moose.” During this military assignment in Idaho, Moose and Kara celebrated the birth of their two daughters, Natalie Marie Fontenot and Nicole Desiree Fontenot.

In early 2001, Moose and his family moved to Eglin AFB, Fla. where he joined the 58th Fighter Squadron, the “Gorillas,” and was voted as the squadron’s “Top Pilot” and “Top Instructor.” In July 2004, Moose began training at the prestigious USAF Fighter Weapons School at Nellis AFB and graduated from Weapons Instructor Course O4B as a USAF Weapons Officer in December 2004. Later that month, Moose and his family moved to Alaska where Moose joined the 19th Fighter Squadron “Gamecocks” at Elmendorf AFB. In July 2007, Moose and his family moved once again, this time to Washington D.C., where Moose worked as a DOD Congressional Fellow and the USAF Chief of Fighter Programs at the Pentagon.

In the summer of 2010, Moose and his family moved across the Pacific Ocean to Kadena AB in Okinawa, Japan. There Moose continued flying the mighty F-15 as the Director of Operations for the 44th Fighter Squadron, the “Bats.” Then in March 2012, Moose fulfilled a careerlong dream of commanding an operational F-15 squadron when he took command of the 67th Fighter Squadron, the “Fighting Cocks,” leading his squadron to win the Raytheon Trophy for the Best Fighter Squadron in the Air Force for 2013. While stationed at Kadena AB, Moose deployed twice to the Middle East in support of training and contingency operations.

In January 2014, Moose left active duty and joined the Massachusetts Air National Guard in order to provide family stability for his two daughters’ high school years. Moose joined the 104th Fighter Wing Barnestormers at Barnes Air National Guard Base in Westfield, Mass., assuming the responsibilities of Wing Inspector General and F-15C instructor pilot.

During his career, Moose logged more than 2,300 flight hours, 240 of which were in combat. He was a decorated combat veteran, earning the Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal, Aerial Achievement Medal, Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Achievement Medal, and Combat Readiness Medal among others.

Lt. Col. Fontenot is survived by his wife, Kara, and his daughters, Natalie and Nicole, residents of Longmeadow, Mass. He is also survived by his parents, Morris Mayuse Fontenot, Sr. and Mary Jane Fontenot of Willis, Texas. (Lt. Col. Richard Dodge, classmate and friend) 89

GONE BUT NOT FORGOTTEN

Richard W. Schafer, III , ’01 Major Richard “Rick” Walter Schafer, III was born Oct. 30, 1978 in Houston, Texas to Richard W. Schafer, Jr. and Margaret Elizabeth White Schafer. He married Ashley Thornton Schafer on July 7, 2001. A native of Austin, Texas, Rick attended Bowie High, where he initiated the school’s ROTC program, lettered in football as the team’s fullback, and graduated in the top five percent of his class in 1997.

Rick went on to graduate from the United States Air Force Academy in 2001 as a member of the 18th squadron “Knight Riders”. He then attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Laughlin AFB, Texas where he graduated at the top of his class in 2002.

“Tracer”, as he was known to his fellow pilots, was a decorated Air Force Veteran: with over 2,000 flight hours in the F-16 and T-38. He attended training for the F-16 at Luke AFB, Ariz. in 2003.

He went on to fly F-16s in the 555th Fighter Squadron, the “Triple Nickel”, “Rick” Schafer in Aviano Air Base, Italy. With the “Triple Nickel” he flew combat missions over Bosnia, Kosovo, Iraq and Afghanistan. “Tracer” then served as an Introduction to Fighter Fundamentals instructor pilot at Moody AFB, Ga.; Sheppard AFB, Texas; and twice at Columbus AFB, Miss., where he excelled in preparing future pilots for combat. Rick also served as Safety Officer while deployed to Ali Air Base, Iraq, was a graduate of Air Command and Staff College and Squadron Officers School.

Rick was an accomplished aircraft builder and pilot, skilled woodworker, an expert in home remodeling and welding and loved to hunt.

Always outgoing and upbeat, he had a lasting impact on everyone he met. Avery and Rachel’s Daddy participated in every aspect of their lives including reading Bible stories, playing dress-up and teaching them how to use their pink BB guns safely. Rick and Ashley were high school sweethearts and were married for 13 amazing years and they are members of Columbus Church of Christ in Columbus, Miss.

Rick passed away August 31, 2014, along with his brother Matthew Taylor Schafer, in a small plane crash outside of Abilene, Texas. He is survived by his beloved wife, Ashley, and daughters Avery and Rachel; parents, Richard W. Schafer, Jr. and Beth White Schafer; sister Stephanie Taylor and her husband, Brad, and children Preston, Brooke and Mason; sister-in-law Victoria Schafer and children Wyatt and John Luke; parents-in-law, Ken and Cheryl Thornton; sister-in-law Amy Eskew and her husband, Trey, and daughters Aliyah and Milan; grandfather, Richard Walter Schafer, Sr. and many aunts, uncles, cousins and friends.

Funeral services were held at the United States Air Force Academy Chapel and Cemetery on Sept. 9, 2014. Additional memorial services took place in Austin, Texas at West Hills Church of Christ on September 13, 2014 and in Columbus, Miss. at the Memorial Plaza, Columbus Air Force Base on Sept. 19, 2014.

In lieu of flowers, consider supporting the family by donating through www.giveforward.com and search for Major Rick “Tracer” Schafer. (Lt. Col. Matt Dietz, squadron mate and friend)

Tng-Loong Foo, ’04 Tng-Loong Foo passed away on Aug. 20, 2014.

Tng-Loong entered the Class of 2004, USAFA, as an international cadet on a Military Training Award from the Republic of Singapore Air Force (RSAF). Affectionately known as “Foo”, he is remembered for his warmth, sincerity and willingness to go the extra mile. As a C4C, he

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

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

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topped his mathematics classes and graduated with distinction in aeronautical engineering. Tng-Loong was a fierce competitor in the soccer intramural fields, and a great sportsman. He made group staff and was appointed Squadron Commander of CS­16 in 2004, demonstrating outstanding leadership.

Upon graduation, Tng-Loong returned to the RSAF as a Captain. He joined the RSAF’s 130 Squadron training detachment at the Royal Australian Air Force Base in Pearce, Australia, and underwent the 124th Basic Wings Course on piloting fundamentals on the S211 Marchetti trainer aircraft. Tng-Loong ‎was appointed course leader, and endeared himself to his coursemates with his servant leadership. He held himself to exacting standards, but was protective of his coursemates, selflessly defending them and willing to shoulder punishment for them. His justification was: “The men are only as good as their leader can be”.

Tng-Loong’s impeccable leadership was matched by his passion for flying and thirst for knowledge. His resilience and drive saw him receiving the best trainee award.

In 2005, Tng-Loong joined the RSAF’s 150 Squadron training detachment in Cazaux Airforce Base, France, for fightTng-Loong Foo er pilot training. He flew the A4SU Super Skyhawk and earned the coveted RSAF pilot wings in 2006, excelling to win the best ground school award for his Fighter Wings Course.

His childhood dream achieved, Tng-Loong joined the United States of America (USA) Air National Guard 152th Fighter Squadron in Tucson, Ariz. becoming an operational F-16 Viper fighter pilot in 2007. He served briefly as F-16 pilot in the RSAF’s 140 Squadron in Tengah Air Base, Singapore, before joining the 425th Fighter Squadron in Luke Air Force Base, Phoenix, Ariz., in 2008. There, he matured as an F-16 pilot, honing his fighter flying skills in large-scale exercises with the 425th Fighter Squadron.

Tng-Loong returned to the Joint Staff unit in the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), as Staff Officer in the Force Transformation Office in 2010.

Without administrative experience, it was initially tough. However, he persevered to become one of the most dependable and capable junior officers there. His deep sense of responsibility, fighting spirit and cando attitude made him a valuable asset. Consequently, Tng-Loong was promoted to Major.

Tng-Loong was made Officer Commanding of the RSAF’s 143 Squadron in Tengah Airbase, Singapore, in 2012, flying the F-16C/Ds.

(Continued on page 134.)

AOG Written Obituary Procedures Outlined The Association of Graduates receives numerous questions concerning written obituaries in Checkpoints, specifically why some graduates do not have obituaries appear in the magazine.

The AOG procedure is once the details of a graduate or cadet death is verified, that notice is placed on the AOG website and listed in the next magazine’s “At Presstime” section. Shortly thereafter the President and CEO sends a condolence letter to the next of kin informing them that the obituary editor will be contacting them shortly for an obituary submission.

Next, the obituary editor sends a letter to the next of kin asking that they provide a writer for the obituary and a photograph of the deceased.

The obituary is limited to 600 words maximum and a deadline for the next magazine is included.

If the obituary and photograph appear by the deadline and are within the parameters necessary for magazine publication, the obituary appears in the next magazine. If not, a second letter is sent to the next of kin after that magazine is published asking for the obituary and photograph again with a deadline for the next magazine. The next of kin is also notified in the second letter that this will be the last request for an obituary.

If the requested materials do not appear by the second deadline, no further action is taken and the obituary does not appear.

Class News Ed Josephson 23 Old Gordon Road Brentwood, NH 03833 H: (603) 778-1495 Cell: (603) 770-6003 Josephson@comcast.net

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This column reminds me of a potpourri, as in a mixture of things. It is being written while working on the arrangements for our AF-Army minireunion, just one of many distractions making it unusually difficult to focus on the task at hand. We shall see if all my training in compartmentalizing and multi-tasking was successful. You are the judges.

Don Brooks sent along a status report on how he and spouse Yong (Jin Hee) are doing with their bucket list. Within the past couple of years or so, they have traveled to Australia, New Zealand, and Fiji; twice to Eastern Europe, primarily along the Danube; Northern Italy; an Alaskan inside passages cruise; and China, including the Great Wall and a cruise on the Yangtze through the Three Gorges.

Most recently, they spent three weeks on safari in South Africa, Botswana, Zambia, and Zimbabwe, inSabre Society Donors cluding twelve nights in the bush living in “very comfortable” tents. The trip included Victoria Falls, Cape Town, and the Cape of Good Hope.

Next on their list is a trip to South America to see Machu Picchu and the Galapagos. Following that, they have a trip to Israel planned.

Don, just one question — how long is your list? It must be pretty long because Don suggests considering a class cruise for our ‘59th Reunion. As he points out, you can’t get much closer to sea level than that! I wonder if Don includes a cruise on one of the great rivers of the U.S. for consideration.

Dick Goetze has found a few ways to keep busy in retirement. For, example, he is on the Adjunct Faculty with the American Military University (AMU), an on-line part of the American Public University System. He created and teaches a course on Strategic Military Leadership and fills his spare time teaching courses such as, “Foundations in Military Strategy and National Security” and “Joint Warfare Planning and Implementation”.

His flying has not been neglected. He has piloted 12 Hero Flight missions for the Veterans Airlift Command moving veterans for whom flight on commercial airlines is very difficult. Dick says “despite suffering horrific injuries in service to their country, these people and their families have great attitudes. It makes you proud to be part of the military family”. His goal is to continue with Hero Flights as long as he can pass his FAA physical. We salute you Dick.

Bill and Anna Telford reported on the “mini-mini reunion” at Wayne and Bonnie Jeffersons’ beautiful home in Wintergreen, VA. Others attending were Dennis and Trude See, Joe Morgan, Jan Waters, and Kent and Freda Montavon. As you may know, classmates in Northern and part of the Southwest portion of Virginia get together periodically to check on each others’ health. Actually, this one was to celebrate two birthdays – Wayne’s and Dennis’. Bonnie, (the “hostess extraordinaire”) had planned some surprises. Following a night of revelry, the first surprise was a restaurant known only to the hosts. It turned out to be Keswick Hall, a gorgeous antibellum home with a fantastic view of a lush golf course. Next was a trip to the Trump Winery (yes, owned by “The Donald”). After a lengthy tasting of various wines, they were treated to a private visit to Albemarle Hall, a huge mansion built by Patricia Kluge, the previous owner of the 1300-acre vineyard. That night, they celebrated the birthdays with some fantastic “gag gifts” that had the house rocking. Bill and Anna spared us too much detail but noted it was more than funny to see Wayne and Denny with Indian headdresses and threatening to model Speedo bathing suits. It’s amazing what folks will do after a few glasses of wine. The next day, they all drove to Charlottesville to be joined by Brenda Welch for a wonderful lunch at a local restaurant. The hosts were successful in providing a memorable couple of days for the Virginia contingent.

Before the group went their separate ways they took time to discuss

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The “mini-mini “reunion group. another “mini reunion” on the East coast. Two ideas that generate the most interest were Charleston and St. Augustine. The first might be fun and the Sees’ volunteered to host the second. They promised an email in the near future to see if there might be some interest among the class.

The New Hampshire contingent puts in an early vote for Charleston. Judy and I met, got married and produced both children in the “Holy City”. In fact, our first home was in Rainbow Row. If you look at the official Tourism Guide for Charleston, SC web site, the photo above the heading “Historic Downtown” the house partially visible on the left side is where we lived.

We were “SOBs” (meaning we lived “South of Broad” Street).

John and Barbara Davey sent regrets because they won’t be able to join us at the AF-Army game this time. It should be a good game, and AF will put the big trophy back in the showcase this year. Go Air Force! Beat Army! They did make the Navy game when they visited their daughter Beth and family who had just moved to Colorado. Naturally, grandparent advice and assistance was needed and the Navy game was a bonus.

Bob and Pat Dwyer were visiting the San Antonio area for Bob’s Laredo Class Reunion. Joan and Jerry Garber and Kathy Gagliardi met Bob and Pat in Gruene for lunch Wednesday, 15 October. We had a great time reminiscing, and, of course, the ladies got to spend time in some of the many shops in Gruene. It was great seeing them.

After the reunion CV and Sandy Miller drove to Anchorage, AK to visit their daughter and family. While there they went on a fishing trip with Bill Toney in his Cessna 180 on floats. CV said he even caught a few fish.

Their next trip was back to USAFA for the dedication ceremony of a Memorial Plaque for A-1 Skyraider Pilots. One hundred forty-four Skyraider pilots KIA are listed on The Vietnam Memorial in Washington DC, 104 USAF and 40 USN. Seven were USAFA graduates. A total of 44 graduates from the classes 1959 through 1969 flew the Skyraider in SEA. The dedication ceremony recognized the seven graduates that were KIA and the four which have passed away since. It was CV’s honor to represent the Class of 59. Our lost classmates, Lyn Oberdier, KIA and John G. Hayes deceased, were recognized. The plaque will be placed on the wall at the SEA pavilion.

They finished their summer traveling at WPAFB at the premier of “The Judge”. Robert Downey Jr was in attendance.

RL and Eugenia Penn are continuing their world travels but this time with a difference. They were guests of daughter Lira, her husband, Walid Sghari, and new granddaughter Sofia on a special journey to Tunisia to visit Walid’s family. RL said they were surprised and very impressed with Tunisia. The country is more modern than expected and it appeared to be well run. Traffic was heavy but moved smoothly and in an organized way. Of course, meeting Walid’s family and getting the chance to see many Tunisian highlights with family and friends made it a unique trip.

Mike Carns dropped a note to let us know all is decidedly “well” with them and to pass on a bit of news, albeit somewhat stale, time-wise. They were in San Antonio last spring for some reason and called up Cathy Gagliardi who lives on the north side of town. She agreed to go out to lunch together and off they went to her favorite Mexican haunt – Spanish style building, big hats, lots of hot sauce, mariachis and all the trimmings. Mike says Cathy is soldiering on; Gag left a huge gap for her and certainly for his close friends as well.

Jim Reed has sent the following status report on efforts to complete the tasks we agreed to support at the 55th Reunion: So far, efforts to get digital copies of early USAFA histories haven’t worked out. The USAFA library doesn’t have the capability to produce a digital copy from a bound volume and isn’t – for understandable reasons – eager to cut up the histories to run them through a sheet-feed scanner. We’re still trying to find options and alternatives.

You can stay current on class events by using the class Facebook page, which is a closed group not accessible to the public. If you’re not yet included in the group, you can go to Facebook.com, search for “USAFA Class of 1959” and on that page click on the request to join the group.

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Class News

Jim also included a note that Harrison Lobdell passed away July 30th.

He was concerned that word only got to the gymnastics team members and not to the rest of the class. Certainly I missed his passing but want to make up for it now. Major General Harrison Lobdell was Captain Lobdell and Deputy Director of Physical Training our first year. He and his boss, Major McGlothlin, had a big impact on my survival the first summer.

While I avoided both of them, I respected them and recognized what they were doing and saying was intended to help me without cutting me any slack. It worked. Both went on to star rank; no surprise to me.

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A.J. (Rosie) Cler, Jr. Members 5423 Myrtle Wood Sarasota, FL 34235-4624 Phone: (941) 371-4843 E-mail: RCtherose@aol.com Class Web Site: www.usafa.net/1960 “We toured Normandy, starting in London with Churchill’s War Room,” wrote Bob and Lutzi Fischer. “Bletchley Park -- where Enigma was deciphered and Germany’s code broken, mostly by young women mathematicians; visited war museums and Southwick where Ike launched Overlord.

We ferried the English Channel to Utah Beach, spent one day on Omaha Beach, twelve days touring France, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, and saw battlefields, cemeteries and museums.”

“I work for the Circuit Public Defender, Southern Judicial Circuit, in their Thomasville (GA) office; I’m working on appealing a gang-related murder, armed robbery and aggravated assault case. At the trial, my client was found not guilty on murder and armed robbery, but guilty on murder and three armed robberies. I’m preparing to try a rape, child molestation case in October. True Confessions, and Merry Christmas,” signed Jon Wilton McClure.

“Another great luncheon July 7th; probably our smallest group of nine made it,” wrote Tony Burshnick.

Sabre Society Donors “Leon Goodson will spend the summer at home with grandkids; one granddaughter works as Intern for DC HILL. Bill Hockenberry is busy with unions, corporate gents and employees. Les Querry cares for Marty’s mom, and will host the get-together 25 October. Jerry de la Cruz is busy with teenage grandkids, while wife, Betty, had a shoulder operation recently, but was still able to win the “PICKLE BALL” TOURNAMENT. Jack Schira lives in Pasadena, MD; his wife still works, but, is getting ready for retirement. Jack bought a 20-foot boat, and he and the grandkids enjoy time on the river. Bill Carnegie’s son and daughter are home for the month. Mike (A) Clarke enjoys his house with the daughter and her family; Mike has listened to 900 books, since his eyesight precludes reading, and he has a bad knee and shoulder. Tom Burke sill works, spent Fourth of July weekend on the Jersey shore with family: He has 13 grandkids! He and Mary celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary a few weeks ago.

“Odenweller was in Belgium, Rekenthaler at USAFA visiting his 17-yearold at the Academy Prep School, Loh was in Texas visiting Cadet Loh on his summer training trip, Alnwick was in Florida, Lalime was in Massachusetts, Johnson was home in Maine, Haller and Badger were with family, Fischer had back problems, while Hales, Higgins and Taylor were down South.”

Les Querry and wife, Marty, Hiatt held their annual Roosting – in the photo, from left are Tom Burke, Anne & Bill Carnegie, Diane Smith, Jerry de la Cruz, Bob Odenweller, Cathe & Bill Hockenberry, Pat Warack, Bob Fischer, Ken Alnwick, Judy & Howie Bronson, Karen & Tony Burshnick, Leon Goodson. Middle: Les Querry, Marty Hiatt, Liliane Badger, Lutzi Fischer, Betty de la Cruz, Maryn Goodson, Judy Alnwick. Floor: Bob Badger, JT Smith, Ralph & Darlene Lalime.

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Frank Gorham wrote: “I looked at my pictures, and can’t locate those from recent our Mini-’60 lunch in Ft Walton. I have a beautiful prairie sunset picture from our trip to Saskatchewan, standing between two of our training planes -- the better to conceal my expanding waist line!”(E-mail Frank @ frankgorham@comcast.net for photograph.)

“At the end of May I retired from my job as Executive Director, Naval Helicopter Association,” wrote Howie Whitfield. “I served 14 years, and it was time for a new director. NHA is a non-profit fraternal association, primarily of U.S. Navy helicopter pilots. There are 3,000 members, 75% active duty. We have two events a year, an annual three-day symposium in May with meetings, corporate exhibits, sports events and a fly-in October of fleet helicopters at NAS Whiting in Milton, FL, where Navy, Marine Corps and Coast Guard helicopter pilots train. The job was a lot of fun, particularly working with junior pilots. Since retirement, I have been getting rid of excess stuff at my house and working in the yard (2.9 acres). This is my third retirement, following 25 years in the Marine Corps and 13 years at Sikorsky Aircraft. The photo shows me receiving the Lifetime Service Award from NHA at the symposium in Norfolk, VA, in May. The award is a replica of Leonardo da Vinci’s concept of a vertical lift machine.”

William Allen Gillis and Kenneth John Alnwick have the same birthdates: Oct. 18, 1937! Celebrating this day at Alf’s Bistro in the Panhandle of Northwest Florida on Oct. 18th, 2014 were Ken and Judy Alnwick, Pete King, Bill and Kathleen Gillis, Aaron Thrush, Emma and Mike J. Clarke, Bo Frandson and Cecelia Gillis.

“While in Fort Walton Beach, Judy and I attended three reunions in three days: Air Commando, B-26, and the Class of ‘60 Red Neck Riviera mini-reunion,” wrote Ken Alnwick. “Attending the ‘60 affair were Bill and Kathy Gillis, Bill’s daughter Cecelia and friend Seaman Bo Frandsen (currently at Eglin EOD School), Mike J. and Emma Clarke, Aaron Thrush and Pete King. Absent were Jon McClure and Frank and Faye Gorham. Bill Gillis and Ken celebrated their joint 77th birthday. Bill is busy divesting himself of the nine boats in his private fleet -- including a 38’ sport fishing boat and a 14’ glass-bottom kayak. Ken’s major activities still include coaching HS Lacrosse, stained glass arts, and joining Tony and the guys at Starbucks each Friday. Mike J had recently returned from USAFA, where he participated in a plaque dedication in the SEA Pavilion commemorating the 40 USAFA pilots who flew the A-1 in SEA. Mike had transitioned to the A-1 from the Ranch Hand spray birds and has been participating in a 21-year-long study of the alleged impact of Agent Orange exposure.

The conclusion thus far: ‘There is no direct casual effect of Agent Orange exposure to anyone potentially exposed to this herbicide.’ Aaron is active in local politics, teaches a Great Decisions course for the non-profit Center for Life Long Learning, and consults on local home remodeling projects.

Pete King is a volunteer at the AF Armament Museum and is working on his docent certification.”

December birthdays: Querry--35/12/04…Folkart--35/12/15…Long-37/12/02…Mrosla--37/12/12…Weinaug--37/12/20…Kaley--37/12/21…

Hart 37/12/27…Sands 38/12/04…Haller 38/12/05…Bronson 38/12/08…

Browning 38/12/14…Lester 38/12/11…Price 38/12/19…Kingman 38/12/31.

Leslie Alden Hobgood and daughter Rani Hobgood competed in the Big Bend Open Road Race for five years, using a 2007 Corvette Convertible; but without an approved roll bar they’re restricted to 10 MPH Class.

Rani tasted faster speeds two years ago and decided to purchase a “race car”--2003 Corvette Coupe with an integrated roll bar. “We’re entering the 130 MPH class with a top speed of 168 MPH to average 30 in the coming year,” wrote Les. “We’ve never won a trophy, though we came in 6th with a 0.6 seconds differential; that’s over a 118 mile course in 64 minutes and 20.12 seconds. It will be quicker in the 130 class. This event supports retirement goals of fast cars, golf, beer and beautiful women... even they are older now,” wrote Mr. Hobgood, in a flash of Texan honesty.

This column contains 43 classmate-mentions. Visit www.usafa. net/1960 for additions by Messrs Smith and Querry. “March 2015 Column” will be written by George Luck and his Northwest Falcons’ news from Northwestern states.

55th Reunion: Andi Biancur has secured Embassy Suites for our 55th reunion the first week of October, 2015. Contact Andi at bacfly60@msm. com. /S/Rosie.

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Earl N. “Nelson” O’Rear Members 50582 Stonington Drive Granger, IN 46530-8243 H: (574) 273-2597 E-mail: enoandtjo@gmail.com Class Web Site: www.usafa1961.org Bill Aylsworth departed our worldly midst on 9 August. His burial was on 15 August at the South Florida VA National Cemetery in Lakeworth, FL. Trel Coppock, Dick’s wife, succumbed to COPD on 9 September in Salem, OH. After learning of her passing, several classmates who had lived in the Academy area with them mentioned the tailgates, the Christmas get-togethers, the frequent house parties, and all the other activities they shared with the Coppocks, and what great memories they provided. Many attended Trel’s graveside service at the USAF Academy Cemetery on Monday, 20 October, with a reception afterwards at Doolittle Hall. You can read her obituary at http:// www.starkmemorial.com/sitemaker/sites/STARKM1/ Sabre Society obit.cgi?user=1401815Coppock Donors Bud McCollum reminds everyone of our 2015 minireunion in Santa Fe, Monday, 20 July to Thursday, 23 July. Eight have already registered, but we need a minimum of sixteen to receive the reduced rate. So, if you are planning to attend but have not yet registered, please do so. Phone registration: 1-800-325-0720, USAFA group # 2222075. Or www.druryhotels.com and enter the group #. If you have questions, contact Bud at 505660-9673 or email vmccollum02@yahoo.com.

Stu Boyd sent his input from a small bed and breakfast in Paris. He seems to remember a ‘61 stop there more than 55 years ago. Stu’s recollection is that we all enjoyed the Moulin Rouge and the limited clothing budget for the dancers. (He wonders whether he remembers that correctly.) Bob Heriza thinks it was the Lido de Paris.

Pat and Marilyn Buckley hosted his daughter and two grandchildren at their Satellite Beach, FL home and then visited them in Brookline, MA. Then they went to Shoreham-by-Sea, England to visit Marilyn’s mother, three children and three grandchildren. Pat’s brother Mike, USMA ’64, and wife, June, joined them there, and all four then traveled to Pat and Marilyn’s rental property/second home in Spain for four weeks in August/ September. They enjoyed the weather, food, wine, culture, beaches, and rivers with side trips to Granada and the Alhambra, plus three days in Seville. Pat and Marilyn returned to Shoreham-by-Sea for a week and then home at the end of September to host her daughter and family for 10 days.

Later, they traveled to West Point to join the 61st TFS (Mythical) for the Beat Army weekend of revelry.

Dick Davis has enjoyed a memorable summer. Three grandsons -- Aaron, Joshua, and Paul -- were all married in the College Station/Houston area, within nine weeks of each other. Josh, an active duty Army lieutenant, also graduated first in his class from helicopter training at Fort Rucker, AL. Paul graduated from Texas A&M and now works in Houston.

Gene Davis’ son, Christopher, (’85) went to Melbourne for Gene’s 75th birthday celebration. Since Chris was on the USAFA Jump Team, his gift was a sky diving “tandem” jump. Violating a principle Gene held for 75 years, he jumped out of a perfectly good airplane at 13,500 feet. What a thrill! George Bush has nothing on Gene. Wife, Judy, hosted a party for 70 people, including Pat and Marilyn Buckley. Gene received notes from friends, including Joan and Hector Negroni, from all over the country.

What a way to celebrate 75.

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Donna and Paul Dean completed their move in August, and the senior living community there in Irving is nearly finished. Although they are still working out some things, they enjoy the location. Once they sell their former house, things will be great.

Tom and Anne Eller spent most of August in Europe visiting their son Robert (’96) and family, flying to Geneva and spending ten days in Switzerland, and then flying to Edinburgh and driving around Scotland.

Richard “Dick” Fairlamb traveled to the Caribbean a couple of times this year. He spent five days in Trinidad in early May, teaching Business Continuity, his specialty. Trinidad is quite an interesting island, including serving as the Caribbean HQ for the anti-submarine campaign during WWII. In mid-September, he and three others enjoyed a four-day trip to the Panama Canal, beginning with a great social night with one of the young, upcoming business leaders in Panama. The second day they rode a transcontinental train to Colon; visited the new Gatun Locks (40% longer and 50% wider than the original locks); and spent a few hours going through the Visitors Center and watching vessels “lock up”. The third day they transited half of the canal -- from the Panama City (SE/Pacific) end to the mid-point on the canal at Gamboa, on Lake Gatun -- 85 feet above sea level. Even the “old” locks are really huge, lifting large ships 27 feet at the Pedro Miguel lock in about 9 minutes. The first ship transited the Canal on August 15, 1914.

Mary and Wayne Jones escaped their abnormally hot late summer in California this year for a couple of weeks of R&R at timeshares in Rosarito Beach, Mexico and Capistrano Beach, CA. Then in October, they spent a week in Branson, MO attending a reunion of one of Wayne’s old Vietnamera flying squadrons and enjoying some of the attractions and shows.

What an amazing and beautiful place and recommended to all.

Bob Kellock and Samantha returned from Patagonia, AZ, to Long Beach on 10 July, after a quick visit to drive Samantha’s ‘75 Mustang II in the Fourth of July Parade and attend other Mustang 50th anniversary events. After attending the ‘61 Mini-reunion in Colorado Springs, they spent two weeks at Henderson Harbor, NY, (his roots) in August, and attended the FAC/Special Ops/Air Commando Reunion in Ft Walton Beach, FL, 21-26 October. They enjoyed a yacht club event at Catalina Two Harbors and a free ferry ride to Avalon the next day. The “free” ferry ride ticket was upgraded to Commodore’s lounge and a great hotel room booked to make it an overnight birthday party for Samantha. After resting and catching up on elections and paperwork, they headed to Nampa, ID, for Samantha’s aunt’s 95th birthday, 1-8 December.

At the end of July, John and Sheila May visited China for ten days, at the invitation of the Macao Polytechnic Institute (MPI.) While John was the president of Atlantic Cape Community College in New Jersey, his institution forged a collaborative relationship with MPI focused on training students for careers in the gaming industry. In the ten years since that collaboration began, Macao in general, and MPI in particular have profited enormously, as evidenced by the programs and facilities at MPI. John Moore enjoyed visiting Bob Best for three days in August at his home in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas. From Bob’s patio, they had a picturesque view overlooking an enormous lake, surrounded by lushly wooded hills. It is in an upscale community where you know your neighbors but you don’t see them unless you make a special effort. It would be an understatement to say his place is well off the beaten track. Bob’s hospitality rivaled the view. They spent the time catching up and spinning yarns, covering every subject from politics to fighter pilots, all the while drinking a little wine, which was required because Bob insisted they take a midnight dip in his pool and hot tub. That combination is a definite cure for insomnia. Bob gave John several tours of the area, which is one of the best kept secrets of gorgeous places to live in these United States.

Charlie and Linda Neel, and Dean and Jo Jones visited Bill and Ruth Lane at their home east of Nashville, TN, November 6-8th for two enjoyable evenings of good food (his cooking is above reproach), drink, and tall tales.

Hector Negroni reported that the DC Bunch of the Class of 1961 (Hector, Twy Williams, Lowell Jones, Sandy Jones, Charley Dixon, Cathy Hosrovian (Muller), John Kohout, Bill Foster, Bill Stackhouse, Theda Foster, Diane McDonough, Jack McDonough, and Bill Sanzenbacher) held their luncheon on 19 August at the Springfield Country Club, where Charley is a member. Everyone looked reasonably healthy. Pat Buckley called by phone from England, so they counted him as also present. Cathy had one of the best lines of the luncheon when she asked, “Where do you guys come up with all those stories?”

