CLASS NEWS Spring Break ’17! Wow, it has been an eventful time over the past few months. We had a big election and we now have a new president and SECDEF. I also just read that President Trump nominated an ’82 grad to be the new Secretary of the Air Force -- the first USAFA grad to take that position. There have been a lot of changes recently, but one thing that hasn’t changed... the New England Patriots are going to the Super Bowl again. Boo yeah! I just watched the Pats crush the Steelers in the AFC Championship and now we’ll see how they do in the big game against the Falcons. Members Brady-Belichick, Make America 80% Great Again! Speaking of elections, ’94 now has a county commissioner in our ranks. Rich Cimino sent me an update and told me that he was just elected to that position in Grand County, Sabre Society CO. Grand County is home to Donors the Winter Park/Mary Jane ski 10 area, where Rich now lives. His wife of 22 years is from Winter Park and when Rich retired from the AF in 2015, they moved back there. Rich said the election was a long, 10-month process with five people running for the job, but he pulled out the win. He said if any ’94 grads want to revisit the best ski town in Colorado, feel free to contact him. Congrats Rich!
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The Class of ’93 gathers at Port City Brewery, Thanks JD! investing in the future of AF leaders. We all served longer have your squadron contact info, please (and some of you are still serving), but frankly we contact one of us on the gift committee and we can want future classes to serve as well or better than send it again. our class. Believe it or not, we have only 20 months left Funding our class gift -- https://www.usafa.org/ before to our 25th reunion in September 2018 -Give/93ncls -- will do just that by introducing the NOW is the critical time to communicate our mescadets to some of the most outstanding airmen sage to our class. The Academy helped develop they will be leading upon graduation, and by introthe foundation for how we all lead our personal ducing these top performing (and highly influenand professional lives; let’s invest in enhancing that tial) airmen to their Air Force’s Academy and cadets foundation for future classes! -- their future leaders. By the way, the Endowment Again, if you have any questions or suggestions, does not take any administrative fees, so 100% of feel free to contact me or any one on the commitour contributions go to our fund. tee directly to avoid creating long email threads for The goal is to initially provide finances to fund the entire group. Thank you for helping us make expenses for 20-plus years of the NCLS Outstandan impact on our future AF leaders! ing Airman of the Year (OAY) program and other A group of about 20 classmates got together cadet interactions. Each year NCLS hosts an thanks to the expert planning of Jeff Kubik. We annual panel with several of the OAY. Due to OAY were able to gather at JD Holt’s Port City Brewery schedules, we expect that three, maybe four, of in Alexandria, VA, for a night of fun and fellowthe 12 OAY will be able to attend the panel and ship and to discuss our class gift to USAFA. (See possibly a couple more will be able to attend photo above.) Kevin Basik did an exceptional job at other Academy activities throughout the year. We explaining the above and many great ideas flowed want to fund the expenses for those top enlisted to create what we are presenting to you. personnel that travel to the Academy and expand the cadets’ knowledge as well as experience the Profession of Arms. We have already received more than 60K in contributions and pledges, approximately 25% of our $250,000 goal. We are not telling people what to give -- we understand each one of us is in a different place in our lives, but we are asking people to step up and give something. $30 a month will move the needle -- if we all do at least that. If you can do more, do more -- and Rod Owens, Craig Yantiss and Adam Olshefsky know that many of our classmates are shooting enjoying a tasty beverage! well beyond that target with their recurring and Those in attendance were Antoine Banks, Kevin one-time gifts. Basik, Darin Booth, Brian Burns, Maren Calvert, The gift committee needs your assistance in Sean Choquette, Kristin Goodwin, Jason Couisine, reaching out to your squadron mates (via phone Brendan Harris, JD Holt, Jennifer Krischer, Jeff Kucall/emails), as our goal is to contact 93% of the bik, Adam Olshefsky, Rod Owens, Shelley Strong, grads in our class and achieve more than 40% Mike Sundsted, Curtis Velasquez and Craig Yanparticipation in funding our class gift. tiss. I definitely forgot a few. We had a great time For the new squadron reps, if you haven’t and all agreed to pledge support for the National received your squadron lists, please reply back to Character and Leadership Symposium. me directly when you get a chance so I can provide Plan on having a member of your squadron your squadron contact info and answer any adcontact you about our gift plan. Remember to visit ditional questions on how we have been commuour class website above on the AOG website to nicating to our squadron mates. pledge today! Mike For existing squadron representatives, if you –Michael D. Sundsted, 1805 Macadams Place, Alhave not already done so, please reach out to your exandria, VA 22308; (703) 307-0903; mdsunsted@ former squadron mates and ask them to congmail.com tribute to this very important class gift. If you no 138 · usafa.org
Commissioner Cimino I got updates from ’94 war-fighters in two AORs recently. First, I heard from Zach Zeiner who is deployed to Kuwait as the 387 AEG commander. He said he is there with Charlie Bolton, who is the wing commander. Zach also said he has seen Dave Berg, Trey Chastain, Sean McLay and John Vincent, who are all deployed in the AOR. Pictured are Zach, Charlie and Chuck Stevens (’93) at their deployed location. Stay safe over there! (See photo at the top of the next column.) My other AOR update was from the abovementioned Sean McLay, who checked in from Kabul, Afghanistan. He said he is there at Resolute Support HQ, “winning the peace” with several other ’94 grads, including colonels John Beattie,