CLASS NOTES time with to catch up. Please let me know if you tough decision to leave VMI after an unforget- of Defense international school and love it.” I caught up with Curran Bowen by phone and fin yourself in Atlanta. To those in Atlanta, don’t table year, only to repeat the 4th Class system at the U.S. Air Force Academy. I have to say that email: “My son, Kirby, who is 9 years old, made be a stranger.” I reached out to Jim Stepnowski via his dad, there are few alumni associations as strong as the pilgrimage with me to Lexington in early VMI’s, and I truly cherished being a part of the September for our 25th Reunion. This was Kirby’s Jim Stepnowski ’62. Jim has been living in Korea ‘I’ and its legacy. I’m still serving active duty Air first trip to the Institute. After meeting many of our teaching English for the last 16 years. He and his Force, now out at Hill Air Force Base working as brother rats, he asked, ‘Daddy, are all your friends wife are expecting their first baby in December. a senior materiel leader (that’s code for acquisition Marines?’ No kidding, he really thought that was Jim later checked in via Facebook: “On a bus to toad), leading a division that manages Air Force true. Come to think of it, we did have a rather high the middle of nowhere right now and living right and partner nations’ fielded conventional muni- percentage of our class who were commissioned outside of Seoul. Just checking in to say hi to tions stockpile. Otherwise, I am enjoying skiing, as Marines – God bless you all. Otherwise, life everyone. Wish I could have been at the Globe and Laurel last weekend. My dad goes hiking and occasional trout fishing there for his ROMEO (retired old men in the beautiful Utah outdoors with eating out) meetings. I introduced Shannon and our three kids. For my bride to them last time I was in former Company B, I hope to hear country. Speaking of which, I’m how you are doing, and please holmarried to a lovely lady named Shon, ler if you’re in/near the greater Salt and we are about to be parents on the Lake City area.” projected date of Dec. 20. The doc said Wayne Sinclair checked in via it will probably be late. Teaching at the email as well. Wayne is still an acKorean Defense Language Institute tive duty Marine stationed at Marine and, when my wife allows it, I go rock Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego: climbing. Came to Korea back in 1997 “I just left O-6 command and am for what was going to be a short twonow the operations office , Western year stint at teaching overseas while Recruiting Region. I stay in regular I figured out what to do after leaving contact with Todd Freiwald who the Army. Found I loved it, and here I lives near Winchester and whose am with a dog, a cat, an amazing wife oldest son is a rat this year. Anyhow, and a soon to be amazing baby girl. keep up the great work, and have an Thanks for taking up the mantle of enjoyable weekend. Semper fi and keeping us all tied together, Sam Tate. God bless.” Class of 1988: From left, retired U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. David “Bum” Phillips ’84, U.S. Marine Corps Col. If any BRs are over in the Seoul area, Dave Omstead wrote: “Glad to James “Vandal” Mumma and U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. drop me a line.” hear the big reunion was a success! Julian J. “J.J.” Rivera ’96 at Joint Base McGuire-DixAndy McAllister also checked in I almost made it, but then my leave Lakehurst Oct. 19, 2013. They were there for the dedicavia email and is a regular on Faceplans fell through. I did get to see tion of the Fort Dix Marine Corps Reserve Center in honor Andy Gillespie the following week book: “Hey, Sam! Had a great time of U.S. Marine Corps Lt. Col. Dave “Rhino” Greene, U.S. in Seattle while I was at a conferat the reunion catching up with old Naval Academy ’86, who was killed on a mission in an AHfriends. Wish I had more time to get ence with Boeing. He caught me up 1W (Super Cobra) over Ramadi July 28, 2004. All three around to everyone. Since then, I’ve on the latest and greatest … lots of had been deployed to Iraq together with Green in Marine had a chance to grab lunch with Rob laughs. I tried unsuccessfully to get Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 775 (HMLA-775 – The Campbell in the executive dining a hold of my dyke, Brian Markert Coyotes). The Cobra helicopter in the picture was painted with Rhino’s name and picture of a rhinoceros in honor room at the Federal Reserve Bank of ’91. I’ll try again next time. The of Green and is on display at the Fort Dix Marine Corps Richmond. Had a great time catchonly other ‘VMI sighting’ I had Reserve Center. was in Afghanistan this summer. ing up on personal news and some I was running (literally) out of the business. Likewise, Tom Munno and gym and ran into a guy in a VMI hat. He was the goes on in Newnan, Georgia, where we reside. I have kids in the same elementary school here French exchange student from 2005(?). We could Caroline, Kirby and baby sister Mary Martin are in western Henrico (Richmond’s West End). We only talk for a second, but it was cool to see the always busy with church, school, football, Boy caught up for an hour or so at the school’s fall fesVMI spider out and about! Life is good for me Scouts, dancing class or some other extracur- tival. Neither of us are any more respectable than and the family here in Geilenkirchen, Germany. ricular activity. I still work in Atlanta maintaining we ever were, but we clean up well. I’m headed We are about halfway through our three and a half a real estate law practice. Despite the economic to visit Tom at the Southside Richmond Philip year tour. I’ve enjoyed flying on NATO Airborne downturn, we have managed to find enough Morris plant on Veterans Day. Other than this, life Warning & Control System aircraft and have en- homes to sell and refinance loans to close to stay is good here. Heading into the homestretch for the joyed the NATO environment. I haven’t always alive. This past summer, the market significantly Richmond Marathon and enjoying the provincial understood it, but I have enjoyed it! We have been improved and appeared to turn the corner for the lifestyle of quiet, central Virginia.” Mike McGraw has finally come out of hiding all over Europe including Spain, France, Holland, better. Only time will tell, but it looks like we Belgium, Norway, Sweden and Hungary and have may finally be on the road to recovery. Needless and is a regular on Facebook as well as at the really gotten a lot out of all the trips. If any of to say, those who made it to the reunion had a northern Virginia luncheon. Mike sends: “Finyou are passing through, give us a shout. We great time, and those who could not were sorely ished my four-year tour as chief of the military are in a good staging point for trips anywhere missed. The weekend always goes by too fast, and liaison office for Belgium and the Netherlands in in Western Europe! The kids go to a Department there were many I did not get to spend enough 2012. The assignment included a 2011 deploy-
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