JOIN THE SABRE SOCIETY! YOUR MONEY HELPS FUND CADET WING PROGRAMS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNFUNDED. CALL (719) 472-0300 X200.

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Class News

Tennys and Tom Owens continue to enjoy life in Anchorage, AK (their 47th year). Tom received his second doctorate (in psychology) and is enjoying a second career as a mediator, arbitrator, life coach, and organization coach. Tennys owns and operates a successful art gallery in Anchorage (Artique, Ltd.). Oldest son Tom is the managing partner of a law firm and a budding fiction author, writing under the name Owen Thomas. Younger son Chris is an outdoor adventure entrepreneur, helping produce TV and movie products and running Heli-Ski operations.

Paul Stephen says that Illinois is enjoying record yields of corn and soybeans; however, their prices are the lowest in five years. Can’t win for losing. Paul’s first great-grandchild was born 7 July, and Paul believes he is a good candidate for the USAFA Class of 2032 -- even though his Army father calls him 9 pounds of Army Steel and has plans for him to become a paratrooper.

Carleen and Terry Storm drove 4,200 miles to Worland, WY; Tacoma, WA; Medford, OR; L.A; and Las Vegas in July. They flew to Ketchikan, AK, for Terry’s high school reunion and stayed a week with daughter Shari’s family in Rancho Santa Margarita, just east of L.A., where they had just moved from Castle Rock. They returned for grandson Braydan’s graduation from Marine Boot Camp, and Carleen went again to babysit the girls.

They visited again over Thanksgiving, and the family is returning to Colorado Springs over the holidays.

Jack Taylor said that every two years, UPT Class 63A, Craig AFB, AL, has a reunion. Joining the others this year in Minneapolis were Pete (and Patty) Lane, John Kohout (Joan couldn’t make it; a required formation back there), Bill Sanzenbacher, and Jack (and Linda) Taylor. (Vic Apodaca was the other ‘61er back then.) Their 2016 reunion will be in Fort Worth.

Byron Theurer and Pat Pilcher continued their military history touring this summer with a civil war vacation. They saw Gettysburg, Antietam, and Chancellorsville, and just for grins, also included Yorktown, Jamestown, and Williamsburg. Yorktown and Gettysburg were particularly memorable.

Thanks to all who shared this quarter. We haven’t heard from some of you for quite a while and are getting nervous about what you may be doing. Please calm our concerns by contributing soon.

theirs in the afternoon. It was a most pleasant surprise when I saw Jerry Smith coming up the stairs. Then Jim Mack, Tim Guilmartin, and Rip Blaisdell also appeared.” I don’t care what the wing commandeer says, I think you guys are great. Thanks for the close air support! You all make me extremely proud. Jerry Singleton”

From left are Jerry Smith, Rip Blaisdell, Tim Gilmartin, Jerry Singleton and Jim Mack.

Got this missive from Pete Bobko; “September 11th! Jack! This is a report on Thursday’s mini reunion in Winston Salem in which E. C. Newman, Bevo Baxter, Pete Bobko, and George Thompson plus Cookie (Pete’s wife) and Ro, (Bevo’s wife) at dinner with lots of great stories and reminiscences to go with Olive Garden Italian entrees and appetizers. E. C. drove down with the Baxters (BEVO and Ro have a new house in Boone) while Pete and Cookie chauffeured me and my recovering shoulder (full replacement of the right one!) from Oak Ridge and Kernersville respectively.

Lots of catching up and a bunch of news and brags about grandkids. . I think Pete won the prize for being in the best shape, but with all four of us standing shoulder to shoulder it was pretty awesome for the wait staff!

George aka ElExtremo1312 aka P.K.”

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John W. “Jack” Jamba Members 4 Judy Court Satellite Beach, FL 32937 H: (321) 777-5520 O: (321) 861-6279 Cell: (321) 432-1370 E-Mail: jwjamba@aol.com

Hi Redtags. I twisted my knee a month ago, used a walker and cane for a week but am back using left leg without help. I’m walking like an old, out-of-shape 76-year-old with a slight limp. Things could be worse. I could be on the underside of the grass.

Received an input from Chet Griffin, to wit: “A group of Redtags (most with their wives) from the Washington D.C area gathered at Bob Lightsey’s home on September 27. Everyone contributed a dish. Lanny Lancaster very generously again provided a selection of great wines. We all ate and drank to our heart’s content, and enjoyed seeing each other, hearing the latest news, and reliving past pranks and glories. Actually, we did not discuss politics…but we solved numerous world problems.”

That was followed quickly by a Bill Haugen e-mail; “Jack, Reference the picture that Chet sent you of our Washington DC Fall Party last night.

Thought you might like help with the captioning.

From left are EC Newman, ‘Bevo’ Baxter, Ro Baxter, Pete Bobko, Cookie Bobko and George Thompson.

Got this from George Harrison; “Jack – I am reluctant to send stuff about myself, but here goes. Next week, I will be awarded the Association of Old Crows (AOC) Gold Medal for lifetime service and achievement in Electronic Warfare. That’s kind of a big deal for a pilot who is not an EWO. Otherwise, all is well with Pennie and me in Atlanta. Still flying my Swift and the L-16, PT-26, and T-6 with the Commemorative Air force and working as a research engineer at Georgia Tech. Cheers, George 1071K”. Congratulations for a job well done.

This from Paul Landers. “Jack, I received a request to connect with you on Linked In. Sorry, but I’m not on that media. I’m getting a few of these requests Sabre Society from friends, because my youngest son has the same Donors name (he was born on my birthday); he calls himself ‘Paul Landers the Younger’ and is using Linked In to network for a better flying job. I have not worked my way into Facebook or Linked In or Twitter yet. I find it difficult to believe anyone would want to know what I’m doing. And even more difficult to believe that some of those folks think all the civilized world wants to know every time they eat, drink or have a bowel movement. But that’s just me. I’ll probably succumb to the technology when my granddaughters join.

“Jo Anne and I are doing well, in good health for senior citizens and happy with our lives. We are staying busy: In June we went on a trip that included visits with Charlie and Mary Jo Price, Bunky and Connie Reeves,

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In the front row are Art Farrington, Bob Keighery, Doug Tice, John Fer, Ted Dykes, & Jack Geiger. Back row: Chet Griffin, Lanny Lancaster, Tuck McAtee, Walt Wicklein, Roger Rhoades, Bill Haugen, & Bob Lightsey.

Got this from Jerry Singleton; “Thanks to the Redtags who showed up at Doolittle Hall last Friday, September 12th, for the Jolly Green Plaque dedication. The Jollies had our dedication that morning and the A-1 jocks had

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and other Air Force friends in the southeast. The trip ended at our cabin on Lake Martin, AL where for the month of July we had waves of family visiting to enjoy the fishing, swimming, boating, etc. Next month we fly to Edinburgh, driving from northern England to the highlands. Then we fly to Dublin and drive the perimeter of that island, ending back in Dublin.

There we’ll join a tour led by our Irish priest, to get his view of his homeland. He calls this a ‘pilgrimage’.

“We hope you and Caroline are doing well and enjoying yourselves.

Take care. Thanks for your years of great service as our scribe. Paul.” And thank you Paul for that update.

And a short note from Gail Peck. “Had a great time at Oshkosh. Bunked with Rick Perlotto, and Larry Jensen stopped by the booth where I was selling books about the MiG project. Great to pal around them. Larry flew his RV-4 up there. Rick had his grandson with him. Neat kid. Mike Butchko was back in Vegas last month. Hesh Altman and I had breakfast with him. All’s well with Mike and Kay in Texas. Flew the Cessna Cardinal to Bend, OR to hook up with two of the daughters over the 4th of July. Great time plus 10 hours of flying time. RV-8 is coming along. Hope to fly in 2015. Still working at the Weapons School and just self-published a new book containing most of the pictures from the MiG book plus others that weren’t in the book. Check www.gaillardpeck.com soon. All the best to all of our brothers. Gail.” Thanks, Gail.

This from Edd Wheeler. “Jack, Fran and I would welcome visit from you and yours anytime you’re near Hotlanta. Visited Alex Harwick’s hangar in Tallahassee; a fascinating guy and I wish I’d known him better as a cadet.

E.g., if I’d known someone in 4th Group was keeping a pet coyote named Lago in his room, I’d certainly have introduced myself… But no more on this. I always thought you were a hard sell on history. As I was on Thermo.

Cordially, Edd” Received this from Don Shepperd. “Prior to the Navy game, 19 Red Tags and spouses attended a memorial service and preliminary plaque installation organized by Class President Dick Klass at the USAFA Cemetery for classmate Robert John “Bob” Kuchlewski who had no surviving family.

Joe Guilmartin is writing an obituary for Bob. The AOG allows a memorial plaque on a section of Academy Cemetery grounds for grads who are buried elsewhere if the family desires. We are his family. We desired it. All Red Tags are family. Dick Klass said, “No Red Tag shall go unremembered.” The temporary plaque will be replaced by a bronze plaque. Class funds were used. John Brucher is also memorialized there.

That’s it for now. Go Redtags, Jack Norman I. (Skip) Lee 63119 E. Cat Claw Lane Tucson, AZ 85739-2058 Home: (520) 825-7980 Cell: (520) 241-3498 54wrs63@gmail.com Class Web Site: www.usafa63.org

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The Association of Graduates sent notices informing us of the deaths of three of our classmates. Col. (Ret) David W. Milam, CS-04 class of 1963 passed away of unknown causes on 11 Sep 2014 in Centerville, OH. Services were held on 16 Sep at the Southminster Presbyterian Church of Centerville, OH 45475. The family has suggested that, in lieu of flowers, donations be made to the Noon Optimist Club of Centerville; P.O. Box 750492; Centerville, OH 45475-0492 http://www.centervillenoonoptimist.com. Condolences may be sent to his family in care of his wife, Donna: Mrs. Donna Milam; 1179 Ripplecreek Ct.; Centerville, OH 45458-3229.

Maj. (Ret) Hugh K. Webb, CS-15 class of 1963 died Sabre Society on 15 Oct 2014 in Franklin, IN of unknown causes. A Donors Celebration of Life with Military Honors was held on 18 Oct at Second Mt. Pleasant Church; 1540 N 800 East; Franklin, IN 46131. The family has suggested that in lieu of flowers, a donation be made to the American Cancer Society; P.O. Box 22718; Oklahoma City, OK 72123-1718 (800) 2272345, https://donate.cancer.org. Condolences may be sent to his family in care of his wife, Sharon: Mrs. Sharon G. Webb; 2122 Heather Glen Way; Franklin, IN 46131-3622.

Lt Col (Ret) David Dougan, CS-07 class of 1963 passed away on 19 Dec 2013 in Honolulu, HI. Private services were held at the time of his death.

His family had suggested that donations be made in his memory to the St. Francis Hospice; St. Francis Healthcare System of Hawaii; PO Box 29700; Honolulu, HI 96820. We are sorry but condolence information is not available.

Gil Merkle asked me to forward the following to the Class: I want to thank classmates for their thoughts and prayers for my wife, Sue, who passed away on September 23. We will bury her ashes in a memorial ser-

vice at the Academy cemetery on December 23rd at 1100. There will be a reception following the service in Doolittle Hall.

This year’s ’63 Mini-reunion was held during the AFA-Boise State football game weekend of 26-27 September. The festivities started on Friday night when a sizeable number of classmates and guests gathered in Arnold Hall for the annual cup-turning ceremony in front of our cups cabinet on the mezzanine. A catered dinner and social hour, also in Arnold Hall, followed. Cups were turned for Bob Murphy, CS-14, Ted Schroeder, CS-04, John “Jack” Daugherty, CS-07 and David Milam, CS-04. We were honored to have some family members of the deceased in attendance and they contributed to the event.

Prior to the football game on Saturday evening many of our classmates and their guests attended the tailgate at the stadium parking lot. Lots of good food and drink was available to fortify ourselves for a successful night of cheering the Falcons to a victory. Not all who attended the Friday evening event came to the game and tailgate but we were well represented. Classmates not in the picture include Ken Kopke, Ed Reisdorf, Drue DeBerry, Dick Shutack, JJ Kennedy, Roger Zoeller, John Helinski, Jim Hauser, Phil Tate and Ev Vaughn. I am sure I have missed one or two names that did not make my notes so please forgive the lapse.

Weather throughout was absolutely perfect. Once again Bob and Charlie Anne Hayes did a marvelous job coordinating all the events. As they have done in the past, Bill Ball, Gordy Bredvik and Stinky Steinbrink led the cup turning ceremony. Jimmie Butler provided the photograph for the tailgate.

Annual Tailgate Photo: From left in the front row are Butler, Henderson, Bredvik, Shmoldas, Schuchter and Thacker. Back Row: Ball, Christie, Steinbeck, Kuhn, Winzell, Lee, Hayes and Nuss.

Class Gift Update. Diff writes: Memories of our fantastic Fiftieth Reunion may be fading, but our class gift continues to grow. Its value increased three percent (YTD) from investment returns to $837,000. There are $180,000 of pledges to the fund (included in the total above) remaining. The Endowment reports 1963 is establishing a “fantastic” record of completing its pledges. So far, the CCLD has not made a request for funds, but it is good to know the money is there when the request arrives. Bravo to ’63!

From Lou Matjasko: For any classmates, who haven’t and would now like to contribute a video story to USAFA Class Histories, contact Lou, Gil Merkle, John Borling or Gordon Bredvik. They have equipment or can help you with other arrangements. Call or e-mail me if you need numbers or addresses.

Classmates Honored! Two of our classmates, Ron Fogleman and John Fox, were recently bestowed honors for their service to country and community.

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Ron in his F-100 Cockpit.

On October 10 Ron Fogleman was honored by the Wings Over the Rockies Air & Space Museum located on the former site of Lowry Air Force Base. According to museum executives this was their 5th annual Tribute to a fighter pilot. For the event the museum’s hanger was transformed into a Friday night O’Club to swap stories and raise funds for develop-

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Class News

ing future leaders. Past events have paid tribute to Robin Olds and Steve Ritchie, as well as Bob Hoover and the Colorado ANG. The picture of Ron and his Hun was posted on the Museum’s Facebook page.

Classmate and Business Executive Congratulations to John Fox for being the recipient of this year’s Air Force Academy Distinguished Service Award. He received the award from Academy Superintendent Lt. Gen. Michelle D. Johnson during the Parents’ Weekend Parade at Stillman Field [Parade Ground], Aug. 29th. The award, established by the Academy in February 1999, is presented annually to an individual or organization whose contributions have had a distinct impact on the well-being of the Academy. The award recognizes those who contribute to the Academy through their generosity and dedication to the institution. (USAFA Release) Books: I would like to recommend a book by Bill Yenne, author of numerous books on military and aviation history. The title is Hap Arnold, Inventing the Air Force. What is unique about this book is how relevant Arnold would be if he were leading the Air Force today. Arnold admonished his successors to think creatively and not to be lulled into relying on preparing to fight the wars of the past. He wrote “There is only one question that should be asked . . . Do they [bases, techniques, equipment etc.] fit into the modern war picture? If they don’t, we should be ruthless and throw them out.” Interestingly, Arnold went to France in the fall of 1918 to brief General Pershing on a drone (the Bug) invented by Charles Kettering that was ready for a demonstration over the WWI battlefields.

Fate got in the way: the demo was scheduled to take place the morning of November 11.

If you have become a fan of F. Denis King, he says his second book, Retribution, a sequel to Price For A Patriot, will be out by the time you read this column.

That’s it for this time. Take care, be safe and have a very happy holiday season.

Bob Hovde 206 Walker Ave. Huntsville, AL 35801 (H) (256) 532-3923 (M) (256) 348-9794 bob@hovde.us

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50th Reunion – I’m sure that most of you attended the reunion in September. I’m sure, because there were crowds at every event, including a very full Friday night dinner/dance. The classmates that live in Colorado put together a wonderful event that will long be remembered.

Prior to the reunion’s official start, we participated in an internment for Bill Wittress in the Academy cemetery. The service was very well done and included a missing-man flyover by the Falcon Flight Formation Team

Distinguished Grads Max James, Ed Mechenbier, Fred Gregory, Paul Kaminski and Harry Pearce.

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led by our own Stu McCurdy. Falcon Flight is based in Texas and flies “experimental” Vans aircraft in airshows around Texas and the Midwest.

While there were certainly a lot of classmates at the reunion, several deserve special mention: We had five USAFA Distinguished Graduates in attendance.

We also had several walking wounded. Chuck Noyes was in a walker, recovering from surgery. Jeff Levy, also recovering from surgery and the paralysis it caused, was told he couldn’t sit for long periods and therefore had to ride the train from Washington, D.C. to Colorado. Mitch Cobeaga was either on a walker or a cane, but won an award for playing golf on Thursday! (I think he threatened to sue them if he didn’t win something.) You can’t keep some people away from a good party!

Sabre Society The reunion began Wednesday afternoon with most Donors of the early arrivals ending up at Jack Quinn’s. We met one classmate who left the Academy early our first year.

His roommate talked him into coming. Lee and Joan Conner were there for their very first reunion! I hope some of us are still around when they come back for the next one in fifty years!

Thursday was the golf tournament, Joe Rodwell’s funeral service, and the evening soiree at the Cheyenne Mountain Resort. Joe’s service was well done and Falcon Flight made another missing-man flyover. The weather through Thursday was perfect and the flyovers were a wonderful addition to the funerals.

Friday was a very busy day, starting with a Prayer Breakfast and ending with the dinner/dance. In between, we roamed the Cadet Area in the fog, had pictures taken with the aircraft on the Terrazzo, had lunch with Cadets, attended a USAFA Briefing (led by the Dean, since the Sup was away that week) and had a Memorial Ceremony in the Cadet Chapel. There were 68 “Absent, Sir!” replies when the roster was called.

Fred Olmsted and Steve Croker with the F-4 in which several people, including classmates, shot down MIGs. There were many pictures taken Friday night at the dinner/dance. You can view and download them (one at a time!) from Flicker. Rod sent out the address for the pictures, but for those of you who lost the email, it’s https://www.flickr.com/gp/studiocopan/074oA3. Of course, there were many squadron group shots, but the best was of 12th Squadron.

12th Squadron – Bob, Tom Buck, Tom, Jerry, John and Denny.

Why was this the best? Because this is the first reunion we had this many in attendance! We were a small group to start and have gotten smaller over the years. Tom Till made it, but was totally AWOL until I tracked him down in Vancouver, BC. Others have just disappeared completely. (You can see the bigger groups on Flicker.)

It wasn’t just big squadron groups, however. Fifty years later, some people just look like they’re still having fun!

commander that he knew me. This resulted in me and my aircraft commander on the double MiG kill mission being invited as guests of honor at the graduation. And boy did they ever honor us.

“There was a welcoming banner across the squadron door; they had ‘named’ two of their briefing rooms after us. (Another is the Robin Olds room to give an idea of this honor.) They had repainted one of their T-38s with the tail number of our F-4, two red stars, and our names on cockpit canopies, and they provided an hour and a half of simulator time for us to fly with and against each other. They had also captured the History Channel show about our mission and somewhere found a home movie clip of me being presented a DFC by President Johnson. These they showed as ‘entertainment’ at the graduation ceremony with the title ‘Living Legends.’ And here I have Sabre Society always thought I was only a legend in my own mind!

Donors An hour-long Q&A session, a squadron ‘roll call,’ with mandatory consumption of liquids for such sins as over g-ing the simulator, and a game of crud at the otherwise staid officer’s club ended the day.

“I was, and remain, deeply touched by the attention and respect shown by the entire squadron, and I am buoyed by first-hand observation that there are still intelligent, aggressive, competent young people eager to fill fighter cockpits.

“I told the young men, and yes, women, that I had ridden on the shoulders of giants -- such as Big D and Robin Olds, but that one of those giants was A2C Crook who packed the parachute that brought me safely to Earth after being hit by a 57mm in September ‘67, and reminded them to ‘never forget those who pack your parachute.’ Cheers, Ol’ George.”

“Fighter pilots rove in the area allotted to them in any way they like, and when they spot an enemy they attack and shoot them down… Everything else is rubbish.” -Baron von Ricthofen

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Terry and Nancy Isaacson still having fun.

Saturday was spent visiting the SEA Pavilion behind the AOG building (Doolittle Hall) and attending a Class Social at the Colorado Mountain Brewery. That evening, we broke into squadron groups. Since my daughter/son-in-law live on USAFA, they hosted 12th Squadron for dinner at their place. Somewhere along the line, while I was busy flying around the world, someone taught my daughter to be a wonderful hostess. We had such a good time Jerry Felix volunteered to host a “half” reunion in 2 ½ years. I wonder if he’s going to tell Sandra before we show up.

Oh, by the way, there was a football game up in Wyoming. We lost, but apparently learned enough to beat Navy!

Other Events – Yes, other things happened this fall besides our 50th Reunion. Speaking of fun, Dave Neal wrote to say he managed to get an hour of dual instruction time in a P-51 at Moffett Field, CA. (Dave told me last year that he wasn’t racing motorcycles anymore – just sports cars. Could this be a new hobby?)

Dave Neal Sad News - In early October, Bill Douglass died in New Mexico, (of Alzheimer’s) and was buried at the Academy.

Bruce Wood 7610 Sonatta Court Lincoln, NE 68516 Home and Cell: (402) 470-7152 brucewood1965@gmail.com http://usafa1965.org (official) https://usafa-1965.org (auxiliary)

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Hello Silvertags!

Lt Col (Ret) Wayne D. Brown, CS-18 class of 1965 passed away on 26 Sept 2014 in Springboro, OH. More details can be found in the “Gone But Not Forgotten” section of this Checkpoints. “When someone you love becomes a memory, the memory becomes a treasure.” -Author Unknown I received the following from George McKinney: “I had one of the greatest experiences of my life this past week. The squadron I flew with during both SEA tours is currently constituted as the 435th FTS at Randolph AFB, TX with the mission of Fighter Lead-In Training. September 5th was the graduation date for their latest class. When one of the graduating students saw some plaques with my name on them, he mentioned to the squadron

From left are Darrell Simmonds and George McKinney. View graph reads “Two Living Legends / LtCol Darrell ‘Big D’ Simmonds (Ret) / LtCol George ‘Buckshot’ McKinney Jr (Ret).

I received the following from Dick Zucker: “I had the opportunity to MC the Kershaw Challenge at Dodger Stadium on Sep 4, 2014 when Ellen and Clayton Kershaw hosted a major fundraiser for their numerous charities to benefit children. Great event attended by many of his LA Dodger teammates and selected celebrities. Suspect he will not only win the Cy Young Award as best pitcher, but he is a front- runner for the MVP. “Still happily living in San Antonio, working part time and thankful for a fabulous wife, Maxine, of almost 50 years. Home has many vacant bedrooms, a pool for soaking and a steam room for sweating. Welcoming all from ‘65 Best Alive. Be kind, be nice and be enthusiastic. Dick Zucker” “Don’t be afraid to give up the good to go for the great.” -John D. Rockefeller

Dick Zucker and Clayton Kershaw. (Guess which one is Dick!)

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I received the following from Joe Koenig and James (JC) Edwards and combined their inputs (and chose my favorite photo): Joe – “Bruce, JC Edwards (a Niner classmate) had us pose for a photo he said he was going to send you.

“JC, his son Steve, myself, my grandson Christian Phillips went pheasant hunting for two days at Ringneck Ranch in Tipton, KS. Our first day was fantastic - beautiful weather and we took our limit of pheasants. JC and I got to do some pre-reunion planning. We are looking forward to having Niner be in the running, as usual, for the squadron with the most attendees at the reunion. Joe Koenig” JC – “Bruce, Joe Koenig and I recently took my son Steven and Joe’s grandson Christian, on a pheasant hunt in Kansas in Oct. Our party of 6 bagged 68 birds! Not too bad for three generations of hunters! JC Edwards”

JC Edwards and Joe Koenig with offspring and dead pheasants.

I received the following from Tom Owens: “Photo (Scribe note: my apologies, Tom, there’s not enough room {3 pictures max} for the beautiful snapshot) of my wife Maria, Paul Kaminski, Class of 1964, and me at the Falcon’s Landing 67th Air Force Birthday Ball. Falcon’s Landing is an AF centric retirement facility in Sterling, VA. Paul and his wife live there and Maria and I attended the “birthday celebration” because she is a member of the Board of Directors.

“We still live in Arlington VA -- very close to Pentagon. Maria retired from the Air Force several years ago, then three years ago retired from the Cohen Group -- primarily to help care for aging parents. I am still working full time (for Larry Farrell at NDIA) -- another retirement somewhere on the horizon. Off to Europe on a Bucket List trip next week -- primarily to Normandy! Looking forward to 50th. Cheers to all, Tom Owens.”

Five members of ‘65/22nd Sq and their wives joined up in Passau, Germany for an 8-day cruise of the Danube River, visiting many cities along the way to our final stop at Budapest, Hungary. We took approximately 6,583 photos but there isn’t room in this issue for even one of them! The travelers were Ron and Elaine Bailey, Jim and Judy Lipham, Dick and Brenda Husemann, Chals and Kay Price, and Bruce and Betty Wood.

Sharing the experience with friends from USAFA; having time to talk for hours about families and experiences; eating splendid, gourmet meals, enjoying the libations of the various regions visited; and simply enjoying each others’ company was a memory we’ll treasure forever – at least until we meet again at our 50th reunion. “Most travel is best of all in the anticipation or the remembering; the reality has more to do with losing your luggage”. -Regina Nadelson Gracious thanks to all who contributed to this issue. I even had more input than I could use. Please keep that up – I’m not smart or innovative enough to fill this slot on my own!

Bruce. ’65 – Best Alive!

Ryan Denny 1635 Mary Todd Lane O’Fallon, IL 62269 H: (618) 624-4255 E-mail: ryanden@aol.com

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Greetings, Redtags! Two old 4th Squadron mates got together as Ross Detwiler and Dan Heitz joined up at the Super Sabre Society Dinner at Smithsonian’s Udvar Hazy Air and Space Museum. The event honored the new static display of F-100 Super Sabre #56-3440 on the main floor of the museum. The Super Sabre Society’s mission is to preserve the history of the F-100 Super Sabre and the men who flew the aircraft (it looks like they have done a good job on Ross and Dan). Ross said that Gary Eglinton was

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also in attendance, but his phone ran out of battery before he could get a picture of Gary.

Ross Detwiler and Dan Heitz at the Smithsonian. (As part of a new exhibit?)

Randy Jayne writes that the small band of USAFA grads who flew the A-1E Skyraider in combat in SEA came together recently at USAFA to honor their seven colleagues killed in action, including our own Redtag friend Ramsey Vincent. The group placed a plaque in the SEA Memorial which describes the A-1E mission and lists the 39 USAFA grads who flew that mission. Randy honchoed the plaque design and funding, and Bill Sieg, ‘64, planned a wonderful mini-reunion in Monument, attended by many of the surviving USAFA grads who were Sandy pilots. There were over 120 people in attendance, including many of our local Redtags (Ron Boatright, Vic Andrews, Bill Reilly, Bob Gravelle, and probably others that Randy missed while playing MC). Besides Ron, Randy and Ramsey, our other Skyraider classmate is Chuck Kennedy, who couldn’t attend.

Randy Jayne dedicating the A1-E Skyraider plaque at USAFA. Rusty Gideon sent us this great shot of the intrepid Redtag fishing team at their annual get-together in Yellowstone Park. The group meets every year to eat great food, drink fine wines, tell tall tales, and occasionally try to trick a trout into chasing one of their flies. Hugh Gommel was kind enough to gather a few tidbits of info on each of the guys, so you wouldn’t have to just look at the picture and think “I wonder what he’s doing ?” So here’s some answers to that question, in the order of their appearance in the picture: Rusty Gideon lives on 100 acres near Twin Falls, ID, on the Snake River Canyon, as a gentleman farmer raising spuds, beets, barley and alfalfa. He takes five weeklong trips per year to Tijuana with a small non-profit Sabre Society doing construction work at three orphanages. In addiDonors tion to his fly fishing for fun, he took an Alaskan cruise from Seattle in September. Dick Borowski is retired in Fort Collins and is active in Search and Rescue. He has been dealing with the flood aftermath at his Glen Haven cabin that he finished just before the water came in 2013. The cabin was undamaged but his trout stream was hit hard. Dick said this about the Redtag fishing event: “The fishing was good, the food was better, the fellowship was the best. I don’t think we made a serious dent in the world’s supply of good beer, wine and whiskey -- but we tried. Every time I make this trip, it leaves me happy to be alive. Our reminiscences remind me about how many opportunities we had to not still be here. Life is good!”

Marty Daack is retired in the C Springs area and is the master planner and fly tier of the annual fishing event. The crew holds him account-

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able for the weight they gain every year while chasing trout with the flies he taught them to tie. Tom and Gail Brandon celebrated the marriage of their middle daughter, Heather, in January and are now eagerly awaiting the appearance of a grand-child around Thanksgiving. They try to travel several times each year, the latest being to Spain in May -- retracing some of the route that he, John Marshall and Bill Manning traveled through the Basque country of Southern France and Northern Spain after our OFT in 1964. Art Suro lives in Castle Rock and was forced to skip last year’s trip.

(No excuse, Sir!) He heard that his spiritual guidance was needed, so he rejoined the group this year. Art is getting married again soon, and is already working on a kitchen pass for next year’s fishing trip.

John Marshall continues to work with numerous airlines to improve their operations, maintenance, and safety programs Jill teaches first grade, and they had a grand time this summer in Germany, visiting with their Sheppard German Pilot Training classmates. Hugh and Sandra Gommel live in the Henderson foothills above Las Vegas. Hugh gets to keep flying by running a personal transportation company flying clients around the Southwest, and by instructing -- mostly in the Cirrus aircraft. He also makes many trips to Colorado and Arizona hosting and visiting their kids and nine grandchildren. Golf and skiing fill in the rest of their time, and a European river boat cruise is in the works.

Tip Galer lives in Midway, UT, and flies the Falcon 2000X for Netjets. Even though Tip fishes most days he is home, he and Kim have found time to enlarge their home to allow for their growing family. They are the joyful, proud grandparents of Nolan Wilson, their first grandchild. Vic Andrews says that being retired is great but also tiring. As of August, he has spent seven consecutive days skiing at Steamboat with great friends, played six rounds of golf in four days in Phoenix with other great friends, a week slaying the mighty Cutthroat Trout in Yellowstone with the best friends ever, and more skiing and golf. It doesn’t get any better than that and the year was only about half over.

Once again, many fishermen, no fish! What do they do all week? Rusty Gideon, Dick Borowski, Marty Daack, Tom Brandon, Art Suro, John Marshall, Hugh Gommel. Tip Galer, and Vic Andrews.

Jack Wormington sent me a tremendous story about his almost 20-year search for the crew and the story behind the WW II combat loss of his uncle’s B-17 on a bombing mission over France. There is not enough space left in this edition to give it justice, so I will make it the centerpiece of our next Class News Article.

Let us know what you all are doing as you get into the swing of full retirement. Keep those emails coming and include me on your Christmas card list, so I can pass on your updates and pictures. Until the next time…

Happy Landings!

Larry Wilson 13100 Pinehurst Ave. NE Albuquerque, NM 87111 H: (505) 291-8949 E-mail: Lwilsn628@aol.com

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Greetings, one and all. It is another beautiful day in ABQ. I hope we all – wherever we may be -- are enjoying autumn, before winter slams us. Not that that really happens in ABQ. Three fall dedications at USAFA included a number of our guys: the Red Marker dedication, the A-1 plaque and the Jolly Green plaque. From Bob Muldrow, regarding the A-1 & Jolly Greens: “… These plaques honored the distinguished history (of ) the Jolly Green Giants (…helicopters dedicated to rescuing downed airmen [mostly])… On the plaque are the names of three Air Force Cross recipients, to include our own BGen Dale Stovall… The second ceremony was for the A-1E Sky Raiders, known as Pedro and Sandy. These WWII vintage machines were the lifeblood of al-

most every Jolly Green rescue mission. Every mission these guys went out on was potentially their last. They suffered more hits and had a lost rate higher than any other aircraft in Vietnam. One reason was that so many of their missions were outside South Vietnam… The numbers of missions, rescues, losses, and other heroics were hard to fathom. It was a moving ceremony…”

Special recognitions included all the graduates who were present who flew the A-1; and all the widows or sons of deceased A-1 pilots -- that group included Helen Rounce. Lastly someone from every cadet squadron introduced one of their Sandy/Pedro classmates who had passed away. That included Bob Moore and Rich Chorlins from (’67). “Here is the list of attendees: Helen Rounce, Dale Stovall, Russ Murray, Tom Mensa, John Holstein, Frank Chuba, Les Jensen, Bruce McDonald, Gary Weizenegger, Rich Beebe, Sabre Society Doug Beatty, Gary Koldyke, Roger Carleton, Jack Fry, Donors Patrick Finnegan, Jeff Schofield, Flick Guerrina, Jim

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George, George VanWagenen, and Bill Mulcahy, and me. Several wives also made it...”

Related to the Red Markers, Gary Willis had some important news: “My book, Red Markers, Close Air Support for the Vietnamese Airborne, 1962-1975, has won an award… It’s a history of a FAC detachment in which 13 USAFA grads served including Bruce Freeman and me... on September 19 at Doolittle Hall, we… dedicated a plaque for the SEA Pavilion honoring the Red Markers and the men they supported in the Vietnamese Airborne Division and their American advisors in MACV Team 162. Bruce and I will be thee … and … a number of the enlisted troops, Vietnamese Airborne vets, and Army advisors… you can see a book description on a Lulu.com ... Or Amazon ...” Gary “… presented to 23rd Cadet Squadron a copy (of his book), signed by all the Red Markers at the event…” Gary’s book won the Silver Medal in the History Category of the 2014 Military Writers Association Book awards.

A bit more info from Gary: “…Sandy was the only call sign used by the A1s when on a SAR mission… the Jolly and Pedro call signs are still being used for rescue missions. Jolly Green is used for SAR missions in Iraq and Pedro in Afghanistan… The reason for both call signs being used is because of the use of HF radios. Since the transmissions can almost make it to the moon, the two call signs are used to differentiate the locations where the missions are being flown.”

Gary Willis and his brother Chaplain Col (R) Bill Willis who gave the Benediction at the Red Marker ceremony.

Another note from Bob: “…Dale Stovall and Frank (Chuba) were chatting about the good old days. Dale says he, Doug Withers, Charlie Clements and (a) fourth from ’68 have (the) oldest standing track record for the Academy in the mile relay… Doug was not only the captain of our track team; he was a two-time All American. Sometimes that relay team had a different fourth runner, Fred Milanovich. Back in those days, Fred and Charlie were prepping for a shot at a Rhodes scholarship. They had to read something like 40 complex books. With the academic load they were already carrying, plus track requirements, the reading was not a possibility. So, these two would be out running their quarters and briefing each other of the salient points of the books they were reading. One had one half of the list and the other, the other half. I cannot imagine…”

Muldrows hosted a gathering of “…Roger and Shonie Carleton, Ralph and Tommi Femrite, John and Parke Holstein, Paul and Beverly Schlichter, and Bruce Freeman… (Bruce) … told us interesting details of how they evacuated Clark AFB due to the volcano erupting (in ’91). The critical mass… was how to evacuate 16,000 people, but more importantly how to get over a thousand pets out. DoD policy is that pets are not allowed on planes or ships. The policy is to take them to the end of a runway and shoot them... Bruce worked it out so that almost all the pets got out safe and sound. In fact on one of the ships, there is an area with a plaque now designating it as the dog pound. Before Bruce told us the name, my Dale

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thought this area might be called the poop deck.” “…Poor Bruce looks to be weighing in about where he was Doolie year… I think we need to start calling him the Silver Fox as his full head of hair is no longer brown…”

From Jack Fry: A number of our classmates “…were able to attend the Class of 2017 Exemplar Dinner in Mitch’s… A wonderful evening and great tribute to Col Bud Day and our Air Force heritage… We are all looking forward to continued interaction with 2017 leading up to our 50th. Something strange about thinking about our graduation not seeming that long ago that the class 50 years after us is in their 3rd Class Year.”

Photo by Diane Peterson (Jim’s better half ) of the Exemplar attendees: From Left are Gary Koldyke, Pete Knepell, Frank Chuba, Pat Finnegan, Jim Peterson, Jack Fry, and John Pletcher. Not pictured are Paul Henry and Joe Burke.

Ralph Femrite and Tommi recently returned from Kenya, where Tommi was engaged in her missionary work. More recently they were in Albuquerque, where Tommi was in an education program and Ralph toured.

Ralph continues to battle prostate cancer, and to play golf very well.

The recent Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque attracted a Seagram’s Seven crew: Rich and Gayle Bebee, Chris & Kelly Dysart, Tom & Beth Griesser, Bill & Jeannie Gerber, John & Parke Hollstein, Ven & Dianne Hammonds, Bruce & Stormy MacDonald, Rick & Carmen Rodriguez, Pete & Debbie Milne, Rick & Muffet Weizenegger, and George & Pat Frushour. I managed to catch some of them for an afternoon brew – Tom, Chris, Rick, John and I had a nice chat as their group was rolling in. Dunno if any other of our cadet squadrons gather as they do -- their continued connection is impressive.

One final note: when you next see Roger Carleton, he will be leaping and cavorting on a new bionic knee.

And now – I am out of my allotted words. Be careful out there. God bless the troops, and God bless America.

Tim Davidson 9712 Hidden Valley Road Vienna, VA 22181-6094 Phone: (703) 255-5313 Mobile: (703) 772-6052 E-mail: timdav1968@verizon.net Class Website: www.usafa68.org

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HELLO ’68! As I write this column our Falcon football team has defeated Boise State and Navy and are playing Hudson High this weekend. My spider senses are predicting a Commander-in-Chief Trophy for our alma mater in 2014. Go Air Force! Beat Army!

Photo by Diane Peterson (Jim’s better half ) of the Exemplar attendees: From Left are Gary Koldyke, Pete Knepell, Frank Chuba, Pat Finnegan, Jim Peterson, Jack Fry, and John Pletcher. Not pictured are Paul Henry and Joe Burke.

LEGACY CLASS ACCEPTANCE PARADE FOR 2018: With thanks to our Class Senator Garry Dudley, his on-the-scene account tells the tale. “The Acceptance Day Parade for the Class of 2018 went very well. The ‘doolies’ were happy to be finished with basic training and excited to be a part of the cadet wing and wearing shoulder boards.

“Tuesday morning, Bill Begert addressed the entire cadet wing and

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academy leadership to deliver a superb speech that addressed the Class of ’68 as well as the Class of 2018. History, circumstances, and personal commitment to the core values were all tied together in his remarks. Contrails were then delivered to one recognized basic for each of the eight summer squadron. In addition to the eight official presenters from our class, we had another five classmates who served as backup in the stands -- all wearing their official 45 Reunion hats. Finally, we appreciated the support from the wives who attended: Tina Dudley, Wendy Hites, Sue Eckert and Bea Crimmel.” For all our classmates and spouses who participated in this event -- both directly and indirectly, we give our thanks. It was truly a “Class” act!

LAND OF ENCHANTMENT VISITATIONS: Last September, I winged my way to Albuquerque to attend my Reese AFB Pilot Training Class of 7001’s 45-Year reunion. Since I was in the neighborhood of classmates who I had not seen for a long time, I set up some long overdue visitations with Darrel Knutson and Charles Price. (Note: The Reese AFB 70-01 reunion will be covered in greater detail in my winter 2015 column.)

Albuquerque residents Darrel Knutson and wife, Sandra Sandien.

THE PLANES WE FLEW AND THE MISSIONS WE REMEMBER: Prior to my trip to New Mexico, Darrel Knutson sent me some information about the planes he flew. In his own words: “Haven’t had occasion to write before but when I saw the list and pictures of “Planes We Flew” on the class website I thought I could add two that haven’t been mentioned yet.

“The first is the venerable C-141 as it turned out later the A model. I was able to select the AC-47 as my choice out of pilot training. I talked the powers that be into switching my Survival School and a week leave so I could stay at Vance AFB for my son to be born. The day he was born I got a call that I had been switched to the C-141. I finished training at Altus AFB and reported to McGuire AFB NJ on 24 Nov 1969. Between my first mission on 3 Dec 1969 and landing off my last mission on 12 Oct 1970 I logged just over 900 hours flying time. I landed in Vietnam at least once a month during that time. I was selected for the mission to Antarctica the summer of 1971 Sabre Society but ‘the dart on the wall’ nailed me while I was flying Donors my last mission, so I came home to orders for school on the way to Vietnam.

“The next aircraft was the Super Jolly Green Giant, HH-53C. One of my most memorable flights was my last flight in Vietnam in May of 72. We flew the 3rd attempt on a Marine F-4 back-seater. I led a flight of 2 Jollies and 4 Sandy’s up past Khe Sanh where the Sandy’s left to go to the site while we continued north across the DMZ and then button hooked back down to the site. The Marine had punched out and lost everything off his survival vest except his radio. He misunderstood the directions from the night before and was at the top of a ridge. The Sandy’s told him to hustle down as quickly as he could. In the process, he picked up his flares and other items from his survival vest as he literally stumbled across them. He came out of the tree line in a little ravine just as I pulled into a hover. Had to use the penetrator because I couldn’t land. My Flight Engineer pulled him off the penetrator and pointed to a stanchion and told him to hang on while he got the mini-gun back in the door. We left as soon as the FE announced he was on board.

In and out I may have gotten over 10 feet off the ground but it sure wasn’t 15. During the egress the Pararescue (PJ) tossed the Marine a canteen of water. It bounced off his hand and landed on the other side of the cabin.

So the Marine quickly jumped to the other side and grabbed the canteen and stanchion. At almost that same instant we took a single small arms rifle bullet through the floor exactly where the Marine had been sitting. I was lucky because that was the only battle damage I had throughout my tour in Vietnam.”

Darrel also wrote about a local group of grads who meet once a month

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including Jim Terry and Felix Morgan from our class, some grads from ’69 and others ranging from ’66 to ’78.

other new marriage to celebrate since the last reunion, Gene Foster and the lovely Karen, who renewed their vows in the Cadet Chapel on October 18th. Then there was the somber silence honoring our departed Classmates, the list of which continues to grow, inevitably but so sadly, with the excruciating strains of taps echoing in our ears and thoughts.

A central rallying point for all proved to be the Cadet Honor Board Room, our legacy Class Gift. All were gratified to be able to envision for the first time its completion, see the huge crane looming over the new CCLD, Sabre Society and the vertical compass rising ghostlike with a fix on Donors the North Star, the light of which the compass will cap-

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ture and channel to the CCLD at an aperture immediately above the table in the Honor Board Room itself.

Because the dust has not yet settled on the reunion, and I have little other new news to share, and many of you never read the electronic version of Checkpoints from last summer (no hard copy was published), most of it is repeated below. For those of you yearning for some reunion shots, Marty Cavato has provided a nice collection (http:// marty.cavato.smugmug.com/USAFA-69-Reunion-2014 From Summer 2014 Checkpoints: Going back in time to the “unpublished picture” files, below please note the great shot sent along by Tom Shumway on the occasion of the 40th Reunion of the An Loc aviator gathering, held in October 2012. Pictured are Rudy Hallenbeck, Tom, and Ron Peterson, Rudy taking the prize for most graduation-day-like shock of hair!

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Albuquerque attorney Charles Price and wife/artist, Kate Hollander.

While in Albuquerque, I had a sumptuous steak and wine dinner at Charles Price and Kate Hollander’s beautiful home the night before my pilot training reunion kicked off. Today, Charles has a private law practice that includes the representation of real estate investors, developers and lenders in all aspects of development. In addition, he currently serves as a member of the City of Albuquerque Landmarks and Urban Conservation Commission and has been listed in Best Lawyers in America since 1987.

Kate is a local New Mexico artist who has a degree in Architecture and a minor in Art from the University of New Mexico. Her mediums for art expression include: weaving, textiles, silver, fine bead work, paint, metals, and mixed media. She is a commissioned artist for the City of Albuquerque and some of her works are on display in the downtown area.

Charles, Steve Staley, and I were great friends during our cadet days at 3rd Squadron and it was wonderful to share some reminiscing about our glory days.

THOUGHTS AND PRAYERS: Please keep Charles Price in your prayers in the loss of his youngest son, Ethan.

Rudy, Tom, and Ron reminiscing on their time at An Loc. Also in the file is this shot of Jerry Ball at Macchu Picchu last November, crossing off one more of the entries on his bucket list, one that had been enumerated since taking high school Spanish. These ruins offer a higher-than-average probability of running into another ’69er than do most exotic destinations you might visit, so plan accordingly. One word description: magical.

Can Jim Hoskins, Ric Katnik, and Dave Nelson, all Air Staffers with Jerry back in the mid-80s, be far behind?

’68 and ’69 Scribes break bread together. From left are Lindsey Parris, Tom O’Beirne, and Tim Davidson.

Lindsey Parris and I managed to get together for lunch with the able coordination of our classmate Tom O’Beirne. Catch Lindsey’s column below to hear about ’69’s 45th reunion.

THAT’S A WRAP: Mind the flak; keep ’em flying, and keep those cards, letters, e-mails, and photos coming in to Pat Russell and me. Ciao for now. Tim

Lindsey Parris 616 King’s Cloister Circle Alexandria, VA 22302 Home: (703) 836-3604 102177.1033@compuserve.com

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Post-reunion greetings to all. And what a grand reunion it was, some say our best ever. Huge kudos to Glenn and Steve and the entire Reunion Committee for yet another spectacular job. Along with Chris Christie, they were able to keep the lanes of I-25 open through the 3rd quarter of the stirring gridiron victory over New Mexico.

Lots of first-time reunion attendees, mates not seen in ages. And, an-

Jerry Ball hiking the Inca Trail to Macchu Picchu’s Sun Gate (and failing in his effort to look nonchalant).

Posners Jeff and Anne have been extremely busy with their 40-foot sailboat, Joyful, on which they now reside full-time having sold their home in Huntsville last fall. They departed Mobile and are due to arrive in the Chesapeake Bay in late May. They have signed up to join the Blue Planet Odyssey around-the-world sailing rally, a two-year(+) affair with some 40 sailboats from around the globe sailing the classic westbound trade winds routes, gathering scientific date from the oceans for NOAA and universities.

Jeff Grime and his (non-69er) partner from Bluffton, SC headed to Kiawah Island Golf Resort earlier this year and swept the super senior (over

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65) divisions of the Carolina Golf Associations two Senior Four Ball One-Day tournaments, carding a 69 at Oak Point and a 68 at Cougar Point. Congrats to Jeff for doing something most of us dream of being able to accomplish one day, but would probably wake up and apologize for dreaming it.

PK Carlton retired from Texas A&M in January 2013, and is remaining in College Station for the time being. He and Lady D have purchased a lake home in Granbury, Texas, one that has become a beach house during the punishing drought that has hit the area. When not conducting rain dance séances, PK is still sitting on Boards and consulting in a variety of areas, and continuing his important work in saving lives in war zones, the rates of which are now at history’s lowest levels, with the preventable mortality rates in war zones at 3% (by comparison, the rate in rural America is 35%). Son Paul Carlton III is a squadron commander at Columbus, so the long chain of blue suits and remarkable Carltons wearing them continues unbroken.

Also with a squadron commanding son is Les Dyer…Son Todd commands the 335th FS Chiefs, F-15E Strike Eagles. Having Carltons and Dyers in line to run our Air Force bodes well for the future.

John Hopper cruised through a piece in the HuffPost which named “America’s 15 coolest small towns.” And lo and behold there stood Mayor CJ Wax’s own Rockport, Texas in the Top 15. Great “find” by John and great efforts by CJ and Susan in helping give Rockport such cache, running in such esteemed company.

Gerry Schwartzel is known among his ’69er brothers for many things, but certainly for his sweet golf swing and near-scratch game – he’s a legit 1 or 2, far beyond most of us hackers. However, he is now known for something else – ingenuity. It seems while playing golf recently in Palm Springs he sent his ProV1 off the tee into the abyss, said ball never to be seen again. Ever the gentleman, Gerry tossed his driver with such primal force that it snapped in half, despite the elegance of the toss. Most of us might swear and moan as we broke the remaining two pieces in half again, tossed the destroyed remains in the trash, and coughed up $450 for a replacement. But not our Gerry. No, sir. Exhibiting the ingenuity he learned at the Zoo from uncountable nights studying into the wee hours, he instead invented a revolutionary drink stirrer as shown in the picture below, combining in seamless complement two of the loves of his life – golf and whiskey. The third and most important, Lady Deni, can only look on and smile – wryly. Contact Gerry for investment or phenomenological details. The IPO will be next month. And, the smile is free!

So, when out and about with ’69ers, please help give this legacy project, perhaps our greatest achievement as a Class to date, one last boost.

Esse non videri. Lindsey

Dick Rauschkolb 130 Luxury Lane Colorado Springs, CO 80921 H: (719) 761-5764 Cell: (719) 310-6928 Email: AOG70@comcast.net

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Arriba Falcones! The Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy is back in its rightful home after the Falcons whipped up on the boys from Canoe U. and Hudson High. The team certainly has turned things around from last year. With the win over Army, the Falcons are bowl eligible. Congrats to Troy Calhoun and staff!

Time to gear up for our Reunion next fall! After much debate, our 45th Reunion will be 4-8 Nov. The Falcons will be playing Army on 7 Nov. The highlight of the Reunion is a joint dedication with the Class of ’65 of the Plaza of Heroes next to the SEA Memorial Pavilion. As I indicated in my last column, this is our last major gift and cements our legacy as the Heritage Class. Our fundraising campaign tag line is “Let’s Finish It!” Hopefully, you have received a letter about the project. We hope you will all make a donation so we can achieve our goal of raising $500K. Do it before the end of the year and get a tax deduction. If you have questions, contact the Sabre Society Donors Gift Committee -- Gary Dahlen, Mike Torreano, Mike Lambert or me. Start lining up your foursomes for the big golf tournament. Send them to me -- and make sure you have a commitment from all your players.

Hope you golfers had a good summer. Greg Gilles and I teamed up for a third-place finish in a big tournament at Eisenhower. We also choked in a few other tournaments. Chuck Weir was in town for a visit and we teed it up a few times and told a lot of war stories over some adult beverages. Weir’s game was pretty good as long as I read the greens for him.

Rumor has it Mike Torreano, Wild Bill Stealey, Tim Kinnan, Rick Lesch, Bob Mack, and Tom Waskow had a good summer on the links.

Saw lots of classmates and spouses at Rich and Nanci Downing’s annual mini-reunion after we thumped the Middies: Bob Baskett, Larry Bush, Pat Collins, Mick Davey, Terry Dessert, Chris Dunbar, Tooey Emery, Mark Ewig, Gary Finley, John Gallagher, Dave Gaw, Bill Hamill, Bruce Harmon, Rich Harrington, Roger Hill, Rick Humke, Craig Johnson, Bill Kirkman, Mike Lambert, Mac MacIsaac, Bob Mack, Henry Mitchell, Jack Mueller, Dan Murphy, Ray Oakeshott, Mike Paddock, John Penny, Bill Porter, Brian Prendergast, Shawn Raintree, George Rayl, Tom Rayl, Gerry Shaw, Dave Smith, Dave Smith, Ashby Taylor, Mike Torreano, Larry Vaughn, Cookie Villareal, Tome Walters, and Phill Whitehead. (Apologies if we missed someone) Many thanks to Rich and (mostly) Nanci for another great time and superb dinner. We will give you next year off!

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Gerry Schwartzel demo-ing his new cocktail accessory.

Building is well underway on the new CCLD, which will house our Class Gift, the Class of 1969 Cadet Wing Honor Board Room. The lofty purpose of our gift, tied umbilically to the AF’s Core Values, looks to be matched by the iconic status of the structure itself, which the Academy’s communications and public relations team are working to bring to the attention of national networks. Though we have reached our original goal of raising $2 million, the Class continues to run well shy of 100% participation. So, if it is your inclination to participate with your fellow ’69ers in this gift, please don’t let the opportunity to contribute pass by before it is too late!

END OF SUMMER CHECKPOINTS PIECE. During the reunion, upon hearing first-hand about the Class Gift and observing the centrality of its location, understanding its purpose and worthiness, and seeing it rising into reality, many who were formerly unaware elected forthwith to join the Class in donating.

The Endowment has graciously extended the donation window once again, now that completion is palpable, to allow additional opportunity for the Class to achieve a higher participation rate. Our goal, because this is a gift to one another (as well as to USAFA and all its graduates past, present, and future), has always been to achieve 100% participation—to make the gift “of the Class” in its truest sense.

To that end, one ’69er—who wishes to remain anonymous—has generously offered to match all contributions from those who have not yet donated to the project.

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’70 Men Celebrate Victory over Navy!

Check out the following article in the Washington Post. It is a remarkable story about the first African-American Rhodes Scholar, Alain Locke.

Our own Rhodes Scholar, George Keys is prominently featured in the article for his role in finding a final resting place for Mr. Locke. Very interesting story! The 60-year journey of the ashes of Alain Locke, father of the Harlem Renaissance

Congratulations to Dave Palanchar who received the Thayer Tutt Award from the Colorado Springs Sports Corporation at a major event here. It has been a pleasure to watch Dave’s many contributions to the Colorado Springs community over the years. Dave was one of the most important individuals in the growth, traditions, and history of sport in Colorado Springs. Way to go Dave!

Your SEA Memorial Pavilion continues to be a major attraction at the Academy. We have had plaque dedication ceremonies honoring the Ravens, FACs, Jolly Greens, Sandys, Red Markers, and Misty FACs. The Red Markers, who were FACs for Vietnamese Paratroopers, had 40 Vietnam Vets at the ceremony in their combat fatigues. We recently put up a beautiful POW plaque honoring graduate POWs. There will be a major dedication ceremony in the spring. I hope our own Jack Trimble and Bill Reich will be there.

Thoughts and prayers to Dusty and Rose Ann Swanson. By the time you read this, Dusty will have gone through a bone marrow transplant to prevent the onset of Leukemia.

Marilyn and I extend our best wishes to all for a Happy Holiday Season and Healthy New Year! God Bless our troops who are serving in far away lands. Hope to see you all in 2015!

Paul D. Knott 5565 Lantana Drive Colorado Springs, CO 80915 H: (719) 570-9162 E-mail: pk71knott@gmail.com

Dave Palanchar earns major award.

Kudos to George Cato who is volunteering to help raise money for wounded warrior families. We got to see Willie and Patti Schepens before the Boise State game. Have been in touch with Lee MacKinley who is interested in telling the remarkable story of the Raven FACs in Laos. Have also heard from John Penney who is enjoying life in Denver. Joe Boyles checked in and is interested in getting Checkpoints to do an article about grads in the ministry. I am sure we all remember Chaplain Browning, ’59, the first grad chaplain. Greg Woodhead rooted the Falcons to victory over Navy at a local DC sports bar. Paul Rosetti is working hard in NYC, but found time for a trip to Europe. Al and Judy Simoncic were in town and hooked up with Tony and Val Marietta. We were out of town or we would have hit the links. We regret we missed Dave Hallman and spouse on their trip to the Springs for the Navy game. Dave lives near Atlanta and is enjoying retirement. Saw Collie Norman briefly. He is a mediator in Denver. He tries to resolve disputes before they go to court. We may need him if there is a tie in our Reunion Golf Tournament.

Lots of ’70 men are active on Facebook. Check out the USAFA ’70 Classmates page if you want to join the group. We have 161 classmates on the site. While many people are against social media, it does provide a chance to reconnect with classmates and see what is going on with our classmates.

Roger and Sharon Hill had a great visit with Larry and Charlotte Tieman and Dave and Shelley Batuski at their home. Larry is retired from FedEx and Dave is on sabbatical from the University of Maine. Mike Lambert and Yogi Royce and spouses were at Michie Stadium rooting the Falcons to victory.

Here’s a picture of Darrel Massey and Pete Peterson on the top of a small mountain in the Yukon Territory, Canada. They made a 1,400 mile loop around the Yukon and Alaska for 10 days. They drank a lot of Yukon and Alaskan brews. On the return to Juneau, Win Grueing and his wife, Anne, showed them the area and provided the starving back-woodsmen with an excellent dinner of halibut in their beautiful home overlooking the city and harbor.

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The Falcon football season is certainly trending better than 2013. Let’s hope that it continues that way. We have the first leg on the return of the CiC trophy to its proper home as of this writing. By the time you read this column, the other half should be set.

Speaking of football, I read recently that Ernie Jennings is on the 2015 ballot of the College Hall of Fame! Ernie is one of 75 players and six coaches nominated this year. If he is one of the 15 or so inducted, he’ll join a very select group. Of approximately 5 million people who have played college ball since Princeton and Rutgers first met in 1869, fewer than 950 have made it into the Hall. The announcement will be made before the national championship game in Arlington, Texas in January.

Cass Casada’s golf extravaganza on June 9th looks like the beginning of a wonderful tradition. The winning Sabre Society foursome included Ron Daniels, Tom McKiernan, Rick Donors Miller, and Rich Pellicore. “And congrats to the others who also took home prizes: Drew Koch for longest drive, Brian Conboy and John Koch for closest to pin honors, as well as the second and last place foursomes (Cass Casada, Mike Fuhs, Honi Garvin, Bob Johnson, Scott Hamm, Bill Kubida, Bob Parker, and Jim Smith).

“The best news is that we were able to donate $1,106 to the ‘71 Class Gift Fund from the sale of mulligans, additional donations, and Tom Berry’s most generous matching gift. And, hopefully, everybody had a good time in the process.”

Cass is thinking about making this an annual event. If you’d be interesting in attending (or coming back), please let Cass know so that he can get the wheels in motion. Some of the questions he is interested in are: should this be on June 9th, on a Monday, or some other day? Should this be a oneday deal, or would a multi-day tournament work better? Where would be a good venue – Bear Dance or some other course? Is the scramble format the best, or would another way work better? Feel free to add any comments from your experience.

Lance Miller has applied for a position on the AOG Board of Directors, and from the message traffic I saw, he had plenty of support from the class. When the election is held, I hope that you all will support him in his quest.

Russ Records may be the last member of our class to have a child attending the Academy. Honi Garvin’s twin sons are firsties this year. Anyone else having a son or daughter either in the Wing now or in the process?

While I’m on the subject, do we have any grandchildren attending yet?

As usual, I will be more than happy to share your yearly summaries with your friends and classmates. GBA

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Intrepid ’70 Men Relive SERE with adult beverages.

So what does everyone think about Gregg Popovich’s new beard? The announcers at the Spurs first home game referred to Popo as looking like an “old” Sean Connery. I must admit it looks pretty good, but wonder what Erin thinks of it?! I just read that Popo is a finalist for Sports Illustrated Sports Person of the Year.

Bob Bell 13 Pacific Ave. Sinking Spring, PA 19608 Cell:302-399-3240 E-mail: reservist777@yahoo.com

Members

Welcome once more to the Class of ’72 Checkpoints news. First in the queue for this edition was the message and accompanying photo from

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Jim Livingston reporting on a Mini-Reunion including some of our classmates which occurred during September in Big Sky, MT. A great time was apparently had by all, as usual, judging by all the smiles in the picture, taken by JoAnn Sturman.

From left in front are Mike Verzola, Craig Ghelber, and Rak Rakitis. Rear: Steve Machacek, Curt Ely, Billy Keeler, George Pollard. “A Happy 2012 Reunion and an Affectionate Rak”.

From left are Dan Ripple, (’72ers Dan O’Donnell, Scott Sturman, Doug Goodman, Mark Kuno, Jim Livingston,) Don Rousseau and Joe Sullivan.

Got some intel from Jim Herrmann reporting in from North Carolina on a 13 September mini-reunion which occurred during the Air Force Georgia State game in Atlanta. Some other classmates who joined them included Les and Anita Shrum from Goldsboro, NC and Peter Voorhees, located by Jim directly from the roster of tailgate attendees. As CS-02 squadron mates during their 4th and 3rd class years, it had been over 40 years since Jim had seen Peter, but as he states, “surprisingly, I was walking through the lot as he was walking in and recognized him immediately.” Peter retired from Delta in 2005 and is now teaching and coaching lacrosse at a Catholic high school near Alpharetta, GA.

From left are Jim Herrmann, Les Shrum, and Peter Voorhees.

Another gathering of a more sobering sort took place in Washington, DC on Sept 24th and 25th during which members of the Class of ’72 recalled and celebrated the life of our friend and classmate Craig Ghelber. Initial notification came through the guys of CS-36 with a stream of emails and Facebook posts getting the word out pretty quickly. Doug (Mush Brower helped along that process by getting out a class-wide blast via his last current email address listing. Those who were able to come into DC the evening prior to the funeral service included John Thurman, Bob Rakitis, Dave Klein, Rick Solana, Steve Machacek & Shelley, Mark McCarthy & Cherie, Charlie Myers, Curt Ely, Mike Verzola, Bill Emmer and myself. Two long-standing Sabre Society and close friends of Craig’s CS-36 “Pink Panthers,” Terri Donors Bakken and Anne Kennedy Jeannette also attended, adding to the overall enjoyment of all who met Tuesday evening at the Crystal City Doubletree. A brief happy hour ensued which was followed by dinner in the revolving restaurant atop the hotel. Wednesday morning we all re-gathered at Arlington National Cemetery to participate in the memorial and burial service for Craig. Classmate Brett Berlin was able to join the rest of us there along with many other friends and family members where military honors and a traditional Jewish burial took place. Directly following the ceremony at Arlington, Craig’s wife, Ann, and daughters Heather and Erin hosted a small reception at Erin’s Virginia townhome allowing everyone to meet and socialize once more, sharing again in the camaraderie and further continuing the recall of fond memories of our friend Craig.

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During the happy hour event of Tuesday night before the Ghelber ceremony, I made contact with several classmates to gather some tidbits for use here. I did not get to everyone there and any errors or omissions are strictly on me as there might have been an adult beverage or two involved in the reportage phase. Dr. Rick Solana (Karen) spent some 10 years as an AF veterinarian, followed by another 30-some years with the US Army and also as a Senior VP with Altria in the field of pharmacology/toxicology research. Not content just to have focused on his specialty as well as having earned his PhD, he also built his own RV (the airplane) and then proceeded to fly it on an around-the-US trip. Rick is also currently very active in youth development, some causes of which include Big Brothers/ Big Sisters and a Science Museum.

Bill Emmer stays busy with a Miami-based contract as a Boeing 787 Instructor Pilot, but still has time for a bit of personal and family flying which he has chronicled at floridaaviators.blogspot.com.

Charlie Myers, happily staying young living in Virginia with his recent bride Bernadette, made a quote in one of his emails with the CS-36 group that well summarized the feelings of many at the Craig Ghelber gathering. His saying, in reference to the get-together in DC, was “good times remembered make bad times more tolerable,” a comment that I found to be very apropos to the event.

My former BCT element mate and fellow CS-19er John Thurman (Marina) residing in Centreville, Virginia is now a civilian employed at J8 (Analysis) working for JCS. He got to make the “short” walk over from the Pentagon after work to meet the rest of us for Tuesday’s happy hour, allowing us all to further catch up on things since last visit.

Fellow aviator Dave Klein (Sandi) whom I see more often than most of the class has finally retired as of 1 October from Air Wisconsin where he had been a CRJ Captain. He currently resides in Colorado Springs.

Steve Machacek had been involved in some family wedding arrangements nearer his Michigan home when he got word of the Ghelber situation but quickly made changes to those plans to allow him and Shelley to fly into DC to join the rest of the group. They were able to meet up with dear friend “Rak” Rakitis who helped make the logistical connections via ground transport. Steve is still working for Philips in the healthcare management field, living in Northville, MI. Rob (Rak) still lives in nearby Pennsylvania.

For any of you who have not been keeping up with the regular editions of “Flies In Your Eyes” written by Scott Sturman, this month you may be able to learn about a true American success story presented by him and centered in Quito, Ecuador. Scott’s website is still available, was featured many months ago in this column and is still going strong, so check it out for some great reads.

A short message came in from San Antonio, TX resident Steve Alderman in which he reflects on the seasonal changes occurring in his region, as the “hotter ‘n hell” three months is traded for much more comfortable

JOIN THE SABRE SOCIETY! YOUR MONEY HELPS FUND CADET WING PROGRAMS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNFUNDED. CALL (719) 472-0300 X200.

conditions the rest of the year. Steve and his wife, Joanie, met with old friends at North Carolina’s Outer Banks in early September, keeping up the long tradition of vacationing together which they have established over the years with Rick and Peggy Krapf from Toana, VA along with Rich and Robbie Wojdyla from Littleton, CO. Word is that “Wooj” continues to wield his well-known quick-witted humor, keeping everyone in stitches the entire time. As a Director for the Colonial Williamsburg Foundation, Rich Krapf has continued to work there ever since his first retirement in 1992. Rich Wojdyla is still flying as Captain on an Airbus for United Airlines. Steve Alderman is currently a G-450/GV-550 Captain for Netjets.

amazonite and smoky quartz paydirt just outside Lake George, an hourplus west of Colorado Springs. Check out Joe’s Facebook page at tinyurl. com/pazptwf. Thanks to Stalker Reed for the info.

Jack Hudson reported meeting up with Bill Ball (’63), CS-25 AOC from summer 1970 through graduation, in Dayton. Jack and Marsha accompanied Bill and his fellow UPT classmates on a tour of the National Museum of the US Air Force at Wright Patterson. Jack, if you’ve missed it, is the director of the museum. It’s come a long, long way from what we saw on ZI in the summer of 1970. (I still have slides of the aircraft on display when we were there.) Photo of Jack and Bill at usafa.org.

John Wigington continues his conquest of national trails. Having already done the Appalachian Trail, he hiked the Colorado Trail this summer. He reports Clay and Nancy Stewart were Trail Angels and gracious hosts in Leadville. “It was a great hike, but having a hot shower, clean clothes, and good food were a real plus -- at least for one day.”

Clay and Nancy are doing well, enjoying life at high altitude (10,152’).

Sabre Society John also noted that Paul and Jane Freund spent Donors a couple of days with him and Suzy in their home in Tennessee this Fall. Paul has retired from his defense contractor job supporting the base closure office and is looking to escape the high taxes and expenses of the DC area. Tennessee is one of the areas they are considering. Paul and Renee Guttman also stopped by for some hiking during the Fall colors season. Paul, who lives in Melbourne, FL, retired from Northrop this summer and is cooking for Renee now.

At least two classmates got married since our column. Bob Neal married Dianna Capato on 7 Sep. They honeymooned in Italy (good choice, Bob) and are living in Renton, WA. See their picture at usafa73.org. “Wild” Bill Gillin married Kathy Tyers Oct. 11 in Bozeman, MT and will be relocating there over the coming year. “But with two kids and five grandkids in Colorado Springs, I’ll be making frequent trips back. Commuting to fly for FedEx will keep me in the air a lot for another two years. Looking forward to retirement in the Big Sky country!” Congratulations, guys!

Gary Brobeck has a new email and phone number since retiring, but hasn’t moved. If you’d like contact info, let me know and I’ll provide it individually.

Class President Ron Scott on his family and several classmates: “Mary and I are very happy to have our youngest daughter Katie and family back from a seven-year stay in China. Meanwhile, given current developments in the Levant, we keep our oldest daughter in our prayers as her company requires occasional travel to that part of the world.”

“Our Class scribe, Mike Arnett [your humble servant] and his wife, Priscilla, are now the proud grandparents of eight grandchildren and have caught up with our Class Treasurer, Joe Kahoe, and his wife, Debbi.

“In October, AJ Briding successfully defended his PhD dissertation. Dr. Briding has become an international expert in a variety of security programs such as organizational resilience, continuity of operations, and so forth. Whoever said old dogs can’t be trained?

“Al Mauer has a rapidly growing audience for his Voice of Liberty columns. Al has a great knack for objectively analyzing the political scene. “’Checkered Past’ musician, mathematician, and computer scientist whiz kid, Dennis Haugh, and I have become active in an historical (possibly epochal) nationwide effort to rebalance power in the federal system.

It is based on Article V of our Constitution. I’ll present a paper on the concept at a national conference in Chicago this coming March.” You can follow Ron’s latest musings as the Old Gadfly at gadflycorner.blogspot.com.

Tom Kennedy reported in for CS-31 Grim Reapers. Dan and Robin Connelly had a blast in Rome, Florence and Venice in September, eating their way through Italy and celebrating Dan still being cancer free. Congrats, Dan! Don and Kyong Gross visited Korea and the chapel they were married in many years ago. Pix of both couples are at usafa73.org.

Craig MacPherson passed on that the Campus Radicals from CS-39 had a series of mini reunions over the summer as part of the Campus Radicals Adventures in Paradise program. (Acronym intended, says Craig.)

In May, Kelly McCullar and Mark Prill ventured to Dan Pierre’s home in Winchester, TN, which happens to be right near the Jack Daniels Distillery.

A two-part gathering in September started in Butler, PA with the Pennsylvania Invitational Golf Scramble where Terry Lakin, Bill McKinnis, Skip Evans, and Gary VanDrie competed… the golf course won. Another Radical, John Foreman attended the “Tournament Banquet.” Skip hosted the second part at his year-round residence, a 37-foot sailboat moored at the Washington Yacht Club in DC. One evening Skip, Terry, Bill and Craig ventured to the outstanding steak house in Silver Spring known as The Classics, owned and operated by Elliot Rattley. Elliot spent two years with the Class of ‘73 as Campus Radical before venturing out to greener pastures.

Pix at usafa73.org.

Geoff Michael reported a CS-37 Smiler mini-reunion in Atlanta for the Georgia State game. Dave Aderhold and Greg Cummins were there, in addition to those in the accompanying picture.

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From left are Steve Alderman, Rich Krapf and Rich Wojdyla, “Modeling the Class Logo Golf Shirt in the Outer Banks”.

Well, since there is a word limit here, I have gotten enough input this issue to holdover a few items for you to see in the next one. Thanks guys!

Keep it coming. FPA. Mike Arnett 5285 Copper Drive Colorado springs, CO 80918 (719) 310-8100 jmikearnett@gmail.com

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Thanks for all the inputs, guys. Too many to include all the details, but you can find them at usafa73.org.

George Dorris, CS-01, retired from the Air Force (O-5) in 2005 to become a bush pilot in Idaho. George was raised near McCall, ID, and was co-captain of the USAFA ski team in 1971. He flies hunters, backpackers, builders, float parties, etc., to the Idaho back country in his twin-engine Britten-Normandy Islander. In 2009, he was asked to fly a camera crew and gear to Wilson Bar, a back country airstrip in Idaho, to help produce a promotional video for Wings Over the Rockies, an air museum located at old Lowry AFB. Harrison Ford narrated the film, much of it from his vintage Beaver tail-dragger, which he flew into Wilson Bar. The film is online at vimeo.com/41425441. George’s Islander is shown coming in for a landing at 3:21 in the film. About 45 seconds of the film shows scenes within about five miles of George’s home; details are at usafa73.org. On a “related” note, George’s brother Joe (’74) is the most successful of the featured prospectors of The Weather Channel’s “Prospectors” series, hitting

George Dorris (center) talking with Harrison Ford under the wing of Ford’s vintage Beaver aircraft.

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News At this reunion time, two classmates still wear the Air Force blue. Major General Verle Johnston is the Commander of the New York National Guard. Colonel William Pailes still wears the Air Force uniform as well, though he is retired. The way the system works, Bill may teach as the Senior Aerospace Science Instructor at the high school (in Temple, Texas) only if he is retired. This is serving the country as a Junior ROTC instructor. Government sanctioned. It’s possible he can inspire these youth as a former astronaut, engineer, and USAFA graduate. If any of you wish to do this duty, contact the Junior ROTC offices in Maxwell AFB. There are several graduates from other classes who are instructing high school students around the world. Of personal note, two of my former cadet students have been teaching JROTC.

CS-37 Smilers Geoff Michael, Jan and Eric Hearnsberger, Susan and Ron Hoskins, Chris Young, Ed Heisey and Tom Berry ’71.

John Kuconis sent in an extensive CS-19 update. Instead of breaking it up due to space limitations, I’ve had Mike Nishimuta post it at usafa73. org. Mike also sent in a picture of him and Paul Brenner at DFW. Pic at usafa73.org.

Next year’s NCLS is scheduled for 26-27 Feb 15. Info at http://tinyurl. com/mw865mr. Registration will likely start in early December and closes 23 Jan. Hope to see you there.

“Here’s a toast…to the host…of the men we boast…the U.S. Air Force!”

Mike Arnett Joe Brezovic 228 Senior Circle Lompoc, CA 93437 (832) 285-4179 launchops74@gmail.com

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Greetings Classmates! Many, many fine comments came forward for Tom Hayden and the Reunion Planning Team to include Charlie Bryant, Ted Roth, Rich Bowman, Rich Haynie, Robert Lowery, and with the electronic assist from Dino Schweitzer. I wish to include the many helping hands during the registration, Louise Roth, Vicky Hayden, Paul Spendley, John Voss, and... I apologize because know I missed several. For other participants, our class president Ed Whalen asked that a special note of thanks to Bill Van Horn be placed in this Checkpoints edition. Thank you very much, Bill, for providing this history to our class. Even the Superintendent praised the work Bill Van Horn did in contacting classmates, following up on emails and phone calls, compiling, editing, and having published: United States Air Force Academy Class of ‘74. ...on the inside, “...On the occasion of our 40thClass Reunion”. Many classmates are talking about the days and lives collected therein. There are over 140 pages of “there I was...”

Sabre Society type of stories or incidents you may have forgotten – to Donors retie yourself to the long blue line, and restrengthen the bonds of 1974 classmates.

Kind “Thank you” comments have also come through for the Memorial Service: Skip Dieter (Invocation), Mark Radar (Scripture), Joseph Traficanti (Commentary), Tom Hall (Message), MajGen Verle Johnston (New York ANG) and Colonel William Pailes (Senior Aerospace Science Instructor-Retired on duty) our two readers of our 60 classmates who have gone before us. Chris Williams sounded “Taps” while USAFA 1974 stood and saluted our fallen classmates. Your brochure shows 58 because we learned of one classmate just that week, and another just that afternoon. Another thanks goes to the squadron points of contact (POC) who emailed, called, and snail-mailed personal invitations and encouragements so that 354 classmates signed up. And there were wives and guests and sons, daughters, and grandchildren there too. Here is the percentage of squadron attendees [number signed up/graduated] for the top several squadrons: CS-39 had 81.3% [13/16]; CS-17 had 68.8% [11/16]; CS-14 had 66.7% [14/21]; CS-35 had 65% [13/20]; CS-30 had 64.7% [11/17]; CS-19 & CS-37 had 62.5% [10/16]; CS-6 had 61.9% [13/21]; and CS-5 had 60% [12/20]. Our scribe’s goal was to take pictures of as many classmates, spouses, and guests. He hoped to get everyone once. – That did not happen.

His goal for the 45th Reunion is everyone gets one picture taken, unless of a wave-off. The pictures from this reunion will be downloaded onto Flicker.

By now, the folder should be updated. Check the USAFA AOG, Academy Heritage, Class History, Class Site. Once there, browse thru the news of yesteryear. Choose “Links” to go where the pictures will be. Thanks to Dino Schweitzer; he updates this class page with important information as well as the class histories the scribe Joe Brezovic sends him.

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Last two standing: Verle and William.

Of course you know that Air Force beat Navy in the football game. If you were not at USAFA that weekend, you did not know that the USAFA Rugby team beat Navy at a Terrazzo Game. Yes, isn’t amazing that we do sports and bonfires on the hallowed green square in the Terrazzo?

Prior to Friday events, the 1974 Rugby Team gathered for a celebration of yesteryears. The main event was honoring one of their own, our own classmate Victor M. LaSaxon: USAFA AOG Coaches Lifetime Achievement Award from the AOG Rugby Affinity Board. Among the classmates and friends attending was Air Force Vice Chief of Staff General Duncan McNabb (retired), Jim Meeker, and Nathan Rosenberg. In attendance was most of the Alum Rugby Team Key Members, the present USAF Cadet Rugby Team, all the Hall of Fame Coaches, Al Osur, Tex Byrd and of course, especially flown in from England for this event, RAF Vice Air Marshall Tony Mason. Inscription on the front side of Vic’s Award is as follows; “You have achieved what others only dreamed: Hurricane Hunter, fighter pilot, multiple duties at Edwards AFB, Silver Star, Bronze Star with Valor, Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal, MSM and Command Pilot Astronaut Rating. An outstanding career at the FAA as an experimental test pilot and test pilot Manager/instructor and then at Boeing supporting SAM/VIP Air Force One Mission as test pilot and chief scientist, all while earning a Ph.D. in Aviation and Space Science.” A truly remarkable aviation career.

We are all proud to have been your teammates.

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Al Osur, Tex Byrd, Vice Air Marshall Tony Mason and Vic LaSaxon Perhaps in your dreams you may have seen some signs at graduation.

Do you recall the Graduation Parade on the Parade Field (not the marchon into the stadium on June 5)? Well, do you remember the EXIT 74 and Leaving USAFA highway signs? Probably not since they weren’t there past six a.m. Here’s the unverified legend as I received it on possible suspects Strubs Struble and Fitz Fitzgerald.

“Sometime in the middle of the dark days of January or February 1974 we decided it would be a good idea to have these two signs for graduation.

So we borrowed a chainsaw, took a van and cut them both down (I think

there was a foot of snow on the ground). Back then they had the wooden white posts, not the metal ones. We stored the signs at a friend’s house until the spring and late one night before the scheduled parade snuck them onto the parade field. When I say “snuck” I probably imply that we did so in a stealthy manner. Not exactly. We carefully concealed the two, four foot by eight foot neon green signs with bright white reflective lettering, on top of the van and covered them with two one inch ropes tying them to the roof. Clever as only 94 of the 96 inches of the signs were exposed. Well, believe it or not I think an astute North Gate guard somehow saw through the ruse. At about 0530 we were awakened rather rudely by the CQ who said we should call the OIC. I forget the Major’s name but the conversation ended with “and if you return those signs to the highway department you might even graduate”. So, we cheerfully loaded ourselves and my six-week-old Irish Setter (who had peed on the CQ’s leg when he woke us) into the van, drove out to the Parade Field, loaded the signs and drove to South Colorado Springs to the highway department. So that’s the rest of the story.”

Strubs guarding what you didn’t see!

Again, Thank you Tom and committee members, POCs, and all you who came to make this 40th Reunion so fondly memorable.

Holidays are coming up; would you include your Christmas letter and picture if you’d like? We may print the picture if it has a ’74 member, and is at least 226 dpi jpeg. I do try to get the pictures in... and the stories posted to keep us connected through the ups and downs.

Last note. In this last quarter, two classmates have gone before us.

Would you take a moment and recall the good times and impact these men had on your lives: Lance C. Webb from cancer. David M. Eiband also died of cancer.

Thank you. May you and yours live long and prosper.

Jeff Chappell 14729 Birken St. Herriman, UT 84096 (210) 488-6137 jtmjbda@sbcglobal.net

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40th reunion status: Some of you have inquired, and many more probably wonder, about the status of our reunion next year. My call to the AOG revealed that, since reunions depend on the home football schedule which doesn’t come out until late March-early April, we will not have a date until after that. However, whoever gets volunteered to plan our big event can start anytime. Dean Cox already started part of the process by getting our druthers about gifts to be included in our reunion packages.

John Charlton reported on Bill Corsetti’s retirement as a Strategic Planner in J5, where among his many outstanding works were post-9/11 plans for the war on terror. Bill is one of only three people to be awarded the

Awtrey and Corsetti

Distinguished Service Award twice. Congratulations, Bill – we are honored to have such stars among our classmates!

Rick Pyatt, wife, Zara, and daughter Jordan had a family vacation to Alaska with whale watching on a cruise boat and F-22 Raptor watching at Elmendorf. Photo on website.

Dave Jannetta had the opportunity to visit USAFA and met with Mark Wells, head of the History Department and “������������������������������ last man standing������������� ” from ������ ’����� 75.

By all accounts he is a highly respected leader at the Academy, and represents all of us well. Note the display cabinet in the photo – packed with Class of ’75 memorabilia. It��������������������������������������������������� ’�������������������������������������������������� s a real blast from the past. (On top of that, he still gets to fly!)

Jannetta and Wells Mark Schoning sent some photos from two days hiking up in Mount Rainier National Park in Washington state in August 2014. Late August is the best time to be there...the wildflowers were spectacular and the scenery is wonderful. Photos on website.

Not to be outdone, Scribe Emeritus Paul Kent reported in from the top of South America: “My daughter graduated from San Diego State and she and I did something we had talked about doing for years. We went to Peru and Machu Picchu. We elected to trek for Sabre Society a few days and found ourselves at 15,200 feet on the Donors Lares Valley trek. So that altitude is a new record for me (on foot). This was great father-daughter adventure with a great kid. Apparently she told her mom: ‘I better do this with Dad soon, because I don����������������� ’���������������� t know how much longer he���������������������������������������������������������������������� ’��������������������������������������������������������������������� s going to be able to do this kind of stuff.’” She is SO right about that. Photo on website.

Ralph Paul, wife, Loretta, and Mike and Susan Ruth represented ’��� ���� 75 Best Alive at the Air Force-Navy game. It was a beautiful day at Falcon Stadium and a GREAT game!

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Ruths and Pauls at the Navy game.

Bill Murray reported some adventures including the Boise State game with Wayne Willis, Terry Young, Russ Trinter, Bruce Fritsche, and Bo Montgomery. Russ, Bo, Terry and Wayne played in the Falcon Pride golf tournament and shot 11 under par! Photos on website.

USAFA is in the process of being honored by the State of Virginia by having a license plate featuring our dear Wild Blue U. Unfortunately, I could not get a picture, but last report the State had over 250 of the custom plates on order, with 350 required to make the order complete (i.e. worth tooling up the prison…)

Last-minute note from Mark Holmes: “Been one of the best weeks of my life here; not letting 61 put a hold on anything, I decided a few months ago to get in better shape so I could learn to skydive, a dream I������������������ ’����������������� ve had since 24.

I������������������������������������������������������������������������� ’������������������������������������������������������������������������ ve flown planes, hang gliders and last year jetpacks, but always wanted to do the pure thing and fly without anything. Had to repeat the first day with a room full of kids, but the next seven in accelerated f������������������ ree��������������� fall were just plain amazing. Finished my final; now cleared for solo flight. Had a great couple of pics taken by the instructor. I��������������������������������� ’�������������������������������� m flying over the Olympic Train-

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ing center in Chula Vista CA, feeling like Superman and wanted to share it with ������������������������������������������������������� our classmates. ��������������������������������������� Got a video I������������������������� ’������������������������ m going to send to Bill Estelle for the website as well. I������������������������������������������������������� ’������������������������������������������������������ ve spent the week laughing even when alone at what an incredible experience it was; almost makes me wish I��������������������� ’�������������������� d done the Wings of Blue program at the Zoo, but it��������������������������������������������� ’�������������������������������������������� s never too late to reach for your dreams!

There was a great quote in one of the books I read before taking the course that said it best. Well, three: Why would anyone want to jump out of a perfectly good airplane? The problem is that there is no such thing. Every plane is nothing more than an accident waiting to happen. If riding in an airplane is “flying” then riding in a boat is “swimming.” If you want to experience the element, get out of the vehicle. But this one I liked best: The Air! Man has visions of flight – not the roaring progress of heavy sinking machines, but that silent loveliness of gliding on outstretched arms that comes to everyone in dreams.”

Great piece, Mark—thank you for the inspirational quotes and congrats on keeping the dream alive! Photos on website.

I have some space left (a rarity thanks to all your great submissions over the past four years), so I’ll make my pitch now for volunteers to take over as Scribe after our reunion. I will have been in the saddle for five years, during which I have loved hearing your adventures, shared the sadness of classmates who have graduated to the next life, and waded through tons of fabulous photos and wished we could put more in the magazine. Thanks to all of you, this detail involves mostly editing, since you do all the writing. It has been an honor to serve, although not as long as some others, who did it BC (Before Computers) when it was much more difficult. If you want to throw your name in the hat, or if you know someone who would do a great job, let me know. I do have a couple of nominees in mind.

As always, you submitted many great photos, but I can put only three in print, so look for the rest on the class website. Until next quarter, see you around the campus—or at our bowl game if the team keeps doing well!

Dan Beatty 12196 Stanley Canyon Road Colorado Springs, CO 80921 H: (719) 488-1962 C: (719) 338-0276 E-Mail: whrlybrd76@aol.com

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Fellow ’76ers, The Commander in Chief’s trophy is back where it belongs! Way to Go Falcons! Can I get a “Whop ‘em up side the head” cheer?

Moving up/moving on: Lori Robinson, wife of Dave Robinson took the reins at PACAF with Mark Welsh officiating. Mark also officiated as Willie Shelton retired from AFSPC/CC. No photos from Lori’s event, but Bob Hinger sent this photo from Willie’s:

Greg Seely, Mark Welsh, John Andrew small village”. Marc is a Homeland Counterterrorism Strategic Planner for the National Counterterrorism Center; Bill is a United pilot. Roger Widholm says he, Ed Stevens, and Mark Schwing, all United Captains, enjoyed the Spirit (of 76!) and spirits in a popular central London layover pub recently. Says many stories were shared, probably in the category of “the older we get, the better we were”.

Randy Schavrien says son (USAF Captain, C-130s at Little Rock) got married 1 Jun; says daughter birthed his 5th grandchild 10 days later, and youngest daughter got engaged on top of Pikes Peak recently. Congrats on all the family additions Randy.

Tom & Jeanne Greene made the Boise State game with other Bull Six ’76ers Andy & Marti Fallon, Mike & Judy Eyolfson, Joe & Anita Evans, and Ray & Cathy Wild.

Tom owns an engineering-environmental consulting company, Andy is a retired USAF attorney, Mike has a Sabre Society Urology practice in Sacramento, Joe owns a nano-techDonors nology testing Company, and Ray is a Delta pilot. Bill Dea now retired in Iowa and is all checked out on IHCase tractors, grain wagons, and augers. Says they are almost as difficult as the AirBus. Doug Fry sent photos from a rugby reunion event. Says his son returned a month early from Afghanistan.

Tim Cantwell is Director at MidAmerica St Louis Airport, says he is in the same hood as Mike McGinty and Dave Merrill. Bob Hinger sent a long note. Still battling Non Hodgkins Lymphoma; now on a new chemo protocol prior to evaluation for a bone marrow transplant. Docs did clear him to travel and he was able to make Willie’s retirement here in CSprings. Thanks for the update Bob. Hang in there! Pat & Joanna Hanley report CS-38ers Ivy & Bobby Thompson, Moose & Ruth Rechsteiner, Cliff & Joanne Smith, Bill Troegner, Don & Pat Gresham, Steve & Beth Stout, Pete & Mary Ellen Kluck, Steve & Linda Odiorne, Bob Gold, Vikki & Steve McNamara, Mike Ponzani, Sheila & Randy Roth had a reunion 4-7 September in C-Springs. Photo has all those folks and C2C Austin Thompson, son of Ivy & Bobby.

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Mark Welsh, Drew Boyd, Willie Shelton, Greg Holm, Joe Wysocki, Dave Kristensen, John Budelier, Norm Weinberg, Tom Muckenthaler Kneeling: Kevin Henabray, Bob Hinger, Scott Loundsberry, and Ed Domingue.

Thanks Bob! With Willie’s retirement, we now have only three ’76ers still on active duty. John Andrew sent this pic, says Mark said these are “dead men walking.” (See photo at the top of the next column.)

Thanks John! Keep on keepin’ on guys! Charlie Vono retired from Northrop Grumman after 25 years. Charlie has been selected as an AIAA Associate Fellow for his notable and valuable contributions to the arts, sciences, and technology of aeronautics and astronautics. Says he is happy to be spending much more time with his grandkids. Congrats to Lori, Willie, and Charlie!

General Class Stuff: Marc Felman linked up with former roomie Bill Franklin in Dallas at a Chop House for a pork chop “that could feed a

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They made it a legacy event with noon-meal formation, lunch with Cadets, tour, and a dinner. They skyped with Harry DeBruhl, Karl Steiner, Kevin Welsh, and Bill Stevener, who is a missionary in Paraguay, during some of the events. Rich King says Wes Stowers, flying his T-6, was in a 24-ship Pentagon fly-by 11 Oct. John Hazen finished his first full Ironman 28 Sept and ran a Wounded Warrior 8K honoring his brother, USMC LanceCpl Bob, who is disabled from Vietnam ’67. John & Ruth met Larry & Kim Engleson at the Georgia State game. Larry flies for Delta.

Joe & Julie Wysocki adjusting to the grandparent gig. Traveled to Boston for wedding of Hank Knellinger’s son Nick. Says Willie Strell did one

of the readings. Cool! I linked ’78er Morgan Landford with Jack Catton.

Morgan had Jack’s slide rule (remember those?) since ’76 and returned it to him. Del Cornali still in Seattle working for Appti and is involved in Ultimate. He and Daughter Amanda ran Robie Creek half-marathon in April. Ed Morely & family settled at Patrick AFB now, still doing the diplomatic courier gig. I helped him link up with Jose Santiago and Bill Vrastil.

Ernie Wollard says daughter Sarah & family (she and hubby, Marc, are both USN aviators) attended the Navy game, saw a Bennington flag in the parking lot, introduced herself and linked up with Tom Mallory, Rich Long, Jeff Ford, and John Andrew. Rich and Ernie were in the same Doolie squadron. I saw several emails from Rich Mintz, Bill Hobart, Chris Curry, and Byron Hepburn concerning an article about the French exchange and a reunion that Rich is trying to get into Checkpoints. Harrison Freer and I attended the AOG Chapter President’s conference recently.

Tom ‘Spindle’ Holtz is now retired from USAirways and working for FSI in St Louis. Son Daniel training to be a missionary pilot, son David at UNC studying kinesiology.

Chuck Ohms helped Dave Arbutina help a neighbor arrange a visit to USAFA for the neighbor’s son. Martha and I hosted the young man for an evening and we may have a future USAFA cadet in the making. Dave, Charlie Morgan, and Larry Weaver linked up at the Navy game. Dave chatted with LtGen Johnson at the game and says she is the right person at the right time. T J Hedding helped Richey Felder celebrate his 60th in Las Vegas, sends a shout out to all ’76ers. Pete Mapes and I exchanged a few notes after I got a bogus email from his account. Jim Dolan is still doing the “Hero’s on the Water” program. Jerry McFarlane likes the USAF ads with Mark Welsh he saw on MNF. Oldest/Youngest ’76er: Heard from Richey Felder, Kurt Kamrad, Art George, Bill Lanning, Bill Roege (suggesting Ken Thieneman for oldest, Charley Allen or John Andrew for youngest), Scott McComb, and Lee Cuevas. So far Bill Lanning claims oldest, 14 Dec 50 and Art George claims youngest 14 Apr 55. If you want to challenge, let me know.

NSTR: Dave Berg, Luckey Dunn, Phil Praven, Jeff Whatley.

Well classmates, again time to stick a fork in it. Lots of photos this time, but I am limited to three so try to use the ones with the most faces/bellybuttons. Send me your notes, inputs, address updates, suggestion, junk mail, etc and I will do my best to keep all of you in the loop. As always, if you are headed to the Springs, let me and the other locals know. Keep flying your flags and let our deployed troops know you have them in your thoughts and prayers. The Spirit of 76 is STILL alive and well! Until next time, Beatty.

John “Lou” Michels, Jr. 4107 Harvey Ave. Western Springs, IL 60558 (312) 463-3412 jmichels@lbbslaw.com loumichels55@gmail.com

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Opening Bid: Halloween is here as I write this, and, true to Chicago form, we have a 30 mile an hour wind whipping off Lake Michigan, driving rain and snow into the faces of assorted luckless trick or treaters. I realize that I open too many of these columns with weather references, but since we are all getting older, the weather is going to be more and more of a factor in our declining existences. On that pleasant note, let’s get to our quarterly news.

ROG (Register Of Graduates) Special: Scott Jarrow (Leslie) departed the Zoo and ended up in RF-4s as his initial flying duty. He managed to get himself stationed at Osan in the mid ’80s, where he met Leslie, who was teaching at a foreign school in Seoul. Scott joined the Reserves in 1984 and finished out as a lieutenant colonel in 1999, completing assignments throughout Asia and Europe. His last active duty assignment was at NORAD, but instead of homesteading around the old alma mater, Scott and Leslie headed back to Germany, where he works for a DOD contractor at Eucom in Stuttgart. He and Leslie have two kids and since I Sabre Society Donors don’t believe I’ve ever referenced Scott in a column, if I got anything wrong, Scott, please let me know.

Four Diamonds: We are in the process of closing out the stories of the last of our active duty career guys, and my good friend and fellow FLEPer, Paul Pirog (Mary) finished up as a one star when he retired from his position as head of the USAFA Law Department in August. Paul and my careers paralleled each other for the first few years after graduation — nav school, SAC assignments (although I was in recce and Paul flew Buffs), and then law school through the funded legal

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program. Paul did marvelous work for the JAG Corps, but nothing was as important for the future of the Air Force as his work training new officers at USAFA.

A whole bunch of folks made it out for Paul’s retirement and all of them are in this picture, along with their much better (and younger-looking) halves. Across the bottom, John Conrad (Donna), Fred and Carmel Schwartz, Brian Whiting (Lorri), Paul and Mary Pirog, and at the far right standing is Nookie Niner AOC, Ron Shefffield and his spouse. Back row includes Steve Busch (Norma), Donna and Ben Allen, Mark Gilzean (Barbara), Rob Veale (Christine), J D O’Malley (Sarah Jane), Tony Grady, Scott and Susan Hutt, and the very far right, Charlie and Kathleen Hale.

I was able to have lunch with Paul on a post-retirement visit to Chicago; he looked relaxed, and I will congratulate him here on a terrific SAC and judge advocate career and nothing but best wishes for the future. Thanks for getting so many of our classmates together in one spot for a picture.

Well done guys.

Patrick Burke (Denise) is now gainfully employed in the Department of Computer Science at the University of North Texas, following his successful defense of his PhD thesis. Way to go Patrick, I can only imagine what kind of struggle that would have been for yours truly. This culminates a career that started wrestling with Mr. William Buroughs in the basement of Fairchild Hall through KC-135 assignments at lovely Marquette, MI and Abilene TX, culminating in Pat basically being handcuffed to the Command Post at Dyess (because he was the best guy they had for ORI challenges) until he was due for rotation. As we all know, Dyess was considered a “desirable” assignment because winter didn’t last ten months in North Texas. Rather than consign his family to North Dakota for a couple of years, Pat left AD to become a civilian software engineer working for TI, and then Raytheon until he retired in 2013. Throughout this time, Denise taught elementary school in Denton, keeping up her skill set to deal with Pat and the rest of his computer science buddies. In addition to his PhD, Pat earned his certified flight instructor status, which led him to teach not only his own son how to fly, but both of Chuck Spitler’s (Theresa) sons.

No Trump: I got a note from one of our few (two) remaining active duty guys, Rex Williams (Linda), which opened with the words “mild heart attack”. Rex elaborated that the event occurred when he was deployed to Qatar at the end of May. He was shipped to Germany and then to Walter Reed for surgery, and after developing a serious MRSA infection, got cut on again. Rex will meet an MEB but hopes to keep active for a few more years to mandatory chaplain retirement at 62. I know that I extend our thoughts and best wishes for a complete recovery. I assume that Rex is using his higher level contacts, as well.

I had an absolutely marvelous get together with Horst Roehler (Mary) at his tailgate at the Zoo prior to the Navy game. I will be posting a group picture next issue, but I wanted to put up this photo of Phil Richmond and his wife Mary Beth, since I have not had the pleasure of touching base with him since graduation. Phil and I butted heads literally and figuratively on the fields of friendly strife; he is now the accounting manager for a titanium machining and manufacturing operation in Pennsylvania.

It was truly a pleasure to talk with him after all these years and again reinforces how strong are the bonds resulting from our mutual incarceration/education. Thanks for coming, Phil. It was great. (See photo at the top of the next column.)

JOIN THE SABRE SOCIETY! YOUR MONEY HELPS FUND CADET WING PROGRAMS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNFUNDED. CALL (719) 472-0300 X200.

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Class News

I reported last quarter of the walking miracle that is Frank Gahren!

I’m most happy to report that Frank continues to improve at a rapid rate.

Back in late summer he went back to work full time as the Director of the Reading Enhancement Program at the Zoo. While back at the Academy for our final Parent’s Weekend in September, I was able to have breakfast with Frank and Kip Warton. It was great to see both of them again and I just marveled at how well Frank is doing after all he went through. There is no doubt in his retired military mind that besides Divine healing, the amazSabre Society ing outpouring from our class during his ordeal was a Donors huge factor in his recovery—and continues to be. We took a quick happy snap as we were leaving so you can see just how much Frank has improved since he left the hospital last Spring (yeah, you have to look at my mug again and the only guy not wearing AF stuff—sincere apologies!). Kip is also staying busy with his UAV site manager job at USAFA and starting his PhD dissertation at Regent University.

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Phil and Mary Beth Richmond Stuart Alexander (Dora) dropped me a line over LinkedIn from Raleigh, NC, where he is working in the super computing world at the Research Triangle. He is also enjoying his eight kids and twelve grandkids, and (like Grady Booch some time ago) just dodged a medical bullet when he had an aortic aneurysm detected during a routine physical. Stuart was pretty philosophical about the whole thing, but indicated that he was very lucky since most of these things go undetected until they rupture with fatal results. Something to think about on your next exam, get an ultra sound of your chest and abdomen. Thanks Stu, and drop me another line anytime.

Also last quarter I mentioned that Sal Speziale has opened up a highend Italian restaurant in the Virginia area and that a local get-together was planned. It did go off as “fragged” with quite a few folks showing up.

Smacko reported that dinner started at 7 p.m. and went until 10 with a severe good time had by all. Bill Troy brought along our Freshman and Senior Polaris books with folks looking at pictures of all these young, slender kids “with lots of hair who had names like ours.” He also sent a great shot of the gang below. Left side front to back are Grace Hollerbach, Jeff and Marlene Brake, Pat and LC Greenwood Keye and Carol Sabol, and Elaine McVinney (Paul is just behind her but unfortunately out of view). Right side front to back is Bach Hollerbach, Puff and Diana Puffenbarger, Chris Krisinger, Mike Ausserer (in from Dayton), Pete Demitry, Bill and Carol Troy.

Tony Grady (Donna) and Vince Guida (Louise) sent me a nice shot of two of them in front of their office: a FedEx MD-11 at Newark. Tony noted that this was the first time that he had the pleasure of flying with one of his classmates, I’m guessing it was pretty much non-stop conversations from wheels up to engine shutdown. Thanks for the shot guys.

Finally, for those of you who were unaware of this, please take a moment to offer your thoughts and prayers to Richard Searle and his family – Richard lost his daughter Leslie in an air ambulance crash in October when she was serving as a flight nurse.

Folding: I hope everyone has fattened up for the winter to better absorb the latest round of global warming. Get your flu shot, stay dry, dress appropriately. Be seeing you.

Bob Kay 40411 Tesoro Lane Palmdale, CA 93551 Home:(661) 274-2201 Cell: (661) 974-1417 Email: Robert.kay78@gmail.com

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Greetings ’78ers…

As always, I hope this finds everyone well and remembering how much fun we all had this summer. Even in the California desert trees are turning color (we have more than Joshua trees here… honest) and temps are finally lowering. We’re getting ready to fly to New York tomorrow for the USAFA-USMA game while spending some time with our Woop (sophomore) and Zoomie (senior going to UPT) as well. As you can imagine, service academy games are never boring in our family (our Marine safely home from his infantry tour in Afghanistan wasn’t too impressed with AF v. Navy however).

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Well done as always Smacko!

Speaking of Puff and a small world, I ran into his brother Mike in October while I was at a Global Hawk-related conference in Dayton. Mike coincidently goes by Puff, flew Buffs for many years and retired from the AF a few years back. He works in ACC/A5 and is involved in Global Hawk issues among other things. Puff also sent an update on what’s going on with his gang. Oldest son Mark (USAFA ’09 and now a Capt) was recently in Afghanistan as a contracting officer and rotated back at the end of September. As you may recall Mark had quite the battle with cancer during his USAFA time but graduated with a commission only medical. However, after 5 years of being cancer free and consistently fighting to get a medical waiver, he regained a pilot training slot and will be attending UFT at Columbus AFB, MS in January!

Daughter Haley (USAFA ’11 and a 1Lt) is racking up the hours as a C-17 pilot assigned to Charleston AFB, SC. She went to Altus AFB for Airdrop School upgrade back in September and already has over 500 hours in the jet. Youngest son Steven is a senior at the University of Virginia majoring in aerospace engineering. He’ll be hitting the job market hard early next year when he graduates. Well done Puff!

Joe Reheiser sent a couple of excellent updates and pictures (my apologies but I can only post one due to space limitations… will do my best to get them published next quarter) on the Atlanta crowd. Four couples from the greater area meet monthly for dinner (what a concept!). Initially (over 2 years ago) it was the Spears and Reheisers enjoying each other’s company and sharing dinner. Since then CD and Diane Smith along with Ted and Linda Truex have joined. They’ve gone to some of Atlanta’s best restaurants, dinner theater where the diners join the actors, and even to baseball games. Selecting the dining location, and/or activity rotates between the four couples. Since they don’t live close to each other they’ve dined all over the Atlanta area. Glenn and Kim live in John’s Creek, 20 miles north of Atlanta. CD and Diane have a condo in mid-town Atlanta. Ted and Linda live in Peach Tree City, 35 miles southwest of Atlanta. Finally, Donna and Joe live in a small town 35 miles south of Atlanta. Back in September the group met at a high-end Italian restaurant in Buckhead called Antica Posta for some excellent food and wine. Joe highly recommends the place to anyone visiting the Atlanta area. From left are Joe and Donna Reheiser, Ted and Linda Truex, and Glenn and Kim Spears.

More folks, mostly from Wareagle 15, traveled to Atlanta the same month to play in the AOG golf event, attend the USAFA vs Georgia State tailgate and watch the game. Joe, Glenn and Kim, Glenn Frick, Ted Otero, and Suzzane and John Paterson met in a downtown Atlanta location (Max Lagers) on the Friday evening before the Saturday game. The next day, Glenn Frick (Charlotte, NC), Ted (C-Springs, CO), Mark Fulks (Youngstown, OH) and Joe played golf before the game. Joe mentions that: “We shot a 61, not bad for a mature foursome, and finished third overall. I should mention our foursome had the only caddies as Glenn Spears and John (C-Springs, CO) cracked jokes and basically had fun at our expense as they accompanied us for the entire round. Mark was visiting his son and Glenn, Joe, Glenn Frick, John and Ted (all from CS-15) sat together for the game where the USAFA fans outnumbered Georgia State by nearly 5 to 1 (winning the game had to make it all the more special). I think these guys (and CS-15) have certainly set the bar for the rest of us!

Many thanks Joe for taking the time to send everything!

That’s a wrap for this quarter Gents, may everyone have a wonderful Fall and don’t forget to write your friendly scribe.

God Bless. ‘78 is Great!

Bud Vazquez 781-862-6800 budvazquez@msn.com

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Well, like the 35 years that flew by at Mach 8, so, too, did our 35th reunion. Trying to give due to this splendid gathering, I have wrestled with how to appropriately open this article. Do I open soberly, lamenting the past year’s loss of Jay Armstrong and Mike Hoobler, who “have slipped the surly bonds of earth… to touch the face of God?” Or do I open with RHIP as the theme, and give due to our few remaining active duty members – led by four stars Robin Rand (Kim) and Frank Gorenc and three stars Burt Field (Lisa) and Jan-Marc Jouas. Do I give credit to my long lost roomie, Carl Byers (Connie), who finally made the trek from Iowa to a reunion and brought us the good luck to beat favored Boise State? Or do I begin with a heartfelt thanks to Korky Von Kessel (Kaye), Omar Bradley (Patti) and Mark Pimentel (Betsy), who in addition to the hundreds of thankless hours of prep and many notable improvements, went and

“ruined” our usual experience of cold, snow and sleet and got us perfect weather? Well, like I did on 99% of my GRs – “all of the above” seems the best choice!

As you guessed already, the re-union was splendid – the move to late September worked out famously – and we had the picture-perfect Colorado weather we never had for 10, 20 and 30. There were at least 220 of us there (see AOG listing at http://www1.usafa.org/Events/Attendees. aspx?id=3482). While a great showing, that means that for every one of us who made it, 3 did not… “c’mon, man!” There are only so many more of these, fellas.

So in that vein of there are only so many more of these… I had originally convinced myself there would be no General pictures… I mean Frank, Robin, Burt and Jan (and Nips, and Tru, and…) are getting as overexposed as the Kardashians… but then I thought… this is the LAST time we will have a reunion picture like this… and so I must relent and give this Fabulous Foursome its due... one more time… but you’ll agree it’s in a fabulous setting.

From left are Lt Gen Jan Jouas, Gen Frank Gorenc, Gen Robin Rand, and Lt Gen Burt Field.

A week out and I had the lingering “but I am so busy” urge, but I hung in there, and I was soooo glad I went. Our next one will be here before you know it, so PLEASE do not miss another one. BTW, if you would still like to contribute to the class gift, the Class of ‘79 was an official sponsor of Veterans Airlift Command (VAC). To learn more about VAC and make your voluntary, tax-deductible donation, please visit their website at http://www.veteransairlift. org/m/donate.aspx?campaign=USAFA79.

Ok, so 35 years later I have to lead with my Squadron mates from 35th Squadron – eight of whom made it.

Disclaimer: The rest of this article is going to have a deSabre Society cidedly 4th group spin to it; apologies to those I did not Donors get time to catch up with – but the pen is mighty in this here case! Complaints can be sent to “www.iwanttobethenewscribe.com!” OK, Wild Weasels in attendance included Ric (Sandi) Wallace made it from the Seattle WA area where he is a 737 skipper for Alaska Airlines. Jim (Emilie) Sims were up from Oneonta (soon to be renamed Sims-ville), AL, where Jim is running the town and still thinking about getting a job, while Emilie runs Humana. Carl (Connie) Byers as noted made the trek from Cedar Rapids, IA where he is a CE specializing in airports. Robin (Kim) Rand had a

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From left kneeling are Debbie and Curt Bottesch and Bud Vazquez.

Standing: Rick and Sandi Wallace, Scot and Michelle McLaughlin, Carl and Connie Byers, Jim and Emilie Sims, and Kim and Robin Rand. Missing: Bob and Laura Kluttz

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long stay in Colorado planned, as the AETC/CC he got up from Texas to hang out with family, hit the re-union, and then await Corona the following week. Curt (Debbie) Bottesch are in Las Vegas, where Curt, Scot (Michelle) McLaughlin, John-Bob (Laura) Kluttz-Ennis is still flying for Delta.

Yours truly was solo from Boston area, as my wife, Molly, was home with our new college freshman who was home for his first weekend off. Guess who won that argument? Proud to announce my 2Lt Army son completed Army Ranger School on 17 Oct. I have newfound respect for grunts. In my one brief encounter over the weekend with Jimmy Schneller, I found out that his Army Major son is just leaving where my Army 2Lt son is going – Ft Wainwright in Fairbanks, AK. Small freakin’ world.

A few other ”Weasels” whereabouts are known – Larry (Margaret) Brittenham is the Street Superintendent (read Public Works) for the thriving metropolis of Superior NE, population 1,957. Bill Murphy runs the autoshuttle between the kids in Yorktown, VA and his work in the DC area.

Bruce (Anna Kathryn) Holbrook, another Delta guy had good intentions of attending the reunion (he says), but was at a mandatory formation for a family wedding.

Army!

My main chiropractor man from Staten Island, NY, Stevie Brienes (Rene) was there – a great a guy as the day he entered USAFA. Geoff Mulligan did us all a big favor by maintaining a new email listing for anyone interested in connecting. “Doc” Colvin was there as friendly as ever and gave us an inspirational blessing at dinner, as was Bob Desmond, Dan Scott (Martha), Jeff Gordon, Gary Curry, Dale Carley (Leanne) and so many others I cannot recount.

Lastly, I want to end with my fellow lacrosse brethren, who made it up to the lacrosse luncheon at the Eisenhower GC Club House on Saturday.

Brian Kelly (Cindy) is “conflicted” as ever – being from Boston but living in NYC, Matt Dunbar and Rob MacAlear… was great to see last year’s laxers get their NCAA tournament rings at halftime of the football game. Speaking of long-lost Laxers, while gabbing with Jim “Flick” Flickinger in the tailgate tent – Flick let on that “Like Hunting for Bigfoot,” he had heard of a reliable sighting of Burt Waibel (Hope). While not at the reunion, shortly thereafter I did get this blurry photo sent to me in an unmarked envelope… could it be the long lost one???

Anna and Bruce Holbrook – MIA at the reunion, but still looking fab.

Burt Waibel, at left, and Jim Flickinger.

So this rambling reminisce must come to an end… it was FANTASTIC to see you all. MISS the rest of you all. Godspeed until next time BRUTHAS, do NOT miss the 40th… please… Next up is Geoff Mulligan. Email him at geoff@proto6.com.

Many thanks to Tom “TMac” McCarthy (Jody) for putting together a memorable day at the AFA’s famed Eisenhower Golf Links for us all to enjoy. In my reunion scramble were Scott (Debbie) Grunwald, and Al Shropshire. Scott works for Lockheed Martin in the Palmdale area, and Al is one of the many Peachtree City, GA Delta pilots. Speaking of Delta, they were well represented, starting at the top… It was fun to see Mike “Ditka” Donatelli , who leads the union at Delta. Wait ’till the rank and file find out that he is classmates with Steve Dickson, Delta’s Senior VP for Flight Operations. Shhh – I actually saw them enjoying a beer together… That is until that nut-job burned down the O’Hare tower – kinda’ ruined Steve’s weekend. The full Delta Contingent was amazing. Did you know that at one time Delta was the largest employer of ’79 grads short of the USAF? Something approaching 300 of our classmates fly or did fly for Delta (including those who flew for airlines like Northwest, now part of Delta).

So, who do I call? Led by Falcon Fan #1 – Chip Taylor (Kim). Chipper, rumored to be on the ballot for the AOG Board of Directors, reminded me of all the Delta guys there, many of whom my lone brain cell now remembers seeing – Steve Barnes (Cherlyn), Dan Boylen, Greg Brewer, Jim Coombs (Jean), Ken Impelliziri, Jimmy Grady, Gary Erkes, Don McChesney, Steve “Maggot” Mueller (also rumored to be on the ballot for AOG BoD), Fred Jacobsen (Nancy), Bob Kronebusch, Jim Nelson (Dina), Phil Elliot, Mike Englenbrecht, Rob Parsons, Dan Repasky, Russ Rosebush, Roger Shell, Kurt Shular (Yvonne), and, last but not least… Ralph Trapaga! What a showing (and I probably missed half a dozen more). Southwest had at least Ed Schumacher, Ed Zanowicz, and Denny Hugo. American was represented

by Jim Regan and Mike Vinskey. And I think I may even have spotted Bill Boyd and Mike “Otto” Otomo – they of United Airlines fame. Now, if we can only work on these guys getting the rest of us buddy passes for 2019…

Our class President, Mike Van Hoomisen, was there with his ageless bride, Jan, and their spittin’ image doolie son (Imagine Mike but way skinnier) – talk about the Splendid Splinter! Speaking of Splendid Splinters, or maybe Tall Drink of Water -- Randy (Vicki) Gricius left sunny Tucson and his work at Raytheon for USAFA to attend and even participate in a crossclass basketball reunion.

Another Raytheon dude – Steve (Anita) Dickman found a way north as well. Steve reminded me that Chris King stayed at home to mind the Raytheon store – at one time Chris was working “Iron Dome,” which you no doubt know has had an amazing run protecting Israel from rocket attacks.

Steve also heard that Jimmy Barron (formerly Bernard) is now in Tucson area, but the details remain “classified.”

CS-38 was well represented from my limited dealings, as I know Fred Jacobsen, Ric Browne, Pete Withers, and Paul Schubert crossed my path.

Like our football brethren like Ric and Russ and Doc, we are ALL glad to see the CinC trophy back “home” for the holidays after a nice win over

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Don Myers 401 Chambray Hill Peachtree City, GA 30269-4247 (770) 631-1429 E-mail: DMyers80@hotmail.com FB group: “USAFA Class of 1980” Class Website: www.usafa80.org

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Meeting places. Odds are higher that I’ll see classmates on the Delta crew bus, rather than in my very junior plane. This was the case when Rudy Jiricek leaned over and greeted me as we were riding back to our parked cars. Back at the Zoo, Rudy was in the opposite end of the quadrangle from me, in CS-01, which is why I easily remembered him. He’s recently been flying the heavy metal; having started with Delta in Miami, then Salt Lake, then deciding to move to the superfortress of Atlanta for better flying. He said he was able to stay about par when the several different pay cuts occurred because fortuitous moves into either bigger equipment or to the left seat just as a cut was taking effect. After our short chat, he left the parking Sabre Society lot just prior to me, which likely meant he hit a snag on Donors I-85 going home (big accident) while I was able to catch a glimpse of the clogged road just in time to find an exit ramp and take back roads home.

Not done yet; still giving back. Doug Owens is slated to take over as National Commander of the Order of Daedalians.

The Daedalians is a national fraternity of military pilots. Sue Helms was nominated by the President to the Board of Trustees of the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. The Wilson Center was created as a “key non-partisan policy forum for tackling global issues through independent research and open dialogue.” My neighbor, George (Alicia) Fox has found a new passion: The Commemorative Air Force. He’s “pulling wrenches” alongside other volunteers—and has even made it a fatherand-son gig, as George’s youngest son who lives locally joins him. George also is heavily involved in the local RV Squadron (a large group of fellow Van’s RV aircraft builders and pilots). In his spare time, George explores distant locations from Delta’s Airbus 330 cockpits.

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Mike Opatowsky sent a newsletter from an Army chaplain in Afghanistan mentioning the work Mike’s group does for our troops. Mike adds, “I continue to head up a team of hospital-based volunteers that weekly send payload to where it is needed most over there. We are the 1st Dallas Support Division and We Support Those Who Serve.” It takes a lot of energy to keep the ball rolling after so many years. Mike’s just the right person for the job!

ALPA News reported our Ali Frohlich was honored with the Outstanding Airport Safety Liaison Award for his work at the Panama City, FL, airport.

The prestigious award was presented at ALPA’s 60th Air Safety Forum in Washington, DC. Ali worked with the city for over 10 years “and helped promote and construct the nation’s first major airport since 2001 (ECP) and he has followed up to develop and incorporate numerous safety enhancements into the airport master plan. [Ali’s] contributions to his local airport are not confined to improving infrastructure and advancing safety.

He was recently highlighted by local news media for his generous Christmas and Thanksgiving gifts to on-duty airport workers.”

Testing . . . one, two, three. A couple of times a year I ping all the designated squadron contacts (minus a couple I don’t have) to be sure our urgent communication system is current. Carrie (Banwell) (Ken ’78) Gronewald always seems to have a good story: “I am working the best job in the world, Intellectual Ventures founded by Microsoft founders. I run the IT platform system redesign and have an 11-minute commute. The politics and technical direction are sneaky, not direct, and often confusing, so I have to revert to military-style discipline to help motivate and provide technical leadership; but my 8 tattoos say ‘But I am just a groovy laid back Seattle engineer’ and bribing with Dove chocolates also works.

My husband has a real job, pilot, but it seems to me he spends half his time playing with fishing and hunting. My advice to my kids is: work hard when you are young so you can play hard when you get old. My oldest daughter, Rachel, who lives close to me, is due on October 3rd. I will be all about playing Grandma soon.”

Double fans. Kathy and I attended two AF football games this year. We joined Tim (Bonnye) Rorick, ’82 to watch our team handily beat Georgia State in the Georgia Dome (where a professional and somewhat-betterknown Falcons football team plays their home games). I found it interesting that the Air Force fans far outnumbered the local GSU folks in the stands.

Weeks later, we made the pilgrimage to the Springs, where parts of Kathy’s and my families meet annually and enjoy the home Navy or Army game as the backdrop. This was the second year we adopted TJ Johnson to join us for the fun. (The weekend before, we visited him for the California Air Show). The outcome of the game was an added bonus. Good times . . . .

As we were walking to the Georgia Dome, past the AOG-sponsored tailgate party, I heard my name and turned to see big smiles from Tim Hartigan and Bob Masek. Charlotte Masek gathered us together and snapped a photo.

reading this can feel free to report on behalf of your ’80 grad! Another option is to take over for a quarter (or more?) as our Guest Scribe—not that I don’t thoroughly enjoy being part of your lives in this small way, but because I know many of you have a different circle of classmates than my narrow band. It’s easy and I’ll certainly assist all I can. My very best to you and yours this holiday season! Don Rich Trentman 11102 Asbee St. Falcon, CO 80831-8170 Work: (719) 452--7708 Cell: (719) 640-9586 USAFA Class of 1981 (Facebook) rtrentman@falconbroadband.net Class Website: www.usafa81.com

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Falcon football is having a tremendous turn-around season! The Army game is coming up this week as I turn in this quarter’s article. The Navy win was huge this year. Remember the 1978 season with “Falcon Fever” in the Gazette (or was it the Sun) when we beat Boston College and UTEP to open the season?

Class News: Jerry Green is still flying with Southwest and both he and Becky are enjoying time with their sons and grandsons. Jerry and Becky moved to a place with more land northwest of Phoenix. Mike Bronson passed along “congrats” for my son’s graduation from USAFA in May. He is still in San Antonio flying for Delta. He ran into his old USAFA roomie, Charlie Rapp, a few times in Minneapolis. Charlie’s daughter, Kelly, also graduated from USAFA in May. I received a short call from Alex Baggett yesterday (my Sabre Society old USAFA roomie). He is doing well in Tennessee. Larry Donors Ching sent me a picture of Ryan Ratcliffe and himself after a Los Angeles to Hong Kong flight. I had sent Michelle Johnson a short email last week and she is doing well in year two as the Superintendent. She has had a busy and challenging first year and really appreciated all of your support! I have not run into her at a football game yet this year, but she is a busy lady.

Marty France appears to be doing some sort of work in Singapore from his Facebook postings? (See photos at the top of the next column.)

Texas is still the land of 1981 as 103 ’81ers now live in the great State of Texas. Colorado is second with 93.

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Bob, Don, and Tim at pregame.

Admin notes. You are reminded that we have an upcoming reunion.

The class website will continue to have more and more info in this regard.

In addition, “Your 35th Reunion Committee has also established a web presence on Facebook and will attempt to also use that forum to communicate about class news as well as our upcoming reunion. The Facebook page is a closed group so, if you are interested, search for USAFA 80 and then make a request to join the group. Finally, if you know of classmates who are not receiving [reunion] emails and/or who have not updated their information with the AOG, please ask them to do the updates. If they are not interested in giving their contact information to the AOG then please ask them to send it to admin@usafa80.org and we will see that it is added to this email list and NOT shared with the AOG.” Yes, I joined Facebook a while ago. The reason was to occasionally glean info for this article. I quickly realized I didn’t care to sift through all the other stuff on the site to get just a few goodies for Checkpoints; hence, I rarely sign in. Therefore, I continue to rely on you feeding me. I appreciate simply hearing from you every now and then—and would especially like to see words from those of you who have been “sitting on the sidelines” (i.e., reading but not contributing) all these years. Oh, you spouses

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News tioned, our 35th reunion is creeping up on us as 2016 is not that far off anymore. Keep checking our Facebook page (USAFA Class of 1981) for news, pictures and updates! Thanks for all the great emails and calls. It has been unusually warm here in Colorado, so far, although we did receive some snowflakes last night. Go Air Force!

Jim Ratti 2860 Arbor Pointe Drive Middletown, OH 45042 (937) 760-2333 rattijm@mindspring.com

Jerry Green with grandsons.

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Greetings Redtags!

Summer’s behind us and we’re enjoying the best weather Ohio has to offer all year – the fall! So the news this time seems to be dominated by vacations and other fun stuff (like retirements!). Read on…

Mike Sinisi was first out of the chocks to tell us about his Baltic cruise in July. In his own words: “We flew over to Copenhagen, Denmark, spent the day touring the city by canal boat, then proceeded on to our cruise ship—very nice! We went to Germany, enjoying great Jagerschnitzel and beer. Then off to Tallinn, Estonia—our favorite city. Toured Tallinn, nice old city, then off to two days in St. Petersburg, Russia—felt like we were not in a not-friendly city; felt like a gulag!

They controlled our actions, the tour was OK, though once you have seen one palace, they all look the same.

Sabre Society Donors Almost all are reconstructions after having been destroyed in WWII. I was there back in the mid-’80s when it was still called Leningrad, and it’s still the same Soviet-style concrete block city as I saw then. After that, Helsinki was a breath of fresh air! A very nice city, plus there was enough time for me to take a run in the city. Had fun doing my own exploration!

Finally, off to Stockholm, Sweden, another relaxing city, and very nice!

Then we returned to Copenhagen and flew back home.”

Mike included a picture of his son and him in front of Tallinn’s ancient city wall, which dates to the 1200s.

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Ryan Ratcliffe and Larry Ching after a long flight.

It has been a tough quarter for our class with the losses of Joe McConville, CS-39 in August and just recently, Joe Dortch, CS-06 in October.

Please keep both in your thoughts and prayers.

Patrick Trentman, 2014, with Mom and Dad. 81 Endowment News: As you read this, our class endowment’s second international immersion trip has been selected, the planning is well underway, and the cadets are preparing to enter their Spring study course.

If you are wondering what the impact was on the cadet’s first international trip, take ten minutes to visit our class website: http://www.usafa81endowment.com. Read the cadet thank you notes and view Cadet Sanks’ video. Everyone should be very pleased at the results. Two years from now our class will have completed their 35th anniversary. Our initial class endowment goal was to have $1 million by December 2016 to enable the endowment to be self-perpetuating. It’s going to take each of us giving back to the school responsibly, in ways only you can define, for our life successes. Please take the time and donate to the ‘81 Class Endowment.

Finally, remember the Committee Squadron Challenge: 100% participation of each graduate with a minimum of $25,000 for the squadron. How about 40 squadrons at $25,000?

I apologize for the shameless posting of another picture of my son, but I was a bit “light” with ’81 news and pictures this quarter. I expect a huge rebound for the post-Holidays edition. As Bob’s endowment news men-

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Mike Sinisi and his son in Tallinn, Estonia.

And while we’re on the subject of vacations in former Eastern Bloc countries, I’ll mention that Ellen and I went on a river cruise from Budapest to Nuremberg back in late August and early September. We found Budapest to be a wonderful, tourist-friendly city; among the nicest we’ve visited. We arrived a couple of days early so we could explore the city a bit before our cruise ship left for a scenic and interesting trip west on the Danube. We found the people of Budapest to be very friendly, the historic sites well-preserved and inviting, and the food and wine fabulous. Most Hungarians seem ready to nominate Ronald Regan for sainthood! One of our guides was quick to point out the first McDonalds that opened as the Cold War was beginning to thaw.

We went on to various ports of call for the next eight days, visiting Vienna and Melk in Austria, and Passau, Regensburg, Kelheim, and Nuremberg in Germany. In all we transited 27 locks along the river. We attended a fabulous classical concert in Vienna, visited an abbey in Melk, listened to the world’s largest cathedral organ in Passau, toured a BMW plant in Regensburg (no free samples…), and explored the Palace of Justice (site of the Nuremburg 1946 trials) in Nuremburg. We also enjoyed a very informative historical presentation recounting the rise and fall of the Nazi party, including a tour of the grounds where Hitler staged his gargantuan party rallies.

We sailed with Viking River Cruises and found them to be everything they advertise to be. The accommodations, food and service onboard the ship were truly first class. All in all, a great experience.

Tim Rorick sent a note, and it sounds like he and his family have had several great vacation adventures. Tim has been living in Fayetteville, GA (south of Atlanta) for the past 12 years and has been an MD-88 Captain for Delta for the last nine of them. Tim said he took his boys to China for spring break. In May he also took the family to Africa for two weeks and swam with Great White Sharks, saw Victoria Falls and embarked on safaris to Chobe and Kruger Parks. Tim says the animals were incredible. Having visited Tanzania with Ellen last year, I can heartily concur with that observation! Other than that, he says he’s just working to pay for the trips!

In other news, David Stahl let us know that he’s alive and well in Gig Harbor, WA. He said he’s lost track of most classmates, but does stay in touch with Melaney (Patton) Uehlin who frequently joins David’s family for summer pizza parties. Melaney and her husband, Cliff (’81), live nearby. I bumped into Brad Silver during a business meeting awhile back.

Brad’s the Director of Mathematical Modelling at LMI, a non-profit logistics consulting group headquartered in McLean, VA. Our latest classmate to retire is MGen Barb Faulkenberry, who cased her flag at Scott AFB in early October. Several classmates attended and there are rumors of pictures, so maybe someone can send me one! BGen Jim Eifert is still wearing the suit, serving as the Assistant Adjutant General for Air and Commander of the Florida Air National Guard. He lives in Jacksonville and works in St. Augustine. Eif’s been in the job for about 1.5 years and was previously the Commander of 125th Fighter Wing in Jacksonville. He spent nine years on active duty flying F-4s and F-15s, and now has over 23 years in the ANG. During that time Jim flew F-15s non-stop for over 26 years, up until he relinquished his Wing command last year.

In other GO news, Lt. Gen Tod Wolters picked up yet another all expenses paid move to Washington, D.C. By the time you read this, Tod will be the Deputy Chief of Staff, Operations, Plans and Requirements at the Pentagon. Seems like only yesterday he became the Commander, Twelfth Air Force (Air Forces Southern) at Davis-Monthan Air Force Base, Arizona.

And just at deadline I heard from BGen Joe Kim who’s the Deputy Adjutant General for the Hawaii Guard. Joe attended the PACAF Change of Command Ceremony from Gen Hawk Carlisle (‘78) to Gen Lori Robinson in October. There Joe had occasion to run into three other classmates, namely Cathy (Colebrook) McClain, Steve Howard, and BGen Abel Barrientes. Cathy is the Director for Regional Jet Programs for Spirit AeroSystems in Kansas and is a good friend of General Robinson’s. Steve is Gen Robinson’s brother and is an airline pilot based in Miami. Abel is the Reserve Mobilization Assistant for the PACAF Vice Commander. Here’s a picture of the four of them following the ceremony.

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W. Wade Wheeler 64 Hickory Trail Southern Shores, NC 27949 (252) 207-4776 wwade83@me.com

Members

With a sad heart I pass on the news of another of our classmates --.

Brad Pollock, CS 19, passed away on 23 Oct 2014 in Wichita Falls, TX after a battle with multiple sclerosis. Here’s a toast…

Jon Duresky reports that he is back at his typewriter and back in the gym. If you recall from Checkpoints article two issues ago, he had some serious, life-threatening health issues last holiday season. After a long rehab, lots of support from many of you, and a hefty dose of prayer, Jon says that he is “back to normal.” I just wonder what his version of “normal” is, but that is for another article Jon sends: RIP’EM WITH A BEAK! The centers of the college football and the Class of ‘83 universes became confluent on Sept 13 in luxury suite A-83 (really!) in the Georgia Dome in Atlanta for the GA State - Air Force game.

Stu Hixon and his wife Vicki were exceptional hosts to a mini-reunion.

In total comfort, and on Stu’s dime, we ate and drank to saturation, and watched the Falcons win by... I have no idea! We were all so engaged with the company of each other that we hoped for triple overtime to keep this sequel to the “End of the World Party” (I still have my T-shirt) going. The crowd in the box was a happy group, but I have to hand out some Special Awards: Kim Bentler gets the “Journeyed the Farthest” Award: she flew in from southern California! She recently retired, and hopes to get on with an airline. If so, then she can compete with Ray Blust and George Cespedes for the “Students Blowing off Their Homework” Sabre Society Award. Ray and George flew in from Miami for the day.

Donors They are in initial qualification for the 787 for American Airlines. Ray is ageless. George had to leave in the 4th quarter because he had a simulator at 0500 on Sunday, so he has an excuse for not staying around to sing the 3rd verse of the AF song. Steve Knoblock gets the “Coolest Excuse for Being a Little Late” Award. He says with a straight face, “I was diving with the penguins at the Atlanta Aquarium.” Totally cool volunteer work! Jeff and Amanda Fiebig get the “Honey, Let’s Coordinate Our Outfits!” Award.

They wore matching white shorts and blue AF jerseys. For their prize, I volunteer them to host next year, at their new house in Warner-Robins, GA! Anyone second the motion? [SECONDED by wade!] Brian Berry gets the “I-Phone Award,” because he took the picture. And finally, Greg “Tank” Egan gets the “I could still show those young punks a thing or Two” Award.

He is as huge and menacing looking as ever. He lives in Flowery Branch, GA, which is very close to where Brenda and I will be moving in early 2015, so we’ll have some built-in friends to ease the transition.

Karol Welling didn’t make it to the Party in the Box, but reports that she saw Denny Moore and Ricard Smith on the sideline, begging to get in on a few plays.

One final image to leave you with: near the end of the game, LtGen Michelle Johnson (’81), the USAFA Superintendent. visited. We heard someone shout, “The Supe’s here!” and we all looked for a laundry bin to hide our alcohol! Naaahhh! Anyway, we tried to hand her a beer and had the i-phones and Facebook posting ready to go, but she was too smart to take the bait. Guess that’s why she’s the Supe!

Stu Hixon, again, many thanks! TEAR’EM WITH A CLAW! Until next time.

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From left are Joe Kim, Cathy McClain, Steve Howard, and Abel Barrientes at the PACAF Change of Command.

So that about wraps it up for this quarter. As you sit down to write your Christmas cards and letters, send a note this way and let me know what you and your family have been up to. Who knows? Your adventures and awkward family photo may be immortalized on these hallowed pages!

Until next time, your humble scribe, Ratman.

JOIN THE SABRE SOCIETY! YOUR MONEY HELPS FUND CADET WING PROGRAMS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNFUNDED. CALL (719) 472-0300 X200.

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Class News

New annual section I’m starting – ’83 STARS – I plan to let everyone know where our classmates who have made General have moved to. What prompted this? I ran into Bob Lala in the BX mall at Ramstein AFB. (Sorry he is retired, not a BG.) I coordinated to join him on a ‘no notice’ hospitality check of the incoming 3rd AF/CC. We rang the doorbell, no one was home. But as soon as Daryl Roberson heard two classmates were at his front door, he left the gym in the middle of a workout to meet us. Daryl got an A for his efforts. He opened his fridge and we all had a beer. After a great chat, I left him a fine bottle of scotch whiskey to share with any of you who visit him at Ramstein. *** 83 STARS *** This summer Lt Gen Daryl Roberson assumed command of Third Air Force. My wife, Chaplain Col Cherri Wheeler, did the invocation at the ceremony. Maj. Gen. Jim Post III became Vice Commander, Air Combat Command, Langley Air Force Base, VA. I ask all of you for help keeping track of our fast burners who have risen to the top.

Send me updates when they move.

A special THANK YOU to Cheryl Phillips (Newhouse) for writing the Checkpoints article for Jon two issues ago. She has always been a strong contributor to my article and did a wonderful job on her first article (Maybe Ray, Stu and I can take a break). She also had an awesome lake party this summer. I asked her for a photo. Everyone was too busy to take one.

Next year, it will be the lake party to be at. Hopefully she and Jeff will coordinate their events not to be on the same weekend. Also, someone bring a camera to the lake house.

Here’s a picture from this July, when the USAFA Graybirds Lacrosse team played in the 2014 World Lacrosse Tournament in the over-50 division. Posing before they ran out of energy/got injured are former varsity Lax players from ’83: Steve “Knobs” Knoblock, Brad “Boog” Powell, Chris “Swiss” Cicere, Brian “Tosh” Mcintosh, and Bill “Ronald” Reagan.

MARK YOUR CALENDARS… REUNION 2018! Rumors are floating about a reunion cruise. Anyone up for a Panama Canal Cruise in 2016?

33rd year reunion! Let me know.

Anyone who has been to Germany will recognize the road sign above.

It usually marks when leaving one town and shows the next town on the road. I am out of the rat race and have officially retired to ‘The Beach”! My wife goes on terminal leave January 2015 and will join me.

Just a final reminder: Jeff Fiebig is hosting a football party next year! If Jeff hesitates, I will ask Daryl to lean on him a bit.

I hope you all have a merry Christmas and the New Year is a prosperous one. I thank everyone for the updates and photos. Please send Ray Blust his fair share at rjmablust@comcast.net, (304) 242-7182.

I will be making it to a few more Army-Air Force football games now that I am back in the states. Look for me at both West Point and the Zoo. Just listen to me yelling… Go Army beat Air Force!

(Editor’s note: Wade and I made a bet a while back that whoever won the Army-Air Force game would get a chance to rub it in at the end of his column. As you know, Wade is all Army. ‘Nuff said!)

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Mike Jensen 6547 N. Academy Blvd.

Colorado Springs, CO 80918 (719) 338-3570 Web Page: www.usafa84.com Email USAFA1984@gmail.com Facebook: USAF Academy 1984 Twitter: @USAFA84

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Thank YOU for making it the best reunion EVER! It truly was a magnificent weekend and it made me so proud to see the class working together just like we did on the assault course 34 years earlier. Special thanks to Lori Pulaski, Barb (Huggett) Walker, Linda (Wittman) Green, Bob Perry, Sam (General) Cox, Maria (Duran) Flores, Russ Barker, Rick Broome, Carlos Bernal, the staff at the Marriott, the staff at the Golf Course, the staff at the Chapel, the staff at Classic Catering, and one of the nation’s best beer makers, Eric Wallace of Left Hand Brewing. While our reunion was in full swing, not only was Eric making sure everyone was having a great time at the tailgate, Sabre Society but Left Hand Brewing also was winning 3 Silver MedDonors als at the 2014 Great American Beer Festival, the largest commercial beer competition in the world featuring 5,500 entries from 1,300 breweries. Left Hand took honors for their Milk Stout, Smokejumper Smoked Imperial Porter, and Black Jack Porter. The Longmont brewery received the highest medal count for Colorado. I know I will have forgotten someone, or two, and I apologize.

Merchandise: There may still be some time to order merchandise by the time you get this. USAFA Class of 1984: For embroidered items go to: http://stores.inksoft.com/USAFA_Class_of_1984/Home. For wall posters and class crests: http://www.overtimesportsgraphics.com/id39.htm.

For those of you who were unable to attend: WE MISSED YOU! We hope you can make it back to USAFA in the future, and you are always welcome back with open arms when you are able. It is a real testament to the closeness of our class when we had one of the largest turnouts in reunion history, and still there are some with whom we have no contact. Therefore, I am making it a goal to make sure we have all of our living classmates contacted by the next time we meet. It is also very special to see friends who came out who did not graduate with us, but are members of the class of 1984 in their hearts and spirit. We also had spouses of classmates who have passed away, yet still value our class and what we stand for enough to join us in our celebration.

“Football, you bet!” Really showing my age and immaturity now. Did you notice how when the football graduates of our class were introduced, most of those guys looked like they could still play? And even if they couldn’t play, they still loved the ovation! Many thanks to Johnny Weigand for getting the Class of 1984 plaque funded and placed inside of Falcon Stadium. And the way we handled Navy, it felt like 1981 all over again. For all of our cheering, the class of 1984 is awarded unlimited overnight passes for the rest of the semester… those of you with tours? You know the drill!

Please stay involved with our class: Send updates to me about what is going on in your lives. We have a great variety of personalities, skills and passions. As I look at the list of attendees, there are so many that I wish I would have seen. The weekend went by very quickly. I thank you again for the opportunity to serve the best class and the greatest friends. May you have a great 2015, and I hope to see you again very soon.

For more updates and to see some photos check out www.USAFA84. com. Jens

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W. Scott Carney P.O. Box 210 Princeton, ME 04668 USAFA.Class.of.1985@gmail.com

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Greetings ’85ers!

Wishing all of you a happy holiday season as yet another year comes to a close. By this time next year, we will all be reflecting on our 30th reunion, and swapping pictures of our weekend back at USAFA. I hope you are looking forward to attending as much as I am.

Last fall, I saw a retirement picture on Facebook showing Al Williams holding up his cadet parade uniform and lamenting over the fit. While I no longer have my parades, it got me curious as to whether or not I could still fit into my athletic jacket. After going through an attic full of boxes,

I finally tracked it down. As for the fit, it wasn’t even close. I couldn’t even get an arm in. It was at that moment I realized I had stumbled upon my New Year’s resolution... fitting into my athletic jacket in time for our reunion. I’m happy to report that I finished one year ahead of schedule, having dropped 85 pounds (How’s that for a coincidence?) in the last ten months. Amazing what can be accomplished with a little diet and exercise -- or maybe not so little. The jacket actually fits better now than it did at graduation. For those of you finding yourself in a similar situation, there are still Sabre Society roughly 10 months to go before our reunion weekend.

Donors Tish (Dierlam) Norman has also proposed a faster, easier alternative to sporting your class pride next fall.

Tish recently notified me about a company selling Air Force football jerseys; complete with both class year and class crest. The jerseys sell for $49, and for an additional $10 they will print your name on the back. They tend to run on the small size, so you may wish to size up to ensure comfort. If you are interested in ordering one, contact Aerovation at www.aerovation.com/usaf-academy/usafaclass-jersey/prod_30.html.

Look for our reunion weekend date to be set this March or April once the fall football schedule has been finalized. Details will be provided in future Checkpoints editions, but they will also be posted on our class Facebook page. Stay tuned, and plan on attending!

Mike Challman sent me a picture of him and his son taken at the Air Force vs. Georgia State University (GSU) game in Atlanta. It was a great game, and a great victory for Air Force (48 - 38). Mike lived in Atlanta for 14 years before moving to Philadelphia two years ago, where his is now the VP of North American Operations for CLX Logistics. He recently ran into another classmate, Chris Valle, in Philly. Chris is very active in the Greater Philadelphia Veterans Network (GPVN). Both Mike and Chris volunteered at the GPVN table at local veteran’s events. They also joined a group of fellow alumni for a trip to West Point for the big game. Go Air Force!

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He is also Squadron/CC of Dan’s former squadron, CS-31. Bruce Desautels’ son, Kyle, is a four degree in Daniel’s squadron. Dan and Bruce were classmates together at UPT. Ron McLaughlin dropped me a quick note to inform me his daughter had just given birth to his first grandson, Beckham, this past August. He and his wife are very happy and blessed by the newest addition to their family. Congratulations to the entire McLaughlin family!

Have a safe and happy holiday season, and drop me a note or e-mail me with updates you’d like to share with our classmates. It is always a pleasure reconnecting with so many of you. Take care, and I look forward to reporting back with you in Spring.

‘85 Best Alive! Scott

Lawrence Cooper 2806 Erics Court Crofton, MD 21114 410-451-6505 Cooper@astroguy.net

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It’s October as I write this, so I’m going to get ahead of y’all and wish everyone a Happy Turkey Day and Winter Solstice. It’s our 28th year since flying from the nest and there’s just not that many of us still in uniform.

I just saw my eldest son off to Virginia Tech (it’s strange rooting for a college football team that’s not USAFA) and I’m still chugging along in the Pentagon as a DoD civilian and occasionally I get to see some fellow ’86ers like John Odie Oates, who is tooling along in the AF IG shop or Mary Matusiewicz, who is a contractor supporting USAF space programs and if I read between the lines of her FaceBook page, just ran in the Marine Corps Marathon (mid October).

Just so you know, our class has a FaceBook page with Sabre Society over 232 members and a Linkedin group with over 226 Donors members. Although we have a bit of overlap between the two pages, it seems the Linkedin group has become the most active. If you’re not in either of the two groups, please come visit and catch up with us.

We have a whole bunch of updates this time. First up is Derek Hunt who is finally calling it quits and retiring on 1 Jan 2015. He says he’s spent the last three years working at HQ AFSPC. Both he and his wife, Jackie, will be staying in Colorado Springs. He’s included a photo op from his cousin’s wedding down in Texas – that guy with the very silver hair on the left is Derek with three other grads.

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Mike at left, and Ryan Challman (GSU ‘13) Note: Mike is wearing one of the Aerovation football jerseys described above.

Dan Cotton (CS-31/40) e-mailed me an update on his latest exploits.

He now resides in Phoenix, AZ and has seven children. Dan retired from the Air Force in ‘08 after 14 years of service as both an OV-10 and F-16 pilot, as well as an Academy Liaison Officer. He is now a Captain for Southwest Airlines. His son, Daniel, is a Firstie, and was just selected for UPT.

C1C Daniel Cotton (Then C2C), Dan Cotton, and C3C Caroline Cotton

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From left are Derek Hunt with Lindsay Freeman Christopherson ‘07, James Freeman ‘02 and Kyland Freeman ‘08.

Next, I scoped some good intel from Airman magazine on our classmate Brig Gen Richard Scobee. Richard, formerly director of plans, programs and requirements at HQ USAF, took command of 10th Air Force on 18 October in a ceremony at Naval Air Station Joint Reserve Base Fort Worth, Texas, which is responsible for all of Air Force Reserve Command’s fighter; bomber; special operations; rescue; airborne warning and control; combat operations, ISR; remotely piloted aircraft; space; and cyber units.

Gary Burg provides the following amazing update: “I am currently back in employment with BOSH Global Services (I worked for them from 2010 thru 2012) after spending the summer working at The Home Depot and at Moose Run Golf Course. In August, I attended the Mission Coordinator (MC) course with Textron/AAI’s Aerosonde UAS. Three weeks later I was once again a full up MC and in September I deployed in support of Aerosonde operations OCONUS. With my kids spread across the globe - my daughter Stacey is living in New Zealand, my son Rody is attending College for a year in Japan and my youngest Cassie is running a business out of my home in Anchorage; being deployed isn’t that bad of a gig. With any luck this will once again be a long term deployment. I actually really enjoy supporting our military in the fight on terrorism and being an active part of the solution. Whereas the locations aren’t always the best places to be, the job satisfaction more than makes up for it.” He provided this picture of himself with his two youngest kids out playing a round of golf at Moose Run Golf Course. Apparently Gary works the snack shack part-time during the summer.

nesses with strategic planning and leadership development. Rubes says he likes it when visitors stop to catch up and share a walk in the woods followed by some good food and wine. Sounds like an open invitation to party.

Meanwhile Jon Giese just moved to DC after spending 3.5 years working in Bahrain. He’s working as a Policy Analyst for the Navy. Derek Brown is living in Minneapolis with his wife, Krystal, and twin boys Jeremy and Spencer. Derek works for Mortenson Construction overseeing wind farm construction projects across the country, and plans on moving to Denver in the spring to head up the Sterling Ranch development project.

I’ve been running into Fred “Jazz” Armstrong for several years now, but he finally retired in October and started working at the FAA HQ in DC in the Air Traffic Safety Oversight Service. His son Greg graduated from Grinnell College (Iowa) as a Posse Scholar in History focusing on Asian Policy Studies and works at For Love of Children (FLOC) and the Tomodachi Program with American Councils. His daughter Rebekah is a junior at School Without Walls High School and is rowing crew and about to be inducted in the National Honor Society.

Vince Feck retired over the summer and kept the homestead in Fort Worth where he’s a Senior Manager for Quality with Lockheed Martin Aeronautics and has his two oldest kids attending Ohio State. Vince says “When I took them to back to Columbus this summer, I had lunch with Roger Vincent who is stationed at Wright-Pat.” Our last update comes from Reed Nelson, who just switched jobs and now works for Scitor Corp, but is still at the ADF-C. His new cubicle is in the same room as Trevor Hoy who works for BIT Systems. Reed’s daughter Morgan transferred to Johnson & Wales University in Denver and is playing basketball at the college level. His wife, Dianne, just celebrated her 15th year with Raytheon in Aurora. Reed and his wife go to a couple of USAFA football games every year, so any ’86ers should keep an eye peeled for them.

And that wraps up my longest update ever. Hopefully by the time you read this (knock on wood), the Falcons have routed Army and reclaimed the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy. Please keep in touch on our FB or Linkedin groups and spread the word.

John & Carolyn Sammartino 3107 Woods Cove Lane Woodbridge, VA 22192 H: (703) 492-5492 W: (703) 808-6234 jsammar@verizon.net

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Hello again ’87 and Happy Holidays! As you read this, it is that happy time of the year once again. Been a pretty good period for inputs as we were able to see a bunch of folks at the football game against Georgia State in the Georgia Dome, a really nice environment for a game if you ever get the chance—a very temperate 65 degrees inside for the game, much nicer than the 80-something and high humidity on the outside, or the brutal games we had to endure while we were cadets (and back for reunions in some cases!). SpeSabre Society cial thanks to Todd and Kristin Pospisil for alerting us Donors to this great opportunity to see the Falcons in action in this early season battle, and for their hospitality during our visit to Georgia. At the AOG-sponsored tailgate we caught up with Joe Faulise and his wife, Angie (’86), who live in Peachtree City with their two girls ages eight and eleven. Joe currently flies for Delta out of Atlanta, so look for him on those Delta flights!

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Gary Burg with his two youngest children.

Lee dePalo retired in August 2012 and worked as contractor focused on leadership development for US Special Operations Command in Tampa, FL. He says, “After 18 months, I felt the need to do something a little more operational so I took a job with the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) as a Federal Coordinating Officer (the senior federal official appointed to manage federal resources and lead disaster field operations). We moved back to Colorado for the first time in 28 years and now live in Arvada.” He’s still happily married to Kelly and has a son who is a senior at the University of Tampa and a daughter who is a freshman at the University of Colorado, Colorado Springs.

William “Bill” Hack retired from active duty in Jun 2012 and is living in Beavercreek, OH near Wright-Pat and works for a Universal Technology Corporation supporting the USAF. Bill won’t send any pictures because “they would break the internet.” Oh well.

Tom Ruby just visited the Academy in September as a Falcon Heritage Forum guest speaker. He lives with his family in Central Kentucky on a small farm and is CEO of his own consulting business helping small busi118

Joe Faulise and his wife Angie.

Also at the game were Howard Huerta and Tyrone Jeffcoat, with wives and “little ones!”

According to Tyrone: “I’m currently seeking my next opportunity; working on my golf game and doing housework. My wife, Shelley, works as a recruiter for HP. My daughter Isabella (5) is working her way through kindergarten and keeping us young.”

As for Howard: “I’m working for a company called XO Communications, a small competitor of AT&T in the business segment and Michie, my wife, works for Accenture, so she just needs to be close to a major airport. It was great to see you and John at the game… Like I was saying, we moved down here to Atlanta almost 4 years ago from Chicago. Michie can work from anywhere, so it made us more mobile. However, Melina (12) and Sofia (9) don’t want to move again. Especially Melina, since she’s in middle school now. Besides the daily grind at work, the girls and I went to Salzburg and Munich over the summer. Sausage and beer go great together. Tyrone moved down here a year and a half ago. He lives 10 minutes away; our little ones go to the same grade school, and we go golfing almost every weekend. Nice to have family down here. Tyrone and I were roommates at the Prep School back in 1982 and it’s been great to have family support nearby. Also big news: my Goddaughter, Alex Vance of the Kristin (nee Morton) and Ezra Vance clan, entered the Class of ‘18 this summer. Super proud of her.”

Howard and Tyrone both live in Alpharetta, GA, and as noted their kids go to the same school; talk about a small world! We all got together right before kickoff for the group photo below:

AFCENT with me is Brig Gen Darren Hartford (‘89, CS-10 Huzzah) who is the commander of the 379 AEW. I’m also extremely fortunate to have a fantastic Vice Commander, Col Jeff Cooper (‘92).

Mike Plehn, at left, and John Quintas.

In other news, the class news editor, Tom Kroboth, sent me this message on our classmate Paul Pokorny, who was “adopted” by Tom and his wife during his time at the Academy. It turns out that Paul is awaiting a new lease on life. During a routine check-up, he learned his white blood cell count was low. Further testing revealed he was suffering from myelodysplasia (MDS), which came as quite a shock because he wasn’t experiencing any symptoms or health issues. Doctors told him a bone marrow transplant was necessary. He then sought treatment at Moffitt Cancer Center in Tampa, where he learned his illness had transitioned into acute myeloid leukemia (AML).

While he has no family history of AML, he does have a family history of cancer.

While awaiting his transplant, Paul, his wife, Sara, and their young son, Jeffrey, have temporarily relocated to Tampa. When Paul receives his transplant, Jeffrey will Sabre Society stay with family during the four-month recovery time, Donors and it breaks Paul and Sara’s hearts to know they’ll be away from him for so long.

Before his health began to decline, Paul led a very active life and enjoyed golf, playing guitar, studying astronomy and outdoor activities with his family. He loved his career as a flight instructor, and he hopes to return to work as soon as possible. More than anything, he dreams of returning to his normal, active lifestyle with his family. But right now, he needs your help.

Unfortunately, Paul’s hope for a new life comes at a very high price. The average bone marrow transplant costs approximately $800,000. And that’s only the beginning. Even with health coverage, which will cover a portion of the transplant costs, he faces significant expenses related to the procedure. He will also need medications and follow-up care to ensure that his body accepts the new bone marrow.

The National Foundation for Transplants (NFT) is working with volunteers and supporters to help relieve Paul’s growing burden of expenses.

NFT has been assisting transplant patients with fundraising support for more than 30 years. Your gift will enable NFT to provide Paul with the financial support he desperately needs.

You can help by visiting http://patients.transplants.org/paulpokorny to make a tax-deductible donation to NFT in his honor. If you have any questions about NFT, feel free to contact the staff at 800-489-3863.

Please use the Facebook page (link below) for all correspondence if possible. This is the best way to get a timely response. https://www.facebook. com/pages/Friends-Helping-Paul-Pokorny/1502001190075511?ref=br_ tf. Many Thanks!

Thank you for all your emails and photos. Craig McCurdy

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Checking in via Facebook this quarter were Moe and Tami (Phillips) Lehoullier who got away from those nasty New England and Colorado winters and now live in Lake Tahoe, but Moe is still an avid Red Sox fan, for better or worse!

Brou Gautier posted on Facebook right around another 9/11 anniversary that anyone who wants to send a note to LeRoy Homer’s mom, he has a Legacy page. If you would like the web address, please drop me an email.

That’s all for now folks, keep the great inputs coming and hope to hear from you soon! Fly safe…

Craig McCurdy 46992 Smithwood Court Potomac Falls, VA 20165 Cell: (202) 570-3058 ccicdjmccurdy@yahoo.com

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Tom Sadlo will be taking over as Class Scribe. Please send him an email at thomas.sadlo@gmail.com..

John Quintas emailed the following: Mike Plehn, who is currently working in OSD Policy, came to visit me at the 380th Air Expeditionary Wing, Al Dafra, where I am the commander for the next year. Great to spend some time together and to see such a nice, smart guy moving up. Also out in

JOIN THE SABRE SOCIETY! YOUR MONEY HELPS FUND CADET WING PROGRAMS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNFUNDED. CALL (719) 472-0300 X200.

Paul W. Tibbets, IV 11 Custer Drive Offutt AFB, LA 68113 E-mail: p2a2tibbets@gmail.com or p2a2me.com Class Facebook group: http:// www.facebook.com/ group.php?gid=43101356987

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Greetings Classmates, great to see those of you who attended the 25th reunion! Always a pleasure to reconnect and catch up. Check out the Facebook page for photos from the various events. HUGE thanks to Christy Kayser-Cook for running the show, Steve & Holly Williams for opening

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their beautiful home – The Otis House – for dinner Friday evening, and Bryan “Z” Zawikowski for executing a fantastic giving campaign. Thanks to your generous donations, we raised:

Academic and Research and Advancement: $14,100

Competitive Academic Excellence: $5,500

Academy Preparatory School Fund: $5,600

Other Academy Causes: $80,500

Total: $105,700 Just over 11% of you contributed. Our class goal was 50%, so if you would still like to contribute, it’s not too late! Please visit the following web site – http://www.usafa.org/Endowment/Classgiving1989.

Kathleen Barchick, Trace Williams, Mary Morgan, and Ann (Milligan) Nye outside Doolittle Hall.

Our first update on the reunion comes from our co-chairman, Christy: We had a great mid-October reunion weekend. Mother Nature cooperated beautifully all weekend, with warmer than normal weather and no precipitation. The events started out Thursday with a handful of classmates and guests playing golf, then about 50 eating lunch with the cadets in Mitchell Hall (I skipped this adventure since I got my share of Mitch’s last summer working BCT!). We then gathered for a buffet dinner at the Antler’s Hotel in Sabre Society downtown Colorado Springs. There were over 100 folks Donors having such a great time visiting, reminiscing, etc., it was hard to convince most to take a break in order to go through the buffet line.

Friday was lunch at Doolittle Hall and time to walk around the cadet area after lunch trying to find old class and dorm rooms.

The classes of ’69 and ’89 were treated to a special CSAR (Combat Search

and Rescue) demonstration on the Terrazzo. Our own Brig Gen Steve Williams, the commandant, and a first class cadet were ‘rescued’ by two Special ops helicopters, while two A-10s provided CAP and a MC-130 was available overhead to refuel the helicopters. Motivating demonstration for young and old—never one to pass up a good airshow. Following the demonstration we attended a Memorial service in the Chapel for our classmates who are no longer with us. Amazingly we have only lost 15 classmates in the 26 years since our Firstie year. Todd Wilkowski did a great job organizing the service despite some last minute scheduling changes resulting in no chaplains available to perform the service—it was all Mighty Fine ’89.

’89ers at Kevin Shea’s Memorial standing from left, are Anthony Roberson, David Doe, Donna Alvarado, Christy Kayser-Cook, Franco Borgia, Maureen (McCaffery) Borgia, Eric Ecklund, Doug Kennedy, Steve Williams, and Paul Beineke. Kneeling: Chris Greene, David Rojewski and Troy Calhoun.

Friday night we had the unique opportunity to celebrate with a BBQ buffet at the Otis House (Commandant’s residence) courtesy of Brig Gen Williams and his wife, Holly. Thanks so much for hosting about 150 folks!

As several classmates mentioned, “As a cadet I never thought I would be partying at the Comm’s House!” As we arrived we were greeted by several of the Falconers and a performance by the sabre drill team on the back lawn.

After dinner the cheerleaders stopped by, along with The Bird, to lead us in some cheers and get everyone ready for Air Force football the next day.

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Fun at the Otis house! From left are Mark Czelusta, Chris Kulas, Jeff Banks, John Burda, Mark Miller, Jeff Faley, Eric Solem, Jim Kline, Christine (Kinyon) Daniel, Scott Kirby, Rich Shanahan, Chuck Caldwell and Kevin McManaman.

Saturday was a beautiful day for Air Force football and some even joined in on pushups during the second half—not as easy as it used to be, but once a cadet always a cadet. AF was able to pull off the win to cap off a great weekend. Since there is never enough time over the weekend to catch up with everyone; quite a few squadrons (and other groups) had

The gang from CS-11: Jean (Tibbitts) Smith, Mary Morgan, Lev Prichard and Eric Ecklund.

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get-togethers after the game. Seven of us from Mach One along with our AOC met up at my house for more food and drink. Looking for an even bigger and better 30th in 2019!

Thanks Christy!

Next, we hear from Trevor Clark, the reunion planning committee rep for our top-giving campaign squadron, CS-18: With early coordination, timely event updates, and encouragement, CS-18 was well represented at the reunion with a 50% turnout. After cheering on the Falcons to victory over New Mexico, CS-18 closed out their time together back at the Academy with a festive evening social at the Colorado Mountain Brewery - Roundhouse. CS-18’s high reunion attendance rate also carried over to a high level of generosity and the top squadron Class Gift participation spot (Set high, but achievable goals!). I live with my bride, Julie, and son Maxwell (10) in the Seattle metro area... Issaquah to be exact, the home of Costco’s corporate headquarters. After retiring from active-duty in Jan 2014, Mike Stephens (CS-26) now also lives in Issaquah with his wife, Carolyn, and their daughters Nikki and Jackie, who just turned 16. Both Mike and I work for the Boeing Company, where I am an integrated product team leader on the USAF KC-46A Pegasus program, leading a team responsible for integrating military communication and navigation avionics on the 767 commercial derivative platform. Mike is a 777X test integration lead engineer. For the past 18 years, Mike’s CS-26 squadron-mate Dan Fogarty has been working in the Seattle area at Boeing, too. Dan’s engineering expertise is recognized with his membership in Boeing’s associate technical fellowship.

Thanks Trevor!

The Rohloffs parks. Probably the most important part of the past 28 years is the friendships and experiences I’ve had as a result of going to the academy and my service in the AF. It’s been great seeing old classmates pass through Scott AFB and it’s clear to me that we are all part of one big family...Mighty ‘90!”

Congratulations on your service Rolo—what a career it has been!

I received a brief note from Sam Skaggsn also from Scott AFB: “I retired out of the C-130 FTU in 2011, got remarried and moved to Scott. I flew with a regional for a short time, but that didn’t work well with the new marriage. Then I came upon my current job at AMC as the C-130H Requirements Manager, about two years ago. I love it.” When he isn’t at his day job, he is cruising on his Hog—we’re all jealous!

Mark “Spock” Leonard also joined the list of retirees. Mark was retired by classmate Carl Schaefer and will get us photos in time for the next edition.

Back to the subject of Falcon football, Terry Bradley’s son, Joshua USAFA 2016, spent this fall at the Naval Academy as an exchange cadet. Josh is experiencing the midshipman way of life at Annapolis, and was spared

Dann and Sherilyn Carlson celebrating 25-plus years of active duty service at the Air Force Memorial with Jeff Cashman.

That’s a wrap for this quarter. Keep those cards and letters coming.

Take care and God bless!

Mike Shepherd 3801 Derby Circle Quartz Hill, CA 93536 (661) 266-2133 michael.j.shepherd@hotmail.com

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The Bradleys

Members

Hello Redtags! Football season is in full swing and the USAFA team is doing unexpectedly well—I’ve got my fingers crossed that by the time this article is published we’ve enjoyed an exciting bowl game as we head into the dark ages!

As a class we have been slipping gracefully into retirement. This summer Lt Col Kurt “Rolo” Rohloff retired on July 1st and let us in on his ceremony: “Just wanted to pass along that I will be retiring 1 Jul 2014, 28 years to the date we all showed up at the zoo. Brief synopsis of my career after graduation: Flew KC-10s Sabre Society from ’91-’95 at March AFB in the 9th ARS until March Donors closed. Then moved to Travis and continued flying the ’10 in the 6th ARS until I left active duty in Sep ‘99 and flew in the 79th reserve squadron until June 2002 when I separated for a year. Got back in as an IMA at Scott AFB in July 2003 where I have worked in TACC for the past 11 years as a flight planner and most recently as a Battle Staff Director on the floor. I was hired by American in Nov of ‘99 and am currently flying the 737 at O’Hare. I currently live in Woodstock, IL with my wife, Julie, and my kids Sarah, 17, and Mark, 12. (See photo at the top of the next column.)

“Besides flying and the Reserves I spend at least 6 months a year coaching youth hockey and the rest of that time chasing my kids around ball

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Class News for the most part during the Navy-Air Force game. Terry and Connie visited him along with their youngest son, Zachary, and took in a fall football game at Navy.

That’s about it. In the next year we’ll have our 25-year reunion that we need to get to work on, and I’m drumming up some ideas to get a few more inputs in for Checkpoints. Next issue I’d like to put out an update on our 1990 era football stars—remember we went 8-3-1 with a Commander-in-Chief trophy! If you have an update on Dee Dowis, Randall Gladney or Eric Olson or any of our other football-playing classmates and where they are now send it in and I’ll consolidate for the next issue! Until then—Mighty 90!

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Carson Tavenner 7216 W. Country Club Drive Arlington, WA 98223 (301) 367-8969 Tavenner@hotmail.com

Members

Greetings, Bold Gold!

With sad hearts we announce the sudden and tragic death of Pete Hagis, September 23. Steve Sharpe reported that “details are still coming in on the cause of death, but [Pete] had been suffering from PTSD and some other issues for a long time.” The tragedy is great in any case, and I was

not surprised to see dozens and dozens expressing “Here’s a toast” to the news when it came out.

Pete Hagis himself gave us a fitting tribute with the quotation he chose for the yearbook. This comes from one of my all-time favorite leadership speeches; it stirs my blood every time! Thank you, Pete. You have reminded me of the real cost of our sacrifices.

“From this day to the ending of the world. But we in it shall be remembered, we few, we happy few, we band of brothers. For he today that sheds his blood with me, shall be my brother be he ne’er so vile. This day shall gentle his condition. [And gentlemen ...now-a-bed shall think themselves accurs’d they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that fought with us...!]” - Shakespeare, Henry V Much happy news has been expressed through many wonderful photos! I couldn’t post them all here, but they will be posted on the Facebook page. In fact, much of this news comes from Facebook.

Such as seeing that Murray Nance married Jennifer.

Afterward, I got to know them a little better in a great exchange on Facebook. What awesome pictures they posted from their wedding. Was anyone there? Congratulations, you two!

Sabre Society Donors Jane Leon posed this question: “We went to a College Night… West Point and Annapolis had representation but no Air Force Academy. Pretty upsetting. Can Grads in the area volunteer to set up a booth if there is a college night? Where can we get all the brochures and materials? And Beth Kwasny had the answer: “There is definitely the ability for Grads to be more involved in the recruitment of cadets separate from what the Admissions Liaison Officers do. [Check out] the Prop and Wings Program (posted on the AOG’s website). The link has a look-up function for the Liaison Officer Director for the region you are looking for. The LOD would be the first POC to contact if a grad is interested in being involved.” Gold leading gold; gotta love it. I have been seeing more and more Bold Gold getting involved in liaison work.

Which perfectly leads to sharing this good story from Dave Garcia from his work as a liaison officer. “One of my cadets is on the falconry team. He came back to Nashville for a community visit. We were invited to the Tennessee Titans, Nashville Predators, 5 schools, 2 Civil Air Patrol units and a homeschool association. 75,000 people got to see the ‘bird’. At the Preds hockey match Cadet Farris and ‘Aurora’ were the visiting mascot. At the Titans football game, Cadet Farris, Class of ‘16, Lt Col (ret) Phil Maywald, Class of ‘63, and I were a part of the third quarter presentation of the game ball to Phil, Vietnam veteran and Air Force Cross recipient. All in all, probably the best USAFA exposure I’ve seen in a community since I’ve been an ALO (10 years). I organized most of it, but of course had lots of help from a lot of grads.”

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Pete’s memory will be with us “from this day to the ending of the world.”

Dave Garcia brought our treasured tradition to perform at a Tennessee football game.

[Lynn Gawell wrote that she just retired, spending time between seeking a job, figure skating and projects like converting all those old VHS to digital, painting the house, etc. Sounds like familiar “I left it my whole career until I had the time” tasks that we all collected! So she attended the annual symposium for the Society of Experimental Test Pilots with Vanessa (Rebello) Bond, Rod Todaro, Chuck Webb and “Leif Erickson.

Matt Isler reported on a small get-together at the end of August at the Randolph Club for the Senior NCO Induction ceremony. If you didn’t know from previous reports, Matt is now the Wing Commander at Randolph. Col Dave Drichta is the 12th Operations Group Commander in the wing running all the white-jet Pilot Instructor Training for AETC and the Remotely Piloted Aircraft Pilot and Sensor Operator pipelines, and Col Jim Sears just arrived from Columbus AFB, MS where he was the Wing Commander; he is now an Air Force Personnel Center Deputy.

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Manny Candelaria is now flying for Southwest and shared great reflections on what he said has recently been “without a doubt the best couple days I have had in a very long time” including finishing his training with Southwest, spending the first week “on the line”, his first B-day spent with his parents in nearly 18years, 14th wedding anniversary for Deya and him, an Isotopes game with his boy, and even got to fly the Orca-painted “whale” airliner the day before his birthday. How cool is that! He feels “truly blessed with family, friends and fortunes beyond wildest dreams...”

Thanks for sharing, Manny!

Colleen McCrary organized a Bold Gold Potluck Brunch for folks at her home 27 Sept and is now “at it again” with a happy-hour gathering early November. Great work Colleen! I wish I was there with you. You have always been such a grand supporter of our reunions; clearly you value others so much.

Mark Beres is hard at work in Arizona turning water into wine! “Our distillery design is completed. Flying Leap is a collaborative venture of three former military pilots who founded the company in 2010 with a shared goal of developing a vibrant new wine business based on local, self-sourced viticulture and exceptional, high-quality winemaking. Our expansion into the spirits trade brings us the ability to distill fine brandy from grape wine as well as whiskies, rum and ultra-pure vodka from grain.” In the freaking desert!

LinkedIn news: Patrick Rhatigan is now Commander, 19th Airlift Wing at Little Rock AFB, AR and Paul Bauman is now Commander, 319th Air Base Wing, Grand Forks AFB, ND. Brian Doyle is the director of the Triangle Sales Leadership Association. Mark Grotelueschen is the USAFA Dept. of History’s Division Chief for Military History.

Sweet! We’re still under 1,200 words! Until next time, Tav.

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James S. Mehta 3802 Elbert Ave. Alexandria, VA 22305 james.mehta@us.af.mil jamesmehta@earthlink.net

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Happy Holidays! I hope this column finds you all joyful and prosperous for the New Year. Once again, I wonder where the time has gone and why we continue to grow older and wiser so fast. If you figure it out, that’s another reason to drop me a note.

Pentagon sightings. Once again the hallways of the Puzzle Palace are a great place for finding True Blue classmates wandering aimlessly. Recently, I saw Andy Freeborn in the Pentagon dry cleaners. Andy is working for OSD and Lynn (Gaywell, 1991), is job hunting in California after her recent retirement. Of course, I ran into Andy at the PAC (Pentagon Athletic Center, for those who have not had the pleasure…) just a week or two later. The PAC is another-target rich environment for old friends and classmates.

Around the same time, I ran into Melissa (Jones) Coburn who is a full-time Reservist and working as the Exec to the Chief of the Air Force Reserve. Melissa and Sabre Society her family recently got settled in here in the National Donors Capital Region after many years in South Carolina and New Jersey. We vowed to link up for coffee or lunch sometime soon.

Talking to Melissa gave me the impetus to actually send out an email I have been promising to do for some time. I put together an email list of all the ’92ers I know are in the Pentagon and am trying to get a bi-weekly coffee started. The first attempt landed a little flat, but I hope to report next time that we have a robust True Blue “coffee group” meeting in the Pentagon every other week to reminisce, get to know each other better, and network. It never hurts to have another friendly face in the building.

As soon as you meet an old friend or classmate, it seems within no time at all there is an opportunity for you to help them or vice versa. It sure makes getting things done around the Pentagon easier. If you’re reading this and thinking, “I’m in the Pentagon, but haven’t been invited to these…,” it’s not because we have excluded you, but we just don’t know you’re here. Send me an email—I’ll be glad to add you to the group.

Dave Sutton is part of that list even though he actually works in Crystal City. He got out a couple of years ago and is a contractor now. He is working international business development for Lockheed-Martin focusing on Asia.

He and I linked up recently when he was over in the building for a meeting.

It has been a while since I’ve mentioned Dave in the column. Before hiring on with L-M, Dave was an Air Attaché in New Delhi, India and later in SAF/IA. He was also an Olmstead Scholar in Finland, so he is quite suited for international development. Dave passed along that Rick Moore is now on the Air Staff and I duly added him to the coffee group email.

Tarantula Calling. My old squadron mate Joe Hall wrote to provide

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some Checkpoints fodder. Joe is at NATO HQ in Brussels, Belgium. Not to be confused with SHAPE which is in Mons. He’s “flying a desk as the director of nuclear defense policy on the international military staff.” Joe’s email subject was “Oktoberfest!” So you can probably fill in the details yourself. Most importantly he included a photo.

James Shigakane, Joe, and Andrew Kleckner enjoying an evening out in Belgium.

Long time Caller. Wes Schaeffer wrote to ask me to let you all know of a great event coming up in January. Wes is doing the Tampa Bay Frogman swim with John Doolittle on Jan 11, 2015 to raise money for the Navy SEAL Foundation. 100% of the proceeds go to foundation. Wes’ description of the swim: “This is a 3.1 mile swim across Tampa Bay in 50 degree water. They do it when it’s cold and miserable because that’s what SEALs do!” Sounds like a great cause to support two 1992 classmates at once.

You can sponsor Wes and donate at http://Bit.ly/frogmanswim.

Another Oktoberfest! Rob Tobler invited us to an “OkToblerFest” recently. He and Leisa had a great party at their house in Calvert County.

Rob is still flying the most important people around from Andrews AFB… ooops, I mean Joint Base Andrews. It was the same night as the Navy - AF game, so we got to see the Mighty Falcons secure a victory against the Midshipmen. All and all, it was a great night!

Final Note. As with the last column, I once again received information of the passing of one of our own. Sheila Murray wrote to notify me that her husband, Dan Murray, succumbed to cancer on July 20, 2014. Sheila wrote, “I’m writing to inform you of Dan’s passing on July 20, 2014. Dan was diagnosed with a right frontal lobe anaplastic astrocytoma in June, 2006. He fought cancer while continuing to work at Hurlburt Field, Florida. He was surrounded by his family at the time of his passing.”

Here is Dan’s obituary: “Dan Murray, beloved husband of Sheila Murray and father of Declan and Aidan, died July 20, 2014, in the presence of his family. Dan loved his wife and children above all but Christ and fought an eight-year battle against brain cancer. His family is comforted by their steadfast knowledge of the peace Dan now relishes in the kingdom of heaven. Whether it was his beloved Groovers or his precious family and friends, Dan inspired us all with his integrity, perseverance and... character. His character is best described, not defined, by his service to Jesus, his family and his country.” Here’s a toast…

Dan and his “USAFA Buddies”. Back Row: Scott Ward, Carlos Gacharna, Mark Blake, Mark Ely, Troy Heithcock, and Dan Murray; Front Row: Dave Quackenbush, Ian Thompson, and Tom Becker.

That’s it for now. Please drop me a note when you have some time.

Remember to look out for one another and stay True Blue. Semper excelsior! James.

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Class News Michael D. Sundsted 1805 Macadams Place Alexandria, VA 22308 202-814-8746 Michael.Sundsted@whmo.mil Class Website: www.zoomienation .org–”Class of 1993”

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Class of 1993, Hope all is well in your world. The Mighty Air Force Falcons team (as I write this) is 5-2 with a strong win versus Navy, Boise State and New Mexico, with Army next. Looks like we should be Bowl bound and with any luck by the time you get this, we’ll have the Commander and Chief’s trophy back in our grasp. Hard to believe that we held that trophy the entire time we were at the Academy. All is well in Virginia. It was a bit quiet on the letter/email front this quarter, but I had a great update from Dave Lombardo and some great news from the Ybarras. See below…

Dave Lombardo checks in from California where he is a fireman ensuring wildfires don’t get to “wild”. We know California has had its share of wildfires. He is working towards his Cross Fit certification and he’ll be starting his intern sometime in the New Year at NorCal Cross-fit. If you are in San Jose, and in the need to feel “fit” be sure and look Dave up.

He reports on numerous classmates of ours. In August he caught up with Doug Pritchard who is flying the friendly skies with Southwest Airlines.

Doug and his family are doing great and living in Pennsylvania. He got to host Jeb Buck (’92) at his house and one night at Dave’s firehouse for dinner while Jeb was doing work for the Missile Defense Agency. Jeb is doing very well with his family living on a 90-acre homestead in Tennessee. Jeb’s brother (our classmate), Hank Buck, is doing well at his new assignment in Germany. While in Fort Collins attending a friend’s wedding Dave had the opportunity to visit with Andy and Heidi (’94) Truitt and their three children. Lance Teel was also in town at the time for his daughter’s lacrosse match so the fellas decided to have a mini-CS 11 reunion. All are doing rather well! Finally, Dave spoke with Matt Greene a few months back and caught him in the middle of packing for his new assignment at Scott AFB to be the TRANSCOM command Engineer which should be a great reprieve from the bustle of the Pentagon. Thanks for the great update!

Bruce and Tina Ybarra are the proud parents of a beautiful baby girl named Anna Kristina. Our congrats to you on the newest member of your family!

I also ran into Jamie Key at the Base Exchange in mid-October. It was great reminiscing on our time at the Academy.

I look forward to having much more of an input from the class in the next letter. I will be emailing 30-40 of our classmates to see if I can “pull” some information out of you to place in our class letter. I wish you all the very best and have a fantastic holiday season! Mike Craig Allen 85 Quail Creek Drive Del Rio, TX 78840 H: 830-313-7089 C: 660-864-5374 kegsdoolittle@yahoo.com

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Christmas Edition. If you weren’t able to attend the 20-year reunion, you really missed out on an awesome, first-class event. Our class representatives, Kevin Pfeil, Jesse Hernandez and Betsy (Moore) Russ, along with the AOG, combined to put on an extremely wellrun and organized occasion. The venue, Cheyenne Mountain Resort, combined with perfect weather and a glorious Falcons victory over Boise St., made for an incredible weekend. The best part, however, was seeing everyone. We had a great turnout. It was a barrage or information; I didn’t take notes and the beer was Sabre Society flowing like wine, so I’ll do my best to recap who I saw Donors and what they’re up to.

Colleen and I pulled up at the resort on Thursday afternoon, after road tripping up from Del Rio, TX, with a stop in Amarillo (which included dinner at the Big Texan). At the hotel, we immediately started running into people at the front door. Brian “Burnt” Toth was the first person I saw, who is still active duty and I’m pretty sure is a pinned on O-6. I then saw John Childs at check-in, who informed me we had a great crew already in attendance.

Next up, Brent Brockinton was strolling across the lobby, dressed casually, with a beverage in hand, channeling his inner Dude Lebowski. He

encouraged us to join him in the bar where he and wife, Meredith, were anchored. Brent is flying as a part-time Reservist, in T-38 aggressors at Tyndall, and he just started an airline career. On the way to our room, I saw Tony Gutterman enjoying the pool, then came across Todd Foster, who had just arrived from Boston. After a quick stop at the AOG registration desk (which was a very efficient operation), we joined the Brockinton’s for a pre-reunion cocktail social, cocktail hour. Before long, Mike and Tiffany (Retinauer) Morgan were with us. Mike is about to retire from AD out of Edwards. F-16 B-course classmate of mine, Mary (Hartman) Arnholt, was there as well. She and her family traveled up I-25 from their home in Albuquerque. We soon headed up to the cocktail social.

The resort had a great room for us, which was full of Red Hots when we got there. I saw Calvin Crowner for the first time since graduation, who was just like I remembered... slightly eccentric. I’m pretty sure he said he’s living in California. Cal was chatting up one of my old roommates and bros from the F-16, Dan “Slim” Veal, who was there from back east with his girlfriend, who Colleen really enjoyed talking to. I went by one of the bars and was met with a big hug by Rebecca (Medenwaldt) Erwin, who is living in Florida. Other conversations were with Todd Kusserow (still loving the SoCal life), Virgil Hooper (just started his own business in Atlanta), Tom Fry (living back in Connecticut), Jim Chrisley, Ian Phillips, and Tom Rozylowicz (living back in Maryland). Soon after, we were at the after-party, which as usual, was in the hotel lobby bar. We closed down the night with the Brockintons, Jason “Swingin” Dickinson (living in Tucson) and the Morgans.

USAFA from Eagle Peak, 2014 edition.

As the sun rose Friday morning out our hotel balcony on Cheyenne Mountain, Colleen informed me that we were going to hike Eagle Peak.

She was determined to hike it again, as we had done 21 years prior, to get the awesome view of the Academy (and some exercise). Though advertised as only a 1.25 mile trail, it was a lot steeper (and exhausting) than I remembered, but we made it and got the photo op we wanted. After this, we did the Friday afternoon walk around of the cadet area. As we parked at the visitor’s center, I saw Noah Hardie walking along, dressed as GQ as ever, with Chris Eden and his wife. I hadn’t seen Noah since we were at his wedding in Maui way back when, so it was good to catch up. He is living in New Orleans with his wife and their four boys. Noah gave me his card, which in Men in Black fashion, contained his name... he wrote his cell number on the back. We walked around campus for a while, which was nearly exactly as I remembered it, except for the fences and restricted entry points. After this, we left for the class banquet.

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Tailgate Vintage Wear: Chris Kornmesser and Jesse Hernandez.

The banquet was very well attended and Jesse and Kevin did a great job running the show, which included a slide show created by Chuck Baird and a surprise gift for the Checkpoints guy... thanks Jesse and Kevin for the recognition; I appreciate it. Other sightings at the banquet included Mike Miller and wife, Andrea (Kerkman) Miller (‘95). Mike and Andrea live in the D.C. area, where Mike just retired and got a job as a Congressional staffer. Andrea said she just bought him a dozen new suits. I also talked to Carla Hunstad (living in Colorado), Jeff Dalrymple (living in KC), Todd Hudgins (FedEx), Mike Cranston (recently retired), Calley Poarch (SW airlines), Andy Ratliff (just started with United), and Nate Paddock (living back home in NH) among many others. It was a great night.

The football game was epic. The team kept coming up with turnovers on Boise St, and cruised to a win. At the tailgate, I caught up with Chris Kornmesser (living in COS), Steve Bunting (flying F-22s in the Virginia guard), Alex Keechle, Dustin Cordier, and Duke Pope (who was there with his son, C4C Pope of the class of ‘18), again among many others. At the game, Colleen and I made our way up to the Blue and Silver Club with Noah Hardie, Todd Foster and Mike Traw (wife Tara Dubilo Traw was unfortunately unable to attend...we missed you Tara). After enjoying some of the hospitality there, we were down near the cadet section for the end of the game and the traditional third verse of the AF song. It was an awesome experience. If you couldn’t make it, I highly recommend planning on the 25 year. You can also check out a lot of pics at the Class of ‘94 Facebook page. I hope you have a great holiday season and New Year. As always, please drop me a line and let me know what you’re up to -- Kegger.

become part of the family. Not since Basic Cadet Training had the Cadet Chapel pews been so full. Those of us that could not make the memorial were able to stream it thanks to a local Westfield television station. Thank you Kara for allowing all of us to join you and your family in honoring and celebrating the life you and Moose created.

Moose, Kara, Natalie, and Nicole Fontenot The CS-33 Ratz came out in full force with many ’96ers attending: Kevin “Keller” Beeker his wife, Sheri, and their four kids just moved down to Avon Park Air Force Range, FL where Kevin took over as the detachment commander. If anyone needs a trip to a bombing range or wants to see an alligator just let him know. Dan Badia is currently at Warner-Robins, Jeffrey Davies is at Davis-Monthan, Rich Dodge is teaching French at USAFA, Tracy (Dupree) Coyne is currently at Misawa and working in the Reserves while Eric Coyne is the 35 FW SJA. Chris Lanier is a student at National War College, Reid and Lori (Edinger) Rasmussen are currently at Maxwell AFB, Derek Lincoln is teaching chemistry at USAFA, Curtis Madeley is a student at the Eisenhower School (formerly known as ICAF), Charlie Nelson is a bankruptcy attorney in Minneapolis, and Tiaa (McDonald) Sabre Society Donors Henderson is at the Pentagon working in A1P. Beau Neal is a T-1 IP at Columbus AFB and Jeff O’Grady is an RC-135 instructor pilot stationed at Offutt AFB, NE. During his current tour, Jeff served as a 365-TDY squadron DO and Chief of Wing Safety, and is currently Chief of Stan/Eval in the FTU, while preparing for a transition to a major air carrier in 2016. FTU duty gives him the opportunity to both indulge his passion for flight instruction and stay close to home and his wife, Stephanie, and their young children Clare (6) and Garret (2). Jake Oldham is an orthopedic surgeon and recently transitioned to the Air Force Reserves, Jim Pedersen is a soaring instructor at USAFA, George Wyse moved to DC after separating from active duty in 2007 for grad school at Georgetown for a joint MBA and master’s in international relations and continues to fly F-16s with the DC Air National Guard (121st Fighter Squadron at Andrews AFB). Joe Pestana is a cattle rancher and cranberry farmer in Oregon and owner of oregongrasfed.com (he ships!); Mac Yates is currently at Tyndall.

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Third Quarter beverages with Noah Hardie, Mike Traw and Todd Foster.

T. Koch 9193 Martson Way Montgomery, AL 26117 Cell: (840) 499-8242 richard.koch@us.af.mil traviskoch@yahoo.com

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(Nine Sabre Society Donors) (Editor’s note; We did not receive an input from Travis for this magazine.

Please send him your information and photos for the next issue.)

Melissa S. Cunningham 9712 Hidden Valley Road Vienna, VA 22181 (C) 719-332-4912 (W) 703-697-9121 Melissas.s.cunningham.mil@ mail.mil fmcunningham@me.com

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Greetings from Al Udeid! This is Andi Vinyard typing this on Veteran’s Day and have the privilege of leading the Wing’s retreat ceremony—I am grateful that I celebrate today with my brother’s and sister’s in arms at a forward location.

This edition will focus on another veteran, Lt Col Morris “Moose” Fontenot that recently slipped the surly bonds of earth doing what he loved best… flying! Moose and Kara (Parks) Fontenot were both Ratz so the memorial service at the Academy turned into a mini-reunion for’96ers and the flying community. While Moose and Kara had only recently transitioned to the Barnes Air National Guard in Westfield, MA, they had already

Ratz And the Lady Ratz…(See photo at the top of the next page.)

Other TABs in attendance at the Memorial and other activities throughout the weekend… Andy and Barbara (Harrington) Coop recently added a new member to their family. Scott Gibson, Jeff Goggin PCSed to Offutt AFB after finishing up a year at the Eisenhower School, John Sapp, Jeff Alexander, Steve D’Amico, Keisha Rice, Meg Martin teaching history at USAFA, Dan Begin, Jake Campbell coaching football, Sonny Bartlett, Camilo Guerrero teaching in Behavioral Science department, Mike Manion, Todd Moore, Jason Wilson, Jack Fischer our very own astronaut, Chris McCarthy, Niko (Bronson) Lewis has her hands full as a homeschooling

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Lady Ratz mom of three in the Springs; Matt Giese; Jon Wheeler; Bob Bryant; and Mel (Baumann) Phillips And the ’96 Honor Guard members were also in full force: Jeremy Long, Brett Rawald, Donye Taylor, Dan Luce, James Englehart, Bobby Northern, Eric Moraes. Sorry I didn’t get updates on everyone. It was great to hear from so many of you and get pictures from the weekend events and to see all of the support from around the world for Kara, Natalie, and Nicole.

About two weeks after I finished the last Checkpoints article, Mark Slaton showed up to Al Udeid as the 717 ASOS Commander. He and his lovely bride have 4 children, ages 13, 11, 9, and 7. They have spent their last few assignments jumping between Army Forts and ACC Staff. He plans on settling his family down and establishing some roots in the near future.

Adam (’95) and Teresa (Stedman) Benjamin are stationed at Vance AFB. He is a T-38 IP and is busy running after a 4th and 7th grader and in her spare time serves as the Financial Secretary for the Emmanuel Christian School. Also at Vance is Tim Cummins, the Wing IG, and Justin Cooper just retired. (I can’t believe we are that old!)

Keyan Riley stopped by with Brett Anderson (’94) during a layover at Al Udeid before returning to the Academy and their families in Colorado Springs. Keyan deployed as a surgeon and ended up being the Chief of the Medical Staff for his entire rotation and Brett was a staff orthopedic surgeon. I had the chance to talk with Keyan quite a bit during his rotation so it was fun to see him after 18 years. He and I actually have a lengthy history… he joined the class of ’96 after stopout and we spent a few weeks together at Keesler AFB during Ops Air Force.

Keep the info coming… andivinyard@yahoo.com or andrea.vinyard@ us.af.mil. And this article would not be complete without a shout out to Falcons football team for bringing the Commander In Chief’s trophy home to the Academy!

Melvin E. Maxwell, Jr. 4660 4th St. South Arlington, VA 22204 mel_maxwell97@hotmail.com melvin.e.maxwell2.mil@mail.mil

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’97 Movers and Shakers!

Some other Pentagon classmates include James Finlayson - Joint Staff/ J2, Omar Velasko - Joint Staff/J6, Mike Bruhn works in the Air Force Medical Operations Center, and Kelly Skalko works in the Airmen and Family Readiness Center in the Pentagon. Also, the first ‘97er to reach the grade of O-6 (that I’ve heard of) -- Roger Maldonado -- is in the Guard working in Joint Staff/J5. Christian Basballe recently retired and is doing cyber security work for a small firm in the DC area.

Congratulations are in order for a few classmates earning graduate degrees. Jeremy Lloyd graduated this past August with his PhD in Political Science from Penn State University. Jeremy and his family returned to teach in the Academy Political Science department this past summer. The photo features Jeremy, his Dad, Ken, cousin James Gifford III, and Jeremy’s kids, Berkeley and Jacoby up front.

The Lloyd Family Another classmate, Spirit Meller, earned a Master of Architecture and an Executive MBA, both from the University of Oregon. To celebrate graduation (as well as his 15-year anniversary and his 40th birthday), Spirit and his wife, Jen, are embarking on a 10-week European adventure where they plan to start in Copenhagen, Denmark, move south to the Mediterranean coast and then head west to Morocco. In January, Spirit will return to Portland to start working on his Architecture license. You can check out his design work at facebook.com/EspiritoMellerDesign. Spirit also continues serving as an aircraft maintenance officer working on F-15s with the Oregon Air National Guard where he works with Chris Lantange (‘96) and Dave Johnson who is a full-time F-15 IP in Klamath Falls, Oregon.

(15 Sabre Society Donors) Greetings ‘97!

As always, hope this update finds you well. I’ve enjoyed bumping into numerous classmates during my first few months in the Pentagon. Some of them are in the photo: Michelle Carns is the Military Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force, Ian Fairchild is the Chief Speechwriter to the Secretary of the Air Force, Andy Ackerman is back in the DC area at National Defense University, Jim Smith is the junior Executive Officer to the Chief of Staff of the Air Force, Kim Campbell (Reed), and Michelle Pryor (Gadus) are both in Joint Staff/J3.

JOIN THE SABRE SOCIETY! YOUR MONEY HELPS FUND CADET WING PROGRAMS THAT WOULD OTHERWISE GO UNFUNDED. CALL (719) 472-0300 X200.

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Jen and double graduate Spirit Meller.

That’s all I have for this round. Thanks to the classmates who dropped me updates--look forward to hearing more this quarter. Until next time…Mel

Patrick Fox One Crestwood Lane Hanover, NH 03755 Cell: (415) 599-9089 Office: (603) 643-8885 pfox@newenergycapital.com

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(Nine Sabre Society Donors) (Editor’s note: We did not receive an input from Pat for this issue. Please send him your information and photos for the next magazine.)

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Mary Stewart Arlington, VA marybeth1999@hotmail.com mary.stewart@pentagon.af.mil

Members Lt Col (Retired) Kevin Schultz and his family celebrating in California.

Happy 15th anniversary ’99! Only five more years until we’re officially invited back for a football game. Thank you again to M-5 Guest Lecturer extraordinaire, Matt Watson, for filling in on the last edition while I began my two-year European vacation at Ramstein AB. Speaking of which, there are several of us running around this ‘hood. Lt Col Corey Klopstein is working on the USAFE A5 staff and enjoying all that Germany has to offer alongside his bride, Alison, and two adorable kinder, Dylan and Elsie. While celebrating Corey’s pin-on, I ran into Kevin Ormsby, who’s also working on the USAFE A5 staff right now, while he gets ready Sabre Society to take the Foreign Service test for the Department of Donors State.

I also keep cancelling lunch dates with Nate Leap, who’s earning a living over at USAFE A9 when not gallivanting all over the Continent with his wife, Mandy, and two boys, Ethan and Lincoln. Curtis Hayes is a dentist working in the Medical Group on Ramstein; he is super excited about his first Checkpoints sighting. And I know Onnie (Retkofsky) Grisotto is around here somewhere, but I haven’t stumbled across her yet -- may have to start stalking international marathons to catch up with her; I think she runs at least one a week. Every day brings a new opportunity to bump into someone taking advantage of the rotator, so we’ll see who else shows up in the next update.

I received an update from Travis Walters, who is serving in the Texas Air National Guard and living in Austin with his wife, Dorothy, and three daughters. He sent in the following photo from the Air National Guard Squadron Commanders’ Course, where he met up with Matt French (Florida ANG) and Brian Sherry (Arizona ANG).

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Jason Simmons 5756 Range Rider Drive Colorado SAprings, CO 80923 Jason.Simmons@Outlook.com

Members

(15 Sabre Society Donors) (Editor’s note: We did not receive an input from Jason for this issue.

Please send him your information and photos for the next magazine.)

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Faith (Hitchcock) Dunn 6423 NW 94th Court Johnson, IA 50131 Faithd03@hotmail.com

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Hi all! Here are the updates I have received for the article this quarter.

Thanks to those that sent updates! Keep them coming!

Kristi Contardo just found out that she will be the new 301 FSS Commander at NAS Fort Worth JRB Texas. Chris Geisel recently completed his Ph.D. at Purdue University and is now assigned to the faculty at AFIT, Wright-Patterson AFB, teaching astronautical engineering. J.D. Foy is in Kuwait on a one-year as the DO of the 5 EAMS at Al Mubarak AB. If anyone is traveling through, let him know! Jeremy McDaniel and his wife, Jessika, just celSabre Society ebrated their daughter Lexi’s first birthday and son RyDonors an’s 5th birthday. He is still working at Lockheed Martin in Orlando, splitting time on a multinational ballistic missile defense system and a South Korean helicopter design program. Josh Slade changed jobs back in February and is now working as a computer engineer for the Mitre Corpora-

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Caption: Lt Cols Matt French, Brian Sherry, and Travis Walters at the Air National Guard Sq/CC Course in DC -- summer 2014. The ANG is a great place to be!

Kevin Schultz took advantage of the TERA program and is now retired from active duty. He’s working with Sutter Physician Services in Sacramento and just celebrated his 14th anniversary with his wife Carrie!

Josh Slade, wife Stephanie, Camden and Olivia.

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tion. On Feb 14th of this year, he and his wife welcomed Olivia, their first daughter, into our family.

Camille Chigi got married in Jamaica to Bryan Joy in August with Bryan’s daughter Mia serving as Maid of Honor. She separated from Active Duty in October and is starting Chapter 2 of her life with the Pennsylvania Guard on 1 Nov. She is looking forward to focusing on family and balance in 2015.

Camille, Bryan and Mia at their wedding in Jamaica.

Zane Holscher will be transitioning from active duty to the Reserves at the end of the year and devoting even more time to his charity work. So far there are 8 ‘01 ladies are signed up for the Destin Beach Ultra Run on Feb 15th in Destin, FL. It is a fundraiser that directly benefits the Special Operations Warrior Foundation to put kids like Logan Argel through college.

Contact Zane if you are interested in participating or donating to the team fundraiser pages.Audra and Frank Lyons are still at Maxwell Air Force Base in Montgomery, AL and anticipate leaving next summer. Frank’s in ACSC and she is at the Holm Center (ROTC/OTS). Aubrey Semrau is also stationed there and he just deployed to Afghanistan again. They got to do a cruise to Alaska this summer with Paul Graham and his wife, Carolyn.

Audra, Frank, Paul and Carolyn during their dogsled excursion in Alaska.

Mike and I are still in Iowa and working for John Deere. I was recently offered a promotion and will be starting my new job as an IT Team Leader in a couple weeks. I will be moving locations and will no longer work at the same place as Mike but will work less than a mile from our house! It is also right across the street from Grant’s school so I am looking forward to being able to zip over for lunch or school activities more often! The kids keep us busy and we are looking forward to some downtime during the holiday season.

I would also ask all of you to keep Raul and Angela Ochoa and their girls in your prayers. A couple months ago, Raul had another cardiac event at their home in DC. They have been so strong and an inspiration through his recovery. I have been following them at: http://www.easysite.com/ theochoas. Please check it out and drop them a note of support!!

Rob Marshall is running a new project; the USAF 50 Summits Challenge and the goal is to have teams of Airmen reach the highest point in each state.

Maj Chris Wilson led the first trip of the Challenge (to the top of DC’s highpoint) and Maj. Jennifer Giovannetti took part in the event. Maj Jason Somers took part in the Colorado high-point trip in September and we had over 70 Airmen reach the summit that day. Maj Tavis McDevitt is helping lead our California high-point trip as I write this. As for Rob, he just joined the 97AS at McChord Field, WA as a Reservist and is looking forward to expanding opportunities for military members/families to get into the outdoors.

Also, at the time of print, I had learned of the loss of classmate Rick Schafer in an aircraft accident in August… here’s a toast.

Thanks again for all the photos and updates! Have a wonderful holiday season! Faith

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Eric Ballew World Cell: +1.850.543.9936 ericballew86@yahoo.com eric.ballew@us.af.mil Class Facebook: USAFA Class of 2002 Class Website: www.usafa02.org

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CLASS of 2002! I hope that everyone is having a great Fall! The Air Force vs. Army Football game was incredible and USAFA has brought home the Commander-in-Chief’s Trophy for a record 19th time! I hope everyone got the chance to see the game and celebrate. Halloween just ended so if you were like me you got to see 50 Elsa’s show up last week at your door looking for candy. Recently I’ve seen a ton of our classmates getting hired by various airlines and that’s great news! The Pilot Bonus offer just ended… who took it? Continue to update me with your latest job moves and family updates anytime Sabre Society something cool happens!

Donors PARTY LIKE A ROCKSTAR: Rich Adams sent me an update that David Orleans recently broke a Guinness record for most Fireball shots consumed before 9 a.m.

Since we are the most infamous “Red” class in Air Force Academy history Red hot Fireball shots is something we can all take pride in and it’s most certainly newsworthy.

Brock Hennigh, Rich Adams, Tony Straw, Aaron Bend and Rob Stelling (’03) played in the AOG golf tournament in San Antonio. They represented 2002 with a 3rd place finish on the course and first place finish for “Most Photogenic Team”. Eric Ballew had the opportunity to go to the Red Bull Air Race in Las Vegas and party in the Sky Lounge next to Bruce Jenner. I drank Shirley Temples all day at the open bar with my 3-year-old little girl and did my best to Keep up with the Kardashian’s.

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Robert Barnes training the Afghan military.

DEPLOYMENT SIGHTINGS: Robert Barnes just got back from another 5-month deployment in Afghanistan. He worked staff issues with base turnover and advised at an Afghan Engineering School. While deployed he ran into Brennan Vincello and Tim Metz.

James Jung Rule

BABY NEWS: Andy Rule and Nora (Cho) Rule are excited to announce the arrival of their son, James Jung Rule! Baby Rule was born 28 July 2014.

Andy and Nora are both stationed at Tyndall AFB, FL. Nora is the deputy 325FW/JA and Andy is an ADO and Instructor Pilot for the 43rd FS.

Air Force Fellows Matt Price, Ryan Seekins, Brian Stiles, Mike Burton, and E. Yancey Walker.

CATCHING UP WITH THE FAST BURNERS: 2002 Grads now AF Fellows! Matt Price, a MC-130H pilot out of Kirtland, is currently studying at the McConn Fellowship at Georgetown McCourt School of Public Policy.

Ryan Seekins has a background as a Space Operator from Buckley AFB and he’s currently doing the System Design and Management Fellowship at MIT. Brian Stiles is a B-2 pilot previously at Whiteman AFB. Brian is currently at the Sandia National Labs fellowship in Albuquerque. Mike Burton is a former C-5 and current AC-130 pilot from Hurlburt AFB doing the SOCOM fellowship at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies. Finally, Yancey Walker, a C-130 pilot from Yokota AB, is doing TRANSCOM’s Joint Mobility Fellowship at Scott AFB. Keep up the good work and keep me posted with emails and texts!

John Tamasitis 825 Kinlock Court Columbia, SC 29223 jgtamasitis@gmail.com Cell: 610-850-3352

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Members

Classmates, I hope everyone is well. We have three updates from fellow ’05ers for this issue of Checkpoints.

First, we received an update from Jamie (Hodge) Fernandez. She and her husband, John Fernandez (c/o 2004), are currently stationed at Peterson Air Force Base for the next few years and are truly enjoying life. They have two young children, Alaina (4) and Isaac (1). Jamie is a Reservist working with the Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron and John is working for NORTHCOM in the Science and Technology Directorate.

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Members Susan Lynn (Doyle) Maly Linked In: USAFA 03 USAFA2003@gmail.com Class Facebook Page: Usafa Zerothree LinkedIn: USAFA03

(Seven Sabre Society Donors)

Jamie and John with their two children, Alaina and Isaac.

We also got an update from Veronica (Gao) Brownheim and Nick Brownheim. Veronica recently started working for the Wing Commander at Offutt Air Force Base in the Commander’s Action Group. Nick is working with USSTRATCOM. They have two children, Olivia (3) and Zoey (10 months).

(Editor’s note: Susan emailed that she did not receive any inputs for this issue. Please send her your information and photos for the next magazine.)

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Breezy Long 120 Sunfest Drive Deatsville, AL 36022 windyshort82@gmail.com

Members

(Three Sabre Society Donors) (Editor’s note: We did not receive an input from Breezy for this issue.

Please send her your information and photos for the next imagazine.)

Veronica, Nick, Olivia and Zoey Veronica pinned on Major on July 1, 2014, along with Mark Hill and Jamie Kurzdofer, who are both in Bioenvironmental Engineering. Veronica is stationed at Offutt with fellow ’05ers Ryan Dorsey-Spitz, who is a doctor in the medical group, and Chris Couch, who just PCSed to Randolph Air Force Base at AFPC. Veronica and Nick are both planning on attending next year’s 10-year reunion and hope to see a lot of people there. They are enjoying the last few days of Sabre Society sunshine in Nebraska before winter rolls in.

Donors Finally, we got an update from Rob Willoughby’s wife, Laura. Rob deployed overseas in July and is hoping to return home soon. The Willoughbys have five children, Taylor (8), Xander (6), Carter (4), Nora (3) and Connor (3). Here’s hoping for Rob’s safe return so he can help Laura handle the very busy and full household.

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tendance. I can tell you that I did not miss a beat when I saw Ross Weaver, Denny Poland, Alfie Felipe, Brandon Sandoval, Dan Shaffer, Dominic DiOrio, and Chikadi Akalanou. All you peeps are looking good, keeping the class pride strong, and tailgating like champs! Here is a pic.

The Willoughby’s Clan Please keep abreast of any reunion updates via our Class of 2005 Facebook page. Also, Diane (Godar) Caranta has graciously volunteered to help us with our class gift campaign. We will be making announcements via the Facebook page and hope everyone will donate and allow us to reach our goal. Thanks for those who sent in updates and please keep them coming. I look forward to seeing everyone in a few months at the reunion!

All the best, John G. Tamasitis. jgtamasitis@gmail.com.

Shawn “The Schulz” Schulz 7840 Swiftrun Road Colorado Spring;s, CO 80920 (915) 309-5612 USAFACAD@hotmail.com Facebook page: USAFA Class of 2006

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Members

Class of 2006, I can tell you that time is flying by. I hope that each of you is doing well. Many of you have told me that you enjoy reading these updates... AWESOME! It is a collective effort and I want to thank those that try to send me an update from time to time. I hope my writing skills keep your reading skills up to speed! I can tell you that this was a heck of a quarter that has passed. I got to see a few of you and when I did, it seems like yesterday that I roamed the halls looking for Astro Pre-Flight help because you would not answer your AOL Instant Messenger (AIM)... C’Mon, now that’s funny! Well here are some updates, a couple sent to me, but the rest will be what I managed to gather through Facebook interactions, so I hope you all don’t mind.

As you all should be aware, our beloved Falcons season is well underway. I found out that many of you take a liking to attending the Service Academy game, and this year USAFA got to beat up on the Navy Goats in our home field. Yeah, we won... and are one step closer to that Commander In Chief Trophy. There was no shortage of fans so here is a pic from the tailgating with just a small handful of the many classmates that were in at-

ue.

A couple other updates from the AF-Navy game. First was an opportunity to see the father of one of our classmates who was in town. Sam Shutt (’79), the father of Matt Shutt, was in town for his class reunion. 35 years a grad... now that’s awesome! We have a few pilot classmates still in the air and two of them were also in the area. Some of you know Drew Maulsby is rocking the F-22 and managed to head this way. He was projected to do a flyover at the game but not all planes made the distance... next time Wooby! Also passing through the area at the same time was Aaron Bigler.

He is an A-10 pilot on an exchange with the Navy. He is flying the F-18 and loving it. My family and I met up with him and got to see him depart COS. It was a sweet sight, I must say. Here is a pic of that day. Keep them wings level and in a slight climb brother.

Putting aside the football fanatics for our Falcons, I would like to offer up some additional updates. I know that Adam “Heebs” Huebel separated from the AF and is back home in Texas after his last tour in England. Good luck to you Heebs! I gathered that Andrew Braley is about to separate and will find a home here in Colorado, just a little further north of COS. Good luck to you as well bud. I caught recently that Adrienne Ramirez had a baby, so it appears the Long Blue Line has potential to get a little bit longer... Good stuff Adrienne! I also noted that my teammate from Great Eagle Eight and SOS, Nick Tsougas, recently got married. It’s about darn time you found someone to connect with Tsoug... totally kidding. Good luck on that marriage, Sabre Society and keep racking up them flying hours. Finally, we had Donors our very own Warren Anderson trying to make waves at the highest level. He managed to humbly meet the Chairman, Joint Chiefs of Staff, General Dempsey... and got a coin. Stay away from Warren if you see him at the club... his coin will likely beat yours... hahaha!

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Visit the AOG Web Site.

Gone But Not Forgotten, Merchandise and more! www.usafa.org 130

Births: 8th grade sweethearts, Gilberto Perez and his wife, Angeline, had a wonderful 2014! On February 21 they welcomed their first child, Penelope Addis Perez. They continue to grow the Perez Brothers Foundation, where they give scholarship awards to students, teachers, and coaches in their local Tampa Bay community. In May, Gilberto graduated from both the U.S. Marine Corps Expeditionary Warfare School and Advanced Communications Officer Course. He now works at the White House Communications Agency in Washington, D.C. The Perez Family is on their fifth move in 7 years and enjoying every minute of their Air Force journey.

Thanks to those that provided updates this time around, and spread the word to others that I will gladly accept more. As for me (ShawnSchuuuuulz), I am still the Budget Officer here at USAFA and would love to meet up if any of you are in town. I got you covered on a place to stay... just say the word!

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Casey (Bayne) Whitson (310) 343-5969 email@caseywhitson.com

Members The Perez Family

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Hi Class of 2007, I hope everyone is enjoying your holiday season. We are up to 144 our classmates in our USAFA Class of 2007 Facebook group. Thank you to those who became part of the group since the last edition. Please continue to invite our classmates that you know are on Facebook. We only had two updates sent in this quarter but they were great ones. If you have a chance, please drop me a note with a quick update to include in the next edition.

Weddings: I had the privilege of being part of Lindsay (Freeman) Chrisopherson’s wedding on Sept. 27, 2014. It was held on a beautiful ranch in Corsicana, TX. Lindsay married Captain Collin Christopherson, a Sabre Society contracting officer who is serving an operational tour Donors in maintenance. Collin grew up in Texas and is a graduate of Angelo State University. Included in the wedding party were Class of 2007 graduates Tara Dunn, Michelle (Dieringer) Hernandez, Jocelyn Mitnaul and myself.

Also in the wedding party was Class of 2006 graduate Trier Bryant. Other class of 2007 graduates that attended the festivities were Willie Lloyd Jr, Will Meister and Ruth Afiesimama. Lindsay’s brothers Kyland Brett Freeman (c/o 2008) and JD Freeman (c/o 2002) were also present along with Chris Evans (c/o 2008). The wedding overlooked the water and the menu included both Texas and North Carolina barbeque. Lindsay and Collin are now stationed in England where they are both working in maintenance squadrons.

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Christin Brodie (817) 223-9793 Christin.Brodie@usafa.edu cbrodie2@icloud.com

Members

(Three Sabre Society Donors) (Editor’s note: We did not receive an input from Christin for this issue.

Please send her your information and photos for the next magazine.)

Forrest Underwood PSC 2, Box 9538 APO AE 0012 forrestunderwood@gmail.com Facebook: Forrest J. Underwood

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Members

Happy Holidays, Classmates! It feels good to ring in the New Year knowing the Commander in Chief’s Trophy is safe at home. It was great meeting up with some of you at the Navy game! In the future, if you are going to SOS, PCSing, transitioning out of the Air Force, or something else exciting, please post it to our Facebook Page! We want to know how you’re doing and where you’re going! Remember, anyone can send in updates so, friends and family, go post or email me directly!

Here’s the latest…

BABIES: Cameron and Jessie Unterberger just had their baby boy! Ben and Renee Walker just had their Sabre Society nd 2 baby and Jake Petro is the proud father of twins!

Donors Jeremy Fox is expecting to be a dad any time now while Wayne and Nicole Barber plan on having their baby in January.

MARRIED: Robbie (Nitzburg) and Brian Dunn said, ‘I Do’! Reid Gaiser and Jarred Marvin are now off the market as well.

ENGAGED: Next up to tie the knot are Marissa Whitaker, Evan Farren, and Skylar Morgan! Congrats to all!

NEW JOBS: Jamison Lamie is now a Presidential Management Fellow at the U.S. Office of Personnel Management. Adam Kruse decided he hadn’t achieved enough and has entered Medical School. Hollis Danley got out and is Mr. March in the 2015 Colorado Springs Firefighter Calendar.

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Christopherson Wedding Party

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Class News

Several other classmates are also expecting! Chelsea Handel is due very soon and Katie Lynn Cousins is a few months along. Most recently, congratulations to Tori Hight (Lalich) and her husband, Josh, on their recent announcement! I know you all will make great parents, and who knows, maybe you’ll be attending another USAFA graduation in a few years.

OTHER SPOOGE:

Mitch Fossum and his dad, Astronaut Mike Fossum, being awesome!

Tori and Josh This quarter has also seen quite a few opportunities for classmates to reunite. Tyler Boyd and Abby Nickels recently met up while overseas, and I linked back up with Ashton Miller, Tom Phillips, Nick Wright, Aaron Eshkenazi, and Sean O’Keefe while at the August SOS class. All are doing very well, and it was good to be able to reconnect and hang out (and learn) for a bit.

Mike Knapp is still a co-pirate.

SHAMELESS PLUG: Check out www.crashpadinaltus.com! Classmate owned! If you ever need a place to stay in Altus, OK you need to look no further than the Bat Cave!

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Members Todd Gamiles 2010checkpoints@gmail.com

(Three Sabre Society Donors) Greetings Luke Class! As we head into the holiday season, I hope you all are doing well and many blessings upon you! This year, our class has a few new couples celebrating the holidays together. Shortly after the last update, I received word that Chris Reynolds got married, and both Sarah Skogsberg and Aftan Boudreaux tied the knot as well. Congratulations to the newlyweds!

There is also much to report on the newborn front! It is with great pride that Caleb Becker and his wife, Tara, proudly announce the birth of their son, Cody Frederick Becker. Cody was born August 27th, 2014, in Roseville, CA. The Beckers are currently in San Antonio for PIT but will be moving to Vance AFB, OK in April where Caleb will be a T-6 IP.

Tyler and Abby While I hate to end these updates on a sour note, it is with deepest regret I inform the class that not all of our classmates who faced the Reduction-In-Force board last quarter were retained. I will not identify classmates by name out of respect for their privacy in this difficult time, but I ask you to keep them in your thoughts and prayers. Though you may no longer be wearing a uniform, you will always be a part of our class and the Air Force family, and I wish you all the best. Please continue to share your life experiences with the class wherever the roads of life may take you!

‘Til next time, blue skies and tailwinds!

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Elizabeth Borroni 809 Swift Water Drive Abilene, TX 79602 (979) 571-1180 elizabeth.borroni@gmail.com

The Becker Family

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Members

Class of Olds, It’s been a wonderful fall so far! The Commander in Chief Trophy is back in its rightful place, so all is well in the world. I am looking forward to a potential Bowl Game for the Falcons this winter! This year, as the leaves have changed with the fall, so has our class. I have gotten some great updates this quarter that are absolutely worthy of sharing! It’s always great to see everyone’s life progressing and growing for the better.

I received a nice email from Brandon Hough updating me on his life

and the life of quite a few of our classmates! He was one of the 2011 Grads who opted to voluntarily separate due to budget cuts and is now living the civilian life in Southern California! He’s grown quite the beard and is working a job that he is completely in love with. Brandon, I hear that your job offers a line of Disney running shoes? I may have to snag a pair from you! He is currently running and training for multiple Ironman races and enjoying life to its fullest. For any others that have separated, please send me your updated contact info and what you are doing now! I, and I am sure our classmates, would love to hear your news from the civilian side!

hope everyone has a safe and wonderful winter and I hope to hear from y’all soon!

Cheers! Elizabeth

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LeRoi Edwards leroi.edwards@gmail.com

Members

Happy winter, 2012ers! I hope I find you all in good spirits and good health. This time around, folks are getting settled into life as 1Lts and enjoying the ability to sink into the crowd a little more. While not the newest guys on the block, we are still a ways from the spotlight of actually competency expected of so many captains out there. It seems that we are in a bit of a lull at the moment; weddings have slowed down, children are popping out now and again, but I know that each of you are dominating your respective arenas and representing our fantastic community to the best of your abilities.

In regards to that, Nat Shanks wanted to give a shout out to all of his F-22 B-Course HAP warriors: Brady Amack, Brady Knutson, Mike Broch, Hal Niemeyer, Chris Richardson, and Doug Foss all began training on 20 October. Good luck, gentlemen.

Additionally, I wanted to congratulate the new family, Mr. and Mrs. Keegan Vaira, on their recent marriage over Labor Day weekend at the ever-popular and scenic Cadet Chapel. Congratulations you two!

Brandon running in the Florida Ironman.

I also received an email from Ahdi Mitchell extending an open invitation to our class for all future football games. He and many of our other classmates, including Matt Beath, Matt Becker, Chaz Demerath, and Suong Lee, are all stationed at F.E. Warren AFB in Cheyenne, WY and don’t get the missile blues too much and are always down for a football game celebration. He also informed me of some other Olds classmates living in Colorado who are also always up for a good time at the football games and they are Chad Sheiner and Brad Sellers (both at Buckley AFB), Antonia Concepcion (Peterson AFB), and Benson Oldmixon, Ryan Southworth, and Brian Wilson (all at Schriever AFB). When visiting our alma Sabre Society Donors mater, don’t forget to get in contact with the many fellow grads living in Colorado and catch up!

Finally, I would like to acknowledge Kaylyn Leibrand (Arvidson) for being selected as one of four KC-135 crew members chosen to be part of the Air Force’s “Total Force Team.”

This team will be providing the first operational testing and evaluation of the brand new tanker, the KC-46 Pegasus, which will be replacing the aging, but steadfast, Eisenhower-era KC-135. This testing will ensure the success of this future war horse and their efforts will guarantee all the preand in-flight checklists make sense, as well as working out any technical kinks that come up.

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The Vaira Wedding And last, but certainly not least we have two baby announcements this go-around. Up first, Daniel Welsh and his wife, Jessica, welcomed little Eleanor Rose Welsh into the world on 10 August. She was brought into this world by a loving family at Mountain Home AFB, ID. Our second update represents baby number-two for Zed and Samantha Davies. Anaston Davies was welcomed into this world on 1 July. I wish them the best of luck as mother and daughter(s) are doing wonderfully. It is always great to celebrate the ever expanding 2012 family.

Kaylyn in front of her KC-135.

As always, I hope everyone is enjoying this time in their life right now.

There has been a lot of change in the Air Force recently and I am proud of our class and the accomplishments that they have each and every day.

Please never hesitate to email me, call me or let me know if you are flying through Dyess Air Force Base. I would love to catch up and feature your life event in the next issue of AOG Checkpoints. This magazine and being a member of the AOG are a great way to keep in touch with not only the happenings of the Academy, but also the happenings of our classmates! I

Baby Davies]

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With that, we have gone around the horn: airplanes (check), wedding (check), babies (check). I wish you all a wonderful and safe holiday season. I look forward to crossing paths as we continue to wander down this trail called life. If you need anything, or have any additional announcement, do not hesitate to get in touch with me.

Cheers, LeRoi.

Tng-Loong Foo, ’04 (Gone But Not Forgotten)

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Members Andrew Hedman awhedman91@yahoo.com andrew.hedman.2@us.af.mil

(Continued from page 90.)

During his tour, he led his flight and squadron in major regional exercises including Ex Pitch Black (Australia) and Ex Cope Tiger (Thailand).

His exemplary leadership and warm, friendly demeanor inspired and forged many strong bonds.

Tng-Loong’s dedication to the RSAF and his country was exemplified through his passion for flying and personal sacrifices. His strength of character shone in his leadership and selflessness. The RSAF was not just a career for Tng-Loong, but his life and being.

Tng-Loong was a fiercely loyal friend. Always the first to lend help, he constantly looked out for his friends. He was selfless, generous and considerate to his friends, and always found time for them. A filial son, loving brother and doting uncle, Tng-Loong is missed by his beloved parents Chia-Chow and Swee-Hock, sister Feng-Yi and brother-in-law Yui-Wei, niece and nephew, Julia and Mark.

Although Tng-Loong’s passing has left voids in the hearts of many, his memory will forever live on in those whose lives he had so enriched.

(Tng-Loong’s friends from RSAF, SAF; and his sister Feng-Yi) (Editor’s note: The AOG does not always have all the information concerning the death of a graduate. We only publish the information we have available on each deceased graduate or cadet.)

At press time we learned of the deaths of the following graduates: Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of these graduates.

Mr. W. Robert Walker, Air Training Officer, who died on Oct. 19, 2014 in Lake St. Louis, Mo. Lt. Col. (Ret) Edward W. Leonard, Class of 1960, who died on Nov. 11, 2014 in Portland, Ore. Lt. Col. (Ret) David Dougan, Class of 1963, who died on Dec. 19, 2013 in Honolulu, Hawaii.

Col. (Ret) David W. Milam, Class of 1963, who died on Sept. 11, 2014 in Centerville, Ohio.

Maj. (Ret) Hugh K. Webb, Class of 1963, who died on Oct. 15, 2014 in Franklin, Ind. Mr. Henry M. Armstrong, Class of 1965, who died on Aug. 23, 2014 in Payson, Ariz.

Lt. Col. (Ret) Robert G. Kemmerer, Class of 1965, who died on Jan. 26, 1012 in San Antionio, Texas.

Col. (Ret) Charles “Chuck” W. Beattie, Class of 1967, who died on Nov. 6, 2014 in Oriental, Fla. Mr. James H. Hix, Jr., Class of 1968, who died on Nov. 4, 2014 in Pensacola, Fla. Col. (Ret) Craig S. Ghelber, Class of 1972, who died on Sept. 7, 2014 in Alexandria, Va. Dr. Lance D. Webb, Class of 1974, who died on Aug. 7, 2014 in Chicago, Ill. Lt. Col. (Ret) Ronald B. Baran, Class of 1976, who died on Nov. 17, 2014 in Peachtree City, Ga. Lt. Col. Matthew J. LaCourse, Class of 1978, who died on Nov. 6, 2014 in an F-16 crash in the Gulf of Mexico.

Lt. Col. (Ret) Joseph C. Dortch, Class of 1981, who died on Oct. 24, 2014 in Arlington, Va. Mr. Bradley S. Pollock, Class of 1983, who died on Oct. 23, 2014 in Wichita Falls, Texas.

Mr. Aundra E. Billups, Class of 1984, who died on Sept. 11, 2014 in Marietta, Ga. Lt. Col. (Ret) Todd C. Hoppe, Class of 1987, who died on Nov. 18, 2014 in Harleysville, Pa. Lt. Col. Peter S. Hagis, Class of 1991, who died on Sept. 23, 2014 in Sanford, N.C. Lt. Col. Daniel P. Murray, Class of 1992, who died on July 20, 2014 in Navarre, Fla. Our sincere condolences to the family and friends of these graduates.

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(One Sabre Society Donor) (Editor’s note: We did not receive an input from Andrew this issue. Please send him your information and photos for the next issue.)

Congratulations USAFA Class of: The Association of Graduates congratulates the Lt. Col. Jay Zeamer, Jr. Class on their recent graduation. The Class of 2014 will have a Class News column in this book as soon as we have a volunteer.

Any volunteer class scribes and/or the class president please contact class news editor, Tom Kroboth, at Tom. Kroboth@aogusafa.org.

60% members. No Sabre Society Donors yet.

Checkpoints Statement of Ownership, Management, and Circulation

1. Publication title: Checkpoints 2. Publication number: 898-080 3. Filing date: Sept. 17, 2014 4. Issue frequency: Quarterly 5. Number of issues published annually: 4 6. Annual subscription price: Included in AOG USAFA membership fee (which varies).

7. Complete mailing address of known office of publication: Association of Graduates, United States Air Force Academy, 3116 Academy Drive, USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475 8. Complete mailing address of headquarters of general business office of publisher: same as no. 7.

9. Names and addresses of publisher, editor, and managing editor—Publisher: Association of Graduates, United States Air Force Academy, USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475; Editor: David Bergeman, 3116 Academy Drive, USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475; Managing Editor: Bob McAllister, 3116 Academy Drive, USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475 10. Owner (if the publication is published by a nonprofit organization, give its name and address): Association of Graduates, United States Air Force Academy, 3116 Academy Drive, USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475 11. Known bondholders, mortgagees, and other security holders owning or holding 1 percent or more of total amount of bonds, mortgages, or other securities: none.

12. The purpose, function, and nonprofit status of this organization and the exempt status for federal income tax purposes have not changed during the preceding 12 months.

13. Publication name: Checkpoints.

14. Issue date for circulation data below: September 2014 15. Extent and nature of circulation:

Average no. copies Actual no. single

each issue during single issue nearest

preceding 12 months filing date A. Total no. copies printed 30,820 30,640 (1) Mailed outside-county paid subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541 29,819 29,964 (2) Mailed in-county paid subscriptions stated on PS Form 3541 0 0 (3) Paid distribution outside the mails including sales through dealers and carriers, street vendors, counter sales, and other paid distribution outside USPS 77 78 C. Total paid distribution: 29,995 30,145 D. Free or nominal rate distribution: (1) Free or nominal rate outside-county copies included on PS Form 3541 0 0 (2) Free or nominal rate in-county copies included on PS Form 3541 0 0 0 (3) Free or nominal rate copies mailed through the USPS 0 0 (4) Free or nominal rate distribution outside the mail 715 405 E. Total free or nominal rate distribution: 715 405 F. Total distribution: 30,710 30,550 G. Copies not distributed: 110 90 H. Total: 30,820 30,640 I. Percent paid: 97.67 98.67 I certify that all the information furnished on this form is true and complete.

David Bergeman, Managing Editor.

GX GRAD EXCHANGE

GX GRAD EXHANGE Classifieds exclusively for the USAFA Graduate community

GX is going digital usafa.org/gradexchange

FINAL THOUGHT

F-22 Strikes ISIL On September 23, the F-22 Raptor was used to strike ISIL ground targets in Syria marking the combat debut of the Air Force’s fifth generation fighter. The Department of Defense tweeted the before and after photo below, which depicts the effects of an F-22 strike on an Islamic State militant group headquarters in Raqqah, in north-central Syria.

F-22 photo by TSgt Michael R. Holzworth

POSTMASTER: Send change of address to Checkpoints, Association of Graduates, Doolittle Hall, 3116 Academy Drive, USAF Academy, CO 80840-4475.

Vince Rusinak, ’68 Vince@Rusinak.com

Nancy Rusinak Brother, R. Berthiaume, ’73

Nancy@Rusinak.com

www.RusinakRealEstate.com Rusinak Real Estate, Inc. 7160 North Academy Blvd Colorado Springs, CO 80920 719.590.6110 Toll Free: 1.800.789.6650